Why are Picture Profiles and DRO unavailable in Auto mode on the Sony A6500?
Asked 5/12/2019
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2 answers
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I'm learning my Sony A6500 and moving from full Auto toward more manual control. I’m trying to understand two menu limitations:
- Why can’t I select or adjust Picture Profiles when the camera is in full Auto mode?
- Why can’t I use DRO at the same time as Picture Profiles?
I’ve read that Picture Profiles may still affect the camera preview even though they don’t change RAW data, so I’m confused why the settings are locked or unavailable in Auto. What’s the reason for these restrictions, and which shooting modes should I use if I want more control without going fully manual?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
1
"Auto" mode is designed to prevent an inexperienced user from making bad decisions. In order to do this, the camera makes as many decisions as it can on its own, based on how it is programmed to respond to different shooting conditions.
If you want to control things such as Picture Profiles or DRO without going to full manual control, you need to get out of full "Auto" mode and into one of the "semi-automatic" modes, such as Program, Shutter Priority, or Aperture priority. These modes will give you a bit more control while still calculating the final value for exposure. These modes will also allow you to make bigger mistakes.
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
7y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
In full Auto, the camera is designed to make most decisions for you and limit settings that could conflict with its automatic scene handling. That’s why Picture Profiles aren’t user-adjustable there: Auto mode prioritizes simplicity and prevents choices the camera considers advanced or easier to misuse.
If you want control without going fully manual, use a semi-automatic mode such as P, A, or S. These modes still automate part of the exposure but allow more user control over other settings.
As for DRO and Picture Profiles, both are image-processing controls. Cameras often restrict using certain processing options together to avoid overlapping or conflicting adjustments. Picture Profiles are intended as a defined look/tonal setup, while DRO is another dynamic-range adjustment, so the camera does not allow both at once.
Also, Picture Profiles mainly affect JPEG/video rendering and preview behavior, not the underlying RAW image data.
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AI7y ago
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