# Auto-ISO + Manual Mode



## nerwin (Aug 3, 2016)

This morning I was playing around with my camera and wondered if auto ISO worked in manual mode and it does which made me is think, isn't this more or less a slightly more advance auto exposure mode?  

I'm actually kind of like it because I can easily select which aperture and shutter speed I want to capture what I want and not have to worry about the ISO, I'd much rather have a image that has proper aperture and shutter speed with noise then a blurry shot without noise.

But then again its still the camera selecting what ISO to us so there is still a chance that the image could be over or underexposed but I'm wondering if it's less chance of occurring than say it aperture priority or shutter priority modes?

Does anyone here use auto ISO in manual mode?


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## astroNikon (Aug 3, 2016)

All the time. 
The only exception is studio portraiture or outside family photos and stuff like that.

I don't like Aperture Priority because I also like to control my shutter.
I don't like Shutter Priority because I also like to control my Aperture.

So I'm in Manual close to 100% of the time.  But I use AUTO ISO a lot .  I also use a single point metering so images don't get blown out so much.   In indoor soccer I have issue where reflected background lights can cause an image to be weirdly controlled by AUTO ISO but those can be fixed in post.


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## goooner (Aug 3, 2016)

I use it for all my nature photos. Have the maximum set to 3200, if it over/under exposes it shows in the viewfinder and you you can adjust your ss or aperture accordingly...


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## robbins.photo (Aug 3, 2016)

nerwin said:


> This morning I was playing around with my camera and wondered if auto ISO worked in manual mode and it does which made me is think, isn't this more or less a slightly more advance auto exposure mode?
> 
> I'm actually kind of like it because I can easily select which aperture and shutter speed I want to capture what I want and not have to worry about the ISO, I'd much rather have a image that has proper aperture and shutter speed with noise then a blurry shot without noise.
> 
> ...


I do all the time.  I find it ideal, I can quickly adjust shutter or aperture and let the camera pick the necessary ISO for proper exposure.  That way I can shoot "from the hip" without having to make a bunch of adjustments.   Since most of my shots are shots of opportunity I find this works very well for me.

I set my max iso to 6400, which I've found is pretty much the highest iso I can use and get the results I want in post with noise reduction.

I can always manipulate the iso indirectly by changing aperture or shutter speed if I want.

FOR me at least I think it helps me concentrate more on what I'm shooting and spend less time messing with camera settings.

Sent from my N9518 using Tapatalk


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## astroNikon (Aug 3, 2016)

oh yeah, when in AUTO ISO I set the MAX ISO to 6400 on the d600 and a bit higher on the D750.

there are many threads about it
==> Do you use auto ISO?

==> Auto ISO or Fixed ISO-- Opinions needed


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## nerwin (Aug 3, 2016)

My auto ISO is also set to 6400, I think I had it set a stop higher before but the camera rarely used anything above 6400 anyways. 

My other question though,

How is Auto-ISO + Manual mode any different than Auto-ISO + Aperture Priority with a set minimum shutter speed?


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## astroNikon (Aug 3, 2016)

nerwin said:


> My auto ISO is also set to 6400, I think I had it set a stop higher before but the camera rarely used anything above 6400 anyways.
> 
> My other question though,
> 
> How is Auto-ISO + Manual mode any different than Auto-ISO + Aperture Priority with a set minimum shutter speed?


Because you control the EXACT Shutter speed.
In soccer pics I control my Shutter to get some shots that show the leg/ball moving.  A little bit of motion blur on the lower parts.  This is a specific shutter speed, which I crank up to get full motion stop.  But I need to control the EXACT shutter speed.   I'm also usually in f/2.8 depending upon their distance to me and if an individual/group etc.

With Aperture Priority and a minimum you still give the control to the camera.


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## Braineack (Aug 3, 2016)

nerwin said:


> How is Auto-ISO + Manual mode any different than Auto-ISO + Aperture Priority with a set minimum shutter speed?


what if you wanted to shoot higher than the min shutter speed, but with the same aperture?


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## nerwin (Aug 3, 2016)

Braineack said:


> nerwin said:
> 
> 
> > How is Auto-ISO + Manual mode any different than Auto-ISO + Aperture Priority with a set minimum shutter speed?
> ...



True, didn't think about that.


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## smoke665 (Aug 3, 2016)

If you want aperture, shutter and ISO to be automatic sometimes but still have control to change them individually to a manual setting sometimes, wouldn't  Program Mode be the best option?


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## zombiesniper (Aug 3, 2016)

Another Manual + Auto ISO user. 
Don't care how good you are,  you just don't have time to set your ISO when birds are flying from multiple locations.


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## astroNikon (Aug 3, 2016)

smoke665 said:


> If you want aperture, shutter and ISO to be automatic sometimes but still have control to change them individually to a manual setting sometimes, wouldn't  Program Mode be the best option?


okay
But I *always* want to control Aperture and Shutter.
ISO can just follow along and balance out the settings.

FYI, I've actually have never used the Program mode to know what it actually does. ==> I don't know how to P


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## nerwin (Aug 3, 2016)

astroNikon said:


> smoke665 said:
> 
> 
> > If you want aperture, shutter and ISO to be automatic sometimes but still have control to change them individually to a manual setting sometimes, wouldn't  Program Mode be the best option?
> ...



For fun I just switched my camera to P (professional mode) and it only allowed me to change ISO. Couldn't change the aperture or shutter speed..so I honestly don't know what the point of it is.


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## smoke665 (Aug 3, 2016)

astroNikon said:


> FYI, I've actually have never used the Program mode to know what it actually does. ==> I don't know how to P



The older I get, the more that becomes a problem  



nerwin said:


> I just switched my camera to P (professional mode) and it only allowed me to change ISO. Couldn't change the aperture or shutter speed..so I honestly don't know what the point of it is.


"

Not sure about  your camera but on my mine the "P" stands for "Program Mode" by going into menu you can set various photo presets same as automatic/manual, but the aperture, shutter and ISO can be changed independently by simply turning a thumb wheel.  You can change one or all three. When you set all three it's the same as manual, the only difference being that there is a little green button that if you push it, everything goes back to automatic.


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## nerwin (Aug 3, 2016)

I was checking it out on Nikon's website, and they say its used for snapshots. Hahahaha.


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## astroNikon (Aug 3, 2016)

Do the other programmable modes allow you to select the Metering Mode or Focusing Modes?
I know I like specific metering modes & focus modes for what ever I'm doing.


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## smoke665 (Aug 3, 2016)

nerwin said:


> I was checking it out on Nikon's website, and they say its used for snapshots. Hahahaha.



Well actually it is if you leave all the settings alone, there isn't any difference between it and automatic (snapshot mode). The advantage is you Aperture Control, Shutter Control, or ISO control, either individually or all together with a turn on a thumbwheel. I use it as a starting point and to confirm what I think my manual settings should be, then adjust accordingly.


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## nerwin (Aug 3, 2016)

astroNikon said:


> Do the other programmable modes allow you to select the Metering Mode or Focusing Modes?
> I know I like specific metering modes & focus modes for what ever I'm doing.



Yeah, you can change those in program mode.


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## nerwin (Aug 3, 2016)

smoke665 said:


> nerwin said:
> 
> 
> > I was checking it out on Nikon's website, and they say its used for snapshots. Hahahaha.
> ...



Yeah, but the camera is still making the decisions, I'd rather select what I want and just let the camera decide what ISO to use...most of the time it's pretty spot on.


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## smoke665 (Aug 3, 2016)

QUOTE="astroNikon, post: 3658521, member: 154561"]Do the other programmable modes allow you to select the Metering Mode or Focusing Modes?
I know I like specific metering modes & focus modes for what ever I'm doing.[/QUOTE]

Another major difference in Program Mode (auto) and Automatic is that Program mode gives you the opportunity to change picture mode and EV compensation. Meter modes and Focus Modes are menu changeable in Program


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## Ysarex (Aug 3, 2016)

Program mode on a modern digital camera gives you just as must specific control over shutter speed and aperture as you can reasonably get with manual mode. The function is called program shift.

Joe


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## smoke665 (Aug 3, 2016)

Thank you Joe, my mind went blank, and couldn't think of the term.


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## Ysarex (Aug 3, 2016)

If you think that you need to use M to control the camera and that in P mode the camera is deciding for you and you don't have as much control then you just don't know how to use your camera yet.

Joe


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## astroNikon (Aug 3, 2016)

smoke665 said:


> astroNikon said:
> 
> 
> > Do the other programmable modes allow you to select the Metering Mode or Focusing Modes?
> ...


Meter, Focus and EV Compensation, Picture mode? (do you mean quality) are all changeable by pressing a button and rotating a wheel for selection.  No menu required (maybe on d5x00 and lower it's in the menu).


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## smoke665 (Aug 3, 2016)

astroNikon said:


> smoke665 said:
> 
> 
> > astroNikon said:
> ...



Meter and focus mode are accessed by a quick menu button, which activates a thumb wheel to change. Picture mode (presets for portrait, landscape, bright, vivid, etc is a quick access button)


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## SquarePeg (Aug 3, 2016)

robbins.photo said:


> I do all the time.  I find it ideal, I can quickly adjust shutter or aperture and let the camera pick the necessary ISO for proper exposure.  That way I can shoot "from the hip" without having to make a bunch of adjustments.   Since most of my shots are shots of opportunity I find this works very well for me.
> 
> I set my max iso to 6400, which I've found is pretty much the highest iso I can use and get the results I want in post with noise reduction.
> 
> ...



Totally agree with all of this.



zombiesniper said:


> Another Manual + Auto ISO user.
> Don't care how good you are,  you just don't have time to set your ISO when birds are flying from multiple locations.



First started using auto ISO after reading Coastal Conn's tutorial on bird photos.



smoke665 said:


> Well actually it is if you leave all the settings alone, there isn't any difference between it and automatic (snapshot mode). *The advantage is you Aperture Control, Shutter Control, or ISO control, either individually or all together with a turn on a thumbwheel.* I use it as a starting point and to confirm what I think my manual settings should be, then adjust accordingly.



Finally someone made P mode make sense to me.


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## smoke665 (Aug 3, 2016)

SquarePeg said:


> Finally someone made P mode make sense to me.



Left off something, that I added in another post later.  EV compensation is not available in Automatic, but is your best friend in Program


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## DarkShadow (Aug 3, 2016)

Manual Mode,Auto ISO and this wonderful little button +/- EV Comp Is a win win for Birds.Go Nikon


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## robbins.photo (Aug 4, 2016)

DarkShadow said:


> Manual Mode,Auto ISO and this wonderful little button +/- EV Comp Is a win win for Birds.Go Nikon



Not so sure about that.  I've been trying like hell to teach the birds how to use EV but they just don't seem to grasp the concept.

You must have smarter birds where you live.. 

Lol


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## gckless (Aug 5, 2016)

I also use it all the time for motorsports. If you're shooting anything moving quickly, it's basically essential IMO. For static stuff though, I usually don't.


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