Newbee Questions re: ISO and Shooting Modes

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

My wife bought me a Nikon D70s digital camera for my birthday and I am
slowly going through the learning curve. However, I do have two questions
at this time.

First, I understand the principle of the ISO setting, e.g., low light-higher
ISO & vice versa. But, for everyday picture taking is it best to manually
set the ISO according to the shooting conditions, or as some recommend the
lowest possible ISO, or is it safe to set ISO on "Automatic"? Does
Automatic ISO work well?

Secondly, what is the real difference between (A)"Automatic" and (P)
"Program modes? They both control shutter and aperture settings. The only
difference I know of is that in "P" mode the flash will not go off unless
you raise the flash while in
"A" mode the flash always goes off.

TIA for your input.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

Thanks for your reply Alan. Is Automatic ISO reliable for average picture
taking? Also, the "A" mode I am referring to is the"Automatic" mode not
"Aperature" mode. Is "Automatic" mode reliable for average picture taking?
I know this is the lazy way but, why not?


"Alan Browne" <alan.browne@FreeLunchVideotron.ca> wrote in message
newsas2s8$lub$1@inews.gazeta.pl...
> Sidney Friedman wrote:
>
> > First, I understand the principle of the ISO setting, e.g., low
light-higher
> > ISO & vice versa. But, for everyday picture taking is it best to
manually
> > set the ISO according to the shooting conditions, or as some recommend
the
> > lowest possible ISO, or is it safe to set ISO on "Automatic"? Does
> > Automatic ISO work well?
>
> In most cases, yes. OTOH just set it to 200 for most 'bright light'
> areas and 400 or 800 for dim light and you'll cover most of what most
> casual shooters need. If it's really dim, then go to 1600. How do you
> know it's really dim? When you get really long shutter speeds.
>
> >
> > Secondly, what is the real difference between (A)"Automatic" and (P)
> > "Program modes? They both control shutter and aperture settings. The
only
> > difference I know of is that in "P" mode the flash will not go off
unless
> > you raise the flash while in
> > "A" mode the flash always goes off.
>
> "A" means "Aperture priority" in which you choose the aperture (to
> control depth of field) and the camera calculates the shutter speed
> based on the meter reading (and meter mode). Use the lens aperture dial
> or the rear control dial to set the desired aperture with the "A"
> selected. In "P" mode the dial will reduce or increase the camera
> selected aperture (and speed as a consequence) according to the meter
> reading.
>
> (On the D70s, the mode dial has an "Auto" as well as an "A" mode (MASP
> block. P11 of manual). The "A" is aperture priority.)
>
> This is the semi-automatic metering mode used by most photogs for most
> cases.
>
> Cheers,
> Alan
>
>
> --
> -- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
> -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
> -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
> -- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

P.S. Which is best, "Program Mode" or "Automatic Mode"?

"Sidney Friedman" <counsel2@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:KRgAe.148$Ih7.120@newssvr33.news.prodigy.com...
> Thanks for your reply Alan. Is Automatic ISO reliable for average picture
> taking? Also, the "A" mode I am referring to is the"Automatic" mode not
> "Aperature" mode. Is "Automatic" mode reliable for average picture taking?
> I know this is the lazy way but, why not?
>
>
> "Alan Browne" <alan.browne@FreeLunchVideotron.ca> wrote in message
> newsas2s8$lub$1@inews.gazeta.pl...
> > Sidney Friedman wrote:
> >
> > > First, I understand the principle of the ISO setting, e.g., low
> light-higher
> > > ISO & vice versa. But, for everyday picture taking is it best to
> manually
> > > set the ISO according to the shooting conditions, or as some recommend
> the
> > > lowest possible ISO, or is it safe to set ISO on "Automatic"? Does
> > > Automatic ISO work well?
> >
> > In most cases, yes. OTOH just set it to 200 for most 'bright light'
> > areas and 400 or 800 for dim light and you'll cover most of what most
> > casual shooters need. If it's really dim, then go to 1600. How do you
> > know it's really dim? When you get really long shutter speeds.
> >
> > >
> > > Secondly, what is the real difference between (A)"Automatic" and (P)
> > > "Program modes? They both control shutter and aperture settings. The
> only
> > > difference I know of is that in "P" mode the flash will not go off
> unless
> > > you raise the flash while in
> > > "A" mode the flash always goes off.
> >
> > "A" means "Aperture priority" in which you choose the aperture (to
> > control depth of field) and the camera calculates the shutter speed
> > based on the meter reading (and meter mode). Use the lens aperture dial
> > or the rear control dial to set the desired aperture with the "A"
> > selected. In "P" mode the dial will reduce or increase the camera
> > selected aperture (and speed as a consequence) according to the meter
> > reading.
> >
> > (On the D70s, the mode dial has an "Auto" as well as an "A" mode (MASP
> > block. P11 of manual). The "A" is aperture priority.)
> >
> > This is the semi-automatic metering mode used by most photogs for most
> > cases.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Alan
> >
> >
> > --
> > -- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
> > -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
> > -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
> > -- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.
>
>

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

In article <das2s8$lub$1@inews.gazeta.pl>, Alan Browne
<alan.browne@FreeLunchVideotron.ca> writes
>Sidney Friedman wrote:
>
>> First, I understand the principle of the ISO setting, e.g., low light-higher
>> ISO & vice versa. But, for everyday picture taking is it best to manually
>> set the ISO according to the shooting conditions, or as some recommend the
>> lowest possible ISO, or is it safe to set ISO on "Automatic"? Does
>> Automatic ISO work well?
>
>In most cases, yes. OTOH just set it to 200 for most 'bright light'
>areas and 400 or 800 for dim light and you'll cover most of what most
>casual shooters need. If it's really dim, then go to 1600. How do you
>know it's really dim? When you get really long shutter speeds.

It's worth adding that the effect of camera shake - caused by using too
low a shutter speed - is usually far more deleterious to a photo than a
little grain from using too high a sensitivity.
>
>> Secondly, what is the real difference between (A)"Automatic" and
>>(P)
>> "Program modes? They both control shutter and aperture settings. The only
>> difference I know of is that in "P" mode the flash will not go off unless
>> you raise the flash while in
>> "A" mode the flash always goes off.
>
>"A" means "Aperture priority" in which you choose the aperture (to
>control depth of field) and the camera calculates the shutter speed
>based on the meter reading (and meter mode). Use the lens aperture
>dial or the rear control dial to set the desired aperture with the "A"
>selected. In "P" mode the dial will reduce or increase the camera
>selected aperture (and speed as a consequence) according to the meter
>reading.
>
>(On the D70s, the mode dial has an "Auto" as well as an "A" mode (MASP
>block. P11 of manual). The "A" is aperture priority.)
>
>This is the semi-automatic metering mode used by most photogs for most
>cases.
>
Actually I tend to use Tv (shutter priority) at least as often as Av
(aperture priority), though if you are using either actively (i.e.
looking at the values before each shot and tweaking to suit) it makes
little difference.

Sidney - what you may or may not have seen is the approximate guideline
for shutter speeds. The common recommendation is to use a shutter speed
of 1/focal length of lens or faster. That is, for a lens at 50mm, use
1/50 or 1/60 sec. I would suggest that where possible you try to go at
least one stop faster, say 1/125 in the above example. Whatever setting
you use on the camera, it is important - to get good results
consistently - to watch what it is proposing to do, and override it if
necessary. That is why most experienced SLR users prefer to use the
semi-auto Tv and Av modes rather than full auto P mode or - worse - the
convenience modes like sport, landscape etc (sometimes called "idiot
modes" by the uncharitable). With these it is much harder (or
impossible) to see exactly what the camera is doing. Of course, for a
real beginner, who does not have the knowledge on what to do instead,
they give a better result than he might get by guessing, but to get best
results aim to move on once you have got familiar with the camera.

David
--
David Littlewood

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

On Sun, 10 Jul 2005 22:38:34 GMT, Sidney Friedman <counsel2@sbcglobal.net>
wrote:
> P.S. Which is best, "Program Mode" or "Automatic Mode"?

Automatic mode has the camera make all sorts of decisions for you.
On my camera, it even decides that I'll use JPEGs instead of RAW.
To my mind, if you have time for Usenet, you probably have time to
make decisions like that for yourself, and figure out how to tell
the camera what to do. So I recommend Program, or better yet,
Aperture Priority, where you tell the camera what f-stop you want
and it calculates an appropriate shutter speed.

The only disadvantage of Program and Aperture Priority modes on my
Canon DSLR, as far as I'm concerned, is that the camera insists on
leaving ISO to the user. I'd like to have an option to set the
aperture and the minimum shutter speed, and let the camera set the
ISO accordingly.

--
Ben Rosengart (212) 741-4400 x215
Sometimes it only makes sense to focus our attention on those
questions that are equal parts trivial and intriguing.
--Josh Micah Marshall