Camera Labs

If someone hands you their camera and says "here, take my picture", what do you do?

assuming the camera is a DSLR and set to full auto, do you stick with that, or would you change to a manual or semi automatic mode etc, as if it were your own?

I am talking about if you are handed it for one or two shots, not for a whole hour.

I have voted for the option of changing it to a mode that I am more comfortable with.

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Canon EOS 500D
Lenses: EFS 18-55mm IS, EF 50mm F/1.8 II

I just use whatever they hand it to me on, which most of the time tends to be auto anyway.

Also, Ive found that DSLR owners are more reluctant to hand over their camera and it tends to be point and shoots you are given anyway.

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Nikon D5000 and D300 with 12-24mm, 35mm f1.8, 50mm f1.4, 60mm f2.8 Macro, 18-200mm, 17-55mm f2.8 (all Nikon)

I selected fully auto on the poll but I would ask (without much detail to scare them) if I could adjust a few settings, then return it back to original settings.

I have had friends that have their stuff set like that and even after I explain it to them they just don't want it moved from what they know. I HATE seeing someone use a DSLR and the auto flash pops up when it is WAY NOT needed.

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Mike "The Squirrel"
Canon 550D | Canon EF 35mm 1:2 | Canon 50 f/1.8 II | Sigma 18-125mm DC OS | Tamron SP 70-300mm Di VC USD | Canon 430EX II
Military Issued Canon 40D | Canon 55-250mm IS

i just take camera and run away, but for real,i usually just take photo and that's all, but sometimes I want to take picture my way, rather then the way the person is asking.

I know what you mean, people are worried about things being changed incase it won't restore to defaults, which is far unlikely.

In this situation, my choice would depend on whether they were an amateur (that uses the modes) or a home user. If they were an overly concerned home user that is rushing me on, then I would probably just stick to full auto. But if it were an amateur with an understanding of how the camera works etc, or if there was plenty of time available, then I would prefer some form of control over it.

It is not easy to use a standard point and shoot in manual anyway.

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Canon EOS 500D
Lenses: EFS 18-55mm IS, EF 50mm F/1.8 II

If I knew the camera and how to change everything quickly I'd do so if the camera was in full auto mode.
If it was a Canon EOS I'd even ask if I could use my lenses on it.
Last time I was asked for a picture with a compact camera I took the SD card and put it into my 500D + EF 100mm 2.8L and gave it back later. Of course after asking.

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

Haha, does that not defeat the purpose of using somebody else's camera though?

I like your idea of putting the card into your camera, but I would be careful, because with digital files and formatting types etc, problems could occur.

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Canon EOS 500D
Lenses: EFS 18-55mm IS, EF 50mm F/1.8 II

When somebody hands me their camera, I generally change it to aperture priority, the mode that I generally use. The camera's usually on full auto mode, which doesn't give me the results that I'm looking for.

I was thinking about this a few days ago when somebody handed me their D3000 to take a picture of them. I knew that I would've gotten an underexposed subject and a properly exposed background if I left it on auto, so I tried switching it to aperture priority to lower the shutter speed and pop up the flash. I has a bit of trouble selecting the aperture as I wasn't familiar with the D3000's layout, but I got the image after all. However, I forgot to change the camera back to full auto when I handed the camera back to them. Oops...

Of course, that's generally only the case with Nikons. I don't know how to use Canons very well (I know the general layout for a few of their bodies, but otherwise I don't really know what does what), but I like to leave it on full auto with the Canon DSLRs.

The worst part about taking a picture with somebody's DSLR is when their eyes are totally different than yours. I wear glasses, so generally I have trouble composing for people without them as their viewfinder is so out of focus. I could always change it with the diopter adjustment, but I'd need to change it back and it's difficult to find exactly where it was.

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-Evan

Gear: 7 Nikon Nikkor AI-S and AF-S lenses, SB-700 flash, Nikon D7000, Nikon FM, variety of accessories

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
- Ansel Adams

The Nikon generally has 2 wheels. One on grip, and one at the back where the screen is and everything. If you are in aperture priority mode, then it is the aperture that is being changed anyway.

I notice you are a Nikon user. Canon are very clean and simple to operate, the consumer series are anyway.

What camera(s) do you use?

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Canon EOS 500D
Lenses: EFS 18-55mm IS, EF 50mm F/1.8 II

If it's a Canon I'm truly stumped! Then it's just point and shoot.

I was handed an old D40 on Table Mountain last week. Set to an automatic mode at F22 on a kit lens, I just had to switch it to Aperture priority and improve the settings a little. A quick turn of the dial afterwards and all was back to normal.

I like the idea of switching out the memory card for your own camera and lens with approval though. I'm not sure if I'd do that if the other camera and gear was better than mine, and I don't think I'd have the balls to do it if the other camera was worse than mine. It kind of says "mine's better than yours" - maybe I'd try it if the other shooter showed some interest in my gear.

I've never been asked to take a photo with someone else's DSLR, but semi-often with compacts though. I think people see you with a SLR and think you must know everything about photography so that attracts more than than if you were otherwise passing otherwise.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

I've actually been asked to take pictures with other people's DSLR more often than point and shots during my travels in Korea. I suppose it's because I usually have a DSLR in my hands also.

But back to the main topic, I shoot it in whatever mode they have it on which is typically Program mode. However, on one occasionally when I was asked to take a picture at night I did change the camera to aperture priority and adjusted the exposure compensation. I showed them the picture and undid my changes before handing the camera back to them.

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Nikon D800
Nikon 14-24mm f2.8G, Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f2.8G, Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f2.8G VRII, Tokina 100mm f2.8D Macro and Nikon AF 50mm f1.8D.
Nikon SB-700, Nikon SB-600

I have never been asked to take picture of someone with their DSLR, however if I am with family or friends and get the opportunity to fiddle around with their DSLR, I tend to set it to Av and adjust the settings to get them as close to what I use as possible. I do something similar with point and shoot cameras if I see the person has messed up everything.

Which is something like:
Av
One shoot Af
Single point focus, center
ISO-200 (depends on the light)
Center weighted metering

This is also a setting which is very "general" and simple to shoot with, so I don't feel bad about setting it up like this. Thinking I am at same time helping the person to use his/hers DSLR more.

So far it has only been Canon or Nikons, so it's not exactly hard to configure them.

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Canon 5D MkII -|- Sigma 24mm f/1.8 | Carl Zeiss 35mm f/2.0 | Canon 50mm f/1.4 | Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro | Lensbaby Composer
Canon A-1 -|- Canon 28mm f/2 | Canon 35mm f/2.8 | Canon 50mm f/3.5 Macro

@Canon 500D

I'm a Nikon D7000 user. The higher-end Nikons (the D7000 and up) offer both a front and rear command wheel, the front one used for changing aperture in aperture priority or manual, and the back to control shutter speed in shutter priority in manual, or to adjust settings such as the white balance or ISO when holding down a specific button.
The entry level Nikons (D3100-D5100) only have a dial on the back, which is used for adjusting shutter speed in shutter priority, manual and aperture in aperture priority. In full manual, you need to hold down the exposure comp. button and turn the wheel to adjust your aperture. There generally aren't any ISO, WB or quality buttons.

The entry level Canon DSLRs certainly have a cleaner interface when operating (the entry level Nikons have more dials and buttons for control, such as the burst mode selector on the D3100), but I still find the Nikons easier to use. That was a contributing factor when I was debating between the Canon or Nikon system.

Back on topic, when somebody hands me a compact camera, I have no idea on how to change settings unless it's a Powershot similar to my A460. I'll generally just try to turn the flash on with compacts, otherwise I have no idea on how to operate them.

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-Evan

Gear: 7 Nikon Nikkor AI-S and AF-S lenses, SB-700 flash, Nikon D7000, Nikon FM, variety of accessories

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
- Ansel Adams

Run away with it


Press the shutter, smile and walk away, no need to muck about with another mans settings.

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Mark Osborne
My life through an iPhone