Canon should create an Aperture + Shutter Priority Mode

[An drew]

Think of this in another way:

With the shutter speed and aperture set to the desired setting, auto-iso will allow you to take the shot at the lowest iso needed for a proper exposure. This when coupled with good metering techniques will allow you to optimize the image quality of your shots when shooting in bad lighting conditions.

i.e You won't have to consciously fight with changing exposure settings and can just concentrate on the composition. Your ISO will never be a touch too high or too low but just what is needed to get the exposure you set.

I always try to use auto-iso in challenging light, but I'm not using Canon.

Pardon my ignorance. Which system, which allows you auto-iso, are you using? Thanks.

 

[billpepsi]

I doubt this mode will be popular or practical.

Most photographers will want control over ISO to control noise. Noise removal routines degrade images quality no matter how good the process. I would never let the camera decide on ISO for me.

I guess Nikon D70 has done the right here to allow auto-ISO disabled (P 142).

 

[gama]

Well... Perhaps you should consider going back to P&S if you want auto ISO... Quite frankly, I don't see a need for such a feature.

Auto ISO, why not?

If I understand correctly Nikon has implemented this feature on their dslr and it allows you to set the max ISO you are comfortable with. With Aperture priority, you can set the slowest shutter speed before the auto ISO kicks-in.

With Canon dslr's high ISO capability, why not capitalise on it??

Whether or not one see a need for this feature is up to the individual but when I jump into digital, it is all about choices/options. I like more options, whether you use it or not is another matter. Same thing about those auto scene modes, some people use them some despise them. I don't use them but I don't mind to have it in my camera, that means my wife can still use it :angel:

peace!

 

[Zerstorer]

Pardon my ignorance. Which system, which allows you auto-iso, are you using? Thanks.

Nikon system, all nikon dslrs from the D2h onwards had auto-iso as an option.(i.e D70/d70s/d50/d200/d2x/d2h/d2hs) I find that Auto-iso works very well in conjunction with manual exposure and spot-metering, with other settings, it may be less useful or more erratic since metering is crucial to its efficacy.

 

[gama]

Yes, Jeffhiew is right. If you don't like auto ISO you can always disable it so you really have nothing to lose.

 

[Caspere]

How about those different (dummy) Program and A-Dep modes? I don't use it since my Eos 5 days. I don't even turn it on for my spouse to use it! Still I won't mind getting a ISO priority feature. As a matter of fact Fixing the depth of field using Aperture, and stopping action using Shutter, it would be nice to have a variable ISO decided by the camera.

Some of us probably could come up with a few situations where this function is useful.
Of course, the rest could also come up with additional work-arounds without this feature.

It is not really a MUST feature, just NICE to have. It doesn't hurt seriously.

 

[kenjiimages]

Hi An drew,

But varying an ISO would affect the quality of your picture in a single session of shooting. That's perhaps the reason why many photographers especially studio photog. use manual setting to set low ISO setting, and a constant aperture and shutter speed for the best quality. And the varying factor in a shoot would be the lighting level level.

Solarii's got a point about the extra quality factor to worry about, which is the ISO level. But, I have to admit the 30D's CCD has superb noise handing at all ISO levels, which would give you acceptable results even with a high ISO...

 

[An drew]

Hi An drew,

But varying an ISO would affect the quality of your picture in a single session of shooting. That's perhaps the reason why many photographers especially studio photog. use manual setting to set low ISO setting, and a constant aperture and shutter speed for the best quality. And the varying factor in a shoot would be the lighting level level.

Solarii's got a point about the extra quality factor to worry about, which is the ISO level. But, I have to admit the 30D's CCD has superb noise handing at all ISO levels, which would give you acceptable results even with a high ISO...

I agree with you and Solarii. Noise handling is definitely an issue. Hopefully Canon will continue to improve on that as well, I look forward to noiseless 12800. I have already come a long way from my Velvia days. Thanks.

 

[Deadpoet]

Absolutely bad ideas. Anytime, when we surrender more artistic control, its a bad idea.

Worse, another new feature, driving up the cost of the camera, and it's a feature I rather not have.

 

[Discreet]

I am thinking of the way such a mode will be used...

So if i am walking on the streets of singapore and i set my camera to F8, shutter 1/125 and set it to this "ISO priority" mode. What am i supposed to expect?

Maybe in bright daylight, it goes to ISO 100 and blinks overexposure and I assume the camera is supposed to be smart enough to shorten the shutter speed.

So what is i am shooting a reasonable light area where the ISO the camera recommends is ISO 400. If i happen to meter something that is 2 stop, does it mean the camera goes to ISO1600? I dont want that. So supposed the camera increases the shutter speed by 2 stop to get 1/30 sec which will cause blurring. I dont want that either. The most logical thing for me to do is to open the aperture instead and understand my DOF is going to be thinner.

My point is such a system might seem ideal on paper, I think it is going to cause more headache in use. I use AV mode 80% of the time and i set the aperture and a decent ISO (100-400) and look at the shutter speed the camera is giving me. I can either choose whether to pump ISO or decrease F-stop if the shutter speed is too slow. Allowing the camera to decide which one it is going to change is not something i am willingly to risk on.

What I want to see is a more easier way to change ISO. On my 1DmkII, i have to use 2 hands and on my rebel, i have to hold another button. What will be nice is if you can re-program via Custom function the rear command dial (QCD) to ISO. Or have an extra dial on the camera (think nikon's front and read dial) just for ISO. That IMHO is more useful

 

[JediForce4ever]

You're not making sense here. And my stand is similar to solarii, that's why I said, if you want such features, go back to P&S. What does my using of L lenses have to do with this?

Every lens has it's sweet spot, which is the aperture value that brings out the maximum sharpness of that particular lens.Photographers who need to resolve the fine details of their subject have to set the camera to that certain f-stop.In doing so , they also need control over their shutter speed.This feature, which Andrew has mentioned, presets your aperture and shutter speed value, and controls the exposure of the photo using a variable ISO.
I find this feature useful for those shooting nature, in a scenario when shooting a flying raptor for example.Presume you are using Av mode,tracking a raptor as it flies.As the raptor flies from a brightly lit area and into a shadowed spot, you cannot possibly shoot it flying with shutter speed of lets say 1/50 seconds, and you dont have enough time to compensate for your shutter speed.To compensate for this kind of situations, the camera bumps up your ISO to a higher value, so as to help you achieve a well exposed photo while having control over your shutter speed and aperture size, because I'd rather have a sharp and noisy photo rather than a blur and noise-clean one.And Andrew, who shoots mostly nature, will appreciate this kind of preset mode that helps him get the photos he wants.
Canon also has the reputation of having the least noise at high ISOs so I would not worry so much about the camera setting the ISO level to higher values.

 

[kenjiimages]

I agree with you and Solarii. Noise handling is definitely an issue. Hopefully Canon will continue to improve on that as well, I look forward to noiseless 12800. I have already come a long way from my Velvia days. Thanks.

Mppph... velvia... that's one of the reason why I felt this way, I'm still shooting with my last stocks of Velvia 50 (soon moving on to Velvia 100)...

So, imagine having one constant ISO setting on your digital as well. Gives the photographer more control over lighting level, aperture (for varying degree of DOF) and shutter.

 

[adamadam]

"Program" mode is like ISO mode.
Select the ISO

 

[Discreet]

So, imagine having one constant ISO setting on your digital as well. Gives the photographer more control over lighting level, aperture (for varying degree of DOF) and shutter.

You can refuse to change the setting of ISO on your DSLR. Same thing as fixing the focal length of a zoom to shoot like a prime.

It is just about self-disclipine

:-D

 

[JediForce4ever]

"Program" mode is like ISO mode.
Select the ISO

I dont really agree.
To me, Shutter speed and aperture are more crucial in creating the image that you want.
Shutter speed gives you motion blur or still captures, while aperture gives you bokeh.
ISO only helps you to get more control over these two factors.

 

[adamadam]

I dont really agree.
To me, Shutter speed and aperture are more crucial in creating the image that you want.
Shutter speed gives you motion blur or still captures, while aperture gives you bokeh.
ISO only helps you to get more control over these two factors.

I also prefer control of all three components: shutter speed, aperture and ISO.