# Full Manual or Semi Manual



## tecboy (May 29, 2013)

Do you guys use full-manual all the times?  Or, do you use semi-manual?  I use semi-manual when I go different places at once.  The only time I use full-manual when I stay in one place and taking multiple shots with different settings and exposures.


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## Ballistics (May 29, 2013)

Full manual all the time.


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## Robin_Usagani (May 29, 2013)

I switch back and forward..


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## DarkShadow (May 29, 2013)

Full manual, except ISO I leave auto.


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## tecboy (May 29, 2013)

If you use full manual all the time, what if you go to different places have different lighting condition?  Do you adjust the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO very fast?


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## TCampbell (May 29, 2013)

It completely depends on the situation.  I go between shutter, aperture, and manual.


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## Robin_Usagani (May 29, 2013)

tecboy, unfortunately your t3i makes it hard for you to do manual all the time.  You do not have the thumbwheel to change the aperture, shutter speed, ISO real quick while looking through the viewfinder.  

I like to use manual while I am doing portrait at the wedding, getting ready shot, or when I use flash during the reception.  Any other time I use AV a lot.


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## 480sparky (May 29, 2013)

Depends on what I'm shooting and the results I want.  Sometimes I do mull manual everything... ISO, shutter speed, aperture, white balance, focus point.  Other times I shoot in aperture or shutter priority with auto WB and focus. On rare occasion I use the feared Green A.


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## tecboy (May 29, 2013)

Robin_Usagani said:


> tecboy, unfortunately your t3i makes it hard for you to do manual all the time.  You do not have the thumbwheel to change the aperture, shutter speed, ISO real quick while looking through the viewfinder.
> 
> I like to use manual while I am doing portrait at the wedding, getting ready shot, or when I use flash during the reception.  Any other time I use AV a lot.



Trying to understand the situation.  That is why I asked.  I may get a better DSLR in near future.


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## snowbear (May 29, 2013)

It depends on what and where I'm shooting.  I've been using aperture priority recently, but I am comfortable shooting manual.


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## Trever1t (May 29, 2013)

There's a time and place for each, Manual, Aperture and Shutter speed priority...even Program Auto. Knowing when and where is key. Using Manual all time is a great way to blow an opportunity during events where light is constantly changing. Only time I use Manual is in the studio, at night or with flash.


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## CaptainNapalm (May 29, 2013)

Full manual.  I really don't see any issue adjusting the aperture, shutter and ISO according to conditions or the desired effect for the photo I want to achieve.  I've gotten quite quick at messing with these settings.


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## o hey tyler (May 29, 2013)

Are you a semi manual or semi automatic type person?


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## Robin_Usagani (May 29, 2013)

CaptainNapalm said:


> Full manual.  I really don't see any issue adjusting the aperture, shutter and ISO according to conditions or the desired effect for the photo I want to achieve.  I've gotten quite quick at messing with these settings.



Maybe because you have a D7000?  .  T3i only has 1 wheel dude.


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## manaheim (May 29, 2013)

What I do is switch between full manual and full automatic every time I see this topic posted.

It's really confusing.

-grin-


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## KmH (May 29, 2013)

I used a 1 wheel Nikon D60 for a year doing action sports shooting in manual mode.

All it takes is a little practice. Kind of like breaking and double clutch heal and toe downshifting in a manual shift race car.

As mentioned, each mode has it's uses.


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## tecboy (May 29, 2013)

o hey tyler said:


> Are you a semi manual or semi automatic type person?


Opps,  I mean full manual, shutter speed, or aperture priority.  Am I saying it right?


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## manaheim (May 29, 2013)

KmH said:


> I used a 1 wheel Nikon D60 for a year doing action sports shooting in manual mode.
> 
> All it takes is a little practice. Kind of like breaking and double clutch heal and toe downshifting in a manual shift race car.



Or smashing your hand in a drawer.


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## Ballistics (May 29, 2013)

tecboy said:


> If you use full manual all the time, what if you go to different places have different lighting condition?  Do you adjust the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO very fast?



It sounds much more elaborate than it really is, but yes. Usually I make 1 adjustment to compensate. Very rarely will I go to another location that is more than 2 stops difference.


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## o hey tyler (May 29, 2013)

tecboy said:


> Opps,  I mean full manual, shutter speed, or aperture priority.  Am I saying it right?



I was just playing off glass half full/half empty


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## SCraig (May 29, 2013)

I shot in manual for many years when that was all that was available.  Now that I have a smart camera I'm more than happy to let it make most of the decisions for me.  I use aperture priority, shutter priority, or manual depending on which suits the situation better.


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## tecboy (May 29, 2013)

Robin_Usagani said:


> tecboy, unfortunately your t3i makes it hard for you to do manual all the time.  You do not have the thumbwheel to change the aperture, shutter speed, ISO real quick while looking through the viewfinder.
> 
> I like to use manual while I am doing portrait at the wedding, getting ready shot, or when I use flash during the reception.  Any other time I use AV a lot.



I wanna to be a professional photographer when I grow up, but I don't want to be a wedding photographer.


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## Ballistics (May 29, 2013)

tecboy said:


> Robin_Usagani said:
> 
> 
> > tecboy, unfortunately your t3i makes it hard for you to do manual all the time.  You do not have the thumbwheel to change the aperture, shutter speed, ISO real quick while looking through the viewfinder.
> ...



No matter what you're doing, you're still going to want to know your way around the camera.


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## Tailgunner (May 29, 2013)

DarkShadow said:


> Full manual, except ISO I leave auto.



This



tecboy said:


> If you use full manual all the time, what if you go to different places have different lighting condition?  Do you adjust the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO very fast?



It all depends on the conditions but you get used to it though. Example, I had my camera set up for night shooting last night and had to attend a school function this morning for our son. I just made sure I got to the event early and snapped a couple quick sample pictures. A made adjustments based on what I previewed on the LCD screen and was off and running.


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## tecboy (May 29, 2013)

Most of the times, I get different lighting and shadow everywhere I go.  I tend to go to different places.  Indoor, outdoor, indoor, outdoor, and indoor.  Moving the dial in nano second, how is that possible?


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## Vtec44 (May 30, 2013)

tecboy said:


> Most of the times, I get different lighting and shadow everywhere I go.  I tend to go to different places most of the times.  Indoor, outdoor, indoor, outdoor, and indoor.  Moving the dial in nano second, how is that possible?



For me in this situation, I use ISO to compensate for the exposure given that the shutter speed and aperture are where I want them to be.


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## 480sparky (May 30, 2013)

tecboy said:


> Most of the times, I get different lighting and shadow everywhere I go.  I tend to go to different places most of the times.  Indoor, outdoor, indoor, outdoor, and indoor.  Moving the dial in nano second, how is that possible?



Practice, practice, practice.  Use a camera long enough, and it becomes an extension of your body.  Second nature. Reflex reaction. Muscle memory.


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## Ysarex (May 30, 2013)

tecboy said:


> Robin_Usagani said:
> 
> 
> > tecboy, unfortunately your t3i makes it hard for you to do manual all the time.  You do not have the thumbwheel to change the aperture, shutter speed, ISO real quick while looking through the viewfinder.
> ...



Now there's a smart young man.

It matters naught whether your camera is set to manual or semi-auto or program auto or whether you rely on the internal camera meter or on an external meter. I lick my finger and hold it up in the light. It only matters that you get the right exposure. The tools are only that and merely that. It's up to you to use the tools intelligently. My camera stays for the most part set to P mode. A simple rotation of the wheel under my right index finger will roll me through the entire EV set for the camera-metered exposure while my right thumb on the large rear wheel will set an Exposure Comp (Canon 5d) -- that get's me to the correct exposure more efficiently than any other method. If I had a different camera I might have to alter that procedure and I would, but nonetheless getting the correct exposure is my responsibility.

Getting a correct exposure is more about evaluating the lighting condition than anything else. When I'm out using my camera I'm constantly looking at and evaluating the lighting so that when I decide to take a photo I'm ready to know how to apply the tools I have to the immediate circumstance. That's the real key. It's not whether you use your camera in manual or auto mode, it's whether you can see the light and know what to do. The details are inconsequential.

Joe


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## bratkinson (May 30, 2013)

The more I shoot, the more I want to control everything. And yes, those that know me have called me a control freak. 

When I first moved from film to digital, I thought Av was the cats' meow. I did most of my work in Av and P. 2 Point and Shoots and 3 DSLRs later, I do 95% or more in full manual, including ISO. I want to control how much subject motion blur there will be (SS), how thin/deep the DOF (aperture), and how much noise (ISO), and then make settings as appropriate. Fortunately, I generally have the 'luxury' of being able to take one or two 'test' shots, check the histogram and resultant picture(s) in the LCD, and make additional adjustments if desired. Although lighting at church events tends to vary from shot to shot, usually it's only a half stop or so different, so I can correct it in post. But then, sometimes I'll see a great back-lit or in-the-shadows opportunity during the event and change everything to get the shot I want.  

And the other 5% or so of my shots?  "A".  Sometimes I sit back and use it in 5D3 'point and shoot' mode.


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## Garbz (May 30, 2013)

Aperture priority all the time. The only time it's justified to switch to manual is if the camera is doing something wrong. I also don't use lenscaps and don't turn the camera off. 

If there's a remote possibility of a unique photographic moment I want every opportunity to be able to actually catch that. My girlfriend however loves missing photos because her camera is on manual and the setting isn't quite right.


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## Dao (May 30, 2013)

AV most of the time when I trust the in-camera light meter.  If not or I am in a control environment, I will use manual then.



P.S.   If a person shoot manual in a dynamic environment and all he/she do is dial to "0", then I usually recommend them shoot semi-auto instead and let them know that the "End Result" is going to be the same.


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## TCampbell (May 30, 2013)

tecboy said:


> Robin_Usagani said:
> 
> 
> > tecboy, unfortunately your t3i makes it hard for you to do manual all the time.  You do not have the thumbwheel to change the aperture, shutter speed, ISO real quick while looking through the viewfinder.
> ...



In full manual mode, the wheel on the T3i controls shutter speed, but hold down the [Av +/-] button on the back (see this link for an image of the back of the camera:  http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/T3I/ZYBACK-LG.JPG ) and the same wheel controls aperture.  Basically you can adjust both shutter speed and aperture while looking through the camera and without having to use any menus... just not at the same time.

On a mid-range or pro level body, the camera gets a 2nd large dial on the back of the body positioned quite nicely so that your thumb can easily wheel it around.  Your index finger can dial in the shutter speed while your thumb can dial in the aperture.  It's even positioned so that if you buy a battery grip and hold the camera sideways, your finger and thumb are STILL quite easily able to operate both dials at the same time.


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## tecboy (May 30, 2013)

I know all the function from my T3i.  That is why I have the manual handy.  I had a lot of fun shooting pictures at the fashion models on the runway.  The difficult task for me is to move the wheel super fast while aiming the model to get the right exposure.  The meter in view finder tends to jump quickly to 2-5 stops left and right.  Does it really takes practice?  The meter doesn't stay centers all the time.  Depending on colors of the clothes the model are wearing, meter can changes dramatically.


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## SCraig (May 30, 2013)

tecboy said:


> I know all the function from my T3i.  That is why I have the manual handy.  I had a lot of fun shooting pictures at the fashion models on the runway.  The difficult task for me is to move the wheel super fast while aiming the model to get the right exposure.  The meter in view finder tends to jump quickly to 2-5 stops left and right.  Does it really takes practice?  The meter doesn't stay centers all the time.  Depending on colors of the clothes the model are wearing, meter can changes dramatically.


In situations like that you should not be metering on the clothes but on the model's face.  Once you find a good exposure you should not have to change it for different models or clothes, only when the light changes.  That is the only reason to use manual mode in that type of situation.


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## cynicaster (May 30, 2013)

The vast majority of the pictures I take are run-n-gun candid shots.  I just like this style for some reason, both indoors and outdoors.  I use M-mode indoors with flash, but even in that situation, the camera is still heavily influencing the result via ETTL flash metering.

Outdoors, there are so many variablesshade vs. no shade, angle of sun as everybody (including me) moves around, clouds zipping by in the skythat I just dont see any benefit at all to using M mode for the types of photos I like to take, unless there is some oddball lighting situation that would confuse the camera too much. 

I go to Av mode, set the aperture for the desired DoF effect, set the ISO to as low as I can get away with, and monitor the shutter speeds in my viewfinder as Im shooting to make sure they stay fast enough for sharp shots.  For good measure, I chimp the odd histogram.  Easy. 

I realize you can get pretty quick with the manual controls with practice, and in fact I am reasonably quick with it considering I only have one dial, but when youre watching people through your viewfinder trying to identify those priceless split-second candid moments to capture, you just cant be quick enough. 

Besides, aside from certain special situations where I either want blurring or the subjects are moving erratically and I want to freeze them (sports), shutter speed usually isnt important from a creative standpoint, so why bother fiddling with it manually?  In most situations (for me), its only important insofar as I need to know its acceptably fast to defeat camera shake.  In that sense, its monitored in a binary pass/fail fashion rather than something that is dialed in to suit my creative intent for a given shot.


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## gsgary (May 30, 2013)

Full manual no other way with my film cameras


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## tecboy (May 30, 2013)

The only times I use full manual is when I want to get the best pictures possible.  I have to take the times to think.  Even with strong muscle memory and Kung fu finger/thumb, I can't change the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO speed really fast with one shoot.  Then, walk away and expect to have a high quality photo.


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## 20belowphotography (May 30, 2013)

70% of the time I'm using aperture priority, 25% shutter priority for long exposures, and about 5% full manual when the circumstances aren't coming out the way that I'd like.  On my d700, the in-camera light meter does a pretty good job most of the time.


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## coastalconn (May 30, 2013)

Being a birder I have been shooting all my flying Ospreys and egrets in manual(or anything else I have a constant light conditions).  If I'm walking through the woods and I don't know what might pop up or where it might pop up I shoot in Aperture with auto iso (normally set to max ISO 400, min shutter 1/1000th)...  D300


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## clarcorona (May 31, 2013)

Still a noob in many regards... Was shooting Manual to really understand the ins and outs of my camera. 

Now I may try the other 2 methods... Seem to make life less complicated!


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## Garbz (Jun 1, 2013)

clarcorona said:


> Seem to make life less complicated!



Not less complicated. It's important to realise that the functions of the camera are there to be used. In some situations they will be more complicated and harder to use, in others they greatly help. I think back to my Nikon FE which had aperture priority or manual only, and manual focus, and a simple centre weighted average metering. There's a lot more to learn about a modern camera and each setting has it's place. 

Except program mode. That's an abomination


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## MarshallG (Jun 10, 2013)

The first SLR I bought was "fully automatic". That meant the lens diaphragm would automatically stop down when I pressed the shutter release.


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## Nat. (Jun 11, 2013)

Usually Aperture Priority, unless I'm shooting in low-light conditions (this is usually at the zoo) when I use Shutter Priority, 1/focal length. Few of my film cameras have functioning light meters - or, indeed, any light meter to speak of - so when I'm shooting film it's typically fully manual.


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## jowensphoto (Jun 11, 2013)

tecboy said:


> Robin_Usagani said:
> 
> 
> > tecboy, unfortunately your t3i makes it hard for you to do manual all the time.  You do not have the thumbwheel to change the aperture, shutter speed, ISO real quick while looking through the viewfinder.
> ...




My T2i is built basically the same as the T3i. The one wheel doesn't hold me back (though I can imagine it being easier, or maybe more complicated, with an additional) - everything is in the viewfinder. Plus, the camera is small, so I can adjust all settings while my eye is to the viewfinder. All in what you get used to, really.


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## jowensphoto (Jun 11, 2013)

tecboy said:


> The only times I use full manual is when I want to get the best pictures possible.  I have to take the times to think.  Even with strong muscle memory and Kung fu finger/thumb, I can't change the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO speed really fast with one shoot.  Then, walk away and expect to have a high quality photo.



Why not make every photo the best picture possible? You'll get faster the more you do it, eventually it won't even be something you think about. Just takes time


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## Derrel (Jun 11, 2013)

cynicaster said:


> The vast majority of the pictures I take are run-&#8216;n-gun candid shots.  I just like this style for some reason, both indoors and outdoors.  I use M-mode indoors with flash, but even in that situation, the camera is still heavily influencing the result via ETTL flash metering.
> 
> Outdoors, there are so many variables&#8212;shade vs. no shade, angle of sun as everybody (including me) moves around, clouds zipping by in the sky&#8212;that I just don&#8217;t see any benefit at all to using M mode for the types of photos I like to take, unless there is some oddball lighting situation that would confuse the camera too much.
> 
> ...



I thought that this post, by cynicaster, perfectly sums up the situation, especially for users of what are called "one-button cameras", like the Rebels, and the simpler Nikons. *VERY* well-stated!


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## exemplaria (Jun 11, 2013)

I don't think it's been pointed out here, although it certainly has elsewhere on this site:  If you're using full manual but simply adjusting the settings so that the camera indicates a "correct" exposure, then it's really no different than A priority/S priority/full manual with auto ISO.  If you're allowing the camera's meter to determine any aspect of the shot then you're not shooting "full manual" - and that's just fine.


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## tecboy (Jun 11, 2013)

Derrel said:


> cynicaster said:
> 
> 
> > The vast majority of the pictures I take are run-&#8216;n-gun candid shots.  I just like this style for some reason, both indoors and outdoors.  I use M-mode indoors with flash, but even in that situation, the camera is still heavily influencing the result via ETTL flash metering.
> ...




Derrel, which side are you on? Canon or Nikon?


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## The_Traveler (Jun 11, 2013)

Photography is not a test of finger dexterity.


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## tecboy (Jun 11, 2013)

We should have a speed photography tournament.  Who is the fastest using full manual with correct exposure and composition?


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## Gavjenks (Jun 12, 2013)

You should let your camera automate every variable possible, unless you have a good reason to believe that it is going to make the wrong choice in its automatic decision (which is fairly often, but by no means always).

For example, my camera takes up to ISO 3200 pictures with no amount of grain that's bad enough for me to care about.  Thus, I always set auto ISO with a limit of 3200 by default.

There are exceptions, like low light situations, where I may decide higher than 3200 is justifiable.  Or fast action shots, where I need faster than 1/250th shutter (this SHOULD be able to be automated, but for some infuriating reason, the 6D won't let you set its auto-system to recognize anything faster than 1/250th as an automatic requirement. wtf?), where I need to shut off auto ISO in order to force the camera to use a fast enough shutter.

But outside of the times I expect it to fail, it makes sense to automate it and require that much less work for myself.  Same goes for pretty much every other variable.


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## 480sparky (Jun 12, 2013)

Gavjenks said:


> You should let your camera automate every variable possible, unless you have a good reason to believe that it is going to make the wrong choice in its automatic decision (which is fairly often, but by no means always)............



Which is why I shoot in full manual 95% of the time.


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## CaptainNapalm (Jun 12, 2013)

Robin_Usagani said:


> CaptainNapalm said:
> 
> 
> > Full manual.  I really don't see any issue adjusting the aperture, shutter and ISO according to conditions or the desired effect for the photo I want to achieve.  I've gotten quite quick at messing with these settings.
> ...



Good point.  This was much less doable when I was shooting with my d5100


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## Infidel (Jun 12, 2013)

cynicaster said:


> The vast majority of the pictures I take are run-n-gun candid shots.  I just like this style for some reason, both indoors and outdoors.  I use M-mode indoors with flash, but even in that situation, the camera is still heavily influencing the result via ETTL flash metering.
> 
> Outdoors, there are so many variablesshade vs. no shade, angle of sun as everybody (including me) moves around, clouds zipping by in the skythat I just dont see any benefit at all to using M mode for the types of photos I like to take, unless there is some oddball lighting situation that would confuse the camera too much.
> 
> ...



To add to this, many lenses (especially those likely to be owned by people who are just starting out) are constrained by a relatively narrow useful aperture range. Many lenses aren't at their sharpest, exhibit optical defects, or don't have adequate DoF unless stopped down 1 or 2 stops, and beyond F16 or so, diffraction can become an issue. For those reasons, in addition to the ones already stated by cynicaster, you will likely prefer not to let the camera choose the aperture.

On the flip side, if you know you need a fast shutter speed for a shot, just blast the aperture wide open and you know your shutter speed is maxed out...need more? Bump the iso. Doesn't cost much more time than switching to shutter priority mode.


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## MarshallG (Jun 19, 2013)

Gavjenks said:


> You should let your camera automate every variable possible, unless you have a good reason to believe that it is going to make the wrong choice in its automatic decision (which is fairly often, but by no means always).


I believe this, but it rarely gives me the result I want -- which is a beautiful print, sharp and well-exposed corner-to-corner. When I was in high school in the 1970's, I shot three rolls of a local rock concert with my Nikon, and every photo was well-exposed and the focus was sharp. And it was difficult -- I had filters on the flash, and I had to manually calculate all the exposures, but taking that time and being mindful of the costs are what forced me to use more care and make each shot count. 
Today, I can hold down the shutter and take twenty or fifty shots, but when I do, they're all crap (I'm my worst critic). I used to take pictures without film to practice exposure and focus. Today, I shoot hundreds of pictures to practice things, but for me, only the well-planned, thought out photo matters.
I fully admit that there are zillions of photographers who are better than me, and while I'm looking at a redwood tree and twisting my polarizing filter about, they can walk up and snap a picture that will be better than mine. 
I find that Green Mode and P mode don't do much for my photos, because for me, I need to pay attention to my exposure and focus. Maybe I will just go back to shooting film for a while.


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## ShooterJ (Jun 20, 2013)

It's spam! *cockney accent* I don't like spam!


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## ShooterJ (Jun 20, 2013)

Just a quick question... if you could force yourself to make each shot count when shooting film.. why not take the same care with digital? 

Whether it's film or digital, you could place the same emphasis on exposure and focus, could you not?


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## MarshallG (Jun 20, 2013)

ShooterJ said:


> Just a quick question... if you could force yourself to make each shot count when shooting film.. why not take the same care with digital?
> 
> Whether it's film or digital, you could place the same emphasis on exposure and focus, could you not?


It's a good question. I would say that the tool today lends itself to to taking many more shots. Right off the bat, having that histogram on the back lends itself to taking "throw away" shots, which I'd never been able to do before. Would I stop using the histogram? I doubt it. 

With film, if you're shooting a roll of Kodachrome 64 and you go indoors, you pretty much stop shooting; you're forced to shoot only specific things. Today we can switch "film type" on a shot-by-shot basis. But you have to pay attention to that. 

And there are two other things: First, evaluative exposure metering is a great technology, but it separates us from the exposure meter and the art, because we don't know what's being metered. Instead, I just bracket the Dickens out of my photos. I might switch to center weighted metering to get better control of my exposures. 

Second, my old Nikon FE had a much brighter, bigger viewfinder than my Canon DSLR. I did just step up from a Rebel to a 7D, mostly to get a better viewfinder, so I am getting better control of focus and DoF with this camera. 

I'm a big fan of the technology, but I view a camera as an art tool, like a paintbrush. With so much at my fingertips now, I'm struggling. I think I mastered my Rebel camera, but it had limits, and the 7D has a surprisingly steep learning curve, and I need to put more time into it. For example, my Rebel had four stops of ISO latitude, while the 7D has six. Suddenly, I'm noticing that the camera's exposure system makes a lot of decisions about ISO automatically, which I hadn't paid much attention to before. Try manually metering a 7D with AutoISO if you want to see this... it's not really manual exposure; if you dial within six stops of a correct exposure, the camera will adjust ISO to put your exposure right on the center of the meter. I'm not complaining; it's just a new paradigm for me. One of many. So I'm being much more mindful of my ISO values, because I want sharp pictures. And I've noticed that, with P mode, the camera sets an ISO when you start metering and it won't change ISO if you shift the program, but in an Av or Tv mode, it will shift ISO whenever you change aperture or shutter speed, as it will in "Manual" mode. Again, not bad things, just new things. So now I use Av mode much more, and I fix ISO to 100. 

Will I really go back to film? Absolutely not, because I always hated the fact that I surrendered my film to a printer, who would automatically expose it however he saw fit. But I will try to shoot more carefully.


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## nola.ron (Jun 20, 2013)

Full manual all day errr day.  But having 2 command wheels makes it easy.  I was much slower at it when I only had my d3k.  I do use AV but I end up getting better results in manual.

Flowers I typically prefer AV though unless the light is low.


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## ShooterJ (Jun 20, 2013)

MarshallG said:


> ShooterJ said:
> 
> 
> > Just a quick question... if you could force yourself to make each shot count when shooting film.. why not take the same care with digital?
> ...



Great answer! :thumbup:


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## ShooterJ (Jun 20, 2013)

I shoot in manual most of the time with my Canon. Only one wheel, but it's not difficult to use the toggle switch to go between shutter and aperture. I'll stay at ISO 100 unless I have to raise it and just adjust my other values to get the exposure I need... sometimes I have to raise the ISO, but I only do so when I'm shooting handheld in limited light, aperture wide open and my shutter is too slow to take the shot without the tripod.

But I always have a tripod with me, either in the car or on me. Unless the shot is spontaneous and I don't have time to set it up, I can usually stay at ISO 100 and shoot in manual.


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## peter27 (Jun 20, 2013)

Full Manual, usually relying on the needle in the viewfinder to confirm my settings but with my trusty Gossen in reserve just in case. Probably about 80% of my photography is with colour negative film (and mostly Kodak), which I like to pull slightly.


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## FailedGod (Jun 28, 2013)

I only ever shoot in full Manual. And i never look at the light meter in my camera. I don't know why I just never do.


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## unpopular (Jun 28, 2013)

I use 3/4 manual half the time, and 2/3 manual the rest.

---

I started out using full manual because that's just what I've always done, then I realized that the exposure compensation was pretty much doing the exact same thing in Av and Tv modes, but with AE compensating for condition. These modes are pretty much set and forget. I just dial in +2.3, meter at Zone VII-VIII and expose. I don't have to readjust the exposure for whatever EV the hilights actually are in that particular situation.


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## unpopular (Jun 28, 2013)

FailedGod said:


> I only ever shoot in full Manual. And i never look at the light meter in my camera. I don't know why I just never do.



So do you just "know" the exposure then? Some people can. It's a pretty cool ability. I doubt my tendency to be overly precise and anal retentive would permit me, even if I could.


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## CraniumDesigns (Jun 30, 2013)

shooting landscapes, i typically use AP and just adjust the exposure compensation as light changes.


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## tecboy (Jun 30, 2013)

Sometimes I use my laptop in remote for my DSLR to change shutter speed, aperture value, and ISO.


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