40D - Theater - I miss Nikon.

Hey I can see where auto ISO could help, but hey....choose the camera that fits your shooting style best. Yes, the D40 is a jack of all trades and a master of none. The 40D is jack of all trades and a master of a ton.

Wow, this was a lame post.

Dermit wrote in post #4271761
Here's my take.

Best post in the thread IMHO.

whining...

Sorry, but that's what attempts at "justifying" the absence of a potentially valuable feature that is available elsewhere seems to me...For 40 years I shot with Nikons without any automatic features at all, not even a light meter, not even a battery...but I have no qualms about using automation, so long as I can control it, or can depend on the automation to give me what I want...
My only paranoia is with automation that I can't control, or a mechanical device that presumes I want something that I don't...like the exposure meter or autofocus that would, if I let it, decide for me what is the most important part of the pic...personally, I see autoASA (oops, autoISO) especially useful in the very scenario described by OP, that is, in low and varying light...

Dermit wrote in post #4285174
... NEVER shoot in any other mode (because any other mode includes some form of automation which you are so much against). .....

I believe what you are describing is called an Amish Photographer.

gjl711 wrote in post #4289072
I believe what you are describing is called an Amish Photographer.

...For all those arguing against the auto features you may as well put all your gear up on ebay and build some pinhole cameras out of oatmeal canisters. I am sure there are those here that would be happy to help relieve you of all your evil automatic gear you now own. I might even personally come to you and take it away, no charge. And if you call before midnight tonight I will give you a free custom built oatmeal canister pinhole camera. But I only have a limited supply so act fast.

Keith R wrote in post #4283820
Maybe he's actually used a D80 or a D200 - that might well be enough to send him Canon's way!



Must admit though - I'd like a "proper" Auto ISO in the 40D. It's the one thing I miss from my D70/D200 days.

I have a good buddy with a Nikon system. He shoots a D200 and D70s, I love the D200 - if I didn't have the horde of Canon glass I do I never would have purchased my 30D when I did. I would have purchased the D200 and lenses for it. I find it a wonderful bit of kit as well.

I dont understand what people are doing complaining about changing ISO. On all cameras Ive owned, its pretty direct to change it. 20/30/40D, its all one button up top. MkIII I can assign it to the SET button and then change it in the viewfinder.

MrChad wrote in post #4289479
I would have purchased the D200 and lenses for it. I find it a wonderful bit of kit as well.

Well, you speak as you find - but to me, a camera that is to all intents and purposes useless from 400 ISO up if you're bothered about capturing detail (both of my D200s were just as bad - not to mention the banding, spazzy metering, unreliable AF...) is nothing but an expensive door-stop.

Auto ISO sounds like a great mode to have for me, don't see why it can't be included.

I'm obviously missing something here but, on my 40d, in M mode, the ISO is set to Auto. Is this not what you are looking for?

AdamLewis wrote in post #4289481
I dont understand what people are doing complaining about changing ISO. On all cameras Ive owned, its pretty direct to change it. 20/30/40D, its all one button up top. MkIII I can assign it to the SET button and then change it in the
viewfinder.

Ever shot Performing Arts?

On some shows the Light engineer can blink with the lights faster then the camera's auto exposure is capable of following... Ans I'm supposed to be faster then that?

Better explanation here

40d wrote in post #4289615
I'm obviously missing something here but, on my 40d, in M mode, the ISO is set to Auto. Is this not what you are looking for?

Does this answer the question?

In2Photos wrote in post #4282923
Again, the point is that Nikon has it in ALL of their cameras, not just the flagship models. I have to drop $5k with Canon for that feature.

Again, we know it has an Auto ISO feature, but not a good one. The ISO range is limited in certain modes. This is what we are "crying" about.

AdamLewis wrote in post #4289481
I dont understand what people are doing complaining about changing ISO. On all cameras Ive owned, its pretty direct to change it. 20/30/40D, its all one button up top. MkIII I can assign it to the SET button and then change it in the viewfinder.

So you are telling me that if you are tracking a ballerina on stage leaping through the air shooting in burst mode and in her leap, in mid air, she goes from dim overhead stage lights into a static bright spotlight that you can change the ISO setting between bursts and fast enough to dial it down when she crosses into the bright light and before she lands the jump? Man, you are fast! Me, I'm not that good so I either have to sacrifice the quality in the form of digital noise at higher ISO than I need when this happens, or buy a camera that has auto ISO...

...and by the way if you were using AI Servo to track the ballerina.. why bother? Keep it on One Shot and just keep half pressing the shutter button to update the focus... (it's even easier to do than manually adjusting the ISO)... kidding of course.

So far the only people I see arguing against an auto ISO have never shot serious theater. Since the OP specifically referenced auto ISO in conjunction with shooting theater I don't see how one could effectively argue against this feature if you have not shot theater. Sure, you can imagine what it might be like, but until you have done it you have no idea. I am not saying that you must have theater experience to reply, I would never say that because all input is welcome, but just be aware that you may be giving input that is not applicable to the issue.

René Damkot wrote in post #4288645
Best post in the thread IMHO.

Thanks for the kudos

Dermit wrote in post #4289929
So you are telling me that if you are tracking a ballerina on stage leaping through the air shooting in burst mode and in her leap, in mid air, she goes from dim overhead stage.......

I stopped reading here because youre putting words in my mouth.

No. Im not telling you any of that.

Im saying, just like my post originally did, that I dont understand why people are acting like its hard to change ISO on a camera. I dont think it gets any easier than hitting a single button and turning a wheel, but maybe thats just me.

My post had nothing to do with auto-iso or lack thereof and was purely about people complaining about the apparent difficulty of changing ISO.

Just calm down there skipper. Im not saying auto-iso is junk or that Av/Tv modes are junk. I exploit safety shift on my MkIII to get a poor mans auto-ISO when I need it and Ill regularly shoot in priority modes ( and Ai servo and continuous drive! )

AdamLewis wrote in post #4289979
I stopped reading here because youre putting words in my mouth.

No. Im not telling you any of that.

Im saying, just like my post originally did, that I dont understand why people are acting like its hard to change ISO on a camera. I dont think it gets any easier than hitting a single button and turning a wheel, but maybe thats just me.

My post had nothing to do with auto-iso or lack thereof and was purely about people complaining about the apparent difficulty of changing ISO.

Just calm down there skipper. Im not saying auto-iso is junk or that Av/Tv modes are junk. I exploit safety shift on my MkIII to get a poor mans auto-ISO when I need it and Ill regularly shoot in priority modes ( and Ai servo and continuous drive! )

I am sorry you interpreted my post as putting words in your mouth. I am simply trying to justify situations as to where auto ISO would benefit a shoot to people who are arguing against it as it. Maybe I missed it but I don't remember reading where any post said it was too difficult to change the ISO... only that it is difficult to change fast. Fast being micro seconds. So, yes, it can get easier than hitting a single button and turning the wheel... it's called auto iso. And my next camera will have it as it will be high on my feature priority list.

Again, sorry if I offended, not my intention. I am simply trying to present one side of a civilized argument.