K-50 and AV mode

hmcfly · 01-21-2015, 02:22 PM

I have always shoot my dslr in auto or P mode. Last year I bought a K-50 and I took some very good pictures but it's still a hit and miss and a lot of Photoshop. I was searching around convinced that I needed to shoot in manual mode. I have gotten two of the three points of the triangle down but the other still eludes me. I have the aperture and the iso down fairly good. While I was searching around for a tutorial on shooting in manual mode I ran across a guy that said to shoot in AV mode and the camera will figure out the rest. I took a couple of picture and was so so happy with then I took a family portrait and took 4-5 pictures while dialing it in, I came up with the best shoot I could have taken with the lens I have. I have a 18-250 Sigma 3.5-6.3 lens. I ran the lens down to 3.5 fs and took the picture without a flash. Wow I printed it and I couldn't believe the detail in it. I also took some flash pictures but the seemed to wash out the faces, btw these pictures were inside. I have found a new excitement for taking pictures and I'm looking forward to a 2 month trip to the east coast.
I will think that I need to get a lens with a 1.2 fs to take in low light but that will have to wait for now

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Rimfiredude · 01-21-2015, 02:43 PM

I always use the AV mode. That way you can pick your f stop with the wheel and if you have to, bump up the ISO a bit. I get quite satisfactory results at 3200 ISO even quite useable at 6400 ISO in low light with my K5. Just remember, the larger the lens opening, the shallower the depth of field and the higher the ISO, the more noise.

loco · 01-21-2015, 02:47 PM

My camera stays in AV mode 90% of the time, at least. Manual certainly has its uses (as does TAv), but most of the time I'm most concerned about controlling depth of field.

The Squirrel Mafia · 01-21-2015, 03:40 PM

You can get really good shots at iso 1600 & decent iso 3200 shots out if the K-50, but only out of a processed dng file. The in camera jpeg seems to wash out all the detail at iso 800 & above.

Practice makes perfect. If not perfect, at least a lot better. I use manual most of the time. I like to control everything. Just keep shooting & you'll get better.

hmcfly · 01-25-2015, 09:17 AM

So correct me if I'm wrong but if I'm shooting in AV mode no matter were I put my f stops the shutter speed adjust to that. If I need more light then I have to adjust the ISO higher then. The f stop just adjust the depth of field.

sterretje · 01-25-2015, 11:34 AM

The aperture is important for two things; amount of light that can come in (look at it like a water tap that you open a little or a lot) and DOF. But I think you have the idea.

Further you're right, in Av camera will adjust shutter speed based on aperture and you need to adjust ISO if shutter speeds get too slow (there is a longest time that you can hold a camera steady) or too fast.(there is a camera limit on the shortest shutter speed).

loco · 01-25-2015, 12:41 PM

Or you can put it on Auto ISO and let the camera adjust that, too.

**clackers** · 01-25-2015, 12:47 PM

Originally posted by loco

Or you can put it on Auto ISO and let the camera adjust that, too.

Yep, TAv mode may suit here.

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01-21-2015, 02:43 PM	#2
Rimfiredude Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Washington Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,176	I always use the AV mode. That way you can pick your f stop with the wheel and if you have to, bump up the ISO a bit. I get quite satisfactory results at 3200 ISO even quite useable at 6400 ISO in low light with my K5. Just remember, the larger the lens opening, the shallower the depth of field and the higher the ISO, the more noise.

01-21-2015, 02:47 PM	#3
loco Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Virginia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,846	My camera stays in AV mode 90% of the time, at least. Manual certainly has its uses (as does TAv), but most of the time I'm most concerned about controlling depth of field.

01-21-2015, 03:40 PM	#4
The Squirrel Mafia Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 3,053	You can get really good shots at iso 1600 & decent iso 3200 shots out if the K-50, but only out of a processed dng file. The in camera jpeg seems to wash out all the detail at iso 800 & above. Practice makes perfect. If not perfect, at least a lot better. I use manual most of the time. I like to control everything. Just keep shooting & you'll get better.

01-25-2015, 09:17 AM	#5
hmcfly Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Bloomington Ca. Posts: 84 Original Poster	So correct me if I'm wrong but if I'm shooting in AV mode no matter were I put my f stops the shutter speed adjust to that. If I need more light then I have to adjust the ISO higher then. The f stop just adjust the depth of field.

01-25-2015, 11:34 AM	#6
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	The aperture is important for two things; amount of light that can come in (look at it like a water tap that you open a little or a lot) and DOF. But I think you have the idea. Further you're right, in Av camera will adjust shutter speed based on aperture and you need to adjust ISO if shutter speeds get too slow (there is a longest time that you can hold a camera steady) or too fast.(there is a camera limit on the shortest shutter speed).

01-25-2015, 12:41 PM	#7
loco Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Virginia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,846	Or you can put it on Auto ISO and let the camera adjust that, too.

01-25-2015, 12:47 PM	#8
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Originally posted by loco Or you can put it on Auto ISO and let the camera adjust that, too. Yep, TAv mode may suit here.

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