AV, TV or Manual, when, where, why?

kfreels wrote in post #15037761
Same here. Last thing I want to do is isolate the exposure variables, set it up for the shot I want then have the camera second-guess me and change it all.

Very much this. If i'm not getting the exposure I want in M, then *I* will change it meet what I desire; I don't want the camera changing any settings "out from under me".

lehmanncpa,

What a great tip. I am kind of doing that now, but I have not been keeping track. I will now start journaling my estimates prior to metering. Last night I took the time to make and print a chart of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO settings that at least on my camera light meter are the same.

I could just leave my camera in auto and show off the occasional great shot, but I decided that when if take a great image I want it to be on purpose, and not just an accident or due to a function of my camera's computer. I see some of the great images many of you people are posting on this (POTN) site and it just makes me want to work hard to get better. -rick

lehmanncpa wrote in post #15037749
As practice, try to predict what combination of shutter speed and aperture the scene calls for at say, ISO 100, before metering with the camera. Keep track of your predictions and how accurate they are. With time, you'll be able to look at a scene and come within 1 f-stop or better of the actual exposure.

Although this sounds really cool and you'll be able to brag about it to your friends, it really isn't as necessary with today's cameras and how easy it is to compensate. It was very important to know your exposure 10+ years ago when using film, because it would be days, weeks or months before your film would be developed only to discover that you overexposed every frame.

With modern digital cameras and kick-ass 3" anti-glare viewscreens, histograms and all sorts of cool flashing diagnostics and doo-dads, you can easily see if you overexposed a shot and quickly compensate for it.

I don't think it's cheating. I think it's smart. I always opened my book on an open-book exam. Didn't you?

alazgr8 wrote in post #15037895
I will now start journaling my estimates prior to metering.

Remember that what you point the meter at will make a difference, as in this: Post #47

So see what this reads, too: Need an exposure crutch?

Pretty much the same as above. M when I control the situation, Av when I don't, Tv when I shoot sports like cycling where I want a minimum shutter. I also use Auto-Iso when my shutter and aperture are what I want and lighting is borderline. GL

lehmanncpa wrote in post #15037749
Although this sounds really cool and you'll be able to brag about it to your friends, it really isn't as necessary with today's cameras and how easy it is to compensate. It was very important to know your exposure 10+ years ago when using film, because it would be days, weeks or months before your film would be developed only to discover that you overexposed every frame.

With modern digital cameras and kick-ass 3" anti-glare viewscreens, histograms and all sorts of cool flashing diagnostics and doo-dads, you can easily see if you overexposed a shot and quickly compensate for it.

I don't think it's cheating. I think it's smart. I always opened my book on an open-book exam. Didn't you?

it's definitely not cheating to use the camera's exposure controls and LCD screen, makes shooting in manual (and Av/Tv) much easier

I guess it's becomming a bit of a dead horse these days, but I would like Canon to introduce a propper TAv mode where the variable is ISO. Pentax can do it so why not Canon? Instead of this not very well implemented Auto ISO in manual, where there is no EC available. I could see using a propper TAv mode a lot. Of course when the current exposure modes that Canon offer us were devloped although the ISO/ASA values could be changed it was not a variable value on the exposure triangle. Since we have had film on rolls with multiple frames avilable Film speed has effectivly been a fixed value for each roll of film. So you could treat it as being a fixed value for your exposure system as you could only changed it every 12/24/36 exposures or whatever. Now of course it is possible to vary the snsitvity for every shot, theorertically by any amount you like, like some film cameras did with shutter speed in the early days of electronic shutters. The Pentax ME Super did it in Av mode for example (a camera I owned in my youth). So it really should now have it's own mode.

Talking of exposure related modes I would like to be able to set an EV in manual and lock that, so that with a roll of the front wheel you cange both shutter speed and aperture at the fixed EV. This would be like "Program Shift" for manual mode. Using P is a problem in the current cameras as you are tied to the cameras metering system, although with EC. It also changes back to the "default" choice every time you press the shutter.

Mostly at the moment I use Av for general shooting and M for most stuff where Av won't do what I want it too.

Alan

My first DSLR was 500D, I switched to M from Auto modes, they are useless garbage on the Rebel.
Used M only, for few months to learn correlation between ISO, aperture and shutter speed with ambient light and flash.
Now I'm using AV if it is enough light, TV if I need to maintain high shutter speed and M if it is indoors with constant light source or if it very dark.
You'll get very consistent results with M, as long as exposure is in the middle.