[kodai84]

I love my K-30 and have it all set up for mostly semi-manual modes (usually Av and TAv). However, I found myself needing to hand it to my spouse (who has zero interest in learning photography) when her P&S was low on batteries. I switched it to green mode for her to shoot something quickly indoors. Suffice it to say that the photos came out horrible (blurry looooong exposure times) and I slept in the doghouse. Come to find out I had it in fixed ISO=100 and I mistakenly assumed AUTO mode would use all AUTO settings including auto-setting ISO as needed. I NOW know this is not the case. I also know that it stays in spot-focus mode, etc. Any one else experience or have suggestions for this kind of problem w/handing their K-30 to a non-photographer and quickly converting their cam into a temporary P&S? Her (very logical) argument is that a "stupid" $500 "pro" cam. AUGHT to be able to be made as easy to use as her cheap P&S when needed.

Thanks!

Embarrassed Pentax photographer.

[AussieTrev]

Buy some spare batteries for the P&S.

[EarlVonTapia]

I love my K-30 and have it all set up for mostly semi-manual modes (usually Av and TAv). However, I found myself needing to hand it to my spouse (who has zero interest in learning photography) when her P&S was low on batteries. I switched it to green mode for her to shoot something quickly indoors. Suffice it to say that the photos came out horrible (blurry looooong exposure times) and I slept in the doghouse. Come to find out I had it in fixed ISO=100 and I mistakenly assumed AUTO mode would use all AUTO settings including auto-setting ISO as needed. I NOW know this is not the case. I also know that it stays in spot-focus mode, etc. Any one else experience or have suggestions for this kind of problem w/handing their K-30 to a non-photographer and quickly converting their cam into a temporary P&S? Her (very logical) argument is that a "stupid" $500 "pro" cam. AUGHT to be able to be made as easy to use as her cheap P&S when needed.

Thanks!

Embarrassed Pentax photographer.

I found the the green AUTO mode on the K30 (including Auto ISO up to 6400 [or beyond!]) works pretty well, even with the kit lens.

A week after I first got my K30, I was invited to participate in some sort of multi-day workshops, and I was allowed to bring my camera. Obviously being a total DSLR noob I had it on the green AUTO mode the entire time (and only having the kit 18-55 zoom, AND only shooting in JPG).

Looking back at my photos nearly two years later, I'm constantly surprised at how well those photos turned out. I would have had a lot more keepers if I knew some of the things I know now, had a better lens, or if I had shot in RAW so I could do some real editing on them. But despite all of that, a surprising number of good photos came out of those events.

Here are some suggestions for you:

- Teach her how to focus the lens with the camera. When I lend my camera to my friends, they always have this tendency to just press the button down all the way right away. I have to explain that the camera lens needs to "focus" first before they can fully press the shutter.

- Set the focus point on the center spot. I'm just assuming that your wife, like my friends, don't really know too much about composition, and they just like to point dead center at the subject and shoot. This way there's very little room for accidentally focusing on something they don't want, unless they're trying to do something fancy.

- Try the SCN dial setting and SPORTS mode, which I believe is basically AUTO mode that prioritizes a fast shutter speed to reduce motion blur.

- Set the camera to shoot RAW + JPG. This way you could "rescue" some photos if needed.

Good luck.

[Deni]

Best solution is to have extra batteries for the P&S.

Program mode maybe will solve your issues with exposure but uninterested people cannot understand how focus and DOF works.

So even if the camera might take properly exposed shots in Program mode, they might be out of focus.

Also, for social snapshots the P&S is unbeatable as it has very deep DOF and fairly fast lenses wide open (f2.8).

Do yourself and your dog a favor and invest in the doghouse as it seems you'll share it a lot more

[Sandy Hancock]

Buy some spare batteries for the P&S.

/end thread.

[BrianR]

Spare batteries or not, a 'spouse' mode can still be handy.

If none of the scene modes override enough settings for your liking, you could always set up one of the 'User' modes to be spouse friendly, with all the auto-stuff enabled. Setting a highish limit on the lower end of the auto-iso might also be an ok idea. For many snapshots a bit of noise will be preferable over too shallow DoF or a slow shutter, but it really depends on how the camera decides to prioritize it's auto settings and the lighting conditions you're in.

[mikemike]

I too have this problem, much more so since I switched to back button focus. Good luck explaining that one.

[Paleo Pete]

I agree with setting up a user mode. And teach her how to half-press the shutter button to allow the auto focus to work. Set a limited range of ISO, say 100 to 800, ( I don't remember what auto ranges are available and don't have my K30 handy ) and set the user mode to as much auto as you can get by with. Try it out yourself and see if it does OK in most of the situations she'll need it, then all you have to do is move the mode back to the settings you normally use when you use the camera. You might also set up user modes for both of you. I'm thinking about setting User 1 for macros. I might have to play with it a little, I shoot all manual...