09-13-2010, 10:46 PM
I'sd suggest you first check out that which you used most in the past with your film slr, with regard to settings and mode of working, and continue slowly from there on.
IOW, if you used Av a lot, switch to that mode, and start using it. However, do yourself a favour and set the camera to store both raw and jpeg for now, after you have determined what jpeg settings you like contrast, sharpness, saturation and colour wise (just do some test shots). Leave WB on AWB for now; you can always correct from RAW if you need to.
Since you can always change settings after the fact when you shoot raw, I wouldn't worry too much about settings like B&W, landscape, protrait mode, whatever, until you get aroound to properly playing with these settings if you really need that. What you can remember, however, is that it is very easy to change iso for any shot, unlike with film, plus iso 1600 looks better than anything you could ever produce at that iso on film. So, use it if you need it, it isn't a problem, just use it and be amazed <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' />.
As to standard setings on the camera, you need to define your own standard settings first. For me, as indicated I guess, it is Av, because in 99 % of the cases I want to be in control of the aperture. Furthermore, my standard iso is 400. It was that in the film age with colour, and it works well enough for me now. I'll change down and up if needed, no problem, but always revert to 400 iso after the shoot. The same with any other settings: I just make sure all is set back to my standard settings before I switch off the camera, and I make sure I mount my standard lens too, ready for use as it were for most circumstances.
AF I set to the central AF point, single shot mode, and for any specific adjustments I generally use MF for override, or AF on a spot with good contrast that is the same distance away from the camera as the actual subject.
Metering I set normally to evaluative, but I don't know what that is on a Nikon. If needed, I will use other metering modes, but again always switch back to evaluative afterwards.
I also switch focusing to one of the other buttons, IOW, not directly linked to the shutter button, because every time I press it it will then refocus, which is in most cases not what I want.
Metering overrides, or exposure compensation I dial in as required, and again switch back after the shoot.
Flash sync I set to maximum standard sync speed, and at the second curtain, just in case I shoot something moving with flash, as that will allow for the stopping action of flash to occur at the end of the movement in the picture.
I hope this is enough for a start. I'll think a little longer to see if I can come up with anything else. Roughly, these are my standard settings, which I essentially revert to after every shoot, if I have switched on or off other modes or values etc.
Kind regards, Wim
IOW, if you used Av a lot, switch to that mode, and start using it. However, do yourself a favour and set the camera to store both raw and jpeg for now, after you have determined what jpeg settings you like contrast, sharpness, saturation and colour wise (just do some test shots). Leave WB on AWB for now; you can always correct from RAW if you need to.
Since you can always change settings after the fact when you shoot raw, I wouldn't worry too much about settings like B&W, landscape, protrait mode, whatever, until you get aroound to properly playing with these settings if you really need that. What you can remember, however, is that it is very easy to change iso for any shot, unlike with film, plus iso 1600 looks better than anything you could ever produce at that iso on film. So, use it if you need it, it isn't a problem, just use it and be amazed <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' />.As to standard setings on the camera, you need to define your own standard settings first. For me, as indicated I guess, it is Av, because in 99 % of the cases I want to be in control of the aperture. Furthermore, my standard iso is 400. It was that in the film age with colour, and it works well enough for me now. I'll change down and up if needed, no problem, but always revert to 400 iso after the shoot. The same with any other settings: I just make sure all is set back to my standard settings before I switch off the camera, and I make sure I mount my standard lens too, ready for use as it were for most circumstances.
AF I set to the central AF point, single shot mode, and for any specific adjustments I generally use MF for override, or AF on a spot with good contrast that is the same distance away from the camera as the actual subject.
Metering I set normally to evaluative, but I don't know what that is on a Nikon. If needed, I will use other metering modes, but again always switch back to evaluative afterwards.
I also switch focusing to one of the other buttons, IOW, not directly linked to the shutter button, because every time I press it it will then refocus, which is in most cases not what I want.
Metering overrides, or exposure compensation I dial in as required, and again switch back after the shoot.
Flash sync I set to maximum standard sync speed, and at the second curtain, just in case I shoot something moving with flash, as that will allow for the stopping action of flash to occur at the end of the movement in the picture.
I hope this is enough for a start. I'll think a little longer to see if I can come up with anything else. Roughly, these are my standard settings, which I essentially revert to after every shoot, if I have switched on or off other modes or values etc.
Kind regards, Wim
Gear: Canon EOS R with 3 primes and 2 zooms, 4 EF-R adapters, Canon EOS 5 (analog), 9 Canon EF primes, a lone Canon EF zoom, 2 extenders, 2 converters, tubes; Olympus OM-D 1 Mk II & Pen F with 12 primes, 6 zooms, and 3 Metabones EF-MFT adapters ....