Coupled Manual mode - why does nobody do this?

[Musicman]

Well, specifically Canon.

Let me explain myself... Normally, I'll spend 90% of my time using Av mode on my 5D. The recent purchase of Sekonic light meter gave me the kick that I've been looking for to get back to basics and re-acquaint myself with shooting manual exposure. It's probably the best part of 30 years since I was using a full-time manual SLR and I decided I've got rusty enough.

So, I've spent the last few days using nothing but manual mode and I'm enjoying it immensely, re-discovering freedoms that using built-in metering doesn't accommodate, constantly surprising myself by how well nailed the exposures are and how few adjustments I have to make in PP.

However, one little thing keeps bugging me. If I want to change my aperture setting by 2 stops, but leave the overall EV as it is:

- click, click, click, click, click, click (that's six 1/3 stops of aperture on one wheel)

then repeat

- click, click, click, click, click, click (that's six 1/3 stops of shutter in the opposite direction on another wheel)

Of course, if I just want to get to f/4.0 from wherever I am I have to count them both times and risk missing one and losing my EV setting.

I understand that on Hasselblads, you just set the EV directly from a meter and the aperture and shutter speed are then coupled to maintain that EV wherever you point either of the dials. Surely it is not beyond the wit of Canon (or perhaps anyone else) with modern electronics to give me the same simplicity that I get in Av mode to adjust one setting and have the other follow automatically? Any patents that Hasselblad may have owned must have expired by now. You could probably even add ISO into the mix with digital, lock Av and adjust Tv with changes to the ISO setting, etc.

Of course, I'm now waiting for someone to tell me that Pentax, Olympus or Sony can do this... and someone else it going to tell me that I just have to learn my 1/3 stop scales a bit better than I do now or switch to using 1/2 stop increments to make it easier

Am I daft or missing something?

 

[onomatopoeia]

Of course, I'm now waiting for someone to tell me that Pentax, Olympus or Sony can do this...

My Sony does this . Lock the exposure with the AEL button and while it is locked a tweak of either wheel (ss or aperture) will automatically cause a corresponding adjustment to the other setting so the same exposure is maintained, even in full manual mode. I think that's what you are describing anyway.

You need to upgrade to a Sony . Who are these Canon people anyway? I thought they made photocopiers

 

[Musicman]

I think that's what you are describing anyway.

It does sound rather like it.

Now my curiosity is roused as to whether this was a Minolta feature too.

 

[AliB]

or if you have a Nikon D700 you can tell it how much you want to move with each click. Mine is the same as yours by default but I could change it to a full stop and have just 2 clicks

Customiseable?

Simples

 

[onomatopoeia]

It does sound rather like it.

Now my curiosity is roused as to whether this was a Minolta feature too.

The 7D and 5D have it. Seems to have been removed from the A230/330/380 from what I can see - it was on the earlier entry level DSLRs.