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08/06/2007 01:14:54 PM · #1 |
Originally posted by xianart:
i had only manual cameras for many years, and i find the dials and buttons very fiddly on the DSLRs. if they come out with one that's laid out well, i'd probably go fully manual all the time. |
Try a Nikon D200. I find that my fingers just naturally land on the buttons I need and had very little trouble adjusting to it. Of course, since you use Canon YMMV.
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08/06/2007 10:47:13 AM · #2 |
Aperture Priority
Most of the time.
Shutter Priority
Sometimes when using outdoor flash and I want to keep the shutter speed to 1/200sec (my shutter sync). Also, I'll use this when I want to get blurring in action shots.
Manual
For indoor flash photography. Whenever my camera is on a tripod (hey, it's on a tripod, time to slow down and manually set the camera). I'll also use manual with outdoor photography that's back lit and sensors can be fooled.
Full Auto
I tell my wife to just use "P" mode (not quite full auto) since I'm always messing with the settings. She gets pissed when she picks up my camera and take a picture and it doesn't come out nice. I just tell her to put it in "P" mode and shoot away. I don't like Full Auto since it defaults to JPEG and I like RAW (10D doesn't do JPEG+RAW). |
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08/06/2007 08:57:21 AM · #3 |
Originally posted by pawdrix:
I've taken nothing but pure junk when set in Shutter Priority, AP or P. Operator error? Who knows?
Maual 100% |
Hmmm....I've been shooting mostly on shutter priority. This might explain some things. I notice no one does. I learn something new everyday on this site! |
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08/06/2007 08:42:42 AM · #4 |
Originally posted by crayon:
Originally posted by Kavey:
So I don't find working in Manual gains me anything at all. |
yup, it would be a waste to not utilize all the programming and AI written into our high-tech cameras! :P i only use manual when i really have to. if there's a method that would work without going manual, you can bet i'll use that instead of M. |
Yup. The only new/ extra feature is that I can now twiddle aperture and shutter speed when working in Auto hence use AP and SP slightly less. That's the only thing (relevant to aperture, shutter speed settings) that I didn't have on the film SLRs I used to use. Both my film SLRs had AP, SP and exposure compensation.
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08/06/2007 08:24:29 AM · #5 |
I've taken nothing but pure junk when set in Shutter Priority, AP or P. Operator error? Who knows?
Manual 100%
Message edited by author 2007-08-06 11:07:15. |
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08/06/2007 05:07:01 AM · #6 |
Originally posted by Kavey:
So I don't find working in Manual gains me anything at all. |
yup, it would be a waste to not utilize all the programming and AI written into our high-tech cameras! :P i only use manual when i really have to. if there's a method that would work without going manual, you can bet i'll use that instead of M. |
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08/06/2007 03:58:42 AM · #7 |
I find it easier, personally, to over and under expose using the exposure compensation controls, which are extremely quick and easy to access/ change. I use these almost constantly in conjunction with my histogram to ensure that I expose to the right without blowing highlights.
So in AP, SP AND Auto I can adjust aperture, shutter speed and exposure.
So I don't find working in Manual gains me anything at all.
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08/05/2007 09:56:08 PM · #8 |
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08/05/2007 09:50:13 PM · #9 |
| its about 50-50 between aperature and manual. |
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08/05/2007 09:24:58 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by routerguy666:
Manual focus I never understood the need for outside of macro. |
I've used it at air shows, where infinity is not quite right with a long lens, and auto takes too long to focus with the aircraft flying by. So I set it close to infinity but not quite there.
Secondly, when the auto focus gets a bit confused. It is easier to go manual than play with the auto focus settings to get it just right. |
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08/05/2007 09:07:14 PM · #11 |
I leave my camera in program mode by default, for vacation snapshots where I have no idea what I'm going to shoot next, when it will show up, or what the lighting will be. Then I can just point and shoot very quickly, without thinking, and have a good chance of getting a halfway decent exposure.
For landscapes or portraits I usually use aperture priority.
For moving things like sports or waterfalls I use shutter priority.
I only use full manual for oddball things like long exposures, sky shots, or photos for stitching into panoramas.
If I want an exposure different from what the camera wants, I typically use exposure compensation.
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08/05/2007 09:04:06 PM · #12 |
So, back to the original poster's question:
Its a personal opinon, try out each, see how the photos come out, you'll eventually get a feel for what works best for you, for what you shoot with.
My opinion is that if you know what full manual feels like, you'll have a sense of the others. |
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08/05/2007 08:20:41 PM · #13 |
Based on Judi's response, I'd like to refine mine as follows;
Manual Mode - 13%
Aperture Priority - 81%
Manual Focus - 26%
Bulb Mode - 35%
Program Mode - 7%
RAW - 67% |
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08/05/2007 04:10:36 PM · #14 |
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08/05/2007 02:25:06 PM · #15 |
Interesting. Maybe I'll try it. :) Esp. since my camera has a nice, clear light meter to help me know what it thinks the exposure should be.
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08/05/2007 01:45:10 PM · #16 |
that's about right !
Originally posted by routerguy666:
Advantage to full manual is full control. Being able to underexpose or (oh my gosh!) overexpose at will for example. The camera is just manipulating three settings. With a bit of practice it's not hard to figure out what the baseline for those 3 setting sis going to be in a given situation and then tweak it a bit from there. |
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08/05/2007 01:37:01 PM · #17 |
Advantage to full manual is full control. Being able to underexpose or (oh my gosh!) overexpose at will for example. The camera is just manipulating three settings. With a bit of practice it's not hard to figure out what the baseline for those 3 setting sis going to be in a given situation and then tweak it a bit from there.
Manual focus I never understood the need for outside of macro. |
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08/05/2007 01:28:30 PM · #18 |
For those who use full manual regularly, can I ask: do you tend to shoot stationary objects in steady light? Is there a reason why you don't let the camera choose the shutter or aperture? I understand wanting control over one or the other, so I'm not saying full auto is best.
And the same for those of you who use manual focus.
In other words, camera makers have invested millions of dollars to help make things work faster and easier for the photographer, so why ignore it?
Not challenging your preferences, just trying to understand, to see whether there's an advantage to full manual.
Message edited by author 2007-08-05 13:30:27.
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08/05/2007 01:27:11 PM · #19 |
Manual mode-90%
Manual focus-90%
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08/05/2007 01:09:32 PM · #20 |
shutter priority-when I'm shooting motorsports
full manual-everything else |
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08/05/2007 01:02:31 PM · #21 |
For 20+ years I tended to use Aperture priority most of the time (with Shutter priority only when trying to freeze or blur motion) but now I actually use Auto a lot of the time.
Why? Because my current camera allows me, in Auto mode, to change the aperture up or down, and automatically changes the shutter speed to match. After the shot, it reverts to the Auto setting, which is quite handy as I'm often experimenting with different apertures/ depths of field.
Where I'm deliberately aiming for a shallow or deep depth of field, I'll still use Aperture priority so that my specified aperture is retained between shots.
I have only ever used Manual when on studio photography courses where we've used studio lights. Speed has been set to my camera's flash synch speed, aperture set to achieve the exposure required. This is an area I'm not hugely interested in and know almost nothing about so it's only ever been at the instruction of the tutor, really.
Message edited by author 2007-08-05 13:02:57.
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08/05/2007 12:57:21 PM · #22 |
Aperture: Almost never
Shutter: Only when high shutter speed is important so I can lock it in
Full Manual: Just about 100 %. I'll meter TTL, adjust exposure as needed
Full Auto: Only when I give my camera to someone else.
Originally posted by MrEd:
use the different priority settings on your camera?
Aperture Priority
Shutter Priority
Full Manual
Full Auto aka P&S mode |
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08/05/2007 12:55:48 PM · #23 |
Full Manual w/AF 98%
Full Manual w/MF 2%
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08/05/2007 12:46:33 PM · #24 |
alrighty then ! i guess i have to believe you since it's coming straight from the horses mouth ;}
Originally posted by MrEd:
Judi can say she uses her camera anyway she wants, she's my cousins neighbor. |
anyhow, i use manual mode most of the time, even when using bulb for long exposures. AV would come in second, and TV third. as mentioned earlier, P mode is when i hand the camera over to someone who doesn't know it well...
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08/05/2007 12:26:21 PM · #25 |
I use aperture priority and manual. For macro and off camera flash work I use manual and for other stuff it's usually aperture priority. Aperture priority works very well for most things due to how well the matrix metering system works on the D200, I have even used it for night shots. I have never used shutter priority or program mode on my Nikon. I find program mode a bit pointless, you lose control over shutter speed and aperture, better to just use aperture priority at f/8. I don't shoot sports, so shutter priority isn't very important for me. The Nikon D200 doesn't even have an auto mode.
I find that I use auto focus more on my 18-70mm and manual focus more on my 50mm f/1.8. Probably because it's easier to focus manually with the brighter viewfinder on the 50. Or it could be because I learned to take photos on a manual everything film SLR with a 55mm f/1.8 lens and using the prime reminds me of that. |
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