newbie..not sure where to post this question

[vickistark]

I am new to the whole photography thing and I am trying to get to know my camera. My question may be dumb but can someone explain to me what exactly the program mode does vs say auto mode. I read somewhere I should always use program mode but it wasn't explained why and what it's capabilities are. I have a sony cybershot dcs h5.

[Samanax]

The AUTO Mode option takes all creative control away from the shooter...you just point and shoot and the camera takes care of everything.

In Program Mode the shooter does have some creative control over the exposure...you can change one setting (like shutter speed or aperture size) and the camera adjusts the other exposure settings for you...and you have control over the use of the built-in flash.

The user manual should go over what each shooting mode is capable of.

[inkista]

On Canons, the P mode won't let you touch the shutter speed or aperture independently, but, unlike full green-box Auto, it will let you shift the aperture/shutter speed; set exposure compensation, iso, white balance; and turn the flash on/off. It's a good mode to use when you want to have a little more control, but you don't want to bother with directly setting the aperture or shutter speed.

[Doug Pardee]

Originally Posted by vickistark

what exactly the program mode does vs say auto mode. I read somewhere I should always use program mode but it wasn't explained why and what it's capabilities are. I have a sony cybershot dcs h5.

There's a table on page 44 of the manual that shows what's available in the various modes. Pages 45 through 48 give you information about what each of the items listed in the table means.

Basically, you don't have control over much of anything in the "auto adjustment" mode. In the other modes, you do.

[vickistark]

thanks, I have a better grasp on the basics than I had to start with. Now that I do, the camera manual is starting to make sense. Turns out there is a lot of useful information in there. lol NOw to put some of that info to good use and see what I can do with it. I have features on my camera that I was not aware of as well as not being capable to things I took for granted to be there and are not. With that in mind I am willing to "give it a shot" hahaha so to speak and see what happens.