Advice for Manual Mode

[dennybeall]

With the camera in Manual mode I can be in Shutter Priority just by not changing shutter speed or I can be in Aperture priority by just not changing the f-stop. With ISO in Auto it makes it easy to shoot and a glance at the histogram and the back screen gives an indication of how it's working.
Want a stop hot?, or darker, just let the meter be a little to the right(or left) of center......

 

[Derrel]

I think the biggest "mistake" people make when shooting in Manual exposure mode is using evaluative metering instead of center-weighted metering; Nikon refers to its evaluative metering system as "Matrix metering", while other camera makers call it something else, like multi-segment metering, and so on. I think it makes more sense to use center-weighted metering, so that you can swing the camera to the desired area to meter off of, and then set the exposure manually, with you, the user, making the decision on what area to base the reading off of. Matrix metering evaluates the entire frame area, and may give undue emphasis to the sky tones, or the ground, or to shadowy areas--when the real, desired exposure might better be determined off of something else.

 

[sabbath999]

My comment was meant to indicate that people who choose to shoot manual mode simply because they feel it makes them "Better" should reconsider their motives.

People actually DO this... they brag "I shoot fully manual, all the time, therefore I blah blah blah..." when all they do is match the needle.

To Mr. or Ms. "I Shoot Manual!", I say yeah, whatever. I don't give a rats hind end what mode you shot a picture in, all I want to do is see what the picture looks like... it's all about what the shot looks like, the rest is just frou frou.

Photography is ALL about the image.

 

[Derrel]

If all one does is "zero the meter to 0.0" then they are in effect, doing what Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority modes could do, only they are doing it more slowly!

 

[gsgary]

My comment was meant to indicate that people who choose to shoot manual mode simply because they feel it makes them "Better" should reconsider their motives.

People actually DO this... they brag "I shoot fully manual, all the time, therefore I blah blah blah..." when all they do is match the needle.

To Mr. or Ms. "I Shoot Manual!", I say yeah, whatever. I don't give a rats hind end what mode you shot a picture in, all I want to do is see what the picture looks like... it's all about what the shot looks like, the rest is just frou frou.

Photography is ALL about the image.

What if all your cameras only shoot in manual and don't even have a meter

 

[Derrel]

The OP asked for advice when starting to use manual mode, so that means advice for a new or beginning user of manual mode. I'll add another comment to this thread based on that assumption, that of a new user.

First, stay away from extremes on the lens aperture and shutter speed. Speeds of 1/8000 and 1/4000 second are seldom needed, and they force you to use very wide apertures like f/1.4 or f/1.8 or f/2 quite frequently. Similarly, using f/stops like f/1.4 and f/1.8, and even f/2.8 on an f/2.8 zoom--these extreme aperture settings bring with them a number of 'issues', like softness, lots of vignetting, shallow depth of field, and a need for exceptionally precise and exceptionally accurate focusing.

In either AUTO ISO mode, or in manual ISO selection mode with Manual exposure, one is basically setting either an f/stop, or a shutter speed, and then moving the opposite control until the meter is zero'd, so, don't start out by setting the lens wide-open, or the shutter at its fastest, or slowest speed. Similarly, in most cases, stay away from the smallest lens apertures like f/16. Instead of the extremes, look at ways to get moderate aperture values and moderately fast shutter speeds, like f/stops of f/4.5 or f/4.8 or f/5.6, and shutter speeds of 1/640 to 1/320. In these moderate ranges, the lens will be very sharp, focus will not be ultra-critical, and shutter speeds of 1/640 to 1/320 second will stop the majority of hand movement, camera shake, and normal human activity, and you'll get good images most of the time.

The above is advice for outdoor conditions in decent light levels. When the light levels are very low, hand-held photos call for wide f/stops like f/2, and slow speeds, like 1/30 to 1/60 second, OR they call for timed exposures made while shooting off of a tripod, with exposures ranging from 1/8 to 30 seconds.

 

[Dao]

If you really like to shoot manual, take a look at the EV (Exposure Values) table and EV for various conditions.
Exposure value - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Glossary: Exposure: Digital Photography Review



Also, take a look at Sunny 16 rules
Sunny 16 rule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Jade16]

I have found that when I set my ISO to auto that some of my images come out too dark so I feel like I can't trust using it?.........

That right there may be the issue. Auto ISO is fine, but if you have your camera set to a limit for a maximum ISO, you may end up choosing an aperture/shutter speed combo that requires a higher ISO than you're allowing the camera to use.

For instance, if you have the max. ISO set to 1600, and choose 1/500 and f/22 for a rather dark scene, the camera WILL underexpose if ISO 6400 is needed to get a 'correct' exposure.

Even with Auto ISO, you need to watch the meter to make sure you're not underexposing and, in some cases, overexposing.

do you recommend against setting a max ISO? in general?

 

[Jade16]

If you really like to shoot manual, take a look at the EV (Exposure Values) table and EV for various conditions.
Exposure value - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Glossary: Exposure: Digital Photography Review



Also, take a look at Sunny 16 rules
Sunny 16 rule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I noticed in the sunny article they make a brief mention of backlighting in the chart. that brings me to this question:
what would be a reasonable or good fstop/shutter speed to work with IN MANUAL MODE when doing backlit photos (side note: I know to use spot metering).

 

[480sparky]

do you recommend against setting a max ISO? in general?

Depends on what I'm shooting, and what the lighting conditions are. It also depends on how well your particular camera deals with higher ISOs, what you have in terms of software to mitigate noise, and what your acceptable level of noise is.

 

[k5MOW]

I do not have a meter and probably not ready for manual mode yet but would like to buy a meter to have and use when I'm ready. Could someone recommend a meter that would be good for a beginner.

Roger

 

[480sparky]

I do not have a meter and probably not ready for manual mode yet but would like to buy a meter to have and use when I'm ready. Could someone recommend a meter that would be good for a beginner.

Roger

I'd say start out with the meter that's in the camera.

 

[astroNikon]

I do not have a meter and probably not ready for manual mode yet but would like to buy a meter to have and use when I'm ready. Could someone recommend a meter that would be good for a beginner.

Roger

I think the ViewFinder lightmeter (or Exposure Indicator) may only show up when you are in Manual mode.
Check your documentation on the Viewfinder display items.

 

[dennybeall]

I have a D5300 and the meter does not show except when you go to manual mode. I think most of the Nikons are that way. Two kinds of external meters - one you point at the scene and one you hold up at the scene. Modern cameras have negated the need for an external meter for me. I do use spot metering most of the time however.

 

[Dao]

I noticed in the sunny article they make a brief mention of backlighting in the chart. that brings me to this question:
what would be a reasonable or good fstop/shutter speed to work with IN MANUAL MODE when doing backlit photos (side note: I know to use spot metering).

From the article, it said add one stop of light since the subject is in the shadow. However, if you are going to spot metering the subject, you may not need need to worry about it.