Hey George about your info on the, "Lansdscape mode gave f13.5, normal gave f8, and action gave f3.5", you listed above. These are focus numbers right? I get them in my camera in either manual aperture, or automatic indepth mode. I thought they were aperture numbers at first, (which I wished the camera would show me in auto modes). If these are focus numbers, why are they being listed? So you'll know the light availability? Mine changes mostly due to zooming, and the present lense is only a 3.5 to 5.6. It really confused me for a while because there is a 3.5 on my aperture, but i figured it out when it never got above 5.6, and the A goes all the way to 22.
By the way I was playing with my camera in the backyard earlier, and I do see the difference in the in depth mode. I been cussing the lack of winter light the last couple of days, (and my bad hours), and just noticed I had it on in depth mode. No wonder I was getting below 60 on most of the SS readouts. And on manual aperture i do see the shutterspeed changing when i manually use the aperture ring, so when I get enough light to play with i'll try some small diameter in depth focal shots.
Not sure what the DOF scale you said stands for, but I use my focus manually unless quickly shooting people at a party or holidays in well light, usualy indoors, and even then I do it myself allot. Also I get annoyed at the in focus beeping, and usualy shoot in silent. Wish i could turn the arrows off too, but sometimes they are helpfull in low light. Though the focus on my present lens was probably made more for automatic, which is something a guy at the camera store told me when i asked about it, I hope the 50 1.7 wil have a bigger focal span. By this I mean the actual turning distance. It's pretty short on my 28-80 Sigma. But I can work with it.
I have the 50 mm 1.7 on the way, i think that's a prime lens, but don't know if it will list a distance like yours. I haven't looked through one yet.
Why doesn't the camera tell me it's aperture choices when on automatic, like with shutterspeed? I really could have gotten into this easier if it had.
Sorry for all the questions.

Hey thanks for the help George.

Speaking of focus depth, in automatic there's a "program depth mode" on my SFXn. I plan to learn the aperture manually but mean time wondered how this mode works. It's suppose to take more in depth focus shots when selected. I use to think it was a double focus, (cause of the sillowette icon of the man and the mountain), and never really understood it before I started reading my manual, (I ordered my copy from England and recieved it a week or two ago, since I had lost or misplaced the original), and reading about focus depth recently made me realize what it was really about.

You have any idea how much difference this mode makes? Can i assume it will alter the aperture enough so that everythings in focus? How do you know, in manual or in automatic. I mean the camera lense doesn't change. Wouldn't it be great if the focus frame indicator enlarged or shrunk to show it was doing something. I know I;m just going to have to shoot allot with it, but wondered how most of the Pentax automatics that have this option fared.

2 things.

Yes I read my manual, (did learn allot but still need some help).

And sorry about the [b/] bit, i thought it would bold my selection. I know html, but didn't expect it to just do the text.

Still fairly new to aperture, and confused by my camera. It's an SFXn, right now with an AF sigma 28 - 80 mini zoom II. 3.5 to 5.6 aspherical lens.

I

Here's my question
I know the camera will automatically control the focus, shutterspeed, and aperture, and I understand the first 2, and somewhat the third. If I use the aperture manually, it appears to alter the shutterspeed for me, cause when I manualy move the Aperture ring off "A", the view panel above changes to an "A", and displays shutterspeeds that change as I manually move the aperture settings. Can i expect it to take good pictures if i want to manualy control the aperture and let it handle the Shutter Speed? Also it has an aperture priority mode. So does that mean I can control the Aperture in the centic panel, as well as manualy move the ring? if so I have not yet seen any aperture numbers on the panel.


I have a great little book by John HedgeCoe on 35 mm photography that I got the basics on. And found some sites on aperture, (and there's allot right here from you guys, probably more). And I found a cool web site tonight that lets you change the aperture and shutterspeed to alter the photo there. But if I wanted to look for for some indepth info on Aperture can anyone suggest a book, or anotherweb site?

I know the basics about the small and the large numbers, (versus the corresponding large and small apertures), and I understand the concept of depth of field, based on diameter of aperture and sh speed. But how do you learn to match them up on the spot without ruining alot of film? I have dreaded learning the F-stops untill recently getting back into photography. Along with shutterspeed it kinda feels like a crossword puzzel. Would be nice if there was a photo slide rule. lol

I know in the end my camera will teach me, I just don't want it to be an expensive lesson.

Hey my 1.7 finally came in! Next time Wolf camera tells me they have one in the same town and it'l be a couple of days to transfer it, i'll take that with a grain of salt, (that or the first guy was new). Heck the newness wore off before i got it lol. 7 weeks, about right.

Well gona have fun with it, and thanks for all the help.

PS. I was bad at math Peter but thanks for the info anyway. I understand the idea of the differences between the aperture listings, but don't wana hurt my head with the math lol.

Thanks guys.

Still waiting for my 1.7 50 mm. Wolf camera had told me originally they just had to transfer it from another store in town, and would be a couple of days. It's almost 2 weeks and nothing. I told them if they couldn't get it from there and had to order it from scratch let me know and I'd get it off the net faster than their 7 week wait for it, as i was told. Guess i should have just ordered it off the net, but the sites i found it on i didn't know well. Of course there's a plus to ordering local, if there's a problem I don't have to ship it, and i get to see what i'm buying. Amazon.com had it at one time aparently, i like them.

Patiently waiting.

Hey I ordered the 1.7 this afternoon. Wolf camera found one locally at one of their other stores. I should have it in a couple of days.

Thanks again.

Thanks George.

I only ever purchased a golf club off ebay, and got a good deal. But i am going to buy this one new. Though I may have to settle for the 1,7 as the 1.4 is scarce, and high in the few places i found it on the net. The 1.4 also has an extra f stop, but don't know if my use warants the 150+ difference. I mostly take pictures of plants pets and people. Not a profesional.

Thanks for the ebay help.