Do you manual all the time?

amolitor · Oct 13, 2012

I use aperture priority when it's available. Manual with flash, because I am too dumb to figure out how to make the camera do the work. Manual with many combinations of stuff that don't have or allow the use of the internal meter. Here I either chimp for exposure or use a handheld meter.

Manual is useful for:

1) when the camera can't do the job itself (antique lenses, cameras without meters at all, and dumb flashes, for example)
2) when you need consistent exposures across a set (MLeeK taught me this one) where you use manual as a sort of super exposure-lock setting

and maybe some others. The rest of the time, one priority mode or another seems like the right thing.

If you're shooting manual and just meter-matching all the time, well, it's a useful learning exercise I guess. It's functionally identical to using Av, Tv, or P, you're just twiddling both settings instead of letting the camera do half the work.

Derrel · Oct 13, 2012

amolitor said:
SNIP>>>
If you're shooting manual and just meter-matching all the time, well, it's a useful learning exercise I guess. It's functionally identical to using Av, Tv, or P, you're just twiddling both settings instead of letting the camera do half the work.

Diz-actly. (I'm waiting for the Supreme All-Manual Fanatics to weigh in...and tell us all how totes awesome all-manual, all the time is, for all people.

480sparky · Oct 13, 2012

In terms of exposure, I shoot in manual 90-95% of the time.
In terms of focus, it's probably 50/50
In terms of WB, I shoot Auto WB unless I'm shooting under controlled lighting. I shoot raw 99.999% of the time, so WB can be adjusted manually in post any time.

sm4him · Oct 13, 2012

I shoot in manual 99% of the time, but it's because when I first got my camera, a little over a year ago, I decided I would MAKE myself use manual until I got comfortable with using it. I got SO comfortable using it that I tend to forget there are other options.

There are times it WOULD be easier to use Shutter priority or Aperture priority, but I just forget that's an option. Maybe I'll start making a concerted effort to shoot those modes more, when appropriate.

480sparky · Oct 13, 2012

sm4him said:
I shoot in manual 99% of the time, but it's because when I first got my camera, a little over a year ago, I decided I would MAKE myself use manual until I got comfortable with using it. I got SO comfortable using it that I tend to forget there are other options. ..........

Girl after my own heart.

I am of the 'tude that if you are serious about taking better images, you should be required to shoot FULL manual.... ISO, shutter, aperture, WB and focus.... until it becomes second nature to you. Only then will any of the AUTO features of you camera be unlocked for you to use.

trizzo · Oct 13, 2012

I use only manual mode with my Nikon D90.

arrested_truth · Oct 13, 2012

Always shoot in Manual... it is very rare that I do something different otherwise. But if I'm shooting animals/kids/sports etc. with lots of movement or other unique situations, I'll use Aperture or Shutter priority.

Ysarex · Oct 13, 2012

My camera stays set to P mode and I use it set there most of the time. For flash of course full manual and I do a lot or panoramas which require full manual.

Joe

Joey_Yack · Oct 13, 2012

Personally, I use manual when I have the time for the shot, but if I'm in a hurry to catch whatever i'm shooting, I use auto.

SCraig · Oct 13, 2012

When the subject or conditions warrant, then yes I shoot in manual. The majority of the time it's in aperture priority or shutter priority depending on needs.

swiftparkour94 · Oct 13, 2012

I use manual 95% of the time. That'll probably change depending on what type of sports I'll be shooting in the summer. So far I've only really shot surfing so I wasn't in need of changing the settings much.

panblue · Oct 13, 2012

Ken Rockwell shoots Auto everything. :alien:

TCampbell · Oct 13, 2012

I'll shoot manual if the situation doesn't call for rapidly adapting the exposure settings (e.g. rapidly changing lighting, action, etc.) If I'm setting up a shot where I have all the time in the world to get it, then I'll not only shoot manual, I also use a light meter and a tripod.

For any situation where the lighting is changing or the action is happening fast, I go to Av or Tv but then I may use exposure compensation depending on the type of shots and the metering mode of the camera.

When you think about it, the technique for shooting in manual is as follows:

1) size up the lighting and determine an ISO that should work
2) based on the type of shot and whether its more critical that you control aperture/DoF or whether it's more critical that you control shutter speed, dial in that setting.
3) as you're metering and framing up the shot, dial the remaining exposure element (either aperture or shutter) to indicate a correct exposure on your built-in meter.
and
4) compensate for the meter when called for (e.g. set it a stop low, or high, etc.)
5) shoot

If you shoot in Av or Tv (let's just pick Av as an example)

1) size up the lighting and set the ISO
2) pick the f-stop
3) meter and adjust exposure compensation if necessary
4) shoot

The camera is basically going to pick the SAME shutter speed that you would have dialed in anyway.

The major difference is that you saved yourself from dialing in one setting because either you or the camera would have dialed in the same setting.

When the shooting is a bit more dynamic (subjects are not in consistent light) or the lighting is changing too rapidly to keep up, then use one of the semi-auto modes. That's why they exist.

wsetser · Oct 13, 2012

Full manual, but then again I shoot 4x5 so auto is not an option. I learned photography with a Pentax Spotmatic so not only did I use manual, but stop-down metering at that. Later, when I was shooting Canon, I tried an EF which had an a shutter priority mode. The exposures were fine but I just didn't enjoy shooting that way so I got ride of it and went back to my FTb. I've been happily shooting manual ever since.