Why is Aperture priority preferred over Shutter priority?

As it is already mentioned, both aperture and speeds are tools photographer uses to make photograph expressing his (or her) vision. I started as Av guy and just later realized DOF isn't everything. Like with case of propellers, some scenes just need certain shutter speed, be it to freeze action or allow lighter or stronger blur. I can refer to street shots of TatianaShe here on RFF which photographs turned me noticing importance of shuuter speed.

As to camera advice, I'd say leave behind Av or Tv-only cameras and get, say, Yashica Lynx. It has both Av and Tv modes :) doesn't need any battery, you'll save time not chatting about corroded wires or shot cell, yet it has probably best shutter release - important property of camera. Uh, and it costs nothing, I mean, Lynx 5000...and 14 in some cases, too.
 
At first, all cameras were manual. Letting the camera set the aperture was a big step forward technically. Naturally, camera designers felt that the shutter should be set by the camera too, in case it was needed. This generally required a lens mount change (Nikon). I think some species of Canon only had M and S (AE-1?).

Many cheaper camera models only had A mode (Nikon EM, Olympus OM-10).

Once you have S, adding P is simply a question of programming ;)

So, A has been used for far longer than S and P, and in general, S is the most specialised of the modes... like many commenters note, they most often think in the terms of changing the depth of field as long as you can get away with the shutter speed selected by the camera.

That said, using S could be a way of forcing you to use a better composition if you can't rely on depth of field to remove some distracting background. Maybe worth trying!
 
rxmd said:
Same is true for the Leica M5.
Not around the lens, of course, but easy to set with the tip of a finger and a viewfinder readout.
Click to expand...

Until recently, I considered the OM-1 and successors the best in this regard.

Because of a remark somebody made in another tread, and since I have an M5 myself, I'm not sure anymore:

- with the M5, you can change shutterspeed and aperture at the same time; that's not possible with the OM-series

- but with the OM-series, you can keep your finger on the shutter, so you're allways ready
 
gerikson said:
At first, all cameras were manual. Letting the camera set the aperture was a big step forward technically. Naturally, camera designers felt that the shutter should be set by the camera too, in case it was needed. This generally required a lens mount change (Nikon). I think some species of Canon only had M and S (AE-1?).

Many cheaper camera models only had A mode (Nikon EM, Olympus OM-10).

Once you have S, adding P is simply a question of programming ;)

So, A has been used for far longer than S and P, and in general, S is the most specialised of the modes... like many commenters note, they most often think in the terms of changing the depth of field as long as you can get away with the shutter speed selected by the camera.

That said, using S could be a way of forcing you to use a better composition if you can't rely on depth of field to remove some distracting background. Maybe worth trying!
Click to expand...

Wasn't S before A ? All those Canonets, Oly RD, and the like have shutter-priority ...

The OM-10 can take an adapter to have manual control.


Stefan.
 
I have a Nikon FA which has four modes:
Programme
Shutter
Aperture
Manual

The only two modes that are used are Aperture about 20% of the time and in particular when light levels are low however I prefer using manual - cannot remember ever using shutter priority.

My FT3 has the shutter speed control ring around the lens mount and it's quite good how the spacing of the detents on the shutter ring are the same spacing as the detents on the lens. This allows you to select an aperture /speed setting and then twist both aperture and speed rings together so keeping the same setting whilst adjusting the DOF by the aperture setting the shutter speed is always correct. Difficult to explain however if you use one of these great cameras you will recognise this added bonus.

Regards
Harry
 
"Why is Aperture priority preferred over Shutter priority?"

Huh? By whom? When? Sometimes you might perfer shutter priority.... depends what you are trying to accomplish.....
 
By most people, Pablito...

People interested in fast or low shutter speeds are minimal compared to people caring more about a specific aperture for a certain DOF...

Apart, when I need a specific speed (unusual to me) I use manual or even aperture priority with the right aperture for the kind of speed I want...

Cheers,

Juan
 
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For me, both priorities result in the same result. For a given light situation, a certain shutter speed and aperture combination will work. I don't care which is set first by the camera. If it is a 1/125 with 8.0 that work well together, then if I use aperture prioriy with 8.0,or shutter prioritity with 1/125, it is the same.
 
What I mean is that even when I need a specific speed, I can't just forget about the aperture I'll get, because aperture is so important... So I don't use shutter priority even if I need a specific speed...

Cheers,

Juan
 
PeterM said it simply.

A shutter speed of 1/60 - 1/8000 makes no difference to the pictures i typically take, but an aperture of 1.4 - 22 makes a huge difference. Also, it's easier to adjust a lens barrel aperture than to reach a shutter speed dial the top of the camera when you're holding the camera while composing.
 
That is: sports photography (fast speeds only) and motion photography (low speeds only) are a minimal part of all photography. The five speeds between 1/30 and 1/500 are the common thing...

Cheers,

Juan
 
gliderbee said:
Wasn't S before A ? All those Canonets, Oly RD, and the like have shutter-priority ...

The OM-10 can take an adapter to have manual control.
Click to expand...

Hmm maybe, I'm pretty sure that SLRs had A before S ... (among the big players at least).

I remember paying quite a lot of money for that adapter (I was in high school) and then not really using it that much :) Nowadays I'm in A mode maybe 99% of the time!
 
Going against the grain here. Av or Tv do not give any control over the final exposure. The give control over light input/depth of field and speed of shutter. The final calculation is determined by the camera, which is really no better than full auto in terms of final exposure value/brightness/darkness of image. A camera meter cannot measure the 'actual' ambient light falling on the subject, and thus is tricked by colors and relflectance of objects within the frame.

There is also going to be inconsistency between shots even in constant non-changing lighting especially if framing is changing. To the poster, I recommend learning how to shoot in manual, via an incident meter, and try to memorize the exposure values in various lighting so that eventually you will be able to read light, better than any camera meter.

Please, no flaming.
 
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With Leica M cameras with Auto exposure the body does not know the lens aperture, so aperture priority is the only option.
 
There's yet another a variety of camera control not mentioned that I'm quite fond of. Only valid for digi's though. Aperture priority with a minimum shutter speed specified. In other words, if you know you need a certain shutter speed to get a sharp shot you can get the camera to bump ISO in order to maintain correct exposure and shutter speed. When you can specify max ISO too, you've got yourself a great tool.

I think this feature is very interesting with the high ISO abilities of modern cameras. On the Nikon DSLRs you use this function by setting the control dial to "A" and entering the menu system and looking up "ISO sensitivity settings" under the "Shooting Menu". Most if not all other camera brands have a similar feature.

That said, for shooting with flash nothing beats good 'ol manual, especially with Nikons brilliant flash system.

Mac
 
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