Africa Wild

I think we are going to get some really good lessons here. To make it easier to find stuff I will move all posts on the same topic to a new thread under the relevant heading.

I have also set up an index to make it easier to find what you are looking for.

In short - this is what the article says :

Flutterby wrote:The Brat has joined the Photography Club at school and got this at their first meeting...think it could help here!

UNDERSTANDING DIGITAL CAMERA MODES

Here are the four main types of camera modes that can be found in most digital cameras today:

1. Program (P) - point and shoot - not control over exposure.

2. Shutter Priority (Tv) or (S) - is intended to freeze of blurr motion pics

3. Aperture Priority (Av) or (A) - you manually set the lens aperture, while the camera automatically picks the right shutter speed to properly expose the image.
This is the mode that I use 95% of the time, because I have full control over the depth of field and I know that the image will be properly exposed under normal circumstances. The metering systems in most modern cameras work very well and I let the camera calculate and control the shutter speed for me.

4. Manual (M) - Use in extreme situations


Many of the entry-level and semi-professional cameras have other modes such as “Portrait”, “Landscape”, “Macro”, “Sports” and “Night”, depending on the camera (professional cameras do NOT have these modes)..

All of these custom modes are evil :) Stop using them and learn the four main camera modes explained in this article.

So... before we start practicing...

is this the mode we go for - AV - ?

Is understanding the shutter speed then so very important ?

Amoli, I think most people use AV...but there probably will be times when you'll need to use TV, so understanding will help.

I use AV... when I will make good pictures... I will test TV

thanks for the condense Amoli

Amoli wrote:
1. Program (P) - point and shoot - not control over exposure.

2. Shutter Priority (Tv) or (S) - is intended to freeze of blurr motion pics

3. Aperture Priority (Av) or (A) - you manually set the lens aperture, while the camera automatically picks the right shutter speed to properly expose the image.
This is the mode that I use 95% of the time, because I have full control over the depth of field and I know that the image will be properly exposed under normal circumstances. The metering systems in most modern cameras work very well and I let the camera calculate and control the shutter speed for me.

4. Manual (M) - Use in extreme situations

Dewi - you took your pictures on Manual (M) - would it be because you have a good understanding of the Aperture and Shutter speed.

Would it be recommended for me as a beginner to start there or in AV ?

I'm sorry if I sound dof. I need a starting point.

Hi Amoli,

I would use AV to start with if you are uncertain what they do. Good for landscapes, wildlife that's not moving too much, people etc. For landscapes on sunny days. set it to F16 or more to get depth of field. Set to F8 for wildlife if it's sunny, or lower if it's not too bright or into the shade.

Switch to TV / S if you want to take fast moving subjects such as birds in flight. Set the shutter speed 1/800s or higher to stop the action, lower if you want to capture movement in the pic. (exact settings will always depend on where you are, the light at the time and what the subject is doing).

When I used film cameras, I was mostly on A/AP and used manual in certain circumstances. When I switched to a digital body, I used my old lenses for a couple of years, and these would only work on manual setting, so I "grew up" using manual settings with digital and have never changed, even when I upgraded to the compatible lenses for my DSLR's.

When taking wildlife pics, I'm constantly altering the aperture or shutter speed as I take the pics and keeping an eye on the exposure bar that you see either on the side or on the bottom through your viewfinder.

With my mik en druk, I will use varying modes, but always manual when I feel I need to "control" the result more. There was one time when I was taking a sunset shot in Kruger and I swore and muttered "Oh gosh, I'm in auto mode." My Saffie friends couldn't stop laughing for ages. -O

Manual gives you total control of what settings you want. The other settings will select the shutter speed or aperture to suit whichever aperture or shutter speed you have selected for the conditions at the time you take the photo.

Hope this makes some sense for you, as I'm not very good at explaining things, so ask if there is something you need more info on.

I'm sure other photographers on here could explain better than I can and give you more in depth advice, so hope they can contribute here as well.

thank you

will continue with AV... and try TV... very soon

Amoli, amoli and amoli, all cameras offer the user a friendly
situation. They respect you for that and allow you to be in charge!!,

Hence they provided you with a compact little computer, for you too
choose the direction of practical photography to meet your standards.

Shoiie!!,....

You are the boss of this evil little box harbouring a glass eye!!

This little box seems covered in little pimples, ready for a sqeeuze!!!!,