Why minimum shutter speed? (ISO menu)

[ProfP]

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I've read Q2 advice to set a shutter speed (in ISO menu) to minimize motion in street photography.  However, the only menu option I find is for a minimum limit (shortest) shutter speed.  The camera is free to choose any longer speed so there is no motion freeze help to the setting.   

I come from film where grain density could preclude very short exposures but I don't understand the electronic argument for a fast shutter speed limit.  I will appreciate any comments toward explaining this menu option.  Thank you 

[Le Chef]

42 minutes ago, ProfP said:

However, the only menu option I find is for a minimum limit (shortest) shutter speed.

This is one of those badly written explanations. It should really say that you can determine the slowest shutter speed in order to avoid camera shake. I set 1/60 or 1/125 depending on what I’m shooting, using the setting you describe.

If on the other hand you want a faster shutter speed to freeze motion then you need to use Shutter Priority and choose the speed you want. Ie. 1/500.

And obviously you can do that through the remaining settings by setting a wide aperture and a high ISO to indirectly give you a faster shutter speed.

Edited December 17, 2023 by Le Chef

[ProfP]

My confusion comes from the Q2 shutter option only allowing the user to set the fastest allowed speed as a limit.  This effect is  confirmed by observing the cameras shutter selections after setting this limit. (Set 1/250 and it selects 1/60, 1/125, etc).

Thank you for replying..  eventually I will graduate from manual to auto. 

 

 

[Driften]

1 hour ago, ProfP said:

My confusion comes from the Q2 shutter option only allowing the user to set the fastest allowed speed as a limit.  This effect is  confirmed by observing the cameras shutter selections after setting this limit. (Set 1/250 and it selects 1/60, 1/125, etc).

Thank you for replying..  eventually I will graduate from manual to auto. 

 

 

One thing to realize with Leica is that if shooting auto ISO and set a upper limit of lets say 6400 iso, if there isn't enough light to do that it will take the shutter speed bellow the shutter speed limit instead of raising the iso over the limit. Fuji works this way also. I can't remember what my Nikon did. With Canon it just underexposes the image in those situations.

[jaapv]

I don’t think it is graduating. Others may have other experiences, but to me Auto ISO has a limited usage window, namely reportage-type photography in fast changing light for the rest I will set ISO to the circumstances and stick to the real exposure parameters: shutterspeed and aperture. Reason? I think I am smarter than the camera. 

[pop]

I just had a look at the Q2 manual. All references to the shutter speed setting w/r to auto ISO either called it 'minimum speed' or 'max. time', which is really the same. A slower speed means a longer time.

Only on page 92 do they mention " fixed max. shutter speeds 1/2 s and 1/2000 s available for that purpose" which I don't find very clear, too.

[SrMi]

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9 hours ago, jaapv said:

I don’t think it is graduating. Others may have other experiences, but to me Auto ISO has a limited usage window, namely reportage-type photography in fast changing light for the rest I will set ISO to the circumstances and stick to the real exposure parameters: shutterspeed and aperture. Reason? I think I am smarter than the camera. 

I use Auto-ISO often because, most of the time, it does not matter what ISO the metering selects. I apply negative EC at higher ISOs as it affects ISO value, not the exposure, and protects highlights. All this assumes I am working with a camera with almost-ISO-invariant range(s).

[M11 for me]

Am 17.12.2023 um 18:02 schrieb ProfP:

I've read Q2 advice to set a shutter speed (in ISO menu) to minimize motion in street photography.  However, the only menu option I find is for a minimum limit (shortest) shutter speed.  The camera is free to choose any longer speed so there is no motion freeze help to the setting.   

I come from film where grain density could preclude very short exposures but I don't understand the electronic argument for a fast shutter speed limit.  I will appreciate any comments toward explaining this menu option.  Thank you 

I am not sure if everything is said already. However: Go to Auto ISO Settings in the menu. There set the maximum ISO to 50000 (just for a little test). Then set the shutter speed limit to 1/125s and try it now in a darker room in your home. You will see that the camera will do what you have asked it to do.

Now go to change your max ISO to 1600 and try again. In that instance the ISO has the priority over the shutter speed. When the ISO in your "darker" room reaches the set 1600 then the camera chooses longer shutter speeds. The set 1/125 are overwritten.

You have just to know this fact and in darker environments set your auto ISO to something that you are really willing to accept: In my Q3 I have set it to 25000. And then choose the shutter speed manually: You know best what should be that longest speed depending on what you shoot: Often fixed at 1/125 is fine (but up to you to choose).

And a final advice: For taking photographs we always need light. The more the better. When you are in dim surroundings then the available light has still to be enough for us as photographers. When there is too little light then you should have no ambitions to take photographs. I often shoot at events (inside). At such places there are always technical people around; people that look after the light, mics etc. I always speak to them and they gladely do what I ask them to do: A little bit more light on the stage: My ISO goes very rarely above 3200. Most of my images at such venues are taken with ISO well below 1000. So this is very little issue for modern cameras.

[Dr. G]

On 12/18/2023 at 1:53 PM, SrMi said:

I use Auto-ISO often because, most of the time, it does not matter what ISO the metering selects. I apply negative EC at higher ISOs as it affects ISO value, not the exposure, and protects highlights. All this assumes I am working with a camera with almost-ISO-invariant range(s).

I try to keep the ISO at 6400 or, preferably, under on the Q3.  The great thing about it is that you can shoot at almost -2EV without any issues and recover your images in post if you need to keep your shutter speed up.  When I has the Q2 this wasn’t the case.