Thought - new shooting mode

[tim]

What could be interesting is a Tv mode that changes aperture and ISO within a range you can specify to achieve the shutter speed you're after. It should probably be limited to perhaps ISO 800 so the pics come out pretty good quality, or even make that a user settable parameter. You might even have an ISO priority mode, as a simple version, you set the shutter speed you want and it changes the ISO and aperture to get you a good shot.

Good idea? It's something that obviously couldn't be done on a film SLR, and is done to at least some degree in P mode.

[Cadwell]

mmm... bad idea. Take ALL the skill out of photography and it would be no fun anymore. The approach you would take us down is rather like buying a Ferrari AND then hiring a chauffeur to drive it for you.

[PacAce]

What could be interesting is a Tv mode that changes aperture and ISO within a range you can specify to achieve the shutter speed you're after. It should probably be limited to perhaps ISO 800 so the pics come out pretty good quality, or even make that a user settable parameter. You might even have an ISO priority mode, as a simple version, you set the shutter speed you want and it changes the ISO and aperture to get you a good shot.

Good idea? It's something that obviously couldn't be done on a film SLR, and is done to at least some degree in P mode.
Isn't that what the Basic Modes do, to a degree that is?

[tim]

You shoot in full manual Cadwell? Do you get significantly better images that someone who shoots in Av and lets the camera make a few decisions for them? IMHO anything that can be automated without giving up too much control is good, as it leaves the photographer to concentrate on creating great images, rather than messing with the camera.

[tim]

Isn't that what the Basic Modes do, to a degree that is?

Yep, to a degree, ideally it'd give the photographer more control but the user interface could make it too hard.

[BoySpot]

This reminds me of something I brought up a while back and got flamed for. My idea was to have the ability to vary ISO in a burst, a bit like bracketing. This is for shooting things like aircraft in suspect light. You want the lower ISO for lower noise but you are wide open and need the shutter speed. A quick run through the ISO settings means you will not lose the shot because you chose too low a shutter speed since you should also get a high ISO high shutter speed shot as a backup. Would seem straightforward for a DSLR compared to a film camera.

[tim]

BoySport, RAW would probably be just as good as altering the ISO for the situation you describe.

I guess what I really mean is another mode like Tv, but to get the shutter speed you want let the camera alter both the aperture and the ISO, up to a preset upper limit. I think it could be helpful for theatre, where light changes suddenly and even different parts of the stage are lit differently.

[Cadwell]

You shoot in full manual Cadwell? Do you get significantly better images that someone who shoots in Av and lets the camera make a few decisions for them?

Yes, quite often and under the circumstances when I do use full manual I can pretty much guarantee that I will get better results than someone shooting in AV or any of the other semi-auto modes for that matter. I am shooting in full manual under those circumstances precisely for that reason - because the semi auto modes don't get it right.

The simple fact is that a human being can still make better a better judgement call about when to use higher ISO or a certain aperture or a particular shutter speed than a computer can. The ability to set these parameter ourselves is why we buy SLRs and not point and shoots.

[PhotosGuy]

Thank you for that, Caldwell!

[pjd83]

The ability to set these parameter ourselves is why we buy SLRs and not point and shoots.

Damn true!

I changed from P&S to DSLR as I didn't like the camera doing everything for me. I can changed the Tv, Av, ISO, and pretty much have control over everything. And not only that, I was buying into a system that will be an investment for life really. I might changed the camera body, add more lenses, what ever but its still a kit that I will never change.

I think the modes are fine as they are. I usually use Av or if I'm using flash, I use M.

[Curtis N]

I was buying into a system that will be an investment for life really.
That's what I thought when I bought my Canon AE-1, 25 years ago.

Who knew?

[DAMphyne]

Originally Posted by Cadwell
The ability to set these parameter ourselves is why we buy SLRs and not point and shoots.

It's true that setting parameters is one reason for getting a SLR, but not all the reasons.
Quick response time, lens choices, actually seeing what the camera is viewing in real time,
system equiptment, sensor quality and size, and adaptability for multiple purposes.
Besides, they look so cool.
These are the same reasons I sold my Yashica 35G and bought a SRT 101.

[who me?]

That's what I thought when I bought my Canon AE-1, 25 years ago.

Who knew?

You know, that sounds REALLY familiar. I guess I should be saving for the next complete gear repurchase that will probably happen in another 15 years....

[PhotosGuy]

I guess I should be saving for the next complete gear repurchase that will probably happen in another 15 years.... The best part of buying into a "system" like Canon or Nikon is that they do try very hard to keep past equipment compatible with the new stuff. I really appreciate the guys who make the adapters for my CaNikon! ;-)

[Roach711]

<<Originally Posted by tim
You shoot in full manual Cadwell? Do you get significantly better images that someone who shoots in Av and lets the camera make a few decisions for them? >>

I know I did better work back in the bad old days of match-needle manual cameras. It forced me to stop and consider what I wanted out of the shot instead of snapping away. Same thing when I went to a semi-auto rifle from a single shot - my accuracy went way down for a while because I was rushing the process.These whizbang, do everything cameras do tend to make us sloppy.

That said, I love my 20D and wouldn't go back for anything. I just have to slow down and think more often. And the automation *is* nice when the shot is happening *right now* and there is no time to think.

Da Roach

[Hellashot]

What could be interesting is a Tv mode that changes aperture and ISO within a range you can specify to achieve the shutter speed you're after. It should probably be limited to perhaps ISO 800 so the pics come out pretty good quality, or even make that a user settable parameter. You might even have an ISO priority mode, as a simple version, you set the shutter speed you want and it changes the ISO and aperture to get you a good shot.

Good idea? It's something that obviously couldn't be done on a film SLR, and is done to at least some degree in P mode.

That's essentially called "auto ISO" which my Fuji F10 compact digital camera has.

[cmM]

Actually Tim, what you think of exists.... (I just found out a couple days ago myself). Not in the world of Canon, but the higher end Nikons have the ability to set min/max values for aperture and shutter speed when using it in P mode (I might be slightly off with my explanation here, but it does exist).

[Jackal]

Yes, quite often and under the circumstances when I do use full manual I can pretty much guarantee that I will get better results than someone shooting in AV or any of the other semi-auto modes for that matter.

What if a split second moment comes up that you want a picture of but now you have to dial in the proper exposure but meanwhile I would have gotten the picture while you missed it?

What's the difference between shooting Manual and Av? You want shallow DOF and you pick 1.8 and now you need to dial in the shutter. Why not just keep it in Av?

How will your pictures be better if both of us end up coming up with with the same exposure settings?

I do admit though...the one time manual is nifty is when you want just a TAD bit higher shutter speed even if it will come up underexposed a bit. Better a darker picture than a blurry one. But then again I can do this with exposure compensation on those rare times I need it. :D

[tim]

Yes, quite often and under the circumstances when I do use full manual I can pretty much guarantee that I will get better results than someone shooting in AV or any of the other semi-auto modes for that matter. I am shooting in full manual under those circumstances precisely for that reason - because the semi auto modes don't get it right.

The simple fact is that a human being can still make better a better judgement call about when to use higher ISO or a certain aperture or a particular shutter speed than a computer can. The ability to set these parameter ourselves is why we buy SLRs and not point and shoots.

I shoot full manual sometimes too, just not too often. We have Time priority and Aperture priority, digital cameras have given us the extra parameter over film cameras that we can change the ISO, why would we not have an ISO priority mode?

[Hellashot]

I shoot full manual sometimes too, just not too often. We have Time priority and Aperture priority, digital cameras have given us the extra parameter over film cameras that we can change the ISO, why would we not have an ISO priority mode?

Because in creative modes it's ALWAYS in ISO priority mode. It leaves it as we have it set and does not automatically change it.

[mbze430]

Manual is good if you know the lighting isn't going to change. In studio its the only way to work the lights anyway.

Alot of the older guys will probably shoot more manual, since we were using only manual camera for so long.