Code Monkey
Leading Member
i use manual mode with the flash... i mostly use AV in low light without flash, but there is nothing wrong with the P mode in low light as it will select the widest aperture anyways...
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So what is so wrong about P mode?
- Thread starter JOHN CALLANAN
- Start date
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CANON 10D - S-30 - A-1 film
Lecter
Senior Member
especially where the lighting is even etc etc
it's soooooo easy to mess it up..
a catch of course is ISO, I messed up a whole weekends shoot with the 1D at 1600 and the 1Ds at 1250 from some indoor stuff and then I went and took a bunch of ourdoor stuff...
should've realised the shutter speeds were a bit quick..
lloll
it's soooooo easy to mess it up..
a catch of course is ISO, I messed up a whole weekends shoot with the 1D at 1600 and the 1Ds at 1250 from some indoor stuff and then I went and took a bunch of ourdoor stuff...
should've realised the shutter speeds were a bit quick..
lloll
Frank Nichols
Senior Member
you know something is up! I have done that myself a few times!
Frank
I plan on living forever - so far so good!
Frank
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I plan on living forever - so far so good!
J
John Burns
Guest
Kind if snippy aren't we? No need to put people down. I just looked at your equipment list in your profile. After spending all that money I would never use P mode either. BTW you forgot to list the mouse you use.
John
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John
Ben Strasser
Senior Member
I didn't coin the term "idiot" mode just commented on it but if it applies to full auto mode than I guess it is an "idot" mode. Full manual takes skill as a photographer, you have to know what your are doing hence my term "Pro" mode. Are you an idiot if you use auto mode? Didn't say that nor meant to imply that. Both my A2E and 10D have, I will use the correct term not to offend anyone, full automatic mode (green square) and Program mode (P mode). I perfer to use P, Av and Tv modes and don't need or use the auto or icon modes. Does that make me better than those who use auto mode? Didn't say that either. A matter of preference. I never used a 1D or 1Ds and couldn't even tell you if they have a full auto mode or any difference with the P mode on my camera. That is the reason for my second OOPs thread, I thought the discussion was about the 10D. So, no offense was offered and none was intended. On my 10D the P mode is an EV (exposure value) mode that links a series of f-stops and shutter speeds giving the same exposure. The photographer decides what DoF or stop action he/she wants. Thus, less of an "idiot" mode.
Sorry you took my post the wrong way.
Sorry you took my post the wrong way.
--I want to think about the shot, set my controls and shoot, shoot
and shoot--- Let the creative jucies flow.
Thats why I don't use P- (idiot) mode. Even if I had a few to
many, I still shoot in Av or manual mode--- just to see how good I
am.
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Troponin (Trop)
I must admit, I gotta problem with typo's
Troponin (Trop)
I must admit, I gotta problem with typo's
DGSmithMD
Leading Member
Ever heard of Program Shift?
http://www.pbase.com/dgsmithmd
10D, S30
Sigma 15-30
Canon 24-85
Sigma 28, 1.8
Canon 50, 1.8
Canon 85 1.8
Canon 70-200 2.8L
Sigma 50-500
yep.. you turn the dial.. and both change for the correct exposure to the camera meter... true.. you don't have the ability to change like in Manual.. but.. in Av or Tv mode.. you are doing the same.. the camera is setting one for the other.. in manual.. the cam uses what you put in for each setting.. regardless of the metering..
Tv is letting you select the shutter you want.. letting the cam then set aperature..
Av is letting you select aperature.. allowing the cam to select shutter..
depends what you are calling total control.. you are still trying to get the correct exposure.. most the time i would say.. no..?
cheers
CANON 10D - S-30 - A-1 film
Tv is letting you select the shutter you want.. letting the cam then set aperature..
Av is letting you select aperature.. allowing the cam to select shutter..
depends what you are calling total control.. you are still trying to get the correct exposure.. most the time i would say.. no..?
cheers
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CANON 10D - S-30 - A-1 film
Andy Meng
Well-known member
Hi John,
I have used my P mode just a couple times when I was goofing around. I almost always (99% +) meter my shots with an external meter and set the manual controls to get a shallow DOF. But, there's times I move over to AV, like my most recent shoot of a hummer rally.
But all that matters little to you. As I said in the title, are you getting the results you want? If so, then P is the mode for you. You are aware that your f-stop and shutter speed will dance all over with changing light, etc. etc. etc. But if you are aware of all that and still are happy, then keep shooting and keep enjoying. IF/When you find shots that aren't quite what you had hoped for, it may be time to learm some more about the camera modes and use them.
When you have time to play, think about the shot you want. Do you need a fast shutter, shallow DOF, or wide DOF, do you want to have a slow enough shutter speed that you see motion blurr on the subject or background? All of these dictate using either TV, AV, or M mode.
Best wishes to you and your great shots to come!
Andy
I have used my P mode just a couple times when I was goofing around. I almost always (99% +) meter my shots with an external meter and set the manual controls to get a shallow DOF. But, there's times I move over to AV, like my most recent shoot of a hummer rally.
But all that matters little to you. As I said in the title, are you getting the results you want? If so, then P is the mode for you. You are aware that your f-stop and shutter speed will dance all over with changing light, etc. etc. etc. But if you are aware of all that and still are happy, then keep shooting and keep enjoying. IF/When you find shots that aren't quite what you had hoped for, it may be time to learm some more about the camera modes and use them.
When you have time to play, think about the shot you want. Do you need a fast shutter, shallow DOF, or wide DOF, do you want to have a slow enough shutter speed that you see motion blurr on the subject or background? All of these dictate using either TV, AV, or M mode.
Best wishes to you and your great shots to come!
Andy
JOHN CALLANAN
Leading Member
Of course I don't use P for sports, or for other set-up shots, or even if I am out on my own.
I use P when I don't want to take the time to think about the settings. I guess the point was since the 1D exposes so well in P, I find I get good no brainer results in P.
That being said, today I shot an out door school performance with a large crowd all around the kids, I shot AV 2.8 to be sure an isolate the intended supject.
JOHN CALLANAN
Leading Member
Bob ,
I don't use P all the time, and I understand the differences is using all the different settings.
On a weekend wine country trip with my wife I found that it was much more enjoyable to carry the camera around in P and not have to take readings and make adjustments everytime I wanted to take a picture.
Using M for some scenery shots, only to forget the camera was still in M when someone offers to take our picture together. Then the once in life time travel shot is blown.
My topic was to point out the benifits of carrying around the camera in P, even though I am carrying around a 10lb. $5k+ rig. Some would scoff at using it in P.
I don't use P all the time, and I understand the differences is using all the different settings.
On a weekend wine country trip with my wife I found that it was much more enjoyable to carry the camera around in P and not have to take readings and make adjustments everytime I wanted to take a picture.
Using M for some scenery shots, only to forget the camera was still in M when someone offers to take our picture together. Then the once in life time travel shot is blown.
My topic was to point out the benifits of carrying around the camera in P, even though I am carrying around a 10lb. $5k+ rig. Some would scoff at using it in P.
JOHN CALLANAN
Leading Member
You paid a good deal of money for the
automatic features, so why not use them. My take on the question
The 1D in P alone hits A LOT of exposures very good. Program shift allows for quick change of the ap. or shutter.
There is more to the 1D than most realize.
automatic features, so why not use them. My take on the question
Exactly my point, when I was using my E-10 I was forced to use A, S and M because the exposures were all over the place.
The 1D in P alone hits A LOT of exposures very good. Program shift allows for quick change of the ap. or shutter.
There is more to the 1D than most realize.
JOHN CALLANAN
Leading Member
Thanks Andy,
I understand how to use the other modes, and often do. My topic was to point out that there is nothing wrong with using P for certain situations.
I understand how to use the other modes, and often do. My topic was to point out that there is nothing wrong with using P for certain situations.
heavyweather
Senior Member
I wanted to answer the same to the P="idot" issue.
P=perfect for fast situations.
It doesn't help if you can autofocus in a splitsecond when you need another second to manualy dial what you want.
But it helps if you have experience and know what you want.
http://www.apexpredators.com/store/showCategoriesProducts.asp?categoryID=6
Sometimes you need to be quick!
someone other than the photographer was too slow in this situation
)
Steve you are totally right. There isn't anything at all wrong or shameful with using P mode. Personally I like using it, because it's fast but still allow a lot of changing on the fly. Sure I use AV, TV and the othe modes, but this camera has a great range a features, and I use them all (other then the green box mode).
Some photographers are such chumps, that they have to tell everyone else how much a "Pro" photographer they are!
Ricky
Ricky L. Jones
Canon Elan II, EOS 3, G1, EOS IX
Some photographers are such chumps, that they have to tell everyone else how much a "Pro" photographer they are!
Ricky
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Ricky L. Jones
Canon Elan II, EOS 3, G1, EOS IX
Ben Strasser
Senior Member
I am sure it was before your time and maybe a little before my time there was a system for determining exposure called EV or Exposure Value. Something like a RAW light measurement. A lot of light meters still have the EV display available as an option. For that matter, all cameras with a built in light meter use EV for exposure. What this did was measure the available light and come up with a value based on the film speed or ISO speed with digital.
Example: EV 10 would mean for a given lighting situation and media speed the following camera settings would give you a correct exposure.
1/4 @ F/16
1/8 @ f/11
1/15 @ f/8
1/30 @ f/5.6
1/60 @ f/4
1/125 @ f/2.8
1/250 @ f/2
1/500 @ f/1.4
Any of these combinations would give you the correct exposure. You would select a high shutter speed for fast objects and narrow DoF or a low shutter speed for stationary objects with a lot of DoF. This is exactly what P mode gives you - choice of what you want. Av mode you select the f-stop and the camera selects the shutter speed - Tv mode you select the shutter speed and the camera selects the f-stop. Full auto mode or green square as well as the icon modes the camera selects both. M or manual mode you select both. In my opnion and that is just me, if you have P mode you do not need the auto mode or the icon modes. All you need to know is what shutter speed and f-stop will give you what you want as far as DoF, stop action or motion blur.
You are correct, "there is nothing wrong with using P mode" and I would say for "any" situation provided you know what you want.
Example: EV 10 would mean for a given lighting situation and media speed the following camera settings would give you a correct exposure.
1/4 @ F/16
1/8 @ f/11
1/15 @ f/8
1/30 @ f/5.6
1/60 @ f/4
1/125 @ f/2.8
1/250 @ f/2
1/500 @ f/1.4
Any of these combinations would give you the correct exposure. You would select a high shutter speed for fast objects and narrow DoF or a low shutter speed for stationary objects with a lot of DoF. This is exactly what P mode gives you - choice of what you want. Av mode you select the f-stop and the camera selects the shutter speed - Tv mode you select the shutter speed and the camera selects the f-stop. Full auto mode or green square as well as the icon modes the camera selects both. M or manual mode you select both. In my opnion and that is just me, if you have P mode you do not need the auto mode or the icon modes. All you need to know is what shutter speed and f-stop will give you what you want as far as DoF, stop action or motion blur.
You are correct, "there is nothing wrong with using P mode" and I would say for "any" situation provided you know what you want.
D
Dave Lewis
Guest
If all you are looking for is the best possible combination for proper exposure, what could possibly be wrong with it. If, on the other hand, you are looking for the best combination for a specific sitation then av or tv is obviously better. Full manual, probably only for very special situations where you want total control over everything. I feel manual for most of my shots would be a waste of time and a pain to boot.
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Dave Lewis
John W.
Active member
I work for a newspaper. I use P when I'm cruising between gigs. That way if "Big Foot" jumps out in front of me at least I won't have to worry about exposure. I can then change modes if I want to get the desired effect I want...like slow shutter speed to give the feeling of motion when Big Foot decides I've taken enough pictures.
It's the end result that counts.
Viewer 1: Wow! Nice shot!
Viewer 2: Yeah, but he used f5.6 instead of f8. Wrecks it for me.
John
It's the end result that counts.
Viewer 1: Wow! Nice shot!
Viewer 2: Yeah, but he used f5.6 instead of f8. Wrecks it for me.
John
Simon Watkins
Senior Member
It always amuses me when I hear people say they only ever use Av, Tv and M because it gives them more "control". It doesn't unless they are using an external meter. There is nothing that can't be done with P mode that can be done with the others. It just automates the presentation of an initial setting, and couples the adjustment. The fact that it is shiftable, and overridable (Ev comp) make it just as flexible - and in many ways, quicker, than Av, Ts or M. I think some use Av or Ts in prference because they can't think quickly enough or don't understand the pairing issue.
Simon
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