portrait vs. sports exposure modes = no difference

[cametacamera]

<p>Sounds strange, but it is true...<br>

In "portrait" exposure mode, your camera will try to use the largest aperture available so that it will isolate your subject via focus/DOF.<br>

In "sports" exposure mode, your camera will try to use the fastest shutter speed so that action is frozen and motion blur is kept to a minimum.<br>

Why are they the same? If one methods tries to use the largest possible aperture, then it will automatically pick the fastest appropriate shutter speed. Conversely, if the exposure mode wants to choose the fastest shutter speed it will automatically pick the largest appropriate aperture.<br>

You're better off experimenting with AV/TV or A/S or better yet, M.<br>

Have Fun!</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>Have you looked at what the camera is doing to ISO settings when you try those different modes? Likewise, the AF system is going to behave differently.<br /><br />Regardless, I agree that you're better off understanding what's actually going on, and making your own decisions. At least with regard to ISO, and whether aperture or shutter priority is most important.</p>

[ed farmer - mount laurel,]

<p>If you look deeply into your manual, you may that there is a little more going than that. Settings may also vary with focal length. Long lenses and longer focus distances may stay wide open through faster shutterspeeds than wide angle lenses. This would assume that a wide angle lens focused at 15 feet is taking a "group portrait" and advance the aperture sooner.<p><p>However, you are correct that you should really try to learn how photography works. I primarily shoot in aperture priority with the occasional foray into manual when needed.</p>

[michaeljlawson]

<p>Shooting modes also change if the flash will fire or not (It will in portrait, but not in sports). Also, Portrait puts you in "continuous shooting" mode. Here is a more in depth description of the different modes (portrait on pg 3, sports on page 4): http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/infobank/camera_settings/shooting_modes.do#container</p>

[vrankin]

<p>Scene modes sometimes also adjust color, sharpness and contrast. For instance, in landscape mode my Sony adds some red and blue and increases sharpness. In sports mode it maximizes aperture but also pops in a little more color than in portrait mode. In portrait mode two of my Canons slightly soften for blemishes. You can test how your camera adjusts all of these factors by shooting an identical scene including a person in the various scene modes against a standard sample in Auto. </p>

[saskphotog]

<p>While your "analysis" of the two modes is hardly definitive, you are right that you are better off learning to use the camera's creative potential to get the specific effects you are after in any given situation. That is why the "scene modes" get no use at all from many photographers, and why they don't even exist on the D1 level of bodies.</p>

<p>A good photographer can always do better than a good engineer's best guesses.</p>

[Ian Taylor]

<p>Sports mode probably uses AI SERVO as well.</p>

[William Michael]

<p>. . . in some cameras, Sports Mode reacts differently to Portrait Mode, when shooting a burst.<br /><br />WW</p>