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What camera features do you actually use?
Just got a D7000 (yay!), and sat down and read the manual like a good boy. There's a lot of features in this camera, and in others, that seem to be there for amateurs (scene mode, auto mode, etc.) instead of just learning the basics of shutter speed, apeture, iso, etc. etc. But other features look very powerful. The manual is okay in explaining what something does, but rarely says why you would want to use it. So I'm wondering what you all out there actually use on a day to day basis when shooting models. Do you have a favorite autofocus setting? Do you ever think, thank goodness this camera has 39 focus areas? What tech has improved your shooting? Dec 03 12 02:14 pm Link I always use single spot focusing. It's more controllable and I know what I've focused on. Using more than one point is great for landscapes but I can't see how it helps anything in the studio. I love the additional grip, the ability to have the shutter release in the right spot while vertical is priceless. Dual cards is also an excellent feature. JPG to 1 and RAW to the other. This provides you an easy way to give the client JPG's for review, if they like, while retaining the RAW images. Most non photographer people have a hard enough time understanding focal length let alone ISO, Aperture and shutter speed, then how to use them with and against one another. That's asking a lot. Yes they're consumer features. However, they can also get you out of a bind when you're on the go. I never take my camera out of manual but to each his own. Dec 03 12 02:18 pm Link Power Bost Photography wrote: I have a D800. Dec 03 12 02:22 pm Link my 5D MK II has something called highlight priority mode which i love. it also lets me create a custom menu for my most common operations. otherwise i tend to keep it fairly simple. usually in manual or sometimes in AV mode. i do use predictive/follow focus at times. Dec 03 12 02:24 pm Link Very few - I shoot in manual. I use the ability to set custom white balance. I use autofocus. Dec 03 12 02:31 pm Link Power Bost Photography wrote: Aaron Lewis Photography wrote: I use all my camera's AF modes depending on what I'm shooting. They all work, you just need to know how they work and which is most appropriate for what you want to do. Dec 03 12 02:37 pm Link like John, I just use manual, and recently Aperture P with compensation. I can urn on and off highlight alert. I set autofocus points. Not really using much on my 5D Dec 03 12 02:38 pm Link I use... ... Auto-focus, because my eyesight isn't all that great. ... I use manual mode, especially when working with my studio strobes. ... I use program model when I'm lazy. ... I love a tilting, pivoting live preview LCD screen. I wish it was detachable. ... I use a cable release. ... I use a tripod often. ... I use the white balance adjustments. ... I use a hot shoe for my Pocket Wizards, although a sync cord works, too. ... I use different lenses. That's mostly it. Dec 03 12 02:40 pm Link AF fine tune, 14-bit NEF, Active-D lighting and FV lock. Dec 03 12 02:41 pm Link 39 AF points? Wanna see a guy vasectomize himself? Give ME 39 AF points!  I have the 5D MKII, and generally compared to what's out today, it's a dinosaur. I use all 9 of my AF points, but mostly just the center, as it's the only Cross-type AF point. It tends to be a bit more accurate, and easier to use in low light, such as the Christmas light shoot I just did for a family over the weekend. I really only use "M" mode, although, in a tough situation I would use AV, or TV depending on what I was trying to accomplish. I didn't even know it had a "P" mode, or an auto mode for months after I got it! Being as it is the 5D MKII, I have been practicing video, and getting better at it. I have a guy in town who wants to shoot a before/after/during video as he remodels his building. That little feature might come in handy. Don't have horizon markers, levelers, whatever you call those, but that would be nice. Not something needed, but it would be nice. I do use the DOF button on it in certain situations, to see how trees, shrubs, buildings, and the like will be rendered. I normally shoot an outdoor scene at f-16+, almost ALWAYS over f-8, I want to make sure that if it is blown out (out of focus), it is done well. I have found that at small, to tiny apertures, the bokeh can be chunky, or very unpleasing at times, that is...... if there is any. I do manual focus as often as needed. ONLY when needed, and being the camera I have, sometimes it's the only way. I was shooting some kids not too long ago in the person's living room. They had a BEAUTIFUL sunlight coming in through the back door, and when I put the kids head in front of the sun, my 5D looked back at me and said, "You're kidding, right?!" So it's a good thing the 85 1.8 has a full time manual focus override! I think I even felt it try to shake it's head, dunno. Like I said, with as many advancements that are coming out now, and as quickly as they are coming out, my "archaic" 5D seems to be a bit behind on "Features", but it does everything I need it to do and more. The IQ is beyond my photographic abilities at the moment, (my entire port here was shot on that one camera) so even if it doesn't have an owners manual thick enough to rival War and Peace, it has plenty for me, and I use as much of it as possible, when needed! ;-) Dec 03 12 02:44 pm Link Good Egg Productions wrote: Yes, I have a feeling all new prosumer and on up cameras in 2013 will have wifi. Also touchscreens. And the Panasonic GH3 has the ability to be controlled by an iPad or something crazy. Not that you'd use it in model photography...but still. Dec 03 12 02:50 pm Link I use the little quick controller on my Canon 5D to select a single focus point, and then I use back-button auto focus. I'm in manual mode, so occasionally I'll turn a dial to adjust the aperture. Beyond that I tend to use the shutter button quite a lot. That's about it. Dec 03 12 02:55 pm Link I can't name what I do, or don't use, but at one point or another, I've used almost everything my bodies can do. If I had a 6D, I'd definitely use wifi. If I had a 1Dx/5D3, I'd use the AF microadjustment on both ends of a zoom and I'd play with some of the built-in processing tools to send eye-fi shots to phone/tablets, etc... For the most part, newer bodies have made life easier for me as far as shooting goes. I can do with a plain old camera, but I'm glad that I don't have to. Dec 03 12 03:02 pm Link The Toggle Wheel Comparison Comparing 2 similar shots, zoom to the MAX on the LCD, and use the wheel (Canon) to compare the images for focus and sharpness. On Nikons, you can also do this, even on lower end cameras! Just zoom in to the MAX and use the Nikon rear thumb wheel to toggle! (Nikon never tells you this, even on the manuals!) HA! Da secret ees out Nikon!    . Dec 03 12 03:08 pm Link Blimey! So many replies so quickly, thanks everyone! Customizing a menu is something I want to look into, as I spend a lot of time digging...but the D7000 has pretty much everything on the body. I guess, also, that you don't realize you need a feature until something happens and then it saves your ass. Dec 03 12 03:10 pm Link Fv lock assigned to one of the buttons when using i-TTL flash. This will pre-measure the flash exposure so that they aren't blinking for the primary flash. Dec 03 12 03:12 pm Link The features I use the most on my Nikon D700 and I would like to know if the Nikon D800 have them: Dynamic AF Area, 51 points (3D Tracking) and Function Botton set to FV Lock for flash I don't think I can live without these two features. Any Nikon shooters know if the D800 have these. Dec 03 12 03:13 pm Link Extrosy wrote: Actually, the pre-measure of the flash exposure is so that you can recompose. It has nothing to do with blinking of the eyes. Dec 03 12 03:17 pm Link me voy wrote: They are both on the D800. Dec 03 12 03:18 pm Link me voy wrote: That may be it's intended purpose, however I find it much more useful in preventing people from blinking during the main flash. Dec 03 12 03:19 pm Link I use the red scene mode to tell a model they are burning up and need to put on sunscreen. I used the blue when I was lazy and wanted to capture pools of water reflecting a summer blue sky. I'm always either on centre-spot AF single shot or right-spot for fashion shows. I use MF only when I'm too lazy to turn on a modeling light. I probably should have a card in the spare slot but I'm too lazy so I just carry cards in my pack. I used burst modes maybe twice on one of the cameras. I assume the others have it but havent bother to find in the screen or menu system. Dec 03 12 03:20 pm Link Extrosy wrote: OK, got it. Dec 03 12 03:23 pm Link Most used feature is Manual I have used live view a couple of times. Dec 03 12 03:24 pm Link JGC Photography wrote: That's not a feature, that's a setting. Dec 03 12 03:25 pm Link I've got the D7000 & use whatever camera features needed to get the shot I want. But would have to say the shutter button is the most used Dec 03 12 03:41 pm Link I whish they had Auto-Creative Mode ! The rest can be figured out a couple of days before becoming obsolete :-) Dec 03 12 03:42 pm Link Power Bost Photography wrote: Manual exposure, manual focus. Dec 03 12 03:46 pm Link Manual exp with lock. I always lock the shutter speed to avoid accidentally changing the speed, esp when shooting with flash. On my D3 you can program one of the function buttons to act as flash override which I find useful. Dec 03 12 03:52 pm Link On the D800 I really like the horizon/level setting. This is especially true with extra wide lenses. Dec 03 12 03:56 pm Link I use full manual for: ISO Aperture Exposure Flash White balance I use: single point auto focus Aperture preview (single button on my Canon camera) PC port studio flash connection Single shot for models Rapid fire shots for sports 10second timer for extended tripod night scenes (sometimes 2 seconds) Too many features to list which I make use of. Just about the only automated thing I make use of is the auto focus. Everything else I do myself. Dec 03 12 07:58 pm Link Aaron Lewis Photography wrote: This is how I roll. Dec 03 12 08:01 pm Link Apart from the normal manual settings, jpeg mode, jpeg+raw, custom w/b, spot focus, spot meter, average meter, exp/flash compensation, in camera adjustments for sharpening and b/w mode... Sometimes manual focus, self timer and bulb mode on occasion. That's about it Edit, oh yeah... Ae-lock Dec 03 12 08:13 pm Link Pretty much all of em, depending on what I am shooting. Most often used are A and S priority but I do use M. Use Back button AF a lot and use all the AF modes and options. Rarely use Auto ISO (only use with remote cameras), self timer. Things I do not use are FV for flash, bracketing, intervalometer. Dec 03 12 08:14 pm Link Caveman Creations wrote: Is it really? I use one with an 85 1.2 and I still think it's pretty OK. But I like to shoot with my A1. Maybe I'm the dinosaur. Dec 03 12 08:21 pm Link Robert Helm wrote: +1 Dec 03 12 08:21 pm Link KA Style wrote: Back button focusing option. Dec 03 12 08:21 pm Link Cuica Cafezinho wrote: Oh, don't get me wrong........ I LOVE this camera. But then again, they don't call me "Caveman" for nothing! ;-) Dec 03 12 08:32 pm Link Lately I have found I don't use a good majority of the features on my Nikon DSLRs. I am to the point of dumping off all of it and go back to basics with a Leica or something similar since I usually shoot manually or Aperture Priority at best. I rather spend my pennies now on quality lenses than all the bells and whistles of a DSLR set-up. Dec 03 12 08:35 pm Link Caveman Creations wrote: I will NOT play with a 1DX...it will force me to purchase it... Dec 03 12 08:46 pm Link Power Bost Photography wrote: I have a D7000 too (only for a few months so still learning!) and I shoot mostly with aperture priority since I usually shoot with continuous lights and like to play with depth of field. I use live-view a lot and use the face-priority auto-focus a lot. When not in live-view, it is set to use AF-A 21 point. Dec 03 12 08:47 pm Link |
, but I won't be spending any money on a new body anytime soon. 
True story...and more great features! (Than my 40d).