do you ever use P mode?

[paperdigits (Mica)]

@hatsnp

The X-T3 also shipped with Eterna though.

Well, egg on my face. I was using the Pro Neg film sim at that time.

[hatsnp (Nuno Paulino)]

@paperdigits

Well, egg on my face. I was using the Pro Neg film sim at that time.

It’s a good one as well Hope you enjoy your experience with Fuji this weekend though. Always good to have more people in your “system”

[paperdigits (Mica)]

@hatsnp

Hope you enjoy your experience with Fuji this weekend though.

Thanks! I am putting a lot more effort into the setup of this camera than I previously did.

I guess I’ve never really been away from the Fuji, I still have the X-T20 but its IR converted so metering is different

[europlatus]

@Leniwiec

If we talk about Fujifilm’s DR200, DR400 - yes, they do affect the RAW.

Thanks for the clarification. I did loads of research when I first got the camera, and after setting it all up, I promptly forgot everything. I really should do some experiments again with it some time.

I also get mixed up with Dynamic Range and D Range Priority. The manual is basically useless for telling you what the differences are and when to use which. I currently have Dynamic Range set to Auto, and D Range Priority set to Off. I can’t remember now why.

[Leniwiec (Michał)]

DR Priority just takes things one step further.

You can have “normal” DR function set to “Auto” - then, depending on a scene, the camera chooses between DR100 and DR200 (i.e. working normally or underexposing one stop), nothing more.

When DR Priority is set to “Auto”, the camera makes more decisions - it can go up as far as DR400 + set the tone curve to darken highlights and lighten shadows.

[europlatus]

@Leniwiec

set the tone curve to darken highlights and lighten shadows.

But this just affects the JPEG, right?

[Leniwiec (Michał)]

True, however DR200 & DR400 still affect the RAW, as mentioned earlier

[Marfie (Paul Marfell)]

I use P mode because the range of exposures and circumstances change so that limiting to a particular SS or f stop may push the others out of acceptable values. Therefore giving free range to everything is the best option. I can use 1 dial to apply exposure compensation and another dial to adjust SS and aperture but keeping same exposure value. PS. I have had a good understanding of the exposure triangle since I bought my first SLR in about 1967.

[cedric]

@cedric

Just for interest, I looked up P-mode in my 2003 Sigma SD9 Manual. None of the settable limits and auto-ISO adjustments mentioned so far appeared, not that they should.

As to the initial values, it says:

To make picture taking easier, the camera will automatically select an appropriate combination of shutter speed and aperture value, according to the brightness of the subject.

… with no hint of what constitutes “appropriate”.

The only stated limits for P-mode are for shutter speed:

1/6000sec to 15sec. (ISO100), 1/6000sec. to 1sec. (ISO200, ISO400)

They are the same limits applicable during normal camera operation (not P).

Out of interest today I tested how the camera chooses the initial settings. It appears to be the widest lens aperture setting and a shutter speed appropriate to the in-camera metering. For example if the scene Exposure Value is 13 Ev and the lens setting is f/2.8 then the initial shutter setting would be about 1/1000 sec.

[cedric]

@kofa

@Thad_E_Ginathom

“STD” is not an acronym.

Here, of course not. But it could mean Sexually Transmitted Disease, for example.

I seem to recall something to do with telephone dialing.

[martin.scharnke]

@cedric

I seem to recall something to do with telephone dialing

Although this takes us off-topic, this was also my thought about the ambiguity of 3-letter abbreviations:

Subscriber Trunk Dialing - which meant that for a trunk (i.e. long distance) call, you did not need to use operator assistance. Became the norm in New Zealand (where I grew up) in the late 1970s.

The related ISD “International Subscriber Dialing” (self-explanatory, I think) took another year or three.

[Terry (Terry Pinfold)]

One thing about P mode is the camera will (or at least should) consider what focal length of lens is being used. So a telephoto lens will see the camera select a shutterspeed suitable to prevent camera shake and a wide angle lens may have a slower shutterspeed because the risk of camera shake is reduced.

Consider standing at a lookout and photographing the Grand Canyon. I doubt any aperture or shutterspeed setting by the photographer will improve the shot compared to using P mode. Composition and timing is what is important for this shot.

[cedric]

@Terry

Consider standing at a lookout and photographing the Grand Canyon. I doubt any aperture or shutterspeed setting by the photographer will improve the shot compared to using P mode. <>

So, by implication, the P-mode also knows whether or not the camera is tripod-mounted and how well …

[Terry (Terry Pinfold)]

@cedric

the P-mode also knows whether or not the camera is tripod-mounted and how well …

Hi Cedric, I know you were only having a friendly dig but you make a very valid and important point for both P mode and auto ISO selection (regardless of mode). The camera is presuming we are hand holding and will set shutterspeed and ISO accordingly. For this reason I tell my photography students not to use auto ISO when camera is on a tripod or we may end up with some excessively high ISO to prevent camera shake which doesn’t exist.

[yopyop95]

I only have one use for the P mode, it’s when I want to do fill-flash without having to spend too much time on M mode (Manual for the camera and Manual for the flash). And it does a really good job at it ! When using fill-flash, my priority is not the depth of field but the nice balance between natural light and flash. And weirdly, when I use aperture mode I always end up with shutter speeds that are too slow.
So thanks to P mode for fill-flash.

[Tamas_Papp (Tamas K. Papp)]

@Terry

I tell my photography students not to use auto ISO when camera is on a tripod

This is good advice, but with most cameras that have IBIS, tripods have become unnecessary for daylight (incl dawn and dusk) photography that does not involve stacking. Even basic, first generation IBIS allows you to handhold 1/15s. You may just set ISO to the minimum, or limit it at some sane value (eg 800 on full frame), there is very little difference with modern sensors.

Tripods are of course still valuable in a lot of situations, but the incentives to carry them around are diminishing.

@Terry

I doubt any aperture or shutterspeed setting by the photographer will improve the shot compared to using P mode. Composition and timing is what is important for this shot.

I agree, but this cuts both ways: you may just set aperture to a reasonable value and be done with it. This is not a use case for P mode per se.

[Terry (Terry Pinfold)]

@Tamas_Papp

you may just set aperture to a reasonable value and be done with it. This is not a use case for P mode per se.

But many photographers who are not experts struggle at understanding what a good aperture or even shutterspeed is. P mode lets them get on with focusing (forgive the pun) on what is important which is composition and timing. However, P mode would potentially be a bad choice for high speed sports photography or even portrait photography where setting either shutterspeed or aperture is critical to the final look.

In your original post you asked for a " use case" of P. My grand Cayon shot is an example of where it would be very suitable. You could jump off your tourist bus and with the camera set for exposure bracketed shots click away and you would get an excellent exposure and suitable settings regardless of how much Jim Beam you drank at the last stop.

[Tamas_Papp (Tamas K. Papp)]

@Terry

But many photographers who are not experts struggle at understanding what a good aperture or even shutterspeed is. P mode lets them get on with focusing (forgive the pun) on what is important which is composition and timing.

This I understand, and I think P mode is a legitimate feature on entry-level cameras. I just don’t get why $5–6k flagship cameras have it. My best guess is tradition

[EspE1]

Well, I guess most of us at times aim fairly high, thinking that with times and efforts spent we should elevate ourselves. That may include advanced system cameras, where P may be a helping hand in first phase – or starting as a newbee to edit images with a complex image processor etc

[Terry (Terry Pinfold)]

@Tamas_Papp

I think P mode is a legitimate feature on entry-level cameras. I just don’t get why $5–6k flagship cameras have it

Despite about 40 years experience as a photographer even on a $6K camera I would personally still use P on some occassions. There are times when I really don’t feel the need to be controlling the shutterspeed and aperture. I can understand that some people would find this strange but I personally find P a useful choice sometimes. Like all controls we can choose to use it or not use it so I don’t see value in deleting it as an option. The same argument could be made for removing other automatic modes such as aperture and shutter priority on the flagship cameras and expecting people to that full manual control for the most precise shots.