Auto vs Manual Mode

[wolfden]

Hi Everyone,

New to photography with a Kodak Z812 IS Zoom Digital Camera. I'm pretty happy with the camera.

I can do Auto or Manual. I like how auto works, but interested in learning manual. My question is tho, can you actually do better than auto mode?

I've messed around very little with manual, but from what I see so far, auto seems to pick the best settings. I'm going to assume most here use manual?

 

[asfixiate]

Yes you can. Often my shots done in manual mode look better than in automode.

I often have shots that are to light. Plus your shots could have a lot of noise since all the settings are determined by the camera.

You'll get more responses but the only reason I use manual modes like TV, AV, and M is really the images look better In my opinion plus I can take shots however I want them to appear. If I took a picture of a moving object I can decide whether or not I want it to look like it was or wasn't moving.

I'm sure there's probably a more intelligent response you'll see from others but to me its all about wanting control over what I do. I'd rather mess around to get it right as opposed to using auto mode. Same reason why tune my guitar by ear instead of using a tuner. I like knowing how it works.

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome to the forum.

If the shutter speed and aperture (& ISO) are the same, there will be no difference between a photo taken in manual and one taken in auto mode.

The difference is before the photo is taken, when you are deciding what exposure settings will be used. Cameras have built-in light meters, which is how they come up with the settings in any of the auto modes. In manual, you will still consult the camera's meter...but you can choose to adjust your settings so that the exposure does not line up with the meter...that's the advantage of shooting in manual.
So if you want to understand shooting in manual mode, you should really understand how the camera's meter works and why you would want to deviate from that.

 

[wolfden]

I will definitely explore that than

Thanks

Gonna hang around the forum and do lots of reading from all the experts here

 

[STICKMAN]

Grab yourself a copy of Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. It is highly recommended on this site. I got it today and have read up to page 30 so far. This book has already answered so many ?'s i had and i am just getting started.

Thanks to all who posted about it!!!!!

 

[wolfden]

Thanks!

Looks like a great book - just ordered it from amazon.

 

[mrodgers]

Thanks!

Looks like a great book - just ordered it from amazon.

Until it comes in, here's some links that I started with when I bought my camera. It will give you a little knowledge about what all the ISO, shutterspeed, and aperture do.

Digital Camera Help

ShortCourses-The On-line Library of Digital Photography

Also, I uploaded all of my bookmarks for topics such as this. You can browse through my collection of links here: My photography links

I have still only read the first couple of chapters of Understanding Exposure. What that allowed for me was the missing connection between the exposure triangle (ISO, shutter, and aperture) and allowed me to fully understand and move to using Manual exclusively. I haven't taken the camera out of Manual since.

Read up as a primer to cameras in the links above, then you will have more info to start reading the book on. It will all fall together rapidly for you.

 

[STINKY PICTURES]

I do all of my shooting indoors and i can`t use manual. well i should say that i don`t like the way the manual shots look. so i learned fast about the advanced settings. I never ever use auto. I hate auto. Its not good for me or my work. so if for now while your learning, if auto works while your getting used to the camera go for it. I can understand that outdoors things can be different. But for me inside lighting is a challenge, and the colors and skin tones can really be off. so i`m learning the hard way to use all of my settings. I have no choice, but to be honest i`m glad its forcing me to learn my camera, and i love it.