Thread: What mode do you use when shooting with legacy lenses?

I'm starting to fall in love with legacy minolta lenses. In the last week, I've acquired 50mm 1.4, 50mm 1.7 (which I will probably sell since I got the 1.4), 35-70mm 3.5 macro zoom, 135mm 3.5 and Vivitar 135mm 2.8 (both 135mm's were picked up today at salvation army for $15!!!).

I've read that most people use aperture priority with auto-ISO...and let the camera pick the shutter speed. But since the camera doesn't know what the focal length is, will it pick the "correct" shutter speed? I've read that the min shutter speed should be 1/focal length. When I was testing out the 135mm, the shutter speed varied between 1/30-1/60 (if I recall correctly). SO i tried shutter priority and set it to > 1/focal length...but them the preview gets really dark. I suppose at this point i could jack up the ISO? And in shutter priority, I understand that the camera sets the appropriate aperture? But since aperture is set on the lens, is will the camera just go with the set aperture?

I also tried shooting in Iauto...and I seemed to get the best results using this mode.
I'm scared to try full manual mode...as I am VERY new to non point and shoot cameras so I want to "ease in" so to speak.

I simply set camera to 'A',..ie, aperture priority,...then set the 'best' aperture for the job on the lens and let the camera select shutter speed in the usual way. I NEVER use auto iso as inherent image quality is then not under my control. Even when using the 18-55 'kit' zoom I only use 'A' mode as it allows me to keep the lens on f8 (or very rarely f5.6)........

......This method always gives good results and I don't worry about shutter speed unless it goes below 1/60 sec (handheld) regardless of focal length used.......or unless I need to 'stop' movement.

I mostly use A mode, set ISO to 100 and let the camera set the shutter speed. If I'm shooting near/after dark or near/before light I'll use M mode. I will use auto-ISO indoors when I want to control the DOF though.

Scared? It doesn't hurt with digital like it did with film. You shoot, you peek, you note what happened, you delete and then do it again. Once you get it where you want it you keep doing it.

When using S mode with a legacy manual focus lens you pick a shutter speed (to freeze motion for example) and then you adjust the aperture to get the exposure right. If it's still too dark then you adjust the ISO to the exposure right.

These links might help:
Understanding-Exposure

How understanding exposure can lead to better photos

And I like this one best. Lots of good info on this site.
Camera Exposure: Aperture, ISO & Shutter Speed

Play. This is supposed to be fun, remember?

I use manual with fixed ISO, always. Full time exposure simulation lets me know *exactly* where I stand at any given time. Plus I shoot a lot of flash so lighting conditions vary little in that scenario. I'm not trusting meters too much, I really like to have full control. It's easy because you set the aperture directly on the lens, meaning you can change shutter speed and impact you're exposure without having to go through exposure compensation which is usually a press and turn or two press affair. Changing shutter is usually direct access and with chosen aperture and fixed ISO, it's the only remaining setting that immediately and visibly impacts your end result. Works for me.

DO NOT be put off by manual mode, it's actually the SIMPLEST one. Just make sure you've enabled the LCD to reflect your settings real time in the set-up menu (meaning the LCD won't compensate and give you the same brightness no matter what). Picking an ISO value is quite easy, 100 for bright day, 200 to 400 for overcast, or good daylight indoors, then you gradually go up the ISO ladder as the lights diminishes. 800 is good for average light indoor. ETC. Try it !!

I use A mode when there is ample light and I choose the aperture I deem suitable, adjusting sensitivity as needed but mostly keeping it at ISO 100. When there is less light I often use S mode, set the aperture at the largest value I can use without unduly compromising image quality, the shutter speed at the minimum value to prevent shake blur and sensitivity at Auto ISO so I get the least possible noise. I use this setting for indoor snapshots without flash.

I'm bouncing between manual and aperture control. I find that A-control does a pretty darn good job with metering and setting the shutter speed. I always set my own ISO though and I am moving towards manual more and more since like nianys said, it is really simple.

Originally Posted by Nubster

I find that A-control does a pretty darn good job with metering and setting the shutter speed.

Agree with that, I hardly ever use exposure compensation, while I was doing that a lot with my GH2.

Thanks for those links Binjo. They've all been bookmarked! I definitely need to educate myself on exposure...I messed around with it just to see how it affects my pics...I know that overexposing makes shots "brighter" and underexposing makes them "darker". But there is sooo much more to it than that I'm sure...and i need to learn how it works in conjunction with all the other settings!

All of my manual lenses have an aperture ring built into them, so I use "S" mode.

Aperture, set on the lens, "S" mode to adjust shutter on the camera. ISO set up as one of my quick buttons so I can get to it quickly.

For MF lenses that you set aperture on the lenses, isn't "S" mode the same as "M"?