Camera Modes

Status
Not open for further replies.

bbb34

5D mk V
Jul 24, 2012
156
173
Amsterdam
Hi Everybody,

There was a time when SLRs were fully manual. They usually had a shutter (T) dial, and the lens had an (A)perture ring.

A mode dial was needed as soon as automatic exposure was introduced. Cameras could have M, Av, Tv, and P modes.
P obviously controlled A and T.

DSLRs added (automatic) control over (S)ensitivity, but the mode dials on the DSLRs still reflect the modes from film SLRs. ISO (S) is treated different from A and T.

In my opinion, this gives a bad user interface:

P: should control everything (A, T, S), instead S might be set to a fixed value

M: should be manual, instead S might be automatic.

Av and Tv should preset only one value (A or T), instead S might be preset or not


Instead of four modes (M A T P), a DSLR should have 3^2 = 8 modes: M A T S AT AS TS P
If I want to have these 8 modes on a mode dial, is a very different question.

When I just googled what the 'v' in Av an Tv stands for, I came across the Pentax K5. Apparently the Pentax people think like I do. this camera has 6 modes on the dial: M, TA, A, T, S, P


What do you think? Do you like the 'logic' in Canon's mode dials?


Best regards,
bbb


-
 
Mar 25, 2011
16,848
1,835
I don't use the dials much, either Av or Tv pretty well take care of everything. If there is a setup I like and use a lot, I can assign it to a custom mode.
If you are comparing with a Digital Rebel and all the many modes they have, I can't help you there, I'd still use Av and TV with M in a very few cases.
If the Pentax UI is what you like, thats fine, buy one and you will be happy. Personally, the mode dial is the oast thing I'd consider when selecting a camera, there are many much more important things than the number of modes.
 
Upvote 0
I only ever use 2 modes: AV and M (and 90% the latter) primarily because it forces me to learn about the exposure triangle; Shutter-Speed, Aperture and ISO sensitivity. Even custom mode dials are a moot point now that modern DSLR's have user-configurable buttons, menu-driven custom function settings and now wireless tech that will allow photographers to load photo/video profiles on-the-fly from even an iPhone or iPad/Laptop
 
Upvote 0
Jul 21, 2010
31,095
12,857
Ryan708 said:
sometimes when I am using flash in AV mode im like "Gar, why cant I tell it I want a certain shutter speed, Just a bit faster, but not the '60' minimum in the menu. then Im like, oh yeah, and turn the dial to "M"

Or you could force it to use the max Xsync speed (1/200 - 1/300 depending on body), in that same Min shutter speed in Av in the flash control menu...
 
Upvote 0

bbb34

5D mk V
Jul 24, 2012
156
173
Amsterdam
I do realize that my question is entirely irrelevant for people who never use auto-ISO.
May I assume that there are people who use it (sometimes)?

Myself, I mostly use DSLRs in A or M mode, just like some of you have posted. But there is already a problem.
When you say M, do you mean M or S?
When you say A, is it A or AS?

Another example: When you take pictures in M + auto-ISO (= S), there is no exposure compensation available. Why?

One more example: when I change aperture or shutter time, I can observe how the camera adjusts A, T, and S in order to keep the EV constant.
But when I change the ISO value (S), then A and T disappear from the display, and I cannot see immediately the values. Why?


I agree that this is not relevant for taking good pictures. My point is that the UI could be better. If you use M mode most of the time, that means sometimes you are not. Don't you expect a logic setup for that rare moments?

No, I am not earning my living from photography. I am a hardware designer.


@SwampYankee: yes, I had a Minolta X300 those days, all I could afford. Different automatic modes were used for market segmentation .
 
Upvote 0
Jan 22, 2012
4,472
1,329
crasher8 said:
bbb34 said:
I did not ask you which camera I should buy, did I?
Neither I am talking about the mode dial.

This is about the symmetry of the three values defining the EV, the logic of the UI to control these values, and how DSLRs should be designed.

I just reread this retort. wow.

Funny retort. Let it pass, he is having a trashy day..
 
Upvote 0
Status
Not open for further replies.