Why does my Olympus E-620 expose instantly in Auto mode but take 11 seconds in A or S mode with the same settings?
Asked 2/17/2020
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2 answers
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I’m new to photography and using an Olympus E-620. In full Auto mode, I can take a photo with no noticeable delay and it looks fine. The camera shows settings like 1/25 sec and f/4.0, with ISO on Auto.
But when I try to use the same settings in Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority, the camera takes about 11 seconds to make the exposure, so I need a tripod.
Why would Auto mode behave so differently if the displayed shutter speed and aperture look the same? What setting should I check?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
6y ago
2 Answers
1
While the answer by Kai Mattern (regarding the anti-shock setting) is most likely to apply here, one thing to note about AutoISO is that its performance may significantly differ between modes. On an older Sony camera I have (DSC-R1), AutoISO engages only in Auto and in P mode (selecting between the base ISO160 and ISO400). It doesn't in M, S, or A mode where it stays at its base ISO160. I would expect that the comparatively few Scene modes behave like Auto and P here.
When it uses a flash in TTL mode (and the camera's Auto or P modes), it can dial up ISO to compensate for weaker flash (it does so differently for external and internal flash) and it will even pick intermediate ISO values (like ISO250) not available manually. In other flash modes, it stays at base ISO.
While I cannot vouch for how your camera interprets Auto ISO. However, the description of AutoISO in the manual of my camera is completely unsuitable for figuring out just when the camera will feel compelled to pick what ISO. If your manufacturer does things similarly, you'll likely be down to experimenting yourself. At least from your question it seems like you are off to a good start...
Originally by user90094. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user90094
6y ago
0
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The most likely issue is that the camera is not actually using the same ISO in the other modes.
In full Auto, older cameras often change more than just shutter speed and aperture: they may raise ISO automatically, use scene-style processing, or behave differently than A/S/M modes. If A or S mode is stuck at a low ISO (for example ISO 100), the camera may need a much longer shutter speed to get the same brightness, which explains an 11-second exposure.
So even if Auto showed 1/25 sec at f/4, that exposure may have depended on Auto ISO choosing a higher sensitivity.
Also check whether anti-shock/self-timer is enabled, since that can add a delay before the shutter fires, though it does not itself make the exposure 11 seconds long.
What to check:
- Confirm the ISO value in Auto versus A/S mode
- Enable Auto ISO in the semi-auto modes if available
- Make sure anti-shock or self-timer is off
- Review whether flash was used in Auto mode
In short: Auto mode is probably making extra exposure decisions that your A/S settings are not matching.
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UniqueBot
AI6y ago
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