question on iso & shutter speed

[aoe1975]

I just bought a Canon EOS 500D not long ago. I always use the "manual" mode, and everytime I take a picture which is dark I'll increase the ISO or adjust the shutter speed until the picture look fine. Is that the correct way to do it? Coz sometimes things happen so fast, I can only adjust these two settings.

I posted some of my photos under this link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aoe1975/

cheers...

[20droger]

Adjusting aperture also works.

[skygod44]

I just bought a Canon EOS 500D not long ago. I always use the "manual" mode, and everytime I take a picture which is dark I'll increase the ISO or adjust the shutter speed until the picture look fine. Is that the correct way to do it? Coz sometimes things happen so fast, I can only adjust these two settings.

I posted some of my photos under this link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aoe1975/

cheers...

Hey there!
Sweet flickr account :D

As to your problem, is there any reason why your feel you have to always shoot in full manual mode?
This has been discussed a lot here, and I think plenty of people use a mixture of aperture-priority, shutter-priority and full-manual.
Knowing which to use can save you a lot of headaches, because if the lighting is changing rapidly, full-manual (until you can "know" the right settings) is making life pretty hard for yourself.

[aoe1975]

Hey there!
Sweet flickr account :D

As to your problem, is there any reason why your feel you have to always shoot in full manual mode?
This has been discussed a lot here, and I think plenty of people use a mixture of aperture-priority, shutter-priority and full-manual.
Knowing which to use can save you a lot of headaches, because if the lighting is changing rapidly, full-manual (until you can "know" the right settings) is making life pretty hard for yourself.

Thanks skygod44:D

I am so used to adjusting both ISO and shutter speed that only the full-manual mode allows me to do so (mmm... start thinking whether this is true...). You are right, sometimes it gives me headache especially shooting indoors picture. Using Auto mode makes the photo look so ordinary and using Manual with high ISO gives me noise. :mad:

[aoe1975]

Adjusting aperture also works.

Doesn't aperture only affect the depth-of-view of the photo? will it also affect the lightings as well?

[crn3371]

Aperture is the opening that lets the light in. The bigger the opening, the more light that can come in.

[Lyndon Chen]

Doesn't aperture only affect the depth-of-view of the photo? will it also affect the lightings as well?
It's true aperture affects DOF but it also affects your exposure. There are three factors to exposure: iso, shutter speed, and aperture. By setting the camera to Av mode, you can set an iso you want to use, and have full control over aperture with the front dial; the camera will then choose the shutter speed for you to make a correct exposure.

[PhotosGuy]

the camera will then choose the shutter speed for you to make a correct exposure. It will make what it thinks is the correct exposure, right? Like this: Post #47 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=5191658&postcount=47)
I posted some of my photos under this link: Those look pretty good. Read this for my starting point.
Need an exposure crutch? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=89123)

[nicksan]

AV mode = You choose the aperture, the camera will set the shutter speed.
Tv = You choose the shutter speed, the camera will set the aperture.

In both of these modes, the camera will pick the settings based on what it thinks would be the correct exposure...i.e. getting the needle in the middle. That may not be the correct exposure for the scene and largely depends on the lighting, contrast level, etc. You can dial in Exposure Compensation to make "corrections"...

M = You choose both the aperture and shutter speed. If you are just chasing the exposure meter needle to the middle, it defeats the purpose of using M mode.

Additionally, for all of the above, you can change the ISO if you need more speed.

I am usually in M mode or Av mode. I usually set the aperture I want first, then evaluate the shutter speed and if I don't have enough I will then boost the ISO.

[skygod44]

Thanks skygod44:D....
You're very, very, very welcome!
Doesn't aperture only affect the depth-of-view of the photo? will it also affect the lightings as well?
If this is what you were thinking, then you really need to sit down and go through a book on the "big 3" (ISO, aperture and shutter speed); and/or read some threads on POTN; look up "f-stop" in wikipedia; etc....

Also, perhaps a more practical option is to set up your camera with something like a load of cans lined up in various ways from up-close to a few feet away.
Use each mode, set the ISO at, say, ISO400, and see what happens when you twiddle the settings and shoot off some frames.
Focus close to you, halfway down the line, and then at the last can.
See what happens at various aperture settings.
Put in something moving, life a cooling fan ( <- ideal for seeing the effects of shutter speed), or use the self-timer and walk in front of your own camera as it shoots away...
All of the above will begin to give you more of a "feel" for what each setting does.
Then do it all again at night(!!!!!!!) and see how everything gets a lot more complex.....
;)

[SOK]

OP,

You've got some great pics on your Flickr...for a straight-forward run down about exposure controls and secondary effects of those controls, you might get something out of having a read of Ben's Newbie Guide (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=414088)

[neilwood32]

OP,

You've got some great pics on your Flickr...for a straight-forward run down about exposure controls and secondary effects of those controls, you might get something out of having a read of Ben's Newbie Guide (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=414088)

A very good place to start for new users imho.

[egordon99]

Doesn't aperture only affect the depth-of-view of the photo? will it also affect the lightings as well?


Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure" is a good book that explains some of the basics of photography.

[JRMott]

Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure" is a good book that explains some of the basics of photography.

I second this, I knew a bit about exposure before picking it up but learned a few things that I can't wait to try out.

[neilwood32]

Doesn't aperture only affect the depth-of-view of the photo? will it also affect the lightings as well?

Adjusting each of the settings will alter the exposure value (light level in the photo).

Knowing how they are interrelated is the secret to unlocking the full potential of your camera.

"Understanding Exposure" certainly helped me when I had just bought the camera