A mode vs M mode

[Designer Dale]

When I’m shooting (landscape/location) on manual settings, I almost certainly have the camera tripod mounted. Without moving people in the scene, the ISO will probably be 100, the aperture probably f11, the composition chosen and ‘locked in’. This leaves the shutter speed as the only variable, and I’m pretty familiar with the range of settings: 1/125sec for a sunny day in England, 1/160sec for a bright sunny day, up to 1/200sec on a few days each year... down to 1/100sec or 1/80sec when the sun slips behind thin cloud, etc. If I start with the shutter speed on, say, 1/125sec, I can make ‘fine adjustments’ to the shutter speed dial with my thumb: one click left will go to 1/100sec, one click to the right will be 1/160sec... which means I don’t really need to think in terms of numbers at all, but just 'clicks' to replicate the strength and quality of the light. With the cable release in hand, I can be looking at the landscape and the light, rather than at the camera. A particular play of light might last a couple of seconds; if I’m ready I get it... if I’m faffing about with camera settings, I won’t. Altering the settings becomes intuitive, as the light changes, in the same way that driving a car become intuitive. We don’t need to think about it, we just do it...

I appreciate that my method is rather personal, maybe even a little odd. But it works for me, and it’s very simple, ‘cos it’s just me responding to the light and transferring my immediate impressions to the camera. While I’m shooting, the camera all but disappears... which I find very satisfying. We tend to put our cameras ‘centre stage’, because they’re gorgeous ‘n’ matt black ‘n’ expensive ‘n’ covered with buttons ‘n’ dials ‘n’ click wheels. But, when I’m taking pix, it’s just a window to the world. And I’d rather be looking at the world than at the window frame.

If I was shooting different subject matter, or wanted a different ‘look’ to my pix, I could meter in a very different way... maybe using one of the programmed modes, for example, for sports or wildlife. It’s up to each of us, as photographers, to find the method (or methods) that work for us. Are we happy with the quality of the pictures we’re getting? If so, fine. If not, then maybe we can think about another way of metering. A decent DSLR can be ‘set up’ in so many different ways, so there isn’t really a best way of metering... only the best way that each individual photographer discovers for him/herself... that 'delivers the goods'.

Very good comprehensive statement. Spoken like someone who knows that Photo Flow isn't an app...

All those dials and setting choices are there for a reason and each has it's place in photography. Learn them all and then gravitate to the one that you are most comfortable with.

Dale

 

[TheDrift-]

I always wanted a feature in a camera that you could take a reading or a shot or whatever in AV mode... and switch to a fully manual mode and it take your settings with you.

EG say an MR (for manual remember mode!!) mode where you meter a scene or take a pic in AV mode and when you flick into MR mode it imports the last settings you used.

So in Phrasikleia's case with the dog, when she found AV mode lacking and flicked to M mode most of the setting were already there for her and she just had to fine tune. In effect you could use AV or TV as a jumping off point to quickly get a feel for a scene then fine tune manually.

I suspect 90% of the time the setting you choose is only going to be a couple of stops away from what the camera selected in AV or TW mode.

 

[snberk103]

I always wanted a feature in a camera that you could take a reading or a shot or whatever in AV mode... and switch to a fully manual mode and it take your settings with you.

EG say an MR (for manual remember mode!!) mode ....

It's a great idea. And I don't think it needs to be a special MR mode either. Just making M mode work that way should be enough. I think it's safe to assume that if the camera is turned on and in Av/Tv mode and the dial is flicked to M mode then the photographer is probably wanting to start somewhere close to that setting - as you you said. Keeps the interface simpler by using M mode this way.

 

[Phrasikleia]

Speed, I don't really see it as a lot of fiddling. If you're in a rush to shoot something in manual mode, you won't bother zone metering the scene (good on you if you're fast enough to do so, I'm fairly new to photography). I usually and up picking one thing and metering to that. Then you'll manually twist knobs until you get it the needle to 0. You'll usually have an idea of how much light there is, choose the aperture for the composition, pick an ISO according to how much light there is and finally adjust exposure time to get what you want.

With Ae lock, you're just automating that. Spot meter on something, press Ae lock, make sure the settings make sense and you're ready. No knob twisting. Ultimately, Ae lock is just an extension of Av mode, otherwise you're stuck with the exposure of what ever your meter is looking at when you're taking the shot. Let's say you're in a tunnel and have a subject on one side and want the center of the frame to be the end of the tunnel. If you're in Av mode with spot metering and don't Ae lock, you'll end up spot metering what ever is at the end of the tunnel, kind of useless.


Sure you loose some flexibility but if you're not controlling the situation or don't have the time you'll get some control over the exposure. I can see this being useful for someone like a wedding photographer. Couple shot outside; Ae lock with a spot meter on grass, focus on the eyes, compose, boom shot's taken. As you're constantly moving around and the people don't have much time to give to you it's a very good compromise.

I don't think it's a replacement to M, sometimes you do want to have full control over the exposure. Especially if it's a thought out shot. But I still think Av with Ae has it's place, it enables you to control the exposure to some extent and be much faster.

I think you're the first person in this thread so far to offer a specific scenario in which you would prefer to use Av mode (instead of mentioning a vague one-word genre like "wildlife" or "sports"). Surely this kind of advice is going to be the most informative for the OP, who is new to photography and is curious about M mode and how to use it. What I was hoping to draw out in the discussion above is what specific benefits you get from M mode and what the common misperceptions about it are.

The biggest misperception is that M mode is slower and more complicated than the semi-auto modes. I hope the discussion above has helped to debunk that myth. As we've heard from several people, you have to meter and then spin some dials to get what you want in any mode, unless you want the camera to call the shots. Left to its own devices, the camera will always try to center the needle, which may or may not be what you want--and if it isn't what you want, then you're going to have to start pressing buttons and/or spinning some dials. This is true in any mode.

I've seen this discussion unfold on several photography forums, and it always takes the same course. For each person who prefers to shoot a certain type of photography in a certain type of mode, there will be someone who does the same thing in M mode. Wildlife photographers and sports shooters are always among them.

Which brings us to the caveat Doylem included at the end of his last post, and which I included at the end of two of mine in this thread: it's ultimately a matter of choosing the method that works best for you. If feel there is a compelling reason to choose one mode over another, then it's probably the right one for you. What matters is that you get the shot. If you find that you're having trouble with a particular mode, then do something else!

So in Phrasikleia's case with the dog, when she found AV mode lacking and flicked to M mode most of the setting were already there for her and she just had to fine tune. In effect you could use AV or TV as a jumping off point to quickly get a feel for a scene then fine tune manually.

I suspect 90% of the time the setting you choose is only going to be a couple of stops away from what the camera selected in AV or TW mode.

The settings would "already be there" for me either way. This scenario was one where the aperture and ISO were most important to me, so in M mode, I would just dial those two in straight away, without even needing to meter anything. Then all I have to do is spot meter on the dog and spin the dial to move the needle where I want it. Done. See...not any slower than Av mode would be, and it's even one less button press (no need to hit AE-lock).

OK, gonna add that caveat one more time just in case someone hasn't been reading everything: do what works for you to avoid missed shots!

 

[farbRausch]

Hey guys, I started this thread almost a month ago and at that time I shot manual only occasionally. When I read some strong opinions about manual mode in this thread(in a positive way ) I decided to give it try: The last few weeks I shot in manual mode 90% of the time. Although all points about manual had been made in this thread already(in a great manner), I want to share my thoughts so maybe another person will try out manual as well.

• First, I found out that I enjoy shooting a lot more. It's just a step away from P&S-like-shooting. Being in full control of the camera is nice!
• I learned a lot about my camera. Making a shot quickly in manual mode is definitely a nice ability to have.
• I learned a lot about (ambient) light. I now have a better feeling how the exposure changes when pointing the camera away from bright sunlight into shadow areas etc.
• In some Situations manual mode is a heckofalot more convenient. In some situations you don't have to meter and recompose after each shot(or hold down AEL all the time). For the same reason you will miss fewer shots(camera metering for the wrong part of the scene etc.).
  

Will I continue to shooting 90% in manual mode? No. Will I continue to use manual a lot? Yes! In the last few weeks I definitely improved as a photographer. So, if you are uncertain about shooting in manual mode, I would say: Give it try! The worst thing, which can happen is that you learn something about yourself and your gear.

Thanks a lot to everyone posting in this thread and best regard!
farbRausch

 

[Rowbear]

When I'm shooting with the tripod I'll go to M and take my time. But if I'm shooting on the fly, especially wildlife, I'll go to Av, keep an eye on the histogram, and adjust the Exposure Compensation accordingly.

Same here . Interesting thread.

 

[snberk103]

Hey guys, I started this thread ....

Thanks a lot to everyone posting in this thread and best regard!
farbRausch

Sounds like you did it right. Go to the extreme, and use it long enough to really understand it. Then go back to the "middle" with a newly learned tool ready to be used when needed. 'Grats!