What shooting mode do you use and why?

M, most of the time.

In the past 4 weeks I've probably shot on everything including Full Auto.. I was taking pictures of my car interior and just needed some quick snapshots in bad lighting in my garage... Green Rectangle saved the day of pulling out flashes etc.

I'm always hesitant to switch modes, because I have a hard time remembering all the dials and their different function in the different modes.. but there are some times that necessitate it..

Use what you're comfortable with and what allows you to take great images. There is no best mode for every person. (This bears repeating)

joedlh wrote in post #16626383
Those who shoot manual because they made a reasoned decision to do so don't boast about it. They just do it.

Or, they could be really old (perhaps I could fool you into saying "experienced") like me. I learned manual well before there were even light meters built into cameras, much less "automagic" exposure settings being available.

It's worked for me for forty years, but then I don't shoot for a living and rarely shoot fast-paced events... because there's little fast-paced about me.

I think that any setting you use that results in photos that please you or your audience is fine with me. I do believe that one should learn as much as they can about their tools, though. As long as you realize that having the camera chase the needle to zero for you "can" cause exposure problems because it's interpreting your scene as 18% grey (or 12% in the digital age, I'm given to understand) and one takes those things into account while setting exposure, one won't have to end up doing a lot of pushing and pulling in post processing.

Dwain

For what I do, manual is best and most entertaining---and it's really quite simple. If I'm walking in the sun, set exposure for it. If I move into shadow, expose for that. Then I don't worry about exposure while in those particular settings. For those 'ambiguous' lighting situations, pull out the handheld meter thing for exposure. Clouds moving quickly past sun can be a nuisance, but it's manageable, what few times such conditions actually arise.

Av - 99% of the time when off tripod, I can control DoF exactly how I want, with manual ISO and to tweak exposure slightly use exposure comp. Basically M mode, but I dont have to fiddle with SS every shot directly.

Tv - for action shots, whether it be a football game or a race car around a track, I want to control how the frame would look, and based on that Av can change if lighting is not a big deal. Again manual ISO.

M - everything on tripod for me when I use flash for my shots, need to have consistent frames to make life easier for me in post production. Also for other instances where I need a certain SS and Aperture to remain fixed and not change.

AV - when doing most outdoor stuff.
Manual - in gym with uneven mixed lighting.
Manual - indoors using flash.
TV - for action shots

I use E-manual. "Dear Jesus. Let this picture turn out."

umphotography wrote in post #16626651
Oh Allen. I have to disagree with you sir. AV mode, when used right ,is basically another version of manual mode and often will get you there quicker and better than the big M. I use Manual, AV and TV exclusively. In mixed lighting on the move AV cant be beat especially with ETTL of OCF capabilities.

But If the light is consistent, manual is the go to mode.

Know what the cameras can do ( i know you know this) and use a mode thats gonna get you the best results. I dont think anything is a best way to go anymore. The cameras and the auto modes (AV/TV) are just too good to not use and to rule them out is not being the best you can be for your clients.

Love everything about you and your work but I got off the M crutch a few of years ago and AV is such a wonderful tool. For sports shooting i use TV and AV almost exclusively these days. Im rarely in M mode for sports. Im looking to control shutter speed for affect.

As long as you are pointing at something thats 18% gray then you are right but I can tell you that I can do it faster and more accurate than any auto mode and get exactly what I need. It's not a crutch its control. I've been doing it for so long it is second nature and there are few here that shoot faster and in more challenging lighting situations than I do especially with my street work. But the meter is still reading at 18% gray. My brian is faster and more accurate than any auto mode. It just is. Manual is the more that gets me the best results. And how can anyone argue that is wrong for me.

breal101 wrote in post #16626672
If the situation is so momentary and dynamic then it would preclude using EC as well. It comes down to what you're more comfortable doing.

Most of us would agree that shooting manual and chasing the needle is stupid, but that's exactly what you're doing using auto modes without riding EC.

I can figure it faster in real time than trying to set EC.

I only use manual mode because I never learned how to use the auto modes.

airfrogusmc wrote in post #16627807
I can figure it faster in real time than trying to set EC.

I can too, a product of all those years of shooting manual everything cameras like you did. If all the auto stuff on my cameras stopped working it wouldn't bother me a bit.

Manual only. Just the way I do it.

Great feedback folks. Thank You! I am very happy with the shots I get in P mode (primarily) and I will play with AV & TV for both outdoor and action shots accordingly. I guess I am a lazy photographer. I use manual periodically as stated, but with all the other modes these cameras offer I can accomplish most shots with a mode in point and shoot. I posted a couple pics here and although these are mediocre, I will post more as I gather experience and pics accordingly.

Av for most stuff as I want to control DOF
M for land/seascapes where I want to control DOF & shutter speed & also M for flash

airfrogusmc wrote in post #16627803
As long as you are pointing at something thats 18% gray then you are right but I can tell you that I can do it faster and more accurate than any auto mode and get exactly what I need. It's not a crutch its control. I've been doing it for so long it is second nature and there are few here that shoot faster and in more challenging lighting situations than I do especially with my street work. But the meter is still reading at 18% gray. My brian is faster and more accurate than any auto mode. It just is. Manual is the more that gets me the best results. And how can anyone argue that is wrong for me.

Allen

I would never argue with you. I have learned so much just watching you and what you do. I learned to shoot AV after I saw Mike and Cody from Tri coast present about 6 yrs ago. There are some real advantages to what they taught for how I operate so I adapted the techniques. Honestly its not much different than manual mode. Just different controls and anticipation on the photographers part as to what the camera is going to see. Exposure compensation does what adjusting your shutter does for you in M mode. The custom settings just lets an event guy like myself work fast.

That being said, I use Manual mode a ton. Probably not as fast as you are with it but i agree with everything you said here. There are many times during the process that I wont touch AV, and switch for manual because i have light sources closed off and im looking for direction and drama with the light.........hard to do with AV for reasons you just stated

Am I want to say this loud and clear. AIRFROGUSMC is one of the most knowledgeable guys here on POTN. Highly respect his work and his opinions and his contributions at POTN. For you people coming up, start going through his posts and look at what he does. The man is awesome.

I haven't found any reason to use any auto mode, bro. I can do it faster with more accuracy with greater consistency, especially in tricky lighting, because the camera has no clue how I want my stuff to look.

Thanks so much for the kind words Mike....

Also I don't want to anticipate what the camera is going to see, I want to fully control the camera to capture what I see.