Auto, or Not?

[wulf]

I have worn glasses for short-sightedness for years. Having adjusted the diopter on my camera to suit, it doesn't seem to be a problem (although long-sightedness may differ?). I just keep my glasses on when looking through the viewfinder.

Wulf

[Aperthetic]

Always manual settings for me, and for the most part, autofocus. I'll switch it to manual focus for subjects my camera seems to have trouble focusing on or when I'm using a very wide aperture and need a very specific point in focus. Otherwise, I just use the autofocus. It's quick and mostly accurate, so why not use it!

[Saralonde]

I was extremely near-sighted (short-sighted) with 20/1000 vision until a few years ago when I had LASIK surgery. Wonderful thing for me since I could no longer wear contacts comfortably and my glasses were the usual coke bottle bottoms and were not correcting my vision very well. One eye was adjusted for close-up and one for distance. It works very well in regular life, but occassionally causes a problem when looking through my camera. So AF to the rescue most days.

[Major_Small]

I also wear glasses, and my prescription has been out of date for a long while now... but I focus manually. I used to focus manually and wait for the camera to verify my focus with an AF point, but I've learned not to do that anymore - I don't need it.

I also used to shoot in program mode and shift up and down, but I'm getting away from that now too... nowadays I shoot fully manual, unless I'm shooting snapshots or something. In that case I might go with program if the lighting is changing a lot.

[ALSto]

I usually manual everything but do use the AF for moving subjects like birds, wildlife & other moving things. On tough to call lighting situations, I sometimes shoot in Canon P mode to see what the camera thinks. Like a second opinion?!

Allen...

[velvet4269]

I occasionally use auto-focus, but for the most part, everything is manual. I've used "auto" mode once.

[Quo Fan]

My 30D had never been in full auto mode. I shoot in Apeture priority, and manual with auto focus, I can see road signs a mile a away, but I can't see 6" in front of my face.

[Ewie]

Hmm, interesting question.. I guess most of the time I use autofocus with manual settings, mainly becaue the Sony A100 only has a plain focus screen. Oh how I wish I could get a replacement centre prism focus screen

The exception to this rule is for pano and landscape shots where I tend to go manual everything.

[Doug Pardee]

Interesting how many people consider auto-exposure to be "manual".

In retrospect, the poll probably should have distinguished between "full auto", "auto exposure (P, A, S, Av, Tv)", and "manual (M)". 20/20 hindsight and all that.

[Doug Pardee]

Originally Posted by Ewie

the Sony A100 only has a plain focus screen. Oh how I wish I could get a replacement centre prism focus screen

Haoda sells them: http://haodascreen.com/sifs.aspx

I have a Haoda screen in my Canon Rebel XT, and am pleased with it.