iAuto

[hawk15]

Not sure when iAuto first came out but I rented the A6k for a trip and was pretty impressed. It automated switched to 3-shot HDR at times and seemed to do some smartphone-like PP on bright sunny pics that my NEX-3 would've gone overcast on. I only switched out of iAuto when needing to lock focus on moving subjects.

Do you guys use it often or still go to the other modes?

How would you improve upon it?

 

[sybersitizen]

I don't use it because one never knows what it's going to do. It could be called Do You Feel Lucky? mode.

 

[hawk15]

Give it a whirl and see how often you get lucky!

 

[Htbaa]

Give it a whirl and see how often you get lucky!

Personally I prefer to be in control. I usually stick to M (most of the time with Auto ISO) or A. If I were to give my camera to my mom to just take a picture I might put it in iAuto, but that doesn't happen a lot. I also found that when shooting RAW most automated modes are very limited.

 

[hawk15]

Control is good but when walking around following a tour under a hot sun and listening to the guide as much as I can, just needed to be fast with the pics.

 

[Bradrobb]

Hi

I just checked and your NEX 3 has the same setting.

It is called Intelligent Auto. It is the green camera.

Brad

 

[hawk15]

Ah sorry I looked at the A6k mode dial and it's actually called iAuto+, brown option.

NEX 3's iAuto is pretty dumb in comparison.

Unfortunately it seems I can't fix the thread title.

 

[sybersitizen]

I don't use it because one never knows what it's going to do. It could be called Do You Feel Lucky? mode.

Give it a whirl and see how often you get lucky!

You think I haven't given it a whirl to confirm my position? It takes way too much control away from the user, and photography for me is generally not a throw of the dice. There are more configurable auto modes that I do like and use frequently; but not that one.

 

[hawk15]

Ack, I meant iAuto+, brown not green.

 

[seuadr]

Auto will select from the pre-programmed scene modes also. I don't use it a lot on my a series (but i use scenes pretty regularly, so i guess in a way i do?) but i use it a TON on my rx100.

 

[Bradrobb]

Hi

My Sony A5000 has the auto+ mode.

Called Superior Auto.

Brad

 

[MrCPH]

Ack, I meant iAuto+, brown not green.

I'm with you on the auto+ for casual walk around, when photography is not the main purpose. The camera is actually really intelligent and analyses the scenes pretty well.

However, when photography is the main purpose, I switch to A, S or M mode depending on which artistic look I'm after. For photography purpose, you really need more control over the result than the auto mode gives you. I. E. You may want to blur a background, or do long exposures and the auto mode won't do that for you.

 

[Super_T]

I use iAuto/iAuto+ some times when playing with my son or walking with friends, just to be able to point and shoot. The Auto on the a6000 is pretty intelligent in my opinion.

But if I have the time I prefer manual. I use two different stored settings a lot, I have set up one for stationary objects, and one for action (continous shooting), and then I adjust from these base settings according to the scenery.
Not every picture gets better at manual (still learning), but I like the challenge.

 

[AHM]

The issue is that Sony's non iAuto modes are quite stupid. For example, P-mode will not go below F/4 even if you have a fast lens, preferring to bump ISO. But iAuto will. Similarly, A-mode will not go below 1/60. So, I feel that either one needs to use the camera almost fully manually or iAuto.

Another case in point: when using (external) flash, all modes will choose crazy ISO values (3200), and the only way around is to choose manual ISO. But iAuto will choose much more reasonable ISO values.