[philbaum]

I often use and like larger depths of field, like f8 in manual mode.

I really love my K5, and am gradually learning the nuances of operating it. But one thing was starting to bug me. When i'm in Manual exposure mode, and push the green button to establish a starting point for exposure adjustment, the camera would reset the aperture down to f2.8. So i tried pushing iso to 3200, and push the green button, same thing - f2.8 would be restored, even if it was sitting at a smaller aperture.

Then i tried adjusting program line (in the shooting mode, page 3) to every available option, setting M mode and seeing what the green button would restore the base shooting parameters to.

F4 on a DA35 f2.8 lens, was the smallest my MTF program line would adjust the camera to
F4 on a Tamy 28-75 f2.8 lens, was the smallest my MTF program line would adjust to when the green button is tapped in M mode.

What am i doing wrong, is there no program line mode that will reset Manual settings to higher than f4.0? MTF mystifies me since many lenses are sharper when stopped down a "1 or 2 stops" is the common phrase. Why then on the MTF program line, won't it set exposure aperture in manual mode higher than f4?

The old photo journalism adage of "F8 and be there" is something Pentax engineers should have thought about when programming the camera. Unless i've overlooked something - a possibility that can't be discounted

Postscript 1: Much of the above is wrong. The explanation is that the program line adjusts according to metering and iso setting. With appropriate settings of iso, i'm now able to indoors get up to a green button F11 aperture by setting 12,800 iso and spot metering a window inside.

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Last edited by philbaum; 04-29-2011 at 01:09 PM.

[DRabbit]

If you like to shoot with a starting point of F/8, why not just shoot in Aperture-Priority mode? I have mine set up so that the green button toggles auto-ISO on and off, front dial to set ISO and back dial to set aperture. I have no issues shooting at exactly the aperture I want to...

[philbaum]

If you like to shoot with a starting point of F/8, why not just shoot in Aperture-Priority mode? I have mine set up so that the green button toggles auto-ISO on and off, front dial to set ISO and back dial to set aperture. I have no issues shooting at exactly the aperture I want to...

DRabbit, thank you, thats very useful. When i want to put it on a tripod for a high quality shot, i can set 100 iso with the front wheel, an aperture with the back wheel, and the camera/tripod can do the rest. so slick! +1 to you!!!

[Ash]

You can also set the P priority to DoF/sports if you want more emphasis on depth of field in P mode - but indeed it's not a good mind-reader. Av or M modes are for you.

[creampuff]

OP I believe you've mixed up the Manual and Program mode operation.

First things first, the Green Button operation in M (Hyper-Manual) mode resets the shutter speed and aperture combination based on the camera meter's suggested exposure reading. From that exposure value as a starting point, you're at liberty to change the shutter speed and/or aperture value and any deviation in EV value is displayed as a bar graph. Obviously the Green button can be set in the Custom menu to reset to one of three options: Program Line (default), Shutter speed shift or Aperture value shift. If set to P Line, you won't always get f/8 because the camera's suggested exposure is gonna be based on the what it thinks should be the shutter speed and aperture combo based on the exposure meter reading for the particular scene in P mode.

In Program (Hyper-Program) Mode, pressing the Green Button resets the camera back to the suggested meter reading for the scene in P mode. The shutter speed and aperture combo is based on a defined algorithm for a certain exposure value. Obviously you can also customize this to one of six pre-determined settings: Auto, Normal (default), Hi-speed priority, DOF priority (Deep), DOF priority (Shallow) and MTF priority. Each setting will vary the shutter speed and aperture value based on a pre-determined algorithm. Given that this is Hyper-Program mode, a quick flick of the front or read e-dial will allow you to switch to Tv or Av at will.

You can also revert to Aperture priority where you set the aperture value all the time. However Hyper-Program does have it's benefits whereby you can quickly switch from full camera automation to getting control of the aperture or shutter speed setting by merely turning either one of the e-dials.