What Mode do you guys use?

[RyanFok]

Hey Guys, I am new to this Hobby and just bought myself a canon xsi. I currently own a 18-55mm lense and enjoy taking pictures of people and TRY to take landscape pictures. But iam always not sure which mode to use on the Camera, AV, TV, P. I am not sure which mode is best for certain pictures. Can someone please give me some guidelines. THanks

[Matt-l]

what about Manual?....(M)

[kidfiji]

i'd say use manual so you have the most control out of all your shots.

but generally, if you don't want to use manual, i'd use shutter priority (TV). fast shutter speeds are good for sports.

if you want to do macro or portrait shots, go for aperture priority (AP). it allows you to adjust the aperture/depth of field and focus only on the main subject.

not so sure about program mode (P) though, so sorry. all i know is that you can change the ISO and it'll adjust everything else for you.

[SteveBrown]

get this, all you need to know is in here.

http://dslrdad.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/book_understanding-exposure.jpg

[DC Fan]

Shutter priority except when in aperture priority except when in full manual except in Program AE. :)

At some recent auto races, bounced back and forth between all of those modes, depending on lighting and effects. Program AE to avoid fussing with settings, except when shutter priority for panning motion blur, except for aperture priority to get lots of depth of field, except for full manual to adjust for changing light when the sun set.

[SOK]

But iam always not sure which mode to use on the Camera, AV, TV, P....Can someone please give me some guidelines. THanks

In response to the title of this thread; I use M.

In response to what you have actually written/asked above, can I suggest that you follow SteveBrown's advice and do some reading. 'Understanding Exposure' is an excellent resource for beginners. So is Ben's POTN Sticky: Ben's Newbie Guide to Digital SLR Photography (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=414088)

With a small amount of research, you will learn that Av, Tv, and P all behave according to the same principle, and that none of them are necessarily better than the others (depending on the situation).

Happy reading!

[JeffreyG]

I typically shoot in M mode, but that as an answer is not going to tell the OP much.

The nutshell:

After shooting long enough one discovers that in most situations the lighting is actually quite stable shot to shot. Then you find your own way to set exposure (use a meter, spot meter tones, chimping) and then you dial it in using M mode and shoot away. The reward is a series of correctly exposed shots that need zero exposure fix in post.

[egordon99]

Outdoor (natural light and with fill flash) - Av
Inside with flash as main lighting source - M (flash in E-TTL)
Inside natural light (no flash) - Av

[les_au]

i have gone over to M at the moment and using the light meter in the view finder as a guide, seems to work most of the time

[asia minor]

M if i am not in a hurry
AV for everything else.

[PhotosGuy]

The nutshell:

After shooting long enough one discovers that in most situations the lighting is actually quite stable shot to shot. Then you find your own way to set exposure (use a meter, spot meter tones, chimping) and then you dial it in using M mode and shoot away. The reward is a series of correctly exposed shots that need zero exposure fix in post. Try it:
Need an exposure crutch? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=89123)

[DigitalSpecialist]

Manual all the way...........

My wife on the other hand likes the dreaded P or green box........

[photoguy6405]

Me: 90% M, 9% Av, 1% everything else.

Used to do primarily Av, but switched to primarily manual a little over a year ago. I find that manual gives me more consistent results. I find the point made by JeffreyG about lighting being being relatively constant to be true more often than not.

When not shooting M, the only reason I choose Av over Tv is because I shoot mostly landscapes and other static shots where DOF is more important than freezing the action. If I were shooting sports or other moving subjects it'd be more Tv, I'm sure.

[Roy Mathers]

M if i am not in a hurry
AV for everything else.

Same here.

[Naturalist]

I flip to different modes as needed, obviously (that is why they are there) but I shoot mostly in Manual mode.

I find myself using Av when a speedlite is mounted.

[Karl Johnston]

M for Magnum here

[Rachel B]

manual mode, with auto focus.