rgb@hou5g.UUCP (Rich Bantel) (02/11/85)
I have a Canon A-1 (with both aperature, shutter priority, etc.). At least 75% of the time I leave it on shutter priority. The reason being its faster to use. Of the two parameters to set, the shutter speed is the most critical. If you shoot at too slow a speed, the picture's blurred. Shooting at the "wrong" aperature is not "critical" (you should always focus on the picture's focal element anyway). If you have the time to take an "artsy" picture, either shutter priority or aperature priority is fine since in either case you vary one parameter to get the other variable "right". You really have control of both shutter and aperature. But face it, most of the time we take snapshots. In that case, you typically want the greatest depth of field for a given hand holdable speed. Therefore, with a shutter priority camera (& 50mm lens) you simply set the camera to 1/60 and the above condition is met. With an aperature priority camera, you have to adjust the f stop to the point where the speed is 1/60 (you could have problems if the sun goes behind a cloud just as you shoot because the camera speed will drop to compensate). Its slightly slower to use. Regarding the comment about seeing the amount of depth of field with an aperature priority camera - that's only true with the old cameras. That is, the new aperature prioriy cameras can set the exposure with the lens wide open. Both shutter and aperature priority cameras can allow you to press a lever to stop down the lens for examination of depth of field.