Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2013/06/11

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Subject: [Leica] Automatic mode
From: mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)
Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2013 10:04:07 -0400

Whatever modes of auto one chooses to use the bottom line is you are keeping
our eye on the numbers in the viewfinder and making sure they are not going
where you don't want them to go.
And keeping your eye on your exposures at the LCD screen on the back of your
camera and to make sure your exposures are not too hot or otherwise. The
image and or histogram.
And if they are you mainly just set the (+ and -) exposure controll to fix
it!
On my camera can be set up so the main wheel in the back fixes it. Fine
tunes exposure.  But I have that turned off as that ended up ruining more
shots than it was fixing. Because I'm turning it without knowing it.

The thing when things go fast you don't always have time to really keep and
eye on your numbers you just shoot. And in most cases unless you are not
lucky you'll get your shot. WAY MORE than if you are trying to keep your
camera on a fast moving situation and keep a needle in the middle too.
I've done it that way too of course for decades.
And I'm better at it than I am at patting the top of my head with my left
hand and patting my belly button with the other. I'd rather not have to.


On 6/10/13 3:57 PM, "Doug Herr" <wildlightphoto at earthlink.net> wrote:

> George Lottermoser wrote:
> 
>> 
>> On Jun 10, 2013, at 2:27 PM, Frank Dernie wrote:
>> 
>>> otherwise choosing not to use automatic on a camera with built in meter
>>> seems a bit pointless.
>> 
>> imagine thoughtfully choosing to use manual mode
>> as one walks up to the subject to take the photograph
>> as happened here:
>> <http://www.imagist.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/L1190239.jpg>
>> 
>> I saw this photograph in my minds eye as I sat at my kitchen table.
>> I thought about it for two days.
>> On the third day, now having both the time and desire,
>> I grab the R8/DMR, remove the 60 mm Macro, Mount the 15 mm Super Elmar,
>> As I walk across the yard I turn the camera on, to M,
>> knowing that A would provide a grossly overexposed frame.
>> I proceeded to take several readings, manually adjusting A, S and ISO
>> to create this - the one frame that I'd envisioned a couple days earlier.
>> I actually exposed two frames - because of focus and OOF issues
>> I couldn't quite decide on.
>> 
> 
> I *frequently* encounter problematic lighting that works best (for me, my
> taste, and my subjects) using the camera's built-in light meter as a guide 
> and
> setting shutter speed, aperture and ISO manually.
> 
> Relying on automatic whether P or A or S nets me many more bits in the 
> trash
> whether from exposure errors (blown highlights or featureless blacks) or 
> too
> slow a shutter speed or inappropriate DOF.  I'm constantly dancing on 
> multiple
> precipitous edges between usable and not usable.  Using manual controls 
> gives
> me a better shot at staying on the safe side of those edges & being happy 
> with
> the bits I keep. 
> 
> Most importantly, YMMV.
> 
> 
> Doug Herr
> Birdman of Sacramento
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
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-- 
Mark William Rabiner
Photography
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/




In reply to: Message from wildlightphoto at earthlink.net (Doug Herr) ([Leica] Automatic mode)