What modes/settings do you prefer on your EOS body?

[vab3]

<p>I use an ELAN 7, which has basically the same layout as a

10D/20D/EOS 3. I started with a manual camera, so I know in great

detail "how" the camera works, I just don't always know what is

right for a situation. Sometimes feel a bit clumsy with all the

modes and settings, although I'm getting smoother through trial and

error.</p>

<p>

So I was wondering how other folks do it. </P>

 

<p>

What exposure mode (MATP) do you like, or do you pick them based on

the situation? Do you use CF-4? How long did it take to get used to

focusing with the * button, and what do you do when you want to lock

the exposure? What metering mode do you like? Is it better to get

really used to one mode, or change with each situation? What do you

do when you are traveling v. on a tripod? </p>

<p>

I know there are a lot of questions here, and there is no one right

answer, but I'd like your thoughts. What are your patterns and

though processes in different shooting situations?</p>

[juergenf]

Apart from the Av, Tv and M modes, there is nu real use for all other modes. I'd love to see a new 'stripped down' camera from Canon; Av, Tv, M and center-weighted average metering and no multi-focus points. A better manual focussing ring on the EF 1.8/50 II would also be preferable. In other words; Canon should come up with a Bessaflex-like camera.

[juergenf]

Or a Canon made Nikon FM3A sort of camera.

[byronlawrence]

it took me a day or two for the * button to be come second nature, and I use the center focal sensor because it tends to work more reliably. I set the shutter button half press to exposure lock so when I press the button I set exposure then if I need I can recompose... but usually I dial in compensation real quick with the QCD on back.

 

I like P for lowerlight PS work and I use Aperture priority more often if there is plenty of light .. (keep an eye on the time value becuase if it drops too low you will blur your shots). for metering I use the evaluative.. but the exposure is mostly based on what you understand. If you know how the canon tends to shoot then you can predict about how much you will need(eg. for strongly lit backgrounds and I am shooting for the foreground I will overexpose by about 2/3rds of a stop. but this will sometimes over expose the background an a lot of people don't like this result).

 

for tripod work it almost really doesn't matter what exposure mode I use is because I use the histogram and make two shots (if the first one doesn't come out right in the first place)

 

if I use a flash in dark situations.. say a party at night. I use manual mode setting the time to something I like and then setting the aperture to a value to work with my flash.

 

anyway so that is what I do.

[henrik.ploug]

What exposure mode (MATP) do you like, or do you pick them based on the situation? Mostly Aparture-mode, because I like to control dof. I have changed the standard setting, so that when I use flash, the camera will choose 1/200 sec. instead of the default exposure which is usually to slow to freeze movement.

 

Do you use CF-4? Yes, because it allows me to chose focus independently of exposure. And because it is faster, when you have found the right focus and want to shoot several pictures.

 

How long did it take to get used to focusing with the * button? Not very long, although it does still happen that I forget to readjust focus, when my motif has moved.

 

What do you do when you want to lock the exposure? Push the shutter halfway down and recompose.

 

What metering mode do you like? Matrix-metering, since it adjust to most images, and let me shoot really fast. But for tricky lighting conditions where I have plenty of time, I might measure light from the greycard, I have bought.

 

Is it better to get really used to one mode, or change with each situation? I prefer to use one mode, but I guess it depends on the motif. If were shooting a wedding with a white dress and a black tuxedo, I probably couldn't just use the matrix-metering.

 

What do you do when you are traveling v. on a tripod? I have a very small tripod that fits in my camerabag, but that can be extended to about 1,5 meter in height.

[grant g]

Most of the time (M)anual.

 

Av if the lighting condtions are changing rapidly.

 

Tv with safety shift (sometimes) for sports or birds in marginal light.

[steve_dunn2]

<p>The mode I use depends on the situation. I use P for most general-purpose use, and I do sometimes shift the settings it chooses. I also use Av and Tv when they're appropriate. I don't use M a lot, other than with flash. I only ever used the idiot modes on my film bodies when handing them to someone else to take a picture, and since the idiot modes on my 20D disable RAW capture, I don't even use them for that any more.</p>

 

<p>I don't use CF4. I tried it several years ago, on an Elan II, and found it annoying and clunky. But I don't generally shoot things which benefit from separating AF and metering, which is the whole point of CF4. I know there are lots of people who find CF4=0 makes the camera annoying and clunky; it's a personal preference.</p>

 

<p>I always use evaluative metering unless I know a specific situation calls for something else, which is very rare. I have learned over the years that evaluative tends to underexpose backlit subjects, particularly small ones, so when I see a backlit subject in my viewfinder, I know I need to compensate. Also, with my 20D, there's instant feedback (I have the camera set to show flashing highlights and the histogram) as to whether the exposure is right, and if it's a scene that will wait while I fiddle with the camera, I'll often take the first shot with no exposure compensation (or with a first guess at what compensation should be) and then use the histogram to decide whether I need to take another shot with compensation applied.</p>

 

<p>I have two tripods (a little tabletop one and a normal-sized, albeit cheap, one) and a monopod. I generally take the tabletop tripod with me when I'm not taking either of the others, including when I'm travelling and want to take as little gear as possible. The monopod has largely replaced the normal-sized tripod, since my two longer lenses (28-135 and 300/4) both have IS; while IS plus a monopod can't hold a camera up on its own and isn't suitable for prolonged exposures, it does a very good job of reducing shake, and a monopod is so much less cumbersome than a tripod. I pretty much only use the normal-sized tripod now in cases where I need an exposure too long for a handheld body plus IS plus monopod, or where I need the camera to stand up without any assistance.</p>

[andre_reinders]

I have an Elan 7N. I use manual for over 60% of my shots (where I am creating a photo and not a snapshot), and mainly program for the rest (snapshot type photos).

 

I do not use CF-4.

 

I usually use the centerweighted average or spot(-ish) metering when I am in manual mode, and centerweighted or matrix in program mode.

 

If I am capturing a scene and it looks like an average exposure I will use centerweighted metering. If I am trying to get a certain portion of the scene metered a certain way I will use spot metering. I use these modes because they are predictable, and so then will my exposure adjustment be predictable. I think there is no point adjusting the exposure compensation dial in matrix mode because it is impossible to predict what it will do. Usually I will use the spot metering in program mode then switch to manual and dial in the same shutter and aperture - then go from there depending on what effect I am looking for, like deciding on the DOF, or choosing the shutter speed based on the FL of the lens (to avoid camera shake).

 

I have recently picked up a 430ex and have not yet worked out the best modes to shoot in with it.

[digitmstr]

>>do you pick them based on the situation?<<

 

Yes - I use M and Av mostly.

 

>>Do you use CF-4? How long did it take to get used to focusing with the * button>>

 

Yes - less than a minute.

 

>>and what do you do when you want to lock the exposure?<<

 

Half-Press and hold the shutter button.

[PuppyDigs]

"Apart from the Av, Tv and M modes, there is nu real use for all other modes."

 

Now that's not true. Most folks most folks don't use Av, Tv and M modes at all... They use

P or Full auto. In the early 90s there was a stripped down EOS body called the EF-S (I

think). It was based on the original Rebel (used EF lenses) but had only M, Tv and Av

modes and manual focus (micro prism split). It was a flop just as it would be today if

Canon tried again.

 

I prefer Av and M mode about 75% of the time, but use DEP and P once in a while. With my

Elan 7E and EOS 3 I love ECF and use it about 50% of the time (MF and center AF the

remainder).

[mark u]

I mainly use Av and M modes, since I usually start with a concept of DOF for the shot. I'll probably use Av to start with and in preference to M when light levels are changing rapidly or if I need to switch rapidly between differently lit subjects. I make a fair amount of use of partial metering to cross-check when I don't trust what evaluative is giving me, or when the subject is likely to fool the metering system (e.g. white Samoyed dogs! - which also call for FEL or FEC when using flash), or when I know I want a particular element of a scene to be a mid tone or to understand how a highlight or shadow area will fall within the latitude of the exposure. I tend to switch to M when otherwise Av might require exposure compensation (I often forget to reset it if I've been using it, whereas in M the changing meter reading while shutter speed and aperture remain constant catches my eye more readily). If I'm not quite certain what exposure will produce the most pleasing result, I will bracket (mostly simply by adjusting exposure in M mode rather than fiddling with setting up bracketing explicitly, which is only worthwhile if the bracketed shots need to be fired in quick succession and if 3 shots are required).

 

I probably make more use of manual focus than many would - partly to handle "hyperfocal" focussing, but also for macro and close focus work (focus by moving the camera), pre-focussed action shots (when I know where the action will occur - otherwise AI Servo for action), and touching up focus for narrow depth of field portrait work where AF sensors may not lie conveniently over a suitable target.

 

I always have a Leica table top tripod with me which gets a lot of use in low light situations braced against anything convenient (when it will usually allow multi second exposures if needed) and even used as a chest pod, although if I can I will take my large tripod if I know I'm going to be using slow shutter speeds out of doors for landscape or macro work. I also use a monopod for long lenses and action where I can.

[taner]

When it comes to flash - Manual mode (with E-TTL) is the way to go... Believe in yourself; you are smarter than the camera!

 

If you have the time, a flash meter, and a manual output flash, trash the E-TTL too... I fully regret ever having used either auto modes, or P mode with flash throughout my EOS years. Even 4x6 prints deserve better than the P (or lesser modes) mode.

[alexdi]

The modes I don't have. AI servo in AV mode, say.

 

On my Elan, it was always Av with CF4 enabled. I miss CF4 on this 300D.

 

DI

[chrisjb]

Hi, I moved over to canon when the T90`s came out, in all this time I don`t think I`ve ever used any more than `M` or `AV` `M` in the studio and low light and flash, AV nearly all daylight, I like to have full control of DOF and constantly changing to suit. I`ve a over a dozen bodies in the cupboard (have to sell a heap of em to get a 5D). not one has ever been on an idiot mode. if they got them. Mind you what works for one may not work for another, just shoot and learn.

my hassie`s only have manual so keeps the eye.

 

have fun

[sonny_jet]

Hi,

 

Do you guys use M mode for general, walk-about snaps too ? Doesn't it slow down you're picture taking process? Because as the conditions change you have to keep adjusting shutter speed and/or Aperture ?

 

 

Thanks

[adam_buteux1]

On my EOS 3

General shooting Av

Shooting with flash P or Av depending on what i want to do (action stuff mostly P because of the way the metering works)

Rarely use Tv - only when panning as shooting moving objects

 

But what i miss from my EOS300 is Sport mode - useful when you want to shoot fast moving objects - shame the P mode can't be programmed to give bias to faster or slows shutter speed whilst keeping flash metering options

[wingedrabbit]

Always shoot Av, except for indoor flash.

 

With indoor flash, I use M. Basically, I set aperture to the widest (usually f4 since I shoot 17-40) and speed to 1/(focal length) and let the flash fill in with the rest. Shooting digital, I can check the flash exposure +1/-1 if needed.

 

I've also used the Tv for out door flash if I need to limit to 1/200sec because of flash sync (that seems the correct term).

 

My wife get's pissed when I leave the camera in M mode when she wants to take pictures. I just tell her everytime she picks it up, set it to P mode.

 

I also use CF-4. Somebody else showed me this feature and I think it's great. Sometimes it hard when tracking moving subject, but you can always turn it off.

[maxasst]

Choose the tool for the task.

 

1. Flash, indoors, bounced flash, 400ASA, pictures of people: Manual fixed at the slowest shutterspeed I can hold based on lens mounted on camera and f/ at 5.6 or 6.3 which bumps up against the flash's limit before it underexposes. If I'm handing the camera to someone else, Program mode and the flash is pointed directly to subject, no compensation for flash or exposure.

 

2. Flash, daytime, outdoors, any film speed, for pictures of people in environment: Aperture mode and high speed sync flash for fill then increase exposure compensation depending on which angle the sun hits the subject.

 

3. Last night for Halloween effect with the kids, I placed a ring flash with generic optical trigger into a plastic jack-o-lantern set to full burst manual and found the aperture that made the lantern appear to glow, then a 540ez flash set to 1/4 power bounced off a yellowish wall to provide fill illumination of their costumes, camera was a D60 with 20mm lens on manual mode f/11 and 1/200 shutter speed to freeze motion and try to blacken the background. The biggest challenge was trying to get my 3 children (ages 1,3,4) to stay still and look at (and not into)the lantern. 5 exposures to get the flash ratios and aperture right and 15 more exposures and I got (most of) the posturing right. If I was trying this last year, I'd use a flashmeter and again, everything set manually.

[conraderb]

coming from an olympus OM-1 body, CF-4 was a fantastic discovery. being able to set focus and have separate exposure makes things a lot faster wheN I'm shooting on my 20d body.

[vab3]

Thanks for all the responses. I have enjoyed the mental exercise.

 

Give me an example of CF-4 speeding up the process? What steps do you take with it and what without it?

 

Also, do you use the same setting with lenses that don't have full-time MF?

[conraderb]

one example:

 

you frame a shot, and then realize that the contrast is pretty big so you want to do a quick bracket. you point the camera at a dark area, shutter halfway for exposure, and then recompose and take the picture.

 

then you point at a bright area, shutter halfway for exposure, then recomposre and take.

 

in this case, you pop off two quick shots w/ the same focus and it's much quicker b/c the camera doesn't try to focus on the area that you used for an exposure. much faster than setting a bracketing sequence, and no focus hunting.

[vab3]

Thanks. I don't even want to try to explain what I was doing before! I can see that CF-4 and M mode would mean the shutter button does nothing but fire the shutter -- which can be quite relaxing.