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02-29-2012, 06:27 AM   #1
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Restaurant Snaps

Just curious and I'm not sure if this has been brought up before..
But your having a meal in a restaurant with a group of friends and its time to hand your trusty Dslr to the waiter so they can take a group shot with you in it,
How would you setup the camera, Stick it on the green 'leave everything to the camera setting', put it on 'P' with an appropriate PLine, stick it on tav with what you consider to be good aperture and shutter settings, something else, and what about the AF setting?
And when the waiter askes 'How do you switch it on, the screens not working?' do you enable live view, or tell them to look through the little hole at the top?

Steve

02-29-2012, 06:39 AM   #2
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Before the K-5, I would try to prefocus and leave it in Av mode. It never worked trying to explain back button focusing.

But now, with the K-5, I can set it on Green mode and all the settings are completely auto, so all they have to do is frame and fire.
02-29-2012, 07:33 AM   #3
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If you normally have it set to centre focus point only that might be a problem. The person operating might frame the shot up with the centre point "missing the target" so to speak, and the subject might be OOF.

Set to focus point to AUTO and that is more likely to select one of the main subjects.

The Green mode might do this, I don't know, I've never switched it to Green mode.
02-29-2012, 09:28 AM   #4
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I would put it on green mode and pop up the flash. If I would ever give my k-5 to a stranger that is, which I wouldn't.

Chances are good that with someone who doesn't understand the camera, and having it set up for your preferences, (center point focus, back button focus, whatever) that you are going to get better pictures from someone's cell phone.

02-29-2012, 09:47 AM   #5
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I hand the waiter|whatever a P&S, not the dSLR. Don't want to confuse the poor bastard|playright.
02-29-2012, 10:21 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by RioRico Quote
I hand the waiter|whatever a P&S, not the dSLR. Don't want to confuse the poor bastard|playright.
Quoted for biting humor.
02-29-2012, 10:40 AM   #7
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with k-5: live view, green mode, AF method on face detection, flash up.

IF the k5 was the only camera available and it a once in a lifetime impromptu shot. Other wise I would have brought a tripod and used self timer.

02-29-2012, 12:54 PM   #8
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I’ve only handed my dSLR to a “stranger” on two different occasions. Both times in AV mode at F8 with internal flash up. Pictures came out good….after a few tries.

QuoteOriginally posted by stevedh Quote
And when the waiter askes 'How do you switch it on, the screens not working?' do you enable live view, or tell them to look through the little hole at the top?
Steve
In my case I had it set to AF, pre-focused and framed with live-view to make it easier but they instinctively turn the camera with lens facing down to look at the screen prior to taking the shot. Of course with the DA18-250 mounted the lens crept all the way out and lost framing.
02-29-2012, 03:27 PM   #9
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My camera is always in M mode. When I hand the camera to a waiter to shoot, I simply hit the green button to meter (off the person sitting next to me, say) before handing them the camera. I guarantee I get better exposures that way than if I put the camera in an auto mode - my way it's foolproof even if there happens to be a light fixture above the table, or a white tablecloth on the table, or a window behind us, that would otherwise result in an underexposed picture.
02-29-2012, 03:32 PM   #10
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Because I use back button focusing I just put the camera in green mode if I need to hand over my camera. I like the idea of putting it into live view and face detection though, next time that's what I'll do, using the OVF seems to confuse some people.
02-29-2012, 05:06 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by twitch Quote
Because I use back button focusing I just put the camera in green mode if I need to hand over my camera. I like the idea of putting it into live view and face detection though, next time that's what I'll do, using the OVF seems to confuse some people.
Proper point and shoots these days have a smile detection - the camera only fires when the chosen face smiles. Are you listening Pentax ? We need this ! Shots of sad people are so 'passe'
02-29-2012, 06:25 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by twitch Quote
using the OVF seems to confuse some people.
Actually it seems to confuse an amazing number of people. Using the screen to focus instead of an OVF has become the norm for most folks. Even more so in the younger generations. Yet, we are stunned and upset when Pentax releases a camera that actually works the way most people want it to, the K-01.
02-29-2012, 07:18 PM   #13
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In the past, I've taken the picture myself and photoshoped myself in.
03-02-2012, 11:04 AM   #14
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Original Poster
thanks for the comments, I like Marc Sabatella's Idea of M mode and metering before handing it over
ta
Steve
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