mccamy@squirt.DEC (02/08/85)
From: "...decvax!decwrl!rhea!Squirt!McCamy" Merrimack, New Hampshire >Does it make a difference if a camera has aperture or shutter >priority? I have a Canon AL-1 and am considering purchasing >a T-70. I kinda like the AL-1 with aperture priority, >because I can pick an f-stop for depth of field. You also get >to see what your camera sees, since the lens actually stops >down. With shutter priority, the lens is wide open until >you actually press the shutter. >Marcel Simon >..!ihnp4!mhuxr!mfs Some info on aperture and shutter priority cameras: o Aperture priority allows easier camera setup for depth-of-field. o Shutter priority allows easier camera setup for fast action shots. This does not mean that you can't setup a shutter priority camera for depth- of-field, or an aperture priority for fast action. It is just not as convenient. I tend to think in terms of shutter speed, so I bought a Canon AE-1 Program camera. I love it! I use the manual mode almost always for my serious work and save the Program mode for lazy days. The camera is shutter priority, but allows you to stop down the aperture before shooting to actually "see" the depth-of-field. A word of warning: The Program mode on any programmable camera DOES NOT assure you of perfect pictures. It works quite well under "average" conditions. You will, through experience, understand the limitations of the program mode and how to deal with those limitations. It's a challenge in itself!
ix654@sdcc6.UUCP (ix654) (02/14/85)
There is no question that from functional point of view
aperture priority is no better or worse than shutter priority - they
are simply needed in different situations. However, I think that
there is a considerable difference as far as mechanical complexity
is concerned. To get shutter priority you need to pack several
devices into your camera, which are not necessary for aperture
priority (something that would sense the lens opening just before
exposure - usually a wheel with holes that generates impulses
counted by the controlling processor; you should also have a way to
tell what f/stop is selected by the camera, which means either a
window in the prism housing or a more complicated display in the
viewfinder etc. etc.)
It would probably bother me to know that there are such complex
& fragile parts in my camera - I'm not saying that they can't be
made to work reliably, but to me it's simply several more things
that can jam, break or malfunction in some other way. I suspect that
this is precisely the reason why the cameras used by most
professionals (Nikon F3, Pentax LX, Canon F1) have only aperture
priority.
I've been using a Pentax ME Super for the past 6 years and I
have never encountered a situation in which my reaction would be "I
wish I had shutter priority". It would be useful to have it, but I
can easily do without it in 99 out of 100 cases (I should add that
I almost never shoot sports action - it would definitely help then).
E.J. Behr, UCSD
(sdcc6!ix654)seifert@mako.UUCP (Snoopy) (02/19/85)
In article <1917@sdcc6.UUCP> ix654@sdcc6.UUCP (ix654) writes: > It would probably bother me to know that there are such complex >& fragile parts in my camera - I'm not saying that they can't be >made to work reliably, but to me it's simply several more things >that can jam, break or malfunction in some other way. I suspect that >this is precisely the reason why the cameras used by most >professionals (Nikon F3, Pentax LX, Canon F1) have only aperture >priority. The Canon F1 has only aperture priority automation? Since when? Stock, it is a match-needle camera. Add the magic prism and you get aperture priority. Add the motor-drive and you get shutter priority. (don't ask me why the shutter-priority is tied to the motor-drive, I haven't the foggiest) Add both prism and m-drive and you have your choice. I had ergonomic problems with both the F1 and A1. Fortunately they came out with the T-70, which has almost everything I want. The built-in spot meter (switch-selectable) and multiple automation modes were big plusses. Things they left out include depth-of-field preview, multiple exposure capability, and shutter speed in the viewfinder. But no camera is perfect, the T-70 came closest so that's what I bought. The multiple program modes are real handy. You can have it favor a fast shutter speed if you need it, or a small aperture if you need that. or 'neutral', or shutter-priority (with over-ride if you're way off), or aperture priority for fixed lenses, and there's always manual. I usually use the fast shutter speed program mode, which works quite well for most things. The reason why most camera companies are using aperture priority is because their lenses weren't designed with shutter priority automation in mind. The travel of the control isn't enough to get good resolution. So you don't know exactly how far the lens will stop down. One of the newer Nikons finally came out with a program mode, and to get around this problem they do a second light measurement after the lens stops down, and then tweak the shutter speed to compensate. _____ |___| the Bavarian Beagle _|___|_ Snoopy \_____/ tektronix!mako!seifert \___/ you know you've been spending too much time on the computer when your friend misdates a check, and you suggest adding a "++" to fix it.
ron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (02/22/85)
> It would probably bother me to know that there are such complex > & fragile parts in my camera - I'm not saying that they can't be > made to work reliably, but to me it's simply several more things > that can jam, break or malfunction in some other way. I suspect that > this is precisely the reason why the cameras used by most > professionals (Nikon F3, Pentax LX, Canon F1) have only aperture > priority. Probably the reason the Nikon and the Canon you list do not offer shutter preffered is because they are relatively old designs compared to the rest of the market these days. Back when these cameras were new it just wasn't practical to make the automatic lens required. I would have loved to have an F1, but I had to settle for a Yashica and then a Pentax. I wont deal with cameras that have fragile parts (complex, who cares, the thing is so complex that adding aperture control isn't going to make things a whole lot worse). I have a totally manual Pentax Spotmatic II that I don't use anymore because it's too fragile. It has automatic lense stop down for metering and the exposure. What breaks however is the meter switch. It's happened twice, and it costs to much to get repaired. Two services at $60-100 a shot equals one new SLR. I use a Minolta now, just because one day I needed a camera so I dropped into the local discount places and had them trot out everything so I could look at them. Fully automatic, shutter or aperature preferred, yes it requires the auto lenses to use shutter priority. But, if the lens should happen to break, or I cheap out and by a non-auto lens or scope mount or something, I can still use the other mode. I take this camera skiing, I take it to fires. It lives in a cheap shoulder bag which usually just gets dropped on the floor (gently) when I arrive somewhere. Nothing fragile about it, it's a working camera. -Ron
haapanen@watdcsu.UUCP (Tom Haapanen [DCS]) (02/28/85)
In article <8474@brl-tgr.ARPA> ron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) writes: >> It would probably bother me to know that there are such complex >> & fragile parts in my camera - I'm not saying that they can't be >> made to work reliably, but to me it's simply several more things >> that can jam, break or malfunction in some other way. I suspect that >> this is precisely the reason why the cameras used by most >> professionals (Nikon F3, Pentax LX, Canon F1) have only aperture >> priority. > >Probably the reason the Nikon and the Canon you list do not offer >shutter preffered is because they are relatively old designs compared >to the rest of the market these days. Back when these cameras were >new it just wasn't practical to make the automatic lens required. >I would have loved to have an F1, but I had to settle for a Yashica >and then a Pentax. A basic New F-1 (which has been on the market for about two years) is fully manual. One can buy an aperture-priority viewfinder, and buying a motor drive gives shutter priority (why? Don't ask me!). Also, Canon's FD lenses have always offered automatic aperture. Canon is a shutter-priority-priority ( :-) ) company, and I believe they have had auto lenses since the early 1970's. \tom haapanen watmath!watdcsu!haapanen Don't cry, don't do anything No lies, back in the government No tears, party time is here again President Gas is up for president (c) Psychedelic Furs, 1982