Auto-ISO with manual aperture?

[Antone]

I'd like to use my X-M5 with a set shutter speed (e.g., 1/250") and change the manual aperture on my Voigtlander 18mm and 27mm lenses as needed. Correspondingly, I'd like to have the camera automatically adjust the ISO so that the proper exposure is maintained as the aperture changes. But I'm struggling to do this. If I choose one of the Auto ISO settings on the camera, it doesn't change the ISO when I adjust the aperture. Is what I want possible?

 

[Erik Baumgartner]

I'd like to use my X-M5 with a set shutter speed (e.g., 1/250") and change the manual aperture on my Voigtlander 18mm and 27mm lenses as needed. Correspondingly, I'd like to have the camera automatically adjust the ISO so that the proper exposure is maintained as the aperture changes. But I'm struggling to do this. If I choose one of the Auto ISO settings on the camera, it doesn't change the ISO when I adjust the aperture. Is what I want possible?

Yes, but make sure the ISO has the necessary range to operate. Typically, you”ll probably be best off setting a minimum SS with an Auto-ISO preset and letting the camera adjust SS and ISO. Note: in either case, your camera will generally display the maximum ISO setting, the actual shooting ISO will only be displayed if the exposure is locked - a half-press of the shutter button with SHUTTER AE enabled will do this.

 

[Antone]

Awesome, thanks much, Erik. What I was missing was the half-press of the shutter button. Now, I just have to figure out how to disable the front command dial. It's extremely touchy and I invariably end up accidentally pressing or turning it.

 

[Erik Baumgartner]

Awesome, thanks much, Erik. What I was missing was the half-press of the shutter button. Now, I just have to figure out how to disable the front command dial. It's extremely touchy and I invariably end up accidentally pressing or turning it.

 

[John Bean (UK)]

Awesome, thanks much, Erik. What I was missing was the half-press of the shutter button. Now, I just have to figure out how to disable the front command dial. It's extremely touchy and I invariably end up accidentally pressing or turning it.

I run exposure compensation on my front dial full-time (EC dial in “C” mode) for fine-tuning optimal exposure in AE mode. I use it all the time. This is automatically disabled in full manual mode.

Depends what you have set the dial to do. I don't have a X-M5 but on the models I use you can press and hold the dial to take you straight to the menu page that allows you to adjust the dial settings. You can of course search for it in the menus instead, you'll get to the same place but slower ;-)

 

[Antone]

That worked, too - thanks! Now I hope I didn’t F it up for my autofocus, no aperture ring Sigmas

 

[John Bean (UK)]

That worked, too - thanks! Now I hope I didn’t F it up for my autofocus, no aperture ring Sigmas

It's so easy to change I often change it "on the fly" with my X-T50 depending on the lens I'm using . I normally have it set to" ISO" if the lens has an aperture ring and "F" otherwise. I find the dial often gets accidentally pressed resulting in the wrong setting getting changed if multiple settings are available so I rarely have more than one selected.

I'm old school and on "modeless" cameras (ie no "PASM" dial) I like to be able to see and change the important exposure settings on the camera itself rather than just in the viewfinder. If my X-T50 had an ISO dial instead of the "film" dial it would have been perfect for me. but life is full of compromises and I don't really mind.