3 ACCEPTED SOLUTIONS
cicopo pretty much stated it...
If someone has no idea what to do with the camera then full auto mode is the easiest because the camera will literally control EVERYTHING and it wont let you make any changes (you are completely locked out of changing the exposure.)
In "Program" mode the camera will start by using the same settings it would have used had you just used full auto -- except you can override everything. In another thread, someone was asking about taking shots at night -- and it turns out using "evaluative metering" can result in over-exposed image when shooting at night because the camera doesn't realize that most of the frame is supposed to be black and it's trying to boost the exposure so it wont be so dark (but it's night shot... it is supposed to be dark.) So switching the metering mode helps -- but you can't switch metering modes in full auto mode -- but you CAN switch that mode in Program mode.
Program mode also supports a feature called "program shift". If you half-press the shutter button so that the camera will meter and focus your shot -- but don't take the shot yet. Instead... roll the wheel on the front of the camera (the dial next to the shutter button) and you'll notice that the camera will change the exposure settings... but they are all "equivalent exposures".
Fundamental the camera needs to collect a correct "exposure" for each shot. This means a certain amount of light needs to be collected by the camera sensor. You can control three variables... (1) the size of the opening in the lens (how much light can pass through the lens when the shutter is opened) is called "Aperture"; (2) the amount of time that the shutter will remain open (the shutter speed or "Time" value; and (3) the ISO setting of the camera. In over-simplified terms the ISO setting changes the camera sensor's sensitivity to the light (technically that's not how ISO really works on a digital camera but you can think of it that way.)
The 4th thing you can do (yeah, I did say it was just 3 things... I lied) is YOU can change the lighting conditions by choosing where you take a shot (ask the person to stand closer to a source of light) or use supplimental lights (flash).
Just getting an understanding of how these three factors work together is a big milestone that will open up considerably more possibilities with your photography then would be possible if you use automatic settings. It turns out when you start controlling the exposure settings you can do some very creative things with the camera that aren't possible when you shoot in automatic mode.
The shot below is a "panning" shot.... I've set the shutter speed DELIBERATELY slow so that the motion of the cyclist will be blurred (notice the wheels) and while the background is blurred and the wheels are blurred (this really conveys the sense of motion as the bike races past me) the rider on the bicycle is actually sharp because I'm panning with the camera (turning my body as he passes). The point is... this shot would simply not be possible to do ... at all ... if the camera were in "auto" mode. The camera (in auto) will not permit settings to achieve this result. In "Program" it can be done... but it's awkward. In Tv mode it's quite easy. In other words... there's a lot of power and creative capability in your camera once you get out of auto mode.
A good primer on the topic is Bryan Peterson's book "Understanding Exposure" -- it's very easy reading (written in language intended for those who are not familiar with camera terms) and makes it very easy to understand how to get the camera out of auto mode to start controlling your creative photography.
cicopo pretty much stated it...
If someone has no idea what to do with the camera then full auto mode is the easiest because the camera will literally control EVERYTHING and it wont let you make any changes (you are completely locked out of changing the exposure.)
In "Program" mode the camera will start by using the same settings it would have used had you just used full auto -- except you can override everything. In another thread, someone was asking about taking shots at night -- and it turns out using "evaluative metering" can result in over-exposed image when shooting at night because the camera doesn't realize that most of the frame is supposed to be black and it's trying to boost the exposure so it wont be so dark (but it's night shot... it is supposed to be dark.) So switching the metering mode helps -- but you can't switch metering modes in full auto mode -- but you CAN switch that mode in Program mode.
Program mode also supports a feature called "program shift". If you half-press the shutter button so that the camera will meter and focus your shot -- but don't take the shot yet. Instead... roll the wheel on the front of the camera (the dial next to the shutter button) and you'll notice that the camera will change the exposure settings... but they are all "equivalent exposures".
Fundamental the camera needs to collect a correct "exposure" for each shot. This means a certain amount of light needs to be collected by the camera sensor. You can control three variables... (1) the size of the opening in the lens (how much light can pass through the lens when the shutter is opened) is called "Aperture"; (2) the amount of time that the shutter will remain open (the shutter speed or "Time" value; and (3) the ISO setting of the camera. In over-simplified terms the ISO setting changes the camera sensor's sensitivity to the light (technically that's not how ISO really works on a digital camera but you can think of it that way.)
The 4th thing you can do (yeah, I did say it was just 3 things... I lied) is YOU can change the lighting conditions by choosing where you take a shot (ask the person to stand closer to a source of light) or use supplimental lights (flash).
Just getting an understanding of how these three factors work together is a big milestone that will open up considerably more possibilities with your photography then would be possible if you use automatic settings. It turns out when you start controlling the exposure settings you can do some very creative things with the camera that aren't possible when you shoot in automatic mode.
The shot below is a "panning" shot.... I've set the shutter speed DELIBERATELY slow so that the motion of the cyclist will be blurred (notice the wheels) and while the background is blurred and the wheels are blurred (this really conveys the sense of motion as the bike races past me) the rider on the bicycle is actually sharp because I'm panning with the camera (turning my body as he passes). The point is... this shot would simply not be possible to do ... at all ... if the camera were in "auto" mode. The camera (in auto) will not permit settings to achieve this result. In "Program" it can be done... but it's awkward. In Tv mode it's quite easy. In other words... there's a lot of power and creative capability in your camera once you get out of auto mode.
A good primer on the topic is Bryan Peterson's book "Understanding Exposure" -- it's very easy reading (written in language intended for those who are not familiar with camera terms) and makes it very easy to understand how to get the camera out of auto mode to start controlling your creative photography.
