Is this cheating?

[mostly sunny]

While trying to take a few pictures yesterday I could not get the setting right.. Some looked like I left the lens cap on and after a few tries of getting, well, just black I would put my camera in auto, press halfway, and look to see what the camera would use on auto-- I would take it out of auto, then adjust..

Is that cheating?

 

[Sam6644]

you just have to read your light meter from the get-go

 

[mostly sunny]

you just have to read your light meter from the get-go

Is that something I should have with me? I don't have one.

 

[Darkhunter139]

Its not cheating but I think it would be more helpful to you if you took a minute and tried to figure out why you were not getting the correct exposure in manual. If you could not figure it out then you should have just gone ahead and shot it in auto.


EDIT: Your camera has a built in light meter, do you not know how to read it??

 

[Iron Flatline]

No, photography is about getting the image. Use the settings that allow you to get closest to the image you envision, or that are available to you at the time. Having said, that keep learning about photography and your particular piece of gear, and you may get better results than auto. But mission #1 is to get the shot.

 

[Big Mike]

I'm guessing that you are trying to use your camera in manual mode?

Firstly...no, that's not cheating. and secondly, you don't have to go back and forth like that. The camera's meter works in manual mode, it just doesn't adjust the settings for you. While in manual mode, simply adjust the settings until the 'needle' comes to the middle (the --0--) on the meter display. That is the exposure that auto mode would have given you.

Also, while I don't want to discourage anyone from using manual mode. There is no difference between a shot taken in Manual, P, Av or TV etc. As long as the exposure settings are the same, the mode is just a way of getting there. You can adjust the exposure in manual mode by adjusting the settings (aperture, shutter speed or ISO) but you can also adjust the exposure in the auto modes by using EC (exposure compensation).
So unless you have a reason for using manual, why do it? You can pretty much get the exposure you want in the auto modes as well.
But even if your reason is that you just want to learn how to do it....that's a good enough reason to shoot in manual.

 

[AUZambo]

Not cheating...that's one way to learn the appropriate settings for different situations. I usually keep my camera in either aperture or shutter priority, but if that's over or under exposing I'll look at the settings the camera used then make minor adjustments to those in full manual mode.

 

[mostly sunny]

I am still just learning..

For the while I am just trying to learn exposure and focus.

The one bad thing was there was no flash allowed. When I put it in auto, well the flash popped out and did what it does when it's in auto. Thankfully nobody saw-- So to try it in auto to see what settings I should try.. Really is not the best route.

Oh, Mike-- I thought I was using in M-- I am using it in AV--

 

[Pugs]

Not cheating...that's one way to learn the appropriate settings for different situations. I usually keep my camera in either aperture or shutter priority, but if that's over or under exposing I'll look at the settings the camera used then make minor adjustments to those in full manual mode.

I agree with this.

BigMike is right, too... getting the shot you want is more important than how you get it. It is nice, however to get the camera out of automatic so that you can have more creative control in tough lighting situations. Most of the time, my camera is Aperture Priority mode so that I can directly control the depth of field. I let the camera meter the correct shutter speed. If I have doubts, I'll dial-in a manual shutter speed using the one that the camera came up with as a baseline.

 

[gsgary]

you just have to read your light meter from the get-go

Is that something I should have with me? I don't have one.

Try using the one in the camera have you read the manual ?

 

[Casshew]

I don't think it's cheating, you do what you have to do to get the shot.

 

[mostly sunny]

you just have to read your light meter from the get-go

Is that something I should have with me? I don't have one.

Try using the one in the camera have you read the manual ?

Gary, Gary, Gary,

That manual makes me

I just got off the phone with Canon. They are so helpful.

 

[Josh66]

One of the main differences between manual and auto (other than the obvious) is how they meter.

I'm not 100% sure about the 7D, but usually auto can only use the evaluative metering mode. In manual (or Av, Tv, and probably P too), you can use any of them.

Read up on metering modes in your manual. They usually do a pretty good job of explaining how each one works, and when you would want to use it.
(It will be an easy read - probably just a paragraph per mode.)

 

[gsgary]

Is that something I should have with me? I don't have one.

Try using the one in the camera have you read the manual ?

Gary, Gary, Gary,

That manual makes me

I just got off the phone with Canon. They are so helpful.

When you figure out how to use the meter it's very easy to get the exposure right

 

[Shockey]

Look at all the ale: you are going through because you haven't read the manual.
Just do it..sit down with your camera and go through the manual and read about all the features and how they work and what they do and play with the camera as you come to each item.
That is the best thing you can do to eliminate some of the frustration.