[peos99]

When you push the menu button on the K-5 and go to page 3 you can set something called the Program Line. How do i use this and what does it do?

[HenrikDK]

It sets how the aperture/shutter speed combination is selected. Suggest you check the manual - described on page 102.

I usually leave the setting to Normal, and use the Hyper Program to override as needed. I did create a couple of user programs such as sports, where I changed the default program line to Hi-Speed. That works well for action since the camea selects faster shutter speeds.

I know some people prefer using appeture or manual program settings for greater control. I personaly find the Hyper Program much more convienient, and often close to what I want, so I always leave my camera on <P>, and adjust with rear dial as needed - probably over half my shots gets adjusted? Only rarely do I switch to aperture or manual - almost always in tri-pod settings or very tricky light settings

[StephenHampshire]

When you push the menu button on the K-5 and go to page 3 you can set something called the Program Line. How do i use this and what does it do?

When in P (programme) exposure mode you dial in the ISO you want and the camera sets an appropriate value for Shutter speed and aperture. This option in the menu allows you to specify a "bias" to this selection, e.g. to favour a higher shutter speed (I think this is sports or action mode) or a wider aperture to give less DoF, or even (and this is one I use) the MTF setting, which chooses the aperture that gves the best resloution (provided the camera recognises the lens, which it should if a modern pentax one)

[Aristophanes]

When people say "the camera" they mean the camera has a computer program that measures the light through the meter and makes an appropriate choice of aperture and shutter speed and ISO based on factory settings and some user inputted variables.

This is the computer's "Program".

Pentax has a variant called Hyper-Program which means you press the Green Button and you get Program Mode which you can then use the dials to alter. This action resets the camera instantly to the default Program "line". Adjust the aperture, the shutter speed changes correspondingly from the line.

The great thing about the Pentax Green Button is it is a great way to avoid user error, the biggest cause of missed shots. If you start spinning the dials and realize you're off the Green Button gets you back tot he computer's best choice "Program". Instant reset.

As noted above there are user preferences for how the Program mode operates.

[Fogel70]

If using program line settings other than default, you might want to use Program mode with P-shift instead of Hyper-Program, as the program line will then still be enabled when shifting exposure using P-shift.

If FI using "high speed" PL is used in Hyper-P with auto-ISO, the camera might select 1/500s f/4, if you then override aperture to f/2.8 you will disable "high speed" PL and the camera might select 1/50s shutter speed and much lower ISO instead. You then have to press green button to enable "high speed" PL again.

[peos99]

Thank you, i figured it out finally. This camera has som many settings, puuuh

[dadipentak]

More trouble than it's worth as far as I'm concerned.