Fully Manual Or Aperture Priority

[Garbz]

Err I don't know any pro that shoots exclusively manual, I don't know any pro that shoots exclusively aperture priority, and I also don't know any pro that shoots exclusive shutter priority.

The Pro (and by this I mean someone actually dedicated to the art, and not someone who bought a DSLR, somehow got paid for a job and is now a "pro), will know what his camera does in every situation, and will pick the appropriate settings for the job.

I control my composition with aperture priority, and control my exposure with the EV bias.
If shutter speed is critical I shoot with shutter priority, and I control the exposure with the EV bias.
If my camera is being widely inconsistent (shooting a soccer event with a team with white shirts and a team with black shirts) I shoot in manual but other than that I see no reason to not use the fantastic tools developed over the last 30 years which react very quickly and hit the correct exposure 99% of the time.

 

[molested_cow]

A almost all the time, but B when I want to make long exposure shot with a remote.

I will use M when I need step up or down when using a filter. I know I can use the dial, but I always forget that it's there.

I don't use my auto lens nearly as often as my full manual lens, so S is quite useless to me.

 

[5DManiac]

Manual can certainly be useful like for long exposures but seriously I don't get manual "snobs," sorry... I use AV 90% of the time and works wonderfully! You still have full control!

 

[RONDAL]

i shoot in whichever setting will allow me to get the required shot I am looking for.

 

[RyanLilly]

I tend to shoot in manual quite a bit, just because I often shoot in situations that utterly confuse the light meter, but I'll bet some of the most recently released cameras offer much better metering than a 20D and I would shoot in other modes more often. For everyday picture taking I'll most likely use Av, but If I find the need to adjust exposure compensation more than a couple times, I just switch back to manual, because its easier than fiddling with EV settings all day.


Regardless of fuel efficiency, brake ware, and all that other crap which has to be compared on a car by car basis.... A stick shift is still way more fun to drive!

 

[Buckster]

It's been said a couple times now, but it's gone over my head, so I have to ask: How is working in manual easier than switching EV on the fly?

I'm in aperture because I want a particular DOF. I'm exposed in the middle of the meter, and it turns out too bright, I spin my EV wheel CCW and because I'm in Av, shutter gets faster at a rate of 1/3 stop per click to bring the exposure value down while I get to keep the aperture I want. Effortlessly.

Or, I'm in shutter because I feel I need a particular speed. Same thing happens, but now when I spin the dial, aperture changes to compensate. Again, effortlessly.

How is manual so much easier than that?

 

[iflynething]

Manual. All the time. Every day. No exceptions

~Michael~

 

[NateWagner]

I agree with the majority here...

I'm usually in A, and like buckster, if it looks a little underexposed I turn the wheel and voila the shutter speed changes (in consistent levels) such that it acts like M.

I use M whenever I am using flash, particularly when it is my primary light source, or if I'm going for a certain effect. A is pretty much useless to me in those times.

 

[Buckster]

Gotta throw this in, since so many are making the car analogy... I just got Joe McNally's newest book, "The Hot Shoe Diaries", and on the very first page of the very first section of the very first chapter (page 8, for those of you following along with your own playbook), he writes this:

[quote="Joe McNally]I am in aperture priority mode 90-plus percent of the time. It works for me because I vastly prefer to dictate to the camera the f-stop I will shoot at, rather than dictate shutter speed via shutter priority mode. I am comfortable handholding my cameras at all manner of shutter speeds, and since I am often shooting with some measure of fill flash, slow speeds - in the neighborhood of 1/30th, 1/15th, etc. - don't hold any terror for me. I'd much rather be certain of my f-stop, and the resultant depth of field I am getting, than insist on a certain shutter speed.

I am occasionally in manual exposure mode, say, when in a dark room where aperture priority will dictate to me an unreasonably long shutter speed. But, I tell ya, if you only use these cameras in manual mode because, as I have heard on occasion, you "don't trust the camera," or you "don't trust the meter," then you are taking a souped-up Ferrari and driving it like the little old lady going to church on Sunday. Why do that? Use the technology! Take this puppy out for a spin and see what it can do.[/quote]
Vroooom!!!

On the next page, he's talking about metering modes and how he mostly lives in "matrix". But he mentions this:

[quote="Joe McNally]If I have to make exposure value adjustments while I am on matrix, the EV button is handily placed right next to Mr. Shutter Button, and with a quick flip of thumb and forefinger, I get whatever EV I want. This is significant.[/quote]
When it's all said and done, I don't care what anybody else does. Seriously, whatever works for them is fine with me - no sweat or argument at all, since it doesn't affect me in any way whatsoever. Shoot standing on one foot while wearing a blindfold and singing the jingle for your favorite fast food place if it works for you - I'm good with it!

I just don't understand the "manual is easier/faster/better" argument, and I'd really like to understand why they think it is - enough so to make such claims.

 

[inTempus]

I just don't understand the "manual is easier/faster/better" argument, and I'd really like to understand why they think it is - enough so to make such claims.

I suspect this notion comes from one of two places:

1) Old timers that refuse to change. It's human nature to get comfortable doing something a certain way... and come hell or high water there's no way you're changing it. It doesn't matter if what they're doing limits them, they're content. This doesn't make them wrong, it just makes them happy the way things are.

2) People that honestly don't know any better. They think it makes them a "pro" to look at the meter in their view finder and to turn the Av and Tv knobs until the indicator is centered. God forbid you let the camera do the same thing for you instantaneously. It's just not as creative. Wait, the meter isn't right and you need to make things darker or brighter? Just dial in a little EV and be done with it...

Eh, there's no point to this conversation really. People do what's comfortable for them and in the end, that's all that's important.

 

[Breanna]

I always shoot in manual. When I was learning exposure, I dove straight in. I wanted to learn how to do it all on my own. I've stuck with it. I never realized how many pros shoot outside of full manual. I may have to give his AV mode a try

 

[Joves]

Well for me it is about 50/50. With A I find I have to use the exposure comp to get what I want.

 

[MikeBookPro]

I shoot almost exclusively in Av, but I'm working hard to make the transition to manual. With kids, I've found that I have to "spray and pray" at times, and it's easier/faster in post when I can apply batch develop settings across images that are all shot with the same exact settings.

 

[boneywhitefoot]

Hi , first post here .Looks like a great place to hang out.
I use Av 90% of the time.
only use M when I want to under or over more than 2 stops,or Im stitching a pano that takes more than two images.
cant see the the use of using M, the light meter is still telling you the same info,you get to dictate the dof and the camera sets the fastest shutter speed, a marrage made in heaven I think.
cheers

 

[camz]

I always shoot in full automatic all the time! I get really lucky with it!

J/k. I think I've answered this question more then twice already as I've seen similar threads in the past couple months.But to answer the Ops question:

I shoot AV: When I shoot natural light and I know I don't need any other light source other then the sun. For me it has to be really really friendly light where it is bright enough and the ratios are fairly consistent.

I shoot Manual: When using artificial light(e.g. flash or strobes) or when I want consistency in the finish or I want to get creative and have full control of the camera.

This is how I see it. In Manual the advantage is more consistency in your shots. The consistency helps alot with the editing if you want to keep a certain exposure throughout a large number of images.

The advantages of Aperature or Shutter Priority is quick metering. Great for changing environments or fast moving subjects. Also, if there's sufficient amount of a light source with good even ratios I think shooting in AV or TV is just as good as Manual in these conditions. You could initially start in AV and if your getting the right exposure, it's easy to transfer those settings in manual mode to constantly get the exposure you want.