Shooting Manual or Auto-unhijacking the other thread

gsgary · Feb 26, 2009

stsinner said:
I was thinking about this thread today as I was in the waiting room at the doctor's office and I think some people may have misunderstood what I'm proposing here.

I know that strict manual shooters understand photography more than auto shooters, and that's commendable, but what I'm railing against is the disdain for auto shooters that some express, as if it's any of their business what mode anyone else shoots in.. Why the disdain? It's come up several times, and of course I don't expect this thread to change that. It will always be. I know it must suck for someone who has always been into photography, taken multiple courses, read multiple books and made a career out of learning the craft when an amateur picks up a camera for the first time, puts it in auto and achieves photo gold, but it is pretty common.. Auto will usually grab a good shot. No need to get pissed. Just rest on your laurels that you could get the difficult shot better than the auto shooter when that time comes and lt it be. It doesn't make someone stupid if they like to shot auto.. Many of us have very busy lives with work and kids and dinner to make and what-not, so learning the intricacies of photography may be at the bottom of our priority list, if its on it at all, but we know that a good camera takes good pictures, and it's the pictures we want, not the knowledge of how it was achieved..

I think it comes down many times to the difference between the hobbyist/professional and everyone else who just wants to make memories.

In fact, I'll bet you that if one of the big three made a dSLR that eliminated all the confusing modes and buttons and was essentially always in auto, it would sell like hotcakes!! People want a nice camera, and for most people more $$ translates to a better camera, so even though such a camera might be more expensive than a P&S, I'll bet it could find its niche. (My wife would be first in line..)

I'm not against auto, but if you were stood next to me and you shot in auto or sports mode you would not get the same shot

Eldrich · Feb 26, 2009

I myself have gone on some walks and wanted to grab a few shots since I was out, but I wanted to spend the time enjoying the scene, not fiddling with my camera, so I put the camera in auto and didn't think about it, just snapped away. I enjoyed the walk more because I could concentrate on what I was seeing, not what my camera was seeing.

but if I go out with the sole intent to take pics, then it is worth the time to use manual to get the shots i really want.

But its impossible to argue that I am stupid, or even that I know less about photography than anyone else (though I most certainly do) based only on the fact that I shot in auto, simply because i just wanted to enjoy the walk.

stsinner · Feb 26, 2009

gsgary said:
I'm not against auto, but if you were stood next to me and you shot in auto or sports mode you would not get the same shot

But my shot would be just fine for my scrapbook, I'll bet.

gsgary · Feb 26, 2009

stsinner said:
But my shot would be just fine for my scrapbook, I'll bet.

Auto would not handle the light conditions i shoot in it would be using the flash and thats not on

stsinner · Feb 26, 2009

gsgary said:
Auto would not handle the light conditions i shoot in it would be using the flash and thats not on

Oh, I agree, Gary. I will concede that Auto is not the perfect mode. You do sometimes need to tell your camera what to do, but my point is that Auto is not the leper of the modes. I shoot manual most of the time now that I know what I'm doing-learned a ton over the Christmas season with the Christmas tree light difficulty-Auto mode blew those shots all to hell, but in the thread that spawned this on and in many more like it over the months, auto shooters have really been what I would have to call belittled, and I think that's wrong..

I used to be strictly an Auto shooter until I came here and someone, probably BigMike, told me to get out of auto mode when I was saying that I couldn't capture a shot well. And I did. Since then I've done tons a research and reading. But I would argue that back in the auto days I got some gorgeous shots...

gsgary · Feb 26, 2009

stsinner said:
Oh, I agree, Gary. I will concede that Auto is not the perfect mode. You do sometimes need to tell your camera what to do, but my point is that Auto is not the leper of the modes. I shoot manual most of the time now that I know what I'm doing-learned a ton over the Christmas season with the Christmas tree light difficulty-Auto mode blew those shots all to hell, but in the thread that spawned this on and in many more like it over the months, auto shooters have really been what I would have to call belittled, and I think that's wrong..

I used to be strictly an Auto shooter until I came here and someone, probably BigMike, told me to get out of auto mode when I was saying that I couldn't capture a shot well. And I did. Since then I've done tons a research and reading. But I would argue that back in the auto days I got some gorgeous shots...

The people that only shoot auto could save themselves a fortune and buy a cheap point and shoot or a G10

inTempus · Feb 26, 2009

stsinner said:
This is a DISCUSSION forum.. So now we should only start threads if we're all going to agree on the all points raised? I think it's a splendid conversation with good points raised from both camps, and that's why I come here-to learn.

Pipe down you foolish trouble maker. :mrgreen:

BoblyBill · Feb 26, 2009

I'm in the camp that says it doesn't matter HOW you shoot it but what the end result looks like. A photograph doesn't all of a sudden lose it's quality just because people found out that it was shot in Auto. Nor does a photograph increase in quality because it was shot in Manual. Just like it was stated before... 1/160th, f/8, at 100 ISO is going to look the same in any mode, the only difference is WHO choose those settings. Also, just because you shoot in Auto, doesn't AUTOMATICALY mean that you don't understand the workings of the camera, or lighting. Maybe you use Auto because you know exactly what the output will be and its faster to point and shoot than set the settings manually and get the same result. I don't understand the snobbery that comes with people thinking one way is better than the other. Take for instance, you have two photographers that go to the same spot and shoot the same sceen at the same time of day. One shoots in manual has the setting of 1/125th f/8 and 100 ISO, the other shoots in Auto and the settings are the same. It would be rediculous to have one of the photographers critize the other because of the mode they shot in... it's petty...

dEARlEADER · Feb 26, 2009

gsgary said:
The people that only shoot auto could save themselves a fortune and buy a cheap point and shoot or a G10

Not really... One could still realize ISO benefits of shooting auto with sensors larger than p&s... they also could enjoy the benefits of interchangeable zooms... faster fps....less shutter lag...etc..

dEARlEADER · Feb 26, 2009

tharmsen said:
Still, that's a manual setting. The camera doesn't set its exposure compensation automatically.

hmm.... more of a manual adjustment to an automatic setting....

a draw i suppose...

Aye-non Oh-non Imus · Feb 26, 2009

stsinner said:
This is a DISCUSSION forum.. So now we should only start threads if we're all going to agree on the all points raised? I think it's a splendid conversation with good points raised from both camps, and that's why I come here-to learn.

Im a friend to discussion and debate. Your opening salvo, however, left little to discuss. You were making a stance on your one-sided observations. They were plenty of generalizations, pigeon-holing, innuendos and personal opinions though.

It came across to me as if you were drawing a line in the sand and daring anyone to cross. Where is the prompt for asking others opinions on this matter? Apologies if I overlook it.

stsinner · Feb 26, 2009

Just curious what people think, and, of course, this is a mostly rhetorical question-if we went to an event, say an open-air concert at a state fair, if we found 900 people with cameras how many would we find in auto mode?

My guess: 800-850.

I don't know what my point is, but I do think that auto is the main mode used by 95% of people holding cameras.