D300 shooting mode question

[rob_piontek]

<p>I think it would be nice if I could shoot in manual mode, but once I decide on a combination of aperture/shutter, I'd like to be able to change one or the other, and the other is changed by the camera so that the exposure remains the same. So say I decide on f2.8 and 1/60s. I'd like to switch the aperture to f4, and the camera changes the shutter speed to 1/30s. Not really a big deal but it would be nice. My D300 can't do this, can it? Actually I just realized that I can do almost what I want by choosing A or S modes and using exposure lock. Seems like it should work in M mode as well. Are there other cameras that can do what I want?</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>The whole point of Manual mode is to give you complete control over the exposure, with no help fom the camera's metering system. <br /><br />Just to be clear, are you looking for the same behavior you'd get from Aperture or Shutter priority (where you choose one, and the camera adjusts the other <em>based on the light seen by the meter</em>) ... only you want the two values to scale when the light does <em>not</em> change. Right?</p>

[Matthew Brennan]

<p>As Matt said, use your camera in <strong>A</strong> for aperture mode this means you set the aperture, the camera adjusts the exposure. I use this setting most of the time.</p>

[rob_piontek]

<p>I think you understand what I want.... I use the meter reading as a staring point when in M mode. Assume the light is not changing. Once I get the right exposure, I want to be able to change the aperture, and the camera changes the shutter speed so that the exposure value remains the same. It has nothing to do with the meter. I want to flip one thumb wheel instead of two, to change the depth of field, without changing the overall exposure.</p>

<p>I can get almost this by shooting in A, using exposure compensation to get the right exposure, then lock the exposure with AE-L. Now I can change my aperture and the shutter speed changes accordingly regardless of the meter reading. I didn't know this worked until this morning because I almost always shoot in M. No reason why it couldn't work in M mode as well.</p>

[rob_piontek]

<p>To be clear, aperture priority is not what I want. What I want is for AE-L to function in M mode the same way is does for the A & S modes.</p>

[kevin_delson]

<blockquote>

<p>No reason why it couldn't work in M mode as well.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>I'm completely baffled why you want the ability to AE-L in manual mode?</p>

<p>That is the reason behind using manual mode; to prevent any change to aperture or shutter regardless of changing light. (Just like AE-L)</p>

<p>Av, Tv and program modes react to light changes with the ability to use the AE-L feature.<br>

AE-L is non-functioning in manual...as it should be.</p>

[rob_piontek]

<p>I want the ability in M mode to change either the aperture or shutter but keep the exposure the same. It has nothing to do with the meter. This is what you can do in A or S when you hit the AE-L button. I'm sorry if you don't understand what I mean. I don't know how else to explain it.</p>

<p>An example.... I find, in M mode, that I want 2.8 and 1/60. Now I want to lock in this value somehow. Then I want change my depth of field to get to f4 and 1/30, still in M (which gives me the same exposure), but I only want to have to use one wheel to do it. I want to change the depth of field, keeping the same expsoure, without having to count the number of clicks on the first wheel, and then again on the 2nd. I want the 2nd wheel to change automatically to keep the exposure the same, in M mode, regardless of the meter reading, which is what happens when you're in A or S and hit the AE-L button.</p>

<p> </p>

[alex_dc]

<p>Not exactly the answer, but exposure compensation and/or bracketing while in M mode might be the closest you'll get to what you're asking for.</p>

[bebu_lamar]

<p>I understand what you want but since I don't have the D300, and my guess that it won't do what you want. But some old camera fully manual like the Hasselblad 2000FC you can. What you do is to set the EV number in your case <a href="mailto:f/2.8@1/60">f/2.8@1/60</a> then set EV9. With the EV9 set you can change either aperture or shutter speed the other will change and keep the exposure at EV9. It's a feature that is easy to implement in modern camera because they all have microprocessor in them but some how I don't see that feature in any modern camera yet.</p>

[errol young]

<p>What you want is to retain the Exposure Value like I could on my Rollie TLR. You could lock the control wheels. I miss that too. The 300 has no Auto setting like the 90 and others where you can use a wheel to change the combo with out changing the exposiure. It is a pro camera.<br>

If you shoot in M, make sure that you kill the ISO comp or the camera will be thinking for you. I use A most of the time but switch to M when lighting is harsh. </p>

[rob_piontek]

<p>Exactly... that's what I want. I knew I had read somewhere that some cameras could do it, and I've been looking at Hasselblad's lately so that must have been where I saw it.</p>

[garydem]

<p>take a look at what Program exposure mode is, starts on page 102 of the d300 owner's manual. i believe it will do what you want. that is, after the metering sets the proper exposure settings you still can change the shutter speed or fstop and still maintain a proper exposure.<br>

it is the way i operate my 2 dslrs almost all the time.</p>

[hans_janssen]

<p>Learn to use your finger and thumb in the same time: +one click shutter speed and -one click aperture or the otherway around.</p>

[yuri_sopko]

<p>In P mode you can rotate the main command dial which will adjust the aperture. The camera will then adjust shutter speed to maintain the same exposure. So, set your exposure and lock it. Rotate the dial as you can see in the viewfinder or LCD which way the aperture or shutter speed is going. If you want a faster shutter speed make the aperture bigger and vice versa.</p>

<p>The EV setting is a pretty nifty idea and would be a great addition to the Dx00 and Dx series and above. We should all send Nikon an email about this.</p>

[paul_k1664875007]

<p>Use Auto Iso and keep the camera in Manual mode<br>

You will be able to adjust speed and aperture while the Auto Iso will keep the exposure correct<br>

And with the high Iso abilities of the D300 (although not in the same class as the D3) you don't have to worry for noise under normal circumstances</p>

[williamting]

<p>From what I understand is once you decided on an exposure, you want to change either shutter or aperture and have the other one change accordingly.</p>

<p>People suggesting A, S or P* mode are missing the point as using those modes allows the camera to meter for you and thus change the exposure from what OP wants. However you might have some luck using EV +/- and A, S, or P* modes.</p>

<p>Unfortunately the only way to do it with a D300 is to use M and manually compensate for changing shutter speed or aperture.</p>

[yuriy_romanenko]

<p>I think P-mode with AE-L is exactly what the OP wants, no? The camera picks initial aperture/shutter speed in P mode. You press AE-L (or press and hold, depending on your settings), and then your exposure is locked. You can use the main command dial to scroll back and forth through any combination of shutter speed/aperture that you desire that still yields the same exposure.</p>

<p><br /> I don't use P mode so there might be some gotchas here (I wouldn't be surprised if it wouldn't let you use certain combinations of aperture/shutter in certain situations, especially if flash is attached)</p>

<p>Edit: Upon re-reading the OP I see that I am wrong, since the OP wants to set the initial exposure manually -- regardless if it matches the meter or not. P mode will only let you set metered exposure +/- any compensation, so it's not as convenient.<br>

You can achieve this manually in M-mode by using AE-L and remembering what the meter readout is, and then adjusting both aperture and shutter speed by hand so the meter reading does not change. </p>

[rob_piontek]

<p>That's not what I want, but it's close. I'll try it out and maybe I will like it anyway. Thanks everyone!</p>

[evilsivan]

<p>Rob - I like your idea alot. </p>

[ahmet_yildirim]

<p>Eroll Young' s point is valid. Auto ISO is the secret exposure manager. Unless you kill auto ISO your aperture and shutter measures wont be able to make your photo darker or brighter. Of course this hold true within limits of the max value of auto ISO.</p>

[dan_south]

<blockquote>

<p>I want to flip one thumb wheel instead of two</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Turning two control wheels doesn't take that much effort. Use your thumb on the back and your index finger on the front. Add a stop to one, then subtract a stop from the other.</p>

[rob_piontek]

<p>That's what I do now. But clicking and counting say 6 six times (1/3 stop increment) to change two stops, twice, well isn't that big a deal either but it would be nicer if the AE-L button could work in the way I want it to. Changing my camera settings to 1 stop increments would make this easier, but that's not an option for me either.</p>

<p>I never use auto iso, and definitely don't want to.</p>

[yuriy_romanenko]

<blockquote>

<p>but it would be nicer if the AE-L button could work in the way I want it to.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Keep in mind that you want different functionality for the AE-L button in "M" mode to what it normally does. Currently, AE-L is consistent and does the same thing in every mode, including"M" mode. It locks the exposure meter reading. Since all the camera does in "M" mode is <em>display </em>the meter reading, then AE-L locks that display at a particular reading. This is quite useful.</p>

<p><br /> Perhaps what you want is this optional functionality bound to some other button, that when held down while turning the wheel would control both aperture and shutter with one click keeping Ev the same. I could see how that would be useful.</p>

[gdw]

<p>Why do people buy sophisticated cameras and then throw away the best part.<br>

P or Program does exactly what you are asking. Using A locks the aperture and adjusts the shutter speed; S locks the shutter speed and adjusts the aperture and the winner is Program, not Manual, because Program locks the EV or Exposure Value which does exactly what you are asking the camera to do. Learn to use it.</p>

[evilsivan]

<p>@Gary<br>

Sometimes one wants the EV to stay constant even though the meter may fall on a brighter or dimmer patch of the subject, and that will reset your EV, even if using Matrix metering. Correct? I believe the OP wants to have the EV fixed so one can adjust either the aperture or shutter speed and the camera would automatically adjust the other (and/or adjust the ISO). Whew! this gets confusing :)</p>