why no shutter speed display when shooting M in A mode

[Go Figure]

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... wonder ?

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my Cl and M5 could do that 40+ years ago but my digital Ms can't ?

[Guest JonathanP]

Err - it does show shutter speed in the OVF when in A mode!

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[Go Figure]

sorry my fault ... shooting M in M mode

[Exodies]

Do you still have a question?

[Go Figure]

What I meant with the question is the scenario where you shoot in A mode , but you need to change to a shutter speed in M mode to compensate the exposure.

Now when you do that the formerly displayed shutter speed will all but vanish and you are looking at a - + indicator

that tells you nothing.

Now you have to remove the camera from your eye to set the shutter speed.

I know ... now you will say: why don't you use the built in meter ... my answer to that : because the meter does not tell you how much Off you are  > it just tells you  + or -.

As long as you shoot Leica M film cameras that was OK because you had a workable speed dial, not a 33 position ratchet wheel.

Edited March 15, 2016 by Mark Ebert

[Go Figure]

There is no way to just turn the speed dial to set it to a desired shutter speed, without removing your eye.

A + - dial would at least allow you to somewhat correct your exposure without removing your eye form your rangefinder

and subject matter.

Edited March 15, 2016 by Mark Ebert

[Guest JonathanP]

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But in A mode the thumb grip wheel can be used for exposure compensation, either by simultaneous press of the front button, or just by using the wheel on its own if you change Set->Exposure Compensation->Direct Adjustment = ON (which is my choice and allows +/- compensation without removing your eye from the OVF).

 

Hope that helps,

Jonathan

[Go Figure]

what

 

But in A mode the thumb grip wheel can be used for exposure compensation, either by simultaneous press of the front button, or just by using the wheel on its own if you change Set->Exposure Compensation->Direct Adjustment = ON (which is my choice and allows +/- compensation without removing your eye from the OVF).

 

Hope that helps,

Jonathan

Hi Jonathan , what camera model are your on ?

[Guest JonathanP]

M240 Mark, sorry I had jumped to that conclusion.

 

Jonathan

Edited March 15, 2016 by Jonathan Perkins

[Go Figure]

Thank you so much Jonathan !

...  I think it's time to upgrade.

[250swb]

What I meant with the question is the scenario where you shoot in A mode , but you need to change to a shutter speed in M mode to compensate the exposure.

Now when you do that the formerly displayed shutter speed will all but vanish and you are looking at a - + indicator

that tells you nothing.

Now you have to remove the camera from your eye to set the shutter speed.

I know ... now you will say: why don't you use the built in meter ... my answer to that : because the meter does not tell you how much Off you are  > it just tells you  + or -.

As long as you shoot Leica M film cameras that was OK because you had a workable speed dial, not a 33 position ratchet wheel.

 

Another thread had some insight into a similar matter regarding half stop shutter speed settings by suggesting "but one exposure compensation adjustment point proved sufficient for 50+ years" (Mark Ebert) and the same applies to not showing shutter speeds in the OVF. So make up your mind, but looking at the shutter speed dial has been good enough for '50' years but in year 51 it's all broken and we should start whining about it? I don't think so.

[hepcat]

What I meant with the question is the scenario where you shoot in A mode , but you need to change to a shutter speed in M mode to compensate the exposure.

Now when you do that the formerly displayed shutter speed will all but vanish and you are looking at a - + indicator

that tells you nothing.

Now you have to remove the camera from your eye to set the shutter speed.

 

 

Mark, "A" mode is aperture priority as that's the only option you have with a mechanically set, non-automatic aperture.  The shutter speed floats according to the aperture you have set.  In "A" mode, you don't set the shutter speed.  If you're setting the shutter speed, then you're in manual mode and you already know what you've set or presumably what you will be setting.   I really don't understand your question I guess... 

Edited March 17, 2016 by hepcat

[david strachan]

I agree with you Mark...looks like I'm the only one!

 

When shifting the shutter dial, all one has is LED showing under or over exposure (on my M8).

 

It's too easy to set it to too low a speed without realising.  All best Dave S

[JonPB]

Menu: Exp. comp. setup: Setting ring

 

Now, exposure compensation is as easy as turning the rear dial. (I generally have this on "set. ring & rel. but." to prevent accidental changes while allowing me to set adjustments without taking my eye from the finder.) It will show the amount of compensation for a second or so, then show the compensated shutter speed.

 

I initially disliked not having the shutter speeds displayed when in manual mode. Then I realized that it would just be additional clutter in the viewfinder and came around to appreciating the aesthetic/design choice of showing under, on, and over exposure indicators. Most of the time, I only have the camera to my eye when I'm about to trip the shutter, so looking at the dial is no problem. If I'm working fast enough that looking at the dial will be distracting, then A mode with exposure compensation (if needed) is an easier approach for me. Your mileage may vary, of course.

 

Hope this helps,

Jon

[hepcat]

Mark, "A" mode is aperture priority as that's the only option you have with a mechanically set, non-automatic aperture.  The shutter speed floats according to the aperture you have set.  In "A" mode, you don't set the shutter speed.  If you're setting the shutter speed, then you're in manual mode and you already know what you've set or presumably what you will be setting.   I really don't understand your question I guess... 

 

Another way to look at shooting manually is that it's "sort of" a shutter-priority mode in that you set the shutter speed and then use the aperture to dial in the exposure.  Between the actual aperture-priority mode, and setting the shutter speed and using the aperture to control the exposure value,  I'm not sure what else you'd need?  I've always seen "exposure compensation" dials and wheels as extraneous as all they are is just another control to alter either shutter speed or aperture, and you already have those.

[andybarton]

There is no way to just turn the speed dial to set it to a desired shutter speed, without removing your eye.

 

The shutter speed dial on all modern M cameras (except the MP) is large enough and rotates in the logical direction such that it is easy to change shutter speed without moving the camera from your eye.

 

Even with an old MP/M2 type dial, it wasn't difficult, but one had to remember to turn in the opposite direction to the one that you were expecting.

[Peter H]

.............  I've always seen "exposure compensation" dials and wheels as extraneous as all they are is just another control to alter either shutter speed or aperture, and you already have those.

 

 

Not for someone who is working in auto-exposure mode and who wants to be able to alter the exposure with one touch.

 

There are plenty of occasions when A-exposure works better than manual for me, and the exposure compensation dial then becomes very helpful indeed. It is also a delight to be able to go back to manual simply by changing the shutter speed dial, so the whole set-up is very finely thought out and executed.

[hepcat]

Not for someone who is working in auto-exposure mode and who wants to be able to alter the exposure with one touch.

 

There are plenty of occasions when A-exposure works better than manual for me, and the exposure compensation dial then becomes very helpful indeed. It is also a delight to be able to go back to manual simply by changing the shutter speed dial, so the whole set-up is very finely thought out and executed.

 

But, Peter, the M doesn't have an "auto-exposure" mode...  just aperture priority.  Changing ether the shutter speed or aperture alone IS "one touch."   And why in the world would you use "auto-exposure" in a "pro" level camera anyway?  That's turning your exposure settings over to a programmer and defeating the purpose of having a pro-level camera.  You'd have been much money ahead to just be using a P&S. 

[Musotographer]

I agree with you Mark...looks like I'm the only one!

 

When shifting the shutter dial, all one has is LED showing under or over exposure (on my M8).

 

It's too easy to set it to too low a speed without realising.  All best Dave S

 

 

I agree - I shoot manual 95% of the time, and I really wish one could see in the VF what the shutter speed is. It is very easy to set it too low and end up with an exposure which is less than sharp.

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Hallo,

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[Peter H]

But, Peter, the M doesn't have an "auto-exposure" mode...  just aperture priority.  Changing ether the shutter speed or aperture alone IS "one touch."   And why in the world would you use "auto-exposure" in a "pro" level camera anyway?  That's turning your exposure settings over to a programmer and defeating the purpose of having a pro-level camera.  You'd have been much money ahead to just be using a P&S. 

 

 

By auto-exposure I mean aperture priority. I'm not talking about settings that don't exist on the camera. All that stuff about P&S cameras and programme settings is irrelevant.

 

 

If you are in Aperture priority mode, changing the aperture will leave the exposure value unchanged since the shutter speed will be automatically altered accordingly.

 

And again, if you are using Aperture Priority and want to alter the exposure a little, changing the shutter speed will involve determining which shutter speed the Aperture Priority had selected so that you can then select the appropriate new shutter speed that represents the degree of exposure compensation you require, which is not exactly a one-touch operation.

 

So, for anyone using Aperture Priority, the exposure compensation dial can be very useful because it offers a degree of facility not otherwise available.