Exposure - Understanding the Auto Modes
In previous articles I have encouraged you to shoot exclusively in the Manual Mode.
Today I would like to explore some of the Auto Modes of exposure and the reasons why and when I use these modes.
All of my exposure mode choices allow me to have as much control over the situation as possible while allowing me to keep up with the action.
I want to be aware of exposure at all times but not at the price of missing the action.
When I switched to Digital, I chose Canon as my manufacture of choice.
The reasons for this choice are unimportant.
I just say this as I will be using their proprietary modes.
You may have to do some interpretation for your camera.
My camera's Mode Dial is divided into three Zones; the Camera User Settings, the Creative Zone, and the Basic Zone.
I have experimented with the Camera User Setting Zone but as of yet I have not come up with a need for it.
If I was running a studio with employees and had formulaic studio sets and I wanted the employees to follow my setting, then I would use it.
But my requirements are too dynamic to get bogged down in hard and fast "custom" settings.
The Basic Zone contains the fully automatic modes and requires you to do nothing more than press the shutter and the camera takes care of the rest.
Some of the sub-modes are; Portrait, Landscape, Sports, etc.
I never use any of the Basic Zone modes for the simple reason that the photographer has no control over any of the exposure settings including ISO.
The engineers have experimented over the years and determined for this situation, it is best to have this ISO setting, shutter speed, and aperture setting.
The sub-modes try to vary this for particular situations (Sports, Landscapes, etc) but there is absolutely no decision making process for the photograph which, in my experience, is a formula for disappointment.
In the Creative Zone, Canon has Program AE (P), Shutter Priority AE (Tv), Aperture Priority AE (Av), Manual exposure (M), and Automatic depth-of-field AE (A-DEP) modes.
While the Program AE mode may seem like a repeat of the Full Program mode in the Basic Zone it has the important distinction of allowing me to set the ISO and I can still shoot in Camera RAW.
I don't use this mode a lot.
It is usually only when I am photographing family and I want to focus on the social events and not be bothered with photographic decisions.
The Shutter Priority mode allows me to set the shutter speed and ISO and the camera chooses the aperture setting.
I primarily use this mode during racing events at night under lights.
While artistically I love motion blur, I completely cut out tire manufactures and their distributors as a possible source of income if you can't read tire manufactures logo.
So freezing the wheels is a necessity.
This mode significantly reduces my work load and allows me to keep my eye in the viewfinder and finger on the shutter.
The Aperture Priority mode is perfect for daylight school and intramural sporting events when I usually want only one thing in focus - the subject.
I am normally using a telephoto lens and set it at f/2.
8 to maximize the Bokeh effect.
With the ISO set at 100 I have yet to run into a situation where I don't get a good exposure.
Once again, this is one of those situations where it is important that I stay focused on the action and be ready to shoot at a moments notice and the Av mode allows me to do this while accomplishing the style I want or need.
The Manual Mode is where you will normally find my dial set.
I want to make a conscious decision concerning shutter speed, aperture, and ISO whenever possible.
This is when I look at every aspect that I can control with a camera and make deliberate choices for artistic reasons.
The Automatic depth-of-field mode is a repeat of the Program mode with a bias toward getting everything in the frame in focus.
I've never used this mode either.
I use the Program mode so rarely and I've never run into the circumstances where this mode is required.
In conclusions, I highly recommend that you become intimately familiar with all of your camera's modes and decide which are best for you.
Today I would like to explore some of the Auto Modes of exposure and the reasons why and when I use these modes.
All of my exposure mode choices allow me to have as much control over the situation as possible while allowing me to keep up with the action.
I want to be aware of exposure at all times but not at the price of missing the action.
When I switched to Digital, I chose Canon as my manufacture of choice.
The reasons for this choice are unimportant.
I just say this as I will be using their proprietary modes.
You may have to do some interpretation for your camera.
My camera's Mode Dial is divided into three Zones; the Camera User Settings, the Creative Zone, and the Basic Zone.
I have experimented with the Camera User Setting Zone but as of yet I have not come up with a need for it.
If I was running a studio with employees and had formulaic studio sets and I wanted the employees to follow my setting, then I would use it.
But my requirements are too dynamic to get bogged down in hard and fast "custom" settings.
The Basic Zone contains the fully automatic modes and requires you to do nothing more than press the shutter and the camera takes care of the rest.
Some of the sub-modes are; Portrait, Landscape, Sports, etc.
I never use any of the Basic Zone modes for the simple reason that the photographer has no control over any of the exposure settings including ISO.
The engineers have experimented over the years and determined for this situation, it is best to have this ISO setting, shutter speed, and aperture setting.
The sub-modes try to vary this for particular situations (Sports, Landscapes, etc) but there is absolutely no decision making process for the photograph which, in my experience, is a formula for disappointment.
In the Creative Zone, Canon has Program AE (P), Shutter Priority AE (Tv), Aperture Priority AE (Av), Manual exposure (M), and Automatic depth-of-field AE (A-DEP) modes.
While the Program AE mode may seem like a repeat of the Full Program mode in the Basic Zone it has the important distinction of allowing me to set the ISO and I can still shoot in Camera RAW.
I don't use this mode a lot.
It is usually only when I am photographing family and I want to focus on the social events and not be bothered with photographic decisions.
The Shutter Priority mode allows me to set the shutter speed and ISO and the camera chooses the aperture setting.
I primarily use this mode during racing events at night under lights.
While artistically I love motion blur, I completely cut out tire manufactures and their distributors as a possible source of income if you can't read tire manufactures logo.
So freezing the wheels is a necessity.
This mode significantly reduces my work load and allows me to keep my eye in the viewfinder and finger on the shutter.
The Aperture Priority mode is perfect for daylight school and intramural sporting events when I usually want only one thing in focus - the subject.
I am normally using a telephoto lens and set it at f/2.
8 to maximize the Bokeh effect.
With the ISO set at 100 I have yet to run into a situation where I don't get a good exposure.
Once again, this is one of those situations where it is important that I stay focused on the action and be ready to shoot at a moments notice and the Av mode allows me to do this while accomplishing the style I want or need.
The Manual Mode is where you will normally find my dial set.
I want to make a conscious decision concerning shutter speed, aperture, and ISO whenever possible.
This is when I look at every aspect that I can control with a camera and make deliberate choices for artistic reasons.
The Automatic depth-of-field mode is a repeat of the Program mode with a bias toward getting everything in the frame in focus.
I've never used this mode either.
I use the Program mode so rarely and I've never run into the circumstances where this mode is required.
In conclusions, I highly recommend that you become intimately familiar with all of your camera's modes and decide which are best for you.
Source...