If you are in manual mode and want to carry out some auto exposure bracketing (AEB), the camera will by default alter the shutter speed (it will alter the shutter speed in aperture priority and Pa and the aperture in shutter priority and Ps, and both in normal P program mode). However, if you press the AEL button while releasing the shutter, the camera will instead alter the aperture, not the shutter speed.
This feature is also useful in conjunction with non-dedicated flashes, where the flash output cannot be changed in a flash bracket series. Pressing AEL in manual mode, the camera will alter the aperture, and thereby it is also possible to shoot flash brackets with studio flash equipment connected via the PC socket for example.

What Pentax named Hyper Program is called Pa/Ps Create Program Control on the Minoltas, and it is available when setting the exposure mode to “P”. It was introduced with the Dynax/Maxxum/Alpha-7xi in 1991.
On some cameras it is possible to “reset” the program shift by pressing a particular button, for example the flash pop-up botton, or, with more “dramatic” consequences, the “[P]” panic button. On the Dynax 7, for example, you can switch the camera back to normal P mode by press the lock button on top of the exposure mode selector, on others it helps to manually flip up and down the built-in flash for a moment. Finally, the camera will switch back to normal by itself after a while without pressing the shutter button.
The various models differ in their exact shifting behaviour when you try to change either the shutter speed or aperture and the other parameter would thereby hit its limit (f.e. trying to choose a shorter shutter speed, while the maximum aperture of the attached lens has already been reached). On the high-end models (for example the Dynax/Maxxum/Alpha-9), the camera will assume the photographer knows what s/he’s doing and allow this, simply indicating this condition, which may result in under- or over-exposure, by a blinking value in the viewfinder. On the mid-range models (for example the 7 or 7D), the photographer would not be allowed to shift a parameter beyond the opposite parameter’s limits.
There’s another slight difference between models: Some models will put absolute priority on the dialed-in value whereas other models with try to maintain a good exposure and start to override the photographer’s setting, if the camera is not in AEL mode and illumination of the scenery changes in a way that the “free” parameter thereby hits one of its limits. Some cameras will just indicate under- or over-exposure in this situation, whereas others will override the setting by starting to de-shift the “non-free” parameter as much as is needed to maintain a good exposure. I wished this behaviour would be configurable in a custom-function, but it is not.

The 9xi in 1992 also introduced a feature named Manual Shift in M-mode. This appears to be very similar to the Hyper Manual mode found on the Pentax models. If you press and hold the AEL button while rotating the front or rear dial for shutter speed or aperture setting, the camera will lock the exposure and counter-shift the other parameter correspondingly. On later models, the AEL button can be configured between press-and-hold or toggle behaviour, making it even easier to work with Manual Shift.

AEL also has another function named Slow Sync; if you press it while using a flash, the camera will allow for longer shutter speeds also in P mode so that the available ambient light will get more weight in the resulting picture.

These functions can still be found on the newer models, including the Sony Alpha cameras, although they are typically only available with the “higher” models.

There’s one useful property of Pentax’s Hyper Manual implementation, which is not available on A-mount cameras, however. While you are in Manual mode, if you press the green button, the Pentax will choose a useful starting combination for shutter speed and aperture, as if you were working in Program mode. The exact behaviour is even configurable.
This is really a nice way to quickly reset to working default parameters for unforeseen snapshots, when the illuminiation has changed completely, or when you just have dialed in extreme parameters.
I would really like to see this and Pentax’s TAv and Sv modes be implemented in other manufacturers’ cameras as well.

BTW. The method described by Eric Schwab in the other thread also works on the Minolta, Konica Minolta and Sony range of cameras, you just have to configure the dials in the custom functions, so that one dial is used for exposure compensation in A, S or P mode.

As a Pentaxian for the past 30 yrs, I agree with your take on the Pentax’s Modes have a few friends who are Professional Photographers who don’t appreciate the simplicity and thoughtfulness of the way Pentax does things ( easy for the Photographer). Now if Pentax would only listen to you and incorporate some of the outstanding features of Nikon /Canon into it’s camera they would be a force to be reckoned with.

George

Jim, I most often just shoot in AF-S mode, and use the central AF point. But I do change it up as needed. Here is a more thorough explanation of the Nikon focusing modes.

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Neil vN

I’m a long-time Canon user considering the switch to Nikon. I recently picked up a D700 and some lenses to give it a whirl. Like some things about them, but after 20 years with the Canons so many controls on the Nikon just seem awkward, especially the location of the control wheel by the shutter release. I keep reaching for the big control wheel on the back – and it’s not there…

Could you describe how you typically set up your Nikons for AF, exposure, function buttons, etc? The setup options are rather daunting. Do you utilize the many AF focus points, or are you a focus/recompose kinda guy? If you do manually select your AF point, how do you do it in portrait mode on the D3/D3s? At least the D700 grip has another joystick on it to select AF points. On the bigger bodies, one needs a six-inch long thumb in portrait orientation.

I do mostly music performance photography these days, no weddings. With the 1D MkIII I’m able to put a specific AF point on the face of my subject most of the time. Don’t know yet how well the D700 will do under the same circumstances, since the outer AF points on the Nikon are not cross-type. I much prefer the 1D3 AF to that of the 5D2. I want to be able to use the outer focus points for better composition.

Yup .. the D300 has it, the D700 has it, and the D200 has it, amongst other Nikon bodies.

It’s the pro-series bodies like the D2x and D3 that doesn’t have that essential button.

Neil vN

I just noticed your following comment!

I’ve never tried D3 but tried D300 before. I could control flash exposure by pressing on the flash button & turning the dial wheels. Forgot which dial 1will switch from flash mode like red eye, slow sync etc & the other will let you change flash exposure compensation. Hope they are the same and it helps…

Things that the 1D mk3 has, but are (sadly) lacking on the D3:

•flash exposure compensation on the body.

I think your post has been answered. Pentax K-x appears to have excellent high ISO performance… K-x is a lower tier model. Now, if they were to use the same sensor in a K-7 body… :-)