I’ll stick my neck out and claim that you mostly photograph in A mode (Av on Canon), i.e. aperture priority, or directly in manual M mode. The P mode is unjustly ignored. It’s often mocked as “professional mode” or “pro mode”, but it could be exactly that - if you take the time to understand its function.
While the camera in A mode automatically selects a suitable shutter speed for the chosen aperture, it’s exactly the opposite in shutter priority in S mode. The camera selects a suitable aperture for the set shutter speed.
⚠ [affiliate] Keine Produkte mit Cache für default.
Bitte affiliate-sync --lang en ausführen.
So we have aperture priority, the A mode, and shutter priority, the S mode. In M mode, you can set both values independently of each other, but you are not supported by an automatic exposure system.
What is the P mode?
The P mode is a kind of full automatic with influence. If you have activated the Auto ISO setting in the camera, you could also call it “ISO automatic”.
In contrast to the automatic mode, you can determine in P mode whether, for example, the built-in flash should pop up or not. You can also compensate the exposure with the +/- setting, change the ISO setting, set a different metering mode or the white balance.
At the same time, the camera tries to select aperture, shutter speed and sensitivity so that you are always on the safe side and the photo is not blurred or incorrectly exposed given the current settings. The P mode always operates within the limits that are possible and sensible in the given lighting situation.
As in full automatic mode, the camera initially selects a combination of aperture and shutter speed automatically in P mode. However, you can now use the control dial to determine whether you prefer a larger aperture for shallow depth of field or a shorter shutter speed to, for example, freeze fast movements. This is extremely practical!
When should you use the P mode?
If you constantly have the same lighting situation and a similar subject, such as in a photo studio, you will work in M mode. As a sports photographer more in S mode and for portraits rather in A mode. But what if you are confronted with very different and frequently changing situations? Wedding photos, for example: Dark in the church, when putting on the rings you want sharpness and little motion blur.
On the way outside, you want the kiss in front of the church to be romantic and beautifully isolated, and immediately afterwards the bridal bouquet is thrown and you need a fast shutter speed again.
This is where the P mode comes into play: With just one turn of the control dial, I can switch between the different requirements and the camera ensures the best possible setting. You don’t have to change the mode dial and the aperture or shutter speed setting, but can concentrate on your subject and composition. Why would you want to do without the ever-improving functions of cameras regarding exposure metering? If you had to constantly correct such a situation manually, it would be very exhausting and carry the risk of being too slow once or accidentally selecting the wrong setting.
Most cameras work the same way in P mode:
Control dial to the left: smaller aperture (higher f-number), longer shutter speed -> greater depth of field -> more motion blur
Control dial to the right: larger aperture (smaller f-number), shorter shutter speed -> shallower depth of field -> less motion blur
Whenever light and subject can constantly change, the P mode is a strongly underestimated setting. Even if you always want to be sure that the basic settings are correct, but still want to have more influence, the P mode is helpful.
Important settings for the P mode
If the lighting situation can change quickly, I would set the camera to Auto ISO in P mode. However, you should also specify a maximum ISO value in the camera to avoid unnecessary image noise. Alternatively, you can also set the sensitivity (ISO value) fixed and increase or decrease it as needed.
It is also sensible to specify the longest shutter speed in the camera’s basic settings. If you have a camera with image stabilization, you can be more generous here and specify, for example, 1/10 s as the highest value. Otherwise, you should better stay at 1/30 s.
Conclusion
The P mode unjustly leads a shadowy existence. It is very helpful and has nothing to do with being considered a beginner. On the contrary: If you have understood the P mode and use it accordingly, it shows that you have understood your camera and know exactly when to use which mode. You could ask a “pro” to explain the P mode and the differences to the automatic, A and S modes to you ;-)
The P mode also frees you to a good extent from having to think too much about the correct setting of ALL parameters, and that benefits the image composition and the right moment for the best photo.
Hi! I'm Markus – the Fricklr. ⚡ Electrical engineer, 🎵 musician (bass, guitar, keys) and professionally 'something with the internet' 🌐 for over 30 years – nowadays with AI too 🤖 – a 55-year-old generalist from Bavaria, Germany.
Your feedback helps me write even more interesting posts. After "Yes" there's also a small option to support my work.
What do you think? Leave a comment!
Share your thoughts, questions or experiences with the community.