FAQ, part 2: simplify, simplify, simplify

Parking, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

Green, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

Round, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

I got a question on what kind of settings I'm using for my night photographs. Below are some answers. However, the photographs shown here are more or less the opposite: deliberate overexposure to get a light feeling.

I wrote down some questions and answers earlier, so this is a second installment in a series. Maybe I pick this up again at some point.

1) I don't like automatics, especially the so-called "intelligent auto" mode of the LX3. Basically, I like to be in control, and I don't like surprises.

Thus, I'm almost always using aperture priority. I have used manual mode a couple of times, but only because the maximum exposure is 8 seconds on the LX3, and with manual you get 60 seconds.

Why aperture? Some say aperture priority is pointless when using a small-sensor camera, but it isn't, especially when you take closeups. And I learned photography with cameras which had aperture priority: Canon Canonet QL 17 GIII and Minolta XG-1. Thus, this is the most natural approach to me. (Edit: I guess I was mistaken here, as it seems that the Canonet actually had shutter priority, not aperture. But the XG-1 definetely was aperture priority. And that was the first SLR I used, and also the first camera of my own.)

2) When taking long exposures, I most often use manual focusing. On the LX3, you see the DOF area graphically on the display, so it easy to set the desired focus area. Most often, I use hyperfocal.

However, there is a potential hiccup here, because if you use the zoom, you have to check whether DOF is still right. For this reason, when making the long exposures I usually set the zoom at 24 mm and leave it there.

3) I use a pocketable mini-tripod to set up the camera. If I haven't the mini-tripod with me, then one needs to find some other support. When there is snow, one can make a pile out of it and put a glove below the camera.

4) What else? Oh, I almost forgot: I set the ISO to 100 when doing the long exposures, as the noise tends to creep up. (However, see the next point.) And I have exposure compensation at + 1/3 EV, which I change when needed. This setting is because I often have light sources in the photograph which tend to fool the metering.

5) Also, do not fear underexposure. When it is dark, the photograph should show it. Thus, 8 seconds is usually enough with ISO 100 and f/2.0. However, sometimes it is so dark this just doesn't work. You find an example here where I used ISO 400.

6) I have also another set of settings where I have ISO 200 and - 2/3 EV. This is for shooting handheld, often with deliberate motion blur.