K-x Annoying Feature Auto mode

John52 · 02-05-2010, 07:06 AM

My wife and I both use our DSLR. However, she is not interested in f-stops, ISO ratings, etc she just wants to be be able to pick up our camera and let it determine the best settings in AUTO PICTURE mode.
On our previous DS2 this worked great.
However new on the K-x within AUTO PICTURE there is a "Night Scene Portrait" option that shoots at really low shutter speeds (1/8) and a tri-pod is recommended. Taking indoor photos at night with AUTO PICT, the camera often defaults to Night Scene Portrait with the resulting soft/blurred picture.

Does anyone know if there is a way to to remove Night Scene Portrait from the AUTO PICT "menu"?

Jasvox · 02-05-2010, 07:15 AM

Did the camera come with a manual? I don't have a Kx, but I can't imagine the manual for that wouldn't have section regarding Auto mode. My guess is that when it's in Auto, you have it set to Night Scene as default? In true Auto mode, the camera should be detecting what is the ideal shutter speed, f-stop and ISO to make the photo as ideal as possible...going into Night Scene unless it was set there seems like an odd thing for the camera to choose on it's own.

Good luck.

Jason

JeffJS · 02-05-2010, 07:18 AM

Can't specifically answer your question because I don't own a Kx but.. I would try switching to Tv mode, Auto ISO and go from there. Select your shutter speed and let the camera determine the rest. I know you said Mrs isn't interested in actually picking out things but sometimes to get the most out of a DSLR, it becomes necessary to do a little bit of minimal thinking. Might open up a whole new world for her.

enoeske · 02-05-2010, 07:35 AM

I don't think the scene modes change anything about the picture. Like when you are outside and it is bright out, the camera (in auto mode) chooses a low ISO, smaller aperture and faster shutter speed. They call this, "outside mode" or something. If its dark and the camera chooses a large aperture and slow shutter speed, high ISO to get the shot, they call it, "night mode".

Night mode isn't a setting, its just name given to images taken with slower shutters, larger aperture and high ISO. The images are blurry because of camera shake due to the slow shutter.

You can try upping the ISO manually, getting a faster aperture lens, or using some artificial light in the form of a flash.

pxpaulx · 02-05-2010, 07:58 AM

Originally posted by enoeske

You can try upping the ISO manually

Yeah, why not hand it to her in P mode, set the ISO to auto 200-4000 (whatever you find acceptable...this range works for me) or something like that, and not worry about it? Auto mode is just a gimmick to tell you the camera is making adjustments for a given scene, when it does this anyway in P mode. If you shoot in low light with the kit lens, the shutter speed will inevitably be slow.

dragonfly · 02-05-2010, 08:08 AM

I'm pretty sure there's a solution for this. If auto mode isn't doing what you want, you should try using scene mode or Program mode.

Eruditass · 02-05-2010, 09:09 AM

I believe night snap scene mode will use a fast shutter speed.

Otherwise, Program mode will work (program shift too)

Graystar · 02-05-2010, 09:27 AM

Originally posted by John52

Does anyone know if there is a way to to remove Night Scene Portrait from the AUTO PICT "menu"?

I check out my K-x and it seem to do the same thing. It's just trying to capture some of the background so that you don't get the subject only with a black background.

"Portrait" mode is one click from AUTO PICT. I would suggest telling her that if the camera is selecting Night Scene when you don't want it to, just turn the dial clockwise one click to "Portrait."

Hemi345 · 02-05-2010, 10:23 AM

Does the K-x remember the last setting for the mode chosen?

Say you chose Tv, set the shutter to 1/100, then either turned the camera off or switched to a different mode. Would the camera remember the 1/100 setting when the camera was turned back on/switched back to Tv mode? If so, I'd set that up for her and tell her whenever she's taking pics indoors, move the dial to Tv.

Marc Sabatella · 02-05-2010, 10:27 AM

Originally posted by John52

My wife and I both use our DSLR. However, she is not interested in f-stops, ISO ratings, etc she just wants to be be able to pick up our camera and let it determine the best settings in AUTO PICTURE mode.
On our previous DS2 this worked great.
However new on the K-x within AUTO PICTURE there is a "Night Scene Portrait" option that shoots at really low shutter speeds (1/8) and a tri-pod is recommended. Taking indoor photos at night with AUTO PICT, the camera often defaults to Night Scene Portrait with the resulting soft/blurred picture.

Well, if it's dark, what else would you expect? Unless you use flash, there's no way around the need for slow shutter speeds. So I assume maybe you were expecting the camera to pop up flash but it didn't? If so, that's kind of a different problem than what you initially described - it's not the availability of night scene that's the problem, but the fact that flash isn't popping up automatically. Which suggests that maybe there is a flash option you need to change? Or maybe you don't want flash, but expect the camera to be choosing a higher ISO in order to increase shutter speed - in which case, it's the auto ISO options you probably need to check.

Graystar · 02-05-2010, 10:46 AM

Originally posted by Marc Sabatella

Well, if it's dark, what else would you expect? Unless you use flash, there's no way around the need for slow shutter speeds. So I assume maybe you were expecting the camera to pop up flash but it didn't? If so, that's kind of a different problem than what you initially described - it's not the availability of night scene that's the problem, but the fact that flash isn't popping up automatically. Which suggests that maybe there is a flash option you need to change? Or maybe you don't want flash, but expect the camera to be choosing a higher ISO in order to increase shutter speed - in which case, it's the auto ISO options you probably need to check.

It appears to be more complex than that. It seems like the camera is attempting to ascertain the type of image. So even in the same light level, pointing the camera to different objects can get the camera to auto select a different Picture mode.

Night Scene does cause the flash to pop up and fire, to properly light the subjects. But then it keeps the shutter open to get the background. It’s nothing more than automatically turning on Slow-speed Sync, and it even says so in the Operating Manual.

The Picture modes still give you control over ISO (fixed or Auto), and flash settings. So I would also suggest checking the ISO settings and make sure it’s on Auto, so that the camera can use a lower shutter speed for exposing the background.

UnknownVT · 02-05-2010, 11:04 AM

Originally posted by Graystar

It appears to be more complex than that. It seems like the camera is attempting to ascertain the type of image. So even in the same light level, pointing the camera to different objects can get the camera to auto select a different Picture mode.

This is exactly it -
the K-x is a very clever camera -
the AUTO PICT mode attempts to assess the scene and sets a scene mode accordingly -
so it is not working in the same way Full AUTO (green) used to work on other cameras -
most of the time this is boon -
but like any automation it is not perfect -
and we are supposed to be smarter than the camera
(well OK, sometimes

)

Page 84 of the K-x owner's manual actually explains -
and even tell us what to do if the scene mode selected is not as we'd desire.

Damn Brit · 02-05-2010, 11:14 AM

Moved to Beginners Q&A where it is better suited.
The answers are usually in the manual.

Marc Sabatella · 02-05-2010, 11:22 AM

Understood, but regardless of the mode selected, if there is little light, you're going to get a slow speed. Unless the OP is claiming it isn't choosing the largest aperture available on the lens or the highest ISO configured in auto ISO, I don't see the problem. In low light, it shouldn't matter what mode is selected - the camera should max out aperture and ISO in hopes of getting as fast a shutter speed as it can. Only if it isn't doing this would there be a problem. But right now, it isn't at all clear that this is the case.

Marc Sabatella · 02-05-2010, 11:23 AM

Originally posted by UnknownVT

This is exactly it -
the K-x is a very clever camera -
the AUTO PICT mode attempts to assess the scene and sets a scene mode accordingly -
so it is not working in the same way Full AUTO (green) used to work on other cameras -

Yes, it is. That's exactly how Green mode has always been described as working on cameras with Scene modes.

02-05-2010, 07:06 AM	#1
John52 Inactive Account Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 4	K-x Annoying Feature Auto mode My wife and I both use our DSLR. However, she is not interested in f-stops, ISO ratings, etc she just wants to be be able to pick up our camera and let it determine the best settings in AUTO PICTURE mode. On our previous DS2 this worked great. However new on the K-x within AUTO PICTURE there is a "Night Scene Portrait" option that shoots at really low shutter speeds (1/8) and a tri-pod is recommended. Taking indoor photos at night with AUTO PICT, the camera often defaults to Night Scene Portrait with the resulting soft/blurred picture. Does anyone know if there is a way to to remove Night Scene Portrait from the AUTO PICT "menu"?

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02-05-2010, 07:15 AM	#2
Jasvox Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 3,107	Did the camera come with a manual? I don't have a Kx, but I can't imagine the manual for that wouldn't have section regarding Auto mode. My guess is that when it's in Auto, you have it set to Night Scene as default? In true Auto mode, the camera should be detecting what is the ideal shutter speed, f-stop and ISO to make the photo as ideal as possible...going into Night Scene unless it was set there seems like an odd thing for the camera to choose on it's own. Good luck. Jason

02-05-2010, 07:18 AM	#3
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	Can't specifically answer your question because I don't own a Kx but.. I would try switching to Tv mode, Auto ISO and go from there. Select your shutter speed and let the camera determine the rest. I know you said Mrs isn't interested in actually picking out things but sometimes to get the most out of a DSLR, it becomes necessary to do a little bit of minimal thinking. Might open up a whole new world for her.

02-05-2010, 07:35 AM	#4
enoeske Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Surprise, Az Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,136	I don't think the scene modes change anything about the picture. Like when you are outside and it is bright out, the camera (in auto mode) chooses a low ISO, smaller aperture and faster shutter speed. They call this, "outside mode" or something. If its dark and the camera chooses a large aperture and slow shutter speed, high ISO to get the shot, they call it, "night mode". Night mode isn't a setting, its just name given to images taken with slower shutters, larger aperture and high ISO. The images are blurry because of camera shake due to the slow shutter. You can try upping the ISO manually, getting a faster aperture lens, or using some artificial light in the form of a flash.

02-05-2010, 07:58 AM	#5
pxpaulx Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 2,867	Originally posted by enoeske You can try upping the ISO manually Yeah, why not hand it to her in P mode, set the ISO to auto 200-4000 (whatever you find acceptable...this range works for me) or something like that, and not worry about it? Auto mode is just a gimmick to tell you the camera is making adjustments for a given scene, when it does this anyway in P mode. If you shoot in low light with the kit lens, the shutter speed will inevitably be slow.

02-05-2010, 08:08 AM	#6
dragonfly Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: on the wall Photos: Gallery Posts: 715	I'm pretty sure there's a solution for this. If auto mode isn't doing what you want, you should try using scene mode or Program mode.

02-05-2010, 09:09 AM	#7
Eruditass Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,207	I believe night snap scene mode will use a fast shutter speed. Otherwise, Program mode will work (program shift too)

02-05-2010, 09:27 AM	#8
Graystar Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 144	Originally posted by John52 Does anyone know if there is a way to to remove Night Scene Portrait from the AUTO PICT "menu"? I check out my K-x and it seem to do the same thing. It's just trying to capture some of the background so that you don't get the subject only with a black background. "Portrait" mode is one click from AUTO PICT. I would suggest telling her that if the camera is selecting Night Scene when you don't want it to, just turn the dial clockwise one click to "Portrait."

02-05-2010, 10:23 AM	#9
Hemi345 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Colorado Posts: 127	Does the K-x remember the last setting for the mode chosen? Say you chose Tv, set the shutter to 1/100, then either turned the camera off or switched to a different mode. Would the camera remember the 1/100 setting when the camera was turned back on/switched back to Tv mode? If so, I'd set that up for her and tell her whenever she's taking pics indoors, move the dial to Tv.

02-05-2010, 10:27 AM	#10
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Originally posted by John52 My wife and I both use our DSLR. However, she is not interested in f-stops, ISO ratings, etc she just wants to be be able to pick up our camera and let it determine the best settings in AUTO PICTURE mode. On our previous DS2 this worked great. However new on the K-x within AUTO PICTURE there is a "Night Scene Portrait" option that shoots at really low shutter speeds (1/8) and a tri-pod is recommended. Taking indoor photos at night with AUTO PICT, the camera often defaults to Night Scene Portrait with the resulting soft/blurred picture. Well, if it's dark, what else would you expect? Unless you use flash, there's no way around the need for slow shutter speeds. So I assume maybe you were expecting the camera to pop up flash but it didn't? If so, that's kind of a different problem than what you initially described - it's not the availability of night scene that's the problem, but the fact that flash isn't popping up automatically. Which suggests that maybe there is a flash option you need to change? Or maybe you don't want flash, but expect the camera to be choosing a higher ISO in order to increase shutter speed - in which case, it's the auto ISO options you probably need to check.

02-05-2010, 10:46 AM	#11
Graystar Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 144	Originally posted by Marc Sabatella Well, if it's dark, what else would you expect? Unless you use flash, there's no way around the need for slow shutter speeds. So I assume maybe you were expecting the camera to pop up flash but it didn't? If so, that's kind of a different problem than what you initially described - it's not the availability of night scene that's the problem, but the fact that flash isn't popping up automatically. Which suggests that maybe there is a flash option you need to change? Or maybe you don't want flash, but expect the camera to be choosing a higher ISO in order to increase shutter speed - in which case, it's the auto ISO options you probably need to check. It appears to be more complex than that. It seems like the camera is attempting to ascertain the type of image. So even in the same light level, pointing the camera to different objects can get the camera to auto select a different Picture mode. Night Scene does cause the flash to pop up and fire, to properly light the subjects. But then it keeps the shutter open to get the background. It’s nothing more than automatically turning on Slow-speed Sync, and it even says so in the Operating Manual. The Picture modes still give you control over ISO (fixed or Auto), and flash settings. So I would also suggest checking the ISO settings and make sure it’s on Auto, so that the camera can use a lower shutter speed for exposing the background.

02-05-2010, 11:04 AM	#12
UnknownVT Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: USA Posts: 1,812	Originally posted by Graystar It appears to be more complex than that. It seems like the camera is attempting to ascertain the type of image. So even in the same light level, pointing the camera to different objects can get the camera to auto select a different Picture mode. This is exactly it - the K-x is a very clever camera - the AUTO PICT mode attempts to assess the scene and sets a scene mode accordingly - so it is not working in the same way Full AUTO (green) used to work on other cameras - most of the time this is boon - but like any automation it is not perfect - and we are supposed to be smarter than the camera (well OK, sometimes ) Page 84 of the K-x owner's manual actually explains - and even tell us what to do if the scene mode selected is not as we'd desire.

02-05-2010, 11:14 AM	#13
Damn Brit Guest	Moved to Beginners Q&A where it is better suited. The answers are usually in the manual.

02-05-2010, 11:22 AM	#14
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Understood, but regardless of the mode selected, if there is little light, you're going to get a slow speed. Unless the OP is claiming it isn't choosing the largest aperture available on the lens or the highest ISO configured in auto ISO, I don't see the problem. In low light, it shouldn't matter what mode is selected - the camera should max out aperture and ISO in hopes of getting as fast a shutter speed as it can. Only if it isn't doing this would there be a problem. But right now, it isn't at all clear that this is the case.

02-05-2010, 11:23 AM	#15
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Originally posted by UnknownVT This is exactly it - the K-x is a very clever camera - the AUTO PICT mode attempts to assess the scene and sets a scene mode accordingly - so it is not working in the same way Full AUTO (green) used to work on other cameras - Yes, it is. That's exactly how Green mode has always been described as working on cameras with Scene modes.