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Canon Digital Rebel XSi/450D
Goodbye P mode. Hello AP mode!
I've shot Program Mode almost exclusively since going all digital years ago. However since I bought the Canon XSi/450D, my first digital single reflex camera, I primarily use Aperture Priority mode.
P Mode is an automatic mode. However, unlike full automatic mode, P Mode lets you manually change certain shooting parameters such as exposure mode, white balance and exposure compensation.
Compact digital cameras provide a much greater depth of field because they have smaller sensors than DSLRs. As photographer Bob Frank writes in his article about Extreme Macro Photography:
"Great advancements have been made in small sensor technology in the past few years. The advantage of small sensors is that incredible depth of field can be achieved compared to the 35mm format."
Why Aperture Priority Mode
But with a DSLR, deep depth of field is not a given unless you control the aperture. While the degree of depth of field depends on a lot of things such as the lens and focal length length used, aperture size plays the greatest rold.
When using P Mode with my XSi, just too many parts of an image were outside the range of expected sharpness. Now, by selecting smaller apertures which I discuss in my blog enjtry about soft images, my photos are much sharper.
Other modes have their place
I still use Program Mode but only for candid and social snapshots where I really don't need or want to fuss with settings. I also use Shutter Priority mode when photographing wildlife since it's often vital to control shutter speed.
Breaking away from Program Mode can be a wise thing when it comes to many digital cameras, particularly DSLRs.
Category: Best Camera Features
