[jpzk]

That is a very interesting thread: I have never even thought of using this P-mode (Hyper-Program).

I started with Av, a while back when I switched from film to DSLR, then when I got into wildlife more, my favorite setting became TAv.
That is with the K5 with its almost-permanently attached DA*300/4.

I also still have my K7 which I use for other-than-birding/wildlife photography: landscape/portrait/ etc ...
and this the one which is pretty much set on Av.
Now, I am going to explore this famous P mode (hyper program) and see what happens.

Thanks for this great thread.

JP

[emalvick]

I've not used it much myself as I tend to just use Av and M modes. I wish I had my camera right now because I had been using the HP modes in the past, but for some reason didn't like them much. I'm not sure if it stays in HP from shot to shot or perhaps it just lost the HP settings every time I turned the camera off or changed lenses... Something about it annoyed me. I know it shouldn't matter much, but I guess it does. I do tend to be more of a manual shooter, and I do not often use flashes or tripods. My own shooting style tends to be focused on Av with adjustments to ISO to get the shutter speed I want. Like others, when that fails me I move to straight up manual mode.

[bsamcash]

I'm not sure if it stays in HP from shot to shot or perhaps it just lost the HP settings every time I turned the camera off or changed lenses.

It does shift back to the program line eat time the camera is turned on. I see this as a benefit with my style of shooting. I mostly do street photography, so it is paramount that I am able to quickly get the shot (though, I rarely ever turn my camera off whilst out). Maybe I just suck, but I have missed a moment or two because of fiddly dials.

[emalvick]

It does shift back to the program line eat time the camera is turned on. I see this as a benefit with my style of shooting. I mostly do street photography, so it is paramount that I am able to quickly get the shot (though, I rarely ever turn my camera off whilst out). Maybe I just suck, but I have missed a moment or two because of fiddly dials.

I can understand. I've had the same issues when inadvertently letting my camera in M mode, which is part of the reason I almost never use M mode exclusively. I used to, but those hurry up moments would lead to missed shots that I wasn't happy about.

[stevebrot]

My own shooting style tends to be focused on Av with adjustments to ISO to get the shutter speed I want.

TAv mode is your friend.


Steve

[emalvick]

TAv mode is your friend.


Steve

I'm not sure why I don't do that either. I used to. I think it's because most of the time when I take a shot, the only thing I truly know I want is aperture. I'm actually flexible with ISO and Shutter Speed and weigh my priorities when I move forward.

I usually use a fixed ISO and use the ISO adjustment by feel to get a combination of ISO and ShutterSpeed I feel good about. One of those two usually gets priority, but it is shot by shot. Since my adjustments for ISO do usually look for a certain range of Shutter Speeds while trying to keep ISO somewhat in reason, I probably should actually use TAv and just use Shutter Speed to get the ISO I want, but I guess my use just tends to be inclined towards controlling ISO a bit more closely.

Ultimately, my methods tend to be counterintuitive, even to myself, but it all works with decent success and I just go with it. I sometimes feel that as a left-handed person, there is a tendency for me to do things a bit backwards, even if it should have nothing to do with being left-handed.

[bdery]

One more thing that I like about hyper program is that it couples well with the program line you can choose with most Pentax cameras. for instance, I use MTF, which means that when left to itself, the camera will maximize sharpness. When the situation warrants it, I take control and, for instance, open the aperture myself, knowing that most of the time the camera will strive to do what I want it to. I don't think I would find HP as useful if the program line couldn't be changed.

[pentaprickle]

Uh, a dopey question.
This newbie sees lots of mentions about 'program line'. But what is it?
And bdery (above) mentions 'MTF'.
Are these 'settings\configurations' only relevant to a particular camera?

[pschlute]

Program line is what the camera uses to prioritise in an auto exposure setting in P mode. Choices are usually Auto/High shutter speed/narrow DOF/wide DOF/MTF (sharpest aperture for the lens in question being used)

Check your manual for what is availabe.

[pathdoc]

I will be interested to see what hyper-program mode is like on the K-1, when you have THREE control wheels and can potentially exert control over all three parameters at all times.

[pentaprickle]

Sorry, but my K50 manual says nothing about 'Program Line'. Not in the index, anyway.

[p38arover]

Sorry, but my K50 manual says nothing about 'Program Line'. Not in the index, anyway.

Have a look at this: http://nepsweb.co.uk/docs/k50settings.pdf

[pschlute]

I will be interested to see what hyper-program mode is like on the K-1, when you have THREE control wheels and can potentially exert control over all three parameters at all times.

On the K1 you can set ISO by pressing the ISO button and using the rear dial, or by using the function dial/setting dial. So in Hyper mode it is very easy to set your parameters very quickly.

---------- Post added 12-28-2016 at 09:54 AM ----------

I too like Hyper for the flexibility it offers.

Other genius features in Manual mode..

in M mode pressing the green button to get a Program line or a Av/TV shift depending on your preference.

in M mode pressing exposure lock and moving either wheel to change Av or Tv setting and the camera adjusts the other to maintain exposure.

These were both available on my Z1 that I used over 20 years ago.

[NS_Sailor]

I, like besamcash, started out with a strictly manual camera a K1000 doing everything manually and now use my K500 almost exclusively in P mode with the Hyper Program.
I also rarely use the live view to frame a shot so I find it very convenient to quickly adjust the shutter speed to capture a flying bird or a fast moving animal while looking through the viewfinder. That's if I grab the right wheel

[pentaprickle]

Have a look at this: http://nepsweb.co.uk/docs/k50settings.pdf

p38arover, thanks for the link, the PDF has an excellent definition of 'program line'.

I'm still puzzling over the 'MTF' that bdery refers to in post #22