Thoughts on AUTOMATIC mode

[TOM]

elGrando, like Kiwi, I think it's the photo that counts. Some people enjoy the act of making the photograph more than others, just as some enjoy the end product more so than the process. Whatever motivates you and offers you enjoyment. For what it's worth, most photographers shoot in some sort of Auto mode, whether it be autofocus, autoexposure, or FULL auto everything. I can set my 35mm lens at F9.5, focus at infinity, set my meter to the ambient light, and I've got myself a fully mechanical camera that can be simply used to point and shoot for most situations that arise. No auto, but just as much/little works goes into a single shot, after the initial setup, yet making the photograph is hardly less enjoyable.

[bloggs]

Some good advice in this thread. I too have just started and use Auto mode mostly but intend to experiment more - when I can get the camera off my wife .

[Duane Pipe]

I visited my cousin yesterday, and his wife wanted a look at my 7d so I put the 150-500 sigma on so she could have a play
I set it on auto with no is-os and she snapped away at a starling hand held.
I downloaded the images on my comp, and I think that they are the sharpest images i have seen so far with that lens

[geoffsta]

I used auto on my D90 and D3000 for a week or so when I first got them. Since then I use manual most of the time, except when I'm doing a panorama, I switch to "A" aperture priority.
Sure, if I get a bit excited on what I'm taking I'll get a few over or under exposed shots, but **it happens, and most can be corrected in PP anyway.

[mikew09]

Makes no difference to me - if it encourages you to post photos sooner for cc etc that is a good thing. I wouldn't be too concerned with what mode you use, and truth be known, you will soon out grow it anyway as you become more adventurous and confident. Agreed, it is a great way to get a feel for the camera and settings.

[jocksta777]

thankyou, makes some of us beginners feel a bit better about learning from auto.

[JanOD]

I spent a long time in auto, using my DSLR like a point and shoot. It's a great way to get really good images with little effort. I was afraid to touch the settings, in case I couldn't figure out how to get them back to normal again. Then I joined this forum, and was encouraged to try AV - Aperture Priority. Since then, I have ventured into other things, until now I am using manual more than anything else. It's still often just guesswork... I snap, make adjustments, snap again...but I am learning.

When I have limited time to get a shot, such as a bird that is ready to fly, and there is no time to experiment, I switch it into auto. That way, I don't miss a shot because of trials and errors. But something I have noticed in the last couple of weeks is that I am often disappointed with the results in auto. It seems that they are often overexposed, or not focused on what I wanted.

I also got a new zoom lens, and have had trouble getting AV to work the same when using it. Once again, they are either overexposed, or the shutter speed is too slow and I move the camera, causing blur. Someone has suggested using the 'Exposure Compensation' for this problem, but I haven't had a chance to try it yet. If I can figure that out, it'll solve the problem with overexposure, and I can go back to using AV (hopefully) for certain things, such as wildlife. Yet I am glad that I have tried manual now, and have learned about using it.

There are so many things to learn in photography! I think most often it depends on the person behind the camera - and what they are comfortable with - that makes the most difference. If auto works the best for you right now, then by all means, it's the way to go most of the time, for now. But I would suggest that when opportunity arises, and you have time to play with settings, give semi-auto and manual a try. Take one shot in auto, (to insure a great shot) then move into other settings, just to get to know your camera, and see what results you can get. It's great fun, and you might be surprised with the results, and what you learn by doing it.

At least that's the way it's working for me. Hope this helps. : )

[strictfunctor]

Full auto mode definitely has it's place, and that place is getting bigger.

When you try a new camera, prove it works and it's image quality is good with it's full auto mode.

I agree that after that, the fully manual mode is the best mode to use next. It's the simplest mode, and the easiest to use to build the model in your head as to how exposure is contributed to by the 3 basic parameters (ISO, aperture, shutter speed). The most useful tool is the histogram. It must be learned early. The priority modes are the next step, introducing the convenience of allowing the camera to make limited decisions *after* you've made the important ones. The next step is to use exposure compensation, after it's realised that the camera can't really be trusted with even one parameter.

Back to full auto... I bought a Canon S90 and didn't even bother with full auto, because I bought it because it has all the usual manual and priority modes. I've lent it to my elderly mother, who's about to go on a big trip, to see if it would work better for her than an IXUS. I'm now stunned how good full auto is. It automatically selects macro mode, face recognition, and fill flash, significantly upping the rate at which she's getting good snaps.

How well the full auto mode works really is a good discriminator to select between cameras.