# What mode do you use most?



## Markw (Nov 13, 2008)

Here are the choices (obviously)


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## matt-l (Nov 13, 2008)

100% Manual...Wait*Edit* 98% Manual and some Shutter priority( not much though.


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## rom4n301 (Nov 13, 2008)

yay for manual =]


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## outlandishogle (Nov 13, 2008)

wahoo for manual!


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## invisible (Nov 13, 2008)

99.9% manual, 0.1% aperture priority.


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## MikeBcos (Nov 13, 2008)

When I carry my camera I keep it in Program, that way I can just grab a quick shot without having to mess with anything. The majority of my photos are quick grabs, local interest or family so the majority are taken in program.

However, when I have time to set up for a particular shot I will use whatever suits it best, shutter priority, aperture priority or manual, very rarely program for them.


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## eminart (Nov 13, 2008)

I use manual most of the time, but for quick-moving wildlife I use aperture priority a lot.


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## potownrob (Nov 13, 2008)

I use aperture priority for almost everything, from snapshots to landscapes to strange sky shots. Forcing myself to choose a good aperture helps me almost always know what aperture to use. The only cameras I use manually are mom's old Miranda Sensorex (which is full manual) and my Nikon FG-20 (whose AP mode doesn't work). In these cases I sometimes use the opportunity to choose a shutter speed a stop or 2 off depending on the lighting situation (as opposed to using exposure compensation settings like I do on my D40).


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## a_spaceman (Nov 13, 2008)

manual - the only i have and the one i'd use the most anyway...!


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## potownrob (Nov 13, 2008)

Can someone please explain the advantages of using manual mode on cameras with AP and SP/TV modes that also have exposure compensation settings?? I think I'm missing something here .


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## Over Exposed (Nov 13, 2008)

manual


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## sabbath999 (Nov 13, 2008)

potownrob said:


> Can someone please explain the advantages of using manual mode on cameras with AP and SP/TV modes that also have exposure compensation settings?? I think I'm missing something here .



All the cool kids shoot manual only.

Me? I am not a cool kid, it seems like a silly waste of time to me... either you trust your camera meter, or get a new freaking camera (or at least a handheld meter) IMHO... (not counting shooting multi flashes in the strobist fashion ... then manual is the only way to go).

I shoot Aperture Priority about 90 percent of the time, and Shutter Priority the other 10 percent.


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## agrteknolan (Nov 13, 2008)

Program auto most of the time, but I switch between all modes depending on the type of shot. Shutter for action, aperture for stills, manual for bracketing/hdr. I only use like 50% of the top dial, I don't think I've used any or the scene modes other than when I first got me D40.


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## doenoe (Nov 14, 2008)

when shooting wildlife i use Aperture priority most of the time. Except when i got the flash on, then i go manual.


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## poppy67 (Nov 14, 2008)

Aperture priority most of the time!


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## lostprophet (Nov 14, 2008)

I use LP mode


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## Overread (Nov 14, 2008)

Aperture priority most of the time - except when shooting macro then its manual mode all the time.


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## jaso_pt (Nov 14, 2008)

Aperture priority 90% of the time.


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## potownrob (Nov 14, 2008)

Overread said:


> Aperture priority most of the time - except when shooting macro then its manual mode all the time.


Could you please explain why you use manual mode with macro?  Thanks for your help.


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## Overread (Nov 14, 2008)

When I shoot macro I need to be able to set my aperture and shutter speed to set values depending on how I am shooting - my aperture tends to be at around f13-16 whilst my shutter speed depends on how I am positioned - if standing up handholding 1/200 - if sitting on the ground or resting  against a support I can go into lower speeds like 1/25sec without blur problems. I use a flash (camera mount) to give me enough light at these settings - but I could not get these specific settings through aperture or shutter priority modes without taking longer to fiddle with the exposure compensation - so manual is quicker.
Also working with flash in general I find it easier to get what I want with manual - though currently I have little experience outside of macro with using flash on a regular basis


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## kundalini (Nov 14, 2008)

Manual 90% of the time and split the difference for the rest depending what effect I'm after or need.  I have been doing a bit more aperture priority lately though.


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## potownrob (Nov 14, 2008)

Overread said:


> When I shoot macro I need to be able to set my aperture and shutter speed to set values depending on how I am shooting - my aperture tends to be at around f13-16 whilst my shutter speed depends on how I am positioned - if standing up handholding 1/200 - if sitting on the ground or resting against a support I can go into lower speeds like 1/25sec without blur problems. I use a flash (camera mount) to give me enough light at these settings - but I could not get these specific settings through aperture or shutter priority modes without taking longer to fiddle with the exposure compensation - so manual is quicker.
> Also working with flash in general I find it easier to get what I want with manual - though currently I have little experience outside of macro with using flash on a regular basis


Thanks for that explanation.  That actually makes a lot of sense.  Not that I tweak settings too much with the mostly mundane shots I take but I have been using exposure comp where I could be using manual in some cases.  There is something more hands-on and direct about adjusting both the shutter speed and aperture.


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## dEARlEADER (Nov 14, 2008)

I ALWAYS shoot in the ON position.... 100% of the time....

I find pictures are underexposed every time I trust my camera and try shooting in the "OFF" position....


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## pm63 (Nov 14, 2008)

99% manual. Shutter priority for sports which I shoot *very* rarely. Most of the time I shoot things that don't move.

It's surprising to see how popular AP is.


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## Overread (Nov 14, 2008)

I think aperture priority mode is popular as most people can associate a specific aperture to a corresponding depth of field and also because it changse shutter speed as the light changes -- which is very easy to miss if you shooting only in manual and if your shooting quick subjects (ie people, wildlife, cars etc....)


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## Josh66 (Nov 14, 2008)

Av, M when I can't use Av for whatever reason.


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## mrodgers (Nov 14, 2008)

potownrob said:


> Can someone please explain the advantages of using manual mode on cameras with AP and SP/TV modes that also have exposure compensation settings?? I think I'm missing something here .


For me, I don't have exposure lock.  Well, I do, but it's the same as my focus lock.  I have a yellow Lab and when shooting her outside, the meter will way over expose if I'm in Aperture priority.  I already have my camera dialed down to -1 EV as I've found it shoots best like that.  I don't want to be messing around with the EV value constantly.  In manual, I meter something like the grass, the sky, or the back of my hand, then set the camera and leave it.  That way, shooting the dog, shooting the kids and their sometimes white clothing, the camera isn't confused in aperture priority and overexposes.



matt-l said:


> 100% Manual...Wait*Edit* 98% Manual and some Shutter priority( not much though.


This is the one I don't get.  I would think it would be easier to set the DOF you want, then increase the ISO if you don't get the shutter speed you are needing.  I didn't think that shutter speed was as critical in a shot (assuming sports or shooting fast moving subjects of course) that it needs to be dead on.  I would think I would still want a specific DOF, then set ISO to get the range of shutter I wanted.  I'm just a noob at this though, so.....


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## potownrob (Nov 14, 2008)

mrodgers said:


> For me, I don't have exposure lock. Well, I do, but it's the same as my focus lock. I have a yellow Lab and when shooting her outside, the meter will way over expose if I'm in Aperture priority. I already have my camera dialed down to -1 EV as I've found it shoots best like that. I don't want to be messing around with the EV value constantly. In manual, I meter something like the grass, the sky, or the back of my hand, then set the camera and leave it. That way, shooting the dog, shooting the kids and their sometimes white clothing, the camera isn't confused in aperture priority and overexposes.


Forgot about that. I think most of my cameras have exposure lock, but it sure isn't easy to hold the shutter down half-way and hold down another button just to keep the exposure from changing. Especially on my F3HP with its 80/20 centerweighted metering where tiny movements can change the shutter speed in AP mode. Luckily, that one has decent placement of the exposure lock button, but on that one I'd probably try manual before messing with the awkward exposure compensation settings.


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## mrodgers (Nov 14, 2008)

potownrob said:


> but it sure isn't easy to hold the shutter down half-way and hold down another button just to keep the exposure from changing.


I had assumed that most if not all dSLR cameras had a separate button for exposure lock, and I had assumed that you did not have to hold it down.  Interesting....

I need to get me one of these darn dSLR cameras, grrrrrrrr....


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## potownrob (Nov 15, 2008)

mrodgers said:


> I had assumed that most if not all dSLR cameras had a separate button for exposure lock, and I had assumed that you did not have to hold it down. Interesting....
> 
> I need to get me one of these darn dSLR cameras, grrrrrrrr....


I've only used the exposure lock a couple of times on my D40 but, if I remember right, the default setting has you holding it down the whole time but then you can change it in the menus to stay locked without holding the button.  I am pretty sure none of my analog slrs (N70, FG20, F3HP & Miranda Sensorex) allow you to just press the button without holding it, though I could be wrong about the N70.  I haven't checked for exposure lock on any of my P&S cameras and I'm not even sure any of them have that feature .


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## sabbath999 (Nov 15, 2008)

potownrob said:


> I've only used the exposure lock a couple of times on my D40 but, if I remember right, the default setting has you holding it down the whole time but then you can change it in the menus to stay locked without holding the button.  I am pretty sure none of my analog slrs (N70, FG20, F3HP & Miranda Sensorex) allow you to just press the button without holding it, though I could be wrong about the N70.  I haven't checked for exposure lock on any of my P&S cameras and I'm not even sure any of them have that feature .



I don't know about the N70, but my N75 is that way.

I guarantee that Miranda Sensorex doesn't have an auto exposure button... I used to have one of those, they are TANKS (but really kind of cool... those cameras had some amazing features like the easy interchange viewfinders).


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## potownrob (Nov 15, 2008)

You're probably right...next time I muster the strength to lift that thing up I'll check to see, but you're probably right.  I never looked for it since it's fully manual anyway.


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## Battou (Nov 15, 2008)

What no examples?

All Manual. I have on my primary and my backup camera shutterspeed priority and no AF compatibility. I don't use shutterspeed priority, I am doing just fine with out it. In fact I think it would actually have deliterious results as my meter is off due to the battery.

Manual lenses on a manual camera body
http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=140463 - Captive
http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=142063 - Wild
http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=138995 - Wild
http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=128426 - Wild
http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=140427 - Captive
http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=140892 - Captive (I forgot to reprocess this one...oops)


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## Plymer (Nov 16, 2008)

I found that in the first couple weeks of owning my 450D I was shooting in most Aperture Priority, but now that I've read a few books (Understanding Exposure by Brian Peterson being the most important/useful one), I shoot predominantly in Manual.  I haven't been in a situation yet that would have been easier to shoot in a semi-auto mode like Av or Tv.  Like was mentioned before - meter the scene first, find yourself a good exposure combination for the situation between ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture size and then just shoot.  A good example of this is when I went out to shoot some skateboarders at the skatepark near my house.

Bright sunny day, shot ISO 100, 1/640th and f/3.2 with my 50mm f/1.8.  Gave me action-stopping shutter speed with a decent DoF and the exposure was consistent across all the shots I took.

http://flickr.com/photos/plymer/2967476513/
http://flickr.com/photos/plymer/2968322594/
http://flickr.com/photos/plymer/2967475641/
http://flickr.com/photos/plymer/2967475389/

I realize this isn't exactly related to "wildlife" but it's still a good thing to learn about, IMO.

Manual, once you learn to quickly meter a scene, is awesome.  Of course, it has it's limitations and obviously if you don't have time or the need to get a 'perfect' exposure using a semi-auto mode is definitely a great option to have!


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## a_spaceman (Nov 18, 2008)

sabbath999 said:


> All the cool kids shoot manual only.
> 
> Me? I am not a cool kid, it seems like a silly waste of time to me... either you trust your camera meter, or get a new freaking camera (or at least a handheld meter) IMHO... (not counting shooting multi flashes in the strobist fashion ... then manual is the only way to go).
> 
> I shoot Aperture Priority about 90 percent of the time, and Shutter Priority the other 10 percent.


i don't see controlling your shoot and setting it to your needs as a silly waste of time. some may be happy with trusting their cameras and how the calculate the "ideal" or standard parameters, some other may have a view on how they want the photo to look like and need to be able to control the focus, the exposure etc.
i can't see why you are being so sarcastic. simply, to each one his own. in photography there's not a right or wrong and that's why i like it.


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## soul.glo (Nov 18, 2008)

1 vote here for manual!


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