MP, Shutter Priority or Aperture Priority

[mervynyan]

looking at my last few rolls, i can't get a consistent dof since i set the shutter speed first. the lighting condition about average, some in morning, some in evening. I mostly set shutter speed at 1/iso+. Also, I used hyperfocal setting exclusively for 2 rolls, the results were mixed.

Any tips are appreciated, cheers,

m 😱

 

[saxshooter]

Isn't the MP fully manual exposure?

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Isn't the MP fully manual exposure?

Yeah, last thing I heard; and I say that because I don't know if there's some "special edition" out there that does otherwise.

The M7 is the one that has Aperture Priority (via the light meter) and all manual, but that's it.

 

[harmsr]

I would guess mervynyan is saying that he sets the shutter speed first and then adjusts his aperature to conform with the meter reading.

Personally, I always go with setting my aperature first for the DOF that I want and then the shutter speed to match. However, if I am trying to induce a motion blur or do stop action then I reverse that and start with the shutter.

It completely depends on what you want to achieve in the shot.

Best,

Ray

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

I see. OK, then it seems there lies the answer as to why there is DOF "inconsistency": different shots throughout the day would have varying amounts of light, so if you're setting it only at one speed, your aperture will invariably change accordingly due to the fact that the scene may be brighter or darker.

Change in aperture --> changes the DOF.

Also, the closer your subject is to the lens (and you were to focus on it), the narrower your DOF will be than if the subject were farther away (and you were to focus on it) for the same aperture.

So, there are many variables that would explain an "inconsistent" DOF. Could you give us more detailed info?

 

[rover]

Any tips are appreciated, cheers,

m 😱

Honestly, take the batteries out and shoot with a handheld meter. It is slower, but you will have complete control of the exposure before you bring your camera to your eye.

 

[pvdhaar]

Aperture controls DOF, and shutter controls motion freeze. Aperture and shutter together form exposure. If the light changes, one of them has to give (unless you'd shoot digital and modify the ISO per shot). So you have to decide what's more important for you; DOF or motion-freeze.. If you can't trade-off, then you have to corrrect in development/printing.. (the analog equivalent of changing ISO). Basically that's the single use camera approach. Take all shots at 1/125 and f8 and compensate while printing.

Oh, and hyperfocals are not all they're supposed to be anymore these days. The films and lenses are just too good. If you enlarge, the objects at the near and far limits of DOF will show some fuzzyness that's not there in the plane of optimum focus. Your best bet is to either focus accurately, or to focus at infinity with a small aperture. In the latter case, objects close by will not reach their maximum resolution on film, but the overall scene will give a much more acceptable spread of sharpness throughout the distance range.