1/120 Shutter Speed & Auto Aperture possible??

[Nate Wood]

I can't find a way for the life of me to shoot 1/120 shutter fixed.. but auto aperture. It won't let me chose 1/120 in A, TV, AV modes. Manual is fine except no auto aperture. Please help!

[Don Palomaki]

See page 554 of the manual. 1/120 shutter speed is not available in Tv mode, 1/100 and 1/250 are. In Av mode the aperture is fixed and the shutter speed is automatically adjusted.

[Chris Hurd]

It's possible to access shutter speeds manually in Av mode by pressing the Exp. Lock button, but otherwise Don is quite correct as usual: 1/120 is not available in A, Tv or Av modes.

[Nate Wood]

I'm assuming you can't assign auto aperture in "M" mode?

[Chris Hurd]

Nope, as that mode is definitely "M" all the way around (completely manual).

Tv mode is the better way to go. In Tv mode the shutter speed is locked where you want it while the exposure is automatic; simply press the Exp. Lock button to switch off auto iris and enable full manual control of the aperture. Tv mode plus Exp. Lock is just like shooting in M mode (full manual) with the added bonus of having auto iris on or off at the push of the Exp. Lock button.

[Nate Wood]

Yes.. the only thing that I don't understand is why you can't select 120 shutter in TV mode.

[Don Palomaki]

The missing 1/120 speed is common to the NTSC XL-2 and XL-H1 as well. Don't know offhand about the XL1 or XL1s (is not enumerated in the manuals)

FWIW, the PAL version of the XH-A1 will let you select 1/120, but not 1/100. That might imply that there is a specific reason related to nominal frame rate or power line frequency.

The difference between 1/100 and 1/120 is what, 1/4 of a stop?

[Kris Flugan]

Am I doing myself a disservice concerning the learning curve of this camera by practicing only in M mode and not exploring Tv, Av and whatnot?

[David Chia]

Originally Posted by Don Palomaki

The missing 1/120 speed is common to the NTSC XL-2 and XL-H1 as well. Don't know offhand about the XL1 or XL1s (is not enumerated in the manuals)

FWIW, the PAL version of the XH-A1 will let you select 1/120, but not 1/100. That might imply that there is a specific reason related to nominal frame rate or power line frequency.

One of the reasons that I upgraded my XHA1 to do both PAL & NTSC

[Chris Hurd]

Originally Posted by Kris Flugan

Am I doing myself a disservice... by practicing only in M mode and not exploring Tv, Av and whatnot?

Av mode is not all that useful (rarely do you need to maintain one specific aperture at the expense of changing shutter speeds). Whatnot isn't all that useful either. M and Tv are the two most important shooting modes. Remember Tv mode plus Exp. Lock equals Manual mode with the added convenience of auto iris at the push of the Exp. lock button.

[Nate Wood]

Tv has become my go-to mode. From everything I've been shooting, it's been the only mode I need to use.

[Trish Kerr]

I have wondered about this as well. So from what I'm understanding, you'd mostly keep the iris locked on your preferred setting but if the space you are in has a sudden jump in light or dark, you can quickly hit the button to get the best iris setting at that moment, then repress back to your preferred locked.

I'm finally getting used to managing the manual controls at the front with my free hand, but I find if I have to hit the IAF button I'm hunting for it. The exposure lock button isn't an easy access either.

Trish

[Chris Hurd]

Originally Posted by Trish Kerr

...if the space you are in has a sudden jump in light or dark, you can quickly hit the button to get the best iris setting at that moment

Right -- it's a way to switch quickly between manual exposure and auto exposure, for those times when you find yourself in rapidly changing lighting conditions (such as a wedding videographer following a bride and groom in and out of doors), or any occasion where you need a fast way to go from manual iris control to AE.

You know how handy the Push AF button is for momentary auto focus? This is almost the same thing for AE as it is for AF, except Push AF is press-for-auto-release-for manual focus, whereas Exposure Lock isn't a momentary press but a switch -- that is, you have to press it again to return to the previous exposure mode.

then repress back to your preferred locked.

Well no, actually whatever f/stop the AE picks up is what your exposure will be when you press the Exposure Lock button again. It's not a preset return button; it just locks in whatever the *current* exposure level is.

I'm finally getting used to managing the manual controls... with my free hand

I don't have a free hand with the XH camcorder -- I always shoot two-handed. My left hand holds either the lens barrel or the bottom of the camera.

I find if I have to hit the IAF button I'm hunting for it.

I think you mean the Push AF button. Just takes a *lot* of getting used to it.

The exposure lock button isn't an easy access either.

I hear ya, but the more you shoot, the more familiar it becomes. My problem is they're such tiny buttons!

[Kris Flugan]

Thanks, Chris, for the speedy reply and Trish for expanding.

[Trish Kerr]

Originally Posted by Chris Hurd

Well no, actually whatever f/stop the AE picks up is what your exposure will be when you press the Exposure Lock button again. It's not a preset return button; it just locks in whatever the *current* exposure level is.

I think I need to practice with this one before I take it on the road...

I don't have a free hand with the XH camcorder -- I always shoot two-handed. My left hand holds either the lens barrel or the bottom of the camera.

My left hand is on the barrel - I guess it isn't really free at that point is it. : )

thanks for taking the time to respond in detail - very much appreciated

trish