Here is a question I am very curious about. For those of you who own a DSLR, SLR, or a point and shoot with full manual setting control.
DO you prefer to shoot in the manual mode and adjusts your own settings or do you prefer to let the camera set for you in auto mode?
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I mostly use manual as I like it. However there were different settings on my camera which I tried last month as it is a new camera and I wanted to try out the different settings. I would use auto if someone is taking a photo of me.
@la_photographic It's funny you mention someone taking a photo of you. In this situation I still set my settings manually before handing over the camera, the only thing I leave in auto mode is the focus when someone else is taking my photo. I get my photo taken often so when I do I want it to be right.
There is defiantly more people using the manual setting and taking full control of their images. From what I have read here this is based on learning curve and for some the type of shots they are after. I myself have been fully manual even before I got my DSLR. Being fully manual before getting the DSLR really helped my transition between the 2 cameras almost effortlessly. If anyone is using a point and shoot and planning on upgrading I would highly recommend getting your manual settings under your full control before upgrading. If your point and shoot doesn't have full manual settings then upgrade to a point and shoot that does instead of a DSLR. I say this because I have seen it many times, someone gets a big expensive camera and has no idea how to use it, this does not make the camera owner look bad but rather the camera, most people who do not photograph are under the impression that a good camera will take good photos regardless of who is behind the shutter, well I can tell you not true. I love music and guitars and they sell some really nice expensive guitars but that doesn't mean I will be able to make it play beautiful music, why, cause I don't know how to play the guitar, that's why and unless I learn even a $5,000 guitar isn't going to sound too good.
Funny you bring guitars into this discussion as similar discussions are going on on guitar forums, should one learn to play on nylon, steel or electric guitar. Most people have already decided and don't really listen to the arguments of others. Why aren't there more non-"all manual" photographers in this thread? Well, they are met with you don't know what you're doing, you're not there yet on your learning curve, if you don't mind how your pictures look and other "know it all" stuff. Sure, there are situations where manual is the only way to get the right exposure, but to extrapolate from there to say you cannot creatively control your camera in A or S mode is just silly, when you know your tool you know which mode to use when and when to go manual.
@primitiveprobe That is the point I was trying to convey with the guitar reference, when you know your equipment you know what kind to use and when to use it. For the ones that don't that is just fine we all started there every one of us.Most people learn to swim before they jump into deep water that's all I'm saying. I was mostly trying to figure out where the ones who have been working at it longer are at. That really seems to depend on the situation and type of shot people are after for which mode works better for them. My personal feeling of any auto settings is that they do not get the desired feel that I like my photos to have.I find manual works best for me when trying to get the camera to see it how I see it. I have learned a few things in this discussion that I would like to try at some point, and for those just getting started I want to say I am not discouraging anyone, in fact if you are using auto settings and would like to venture out of them, check your Exif data on your file and then set camera manually to those settings and play from there to see what difference different settings make. Playing is always a great way to learn. And I don't believe there have ever been any discouraging words about anyone's images on here only positive feedback and a little advice on some other options to try.
@shuterfly Sondra, I'm not pointing my finger at you but if you read some of the comments with different glasses on you might read some of the comments differently. However, going back to your original question you do ask whether people shoot in manual mode and adjusts their own settings OR do they prefer to let the camera set for them in auto mode. Then later you say that you don't like A or S mode either as the camera then does selections for you, and also that you have tried the auto mode one time and didn't like it. What I'm saying is that it is possible to play around with the settings using A and S modes as well. That's also getting to know your equipment. I've found I come a long way using spot metering and exposure compensation (+/- 3EV) to get the exposures I want in tricky sitations. That being said, I have been using manual mode for a few shots in my project.
@primitiveprobe Love my spot metering. This is one of my favorite metering modes. Love it in macro situations regardless of lighting. Some comments may be more bias to manual shooting, but they are also peoples personal preferences. Everyone here encourages learning and sharing tips. Hearing how other people operate can generate new ideas for others.
I shoot RAW in fully manual almost all the time. I'd rather make the decisions about exposure, etc, myself instead of letting the camera do it for me. I just use a P&S right now, but I learned in the "old days" before we had auto focus/auto exposure cameras. I take the time to make sure I'm getting what I want by choosing my own settings, and in the end I find that I need less post-processing, rather than more. Any tweaking that's done is usually just minor adjustments to contrast or exposure. The one thing that I DO leave on auto is white balance, because when you shoot in RAW, you can adjust that in post-processing pretty easily.
@ronah I agree with the white balance. I shoot in RAW as well, the only time I don't use auto white balance is with my studio lights I set the white balance for that and have it programmed in and can access it easily.
Shooting in one of the manual or semi-manual modes gives you far more creative control over your DSLR than using Auto Mode, which makes every decision for you. Since I primarily shoot landscapes, I use Aperture Priority 99% of the time. This has been described as semi-manual as I still have control over everything (including the shutter speed by simply changing the aperture) in this mode. If you are still using Auto mode, give the Aperture Priority mode a try!
I shoot mostly in manual, but use aperture priority when I need to shoot quickly. I feel that this gives the control I seek in my photography. I am also starting to tend to focus manually as well to get complete control over this as well. I also shoot in raw. I am also manually setting the white balance.
For focussing I normally use autofocus, except for macro where focus is very tricky, I use manual.
For the program, most of the times I have P(anic), but while looking through the viewfinder I very often use my scrollwheel to get the desired combination of aperture/exposure. When I intent to make lots of similar shots of e.g. flowers, I switch to A(perture).
Just a few times I use T(ime) in case it's rather dark and I still need a short exposure or when I need a long exposure to get the sea flattened.
@djepie Very nice work. Really like the long exposed sea shot. Your focus is really good too. I will agree macro is hard to focus for. Your so close just a little bit of movement can make you have to refocus. Tell if this rings any bells for macro shooting, It is a very calm beautiful day. You get your subject all lined up in focus and composed the way you want it your ready to click the shutter and ...... a very tiny breeze that would not be enough to say so otherwise blows in and moves your subject less than half and inch but that is just enough to have to line everything up again. :)
I use many different modes depending on camera. Many of my vintage cameras are only manual so it is a great skill to develop along with using a hand held light meter. In digital I sometimes use auto, but for set shots of landscapes particularly using slow shutter and filters I go totally manual.
I use manual settings on my DSLR and shoot in RAW. I use manual focus for most of my shots, but go to autofocus when photographing my kids when they are moving around a lot.
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For the program, most of the times I have P(anic), but while looking through the viewfinder I very often use my scrollwheel to get the desired combination of aperture/exposure. When I intent to make lots of similar shots of e.g. flowers, I switch to A(perture).
Just a few times I use T(ime) in case it's rather dark and I still need a short exposure or when I need a long exposure to get the sea flattened.