From fully automated shooting modes to full manual and a variety of semi-automatic modes in between, which is best for your photography? Is using manual mode the only way to go? Or are there better modes to help you focus on your creativity instead of the technical aspects of the camera?
Mark Denney talks about a camera mode he tried in the past and stopped using because he was unhappy with the results. Before he shares this option, Denney reviews some of the other semi-auto modes on our cameras, including shutter priority and aperture priority, and explains what those specific modes do for your camera.
Denney then shares how he has started experimenting with using Auto ISO while in manual mode to find a balance he likes. This allows him manual control of his shutter speed and aperture while letting the camera handle the ISO automatically. Denney also reviews the setting he didn’t use the first time he tried this and explains how making this additional setting change helped change his mind about photographing with these settings.
I know a lot of photographers say to only photograph in manual mode. I appreciated Denney’s view on how letting the camera do some of the work can free your mind to focus on the creative elements of photography. I truly believe the fun of photography is the creative composition and image capture, and if you can use certain camera settings to help focus on the creative side, then use those tools to their fullest.
What about you? Do you think these semi-automatic modes help you focus more on creativity, or is it manual only for you?
This is a great explanation for landscape photography. With the Nikon Z8 in Auto ISO you can set the minimum shutter speed and the maximum ISO. If you do any wildlife photography and use a variable aperture lens, you can use aperture preferred mode and set the minimum F stop value of the lens. Use auto ISO and set the minimum shutter speed to whatever value is preferred for the subject. When I use the Nikon 180-600 f/5.6-6.3 I set the minimum shutter speed to 1/1200 which follows the "rule" of doubling the focal length to set the shutter speed. When I'm chasing faster moving subjects such as small birds, I set the minimum shutter higher. For that, I commonly use 1/3200 to keep the images sharp. I set the ISO value to whatever corresponds to the available light. I've used ISO 6400 as the max and have been satisfied with noise reduction in post processing. When chasing birds of other fast movers, I prefer having a set of auto functions to allow me to focus on the targets not the settings. On my Z8, I have the Auto ISO function set up on the "I" menu and can quickly change any variable easily as needed. I'm not sure what other camera brands have that is similar, Mark shows us the Nikon Z8 which is what I use so his explanation is right on target for me.
I think auto-ISO is great for wildlife, I have one of my custom slots set with that for those occasions wildlife wanders into my landscape photo... ;)
I played a little bit with Mark's technique in my office when I first watched the video. I need to play with it some more, as auto-ISO didn't seem as intuitive to me for slow-moving landscapes. Probably more of a practice in the field thing and just something for me to play with a bit more.
I find manual mode and using the histogram pretty great for landscapes and everything just makes sense in my head as I make various setting changes for the scene - whether it be depth of field or shutter speed, etc. And I say that as someone that often uses Aperture priority mode when photographing handheld.
Always something to think about and consider!
I think it’s a better strategy for wildlife, sports, or any sort of action photography with a moving subject. At an airshow, I shoot aperture priority for the jets, and shutter priority for the propeller planes. With an aperture set at F/5.6 or so for the Blue Angels, the camera will shoot at a fast shutter speed which is important when hand holding the camera. With the prop plane, a shutter speed of about 1/160 is my priority in order to get the right amount of motion blur in the propellers. It all moves so fast that manually adjusting camera settings for every picture is not practical.
I don’t think it’s a good strategy, however, for landscape and nature photography. The video suggests that by using some combination of an automatic mode, that it relieves the photographer of thinking about camera settings in order to concentrate on creativity. My thinking is that camera settings and creativity are intrinsically linked, and becoming a skilled photographer (technically and creatively) depends on mastery in one's mind of exposure control. Inevitably we grow and learn as a photographer from all of those manual decisions.
By using aperture priority mode when the creative element of depth-of-field in a landscape scene is the highest priority, it relieves the photographer of having to think about shutter speed. But say you want maximum depth-of-field and set aperture priority to F/22. What happens when the wind is blowing and F/22 pushes the shutter speed so slow that you get blurry leaves on a tree? Maybe you want sharp leaves; or maybe you want some motion blur in your image. Does the automatic aperture mode know which you want? Same for moving water. Does an automatic mode know which combination of depth-of-field and motion blur you want? By the time you’ve analyzed all that, isn’t it just as easy to set exposure manually from the start, to be sure of getting the creative effect you're looking for?
I tend to agree - Auto ISO has its place and I usually associate it with wildlife and sports.
For the slower moving pace of landscape photography I find manual mode matches my thought process better and the interactions between exposure and creativity just seems fairly logical once it clicks.
Great image by the way!
I disagree with his assessment of ISO for landscape photography. Obviously a higher ISO doesn't matter on images appearing on an iPhone but if you're making large prints, then digital noise will be noticeble. There is no reason in the majority of landscape photography to raise ISO higher than 100 without some good reason... low light or windy conditions to name a couple. And to the extent that digital noise can be detected in a print, it does become a creative element. Some people prefer noise which simulates the grainy, traditional non-clinical look that you don't often see in digital photography. Other photographers avoid it at all cost. Either way, I wouldn't advise short-cutting the educational experience of learning manual exposure control.
I aim for ISO 64 and 100 when I can - save for of course needing a faster shutter speed for wind - either blowing foliage in the scene or in some cases, buffeting my camera!
I do tend to to ISO 400 when photographing handheld, mainly to help get my shutter speed up enough that I can handhold without shake - I drink a lot of coffee!! :D
Subject is well covered BUT! I have no idea about the Nikon! ISO you have to think mainly on if your camera has one or more ISO steps where is cleaner, for my Sony's they are base say 60/100 but most will use 640 but then you have 12800 as a second ISO with clean noise. So what I do is set the range at 640 to 12800, You have know also is your camera is ISO Invariant meaning you can select a low ISO and when dark exposure in post you can increase exposure to brighten with the say ISO locked at the first step of 640 or if a night or blue hour even 12800 where you will also have a clean image but way brighter.
One thing to remember is all camera setting and option that are in camera you paid for and all math works have been set for years.
If I may add also the auto function/s (Sony has two) you paid for also, Yes you would like to control things but have you also selected Auto and seen it settings also just to learn a little from your camera. it is kind of like if you would like to do a portrait at night and get the subject bright and in focus but also the background sharp and in focus, you can have a on camera flash and the background and subject with be both clean and sharp. I mention this just as info for one to explore all parts of paid for operations to be aware of if ever needed and knowing how smart the camera is vs your limited skills compared with the camera brain.
Another camera mode using the cameras brain is the bracketing function where also Auto ISO comes in handy is each capture for all images will have a different ISO and SS.
Bottom line is no one will know the camera function/s when looking at an image print or even on line somewhere, yes Metadata is imbedded in the image but really no on 99% will know if manual or auto unless you say or tell. Just think of all those cell phone images are mainly in Auto mode, I rest the case!
1. A mode why there is light
2. Bracketed 3 at +/- 1EV Not knowing NR is disable and each image has both noise and hot and dead pixel and that when edited in a HDR program all were eliminated surprise! YES Manual mode. A7S
3. A mode Why? There is lots of light, just works!
4. A mode reason hand held, yes Auto ISO and Bracketed 5 at +/- 2EV in A mode!
The question asked are you smarter than the camera?
I use that method when I'm trying to blur only the tires. The Auto ISO definitely comes in handy when I'm walking around the track with a variable aperture lens.
Otherwise, Aperture Priority in natural light. Full manual when using flash. And, Shutter Priority for panning shots.
That makes sense - you know what shutter speed you want to get the right look for the tires, but light conditions changing depending on where you are at on the track, so AutoISO kicks in to help you get the blur you want while still getting a good exposure.