[dlacouture]

I never used the USER mode on my K7... Not much freedom, and I never really found a real use to this...

But now faced with 5 USER modes, I started to play around with settings, and things started to fall in place quite nicely...

I've made some quick tests to see what exactly is stored in these USER modes, and apart from the AF fine tuning value, it seems like everything can be recorded...
What is really neat is the ability to record the program line and the auto-iso handling (which are quite hard to change, as they are quite buried into the menus, even with the quick settings access we now have!).

Which gave me some neat (I suppose!) ideas I want to share with you, so if it can help others...

I shoot mainly :
- portraits in low-light venues,
- the occasional kid running around (in circle or on a bike ).

My lenses are either AF or old MF.
I often have to grab my camera and start shooting right away, so playing with settings are out of question.

So, I set up 4 USER modes (for the moment, still thinking about others).
All modes default to Auto-iso with a range of 80-51200, so I'm never rushed in full day with an high-iso value from the night before (done this once for an important pic!).

- Portrait (AF):
- P mode (so I can set a specific aperture if needed)
- Program Line set to "DOF priority (shallow)"
- Auto-iso set to "Low" (roughly halves the iso used, so as to improve noise handling)
- Drive mode set to "Burst (Low)" (don't want to clog my HDD with identical shots!)

- Portrait (MF):
To be used for manual focusing, based on the same settings as above, but:
- "Superimpose AF Area" set to No (I find these blinking red dots hugely annoying in MF).

- Action:
- P mode (so I can set a specific Aperture or Speed if needed)
- Program Line set to "High-speed priority"
- Auto-iso set to "Normal"
- Drive mode set to "Burst (High)"

- Fast Action:
Same as above, but:
- Auto-iso set to "High" (roughly doubles the ISO used, and so the Speed!)

Feel free to give your own USER mode for your preferred shot type!

EDIT: Oh, and for a quick USER mode change, I find it easier moving the mode dial back and forth between USER and X than using MENU, down, OK, then choosing the USER mode I want (which is not named in this instance)...
That, or Off/On quickly...

The only gripe I have with this USER mode is that it won't let you create a Movie mode...

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Last edited by dlacouture; 12-08-2010 at 09:27 AM.

[jbinpg]

When you switch the mode dial to USER, you can just use the back e-dial to cycle through the defined user settings. No need for lots of dial fiddling.

Jack

[boardhead]

Maybe I don't understand the USER modes correctly, but I find them completely useless because I lose all of my settings changes (and it reverts to the stored USER settings) every time the camera is turned off (which I do often to conserve batteries).

If they were designed to just restore the saved settings then allow you to tweak them normally (and remember them according to the memory settings when you turn off the camera), then the USER modes would have been very useful to me.

I would be happy to hear that I am wrong about this, but after playing with them this was my conclusion.

- Phil

[jbinpg]

Check the MEMORY setup in your Menu, Phil. Sounds like you may have them turned off. If you have everything checked, then all your settings should come back after a power cycle.

Jack

[nulla]

If you follow the instructions it should work if your camera has the default settings

Are you making all the preferred settings first then going to user mode and storing by pressing save under save settings

Page 227 in the PDF manual


cheers

Neil

[Ben78]

I found it annoying that the Intervalometer can't be used in User modes, meaning I can't set up a 'Time Lapse' user mode with everything dumbed down...

[nanok]

i used the user mode on the k20d for tripod shooting: base iso, bracketing (3 shots, 2 stops), 2s delay (so i get mirror lock up and don't have to use the remote), m mode. i haven't yet figured out what i want to set the k-5 to (bracketing is not so important anymore, as the dr is now likely to be enough from one shot for most of my landscape scenes. i'll probably end up having some tripod mode anyway), i need more time with my new toy :/

i think it's a good idea to share some ideas about how to use it though.

[dlacouture]

Maybe I don't understand the USER modes correctly, but I find them completely useless because I lose all of my settings changes (and it reverts to the stored USER settings) every time the camera is turned off (which I do often to conserve batteries).

If they were designed to just restore the saved settings then allow you to tweak them normally (and remember them according to the memory settings when you turn off the camera), then the USER modes would have been very useful to me.

I would be happy to hear that I am wrong about this, but after playing with them this was my conclusion.

- Phil

Well, if you change anything, you have to save the new settings by going to the USER menu entry and explicitly choose on which USER mode you want to save them... MEMORY has indeed no effect on the USER mode...

EDIT: the MEMORY menu entry is even disabled in the USER mode...

[boardhead]

Well, if you change anything, you have to save the new settings by going to the USER menu entry and explicitly choose on which USER mode you want to save them... MEMORY has indeed no effect on the USER mode...

EDIT: the MEMORY menu entry is even disabled in the USER mode...

Thanks. I hadn't noticed that the MEMORY entry is disabled in USER mode, but this certainly explains my problem. Pity.

Having to save my twiddled parameters before turning off the camera each time really defeats any advantage the USER mode may have have had for me.

- Phil

[nulla]

Thanks. I hadn't noticed that the MEMORY entry is disabled in USER mode, but this certainly explains my problem. Pity.

Having to save my twiddled parameters before turning off the camera each time really defeats any advantage the USER mode may have have had for me.

- Phil

Not sure what you mean mate.... memory option is not available but "Save User Mode" is and you can save settings in up to 5 user modes.

They remain in cameras memory when the camera is switched off.

Are you reading the same manual as me?


cheers

Neil

[nulla]

[dlacouture]

Nulla, I think BoardHead wanted his USER modes to remember changes he made before shutting the camera down, without having to explicitly save them. What iso he set, or the exposure comp, etc... Just like the standard modes.
It would be pretty logical, but unfortunately it does not work like this.

[WerTicus]

You want your user modes to be set and if you stray from the setting for it to not save that unless you tell it to. Thus you can use a preset and customize that preset for any situation but not break the mold so to speak. (unless you want to)

If it saved by default id be breaking my presets all the time.

[boardhead]

Nulla, I think BoardHead wanted his USER modes to remember changes he made before shutting the camera down, without having to explicitly save them.

Exactly.

If it saved by default id be breaking my presets all the time.

Not if designed properly:

- Load stored USER settings when changing to a USER mode.

- Save "current" settings as specified by memory options when camera is turned off.

- Restore "current" settings when camera is turned on.

- Only overwrite USER settings when "Save Settings" is selected from the menu.

- Maybe add a new "Load Settings" menu option to allow stored USER settings to be re-loaded without having to switch to another mode then back again.

[dlacouture]

It would only need 5 USER-specific memory options... Each USER mode could have its own set of memory settings, and this would really rock!

(Well, I could also say that the Memory menu should be included into the USER settings, and everybody would have understood!)