How do you shoot? (Auto, manual, program auto etc.)

[sabrina860]

So Ken Rockwell says he shoots auto and adjusts what he needs to adjust. This is shocking because I was told (and read) by basically everyone that manual is the way to go. I shoot manual and although it takes a minute to get the settings right, my shots come out good. How do you all shoot? What is the best way for you?

[SusanH1970]

I take Ken Rockwell with a grain of salt, honestly. Some love him, some hate him, I just don't care, LOL.

This thread came up in a quick search (have you checked out the search feature? It's not half bad, lol): The Secret Cult of M-Manual Mode

[sabrina860]

Yeah he also shoots in jpeg. Im just confused about that too.... but I like him. And thanks for the link!

[SusanH1970]

I know of many pros that shoot in JPG. Just not MOST. Do what you feel is right for you. I shoot manual, RAW because that feels right to me. Some shoot AV mode and JPG and are quite successful. But they also know how exactly to get the perfect exposure etc. in-camera so their shots need little PP. I'm not there. Give me manual and RAW any day. Besides that, I'm a glutton for punishment. I like having huge files take over my computer, heehee.

[IainM]

I find myself shooting in Aperture priority mode. When shooting manual I set the aperture to what I want it and then adjust the shutterspeed to what the light meter tells me anyways, so AP - mode is the same.


Oh yeah, always raw.

[Jim Bryant]

Originally Posted by SusanH1970

I know of many pros that shoot in JPG. Just not MOST. Do what you feel is right for you. I shoot manual, RAW because that feels right to me. Some shoot AV mode and JPG and are quite successful. But they also know how exactly to get the perfect exposure etc. in-camera so their shots need little PP. I'm not there. Give me manual and RAW any day. Besides that, I'm a glutton for punishment. I like having huge files take over my computer, heehee.

you were taught well!

[sk66]

I use whatever mode works best for the situation...and honestly I'm starting to question the RAW thing....BUT I don't like being stuck with camera sharpening/contrast when using JPEG....

I almost never use manual mode...even when I do the ISO is usually set to auto. I *might* use full manual 5% of the time....probably not that much..But I use full auto even less (approximately never).

[Photologyst]

Depends on the situation: Aperture, shutter, program very rarely manual, most are in RAW, some in jpg. When I first started with RAW I shot both. I change the ISO and use exposure compensation a great deal.

Before RAW I used to bracket a great deal. Now, I just shoot different exposures while fiddling on my own. Of course, for HDRs. . . but, the glow has worn off with those.

[harish sutar]

Sometimes AUTO or Sometimes Program AE
I have a P&S still....

[Mike367]

More often than not, I use "P" (programmed auto), but on the D700 this provides pretty much all the control and flexibility of manual. With a flick of my finger I can dial in exposure compensation, with a flick of my thumb I can select a different f stop/shutter speed combo to get the same exposure already selected by the camera after applying any compensation. I also use auto iso with pre-selected limits on shutter speed and iso that the camera can select.

Still, there are times when aperture priority or shutter priority are more convenient, again with compensation easily applied.

With flash, I usually put the camera in manual everything. Indoors, with hotshoe flash, I use the flash in balanced ttl, and typically bounce it off a wall or ceiling.