Manual exposure with auto ISO is now my only shooting method and very happy with it. It works for most every thing I shoot.

" By the time you finished fiddling with it, your poor subject would have died of old age" hahahah! Well said! 🤣

I used to shoot aperture priority for the reasons you mention but now find that manual setting and auto iso is far more useful. Especially as I don't have the luxury of a 400 f2.8 or 500 or 600 f4 lens.

Thanks for sharing your experience...I am only a hobbyist & still learning photography at 78 yrs old.... your comments will help me a lot, so I appreciate your video... cheers 😀

Nice topics and good explanations. Watching from Qatar

After watching hours of videos on photography Modes, you have made much more sense in 11 minutes. Thank you

The excellent Steve Perry (US Wildlife Photographer/KZfaqr) taught me Manual with Auto ISO - couldn’t be easier. Choose your preferred aperture and shutter speed, ISO does its own thing within parameters you set. I’d shot mainly Aperture Priority for years but, wouldn’t change back now. Thanks for this series of videos, I’ve really enjoyed them.

Wow. How could it be any clearer! Thanks for the excellent logical explanation.

A very nice explanation, well done. When I was a beginner, Aperture priority made a lot of sense but after shooting wildlife for a while I came to understand that 1/2000 - 1/2500 freezes most birds in flight quite well and a cheetah hun really needs about 1/4000 so there is no longer a need to leave that setting to chance by having the camera try to decide that for me and probably get it wrong at the ultimate moment. I rather fix the shutter speed in Manual mode and just leverage the auto ISO. At full zoom I'm dealing with 5-6f, if I use a TC then I'm at 7f. So I am already shooting wide open by force and I think the majority of photographers fall in that category because 2f lenses are pricey and out of reach. That's why I think manual with auto ISO will end up being the most practical option for photographers especially those who have been shooting long enough to know the required shutter speed for the type of animal or action.

This was a breath of fresh air for me. Amateur bird photographer struggling with exposure as shooting in shutter priority and missing the subject as they have gone for lunch by the time I’m ready or greatly underexposed! I ant wait to get out and try this. Thank you.

I understand the importance of aperture priority mode from this video. Thanks ❤

As you said, we are getting sensors better at dealing with noise and there is software to lower the noise, it is impossible to adjust motion blur in post production. This makes manual + auto ISO (with a limit matching your camera and taste) the way to go, in my honest opinion.

Awesome video, thank you.

I totally agree Mark AP every time it just works so good

Thank you Mark for this wonderful gift of nature photography...

Perfect explained, and amazing pictures.

This one of the best videos I've ever seen

This series is incredible!

What a great video with lots of interesting information. I love the fact of not guilt-tripping into using manual, like a lot of pro photographers on KZfaq do.

I always do this Yeah some people tell me not to but I find this is the best

Thank you from a beginning photographer, around 4 months now, very informative!

I'm new to photography, this was very helpful.

Really well presented. Back in 1971, I shot slides and almost always used shutter priority. Around 2012, I turned mostly to aperture priority mostly to control depth of field. Still, I did not think it through as rigorously as you have done. Thanks.

I'm continuing to try different techniques in my goal of better pictures, so I think I will play with this setting this weekend. Thanks, Mark

This is brilliant information

Great tutorial; ThanQ Sir! Loved it... I use 'Manual' mode most of the times ; now experimenting with Aperture-Priority mode after watching your video... It definitely is more easier!

Nicely explained, Thanks. Will Try it soon.

Great advice, appreciated thanks!

Thanks for sharing Mark, I use AP 90% of the time.

This video helped more than you know. Thanks and I did subscribe

Excellent comparison of the possibilities. I use the Canon RF 800mm f/11, so I'm in "aperture priority" all the time. However, I use manual with auto ISO. As you mention, you have to watch your shutter speed anyway, so this works fine. Also, I use exposure compensation via a quick control dial. This setup gives complete control with a minimum of faffing with camera controls. I just got another lens which is not fixed aperture, so I'm going to try all these approaches. Thanks!

Amazing tutorial. Thanks

Great explanation, I’m new to the wildlife photography world, and have stumbled across aperture priority, still researching my settings, and realizing I’m actually doing something right. Haha… I’ve learnt more in 11min than hours of research… new follower here.

Great video. Best explanation why aperture priority is a good choice. Up til now, I have been shooting manual, but I think I will start trying aperture priority. Thanks!

We're mainly here for the penguin shot at 8:29 🐧. Lovely explanation though Mark! 👍

Brilliant - and superbly explained, I'm changing my technique! Now I just need to figure out how afford an f4 600mm lens :)

Thanks for this video. I was taught to use full manual mode for just about everything. Aperture mode was something I never tried before. After watching your video I did some simple shotting in the backyard. Wow!! What a difference. I gave up on my 150-600 Tamron G2 because I could never get focus right. It wasn't the lens that was the problem, but rather shooting in full manual. Great info. Thanks again.

Great presentation!

Well done Sir!; absolutely brilliant explanation; will make my Camera life a lot simpler !!!

Thank you for this wonderful and generous video, sharing your amazing technique! I did my first photo shoot the other day and chose Aperture Priority mode with a 35mm lens on a Sony a7iii for portraits. The light kept changing that day quickly and with light editing it was perfect, I set the F stop to the appropriate setting but the light cycled 5 times during the shoot. I had ladies who were drinking and it was fun! Yes they also moved around. It was overcast, then darker, then lighter, then golden light flooded in..then it was sunset. I had taken an 80 hour photography course online by a professional photographer who is world class. I was familiar with Aperture Priority but not using it for portraits. It boosted my confidence..I had FUN I was posing them, suggesting different backdrops...I placed them in strategic areas...My client did not want blurred out backgrounds...she wanted details but soft ones. They all were wearing no make up...they wanted their skin tones even without any blemishes etc. By using this technique I got outstanding pictures! They love what I did and it really made me feel like I managed to pull it off! I did use the same F stop setting with an 85mm wide lens and saw the very blurred background she did not want. The 55mm was also too blurry for her so the 35mm was just right. I literally made my husband pose before this shoot to see what each lens would do with that setting. I do have a 300mm for my Nikon D5300 I can use for my beloved wildlife shots!

Thank you Sir, very informative

As a wildlife photographer I have to agree. I shoot in Aperture Priority the vast majority of the times, switching the Manual or Shutter Priority only when required for creative reasons like slow-shutter panning, zoom bursts, stitched panoramas, etc.

Started with Aperture priority for Landscapes but moved on to Manual with auto ISO mainly for wildlife ! Particularly difficult exposures last week with a little Dipper in and out of shadows with white fast flowing water, really no alternative with this one ! Great examination of the various modes ! 👍😍

Very helpful. Thank you.

Most all of these are fantastic pictures and as someone who’s fairly new at this, thank you for this specific info. It helps solidify what I have been practicing, based on what I’ve learned and Tried out in the field. I find myself using Av mode most of the time as well but I see the uses in using other modes (except full auto 👎)

Great video and super images. I use manual with Auto ISO nearly all the time. I have been meaning to use my camera's Fv mode more often. It should, as its name implies, be the most flexible.

Brilliant. Awesome 👌 The most practical experience and thought explained ever. A mode is the best. M is so troublesome.

Hi great lesson and truly one of the best camera mode explanations ever. Moving forward I will be changing how I use the camera modes. Do you use exposure compensation?

I agree with aperture, you can shoot manual only with controlled light but when changing light conditions are a problem you will lose photos that could you have been real keepers. Auto iso a valuable tool also. Thank you for the video.

Really enjoying this series! I used to be an aperture priority shooter myself, but a couple of years ago with the switch to a mirrorless camera, I've now found that manual with (limited) auto-ISO works better for me as I can set the aperture and shutter on the fly and see the changes straight away in the EVF, then tweak exposure with the exposure compensation dial as needed...

Very good thank you!

I shoot in manual. Auto ISO. Complete control of my camera is what I want. I plan. Take test shots. This makes it easy. When I started I was in aperture . Aperture and Manual in the camera can be fooled. I love to control my camera.

I shoot full manual and have no issues making adjustments using my meter in the viewfinder on my D500. I used to sit with auto ISO in manual but I now shoot full manual. I only shoot in aperture when doing macro, certainly not fast wildlife action like BIF

Thank you and very informative - will experiment! I can see this working especially in well-lit situations with a fast lens. If you have a slower lens and conditions are darker, however, modern cameras do very well set to M/Auto ISO. Different tools for different fools!

Perfectly said, almost always aperture priority.

Excellent Video Mark... thank you! Do you still recommend this setting if you have a slower lens such as a 400mm ASPC lens at 5.6? I find I'm underexposed often in this situation.

I’d take a look at Mark Galen’s video on “Auto ISO Minimum Shutter Speed”….. Why did you not cover that????? Your photos are Outstanding…..

Thanks soooo much, now i don't feel so handicapped .

Brilliant as usual Mark any chance you can do a video on shooting very fast birds ie peregrines swift’s swallows and getting them pin sharp any help Would be much appreciated 👌👍

I loved this video! And I love your humour! Ha ha ha! Yes if I had to use manual mode my subject would have died of old age or simply flown away! 😅 I always use AP but in auto ISO. I will start trying to use manual ISO for different lighting situations? Thank you so much!

Very good video!! Iam shooting in aperture priority too

Mark, great overview, however I disagree that AV is the sigle best way to go.Camera shooting modes are tools to be used in the most appropriate shooting circumstances. M has it’s place and is most definitely the preferred method in constant light. AV is always my choice in varying and changing light conditions. TV is often used by photographers who require a specific and often critical shutter speed. To know and understand when a specific mode is the preferred choice is the key to greater enjoyment and better more consistent results. Respectfully your Jean-Louis

"Your subject will have died from old age." LOL. I used to work for a wildlife photographer. He used aperture priority for most photos. Thanks for the explanations.

THE BEST VIDEO ABOUT APERTURE PRIORITY, SO FAR. THANKS. But let me share my own setting if it is acceptable: I turned ON the AUTO-ISO, with maximum of 800 and minimum of 1/30. Is that ok as a beginner photography enthusiast? I have purchased my Nikon D7000 around 13 years ago, and I barely used it. I am now starting to be with it (or her) again to learn more about photography.

What about those of us who don't have an F2.8 or F4 lens and are shooting at a minimum F5.6 or F8 with 1.4x teleconverter. It's not very often I'm shooting in great light either so 1/2000 sec is a dream. I've been shooting woodpeckers recently and now the canopy has greened out even on a sunny day there isn't much light. At F8 minimum for me it's about balancing the shutter speed and ISO. I do that by using Shutter priority and Auto ISO where I know the minimum speed I can get away with to get a sharp shot. Great channel but this episode didn't seem as relevant to me because I haven't got the same professional lenses as you and all the other pros that shot this way.

I mainly use auto iso with my Pentax K-1 ( Tav mode ). You control your depth of field and motion blur, and depending on the proposed ISO you can choose which parameter you have to adjust. But even with aperture priority you can check the proposed shutter speed and make decision about the ISO ... There is always something to check and adjust.

Nice video. I've gone back and forth between different shooting modes (sans full auto) and it wasn't until last month did I decide to learn placement for every useful quick setting button on my camera like a pro. AP is bar none the quickest way to achieve near perfect creative results under the ever changing landscape when out shooting a diverse range of wildlife. Turning a wheel to change aperture, clicking a button and spinning a wheel to change ISO, and/or spinning a dial to adjust EV can be achieved in a second. If money wasn't a concern, I'd buy a $3k+ mirrorless and consider shooting auto iso because sensors have come a long way, but that ain't happening when my money's better spent on glass. And a tip for 7Dmkii owners, 160 is the sharpest ISO.

I use manual all the time because camera has the onetouch settings for all three exposure needs.

Nice video. Would this be your choice with birds in flight as well?

From the comments this video seems to have created some confusion. I think the point is that while shooting mode will influence how quickly you can arrive at the optimal combination of shutter speed, aperture and iso this does not necesarily mean that this "best achievale" set of conditions will result in acceptable image quality. Higher quality lenses with faster apertures will allow effective images to be obtained at lower light levels than slower lenses, but ultimately as light levels fall similar considerations apply and it may just not be possible to get acceptable image quality. Personally I set aperture and shutter speed manually and allow ISO to float using auto ISO. I accept that under conditions of low light this can lead to high ISO values causing noisy images. But under such conditions if I were to fix aperture and ISO and allow shutter speed to float I risk subject blur from too low a shutter speed. In practice modern post processing software is far more effective at removing noise than correcting blur.

Nice Video...I have a micro four thirds camera (Lumix G85) and a Lumix 100-400 mm lens with a max aperture of 6.3 at 400mm zoom...and the problem i face with Aperture priority is that the shutter speed often falls low ...and since in any case i cannot have a lower aperture than 6.3 , i choose to shot in manual with Aperture 6.3 and a shutter speed of 1/640 and Auto ISO...if i find the ISO too high, i just lower the shutter speed as needed for still subjects...and this way have a certain degree of greater control over the exposure while avoiding blurring due to camera shake or subject motion.

Great video, I always use Av for wildlife but most of the pros seems to promote M. There is one other advantage that you did not mention. When necessary, I adjust exposure compensation down slightly to give an even faster shutter speed.

Hi Mark these have been really interesting videos thinking of looking at aperture priority but what focusing mode would you use?

Neat. Crisp. And idiot proof presentation. Thank you Sir.

Re Olympus micro 4 thirds. Can’t you use shutter priority plus auto iso? Such a useful KZfaq, thank you.

I used to shoot Man. + Auto ISO on my Nikon D500 now with a Sony A6600 I mostly shoot SS + Auto ISO preferring to keep the lens aperture wide open. But I've found that at times, due to low light, this isn't satisfactory so I have a button programmed for Aperture mode with a modest Auto ISO and use this ensure a reasonable exposure and SS be dammed. Using burst mode also helps to ensure at least a few decent shots

I think I would be more helped by Aperture Priority if I had an f2.8 or f4 lens. The lowest I can go is f7.1 or f10 with 1.4x extender (RF 100-500mm and I'm always shooting at the long end). I just don't have the luxury of playing with aperture for artistic effect or for adjusting exposure. So I shoot manual. Set a good ballpark ISO and give it some minor tweaks as necessary, but mostly use the shutter speed dial to adjust exposure. I really do like the full control I get over image quality that way. I guess I could try the Manual plus Auto ISO approach that so many people in the comments seen to like, but I think I need to invest in Topaz Denoise first because I'm guessing the camera will choose some very high ISOs if left to its own devices and Topaz will be essential.

Good Video

Thank you for the tutorials. A question/s: Why am I not able to see shutter speed values(numbers change on the screen) while in Aperture priority mode? I understand this mode controls Aperture but on other cameras while in Aperture, you can still see when and what shutter speed changes to when for example you over expose or decrease ISO. On gh6 there's is no sign of shutter speed reading even though I know it's changing internally. Is there a way to have it displayed on my screen while in Aperture priority? Question no.2: Can you still focus manually while in either shutter speed or Aperture priority? Does focusing manual when in one of the two modes have any effect to how light works or its absolutely okay? Thank you so much.

Hi Mark nice educational video. I’m a 99% AP photographer

I shoot in Manual 98% of the time. I arrive and set my exposure, as long as the light don't change I can just shoot. Often the light changes so I will have to tweak it between shooting. It just don't seem to slow me down, in my opinion. After all, back in the days before computer cameras, manual mode was the only mode and those photographers captured some really stunning photos.

Tell more about creative blur and settings in a video, please. Thanks! ;)

Shoot birds in flight, Tv 1/2000 with auto ISO and this works great. If I have 2 birds and they are not in parallel but one is closer to camera and birds on a perch use Av F8 with Auto ISO.

All exposure decisions require the same cognitive reasoning, deciding first what is most important, aperture or shutterspeed? If you cannot get the combination of variables desired alter the ISO. Manually changing either one of these and any given light problems can be effectively resolved. Fast and simple.

Birds in flight are best photographed in manual mode, at leasg when background brightness is changinging.

I’m also a fan of Steve Perry and have followed his advice (manual aperture and shutter speed with auto ISO). Out of interest following Mark’s video I had a go at using aperture priority with manual ISO. I was very surprised to see that the shutter speeds were higher than expected and the results seemed far better. I’m in a quandary now: do I continue you with aperture priority or go back to manual/auto ISO. More trials with aperture priority may be the way to go before making any firm decision I suppose.

Greetings! As you said there are many ways to capture an image! Interesting points of view but the only way to have full control of your camera and moments is manual! I don’t know any single camera that does well enough in Aperture mode! Regardless of the camera brand or model! There is a way to do it right in manual and it’s to learn your subject well enough! At least it has worked for me in the past 3 decades!

In my experience, shutter priority has taught me that bokeh is overrated. If i want bokeh i,ll just increase my ss until i see fstop wide open. It will still use the lowest iso and photos are sharp. Quicker than manual with auto iso. I rarely use manual with auto iso. Id rather go full manual, as miso alao slows you down at some point. I know it is quicker just to select fstop, but sometimes when metering is overexposed and already at lowest iso, neg exp comp will not work.

The canon 250D for beginer is good for photograph birds?

in Av mode if I’m awaiting for a static bird to fly how can I get the Ss to stay high to capture bird in flight. my canon 80 d is too high for static bird & too slow for flying bird. Hence I’m missing the shot.

Very good, the only problem is the lens😳 i only have a kit lens 55-200 5.6 it only has decent focus at about F11-F14 so i shoot manual. One day i may try for a better glass. Not a $10K one though😂😂😂 all the best from the Bahamas

Brill 👍🏻

Im 59 i shoot in aperture its an old person thinking I shoot micro four thirds wide open Auto iso May have to try auto Sutter speed

I disagree with manual mode. One thing i like to do in manual mode is to choose a static F stop number say f. 5.6 then use the highest cleanest ISO your camera can handle say 400-800 ISO. THEN only the shutter control is the one you are to turn and watch your metering. Its quit easy.

Shutter priority will usually slap the aperture wide open which will not be the sharpest. Depending on how good the lens is they need to be stopped down by 1/3 to 1 stop, so if you have a massive f/2.8 Canon, you need to stop it down to f/3.3 otherwise they can be soft at the edges. So if you are "filling the frame" you need to stop the lens down. Few lenses are dead sharp wide open, even a Leica might need 1/3 stop down. This applies to aperture priority too. Auto-ISO is not a shooting mode. It is they way the ISO gain is assigned by the camera metering. It works fine if you also have +/-EV compensation available to adjust what it chooses. Few cameras allow this and why you have to fiddle with a fixed ISO in Manual mode. When they do have this function Manual mode becomes automatic (not to be confused with Program mode which is meh). The metering mode may well need to be changed often, centre-weighted, spot, etc. With the advances in technology in the camera, new sensors, dual gain, amplifiers, as well as the firmware, noise reduction for high ISO in the camera has become better than anything software editors can do. However there are sweet spots at certain ISOs that are better than the ISO below that, experiment. Getting a bit technical but we no longer need to be frightened of going over ISO3200. We can usually set some upper ISO limit, depending on lighting and contrast ISO12800 is reasonable now, and on some cameras ISO16000 is acceptable. Unless birds are stuffed and nailed to the perch they invariably want a shutter of at least 1/500. Improvements in stabilisation have meant that even a huge lens may be used hand held at say 1/60, which is ridiculous and far too slow for birds. We may be able to set a slowest shutter in Aperture priority, or switch to Manual mode with auto-ISO and compensation for backlighting. If you do have to use a fixed ISO put it on a dial so you can change it easily, but you have to do the metering solution by hand which rather defeats the object. Wildlife is usually opportunist, we have no time to set up or fiddle. Burst or bracket? Auto White Balance is another thing that will keep varying the metering/gain as the camera swings about. Sometimes it is best to use a fixed WB to keep the same 'look' and not keep changing the colours.

Manual with Auto-ISO is the way with mirrorless. Noise is less and less of a problem with every next camera model unless u shooting very high res sensor.

Do you have a podcast?

VERY INFORMATIVE! I usually shoot in Manual mode put I can see where aperture priority has its advantages,,,,HOWEVER, I'm afraid the only wildlife I can capture here in Chicago are squirrels and sparrows, with an occasional raccoon or possum in the late night hours! haha But thanks for this video.....

never use auto iso. I was shooting a product in a warehouse. The warehouse was already well lit. When I got pics, I noticed they’re fairly grainy. Then realized the pics were taken in 2000 iso and the camera was set to auto. I went back and the took the same images in 320 iso and pics looked fantastic. I don’t know why the camera decided to choose 2000 when the brightness of the pics taken in 300ish iso were nearly identical.

so u set aperture while u watch shutter speed and set ur iso higher if shutter speed drops. how about u use manual+auto ios, so u same way set ur apperture, >you pick< shutter speed for what u photograph(flying bird? still bird? etc) and u watch the auto iso value, if it goes too high u evaluate if u can adjust the previous two variables or not. same amount of variables but i rather have noiser image while capturing the intended moment successfully, than having shutter speed drop unexpectedly during a burst or quick action and be left with no-photo but less noise.