[geomez]

So what is the differenceween P mode and full auto then?

Auto or green mode artificially restricts your use of the camera's functions. For example it doesn't let you choose white balance, drive modes, restricts flash usage, and prevents you from using exposure compensation.

P mode is basically the same as auto (camera sets exposure) but gives you access to the full range of camera functions and lets you override any settings automated by default in "Auto" mode.

[Wired]

P mode is basically the same as auto (camera sets exposure) but gives you access to the full range of camera functions and lets you override any settings automated by default in "Auto" mode.

but still tries to get you a "neutral" exposure I do believe.

I primarily only shoot in manual, even in changing conditions its just easier. The problem I have with auto mode is that if the camera gets confused on what it's metering it may blow the highlights or shadows on you. With manual you meter once and keep on going, if the light starts changing, adjust on the fly, it's easier for me.This is why I also don't use exposure compensation either.

Now that being said, if I'm in a situation where things are changing really rapidly, like sports for example, I'll dial in Av or Tv and shoot and hope that the results are close enough to what I want that I can recover in camera RAW.

I also set my focus points to manual selection as well, and my metering to center point.

The other thing I find incredibly useful is turning off the AF with half press of the shutter and just using the AF button on the back of the camera. I then set the camera to AF-C mode and hold down the AF while I shoot. I was doing this yesterday as I was moving around and I nailed the focus every single time. The only focus I missed was when I was using a remote to trigger.

[edgedemon]

Cool, cheers guys

[Lowell Goudge]

Hey gang I have had a K200 that I have had a while and mostly was a auto guy but in the last year or so I started playing around with all those buttons Then just recently I bought a 35/2.4 lens and I have been playing with the buttons even more and I think I have a very general understanding of what they do. This leads into my question. When you guys are shooting in a changing enviroment that can be quicker paced do you shoot auto or do still shoot manual. I ask this because I mostly take pics of my kids and we are going to Disney next week and you can get in all kinds of areas for pics there. I dont know all those buttons well enough to just set them and take pics I have to take a pic then see how it turned out make a change take another pic and so on but in Disnney I usually wont get that kind of time but it does seem some times that manual takes better pics. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated!

Shooting mode depends highly on not only subject, but expectations of travel companions (I.e. family)

I love to shoot in full manual mode with manual focus lenses, BUT I limit this to when I am on my own time table and usually by myself.

When travelling with family I use AF zooms, because they won't wait or be patient for longenough to switch lenses, focus , check exposure etc. they insist on right now!

Shooting little kids is the real limit of anyone's patience.

What I would recommend is to meter the darkest and lightest areas where you are, and set auto ISO to give you acceptable shutter speed at about F5.6 in all situations.

Then shoot in what ever mode you want and have fun

[RKKS08]

I shot the first third of my (photographic) life with fully manual cameras and seperate light meter, the second part with half (Av) automatics, and only in the third part got hold of a fully automatic SLR (the then new Pentax Super A).

For me it does not make much sense to shoot in manual, as the K200D with hyper program and (easily accessable!) EV control is in fact the same as shooting in M - it's just faster.
In special situations as with moving objects or needed DOF control I may switch to Tv or Av.
For me, M mode now-a-days ist just for lens or flash combinations which dictate it.

But I still think it is better for any photographer, if he started with M only. It will improve his ability to make the most out of any P mode. This is the same with anything in our increasingly automized world: if you don't understand the basics, you will with some training master all standard situations. But anything out of the common, and you will fail.

Then you would need to know WHY to do it in a special way, not just follow some rule you read in a book.

[JimJohnson]

So what is the differenceween P mode and full auto then?

When you are in P (Program) mode, and first enter this mode, the camera selects a general purpose shutter speed and aperture for the metered scene. However, you can adjust the shutter or aperture to meet your needs and the other value will move to compensate, keeping the same exposure.

When you are in Auto mode, the camera tries to determine the type of subject (for example, landscape, portrait or macro) and selects a typical shutter speed and aperture based on this type of subject for the metered scene. However, you can not further adjust the shutter or aperture.

In either of the above modes, you can override the meter by pressing the exposure compensation (+/-) button and use the rear wheel to increase or decrease exposure. The shutter and/or aperture (and sometimes ISO) will change accordingly in either mode.

If you shoot your average (for example) landscape, there really won't be any difference between these modes. If so, I might as well use Auto mode. The images that tend to grab people's attention tend to not be of average subjects - average images or average subjects are at best 'pretty pictures'. So good photographers seek non-average scenes and use their experience and the camera's more advanced controls to capture a non-average image.

[Macario]

I mostly use the Tav mode, just set the aperture and shutetr speed, and let the ISO run wild.
And there is not much difference in shooting Manual, Av, Tv or Manual. Manual is only handy under some shooting conditions. Otherwise, Av, Tv or Tav are just much quicker to get the same result.

[Fogel70]

I only use manual mode when auto modes don't give a predictable result, or when I need to use a very specific exposure setting (which FI happens when using flash). For most cases auto with EC is easier to use IMO, as I often can use the same EC over a long period of time, and camera set exposure to give correct exposed images.

In manual mode I usually need to dial in the exposure more often, which takes longer time and I can't focus as much on the important stuff (composition, timing...).

[lister6520]

I mostly use Tav and exposure compensation for anything but static subjects. Sometimes when the light is very steady - either completely overcast or completely cloudless sunny day i will set it manual and shoot a few test shots to get the right exposure. I would use that exposure for most photos except where all or most of the subject is in the shade.

I always shoot RAW to allow me most flexibility in correcting exposure and usually shoot a little underexposed to protect highlights.

[dagaetch]

somewhat related but separate question: what metering system does everyone tend to go with?

I usually leave it on matrix, but will switch to center-weighted when I'm doing family/work functions and focusing on people.

[geomez]

somewhat related but separate question: what metering system does everyone tend to go with?

I usually leave it on matrix, but will switch to center-weighted when I'm doing family/work functions and focusing on people.

Matrix 60%
Center weighted 30%
Spot 10%

[asp1880]

somewhat related but separate question: what metering system does everyone tend to go with?

I used multisegment for a couple of years to learn how it works. Now I'm trying out centerweighted for a while because I found multisegment too "unpredictable" in backlit situations for my taste. I couldn't figure out when I should apply +EC myself and when I should count on the meter to detect a "dark foreground figure against bright background" scene.

Centerweighted is more predictable than multisegment. Multisegment tries to help the beginner by brightening what it thinks is backlit scenes. Except when it gets it wrong.

I use spot metering for very high-contrast scenes with uneven and patchy brightness, combined with zone-system style thinking.

Regards,
--Anders.

[rbefly]

Hello dagaetch,
I use center-weighted most of the time, but also bracket, chimp and fiddle with exposure compensation quite a bit. I don't think there's one perfect metering setting for everything, just find one you like for most situations, then make adjustments as you need to, for difficult lighting . And chimp!
JMO,
Ron

[Jan178]

I find myself shootin Av most of the time, and when light goes tricky i go to manual using the Av-values as guideline to make corrections.
Mostly because i like things to be simple inside my head; no need to think (or forget) the EV-correction, and i like to keep ISO low so there´s just two values to think of. Works most of the time, since
i´m mostly shooting relatively static stuff.
Don´t think i ever even used any other modes with Pentax, well, i only have had Pentax for few months. Had Olympus DLSR before, and got used to that method back then.

About metering, i usually go with spotmetering->AE-L->focus. Trying to gain trust to Matrix, thou...

[TER-OR]

Mostly I shoot center-weighted, center focus point and TAv.