Using AUTO vs MANUAL modes

[imagemaker46]

Does this irk anyone else?

I know this irks many of the posters here, although I don't understand why. Perhaps it is because since they have learned their craft, they think everyone else should too.

Personally, I think I should use whatever mode fits my "style", serves the purpose, and gives the results I want.

I don't use auto, but believe what you say is very true. Whatever works for the person holding the camera is really all that matters. Some people just want to simply record images, my wife uses her iphone and that's fine, other people want to learn a little more, and then many more want to work at being better photographers and learn to understand what they can do with more photographic knowledge. Whatever works.

 

[TheKenTurner]

I'm confused. Are we talking about the green auto mode, or Av, Tv, and P?

-Ken Turner

 

[Fred Berg]

My camera has a metered manual mode and aperture priority.

I use aperture prioroty because my camera has a stepless shutter in this mode, which allows for, say, 1/90 where in manual mode I would have choose between 1/60 and 1/125. This is very useful, especially if the light is changeable. If the light allows and or I want to do something that requires constant settings, or I want to over or underexpose I use manual (although I can use EV compensation to under or overexpose in A mode and often do). If I think the camera could be foxed by a situation, I switch to M and bracket or get out my trusty hand-held meter and take an incident reading (and braket anyway just like in the good old days).

 

[christopher walrath]

Green auto just blasts away. AV is aperture priority. You can set the aperture and the camera chooses a corresponding shutter speed. TV is shutter priority where you set the shutter speed. P is a programmable (by you) mode.

Keep it light.
ChrisW

 

[480sparky]

Perhaps you could enlighten a Nikonner what AV and TV stand for?

Aperture ___________?

Time ____________?

 

[bhop]

If the image is good, I don't care how it's made.

Overall, i'd agree with Garbz though.. why pay for an expensive camera if you're not going to use its features?

My personal view is to use what you have available to you. Some people here will swear by full manual mode and manual focus. This irks me. I just spent thousands of dollars on a camera body with a state of the art autofocus system and an even better metering system.

I trust the camera to get the exposure right and it does so 99% of the time. I choose the creative settings needed to get the picture I want though. Sometimes this means aperture priority, sometimes shutter priority, but the only time I go to manual is when the camera is in a situation where it gets confused (late night photos, ultra long exposures etc).

Mind you I also don't use a lenscap or turn my camera off during the day. I want to be able to pick it up and push the button before whatever fleeting moment I am witnessing escapes. ...

 

[christopher walrath]

Perhaps you could enlighten a Nikonner what AV and TV stand for?

Aperture ___________?

Time ____________?

Not a clue. I honestly never needed to know so I never researched.

Keep it light.
ChrisW

 

[table1349]

Perhaps you could enlighten a Nikonner what AV and TV stand for?Aperture ___________?Time ____________?

Aperture Value

Time Value

You know, the same kind of thing you see in the EXIF data.

 

[480sparky]

..........You know, the same kind of thing you see in the EXIF data.

I wouldn't know... I don't shoot w/Canon.

 

[sovietdoc]

The difference between cheap and expensive camera is this:

Cheap camera will almost certainly ruin your shot in "auto" mode. Expensive pro camera will almost certainly get the shot in "auto" mode.

 

[TheKenTurner]

Perhaps you could enlighten a Nikonner what AV and TV stand for?

Aperture ___________?

Time ____________?

Aperture value and time value. I would prefer priority instead of value, but whatever!

-Ken Turner

 

[Patrice]

I almost always use ... Pro-Mode,

I gotta have me one of them cams with a pro-mode. No, not a camshaft, but you know, a cam what takes pictures.

 

[TCampbell]

Better to get the shot in an auto or program mode, then use manual and miss the shot because you weren't quick enough or got the wrong settings.

With that said, I usually shoot in manual, but will sometimes switch to Av or Tv. The tools are there for a reason.

When I power off the camera, I actually try to make a point to return it to Program mode... because if for any reason I notice something and want to grab my camera and shoot quickly, I want to know that it was left in a mode that has a reasonably good chance of capturing any situation in the event that I have no time to shoot.

 

[Garbz]

I dont know if high end pro machines have programable P, auto ISO is starting to be programmable. But adjustable P would be great:like min aperture and speed.

Erm all P modes are adjustable on Nikons. Simply turn the thumbwheel to cycle through all possible settings that achieve the current EV without inducing camera shake.

 

[LShooter]

What mode you shoot is not the end all be all of if you're a photographer. I shoot high end gear and still use Auto modes sometimes; other times I use Manual. Just depends on the situation. Sometimes you have the time or need to shoot full manual other times auto does the job. Creating a fine image is the end result and how you get to it is not important.