I Use Manual Setting ALL The Time: Am I alone?

I used to always use Manual, it must be because I was brought up with old SLR technology where you took the lightmeter reading of the camera as a general guide. Usually I would look in the viewfinder and decide on the spot whether I should over expose a bit or under expose a bit depending on how much contrast difference there is in the picture. DSLR cameras today are dramatically betterthough, and you really can get accurate spot readings, and choose both your focus and lightmeter point very accurately ... plus you can get immediate feedback as soon as you take the picture because the picture develops instantly

To be honest though, using Av or Tv can also be considered to be close to Manual. I mean in low light you are most likely to use the widest lens aperture anyway so might as well leave it there and let the camera decide on shutter speed. Of course you can add or reduce the exposure ... so really Av or Tv is simply an advanced Manual mode. As for the other settings on the dial, I really never even bother to look at, except for a video mode if it exists. But I do know that my wife swears by the "Green Box Mode" and gets some pretty decent results.

Why don't you all just give the debate a rest. If you use manual,then that's you. If you use AV/TV or whatever else,then that's what you use. Manual will always be manual. The rest of the modes are semi-manual.

My camera is obviously way better than most here

I use AA (ansel adams) for my black and white landscapes
DA (diane arbus) for my artistic portraits
PPE (perfect portrait everytime) mode when I need the perfect portrait and can't afford to miss. This feature really should be on every camera.
SS (sea scapes) this is a new one....actually has a built in ND Gradient filter. Simply perfect for compensating for the bright sky
and lastly AR (auto racing) this mode is insane....as it actually freezes the car....blurs the background yet keeps the rims moving.

I now no longer need to use (auto)

That was really corny.


I use M almost all of the time, but use AV and TV when I, you know, want to set the aperture or shutter speed and forget about it. TV is for when I have fast moving subjects. AV is for when I'm just plain lazy.

Congratulations this thread has been nominated for the "self indulgent smug buggers" award for 2011. It has not won yet but is currently firm favourite to pick up the prize.

I've only had a dSLR for a year - I had to go get the camera and look to see what the "Green Box" was that's been mentioned. Never even noticed it before. Av, Tv, M, and video modes at the only ones I ever even looked at.

I don't know anymore, seems like to a lot of guys if you use anything but manual mode your just not deserving of a dslr. Like I said use what is the best option at the time.

The ultimate goal is the photo. Who really cares how you got it?

I personally use Av most of the time, complementing with M for more important shots. I use Tv when the situation calls for it, and predominantly used CA when I first got this camera (my first DSLR).

I don't care much for P mode, and haven't figured out how to use A-DEP (not that I particularly care about that one, since Av does the job more than well enough).

I used to use P mode, but then I read some advice about using Av mode to keep the aperture under your control, and I tried it out and loved it.

I've played around with A-Dep, but the fact that it uses all the auto focus points is something I don't like. The camera never focuses on what I want.

I use whatever mode I feel will render the best results. Using manual in a scenario where there was constant changing light would drive me nuts.

Why are we even arguing about this? It's like if we put the toilet paper as over or under. Who gives a rat's? It does the job, so as long as we get the pics, who cares?

Tiberius47 wrote in post #13566077
Why are we even arguing about this? It's like if we put the toilet paper as over or under. Who gives a rat's? It does the job, so as long as we get the pics, who cares?

But that's just the point - getting the pics. There are times when you won't get the pic if you have your camera set to M. There are other times when you won't get the pic if you use another setting.

I have lost many, many great images because I didn't use M. I have also lost many, many great images because I was using M. With wildlife that is on the move, there often isn't time to switch settings. AV or TV often result in less than ideal exposures . . . M takes time to determine what the perfect exposure is - time I often don't have.

So yes, "getting the pic" is the point. But one of the key factors that determines whether you get the pic or not is whether you are in manual, or some other setting. And that, my friend, is why folks here are arguing about it.

Tiberius47 wrote in post #13566077
Why are we even arguing about this? It's like if we put the toilet paper as over or under. Who gives a rat's? It does the job, so as long as we get the pics, who cares?

Over is best, btw.

I think the argument stems from the fact that a lot of people have no idea what the different modes do. And these people then spread misinformation which others then believe is true. The fact of the matter is, if you don't know how manual works, Tv/Av will not be good modes to use. Understanding the exposure triangle and getting the best picture is the key regardless of what mode you shoot in. But evidently the "M or noob" side of the argument thinks differently. The best is the "M + auto iso" group.

Agreed. I think any photographer worth their glass will fully understand how manual mode works.

I never use Manual. Don't know how. I just use AV mode.

I notice a lot of photographers use Manual only then to use the inbuilt meter to get their exposure setting...um...why not just use AV then?

imo the only times to use Manual are:
- when you need to under/overexpose significantly
- when using external lights
- when you need shot to shot consistency in the same setting