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P510 using aperture settings??

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polkat

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I started this before but never got a reply.

I understand aperture, what it does and such, but I don't understand how to determine it on this camera. If I am in Auto mode, I can use the exposure compensation settings and see the view screen darken or lighten as I set it. Great! However, in Manual mode, if I fix a shutter speed, the ISO, and then try setting the aperture, I can go from the lowest F stop to the highest, but there's no change from light to dark on the screen. Pictures taken do show a difference in exposure, but one cannot see this on the viewfinder before shooting!

So what reference should be used to set aperture for proper exposure (or even exposure for effect)? All I get is a steady bright screen before shooting, regardless of aperture setting.

I can use a light meter I guess, but otherwise it seems rather useless.
 
Last edited:
polkat said:
I started this before but never got a reply.

I understand aperture, what it does and such, but I don't understand how to determine it on this camera. If I am in Auto mode, I can use the exposure compensation settings and see the view screen darken or lighten as I set it. Great! However, in Manual mode, if I fix a shutter speed, the ISO, and then try setting the aperture, I can go from the lowest F stop to the highest, but there's no change from light to dark on the screen. Pictures taken do show a difference in exposure, but one cannot see this on the viewfinder before shooting!

So what reference should be used to set aperture for proper exposure (or even exposure for effect)? All I get is a steady bright screen before shooting, regardless of aperture setting.

I can use a light meter I guess, but otherwise it seems rather useless.
Click to expand...
That's the solution. In Manual exposure mode the P510 adds a slim, easily un-noticed horizontal light meter to the bottom of the EVF/LCD below where it shows the shutter speed and aperture. The display still won't show how light or dark the photo will turn out but the exposure will be more or less correct if the light meter bar is centered after adjusting the shutter speed and/or aperture.

It probably takes some practice along with using reasonable settings for the scene such as spot or average vs. matrix metering, etc.
 
Last edited:
Well...! I was not aware of the light meter line below the shutter/aperture settings on the screen. I will look for that and see how it works.

NOTE: Okay, I checked out that meter line below the shutter speed/aperture adjustment readings. When I adjust the aperture throughout it's range, there is no change on the line (which sits in the center position constantly). Broken??Seems that way. Other ideas? Thanks!
 
Last edited:
polkat said:
Well...! I was not aware of the light meter line below the shutter/aperture settings on the screen. I will look for that and see how it works.

NOTE: Okay, I checked out that meter line below the shutter speed/aperture adjustment readings. When I adjust the aperture throughout it's range, there is no change on the line (which sits in the center position constantly). Broken??Seems that way. Other ideas? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Mine adjusts quite nicely but it didn't at first. I had to experiment a bit before I understood how to use it. Scene brightness can trip you up if you make aperture adjustments because the adjustment range is only a couple of stops and it may not be enough to get the meter to move. Shutter speed adjustments should work much better because the adjustment range is huge, covering 8 seconds to 1/2000th sec. That should be more than enough to see the meter change. If it doesn't the camera's circuitry may have gotten into an unstable state where "Reset all" in the Set up menu may help.
 
Okay, I'll play with it a while. You may know this as well: I shoot a lot of video with the P510, and I've noticed that very few of the manual settings work in video mode. Seems only white balance, manual focus, and exposure compensation work in movie mode (for which you can leave the camera in Auto Mode).

Does that sound right? Thanks!
 
polkat said:
Okay, I'll play with it a while. You may know this as well: I shoot a lot of video with the P510, and I've noticed that very few of the manual settings work in video mode. Seems only white balance, manual focus, and exposure compensation work in movie mode (for which you can leave the camera in Auto Mode).

Does that sound right? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Can't say. The few times I've shot videos (perhaps 4 or 5 times, once every 2 or 3 years) were all spur of the moment where the settings were however the camera was set for still photography. You're the expert here. Maybe next time I'm tempted to shoot a video I'll try to remember to switch from Aperture mode to Auto mode. :)
 
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