Full Manual or Semi Manual

ShooterJ · Jun 20, 2013

I shoot in manual most of the time with my Canon. Only one wheel, but it's not difficult to use the toggle switch to go between shutter and aperture. I'll stay at ISO 100 unless I have to raise it and just adjust my other values to get the exposure I need... sometimes I have to raise the ISO, but I only do so when I'm shooting handheld in limited light, aperture wide open and my shutter is too slow to take the shot without the tripod.

But I always have a tripod with me, either in the car or on me. Unless the shot is spontaneous and I don't have time to set it up, I can usually stay at ISO 100 and shoot in manual.

peter27 · Jun 20, 2013

Full Manual, usually relying on the needle in the viewfinder to confirm my settings but with my trusty Gossen in reserve just in case. Probably about 80% of my photography is with colour negative film (and mostly Kodak), which I like to pull slightly.

FailedGod · Jun 28, 2013

I only ever shoot in full Manual. And i never look at the light meter in my camera. I don't know why I just never do.

unpopular · Jun 28, 2013

I use 3/4 manual half the time, and 2/3 manual the rest.

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I started out using full manual because that's just what I've always done, then I realized that the exposure compensation was pretty much doing the exact same thing in Av and Tv modes, but with AE compensating for condition. These modes are pretty much set and forget. I just dial in +2.3, meter at Zone VII-VIII and expose. I don't have to readjust the exposure for whatever EV the hilights actually are in that particular situation.

unpopular · Jun 28, 2013

FailedGod said:
I only ever shoot in full Manual. And i never look at the light meter in my camera. I don't know why I just never do.

So do you just "know" the exposure then? Some people can. It's a pretty cool ability. I doubt my tendency to be overly precise and anal retentive would permit me, even if I could.