Which DSLR Mode?

[MarkBarbieri]

What mode do you most often shoot in? Full Auto? Program Mode? Shutter Priority? Aperture Priority? Full Manual?

I usually use aperture priority. I find that I am usually more concerned about the aperture than anything else. Even when I'm concerned about the shutter speed, it is often in the context of wanting to maintain a certain minimum or maximum aperture.

On my last WDW trip, I tried keeping it in program mode (where the camera picks the aperture and shutter speed) most of the time because conditions changed very rapidly and there lots of times when I wanted to just point and shoot. Even still, I found myself adjusting the aperture in program mode a lot of the time anyway.

I sometimes use full manual when I am shooting indoors with relatively constant lighting and a flash. It allows me to make sure that I get the aperture and shutter speed that I want and camera uses the flash to cover the difference.

I'd like my next camera to allow me to specify more constraints on program mode. Ideally, I'd like to be able to tell it things like - "keep the aperture between f/3.5 and f/5.6, keep the shutter speed at 1/200 or faster, and pick the lowest ISO that accomplishes that.

 

[Anewman]

Full Manual(partial metering) 90% of the time.
Sometimes I shoot shutter priority= outdoor sports/cloudy day... when the sun goes in and out of the clouds often.

But if lighting conditions are stable I never stray.

 

[handicap18]

I mostly go back and forth between Program and Aperture Priority. I'll use Shutter Priority and Manual when the needs come about. For night shots I almost always use Manual.

I like using Aperture Priority to control DOF for what ever situation I have. Otherwise if it doesn't matter I'll just switch it to Program so that I can at least control the ISO. I haven't used one of the preprogramed modes since the first couple of weeks I had the camera (a few weeks shy of a year now). When I give the camera to someone else to take a picture for me I try to switch it to AUTO, mostly because of the auto focus points, in AUTO it isn't a specific area, but rather more of a general focus. I handed the camera to a CM at Disney on the last trip and I left it in Program and the auto focus point that I had it in from the previous picture I took made the picture of me and the characters out of focus. DOH!

 

[ukcatfan]

I also mostly use aperture priority for the same reasons, but will switch to manual mode when needed. I sometimes use program, but almost never use shutter priority.

Kevin

 

[DueyDooDah]

I've been shooting nearly all in aperture priority. I have been shooting alot of twightlight photos lately and find my 30D shooting brighter than I'd expect so have been using compensation, also. Usually 1 full stop.

I'm still nowhere near as comfortable with digital as I was with film. I always used manual mode when shooting with my F1 and Pentax cameras. I found that I could get exactly the shots I wanted. I have not been as successful with digital. I'm not sure why, although it could be I had not shot photos for about 20 years prior to getting the 30D. [as an aside, my colateral duty while in the Navy was ship's photographer. By the time they used me up, I was done with it.]

I'd like my next camera to allow me to specify more constraints on program mode. Ideally, I'd like to be able to tell it things like - "keep the aperture between f/3.5 and f/5.6, keep the shutter speed at 1/200 or faster, and pick the lowest ISO that accomplishes that.

I think somone's been looking again.

 

[Master Mason]

I mostly shoot in Av mode at this time. Sometimes TV when needed. I haven't ventured to the full auto too much yet.

 

[jann1033]

at first i was shooting in tv, lately more in av due to the light bulb going off that i wanted to control different dof ( talk about a dim bulb) although i still can't see much difference when i push that dof button. so far i have enough to remember with out messing much with "M". and i have never used the autos and don't use p much which i should use just for snapshot things sometimes

i totally agree with dueydd, i don't really get why changing from film to digital threw me such a curve unless it is older brain=doesn't adjust. just seems like there is so much "stuff" i have to remember. shooting in RAW is helping since i can mess around more post photo if i forgot to check something( like 90% of the time) this sounds like an excuse ( cause it is) but i think if the lcd read out was on top instead of the back i'd look at it more and notice when i had the wrong wb or something.

 

[0bli0]

generally AV mode unless i'm shooting team sports on a sunny day - then most often manual.

 

[fitzperry]

Aperture priority more than anything else--as others have said, because I want to control dof. In low light, I usually use manual and play around with different exposures (I guess I should figure out how to use the bracketing function).

 

[Gdad]

Probably aperature priority most followed by full manual a close 2nd.

 

[Gdad]

I'd like my next camera to allow me to specify more constraints on program mode. Ideally, I'd like to be able to tell it things like - "keep the aperture between f/3.5 and f/5.6, keep the shutter speed at 1/200 or faster, and pick the lowest ISO that accomplishes that.

I agree that would be nice.

 

[tinksdad]

I typically use the manual mode, especially for low light shots. Most of my shooting use the spot metering setting the camera. I like the control. Aperture prioirity is great for the creative depth of field shots, maybe about 20% of my shots are there!!

I do use the full auto, progam mode sometimes for ease and fast changing conditions.

I like your parameters for the "new" camera Mark. Probably won't be that far in the future.

 

[KaitlinsMom]

but i think if the lcd read out was on top instead of the back i'd look at it more and notice when i had the wrong wb or something.

Amen to that! I think it just needs to become a habit to look on the back at the LCD - But I just can't get there yet!

 

[allyn]

i usually use P mode. snapping photos of my 3yo, i just don't have the time to check aperture and shutter speed. i know that makes me an amateur.

i would LOVE a programmable mode where i controlled the "exposure graph" and could set parameters as mark suggested. i've been wishing for that for years. unfortunately, since the ultra-high-end canons don't even have that yet, it will probably be many years before something like that makes it to something i can afford. new features often start at the top end.

canon's 30d and previous models in the same line do have a custom function called "safety shift" that i wish would trickle down to the rebel series. safety shift works in Av or Tv mode and will override your selection if the shot cannot be exposed correctly with your selection. not as good as a programmable mode but it fixes the really lame mistakes.

 

[boBQuincy]

I usually use "P" and adjust the exposure compensation to suit. If I don't like the aperture or shutter speed the camera selected then I twirl the top dial to change them.

For night photography I sometimes use "Av" to blend existing light with flash. For motion I use "Tv" to get the amount of blur I want.

 

[Boss Hogg]

AV most of the time, for me. Albeit, for fireworks pics and show/sport pics (such as Lights Motors Action show) I use TV.

Sometimes I use auto if I am feeling lazy, and since updating from a 300D to 400D I have been pleasantly suprised with the quality of shots coming out of the camera on auto.

 

[senecabeach]

WOW !!!!

I see I sure have lots of reading and experimenting to do on my new D 80 now that the holidays have calmed down.
I've got to get prepared for my May "home" trip. Please keep your tips coming!!

 

[ndelaware]

M

 

[thptrek]

I do a lot of sports photography with the kids and find myself using shutter priority as a result.

 

[mabas9395]

Actually, it pretty evenly distributed between TV, AV & M. It helps that my first SLR, a pentax K1000, was fully manual.