What mode do you shoot in?

hockmasm · 04-30-2010, 06:58 AM

so the k-x has TONS of modes to shoot in. Including Scenes.

What do you shoot in?

I tried the filters and Toy is really cool. but i feel i will shoot mostly natural.

However, i have been trying AV mode but it seems no matter what f-stop i use the pictures look the same...the shutter adjusts.

Am i doing somethign wrong? Are you all shooting straight Manual? Or using the program modes or scene modes more often??

Asudef · 04-30-2010, 07:55 AM

I shoot roughly 99% in M mode on my K20. I still haven't understood the need for other modes except mabe Av for manual lenses though.

Ari · 04-30-2010, 08:00 AM

Originally posted by hockmasm

so the k-x has TONS of modes to shoot in. Including Scenes.

What do you shoot in?

I tried the filters and Toy is really cool. but i feel i will shoot mostly natural.

However, i have been trying AV mode but it seems no matter what f-stop i use the pictures look the same...the shutter adjusts.

Am i doing somethign wrong? Are you all shooting straight Manual? Or using the program modes or scene modes more often??

Do you mean the aperture adjusts to focal length? If you are not using a constant aperture lens, the aperture (in AV mode) will change according to it's maximum for the focal length (so if you are using a lens with a maximum aperture of f4 at the widest focal length, it will change the aperture to whatever the maximum aperture is as you zoom).
Boy, what I just wrote sounds confusing

Ari · 04-30-2010, 08:07 AM

Originally posted by Asudef

I shoot roughly 99% in M mode on my K20. I still haven't understood the need for other modes except mabe Av for manual lenses though.

AV mode makes sense for auto lenses with a if there is a specific feel you are looking for in a picture. Shooting at a large aperture will allow you to take pictures in low light without a flash and will also give you a very shallow depth of field. If you are trying to take a picture of, say a small object with a large background but want the background as sharply focused as the subject you are shooting, you would want to use a smaller aperture.
Also, if you have a zoom with a constant aperture, you may want that to stay constant throughout the zoom range for many different reasons. I shoot in AV mode (and have no manual glasses) about 99% of the time.

**blackcloudbrew** · 04-30-2010, 08:08 AM

I don't have a k-x but no matter. I think you will find that many of us use Av mode. Here is a similar thread with a poll.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/general-photography/22416-what-mode-do-you-use.html

Basically, Av mode - to me is my most used because it let's me select the f stop which will provide the best depth of field for the shot and hopefully keeping the most things in focus.

All of the modes - including scene modes (my k10 and k20 have none but my k100ds and Optio W80 do), should be learned and evaluated. They are their for good reasons and flexibility. For example Sv mode (Pentax unique) made no sense to me until last December when I was shooting Christmas lights in the dark. Being able to adjust my ISO and let the camera figure out all the other stuff was just the ticket because the widely varring intensity of lighting displays would have made me be resting ISO through the function menu all the time.

I've just completed several short workshops on action photography and flash. I've learned a new respect for the Tv mode and the TAv mode now.

Manual mode is a really great way to really learn you camera and have total control of it. I shot almost all last Fall in manual for a class and still use it for a lot of things.

My point is that if you spend some time to learn them you will find what works for you and in what situations they work best for you.

Your comment about trying Av mode is interesting. It's supposed to do that. When you shift the f stop the speed has to change but go back and look at your images when you do this. You should see variations in the depth of field - shallow at wide open and deep stopped down. That's what's happening in Av mode when you change the optics.

Scene modes:
These are handy and actually kind of fun but they are crutches. I believe that when you are very comfortable with your camera's normal modes (non scene) you wont really need them or want to use them. Although...if there is say a fireworks mode or museum mode those can be handy when you want to work quickly. The downside of scene modes is that the camera will make some assumptions that can surprise you if you don't understand how one mode is set up. I've played with them and found little use for them mostly. I will say that macro mode is one to use until you want to do more than what it may give you.

LensScribe · 04-30-2010, 08:14 AM

Av 90% of the time (especially because I use old M42 lenses often), M 5% of the time (because sometimes I run out of exposure comp leeway with the M42 lenses, and M becomes an easier way to get exposure right) and B for the other 5% (because I like long exposures).

I'm trying to use M more and more though, as I think it's the best way to learn because it makes you pay attention to the details.

Asudef · 04-30-2010, 08:35 AM

Good points. It's interesting that so many shoot in Av. Perhaps I should reevaluate my needs since modes are there to offer flexibility in different shooting situations and to keep from becoming such a one dimensional photographer.

ManOf7 · 04-30-2010, 08:48 AM

Full manual for the studio stuff.

Av or Tv all the other times.

Ira · 04-30-2010, 10:07 AM

Originally posted by hockmasm

However, i have been trying AV mode but it seems no matter what f-stop i use the pictures look the same...the shutter adjusts.

They don't all look the same. If you were trying to shoot a guy riding a motorcycle at 5000 at F 2.8, you would freeze his motion and have a shallow depth of field. If you did it at 500 and F8, he would blur but the DOF would be greater.

This principle applies to ANY mode you're shooting in. It doesn't change.

shooz · 04-30-2010, 10:12 AM

Av
Manual
Tv
In that order.

I shoot a lot of macro. Av tends to work best.

yeatzee · 04-30-2010, 10:21 AM

full manual for macro and AV/TAv for everything else

hockmasm · 04-30-2010, 10:36 AM

so what is the Macro dial setting for? any use? it looks like a flower.

Pablom · 04-30-2010, 10:47 AM

Originally posted by hockmasm

so what is the Macro dial setting for? any use? it looks like a flower.

lol took me a while to understand what you're talking about. that flower picture is a fully automatic mode of what the camera thinks you should do when shooting macro, I think it just defaults to the largest possible aperture, I don't know.
I'd advise you not to use any of these pictured modes if you want to learn anything from your camera and improve your photos.

pontusadefjord · 04-30-2010, 10:48 AM

I almost always use old manual lenses (on my K200D) so I'm probably in M about 95% of the time. If I'm not it's usually Av, sometimes P.

yusuf · 04-30-2010, 10:56 AM

Always Av

04-30-2010, 06:58 AM	#1
hockmasm Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 353	What mode do you shoot in? so the k-x has TONS of modes to shoot in. Including Scenes. What do you shoot in? I tried the filters and Toy is really cool. but i feel i will shoot mostly natural. However, i have been trying AV mode but it seems no matter what f-stop i use the pictures look the same...the shutter adjusts. Am i doing somethign wrong? Are you all shooting straight Manual? Or using the program modes or scene modes more often??

04-30-2010, 08:00 AM	#3
Ari Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Freehold, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 856	Originally posted by hockmasm so the k-x has TONS of modes to shoot in. Including Scenes. What do you shoot in? I tried the filters and Toy is really cool. but i feel i will shoot mostly natural. However, i have been trying AV mode but it seems no matter what f-stop i use the pictures look the same...the shutter adjusts. Am i doing somethign wrong? Are you all shooting straight Manual? Or using the program modes or scene modes more often?? Do you mean the aperture adjusts to focal length? If you are not using a constant aperture lens, the aperture (in AV mode) will change according to it's maximum for the focal length (so if you are using a lens with a maximum aperture of f4 at the widest focal length, it will change the aperture to whatever the maximum aperture is as you zoom). Boy, what I just wrote sounds confusing Last edited by Ari; 04-30-2010 at 08:02 AM. Reason: spelling, trying to sound less confusing

04-30-2010, 08:08 AM	#5
blackcloudbrew Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,460	I don't have a k-x but no matter. I think you will find that many of us use Av mode. Here is a similar thread with a poll. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/general-photography/22416-what-mode-do-you-use.html Basically, Av mode - to me is my most used because it let's me select the f stop which will provide the best depth of field for the shot and hopefully keeping the most things in focus. All of the modes - including scene modes (my k10 and k20 have none but my k100ds and Optio W80 do), should be learned and evaluated. They are their for good reasons and flexibility. For example Sv mode (Pentax unique) made no sense to me until last December when I was shooting Christmas lights in the dark. Being able to adjust my ISO and let the camera figure out all the other stuff was just the ticket because the widely varring intensity of lighting displays would have made me be resting ISO through the function menu all the time. I've just completed several short workshops on action photography and flash. I've learned a new respect for the Tv mode and the TAv mode now. Manual mode is a really great way to really learn you camera and have total control of it. I shot almost all last Fall in manual for a class and still use it for a lot of things. My point is that if you spend some time to learn them you will find what works for you and in what situations they work best for you. Your comment about trying Av mode is interesting. It's supposed to do that. When you shift the f stop the speed has to change but go back and look at your images when you do this. You should see variations in the depth of field - shallow at wide open and deep stopped down. That's what's happening in Av mode when you change the optics. Scene modes: These are handy and actually kind of fun but they are crutches. I believe that when you are very comfortable with your camera's normal modes (non scene) you wont really need them or want to use them. Although...if there is say a fireworks mode or museum mode those can be handy when you want to work quickly. The downside of scene modes is that the camera will make some assumptions that can surprise you if you don't understand how one mode is set up. I've played with them and found little use for them mostly. I will say that macro mode is one to use until you want to do more than what it may give you. Last edited by blackcloudbrew; 04-30-2010 at 08:17 AM. Reason: additional thoughts

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04-30-2010, 07:55 AM	#2
Asudef Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: San Francisco Posts: 79	I shoot roughly 99% in M mode on my K20. I still haven't understood the need for other modes except mabe Av for manual lenses though.

04-30-2010, 08:07 AM	#4
Ari Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Freehold, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 856	Originally posted by Asudef I shoot roughly 99% in M mode on my K20. I still haven't understood the need for other modes except mabe Av for manual lenses though. AV mode makes sense for auto lenses with a if there is a specific feel you are looking for in a picture. Shooting at a large aperture will allow you to take pictures in low light without a flash and will also give you a very shallow depth of field. If you are trying to take a picture of, say a small object with a large background but want the background as sharply focused as the subject you are shooting, you would want to use a smaller aperture. Also, if you have a zoom with a constant aperture, you may want that to stay constant throughout the zoom range for many different reasons. I shoot in AV mode (and have no manual glasses) about 99% of the time.

04-30-2010, 08:14 AM	#6
LensScribe Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Photos: Gallery Posts: 316	Av 90% of the time (especially because I use old M42 lenses often), M 5% of the time (because sometimes I run out of exposure comp leeway with the M42 lenses, and M becomes an easier way to get exposure right) and B for the other 5% (because I like long exposures). I'm trying to use M more and more though, as I think it's the best way to learn because it makes you pay attention to the details.

04-30-2010, 08:35 AM	#7
Asudef Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: San Francisco Posts: 79	Good points. It's interesting that so many shoot in Av. Perhaps I should reevaluate my needs since modes are there to offer flexibility in different shooting situations and to keep from becoming such a one dimensional photographer.

04-30-2010, 08:48 AM	#8
ManOf7 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Van Isle Posts: 31	Full manual for the studio stuff. Av or Tv all the other times.

04-30-2010, 10:07 AM	#9
Ira Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Coral Springs, FL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,216	Originally posted by hockmasm However, i have been trying AV mode but it seems no matter what f-stop i use the pictures look the same...the shutter adjusts. They don't all look the same. If you were trying to shoot a guy riding a motorcycle at 5000 at F 2.8, you would freeze his motion and have a shallow depth of field. If you did it at 500 and F8, he would blur but the DOF would be greater. This principle applies to ANY mode you're shooting in. It doesn't change.

04-30-2010, 10:12 AM	#10
shooz Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Detroit Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,491	Av Manual Tv In that order. I shoot a lot of macro. Av tends to work best.

04-30-2010, 10:21 AM	#11
yeatzee Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Temecula Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,675	full manual for macro and AV/TAv for everything else

04-30-2010, 10:36 AM	#12
hockmasm Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 353 Original Poster	so what is the Macro dial setting for? any use? it looks like a flower.

04-30-2010, 10:47 AM	#13
Pablom Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Usa Posts: 1,940	Originally posted by hockmasm so what is the Macro dial setting for? any use? it looks like a flower. lol took me a while to understand what you're talking about. that flower picture is a fully automatic mode of what the camera thinks you should do when shooting macro, I think it just defaults to the largest possible aperture, I don't know. I'd advise you not to use any of these pictured modes if you want to learn anything from your camera and improve your photos.

04-30-2010, 10:48 AM	#14
pontusadefjord Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Uppsala Photos: Gallery Posts: 111	I almost always use old manual lenses (on my K200D) so I'm probably in M about 95% of the time. If I'm not it's usually Av, sometimes P.

04-30-2010, 10:56 AM	#15
yusuf Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Palo Alto, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,497	Always Av