People that don't shoot in manual...

[alipaulphotography]

AV mode for when the light conditions are changing rapidly such as on a sunny day. You will miss many moments trying to adjust shutter speed in situations like these.

Manual mode gets used when in low light and the camera is selecting shutter speeds lower than the length of the lens. eg - Camera selecting 1/60th when shooting with a 135mm.

It doesn't really matter about how people shoot with as long as they get results. The proof is in the pudding.

 

[gferdinandsen]

I find your blanket statement more than a little judgemental. I almost always shoot in Aperture Priority mode using exposure compensation as needed. I don't have time to try to fiddle around and find just the right combination of Aperture and Time for my prefered aperture. I always shoot manual ISO. Frankly, it's just a hell of a lot easier letting the camera choose the exposure time value than trying to figure it out myself.


Also, I learned to shoot on film (EOS 1V). With transpariencies, if you do not nail the exposure on the head, say good bye to the shot, so I learned to let the camera do it's job.

 

[kirispupis]

What a load of bull. I happen to shoot almost always in manual myself (manual exposure, focus, and lighting), but just because that meets my needs does not mean it translates to others'. There are times when I shift out of manual - let ETTL determine the flash, use AF, or even use P mode - and each of those decisions is dictated by the needs and the environment.

Every time some photographer comes out and dictates you "must" do something or you are a moron, it just illustrates the limits of their own understanding of photography.

 

[rs]

For most of my commercial work, speed is of the essence. As a result I typically need to know the exposure is sorted out for me - composition and timing is far more important than having the satisfaction of knowing I tweaked every last little setting on the camera to technically pull it off.

When I need to control DoF (events such as weddings), I shoot Av, and tweak the ISO to suit to keep the shutter speed the right ball park as is needed. When I need to control shutter speed (such as sports), Tv. Same thing, keep an eye on aperture and tweak the ISO when needed. I also freely use exposure compensation to suit. Only when shooting with a flash do I use M.

To improve my speed and control, from time to time I would really like even more automation - the ability to use M, select the aperture and shutter speed for the task in hand, and have auto ISO with exposure compensation at the same time. That way when shooting action shots (or anything really), I can finely control DoF and motion blur, and know the exposure will be worked out for me, with my desired compensation dialled in. To make that work fast it would require three control dials, so the current Canon bodies couldn't handle it even with a firmware update...

 

[AJ]

For me, outdoors = AV, indoors = M

 

[BoneDoc]

Let me ask all you manual people: Do you use the light meter on your camera, or do you eyeball the exposure?

Chances are, if you use the camera's meter, you're doing the same thing as the rest of us in Av or TV mode. They do carry more flexibility with changing exposure, and when we're chasing our kids around. I readily use the EV to get my picture to look the way I want it to, and within 3 stops, the results are about the same. Over time, you learn a few things, like underexpose by 2/3 stop when looking at darker folliages, etc. That's the same decision you're making when you choose to "underexpose" on M what your meter is telling you.

Let's say I'm doing portraits, I'm usually in Av mode, to control my DOF. As long as my shutter speed isn't too slow, that's fine with me. I'll even leave the ISO in auto, to give the camera flexibility with this. If I find that my shutter speed is too slow in general, then I'll take over the ISO and bump it up myself. Vice versa if I'm trying to slow the shutter down.

Same goes for action shots, except that I'm doing it in Tv now. If I don't like my typical aperture calculated by the camera, then I'll take over the ISO myself and choose accordingly.

Even in flash, I'll readily use TTL with either Av or Tv, or manual , but I'll add or subtract flash power to get the look I want.

Even in manual mode, if you leve your ISO in auto, then the camera will find the "correct" exposure for you, and then you can adjust accordingly based on your previous shot. When the lighting is ALWAYS the same (such as shooting in a studio), then manual makes the most sense. But if I'm shooting at a dark shadow in one moment, and into the sun the next, I find manual to be too clunky for those purposes.

I realize there are car afficionados out there who love their stick shift, but why not take advantage of the dual clutch auto and all the extra speed it gives you .

 

[schill]

People who think everyone should shoot the way they do...

 

[ahsanford]

Wow, the OP really nailed it with this thread. Can we start talking about how we hate people who don't lift their pinkie when they drink wine?

Av is a powerful tool for getting a shot quickly where you don't have a chance to make a correction and reshoot. Think non-studio places where you can't dial things in (which everywhere I shoot). Av + EV comp is effectively manual control without wasting time nailing exposure, or, conversely, a priority scheme that places exposure above shutter speed. If your scene is constantly changing, Manual shooting is simply slower and less consistent.

This is just a question of what works for you. Av has been stellar for me for years. I only go M if I'm doing bulb or flash work.

- A

 

[tron]

Let me ask all you manual people: Do you use the light meter on your camera, or do you eyeball the exposure?

;D ;D ;D

 

[BoneDoc]

For most of my commercial work, speed is of the essence. As a result I typically need to know the exposure is sorted out for me - composition and timing is far more important than having the satisfaction of knowing I tweaked every last little setting on the camera to technically pull it off.

When I need to control DoF (events such as weddings), I shoot Av, and tweak the ISO to suit to keep the shutter speed the right ball park as is needed. When I need to control shutter speed (such as sports), Tv. Same thing, keep an eye on aperture and tweak the ISO when needed. I also freely use exposure compensation to suit. Only when shooting with a flash do I use M.

To improve my speed and control, from time to time I would really like even more automation - the ability to use M, select the aperture and shutter speed for the task in hand, and have auto ISO with exposure compensation at the same time. That way when shooting action shots (or anything really), I can finely control DoF and motion blur, and know the exposure will be worked out for me, with my desired compensation dialled in. To make that work fast it would require three control dials, so the current Canon bodies couldn't handle it even with a firmware update...

You beat me to it

 

[daltech]

Entertaining post Lewis.

Some people worry about if/when aliens will take them away, some other about other photographer's use of their gear.

Others mean and results are irrelevant to me, I'm having fun ! And enjoy the excellent photography many other photographers produce.

 

[LewisShermer]

Walk into a situation, eg, a dark church, a well lit house with big windows, outside in the pouring rain... you'll pretty much know the combination you'll need. I haven't bought a bunch of primes that open up to 1.4 so I can shoot at f8 (unless it's wedding groups and then I might as well use a 24-105 to save on leg work). I know what aperture I want to work at, I know what shutter speed I can physically get away with, all that's left is ISO and it's the environment that dictates that. the only situation that's really going to change dramatically is on a sunny day with clouds going over. set ISO to 100 and adjust shutter speed accordingly...

Just saying...

 

[AcutancePhotography]

I think we are missing the point of the OP's post. We were *supposed* to be impressed and awestruck with Lewis' awesomeness at shooting only manual while Kelby, Peterson, Freeman, and the rest of those noobs use multiple settings. What do they know?

Allow me to correct this.

(ahem)

Lewis, you are awesome for only shooting in manual. That takes a lot of skill and experience and truly shows that you are commited to both the art and science of photography.

 

[LewisShermer]

Entertaining post Lewis.

Some people worry about if/when aliens will take them away, some other about other photographer's use of their gear.

Others mean and results are irrelevant to me, I'm having fun ! And enjoy the excellent photography many other photographers produce.

to be fair, I thought I'd just stir it up a little. what works works. I guess it's a confidence thing. If you get the results you want from the way you shoot then kudos to you.

 

[m]

And that's not so accurate all the time...

More often than manual focus for me. Do you never use auto focus?

 

[LewisShermer]

I think we are missing the point of the OP's post. We were *supposed* to be impressed and awestruck with Lewis' awesomeness at shooting only manual while Kelby, Peterson, Freeman, and the rest of those noobs use multiple settings. What do they know?

Allow me to correct this.

(ahem)

Lewis, you are awesome for only shooting in manual. That takes a lot of skill and experience and truly shows that you are commited to both the art and science of photography.

only 16 years... and I'm still learning

 

[ahsanford]

Glad we licked that problem.

When do we start the thread on how to pee standing up? I was really looking for some pointers there.

- A

 

[LewisShermer]

And that's not so accurate all the time...

More often than manual focus for me. Do you never use auto focus?

when I first got a dslr I never did as I didn't really understand/trust it, coming from a medium/large format film background. I do now though, I'd be daft not to. I've only been shooting weddings for the last couple of years and my style has changed dramatically since getting the 5Diii and the primes but spending the majority of my time in a studio environment, everything is pretty much controllable so there's no point using anything but manual. I am a product photographer by trade though so it's a pretty technical job... not as technical as the yesteryears of 5x4 film, polaroids, bellows extensions and working out exposures with exposure meters and a tape measure then waiting for half a day til the film is processed to see if you've got it spot on...

 

[Loswr]

When I need to control DoF (events such as weddings), I shoot Av, and tweak the ISO to suit to keep the shutter speed the right ball park as is needed. When I need to control shutter speed (such as sports), Tv. Same thing, keep an eye on aperture and tweak the ISO when needed. I also freely use exposure compensation to suit.

+1, but I will say that Av is much more effective on recent bodies where you can specify a minimum shutter speed, else with a wide angle lens the camera will pick a shutter speed that usually too slow when people are the subject(s).

to be fair, I thought I'd just stir it up a little. what works works.

Well then, allow me to reciprocate. Lots of *cough* experienced photographers use manual because that was a better approach, in those days of yore. What happens with an older camera when you set M mode and Auto ISO? ISO is fixed at 400 - pretty useless. But with our modern conveniences, like a functional Auto ISO in M mode, the ability to specificy a minimum shutter in Av mode, the ability to limit the range for Auto ISO, etc., the automatic modes are much easier to use. Get with the times!

Personally, I shoot Av most of the time, Tv occasionally, M mainly for birds in flight and when shooting with studio flash, and almost always Auto ISO - the full customization of the 1D X allows me to restirct the automatically selected parameters to the range I need for the subject(s) I'm shooting. I like not having to think about the exposure, which the 1D X consistently nails if I want it to, and EC takes care of times when I want something different. But on the much less customizable EOS M, I use M mode with Auto ISO exclusively.

Point is, use the settings you need to get the shots you want. And don't worry about what settings others use...

 

[Don Haines]

I select the mode based on the subject matter....

For instance, the first picture was shot in manual, and the second one was set to auto