Shooting DSLR in Auto Mode = wasted ?

[steventay]

Well, the basics are,...
Aperture -- the opening of the lens. Expressed in units called f stop. The larger the number, e.g. f22 the smaller the opening of the aperture. The smaller the number, e.g. f1.8, the bigger the opening of the lens aperture. Bigger opening means allowing more light to enter and exposed to the sensor.

Shutter speed -- the time taken to open and closed the shutter of a camera. Usually expressed in seconds or fraction of a second. eg. 1/100 seconds. For FF sensor without image stabilizer, at between 12mm - 80mm, our hand movement usually will not be captured for as low as 1/60 sec. Anything slower, with not so steady hands, will give you blurry pictures. The longer the lens, e.g. 105-600mm, the more prone the camera is to handmovement... so faster shutter speed has to be taken into consideration, e.g. 1/125 or 1/250 sec.

ISO -- traditionally known as sensitivity of the film to light. Modern digital photography ... simply is trying to make is as close to traditional film photography, therefore the term ISO remains. The function is, to be able to be exposed to light as quickly as possible and capture as much info as possible. By using high ISO sensitivity setting, it means you can push shutter speed faster at the same aperture opening to achieve the same exposure. But the con of higher ISO is... the sensor is exposed to the light at too short a time, and will not be able to capture sufficient info for the exposure, hence the noise you see on the image where the processor tries to interpolate what is in between to complete the image.

A tripod basically helps to alleviate camera shake in slow shutter speed. Because the camera is set on a tripod, there should be little movement. That's why you can use a small aperture to capture more depth of field, at low ISO in low light (low EV) with slow shutter speed (e.g. 1sec or even as high as 30 secs).

Bulb setting means the shutter is open indefinitely as long as you press on the shutter release button and hold it there. The shutter will close when you release the shutter release button. It is not possible not to cause any movement to the camera by pressing and holding the shutter release button. So, the use of remote release cable for Bulb is necessary, on a tripod. Of course for creativity, you can hold your camera by hand, turn off image stabiliser and user bulb and move your camera around to create some artistic image of some light.

I hope you have a better picture of how a camera works, in a nut shell.

thank you.

 

[TWmilkteaTW]

oh yes long exposure.. i confuse this one.

i heard can use software to remove the noise.

Yes you can of cos... but..as of what i know..the more noise you try to reduce in a software...the pic might go haywire..(turn into a painting) etc etc.. This is what i heard or read over the forums by other mates. I, myself dont use any noise reduce software...

Thats why...the camera manufacturer are making new camera that can have as little noise as possible on high ISO. The entry..mid level have all improve alot along the years..

This also explains why...the D4..D3s...1DX..etc are so so expensive..you are paying for the good ISO performance sensor along with the other features the camera can offer..

 

[steventay]

Yes you can of cos... but..as of what i know..the more noise you try to reduce in a software...the pic might go haywire..(turn into a painting) etc etc.. This is what i heard or read over the forums by other mates. I, myself dont use any noise reduce software...

Thats why...the camera manufacturer are making new camera that can have as little noise as possible on high ISO. The entry..mid level have all improve alot along the years..

This also explains why...the D4..D3s...1DX..etc are so so expensive..you are paying for the good ISO performance sensor along with the other features the camera can offer..

those are too high for me to reach...

D7000 already high for me

 

[moveslikejagger92]

oh yes long exposure.. i confuse this one.

i heard can use software to remove the noise. anyone use here?

what software??

 

[steventay]

what software??

http://www.picturecode.com/

 

[catchlights]

thanks! (i had misunderstood milez sempai's post)

again, I am a wedding vendor meaning i supply stuff. not shoot the wedding...so the quality of the image is not that important as the existence of the image.

2nd curtain (which is slow sync flash) is a "advanced" shooting mode and style. I have tried it but without a tripod and with too much coffee in me, i tend to have very blurry image due to hand shakes. I am not able to use a tripod because I am carrying files, brochures and sample kits. oh well.

Slow sync and rear curtain sync are two different thingy. Read your manuel.

 

[Shizuma]

thanks. I must have misread this article here

Slow Sync Flash

will be keen to hear your take on what the difference is (a bit OT, but...uh? )
(i understand that 2nd curtain sync is -one- of the methods of slow sync. of course there's front sync curtain but not so 'cool' ?)

 

[kei1309]

oh yes long exposure.. i confuse this one.

i heard can use software to remove the noise. anyone use here?

you better stop your OT nonsense before the mods take action on you. you're derailing the original intent of this thread. you were told before to start your own thread.

 

[GRbenji]

thanks. I must have misread this article here

Slow Sync Flash

will be keen to hear your take on what the difference is (a bit OT, but...uh? )
(i understand that 2nd curtain sync is -one- of the methods of slow sync. of course there's front sync curtain but not so 'cool' ?)

Slow Sync Speed is a duration that must be longer the than duration need for the shutter curtain to move across the frame. This extra period allows the flash to fire before the 2nd curtain start closing.

1st and 2nd curtain sync difference is when the flash fires. 1st fires immediately after 1st curtain fully opened, while 2nd (Rear) sync fires just before 2nd curtain start closing.

 

[Shizuma]

so can't slow sync in Auto (or if it does we won't know, right?)

basically when I shot in auto I have no idea what my camera is doing.

 

[milez]

so can't slow sync in Auto (or if it does we won't know, right?)

basically when I shot in auto I have no idea what my camera is doing.

In auto flash mode, the flash just fires. No slow sync, 2nd curtain option to speak off generally. You might get an option for red eyes reduction. But thats about it. Rear curtain has to be activated manually. ... Well usually.

 

[rhino123]

Yep, basically in auto mode, camera do all calculation of everything for you. That is one reason, you cannot do many things and have too much control of the camera. However, for lazy people like me, sometime it works pretty well. However, at times when I wanted more controls, I would go for either aperture or shutter priority mode, but seldom would I go for full manual

 

[nulbonklr]

If using point and shoot cam, I use AP, auto iso all the way.

But if using DSLR, I select everything manual cause need the shot as perfect as possible.

So actually there's no preference at all as long as the picture looks nice.

 

[nedy77]

I'll rather use auto mode and get a good shot, than "act hero" use manual mode but get a lousy shot.

Which is more embrassing?
Using a DSLR in auto mode, but getting good shots?
Or using DSLR in manual mode but get lousy shots?

 

[Shizuma]

i got a lousy shot in the dark on pure auto, could have gotten better shot in manual. Someone please bash me with my camera -__-"

 

[milez]

i got a lousy shot in the dark on pure auto, could have gotten better shot in manual. Someone please bash me with my camera -__-"

I dont think the green rectangle or iAuto mode will get you lousy shots in the dark with auto flash. What camera are you using anyway?

 

[Btjan]

Being a green newbie I still uses auto quite extensively (+/- 50% of time). I just use whatever mode that I think is appropriate given the subject, light, condition, window of opportunity, etc.

 

[Shizuma]

i am using a low end Canon 500D (just a note though: entry level DSLR today are on par with what used to be pro cameras 4-5yrs ago...) It is a 'lousy' shot meaning not aesthetically pleasing. although, functional

 

[bruggink]

Yeah I understand. I was making a comparison to handphone cameras and compacts. With the bokeh from a DSLR system and a lens with a wide aperture, depending on the number of aperture blades giving better bokeh.

Probably your friend hasn't coached you long enough. :bsmilie:

 

[tongki]

worst still... if the user is using 1Dx...

anyway myself also using auto lah (but not program mode cos my cam dun support).

all 1D series doesn't have Auto, only Manual, AV, TV and P mode