When do you....

[Optikal iLLusion]

That lightning shot was great. How did you use the histogram that way? Did you display it in live view?

[RichardTaylor]

Thanks again, The 5D doesn't have live view.

For night stuff, and this was about 1/2 hour before sunrise on a stormy morning, I normally think for a starting point "100" (aperture f10, shutter - 10secs, ISO 100). This will get me into the ball park. Take a photo and check the histogram. Adjust as necessary (in this case the ISO was upped to 400).

If I was using a camera with a live histogram - Like my G11 P&S, yes I would be using that in conditions like this.

We never saw the sunrise as the weather closed in after just a hint pre dawn colour.

[CheaperKings]

Originally Posted by Optikal iLLusion

Thanks I pretty much decided to ignore his posts after the last couple

Best idea yet! You asked for opinions and decided to publicly out someone for their opinions. Nice call! Tennessee must have more awesome-thinking people like you - way to represent...

[Optikal iLLusion]

Originally Posted by CheaperKings

I have no reason to use them modes - I'm not a Canon shooter.

Seriously though, I shoot Manual 100% of the time - the camera isn't as smart as I am.

This post was fine. It gave your opinion, which is also fine since part of the reason i posted this thread was to find peoples' opinion.

Originally Posted by CheaperKings

Um...what situation am I going to be in that will require me to have ninja-like reflexes in order to take a friggin' picture?!

The fastest decision in image-taking I would ever need is about 30 secs - not a prob...

EDIT: if you can't adjust your camera on-the-fly, that's not my problem. Maybe you should consider point-n-shoot...?

This was fine too except you never said what situations you shoot in that indicate why you prefer manual 100% of the time.

Originally Posted by CheaperKings

So then, why question me about 100% Manual? It doesn't make sense...

This was when i decided that you had missed my point of the OP.

Originally Posted by CheaperKings

I call BS...

EDIT: I had a look at your website. Very nice images! However, which one of them took "millisecond" decisions to capture? :/

Originally Posted by CheaperKings

Trolling? Douchebag...

Originally Posted by CheaperKings

Best idea yet! You asked for opinions and decided to publicly out someone for their opinions. Nice call! Tennessee must have more awesome-thinking people like you - way to represent...

These last three here supported my thoughts that you really didnt bring anything useful to the thread. I didnt post here to start an argument and i dont intend to argue with you now.

I didnt "out" you because of your opinion on preferring Manual mode. I "outed" you because you strayed from what i asked for in the OP and started name calling like a 12 year old.

If you dont like the thread or whats being posted in here dont post. Its that simple. I'll leave it at that.

[Optikal iLLusion]

Originally Posted by RichardTaylor

Thanks again, The 5D doesn't have live view.

For night stuff, and this was about 1/2 hour before sunrise on a stormy morning, I normally think for a starting point "100" (aperture f10, shutter - 10secs, ISO 100). This will get me into the ball park. Take a photo and check the histogram. Adjust as necessary (in this case the ISO was upped to 400).

If I was using a camera with a live histogram - Like my G11 P&S, yes I would be using that in conditions like this.

We never saw the sunrise as the weather closed in after just a hint pre dawn colour.

Using a cable or remote release not doubt? I havent gotten a chance to try any lightning shots yet. We had a pretty good storm here the other night but it was right on top of us and i dont have anything to protect my camera from the weather so it was a no go.

[CheaperKings]

I didn't indicate what situations I prefer to shoot Manual 100% of the time? You serious with that?

To clear things up; I shoot that way because that's the way I like it. I'm good at shooting that way. I'm comfortable shooting that way...

[ArmySoldier777]

This is my outlook on it. Shutter and aperture priority are just two more tools at the photographer's disposal. But I believe that, like with almost anything, you should have a complete grasp of what you're doing before you rely on "easier" methods. I think it's perfectly acceptable to use either of those modes, IF you already understand how you could've achieved that same shot in Manual. If you don't understand manual, then I think it's important that you learn it before you start relying on those tools.

A personal example: I was part of a poker run a few months back "big motorcycle run for those who don't know what that is", and there was one place where I was wanting to get shots of bikes as they came in. Well at first it was pretty easy because everything trickled in slowly, but then there was a very large group of riders coming in from two different sides of the parking lot. One side was in direct sunlight just after 12pm, the other side was shadowed from a tall building. I wanted to get as many shots as I could, and I knew about where my settings needed to be for each half of the parking lot, but I was literally pointing back and forth non-stop. I'd have just enough time for a quick comp and auto focus, and then take the picture, before I was pointing back towards the other side of the parking lot again. So instead of taking the time to hit the button that changes aperture, and scroll the wheel to get the desired setting, I put it in shutter priority mode so that the aperture would change back and forth between what I already knew were good exposures. In this case, I already knew what my settings should be and how I needed to obtain the desired shots. I'm pretty quick with changing settings on the fly, I've got decent reflexes, but things were just unfolding too fast for me to be able to keep up with those constant changes. So, I allowed the camera to control that one part of the triangle in order for me to get the shots I needed.

I'm very big on shooting manual, that's just my personal preference because I know I can keep up with changing the settings where I need them to be 99% of the time. But in situations like the one above, I'll use another option if it means either getting the shot, or missing it.

[Andreaau13]

Originally Posted by ArmySoldier777

This is my outlook on it. Shutter and aperture priority are just two more tools at the photographer's disposal. But I believe that, like with almost anything, you should have a complete grasp of what you're doing before you rely on "easier" methods. I think it's perfectly acceptable to use either of those modes, IF you already understand how you could've achieved that same shot in Manual. If you don't understand manual, then I think it's important that you learn it before you start relying on those tools.

A personal example: I was part of a poker run a few months back "big motorcycle run for those who don't know what that is", and there was one place where I was wanting to get shots of bikes as they came in. Well at first it was pretty easy because everything trickled in slowly, but then there was a very large group of riders coming in from two different sides of the parking lot. One side was in direct sunlight just after 12pm, the other side was shadowed from a tall building. I wanted to get as many shots as I could, and I knew about where my settings needed to be for each half of the parking lot, but I was literally pointing back and forth non-stop. I'd have just enough time for a quick comp and auto focus, and then take the picture, before I was pointing back towards the other side of the parking lot again. So instead of taking the time to hit the button that changes aperture, and scroll the wheel to get the desired setting, I put it in shutter priority mode so that the aperture would change back and forth between what I already knew were good exposures. In this case, I already knew what my settings should be and how I needed to obtain the desired shots. I'm pretty quick with changing settings on the fly, I've got decent reflexes, but things were just unfolding too fast for me to be able to keep up with those constant changes. So, I allowed the camera to control that one part of the triangle in order for me to get the shots I needed.

I'm very big on shooting manual, that's just my personal preference because I know I can keep up with changing the settings where I need them to be 99% of the time. But in situations like the one above, I'll use another option if it means either getting the shot, or missing it.

Just a quick hijack here, but here is a run you might be interested in: Cripple Creek, Colorado | City of Cripple Creek

..........

[lputman]

Originally Posted by Photoboothguy

I love the purist mentality of "only shoot manual". Makes me giggle. I can never figure out if it's a personal issue or more of a "I don't understand my equipment" thing.

There is no right or wrong answer. The important thing to know is how each mode works, and why/how to apply them in different situations. This also includes AutoISO and flash compensation (when using an off-camera flash).

I couldn't agree more!