Hi All,

First, thanks to all those who posted/sent terrific answers to my previous questions.

Just a quick question for those people using Nikon AF bodies - what exposure program modes do you find yourself using the most? As a relative newcomer to Nikon - using a 801s (old, but beautiful, IMHO!) - I'd be interested to hear what exposure programs others are using, and for what situations (ie, action, portrait, l'scape, candid, etc).

In my case, I would be using 'Manual' and 'Aperture Priority' the most (as I am still trying to learn as much as I can), but am hungry to know what practical benefits these have over the others.

Any answers most appreciated - I realise this question may have been better suited to the 'Shooting Issues' section, but couldn't find a broad enough area.

Thanks - Tim

I used Aperture priority most of the time to control DOF. Never using a shutter speed smaller than the focal length; for example 1/125 sec for 100mm, 1/250 sec for a 200mm and so on.
If for sports, Shutter priority, with 1/500 most of the time.
Enjoy
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JRP
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Tim,

I have the N8008s also... it is my only AF camera. In the interest in being in control, I never use program mode. For the examples that you give, as far as subjects, I find I can get by on aperture priority and manual. While shutter priority would also be useful, my other auto camera, the F3, doesn't have this exposure mode, so I standardized my process so I don't have to change procedures for each different camera, (I also use MF AIS lenses on the N8008s).

Once you understand the correlation between f-stop and shutterspeed, you can handle any subject with aperture priority. Portraits: wide f-stop for selective focus. Sports: wide f-stop for higher shutterspeed. Landscapes: small f-stop and set lens for hyper-focal distance for extended depth of field. General shooting: f8... normally the sharpest f-stop for most lenses.

While some would say that the program mode is "shiftable"... that is simply another step, one that takes time, and one that must be reaccomplished everytime. If you want to speed up the learning curve... take your camera off of program and learn what your lens can do at various f-stops. Additionally, on aperture priority, (and manual) the depth of field lever is ready to use. If you are on program, and you pull in the lever, it will go all the way to f22... even if the program picks f8... this effectively neutralizes one of the most useful features on the camera.

Good luck,
Al

Tim,

I use a D1, and go to the two extremes: I either use program mode - where I use the "flexible program" ability to get the aperture and/or shutter speed I want and the +/- EV to adjust the exposure - or I go fully manual.

I suppose the only reason for my favouring the flexible program mode over aperture or shutter priority is down to the fact that when I'm taking a series of pictures (of wildlife, for example) I seem to end up concentrating so hard on my subject that I just forget about the camera - and flexible program mode works well at keeping both shutter speed and aperture 'in the ballpark' of what I originally intended, while the priority modes can let the other parameter change too much.

Alan.

With both the F100 and F5, I use aperture priority 80% of the time. If shooting sports I use shutter priority. Don't believe I have ever used Programmed mode in years.

Doug

--Take only photographs, leave nothing but footprints--

"Take only photographs, leave only footprints"

  

LAST EDITED ON Nov-01-00 AT 05:03 AM (GMT)

Tim--

I have just recently started using a modern AE camera. Not only does it have manual, autoprogram, shift program, aperture priority, and shutter priority, but it also has the usual five vari-programs: portrait, closeup, landscape, sports, and night portrait. Yet with all of that, I nearly always set it to P, which is the shiftable program. I keep my thumb on the "command" wheel, or whatever it's called, and never have to take my eye from the viewfinder. The shutterspeed and f-stop selected by the meter are both visible in the display, and both are controlled by that one wheel. As I'm composing, I'm thinking about what's more important, the shutter or aperture. And I just roll the little wheel, and shoot. It has become second nature in no time.
You see, in modern AE cameras, program shift mode is just manual mode with a safety net. Instead of you mechanically "matching the needle" by rotating shutterspeed knobs and/or aperture rings, the camera measures the EV for you AND sets a middle-of-the-road shutterspeed/f-stop combination. But deviating from the camera's suggestion is effortless. It's not a lazy, amateurish way to use a camera; it's a modern, efficient way to use a modern, efficient tool.
Aperture priority mode and shutter priority mode are the real "automatic" modes. You choose one parameter, and let the camera choose the other. That is called delegating authority, and is a perfectly valid way to shoot, if you have the experience and confidence to relinquish control. I prefer to stay in P mode, though, where I always know what's going on.
Hope this helps. ---Scott

--scott

"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

I sort of agree with Scott... Sort of. I presume you are referring to the F70, which I also have and use on P/matrix most of the time (so my wife can use it as well, shhh.... ) changing the aperture/shutter speed with the dial as you describe. Really nice feature, and easy to use. However it's absolutely hopeless to change mode so it usually stays in P/matrix unless I have really good time to take the picture. (That's the only ramble about the F70 - don't know if F50/60 are any better?)

But back to the point: Rotating the wheel is not being anymore "in control" (IMHO) than using aperture priority mode. You see, what I use 90% of the time on my F4 is A/spot, which in combination with the AE-lock gives you, the photographer, complete control.

The point here is the use of AE-lock. You have to use this feature in A/spot mode unless you prefer switching to M. In A/spot/AE-lock mode you have more control than with P/matrix. In both cases you determine the combination of aperture/shutter speed yourself, but in P/matrix (any matrix-mode actually) you leave the judgement of the lighting conditions and in the end, the desicion of for example whether higlights or shadows are more important, to the camera.

While Nikons matrix metering system is very, very good, it still cannot know what you want to capture in that particular scene. And yes, you can use the +/- compensations, but it requires you to know what the camera sees, how the matrix responds to the scene, the contrasts etc... meaning you still need either a lot of experience or a spot meter

So, everybody - I really think it would be interesting to hear not only your preferred "program-or-not" mode, but also which metering mode you use in combination.

Thomas - a Dane in Spain

Thomas.....

>>I sort of agree with Scott... Sort of. <<

Hey, that'll work.

Anyway, I have an N60, not 70. The mode is very easy to change---just turn a dial on top left. The only time I take it out of P mode is to use a shutterspeed slower than 1/125 with flash. There is no spot meter; only matrix, except centerweighted in manual mode, or when AE-lock is pressed and held.

I rarely use manual mode, AE-lock, or +/- compensation. I still have a manual camera. I trust the N60's meter, but just don't always agree with the combination it comes up with. I guess I'm not really a very good example of an AF user. ---Scott

--scott

"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

Hello Scott,

>Anyway, I have an N60, not
>70. The mode is very
>easy to change---just turn a
>dial on top left.

Sounds like the F70 operation... the silly and frustrating thing with that camera comes when you have to change the mode - any mode. So you tend to keep it as is. But the "changing shutter speed/aperture combination while keeping same exposure" is really nice. As I said; I agree

>I trust the N60's meter, but
>just don't always agree with
>the combination it comes up
>with.

Sure thing... but my point was also that there are situations where you don't want to leave decisions to the camera, however sophisticated the metering may be.

The highest degree of personal control with the final image you get with spot metering (if you know how to use it - I am still learning...) in any program mode. I prefer to use A instead of S because it lets me control DOF directly and gives me understandable spot readings, which I don't get with M. P is a bit complicated to use with spot, isn't it?

Responding to the original post... I have AF cameras, but rarely uses AF -- so I guess I'm not a good example of an AF user either

Thomas - a Dane in Spain

Thomas--
We agree on everything, (no meter is foolproof) but there is maybe a misunderstanding: I have two cameras--one manual camera, and one auto camera. The manual is for selective metering area and exposure manupulation; the auto is for speed and ease of use. The auto allows me to get the shots I always missed . But a manual is much easier to use than an auto set to "manual mode." No matter how sophisticated the meter, it's really just another option. I don't always use it on the FM2. (with manual flash, for instance.) The auto is for the 75% of the situations where I would accept the meter reading anyway, and it is much quicker to use. I don't think I could ever settle on just one camera, no matter how sophisticated. Hope that clears it up. ---Scott

--scott

"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

Hey Scott - I agree: we agree! Like you, I use the automatic camera for speed & ease of use. It resides in the living room for easy access, usually loaded with color negative film and permanently in P/matrix mode.

The other one, I too use as you describe it. I think my misunderstanding was that I thought you used your F60 in the "manual" modes as well... sorry

Still, I think it would be interesting to know what combinations of program, metering and focusing people use. I think they are intimately connected... can't imagine anyone using P/spot/MF, but I may be mistaken

thanks for your response and patience Scott.
Thomas - a Dane in Spain

Unless you have the camera set to manual mode, the computer is determining either the shutter speed or aperture, or both.
How you use the camera's computer depends on the person and the subject. I would guess if you did a survey on landscape photographers, they are using aperture priority most of the time, to allow them to control DOF. On the other hand, sports photographers are most likely using shutter priority to control the shutter speed and freeze action.
I had an N70, and yes, the shift program was ok, and I used it for taking photos of the neighborhood party, and it helped to dictate to the computer some of the changes I wanted.
However, for my work, as I stated earlier, I shoot aperture priority, and again, trying to think back my F5 and F100 (and my old N90s) were never used in program mode. Heck, program mode may not even operate correctly on these cameras and I would not know it.
Have a great day,

Doug

--Take only photographs, leave nothing but footprints--

"Take only photographs, leave only footprints"

  

When taking pics of landscapes and still objects, the camera is always in Manual mode. When taking pics of people at events/parties, with the flash on the bracket and a big crowd, the camera runs in P mode and I occasionally shift the program choice if I feel the need to.

Cheeri'o...
Frankie...