What exposure mode do you shoot in.

I started out with a Nikon FA and I tried the program modes and always come
back to manual mode. when I got a F4s I basicaly just shoot in manual with
spot meter, I really haven't tried alot of different modes but latley my
exposures have been off and I'm just wondering with all the new technolgy
and thinking about getting a D2x, what seems to work for wildlife
photgraphy. I mostly shoot a 500 f4 manuel focus. seems like a waste to get
a D2x then shoot all manual.

Tahnks
Gary


Nature & Wildlife Photography
of
Gary & Debbie Langley
http://www.gllangley.com

gll wrote:
I started out with a Nikon FA and I tried the program modes and always come
back to manual mode. when I got a F4s I basicaly just shoot in manual with
spot meter, I really haven't tried alot of different modes but latley my
exposures have been off and I'm just wondering with all the new technolgy
and thinking about getting a D2x, what seems to work for wildlife
photgraphy. I mostly shoot a 500 f4 manuel focus. seems like a waste to get
a D2x then shoot all manual.

Tahnks
Gary

Nature & Wildlife Photography
of
Gary & Debbie Langley
http://www.gllangley.com

It seems to me a bad idea to use a camera with an infinite number of
possibilities and limit yourself to "modes". If your used to shooting in
manual, you will probably continue to do so. Of course, I have no choice but
shoot "manual" with my old F 1. I have never thought of myself as
"handicapped" with such equipment.

F1

--
Message posted via http://www.photokb.com

In article , gll
wrote:

I started out with a Nikon FA and I tried the program modes and always come
back to manual mode. when I got a F4s I basicaly just shoot in manual with
spot meter, I really haven't tried alot of different modes but latley my
exposures have been off and I'm just wondering with all the new technolgy
and thinking about getting a D2x, what seems to work for wildlife
photgraphy. I mostly shoot a 500 f4 manuel focus. seems like a waste to get
a D2x then shoot all manual.

The 10D is my first camera in my career that has automatic functions. I
use mostly Tv and then change the f/stop if I don't agree with it.
Didn't think I'd like auto-focus, but I really do in most cases.

gll wrote:
I started out with a Nikon FA and I tried the program modes and always come
back to manual mode. when I got a F4s I basicaly just shoot in manual with
spot meter, I really haven't tried alot of different modes but latley my
exposures have been off and I'm just wondering with all the new technolgy
and thinking about getting a D2x, what seems to work for wildlife
photgraphy. I mostly shoot a 500 f4 manuel focus. seems like a waste to get
a D2x then shoot all manual.

Tahnks
Gary

Nature & Wildlife Photography
of
Gary & Debbie Langley
http://www.gllangley.com

I use aperture priority mode most of the time. I select aperture
to control depth of field, the camera sets exposure, but I also
use exposure compensation and ISO as needed to control the
recording of the image.

Roger
Photos at: http://www.clarkvision.com

"Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)" wrote in
message ...
gll wrote:
I started out with a Nikon FA and I tried the program modes and always
come back to manual mode. when I got a F4s I basicaly just shoot in
manual with spot meter, I really haven't tried alot of different modes
but latley my exposures have been off and I'm just wondering with all the
new technolgy and thinking about getting a D2x, what seems to work for
wildlife photgraphy. I mostly shoot a 500 f4 manuel focus. seems like a
waste to get a D2x then shoot all manual.

Tahnks
Gary

Nature & Wildlife Photography
of
Gary & Debbie Langley
http://www.gllangley.com

I use aperture priority mode most of the time. I select aperture
to control depth of field, the camera sets exposure, but I also
use exposure compensation and ISO as needed to control the
recording of the image.

Roger
Photos at: http://www.clarkvision.com

Most of the later Nikon's (N75, N90, F100, D50, D70) have a program-mode
which can be varied with the "command dial" to any equivalent exposure just
by twirling it. I spend most of the time in P-mode but look at every
exposure and modify it as necessary. I find that most of the time I can't
stay in either S- or A-modes because the things I'm shooting are so varied.

Norm

Wildlife is best in aperture priority. Set it on wide open and you get the
fastest shutter speed available to stop action. The limited DOF blurs the
background. If the subject is not moving and you want more DOF, just stop
down a little. Spot metering won't work well, because you often don't want
the subject smack in the middle of the frame. Or can you set exposure and
reframe, or set the spot to off-center? Difficult for moving subjects.

--
- Alan Justice

"gll" wrote in message
m...
I started out with a Nikon FA and I tried the program modes and always
come
back to manual mode. when I got a F4s I basicaly just shoot in manual with
spot meter, I really haven't tried alot of different modes but latley my
exposures have been off and I'm just wondering with all the new technolgy
and thinking about getting a D2x, what seems to work for wildlife
photgraphy. I mostly shoot a 500 f4 manuel focus. seems like a waste to
get
a D2x then shoot all manual.

Tahnks
Gary


Nature & Wildlife Photography
of
Gary & Debbie Langley
http://www.gllangley.com

In message t,
"Alan Justice" wrote:

Wildlife is best in aperture priority.

You must shoot wildlife in bright light. I shoot wildlife at ISO 1600,
and still get heavy under-exposure with the lens wide-open in Tv mode,
set to the slowest hand-holdable shutter speed, even with IS. Had I set
the camera to Av mode, I would have unusably blurred images.

I only use Av mode when I am trying to avoid diffraction limitations and
sharp sensor dust in bright light.
--


John P Sheehy

wrote:
Wildlife is best in aperture priority.

You must shoot wildlife in bright light. I shoot wildlife at ISO 1600,
and still get heavy under-exposure with the lens wide-open in Tv mode,
set to the slowest hand-holdable shutter speed, even with IS.

Again, shooting in modes can only lead to problems. It does not allow you
to situate the anmals, birds, fish , bugs or whatever, where you want in the
frame and meter, focus and shoot without agravation. I can get a meter
reading off the elk, moose or whatever and my information is set, I set the
camera according to what I want to do and forget about the rest leaving me to
pay more attention to exposing film and capturing moments how I see fit and
when I see fit.

BTW, You don't need bright light to shoot wildlife. I can shoot in the shade
or after hours no problem. I use a flash frequently, even in daylight. One
must learn to be versatile when shooting wildlife, which most often show
themselves realy and late in the day.

Also, you don't need 1600 ISO for wildlife. I shoot no film faster than 100
ISO and I use 50 Velvia with great results on wildlife. I shoot my camera
off a cut down rifle stock or I take time for a tripod if possible.

Modes will only screw you up.

F1

--
Message posted via PhotoKB.com
http://www.photokb.com/Uwe/Forums.as...ature/200512/1

Canon F1 via PhotoKB.com wrote:

Again, shooting in modes can only lead to problems. It does not allow you
to situate the anmals, birds, fish , bugs or whatever, where you want in the
frame and meter, focus and shoot without agravation. I can get a meter
reading off the elk, moose or whatever and my information is set, I set the
camera according to what I want to do and forget about the rest leaving me to
pay more attention to exposing film and capturing moments how I see fit and
when I see fit.

What do you mean, you don't use a mode? Manual?
Manual will lose a lot of action shots. Ever track an
animal moving into the shade? You may only have a fraction
of a second to get a particular action shot. Manual is too
slow for action.

Roger

Gary writes ...

I'm just wondering with all the new technolgy and thinking
about getting a D2x, what seems to work for wildlife photgraphy.

Most wildlife pros I know use aperture priority mode (with ability to
dial in compensation with the thumb as needed), some use manual mode.
I usually use Av with the lens set wide open, stopping down if
circumstances allow it, but also have Tv (shutter priority) set to
1/30th sec so I can just switch to Tv to set up a pan or blur faster
than I could change the aperture.

As for metering, pretty much everyone I know meters with Evaluative
(Canon terminology, not sure of Nikon's) or Spot, if they have time and
the experience to pick out a mid-tone or know how much to compensate
(spot off the snow and go + 1.5 - 2 for example). The problem with
Evaluative mode metering is knowing when to compensate, typically
underexposing a bit if part of the image is white, so spot metering is
more accuarte if done right, but always slower so a problem if the
light is changing rapidly.

If you're comfortable with manual exposure mode and spot metering then
I'd say stick with it for most situations. That's what guys like John
Shaw do.

Bill