Poll: Does anyone actually use any of the scene modes ever? What mode do you use?

[lloyd007]

I was looking at the mode dial on my cameras and started wondering... For all their prominence I've never once used the scene modes on any camera I've ever used. Have any of you ever used them? Do they give acceptable or even good results?

Then I started analyzing what modes I actually do use and here's my breakdown..

80% Aperture priority
10% Full Manual
5% Program / Auto
5% Shutter Priority

 

[Claus A]

--

... when the photograph annihilates itself as medium to be no longer a sign but the thing itself...

 

[Brian Mosley]

I don't think scene modes were designed for us... Art filters make a bit more sense.

Kind Regards

Brian
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[AussieAndo]

I would use about 80% arpeture priority
15% full manual
4% shutter priority
1% portrait scene mode

I have tested landscape mode once or twice but did not like the results.

Portrait works surprisingly well and is handy if you need a quick snapshot and are having a brain freeze at the time!

 

[Juergen Hahn]

I use the scene modes when I take pictures of something where I have no experience with the subject. This allows me to get a "ballpark" setting which I can then modify in aperture mode.

 

[newbienok]

being a newbie i have used them, and to tell you the truth i get better results with them. Like i said i am a newbie to photography. Most of you will laugh at that comment but this is kind of overwhelming when you go from disposable to an e-510

 

[Bootstrap]

--
Bill Turner
Eschew Obfuscation, Espouse Elucidation
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.
Infrared Gallery: http://www.pbase.com/wmdt131/ir_photos

 

[Sudaca]

60% A
30% M
10% S
--
Cheers
http://firulete.zenfolio.com/

 

[Brian Mosley]

To be honest, I would probably make fewer mistakes by using scene modes, but I prefer to think through what I'm doing in A/S/M modes.

Kind Regards

Brian
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[Sculptur]

Never use them anymore. I am a real A priority shooter.

I remember I used the museum mode a long time ago on my E-300 in the museum of course. Worked well.
Regards, Michiel
--
http://www.michielschierbeek.com

 

[Claus A]

Scene mode makes people eschew the elucidation of using f/stops, shutter, ISO, WB etc. properly, which causes obfuscation. They should espouse A, S or M mode...

Best,

Claus.

--

... when the photograph annihilates itself as medium to be no longer a sign but the thing itself...

 

[craig w garland]

Manual 1%

Cheers. Craig
--
'Shoot freely and edit ruthlessly' me, November 2003-- after purchase of E-1.
Equipment in profile.

 

[Tekmar]

Never used any scene modes. I suspect they would be useful to avoid silly mistakes, but P or A satisfies me most of the time, and M for the rest.

By guess:
P 50%
A 30%
M 20%

My most common flaw is underestimating how steady my hands are e.g. thinking I can handhold the 50mm F2 at 1/30th with IS off during exercise.

• Steve

 

[Goffen]

--
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[ajcgn]

In the beginning I used a lot of auto and scene mode so I wouldn't miss the shot. I felt they were a good learning tool as I came from a point and shoot and knew very little about the technical aspects of taking pictures (I still don't know as much as 90% of the people on this forum). I think the scene modes would be fairly useful if you could fine tune the preset settings to your own liking as they include a lot of other adjustments other than aperture and shutter speed.

As I have learned more I now shoot mostly A mode, but on occasion panoramic, until I learn how to use the freeware for this.

--
Andrew
(laziness, not necessity, is the mother of invention)
http://flickr.com/photos/ajcgn/collections

 

[BigBen08]

I usually don't use them, but gave them a try just for the heck of it.
I was surprised how good the results were.

I've loaned my 420 to my sister, who doesn't know (and doesn't want to know) about settings on a dslr. But she likes the IQ the camera provides, and the interchangeable lenses. For her the scene modes work very well.

My point is that scene modes have their place. Perhaps not for us, but for some.

 

[bchaplin]

I just finished a photography course. Our instructor made us take all the pictures on full manual mode for two months. At the end of the course she recommended that we go back and try out some of the scene modes, looking at the EXIF information to understand the settings the camera engineers chose for us. Whatever you do, I think the key to impoving is to experiment a lot and then look at your photos in some program that displays the f-stop, shutter speed and ISO, and decide why some settings worked better than others.
--

Olympus E-510 with 40-150mm 3.5-4.5 zoom, 14-42mm 3.5-5.6 zoom, Sigma 105mm 2.8 macro, Panasonic LX3

 

[illy]

on my old E300 the P mode works rather too well, but usually i stick it on manual and it's a great little cam
--
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[Bootstrap]

As you know, I eschew prolixity but thanks for the comment. ;-)

--
Bill Turner
Eschew Obfuscation, Espouse Elucidation
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.
Infrared Gallery: http://www.pbase.com/wmdt131/ir_photos

 

[luisflorit]

With my Canon SD500 (no manual controls), sometimes.

The few times I used my underwater case I used underwater mode, because I didn't (and I don't) know which settings were the best. And sometimes I used sunset mode. Just that.

I mostly use shutter priority and ISO500 for birding, and manual for macro. For landscapes or when light is plenty for birding, I use aperture priority with auto-ISO.

L.

--
My gallery: http://w3.impa.br/~luis/photos



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