What settings do you shoot with?

[hookit 0]

All right. Since I've got the new still camera and all and there are WAY more settings than I know what to do with on the thing I'm curious to know what settings you experienced camera guys are shooting with.
Specifically:
Is weather the main factor in determining what settings you shoot with or do you change settings depending upon the subject...i.e. tandem vs. large RW formation (I'm referring more to shutter speed and aperture rather than focus but feel free to expand on any possibilities)?
What film speed do you guys shoot and do you change it for overcast (or less sunny) days or sunset loads versus bright, clear sunny days?
So far I've only used 'Sport' mode on my Canon which, from what I can tell, goes for a faster shutter speed to capture motion better. Do you guys use Sport mode (or it's equivalent on different brand cameras) also or do you use one of the 'Creative' modes such as Shutter priority? If you use Shutter priority what shutter speed do you use?
Okay...that's bound to be enough questions for one thread.
Thanks in advance for any feedback!
-Trey

[Zlew 0]

Well, you are about to get more info from more camera guys that you hoped for, but with everything: read it all and make your own decisions. I shoot Canon cameras for skydiving, and most of the time I shoot 200 speed film (Dusk or real low light I'll shoot 400 or even 800). Now, I can do this because I DON"T shoot on sports mode. Sports mode gives a real fast shutter speed to capture fast action...skydivers fall at 100-200+mph so its fast right? WRONG! Nothing is fast in freefall photos cuz we are moving at the same speed as one aonther. You don't need a 1/1000 or 1/1500th of a sec speed in freefall (great for stoping props, baseball shots, moving bikes etc.). You will get great shots with shutter speeds as slow as 1/60th or so and will only see some speed (blurr) in baggy jumpsuits. 1/250th or so will totally stop all fluttering (so will 1/125 most of the time). So I shoot ™ of my footage on P (program, same as full auto but doesn't use flash on Canon). This gives me the longest range of what I can get away with and insure sellable product. Light changes in freefall. You get below a cloud layer, it's brighter up top on sunset loads and dawn loads than it is down low. Your subject may or may not face into the sun. Some guys set it at manual at like 8.0 and 1/500th. Most of the time you can get away with this, but if your light changes, you can't change it in freefall. P setting will set your apt. and shutterspeed for you, and I have NEVER lost a roll of stills on this setting. On the climb to altitude, stick your camera out the window once in a while and push your shutter half way down to see what it asks for (on P) or what your exposure is on another setting. You might be surprised how much in changes durring the ride up just based on alt. and what direction you point your camera. For best depth of field I use a 28mm fixed (not zoom) set to infinity (clear from about 2 feet all the way out to never never land....even moreso on bright days when my apt. is smaller). Photography isn't rocket science. there are TONS of settings that will work. I like P because it gieve me the most latitude and best chance of having sellable product. Try things out. Play. Buy cheap film and get it developed at WallMart for 2.50 for 3 by 5's and see what you are doing.
I hope this helps
blue ones
Z
PS. think i got some BAD ASS pics of the lightning storm last night....will post if they come out well

[hookit 0]

Cool...thanks for the feedback.

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Sports mode gives a real fast shutter speed to capture fast action...skydivers fall at 100-200+mph so its fast right? WRONG! Nothing is fast in freefall photos cuz we are moving at the same speed as one aonther.

I was just wondering that very thing last night.

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Buy cheap film and get it developed at WallMart for 2.50 for 3 by 5's and see what you are doing.

I had a roll of film developed at Walgreen's last week and then decided that I wanted one blown up. I went to Wolf Camera (a.k.a. Ritz Camera) and decided to get a second print of a couple of the shots as well as a blow-up of one. I was AMAZED at how much greater the clarity was in the reprints than in the first prints from Walgreen's. It was a huge difference. I'm wondering if this is typical...do 'professional' photography places typically do a better job than Walmart, Walgreen's, Eckerd's, etc.?
Thanks again for the feedback!
-Trey

[quade 4]

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...do 'professional' photography places typically do a better job than Walmart, Walgreen's, Eckerd's, etc.?

In a word, yes. You really do get what you pay for.
Many of the drugstore developers don't change their chemistry as often as they should and they often have the machine do the work on the exposure of the print. These can really do awful things to photos and make them look washed out, bland and really crappy.
Don't get me wrong, they're probably just fine for your average snaps of friends goofing off, but if you want to do high quality work, then it's in your best interest to find a local custom film processor / printer that really knows what he's doing.
For a big-way or something that I thought might be usable in a magazine, I'd never take my film to a drugstore developer. It's just not worth the risk.
quade
http://futurecam.com

[jdhill 0]

Hey Trey, around here Eckard's usually does a better job than Walgreens for the quickie stuff...
but in answer to your question and as quade said, you do get what you pay for, the specialty places do a better job... I have not found one I like around here, but have not been looking very hard since I got the digi and do my prints at home.
http://www.aerialfusion.com

[Zlew 0]

For things that matter, make sure to take it to a good place. However, sometiems good places are hidden.
For example: the sub 3 buck 3 by 5's I get from Wally World are send off's (5 days). Have you ever wondered where they send the "send off's" to? The walmart I use (not sure if they all do) sends their film to Fuji to be done. Other labs will send them to Kodak. ASK the people that work there what lab they use (My local Kroger uses some lab I've never heard of). Wolf, Ritz and all of the custom guys do great work and will make sure you get what you want. But if you want high quality work at low cost (and don't mind not getting them in an hour), finding a lab that sends them into a place like Kodak of Fuji is a great way to go.