Do most people end up shooting in manual?

[Remi M.]

Or am I one of the crazy few?

When I got my Digital SLR I started shooting in "P". But over time once I learned a bit I started using Shutter priority and Aparture priority. For the last few months it seems like my camera is stuck on "M". I actualy find it less cumbersome than changing exposure compensation in "A". Leaves me with consistent shots for anything panoramic. It makes me pay atention to overexposure/underexposure. HDR bracketing is just a few spins of the click wheel and shutter.
I still use "A" for anything quick but I think manual is the way to go.

Than again all my cars have always been 5 speeds so maybe it's just me.

 

[newrmdmike]

no, i'm pretty sure just about anyone whos serious about this craft will shoot manual

 

[Big Mike]

I shoot in manual or Av...95% of the time.

 

[Peanuts]

I shoot almost 90% manual now. It took me a while to grow comfortable with judging the information the meter is giving me in comparison to the surrounding light and subject, but I found that now my exposures are much much closer to my original intent in comparison to when I shot with Av primarily. So nope, not the ony one.

 

[craig]

I always shoot Aperture Priority. Depth of field is very important to me. I shoot manual only when I am using the strobes.

 

[astrostu]

I usually go automatic because my subject is usually just a quick shot at a birthday party, a tree outside, or something like that. But, whenever I actually am trying to produce something for more than just a webalbum, I generally go manual.

 

[niccig]

I mostly shoot stationary objects, so I shoot in M 99% of the time. It also makes AF a little useless too. I also prefer a stick-shift.

 

[darin3200]

I sometimes shoot manual with my DSLR. Mostly I shoot aperature-priority and do exposure compensation if I want more control.

For my older film cameras I shoot all manual though. Mostly because there aren't any other options

 

[Torus34]

Most of my work is in b&w. I use a hand-held light meter. That pretty much dictates manual mode. In fact, all but one of my cameras [a newly-purchased digital] must be operated in manual mode.

 

[bitteraspects]

I usually go automatic because my subject is usually just a quick shot at a birthday party, a tree outside, or something like that. But, whenever I actually am trying to produce something for more than just a webalbum, I generally go manual.

i really hope you mean automatic with the powershot.automatic with your slr... *shakes head*

 

[Mohain]

I shot in (aperture priority) AV most of the time TV a little bit, changing to manual when the conditions aren't right for either.

 

[Jeff Canes]

Depends on the camera, my 35mm slr’s all have some form of program mode, with the DSLR about 70% aperture-priority and 30% full auto, film is about the opposite. And the old stuff is all manual is just guess at the exposure

 

[lostprophet]

to be honest I only ever shoot in M when I'm doing night shots.
about 90% of my shotting is in AV and about 98% in TV

 

[Digital Matt]

I think if you are serious about photography, you will end up shooting in full manual. The meter doesn't know you want. It's only trying to get 18% grey, which is not appropriate for every subject. Even shutter or aperture priority allow the camera's meter to make a decision for you. For me, the meter is a tool to check the contrast range of the scene, and decide where I want to place my tones. Most often, I will end up using settings that are different than what the meter would tell me, in order to get a really "great" exposure, which will yield a "great" print.

 

[ShootHoops]

The first time I shot in Manual was when I did fireworks. Now I shoot in Manual because I actually understand how everything works. Unless it's something I'm shooting for school, then I normally shoot in an auto mode.