Beginner: What mode do you commonly shoot in??

[Dao]

Av most of the time. Sometimes, I need to shoot manual especially when flash(es) is involved.

So I suggest focus on Av,Tv and Manual mode.

 

[robbie_vlad]

I shoot manual 90% of the time AP the other 10%. Only when I am photographing people in places that have uneven lighting do I use AP, even then I try to use manual first.

 

[Phranquey]

I shoot in the mode that fits my needs at that time.

Aperture Priority for times where I want to control depth of field...mostly wildlife and macro.

Shutter Priority for sports or wildlife to control the motion.

Manual for studio or macro where I have the time to set up my shots.


I realy love the "look down the nose" crowd if you aren't shooting full manual all the time....:roll:

 

[inTempus]

I always shoot manual. I am surprised by the answers. Why wouldn't you want to control your photograph? Why wouldn't everything be manual? The only time my camera is on anything but manual is when I am asking someone else to take a picture, then I put it on program.

When you shoot in Av or even Tv mode you have just as much control as manual, only faster.

When you're shooting manual, do you use your in camera light meter to setup the shot? That means you get everything right where the camera tells you it should be, then dial in a little extra/less exposure compensation and shoot, right?

You do realize in aperture and shutter priority you're doing the exact same thing, but it only takes less time, right?

What do you think you can accomplish in manual that I can't accomplish in aperture or shutter priority when shooting out in the world (not in studio)? I'll answer that for you, "nothing".

I only shoot manual when using strobes and doing artistic/portrait work. Using it any other time just for the sake of saying "I shoot in manual" is kind of pointless.

 

[inTempus]

I realy love the "look down the nose" crowd if you aren't shooting full manual all the time....:roll:

I know, it cracks me up. What kills me is they think they can do something I can't do in one of the semi-auto modes. I can do something they can't do, and that's get shots while they're monkeying around with their cameras.

 

[Dao]

When you shoot in Av or even Tv mode you have just as much control as manual, only faster.

When you're shooting manual, do you use your in camera light meter to setup the shot? That means you get everything right where the camera tells you it should be, then dial in a little extra/less exposure compensation and shoot, right?

You do realize in aperture and shutter priority you're doing the exact same thing, but it only takes less time, right?

What do you think you can accomplish in manual that I can't accomplish in aperture or shutter priority when shooting out in the world (not in studio)? I'll answer that for you, "nothing".

I only shoot manual when using strobes and doing artistic/portrait work. Using it any other time just for the sake of saying "I shoot in manual" is kind of pointless.

Agree.

And I use manual when I ignore the meter. i.e. Full moon shot. (not the kind you are thinking about) I do not trust what the camera think. So I just use manual and set it at EV 14 or EV 15.

 

[manaheim]

inTempus and Phranquey have the right of it.

I wish we could have a permanent ban on this particular topic.

I use ALL my modes, and it depends on what you need at the time. I can say that I have found over time that I shifted steadily from Program 100% of the time, to more of a blend as I have understood better what the camera is doing and when I do or don't want it to do X or Y.

You need to do what works to get the shot at the time, and that varies quite a bit.

Another good example I don't see mentioned much is fast action photography, particularly at longer focal lengths... perfect time to use shutter priority so you know you won't go below a given shutter speed.

 

[bigtwinky]

I'm in AV pretty much all the time when I am walking the streets doing candids and photojournalistic stuff.

However, just because you are in AV doesn't mean you totally disregard the readings. As I am shooting, I am paying attention to what shutter speed I get and what ISO I am using. When walking the streets, I can sometimes go down an alley which is much darker which needs adjustments.

So its constantly tweaking for what MAY be around the corner.

I very rarely use TV or P. I use M when I am working on something specific.

I should try what Noyze said and force myself to try P for a full day when doing some street shooting, just to get a better handle and understanding on how it works. Well, I know HOW it works, just never applied it

 

[Mturulski]

I use the elite, I'm a pro manual setting. I don't even let the camera take the shot, I draw it on my hand with the blood of my labor. The camera stays around my neck only to make me look cool.

Actually I use the AP mode for walking around. When you are shooting in manual mode, I would wager that most people use the camera to meter the shot, then spin the little button until its in the middle. We all know it goes in the middle, and so does the camera. Why not let the camera put the thingie in the middle for us, it's faster?

 

[choudhrysaab]

people always tell me to shoot in "Manual" mode and get out of "Program" mode as i won't learn anything from shooting in "P" mode so i've decided to give this "M" mode a try

 

[itznfb]

For just walking around I'd say 95% of the time I'm in aperture priority.

 

[fiveoboy01]

I'm with Tharsmen here, aperture priority 95% of the time, you still have control over your shutter with the EV dial. I do use manual if I want to add or freeze motion and AP isn't doing that for me.

 

[Samanax]

people always tell me to shoot in "Manual" mode and get out of "Program" mode as i won't learn anything from shooting in "P" mode so i've decided to give this "M" mode a try

The main thing is that you know and understand what each part of the exposure triangle is (aperture, shutter speed and ISO) and how they work together to capture the creative exposure that you envisioned.

The Exposure "Stops" Here

Exposure, Stops, EV, GN

Understanding Exposure

Oh, I shoot in Aperture Priority about 90% of the time and the rest of the time in Manual Mode (when I'm doing strobist stuff).

 

[kundalini]

Current Running Positions

15 - Aperture
1 - Shutter
4 - Manual
1 - Program
1 - What Ever It Takes
1 - Why Don't You Shoot What I Shoot
4 - Rebuttals to contradict the Why Don't You Shoot What I Shoot


I shoot Manual almost exclusively, but that's the way I learned back in the day with film.

 

[Plato]

I always shoot manual. I am surprised by the answers. Why wouldn't you want to control your photograph? Why wouldn't everything be manual? The only time my camera is on anything but manual is when I am asking someone else to take a picture, then I put it on program.

I don't shoot in a studio. Outdoor lighting can and does change much more quickly than the camera's manual controls can be adjusted and that makes full manual operation nothing short of useless. I decide ahead of time the type of shots that I expect to take and I set the camera accordingly.