shutter speed/f stop

[njfiremegs]

When using the Nikon D50, do you find it easier to shoot in manual or strictly

in shutter or aperture priority? I like to shoot moving objects: kids playing

sports, helicopters, birds, etc. I like the "still" effect other than the

blurred. I keep my shutter speed around 500 when shooting sports. If I raise

up my shutter speed too high, will my picture be darker? Just looking for some

feedback on when to use each mode. Just shooting a landscape, no problem, I

can just use auto, but what mode would you suggest?

[alan_olander1664878205]

Your photo will get darker if you're already at the len's widest f/stop. For example, if your len's maximum aperture is f/4 and the correct exposure for a scene in f/4 @ 1/500th second, selecting 1/1000th of a second will underexpose the image because the aperture cannot go any wider to compensate. There is always a combination of f/stop and shutter speed that gives you the correct exposure, but there are limits to both especially apertures. You'll learn a lot more choosing manual exposure and finding out how apertures and shutterspeeds work together.

[ericreagan]

These questions beg reference to a good book. Consider picking up <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FUnderstanding-Exposure-Photographs-Digital-Updated%2Fdp%2F0817463003%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1177641959%26sr%3D8-1&tag=cyclingshots-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">Understanding Exposure</a> by Bryan Peterson. It'll be the best $15 you spend on your hobby.

<p>

Cheers!

[Peter_in_PA]

Timothy,

 

Get a great book like the one Eric recommends...

 

but...

 

imho, you have it backwards. Shoot more "automatic" (but shutter priority) where you are

shooting fast motion... and shoot full manual for landscapes and such when you have time to

shoot and reshoot... just my .02

[mjt]

hi Timothy ...

 

actually, what you're asking is not specific to the D50. all of which you mention relate to any camera, be it digital or film.

 

shutter speed and aperture and ISO are all a function of each other ... i.e. change one and one (or more) of the others will need to change to compensate.

 

the same exposure can be had by altering two of the three (or all, just to confuse things :). the trick is what you're shooting at the moment.

 

yes, for sports, it is common practice to shoot in shutter speed priority to stop the action. landscapes and portraits are, as a rule, shot in aperture priority.

 

it's difficult to tell you what settings you should use - it will depend on the sport you are shooting and your perspective to the action. but obviously, higher shutter speeds are preferred for sports. however, it does depend upon the sport. for example, i shoot at very low shutter speeds (60-80) for wrestling compared to what i shoot at basketball (250+).

 

i will say, that with sports, you dont always want to STOP the action completely, since you dont get the feeling of "movement". sometimes it's best to use a lower shutter speed and pan with the subject matter, so that they are in focus, but things around them are a bit blurred, thereby giving that feeling of movement.

 

i would suggest you read various forums (such as this one) and take a trip to the bookstore/library and do a bit of research. knowledge is everything :)

 

warm regards, michael

[juanjo_viagran]

In a sunny day @ 200 ISO Aperture Priority of 5.6 or even 8 should give you the speed you need plus you won't have to worry about dark pictures, since the camera will have the speed to get you cover.

[sam_thompson2]

You can use Auto ISO feature on the D50 and Shutter priority mode, if the picture will be darker it will boost ISO to compensate for the lack of aperture values.

 

You can also turn on the flash and shoot at 500 as the D50 syncs at 500.

[david_grenier]

Timothy,

 

I admit I'm a bit of a control freak when it comes to photography, but I shoot everything manual all the time, with a concession made to auto-focus lenses. Understanding the basic fundamentals of photography - lighting, exposure, and composition - is of paramount importance. Photographers I know who never learn the basics but just count on program mode to figure everything out for them tend to hit a plateau in their photography that they just can't get beyond. Even if you find yourself using program modes for convenience, understanding what's happening and why does really help.

 

You might want to start getting comfortable with using manual exposure for your landscapes... since landscapes don't move and that will leave you with one less variable to deal with. But there's no reason you shouldn't be shooting sports on manual unless the playing field has weird areas of light and shadow and you'd have to spend so much time adjusting exposure that you'd miss good shots.

 

BTW - the book I learned all of this stuff on was called something simple like "Black and White photography". I no longer have the book and I can't remember the autor's name, but it was great at teaching the fundamentals.

[steve_levine]

Book? You don't need no stinking book. Try clicking on the word LEARNING, on top of this very page! The tutorials cover "exposure", and all sorts of useful 411.

[aaron l]

I tend to shoot in aperture or manual mode. As long as my shutter speed is above hand-hold speed, then the aperture mode gives me more control over my images.

[david_grenier]

Heh, I stand corrected, Steve.

[simon_hickie1]

Shutter priority plus AUTO ISO mightgive you what you are looking for for higher shutter speed shots - but depth of field (DOF) will vary with lighting & you might end up shooting at maximum aperture quite a bit of the time. Might actually be better to try Aperture Priority plus ISO 400 or even 800 depending on the lighting if you want more DOF but still freeze the action.