Relinquishing control

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Archive 2012 · Relinquishing control

firewireguy
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p.1 #1 · Relinquishing control

I have spent the past few years with my camera setup to AF only on a press of the AF-ON button and on single point AF in aperture priority / manual mode and always manual ISO. When using the flash I put the camera in manual and use TTL. This has worked well for me for what I shoot and the typical pace at which I shoot.

Recently I tried putting the camera back into newbie mode: Focus on the shutter button, full 51 point AF, auto ISO and aperture priority when using the flash. I've been quite impressed and feel liberated by this configuration. I don't have to work as hard to get most of my shots (at least shots of people) and shots taken with the flash in dark circumstances are actually a lot better than what I have been getting.

I might keep this "new" configuration for a month or two and see how well it works long term.

Anyone else use their complicated, feature packed DSLR like a n00b?

Feb 14, 2012 at 09:56 AM

trenchmonkey
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p.1 #2 · Relinquishing control

1/2 the fun is being SMARTER than the camera's choices. No thanks.

Feb 14, 2012 at 01:12 PM

rhyder
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p.1 #3 · Relinquishing control

trenchmonkey wrote:
1/2 the fun is being SMARTER than the camera's choices. No thanks.

+1000

Feb 14, 2012 at 01:16 PM

Trakl
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p.1 #4 · Relinquishing control

It doesn't make a lot of sense to me to categorically and automatically turn up your nose at autofocus and the camera's metering choices! After all, the folks at Nikon worked hard to develop and implement those features, and they work very well! In many, if not most situations, using "newbie" mode is going to get you good results with less effort than shooting manual, so why the heck not use it if it's there to use? The important thing is have sufficient knowledge and skill to be able to identify situations where the camera will not, in fact, know best what to do. At those moments, you have to know to step in and take the reins. Happy shooting, Firewireguy!

Feb 14, 2012 at 01:27 PM

trenchmonkey
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p.1 #5 · Relinquishing control

I hear what you're saying, Joel. Good results are fine for the hobbyist...I expect GREAT, out of my gear.

Feb 14, 2012 at 01:34 PM

VinnieJ
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p.1 #6 · Relinquishing control

trenchmonkey wrote:
1/2 the fun is being SMARTER than the camera's choices. No thanks.

How does this differ from the raw vs jpeg argument?

Feb 14, 2012 at 01:40 PM

trenchmonkey
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p.1 #7 · Relinquishing control

I sell pictures, and know how to get shots "in camera"...no auto settings do that consistently.
What's your problem, dude

Feb 14, 2012 at 01:46 PM

Steve Perry
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p.1 #8 · Relinquishing control

If it works for your style of shooting that's cool. Personally, the reason I don't use the auto modes is I miss far too many shots due to improper focus placement, wrong exposure, etc.- In many cases the camera just doesn't know what I want. And honestly, I've been doing it so long that the manual modes are second nature to me - I don't even think about it anymore.

Feb 14, 2012 at 02:17 PM

VinnieJ
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p.1 #9 · Relinquishing control

trenchmonkey wrote:
I sell pictures, and know how to get shots "in camera"...no auto settings do that consistently.
What's your problem, dude

Defensive much? I like how you prequalify the statement with "I sell pictures". Congrats!

Feb 14, 2012 at 02:24 PM

trenchmonkey
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p.1 #10 · Relinquishing control

Difference between a photographer and an argumentative gear head. I have 40 pages of Uploads here,
unlike your 1 page of product shots.

In the future put up or shut up, where I'm concerned. You've got NO creds. Time to 'Hide' your lame banter.

Steve, thanks for tryin' to get this thread back OT

Feb 14, 2012 at 02:29 PM

workerdrone
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p.1 #11 · Relinquishing control

I'm guessing that if you shoot people with flash and with slower kit lenses or with stopped down lenses, the auto settings might give you more keepers than trying to go manual, until you have a lot of practice - which some people don't have the time or motivation to practice that much, they just want acceptable pictures.

I'm not a full time photographer and I'm not as fast or instinctive on the camera controls as I'd like to be.

I have to admit, the newer face tracking features have me wondering if, with a fast prime wide open, the body will do a much better job keeping focus on and metering for the subject's face than I could, given handheld shooting and changing light conditions and a moving subject.

I tried some fun shooting yesterday outdoors with the 105 2.5 AIS on my D7000, moving subject, and about a 25% keeper ratio - which sucks when the best expressions are not among your keepers. Subject was moving from full sun to shadows and a mix, and matrix metering just wasn't working at all so I went full manual and spot metered on skin when I could.

If it really can track a face like using spot focus well, and meter like a spot meter for good skin exposure, I'm all for technology helping a brother out :-)

But at a minimum I hope I'll always know how to go to full Manual if I'm not getting what I want, and back to full Auto if I want to hand my camera to someone else without explaining how it's customized.

Edited on Feb 14, 2012 at 02:41 PM · View previous versions

Feb 14, 2012 at 02:36 PM

VinnieJ
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p.1 #12 · Relinquishing control

trenchmonkey wrote:
Difference between a photographer and an argumentative gear head. I have 40 pages of Uploads here,
unlike your 1 page of product shots.

In the future put up or shut up, where I'm concerned. You've got NO creds. Time to 'Hide' your lame banter.

Steve, thanks for tryin' to get this thread back OT

I'm not on the offensive here. It was a legit question, the camera's internal jpeg processing engine (Relinquishing control) vs your own creativity on your computer. I guess I'm not allowed to participate here because I have "NO creds".

Edited on Feb 14, 2012 at 02:45 PM · View previous versions

Feb 14, 2012 at 02:36 PM

Garrick L
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p.1 #13 · Relinquishing control

Fully manual for me and wouldn't have it any other way because this is what being creative in fine art photography is all about!

Feb 14, 2012 at 02:37 PM

workerdrone
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p.1 #14 · Relinquishing control

^ok sure when you have time, but devil's advocate, in a faster moving situation you may not get to exercise the creativity you'd like to if you're focusing too much on manipulating manual settings. I've missed a lot of shots because I wasn't fast enough making adjustments.

If the camera can do much of the work for me, and I understand what it's doing, it frees me to focus on composition and ideas

Feb 14, 2012 at 02:44 PM

Two23
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p.1 #15 · Relinquishing control

firewireguy wrote:

Anyone else use their complicated, feature packed DSLR like a n00b?

I'm a night shooter. When placed in "P" mode, my smart camera becomes an idiot.

Kent in SD

Feb 14, 2012 at 02:55 PM

Bruce Sawle
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p.1 #16 · Relinquishing control

Different strokes for different folks I am not sure why we are arguing here.

Feb 14, 2012 at 03:19 PM

static808
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p.1 #17 · Relinquishing control

i relinquish enough control in other aspects of my life... no thanks!!

but seriously, im okay using auto modes for the exposure stuff, especially when lighting changes faster than i can change the settings. BUUUT, for the AF, i've found the auto modes to simply be wrong more than right, especially in fast action scenes. for the casual shot, it seems accurate enough. but when im shooting with my d700, im using it because im not there for casual shots. and with fast primes, control is that much more important. the AF controls these camera bodies offer are incredible. after having learned the controls and becoming proficient at them, theres simply no way back to relinquishing control...

Feb 14, 2012 at 03:24 PM

bqq100
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p.1 #18 · Relinquishing control

I'm a noob and still learning what settings I like/dislike for various situations, but I loathe auto-ISO for the way it always uses highest ISO setting when the flash is on (at least on the D7000). Recently decided to only use AF-S Single point, or AF-C 9 Point to help make good use of the cross-type sensors.

Slightly OT, but for those of you who use AF-ON button, do you also turn off Shutter Release with Focus Lock? In portrait mode, I find my thumb in my eye trying to hold the AF-ON button in to hold the Focus Lock.

Feb 14, 2012 at 03:42 PM

Gregory.Rotter
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p.1 #19 · Relinquishing control

The only time I'd ever shoot in auto was if I were shooting a group shot at f5.6, landscapes at f5.6 and up, and things which didn't have a distinctive point for dof. As others have said, it's quicker just to use a single point than to half press the shutter /af on button till you see the red squares highlighted on what you want in focus, when it comes to you chosing a particular point for dof.

Feb 14, 2012 at 03:49 PM

Mark_L
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p.1 #20 · Relinquishing control

It works for many situations but you may end up with more post work and misfocused shots. Under controlled conditions it seems a bit pointless to work this way, at least focus on what you want to be in focus and set your aperture for appropriate dof, the camera has no idea what you want your picture to look like.

Feb 14, 2012 at 04:54 PM

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