[Wombat]

Sorry if this has already been covered - I did search the forum but couldn't find anything. I've recently bought a K100D Super with the 18-50 kit lens (plan to get 55-300 when it comes out here). With so many choices I'm confused about how to set it up for optimum usability. At the moment I'm shooting anything and everything, just to get used to the digital way of doing things. Living on an island with lots of wildlife and a small human population, with no cities, the range of subject matter has a fairly strong nature/land/seascape bias. The light is typically Australian - very bright and hard during the day and spectacularly, dramatically colourful at dawn and dusk. So how would you set up the camera menu for that sort of scenario? I'd be grateful for some advice.

[alohadave]

I have the K100D Super.

I set the Auto-focus to the OK button and left AE on the shutter button. This has a couple benefits. I can shoot much faster if the camera hasn't moved relative to the subject, I can shoot with manual lenses without exact focus confirmation, and I don't need to switch off AF.

[timbo13]

I have the K100D Super.

I set the Auto-focus to the OK button and left AE on the shutter button. This has a couple benefits. I can shoot much faster if the camera hasn't moved relative to the subject, I can shoot with manual lenses without exact focus confirmation, and I don't need to switch off AF.

I should try this, thanks!

[jebidiam]

I do this as well, I like my K100D much better this way. Confuses the hell out of people when they try to use my camera.

[Wombat]

Nice tip. I'll try that too. Cheers.

[axl]

I agree with alohadave, OK button for focusing, AE for shutter button. ISO set to 200 fixed, EV compensation +0.3, AWB, single frame shoooting mode, and selective focus point, all that with camera in Av mode....
that's the most usable setting for me, sometimes I change things a bit (f.e. EV compensation always depends on situation, and you have to be careful with white balance), and sometimes it goes to M mode, but that always only on spot of shooting...

[ftpaddict]

I do this as well, I like my K100D much better this way. Confuses the hell out of people when they try to use my camera.

Ditto!

[Wombat]

So none of you alter the default settings for image tone, saturation, sharpness and all those?

[barbosas]

I have the K100D Super.

I set the Auto-focus to the OK button and left AE on the shutter button. This has a couple benefits. I can shoot much faster if the camera hasn't moved relative to the subject, I can shoot with manual lenses without exact focus confirmation, and I don't need to switch off AF.

ditto, another one who uses OK for AF

So none of you alter the default settings for image tone, saturation, sharpness and all those?

Since i always shoot RAW, i never touch those settings, i do whatever i need to do in PP.

[maxwell1295]

I shoot RAW with the following settings:

Image Tone: Normal
Saturation: -1 or -2
Contrast: 0
Sharpness: 0

[ftpaddict]

So none of you alter the default settings for image tone, saturation, sharpness and all those?

Always RAW.

[Rollei35]

I have the K100D Super.

I set the Auto-focus to the OK button and left AE on the shutter button.

I have to try this, too.
The one major bug of the k100D Super:
I cant use ISO-Auto, because with using the EV-compensation the camera always sets default at ISO 200.
I never understood why.

Other settings for jpeg:
EV- compensation -1/3 to -2/3
Contrast -2
Sharpness +1
Saturation +2

[brothereye]

For me, when using the automated functions on the camera, I like to set the ok button to center the af point, set camera for manual af-point selection, set the ae to link to the af point using evaluative metering, and lock ae when af is locked. I got accustomed to the focus, set exposure and then recompose technique when I got my first manual focus camera(a k1000). I think I read about this technique in a book or magazine, and it's been a habit that's become difficult to break. When using a tripod, I can manually toggle the af-point to one that covers the subject and then make the exposure.

[RiceHigh]

Set at P mode, Natural color tone, saturation, contrast, sharpness all at zero, Centre-weighted average metering, an appropriate +/-EV compensation depending on lens and focal in use (in case of a zoom) for the best exposure (look at the histograms). AWB and shoot RAW, single AF with central AF sensor *only*, convert by default using the PPL 3 and re-touch mostly the exposure level to suit the real scenes.

Sorry if this has already been covered - I did search the forum but couldn't find anything. I've recently bought a K100D Super with the 18-50 kit lens (plan to get 55-300 when it comes out here). With so many choices I'm confused about how to set it up for optimum usability. At the moment I'm shooting anything and everything, just to get used to the digital way of doing things. Living on an island with lots of wildlife and a small human population, with no cities, the range of subject matter has a fairly strong nature/land/seascape bias. The light is typically Australian - very bright and hard during the day and spectacularly, dramatically colourful at dawn and dusk. So how would you set up the camera menu for that sort of scenario? I'd be grateful for some advice.