Thoughts on shooting A or S vs M

[honoryourlife]

There's other modes besides Manual?

Mind = Shattered Reality.

 

[clanthar]

...you get no extra creative control...

Well, all I meant was that (M)anual will allow you to change the Aperture and Shutter speed independently.... While when you use A or S you have no control ovrt the other... For exampl... If you set you shutter to 1/125 using shutter prioruty mode... you have no control over the aperture...

Yes you do have full control over the aperture. First of all; you're relying on something to determine what that aperture should be -- the camera's internal light meter. If you assume it's working and that it's correct then the aperture it will select to match your 1/125th sec. shutter speed is the only possible correct aperture for a good exposure. If you select a different aperture you will then get an incorrect exposure and can walk that shot to the trash.

If however you know that the meter in the camera will be wrong because your experience taking photos trumps the camera's internal meter, then you leave the camera in S mode and use the camera's exp. comp control to force a change in the aperture. A method which is still faster and more efficient than switching to M and is a clear example of exercising creative control. Given that most cameras provide an average of 5 stops of exp. comp. you can keep the camera in semi-auto S mode and change the aperture well beyond the limits of a possible good exposure.

Joe

 

[manaheim]

oh hey look... THIS topic.

 

[cgipson1]

...you get no extra creative control...

Well, all I meant was that (M)anual will allow you to change the Aperture and Shutter speed independently.... While when you use A or S you have no control ovrt the other... For exampl... If you set you shutter to 1/125 using shutter prioruty mode... you have no control over the aperture...

funny.. when I need a fast shutter speed when using "A", I just open up the aperture.. bam.. fast shutter speed. DOF, I go to a smaller Aperture... same for "S... both give you total control over both functions at all times. I don't understand why you say you have no control of the aperture when in Shutter priority.. it doesn't make sense.. fast shutter speed equates to wide open aperture.. slower shutter speed means more DOF (smaller aperture)

 

[Forkie]

I use A,S and Manual depending on how I feel at the time. I use Shutter Priority all the time for wildlife, particularly birds in flight.

 

[ghache]

tell your friend he can sit back down.

 

[Destin]

Each mode is a different tool for a different job. They all have their time and place to be used. Even Program mode is the right choice in certain situations. It just depends on a bunch of different variables.

I use different shooting modes as much as I use different lenses.

 

[Stradawhovious]

I agree with you Bus_rider. Around 300 pages isn't the bare bones! Nikons full manuals come on a CD.

Gee, that's funny. My Nikon came with a complete paper Manual the size of a loaf of bread.

Just sayin.

To the OP, shoot in whatever mode you want. You'll eventually find out which modes work best for which situations (and here's the kicker) for the style of pictures you want to make.

Its your life, you're in the driver's seat.

That, and punch your friend in the junk for being an asshat.

Personally, I'm in Aperture priority unless I'm using strobes, then I'm in manual.

But that's just me, and I have justifiably been accused of being wrong on several occasions.

 

[spacefuzz]

OP, yeah your friend is full of BS.

Shoot how you want.

 

[KmH]

To those using Manual only, it must be a challenge in getting consistant exposures in rapidly changing lighting, bravo! I use whatever setting will perform as I need.

Only if the photographer lacks experience using manual mode.

Like ann said, for those that had no other choice than to learn manual mode, and have been using manual mode for years and years, making the necessary adjustments is done pretty much automatically. We also tend to be way more aware of the light in the scene we are shooting.

 

[anth_333]

I guess it kinda depends on the situation you are shooting in.
For example if you are shooting at a place which requires you to take a shot quickly in constantly changing light conditions such as street photography then maybe use aperture or shutter priority mode.
However
If you are shooting a landscape or something that gives you a bit of time to think about the shot then definitely use Manual to get creative control.

But i am relatively new to the photography scene so i dunno

 

[clanthar]

However If you are shooting a landscape or something that gives you a bit of time to think about the shot then definitely use Manual to get creative control.

This is a common fallacy. As manaheim noted -- it's back. It's the "I shoot manual cause I'm creative" zombie that can't be killed. So here I go trying to pound another nail into the coffin fully aware that it will rise yet again.

Manual mode can be necessary when using external flash and or an external meter. I wouldn't own a camera that doesn't have it. If you prefer to use it out of habit or whatever fine -- float your boat.

BUT manual mode does not provide additional creative control over using a camera's semi-auto S or A modes. In fact it's most likely the opposite because the odds are very high that you're less efficient using the camera in M and that efficiency loss can inhibit creativity.

Take your landscape as an example. I put my camera in A mode and set f/11 for my aperture. You put your camera in M and set f/11 for your aperture. We're equally creative at this point. You watch the meter in your camera and select a shutter speed that zeroes the meter. I let the camera do that for me more efficiently and note the selection. (I have the slight edge now as I'm faster).

You decide to get creative and manually shift the shutter speed to increase exposure because you know better than the camera meter -- very creative. I also know better than the camera meter and I shift the exposure the same amount using the exp. comp. control of my camera -- same result; I'm just as creative and you're just slower.

Joe

 

[MTVision]

This is a common fallacy. As manaheim noted -- it's back. It's the "I shoot manual cause I'm creative" zombie that can't be killed. So here I go trying to pound another nail into the coffin fully aware that it will rise yet again.

Manual mode can be necessary when using external flash and or an external meter. I wouldn't own a camera that doesn't have it. If you prefer to use it out of habit or whatever fine -- float your boat.

BUT manual mode does not provide additional creative control over using a camera's semi-auto S or A modes. In fact it's most likely the opposite because the odds are very high that you're less efficient using the camera in M and that efficiency loss can inhibit creativity.

Take your landscape as an example. I put my camera in A mode and set f/11 for my aperture. You put your camera in M and set f/11 for your aperture. We're equally creative at this point. You watch the meter in your camera and select a shutter speed that zeroes the meter. I let the camera do that for me more efficiently and note the selection. (I have the slight edge now as I'm faster).

You decide to get creative and manually shift the shutter speed to increase exposure because you know better than the camera meter -- very creative. I also know better than the camera meter and I shift the exposure the same amount using the exp. comp. control of my camera -- same result; I'm just as creative and you're just slower.

Joe

Is it good to learn how to use manual though? I've been using manual because I am learning how to use a DSLR. Im really slow at it and sometimes miss the shot. Aperture priority and shutter priority - is it better to play with those as a noob? Or is it different for everyone and based on preference?

 

[Dao]

Me? Aperture priority most of the time. And Manual mode when I don't trust the in camera light meter. (alright .. I can still use exposure compensation ... But I just got used to dial the desire shutter speed and aperture and trigger the flash.)

I think some of the manual mode users do not know what to do if the camera do not have a in body light meter. Of course, I know you know what to do, yes .. I mean you.

 

[Gaerek]

Is it good to learn how to use manual though? I've been using manual because I am learning how to use a DSLR. Im really slow at it and sometimes miss the shot. Aperture priority and shutter priority - is it better to play with those as a noob? Or is it different for everyone and based on preference?

It's important to understand how aperture, shutter and ISO work together to make an exposure. It's important to understand how changing one changes the exposure and how (assuming you want your exposure to stay the same) changing one requires an opposite change in another setting.

If you understand how that works, then there's really no need to continue shooting manual unless you want to. I would say, personally, it's more important to get used to using exposure compensation.