Is manual mode overrated?

[kkamin]

yes it's overrated.... it's all about exposure. How you get to the exposure is irrelevant.

It is relevant. These are the ESSENTIAL, creative choices you make in image capture.

Exposure is composed of four variables:

1. f/stop (size of the len's opening)
2. shutter speed (duration sensor is exposed to light)
3. ISO (sensors sensitivity to light--signal is amplified at higher ISOs)
4. The actual exposure. Where do you want your camera's dynamic range to actually record in the scene? There is no "correct" exposure.

Most people know f/stop controls depth of field (how much is in focus), shutter speed controls sharpness/blur of image, ISO determines noise control, and where you want your exposure to hit in a scene will dramatically effect the data collected.

I can take an identical picture of a scene with the same exposure, but have one image with a deep depth of field and everything in sharp focus and another with a shallow depth of field and have an abstract looking blur to parts of the image.

If all you shoot is in automatic mode, you are leaving many of your creative choices arbitrarily up to your camera.

--------

My camera does have more than one manual mode: 'Shutter Priority', 'Aperature Priority' and 'Program'--you are manually selecting one of the variables that you find most important. The other modes on the dial are part of the Automatic mode family: The landscape symbol, portrait symbol, etc.

 

[manaheim]

I love watching new people "educate" people like usayit. Cracks me up. Especially when they also totally miss the joke. Absolute vintage.

Hey, usayit... thank god he took the time. I'm sure you didn't know anything about that stuff, right? You know, like that facy wang-dangled technooooogy "a-per-ture"? Wow. You should read you one o' dem fancy books on pho-to-gra-phy!!!!

 

[usayit]

Hey Manaheim... (I always liked your "directness")

LOL .. simply.. LOL

Welcome to the Photographic school of Sponge Bob Square Pants.

.....

kkamin, I think when people refer to "manual mode" in this thread, I believe they are referring to the "M" found on many camera's mode dial only. The mode in which both aperture and shutter are manually set by the user. The members here all refer to Av, Tv, P as "automatic" or "semi-automatic" modes. The "automatic" modes you refer to as "portrait", "landscape", etc.. are usually referred to as "creative" modes (or whatever marketing terms are used). I was pulling your chain (knowing that there was a miscommunication in terminology). Knowing that... we are on the same page... It doesn't matter if you use M, Av, Tv, or even P. All that matters is the exposure.

Thanks for explaining but I think I have the basics pretty well understood. My camera doesn't even have Shutter priority or Program modes much less "creative" modes.

 

[kkamin]

Sorry I missed the joke.

What is funnier to me is that a site like I-Aspect has a mission statement 'Where the art of photography comes first." but absolutely no one gets it. Look at any of the critique threads and it is 99% feedback regarding technical aspects of the photograph or just opinions--'ha love the shot' 'the white balance is off' 'cool' 'what f/stop did you shoot at?', ad infinim. What's sad is when someone actually posts an image with some depth and is seeking a critique and gets a reply like 'it's moody.'

 

[usayit]

I should start yet another photo forum with the mission statement...

"Screw Art and Tech. Let's just have fun."


For me, I found that a good feedback (I refuse to say "critique") is only obtainable in a one on one interaction; preferably over a nice cold beer. Its such a subjective (sometimes emotional) thing and once you place it in the cold and distant internet, the focus is distracted.


I rarely post for C&C.... I usually just post photos up just for fun. There's another forum I post photos more frequently simply becuase its less active and the active members really just wanna have fun.

 

[manaheim]

Sorry I missed the joke.

What is funnier to me is that a site like I-Aspect has a mission statement 'Where the art of photography comes first." but absolutely no one gets it. Look at any of the critique threads and it is 99% feedback regarding technical aspects of the photograph or just opinions--'ha love the shot' 'the white balance is off' 'cool' 'what f/stop did you shoot at?', ad infinim. What's sad is when someone actually posts an image with some depth and is seeking a critique and gets a reply like 'it's moody.'

Nice deflection!

You know what I find even funnier is your pants! I mean, seriously... who wears those things and expects to be taken seriously?!

Seem a silly retort? I agree. Please review yours.

 

[jake337]

Isn't manual pretty much neccesary in flash photography, especially off camera, to get lighting ratios where you want them?

 

[Village Idiot]

Isn't manual pretty much neccesary in flash photography, especially off camera, to get lighting ratios where you want them?

Unless you're shooting with TTL strobes, then yes.

 

[Overread]

Isn't manual pretty much neccesary in flash photography, especially off camera, to get lighting ratios where you want them?

Unless you're shooting with TTL strobes, then yes.

I would also add that its unless you're using TTL strobes/flashes and also only using that light for fill light rather than a main light source. Once you move to having flash/strobe light as the main lighting source in a scene you'll most often also want to push select settings in the camera for the shot that the meter won't let you shoot (because it can't read the additional light you're going to add).

a site like I-Aspect

Oi! Mana that reminds me - get over there now you've been listed as AWOL...



ps - kkamin - seriously you make a big thing about the manual control over the camera and the technical side of the shot - and then make a very poor attempt to jab at another member of the site by focusing some form of ridicule on people in another community talking about the technical side of photography.
At least if you're going to make this kind of low class insult at least try to remain on one train of thought in the same thread

 

[Village Idiot]

Isn't manual pretty much neccesary in flash photography, especially off camera, to get lighting ratios where you want them?

Unless you're shooting with TTL strobes, then yes.

I would also add that its unless you're using TTL strobes/flashes and also only using that light for fill light rather than a main light source. Once you move to having flash/strobe light as the main lighting source in a scene you'll most often also want to push select settings in the camera for the shot that the meter won't let you shoot (because it can't read the additional light you're going to add).

EV adjustments and such can take care of that. It's completely possible, but not something I'd recommend. They only time I could think that it was extremely useful is if you were in an evironment where shutter speed needed to remain constant, but your aperture could change. AV would be practically useless imho, because your shutter speed wouldn't constantly be changing the ambient exposure.

 

[benhasajeep]

I think the big question is, when to use manual mode! I basically use most of the mode on the camera. Deppends on what I am taking a picture of. And how I want the output to be.
For example if I am doing HDR, I automatically go to manual, or sunsets or sunrises I go to manual. As I know the meter no matter what mode I am in. Will not meter for what I want to show. For normal shots you will find me in aperature priority most of the time. With some time in shutter priority. I even get lazy and use program. It all deppends on what I am doing.

As for using Manual all the time? That's not for me. Sometime's I just want to point and shoot.

 

[kkamin]

I should start yet another photo forum with the mission statement...

"Screw Art and Tech. Let's just have fun."


For me, I found that a good feedback (I refuse to say "critique") is only obtainable in a one on one interaction; preferably over a nice cold beer. Its such a subjective (sometimes emotional) thing and once you place it in the cold and distant internet, the focus is distracted.


I rarely post for C&C.... I usually just post photos up just for fun. There's another forum I post photos more frequently simply becuase its less active and the active members really just wanna have fun.

Critiques don't have to be these blunt, tough love talks. Critique doesn't mean criticize as in being negative. But rather 'a critical analysis of one's work'--a thoughtful examination. I'm sure most of us do it with movies. But we all know some people who leave a theater and have absolutely nothing to say about the film besides 'I liked it' or 'I didn't like it'. There is nothing wrong with that, but some people do enjoy discussing the movie. They are essentially critiquing the film.

If I say, "I liked the colors of the film" or "I liked the CGI fight with the dragon" that's half a step away from a critique statement. The next step is to ask yourself is why? do you think that. Did the color's support the moods of the scenes? Did they use colors as symbolism? Why did it work? Where didn't it work? ...Did the battle scene with the dragon create a turning point in the story? Did it reveal aspects of the character through the fight? Or was it simply entertaining and well placed in the film's structure?

Most of the feedback I see on people's work is half a step away from a critique. They just need the why? answered, and that will give the creator a better understanding of why the viewer thinks the way they do. It's not easy to talk about photography in this way, but it astounds me that it is almost non-existent on the multiple forums I have checked out.

 

[kkamin]

ps - kkamin - seriously you make a big thing about the manual control over the camera and the technical side of the shot - and then make a very poor attempt to jab at another member of the site by focusing some form of ridicule on people in another community talking about the technical side of photography.
At least if you're going to make this kind of low class insult at least try to remain on one train of thought in the same thread

They are two separate ideas relating to two separate topics. Sorry if that confuses you.

 

[Oogle]

Just my chime in... I woul much rather use Manual than TV or AV or anything like that! I Wouldn't have gotten some of my best shots enless I had used manual.

 

[skieur]

I use whatever mode will give me the settings I want to take the picture, which means that I get around to all of them.

skieur