What mode do you use most?

[lazarus219]

Once again, I got the thought from another thread and thought it might be interesting to see more about the way everybody shoots here.

I've seen a lot of interesting things in regard to this, people shooting manual but with no actual regard for what settings they are dialing in- just making sure the needle is in the middle (I do not see any purpose in that, you are still just following the meter in a slower fashion than it could do itself). People using shutter priority as a reverse way of controlling DOF. All different things....


So, For your general shooting, what mode is your camera most likely to be in?

For me- it's something like 70% aperture priority and the rest manual.

[ricktas]

I said manual, as its what I use most of the time.

Though If i am really unsure of a shutter speed/ aperture combination, I will use Av / Tv and use that to take one shot to get a 'reading' then swap back to manual. I will for instance set an aperture of F2.8, take the shot, to get a shutter speed result, to then use in manual.

[Redback51]

90% manual where I tend to shoot underexposure. 4% Program mode (particuarly when using flash) and rest Av. Cheers

[Shane]

Wow, great thread for a newbie like me. I don't know why I didn't see it before now.

Though If i am really unsure of a shutter speed/ aperture combination, I will use Av / Tv and use that to take one shot to get a 'reading' then swap back to manual. I will for instance set an aperture of F2.8, take the shot, to get a shutter speed result, to then use in manual.

Hey Rick, you weren't the only one to say that but you were the first.
I don't understand the point in that. If I understand correctly you are effectively using the Av or Tv mode to decide what settings to use and then switching to manual and using those same settings in manual mode. Why do you do that?
It's possible that the answer to my question is in that technical part in the middle of this thread that lost me.

Oh yeah, I nearly always use Av with a set ISO and always in RAW.

[ving]

hi shane, av or tv will expose a shot correctly no matter what seting you use... take not of the settings the camera has given for shutterspeed in av, then switch to manual mode to duplicate, or alternatively if you want to under expose of over expose you now can knowing the base for a normal exposure... it allows for creative exposures.
also if you do it this way get get to learn what manual settings to use for certain conditions to achieve the pictuer you want... ei self-metering.

i use a nikon d40 with old manual lenses often and if i didnt know what settings to use under a given situation id be taking a dozen shots before i exposed correctly... old manual lenses on my camera do not meter (or auot focus) at all but still work fine

[TOM]

hi shane, av or tv will expose a shot correctly no matter what seting you use... take not of the settings the camera has given for shutterspeed in av, then switch to manual mode to duplicate, or alternatively if you want to under expose of over expose you now can knowing the base for a normal exposure... it allows for creative exposures.

that doesn't make any sense to me. the camera will expose the scense in shutter or apeture priority exactly the same as it would in manual setting. the meter is telling the camera to adjust, or telling you to adjust, to expose the scene to 18% grey. you then need to decide if the cameras meter is right or not, whatever mode you are in.

[Shane]

Thanks Ving. I was thinking about it at work today and come up with something like that. I'll be doing it when I start to experiment in manual.

[wideangle]

that doesn't make any sense to me. the camera will expose the scense in shutter or apeture priority exactly the same as it would in manual setting. the meter is telling the camera to adjust, or telling you to adjust, to expose the scene to 18% grey. you then need to decide if the cameras meter is right or not, whatever mode you are in.

Totally agree with you there. Sometimes I think some people use the talk that they shoot manual as it's meant to be more complex and professional or something.....I can understand if you have been used to an all manual camera from back in the day, but with digital wheather you are using manual or Tv etc you are still looking at the electronic meter and adjusting your exposure accordingly.

[Kym]

So, For your general shooting, what mode is your camera most likely to be in?
For me- it's something like 70% aperture priority and the rest manual.

AP for me 50% of the time (DoF reasons), Action (Shutter priority) 10%, other modes for special effects the rest.

Mentally I shoot in two modes (P&S and Serious). P&S at social functions etc. and serious when the wife and I go out with a plan as to what we are shooting.

Even in what I call P&S mode I'm trying to think of composure, DoF, Lighting etc.

Takes a while to get disciplined.

[mercho]

With my new camera I find that i am using manual mode most of the time. However as Rick said, If i am unsure of the lighting conditions i will switch it to Av mode to find out the shutter speed, or vise versa....

[pgbphotographytas]

I started off with Auto when I got the D40, went to manual and now I mainly do Tv (Shutter priority) mainly with a bit of manual sometimes.

Paul

[ving]

seeing that i do alot of macro, mostly manual as i dont have a choice. when any af-s lens is on tho it depends alto on what i am tring to do.... cant really say one or the other. i use all modes except the auto/scene modes.

[winterstorm]

As the majority of my shots is in the studio, I use manual, but if I'm outside I use aperture priority and then hope for the best.

[arthurking83]

........

For me- it's something like 70% aperture priority and the rest manual.

Ditto!

Unless I want to specifically shoot in manual for some reason, I'm always in [A] mode.

Once or twice I've used [S] shutter priority, and that was for some action/sport type shot, which I don't normally do.

Dial in some exposure compensation quickly with the shutter dial.. and all is achieved quick'n'easily

If I end up using flash whether on board or speedlite, I tend to find myself going to manual and matrix metering. Seems to work best for me until I learn more about how flash photography works.

[jev]

I'm somewhat surprised to see so many people using "manual". Why would anyone do that unless (1) you're using an external lightmeter or (2) use flash?

Anyway, I would have to check to see what I'm using most - which I'm far too lazy for . So, I answer: "it depends". Fast moving sports, especially when panning: Tv (for non-Canonists: that's probably 'S' on your camera ). Other ambient light photography: Av. Studio or flash: manual.

[I @ M]

I'm somewhat surprised to see so many people using "manual". Why would anyone do that unless (1) you're using an external lightmeter or (2) use flash?

Anyway, I would have to check to see what I'm using most - which I'm far too lazy for . So, I answer: "it depends". Fast moving sports, especially when panning: Tv (for non-Canonists: that's probably 'S' on your camera ). Other ambient light photography: Av. Studio or flash: manual.

I think Jev hit the nail on the head, everyone here paid good money for 21st century technology and I reckon the vast majority of the time the camera will get the exposure right when using aperture or shutter priority leaving YOU to concentrate on composition more.

For me, manual exists only when using studio flash lighting and occasionally to darken a landscape when the aperture priority mode can't give me the light I want even with 2 stops of exposure compensation.

[cwphoto]

I think Jev hit the nail on the head, everyone here paid good money for 21st century technology and I reckon the vast majority of the time the camera will get the exposure right when using aperture or shutter priority leaving YOU to concentrate on composition more.

For me, manual exists only when using studio flash lighting and occasionally to darken a landscape when the aperture priority mode can't give me the light I want even with 2 stops of exposure compensation.

The trouble is that 21st century metering technology still relies on the subject being of average reflectance to be effective. In consistent light you can't beat manual exposure for control.

I only use AE in rapidly changing light, or for taking snapshots.

[SpaceJunk]

almost always leave the camera set to aperture, but then I check the shutter speed the camera decides and alter settings if I have to, leaving the camera on aperture means I can grab it in a hurry and gets some shots off with some likelihood they will be exposed OK?, but it is pleasing to see CypherOz's comments :-

[quote]Mentally I shoot in two modes (P&S and Serious). P&S at social functions etc. and serious when the wife and I go out with a plan as to what we are shooting.

Even in what I call P&S mode I'm trying to think of composure, DoF, Lighting etc.

Takes a while to get disciplined.[quote]

that to me is great news, a bloke who takes some care with all his images, I still use a p&s a fair bit and like to think I take due care with them also

[jev]

The trouble is that 21st century metering technology still relies on the subject being of average reflectance to be effective.

That simply is not true. Did you ever look at how evaluative metering works? Try it once, see what the camera does if you're shooting bride and groom. No midgrey there. No, it's not foolproof - you will need to work the system. Yes, that can be a hard job.

We've got a saying here that roughly translates into: "Metering is knowing, guessing is missing" (in Dutch the alliteration really sticks: "meten is weten, gissen is missen"). It's just that you need to know how it works and what it measures.

In consistent light you can't beat manual exposure for control.

I beg to differ. In manual mode, where do you base your settings on? Guesswork? Chimping? Trying to read a histogram? Getting that needle in the middle (which basically is the same as the camera is doing, but than in a slow and tedious way)?

[hepiL]

For me it's the aperture priority or manual if using my old speedlight. Custom white balance is a must