What Mode Do You Shoot in Most
I last asked this a couple of years ago so I thought it might make an interesting poll question:
What Mode Do You Shoot in Most?
I won’t reveal the result we had last time for fear of influencing the results of this poll but I’d love to hear what mode you have your camera in most of the time when using it? There is no right or wrong and there’s no mode that you should feel embarressed about – we’re all at different levels and use our cameras in different ways.
If you’d like to tell us why you use the mode you selected – we’d love to hear your comments below.
Tags: Modes, Poll, Settings
125 Responses to “What Mode Do You Shoot in Most” - Add Yours
January 25th, 2009 at 1:04 am
Av mode and just recently, started to learn shooting in Manual mode. Started my photographic journey about 7 months ago with a Canon EOS 450D
January 25th, 2009 at 1:11 am
I mostly use Aperture Priority mode most, because it suits the kind of general photography I do. Select the Aperture you would like to use, and the camera works the rest out. I experimented with full manual mode, but became flustered with having to hold another button as well as the scroll wheel on my EOS400D, which meant I usually missed a shot or two. The trick, of course, is knowing when to use Shutter Priority instead.
January 25th, 2009 at 1:32 am
Full manual and Raw only. I want 100% control over the outcome of what I shoot.
January 25th, 2009 at 1:43 am
Canon 40D does not have a shutter limitation setting, so indoors I usually shoot at shutter priority of 1/30 with ISO 800, in RAW + small JPG. It allows shooting handheld without flash.
The (small) JPG is just because Windows does not display a thumbnail of RAW files in the Explorer.
January 25th, 2009 at 1:49 am
I used to shoot in Aperture Priority all the time, but I’ve gotten in the habit of shooting Manual. It’s fun! And plus, you have a lot more control.
January 25th, 2009 at 2:11 am
Unless there are extremely pressing circumstances where I only have a couple seconds to get a shot and no time to set up I always shoot in manual. I am relatively new to dslrs and thought that forcing myself to shoot this way would teach me the fundamental quicker. It’s a big learing curve at first, but I’ve got the hang of it now I really don’t have to think about it anymore. The book Understanding Exposure was an enormous help.
January 25th, 2009 at 2:14 am
Mostly P. If there is time, and the situation appropriate, then M.
January 25th, 2009 at 2:16 am
I tend to shoot in aperture priority or full manual because of an affection for using 40 year old lenses on my digital camera. Hard to beat the feel of fine metal pentax manual focus lenses.
January 25th, 2009 at 2:22 am
I love aperture priority mode because it gives me a great measure of control over the way the finished product looks. I like manual too, but most of my photos are of small children, and I’m just not fast enough to keep up with them on manual. With AP the camera helps me compensate for that.
January 25th, 2009 at 2:27 am
I shoot mainly in manual, much to my own surprise. I bought my first DSLR just over a month ago (Nikon D80) and didn’t think i’d be ready to shoot manual just yet. I’m not new to SLRs as I bought my first SLR (Pentax) back in 1989 just before my senior year in high school. I shot manual back then, but when the digital age arrived and I couldn’t afford a DSLR, I went to a P&S and pretty much stuck with auto on that. I’ve been a subscriber to this site for quite a while now and have re-educated myself on the ins and outs of exposure, aperture, etc.
After getting that D80 in my hands, things quickly snapped into place and I feel most comfortable in manual, choosing the settings as I see fit, learning the quirks of my built in meter so I know which way to compensate. I’m learning more and more each time I shoot and I suspect that will be the case indefinitely. Jumping head first into manual mode has helped me learn a LOT about my camera and photography in general in a short amount of time. I still have a long way to go, but am enjoying it immensely.
(Sorry for the long reply!)
January 25th, 2009 at 2:29 am
Oh, and I shoot entirely in RAW format.
January 25th, 2009 at 2:36 am
I’m an aperture-priority gal. I mostly shoot youth sports photography, and aperture priority just seems to fit my style. I’m a big bokeh fan, so I usually live on the focally razor-thin edge of f/1.4 (with my 50mm and 85mm) or f/2.8 (with my 17-55mm and beloved 70-200mm).
January 25th, 2009 at 2:42 am
Program Mode most of the time (I am mainly into travel photography), followed by Full Manual, Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority. Though for Macros I almost always use Aperture Priority to control depth of field.
January 25th, 2009 at 2:44 am
A large percentage of my shooting is scenic/landscape/cityscape on a tripod. DoF is more important than shutter speed, so I shoot mostly aperture priority.
January 25th, 2009 at 2:46 am
I pretty much only shoot Manual…I like to control every aspect of my shot. One thing that I feel you lose the control over is deliberate exposure. Sometimes depending on the mood of my subject, the surrounding, or just the colors i’m seeing,etc – I like to shoot overexposed or under, not dead on. I just like the inherent flexibility in manual – although i’d agree some times other modes can make it quicker and easier on you.
January 25th, 2009 at 2:46 am
I just bought my first DSLR, a Nikon D40, last weekend and at the moment use “P” mode for all my shots. It allows me to use the cameras recommendations, but then tweak them to create the shot I’m after. I manual focus it most of the time as I find the Autofocus can be a bit hit and miss.
January 25th, 2009 at 2:51 am
As a relative novice I take a photograph using P mode, and then take those settings and manually experiment. That way I can compare and hopefully learn.
douglas
January 25th, 2009 at 2:54 am
I usually shoot Aperture priority – for most of what I photograph controlling the DoF is the most important variable that controls what the final picture should look like.
January 25th, 2009 at 2:54 am
Program mostly. I am still learning how to do things with my EOS 40D. I am experimenting with Aperture and Shutter priority. I stopped using them on my last camera, but the 40D is so nice, I want to get more out of it.
January 25th, 2009 at 2:59 am
i love using manual but its just not quick enough, aperature is the way to go
January 25th, 2009 at 3:00 am
I usually use Automatic, point and shoot. It makes life a lot easier. Unless I have time to set up a shot its usually Manual.
January 25th, 2009 at 3:05 am
I used to shoot in Manual a lot, but some articles on DPS convinced me of the Aperture-priority method.
The only thing you really want to be sure of most of the time is the dept of field.
It’s a shame when your camera decides to blur out the background or have a noticable moving crowd behind your subject when you don’t want it.
It’s the best mode for me.
January 25th, 2009 at 3:08 am
I chose Av but I would say that I go either Av or Tv almost all the time. Aperture Priority (or M) when I’m doing headshots, Shutter Priority when I’m doing theatre performances.
Manual is for the times when I have time to set up the shot and the light won’t be changing terribly much.
And always RAW.
January 25th, 2009 at 3:12 am
I started shooting in Raw and I do like using Av but i use P usually, It really depends on what i’m doing.
January 25th, 2009 at 3:16 am
I use the aperture priority mode 90 % od the time. I only use the manual mode indoors and in complicated light conditions.
And I use the AUTO mode twice a year on my photo lessons, when I show the participants what means “the forbidden zone” =)
January 25th, 2009 at 3:16 am
I use AP with my newest 5DmkII, and I use mostly ‘P’ with the older 10D. The change is because the 5d2 can support a broader range of ISO without grain, allowing me more freedom in using the AP mode without worry.
And always RAW, for both cameras.
January 25th, 2009 at 3:23 am
I’m split between M, S, P and A fairly equally. I think it’s best to be adept at all modes… it’s not like they are all that different. They all converge on the same EV. Granted, any subtle changes from shot to shot will hold one variable constant, but for the most part in my shooting – I don’t get substantial changes in EV from shot to shot, so the shooting mode isn’t to important.
Lastly, It mostly depends on my gear
My D40 + AF-S lens: P
D40 + MF lens :M
D40 + AF-D lens : S
Film Nikon FG + AI lens: A
January 25th, 2009 at 3:25 am
I only shoot in manual as I feel it gives me the most consistent exposure once I’ve dialed in to the correct exposure.
January 25th, 2009 at 3:30 am
Over the past year I have forced myself to use Manual exclusively because I wanted to learn the relationship between shutter speed and aperture in a hands-on way. Now that’s I’ve *pretty much* got that down, I think I’m going to start using Aperture Priority a bit more to achieve DoF – until I learn exactly how to do that in Manual.
Oh, and always RAW as well. Because I love it.
January 25th, 2009 at 3:50 am
I like Aperture best, to make sure I’m using the smallest aperture possible for close-up photos, or f11-16 for when I’m hiking.
January 25th, 2009 at 3:52 am
I love those heros that say the _only_ shoot in manual… Make use of the technology guys! I use Av, Tv and M, but probably it’s mostly Av with exposure compensation as reqd.
January 25th, 2009 at 3:56 am
I put AP as my most common mode because I so frequently shoot in low light indoors. But actual settings vary quite a lot depending on context.
In low light using AP I can make sure I get as much light as I can (or as much as I can for the DOF I want) and I can see the shutter speed to see if I need to adjust that (e.g., use tripod, increase ISO, use flash, get more light somehow, etc.).
In other shooting situations this is not the appropriate setting. At an air show, I’ll be using Tv, maybe at a shutter speed to get the right amount of prop blur. I’ll also usually use Tv for photographing birds, trying to set it as fast as I can for the available light to stop motion as much as possible.
When doing panoramas, I usually try to use manual mode with manual focus to keep all the setting fixed for all the images to be stitched.
January 25th, 2009 at 4:03 am
With my 40D I shoot Manual ALL the time, and always in RAW, no exceptions.
With my Rebel(which is often my back up fitted with a secondary lens), I’m a little looser and often flip over to Aperture Priority, but I don’t often us it when I’m out on shoots for work.
And with my Powershot I just use the automatic mode for capturing quick snapshots.
January 25th, 2009 at 4:08 am
I am on my way to becoming an amateur advanced level and just started messing around with manual controls. I have started to shoot in AV mode and loving it.
January 25th, 2009 at 4:16 am
I mainly use manual on non-pressured/stationary shots, but for moving, it’s pretty hard to do manual. So I go for aperture mode to focus on the depth of field. I use shutter sometimes in order to convey movement. IMO there is an appropriate mode for a corresponding situation.
January 25th, 2009 at 4:36 am
I used to shoot in Pmode almost all the time, then about a month and a half ago I switched to Manual and have completely switched to RAW. And of late I’ve even broken out the old MF lenses.
January 25th, 2009 at 4:43 am
Av mostly,but shifts to Tv and M where needed. I never go higher than ISO400 and hardly ever use flash. I have a Canon 400D and use Canon 50mm f1.8 most of the time.
January 25th, 2009 at 4:56 am
Manual mode all the way! I use flash all the time and manual is the only way to get consistant results.
January 25th, 2009 at 4:58 am
Unless someone knows how to get this info out of lightroom, I can’t answer.
I can tell you that I never use scene mode because it isn’t on my camera, and that program and automatic don’t see much use.
For the rest I switch a lot between aperture / shutter priority and manual mode.
Ronny
January 25th, 2009 at 5:31 am
Usually Aperture Priority. Dialed anywhere from f/1.4 to f/11. In good light, Auto ISO starts at 200 and when shutter speed hits 1/100 starts cranking up to ISO 6400 (which is usable on a D700). In low light, Auto ISO starts at 1600, and when shutter speed hits 1/80, it starts cranking, all the way up to ISO 25,600.
For action, I’ll do shutter priority or full manual (well, almost full manual, Auto ISO is still on). For really patient subjects, I’ll do full manual.
What I’d love is user-programmable modes that could set limits for things, like Auto ISO but with more layers.
January 25th, 2009 at 6:17 am
Started using Manual mode straight from my DSLR begginings to learn it. For now, I feel most confident in Av mode, thought.
January 25th, 2009 at 7:56 am
Manual exclusively and from day 1 with an SLR- Shooting with a D3, D300 and D200. I can see the benefit of Aperture and Shutter Priority if you’re just starting out but with a little discipline and time they become all but redundant. Never use ‘P’ because it’s rare you’ll get consistent results. Frustrates the crap out of me that people use any Auto (or variation thereof) which takes all the skill out of photography!
January 25th, 2009 at 7:56 am
as a(n primarily) event photographer conditions change very rapidly and shooting manual isn’t an option, although if I’m trying to shoot and capture any ambient I’ll drag the shutter up to 3/4sec. And when I’m out shooting anything that I have some time to work on I’ll shoot in manual because of the creative control it offers.
January 25th, 2009 at 8:30 am
Odd that there’s so few shutter priority people.
I keep mine in Shutter priority almost constantly. If I need a bit more control I’ll use manual.
January 25th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Personally, I think this line:
“there’s no mode that you should feel embarressed about – we’re all at different levels and use our cameras in different ways.”
was as influential in voting as revealing the last vote’s results would have been. If you thought there was no need to be embarrassed, why bring it up? And the implication that using Automatic could mean you aren’t very skilled (I’m sorry, at a “different level”) doesn’t help either. Honestly, I don’t think that’s what you really intended, but I think the line was unnecessary.
Meanwhile, I voted Automatic because the question is which I use MOST. Truth be told, I take a lot of spur of the moment shots, where time is fairly critical. I’d rather trust today’s camera’s Automatic mode then risk losing the shot because I wanted extra time to “dial it in” myself. No photograph is worse than the one missed.
January 25th, 2009 at 10:03 am
I shoot in P it’s the next best thing to full auto, I can adjust how my camera focus , now if time to set up I use manual and take a few shots in different settings to the scene I am looking at.
January 25th, 2009 at 10:16 am
It depends on what I’m shooting. When I’m shooting action like the bike leg in a triathlon, I will use shutter priority to get the effect I want (either freezing the action or blurring). When I’m shooting nature, like a flying bird or a running coyote, I will also use shutter priority to stop the action. Shooting in low-light with a tripod and I will probably be in Aperture mode or Manual. Shooting a family get together will probably be Auto.
January 25th, 2009 at 10:32 am
I was recently brought my Canon XSI w/non IS 75-300mm to a Toronto Raptors VS Phoenix Suns game. I found myself shooting in P mode when I was scanning from the Raptors net, to the Suns net. The lighting was very different between the two nets, and the center court was really bright. Being on P mode let me catch the unexpected body checks, the quick passes, and super quick turn overs.
If I was focusing on one net, IE: the Suns (because I was waiting for the raptors to score), I would stay in M mode, because I knew I could keep the lens at 1/200, and the exposure at 5.6f.
January 25th, 2009 at 10:58 am
Well, I was getting spoiled with the Automatic-mode on my (fairly) new Nikon D80–everything I was shooting was coming out great. But I didn’t purchase a sophisticated camera in order to take pictures I could just as easily take with the D40 (for a few hundred bucks less, as well).
So I began using the scene-modes, and they work so well that I still use them often, but I wanted to ‘grow’ as an amatuer photographer so I have been using Aperture mode and that has been working fine. I am so far behind the times I got frustrated at first because I couldn’t find the f-stop markings on the lenses that came with the camera!
billp545
January 25th, 2009 at 11:03 am
it’s interesting to see that most people prefer to shoot in aperture priority, as i am just a beginner and have rarely moved my dial out of shutter priority. lots to learn! can’t wait to read the comments on why aperture priority is favored.
January 25th, 2009 at 11:08 am
I’m just learning, so I do use auto alot, but I also like the priority shotting, which seems like one step above auto.
I think in the next day or two, I’ll try something in the raw. I’ve been reading the great forum discussion, but raw is something I’ve never tried. I just got my Photoshop book in the mail today, so this would be the perfect time to learn both about raw and Photoshop.
January 25th, 2009 at 11:11 am
Shutter priority more than 90% of the time. I like having control over the lighting in my snaps. I’ve played around with Aperture priority but never really got behind it.
January 25th, 2009 at 11:41 am
i never really shoot in anything other than manual mode. it just seems natural to me.
January 25th, 2009 at 11:54 am
I like letting my camera show me “What & Where” are my settings look like when I look through the view finder, for the particular shot I am looking for. It will also show me what is my “F- Stop”, and This determines if I am going to get a good photograph. I can always go back to “Manual”, and try it both ways.
Thanks, for my opportunity to share my comments.
January 25th, 2009 at 11:59 am
It depends really on the situation, but in most cases when there is a speedlite attached..full manual as it gives better control of the camera and the speedlite. Aperture mode when there isn’t as in most occurrence it is more than sufficient.
January 25th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
On the outdoors (where lighting can be unpredictable) I used the Aperture Priority mode so I could mantain the DOF that I desired. On the other hand, for indoor events, I usually will stick with manual since the lighting is usually pretty fixed. If i need extra light, i’ll leave the adjustments to my flashgun
January 25th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
I went from M to Av to M. My first switch to Av was to make up for the few times I get carried away and forget to check my exposure, but I ended up missing the full control as I rarely shoot according to my camera’s light meter!
January 25th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
@ Frank – you can enable windows XP to display RAW thumbnails etc – http://tinyurl.com/9k7aw
January 25th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
I usually use aperture or shutter priority — I rarely use manual except when I am using my flash, and I prefer natural light. I do use the exposure compensation button a lot though when in A or S.
January 25th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
I use M42 lens on DSLR, hence I can’t use A nor S, M is the only option ;)
January 25th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
I like manual mode because I like my backdrops blurry and my image slightly over exposed. A and S mode always leave things not quite what i wanted. And I like to do as little (if any) editing as possible.
January 25th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
My camera is in aperture priority mode most of the time, as I want the ability to control the depth of field.
Occasionally I’ll switch to shutter priority (ie, for some fast-moving action), and I’ll often go to manual mode when using on-camera or off-camera flash.
January 25th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Most of the time I take my pictures with Aperture Priority, RAW mode and lowest ISO settings (which is 100 in my Canon EOS).
January 25th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
I shoot in manual mode. I’m finding that I get the most consistent results shooting in manual mode. From image to image, the exposure will be spot on. At time aperture-priority can be fooled if a person wearing a white shirt enters the scene, it’ll increase shutter speed (+EV) and shooting another subject in the same lighting wearing a dark shirt would decrease shutter speed (-EV). Instead of tinkering with EV lock, I prefer to find the right exposure through histograms and then set it and forget it.
January 25th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
I voted for Apperture Priority, because I use this the most. I use it the most beacuse it gives me control over DoF. I use lens minimum in low light or when I want small DoF, I use F8 when there is enough light and I don’t care about DoF (also, that’s where my lens has best performance). I use F11 or more when shooting lanscapes.
I also use Shutter Priority when I need a certain speed.
I use Manual only in special situations, and when I have time. Shooting manual regullary you still use the Exposure Meter, so it’s kinda the same as the semi-automatic modes (A,S,P).
Also, I use Nikon’s Auto ISO because it does exactly the same thing I’d do, and it doesn’t influence the composition.
I use Exposure Compensation to correct exposure metering flaws.
January 25th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
As an underwater photographer I need total control to get the best results, so it’s full manual and manually controlled twin strobes (only shoot RAW underwater) – the histogram is my best friend! Highly reflective fish means metering is often fooled and as I dive in the dark cold waters of the UK my camera can often be fooled by the low levels of light. For general everyday photography I’m usually lazy and use P mode; for special photos it goes full manual.
January 26th, 2009 at 12:54 am
I have a Powershot S3is. It makes pretty good decisions in the pre-programmed and automatic modes, but I learned photography on a super-basic manual everything K1000, so I just feel more comfortable making the decisions myself and I feel I have more control. (I also drive a stick shift for the same reason)
However when I am shooting concerts I generally use Sports mode because for some reason the camera seems to give itself more leeway as far as shutter speed goes than I can get in manual settings. Plus I find messing around with settings during the concert distracts from my enjoyment of the concert itself.
January 26th, 2009 at 12:55 am
If I have time to set up a shot, I use manual. Most of my photography is outdoor where conditions could be changing rapidly like when you have a cloudy or partly cloudy day. If I might run into wildlife, I may go to Aperature Priority and leave the close to wide open so the shutter speed will be fast enough to stop motion. I usually leave the camera on program and spot meter off of a spot that should be equivalent to neutral gray.
January 26th, 2009 at 12:56 am
Scene mode. I am a beginner who has always used auto. For me using the scene mode is an instructional tool. I try each of the different options: portrait, landscape, etc. on each picture I take. I compare the images and look at the f-stop, speed, iso for each shot. I put them on a spreadsheet with the images and information.
I recently got a Nikon D60 and am just learning about the modes, etc.
January 26th, 2009 at 1:08 am
AV on my Canon 400D. If I’m in the same situation over a period of time (yesterday I was shooting a theatre rehearsal) I often move it into manual mode.
January 26th, 2009 at 1:09 am
I shoot mostly birds and wildlife and use aperture priority almost exclusively to get the focus on the subject and blur out the rest.
January 26th, 2009 at 1:27 am
I first started in photography in all the automatic modes. These are great, nothing wrong with them. I use them sometimes still. Then I changed to shutter priority for a long time, because I was concentrating mostly on speed – stop action, blur, etc. However now mostly I shoot in aperture priority, because I am most interested in depth of field. With image stablization on my lenses, especially the larger ones, camera shake is so much less of an issue. Also for sports I have learned that anything above about 1/650 sec is good for stop action (really 1/500 is even pretty darn good). Also I don’t publish anything, so I don’t care a lot about ISO either. If I have to dial in a high ISO setting it does not bother me. So now I concentrate on depth of field – interestingly it has become the most important quality for me.
January 26th, 2009 at 2:21 am
I shoot in manual because I need the practice. Sometimes I still mess up my exposure, but I really like it because I’m learning every time I pick up my camera. Started with my 1st DSLR in May ‘08 with a Canon Rebel XT.
January 26th, 2009 at 2:37 am
I shoot in Manual mode when I am using my bounce flash… I seem to have more control. But when just shooting without flash, I usually do it in AV.
January 26th, 2009 at 3:01 am
I always use Aperture Priority but starting to use Manual more often now than before.
January 26th, 2009 at 3:13 am
Aperture Priority with exposure comp most of the time. Manual when I need it.
For me it has to do with the latitude of the controls. Most of my lenses have aperture ranges from f/2.8 to about f/22. That’s 7(?) stops. My shutter speed goes from 1/8000 down to… …well pretty far down. Let’s say 1/8. That’s 11 stops difference. If I pick an aperture, I have 11 or more stops of range before I have to change the aperture (or ISO) to get proper exposure. If I pick a shutter speed, I only have 6 stops of range before I have to change the shutter speed (or ISO) to get proper exposure.
Bottom line, I can control aperture AND shutter speed in aperture priority. ‘course I can control’em both in shutter priority too, but in aperture priority I gotta watch a whole lot less.
January 26th, 2009 at 3:28 am
Manual with RAW allows you to have so much more control over the outcome of the image that I can’t imagine anyone using anything else. However, I’ve been involved with photography for quite a while and have put the time into learning it. Just like with any other skill it takes time to learn, but it’s very worth it.
January 26th, 2009 at 4:50 am
AV on my Canon 40D. I often move it into manual mode. Depends where I am and the lighting if I’m not using my flash.
January 26th, 2009 at 6:00 am
This past year I have started shooting in the professional mode (P), prior to that I was almost exclusively in aperture priority. I use the program mode but have the ease of changing the aperture quickly with my right thumb on my main command dial. I shoot a lot more street work so that works for me. Nature, landscapes and macro I use aperture or manual.
January 26th, 2009 at 7:22 am
Manual.
Because I’m forcing myself to understand metering and exposure better. I love the creative control I get by setting manual settings – as well as the satisfaction of knowing why and when to override some of the suggestions of my Nikon D300. I can tell the effect I”m trying to achieve and the motion of my subject – my camera can’t.
January 26th, 2009 at 7:45 am
Control over depth of field AND picture quality is essential to me. So, I test every lens as to how it behaves with aperture and use it only at the aperture range that suits me. Then inside that range, all depends on Depth of field I want. So Aperture is the way to control my camera.
Of course, some lenses are so good throughout the whole range, you use them that way.
I would like camera manufacturers to consider that users would like a built in mode that could limit the usage of a lens to the aperture range selected… and also for speed…
Cheers
Chris
January 26th, 2009 at 9:22 am
Manual mode rarely, mostly in aperture priority mode. If I’m doing street photography where I don’t have a lot of time to choose settings, I’ll go into Program mode. I shot photos of a friend bungee jumping recently and it was one of those very rare moments where I slipped into shutter priority mode where I knew speed counted more than everything else. I don’t tend to take a lot of photos of moving things!
I should probably (and will probably) explore manual mode more.
January 26th, 2009 at 11:13 am
i always try to shoot manual!!!
January 26th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Either P or Full Auto for me. Many shots, bracketed, no time to mess with settings usually. Shooting with a Sony H50 now for big zoom and it just has JPG available. My R1 has RAW and I use it when I have the time to set it up for portraits.
January 26th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
I shoot in manual mode all the time because it allows me to break the rules that aperture, and shutter priority won’t allow. I can shoot with the meter needle all the way to the right of my viewfinder, and still get a beautiful exposure. I check my histogram with the color values displayed all the time when I shoot, to make sure the exposure is either centered, or to the right where the most important information lies. I always compensate on the positioning of that needle, with either the exposure comp button, ISO, shutter speed, or using my sb600 flash module to create dynamic images that aren’t static. I figure, when you know all the rules, you can break them. Also, from the words of my mentor in photography Vincent Versace, Like a street fight, the only rules when shooting with your camera are, there are no rules. You just have to work at finding what is that you wish to say, or in other words, your voice.
January 26th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
@ Frank – I’m only just starting out in photgraphy but have been a computer professional for a long, long time. There’s usually a fix for everything; sadly most things have been done before I think of them.
A quick search for “RAW file thumbnail windows explorer” turned up some user-pacthes that allow it. I’ve not tried, but I hope it helps:
Link:
http://www.suodenjoki.dk/us/productions/articles/raw_thumbnail.htm
More search results:
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=windows+explorer+raw+file+thumbnail&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a
January 27th, 2009 at 12:47 am
I shoot manual almost always, but it’s kind of silly, because I rarely move the f-stop! ;)
January 27th, 2009 at 1:48 am
I know that some would disagree, but I prefer Aperture priority over Shutter Priority because I feel like I have more control over the finished product. Maybe it’s because of the type of photography that appeals to me, but I think more about depth of field than anything else. I’m usually shooting stills, though. If I were shooting more motion things (and if I wanted the motion blur), I might use Shutter Priority more.
I will shoot manual when I’m shooting landscapes.
January 27th, 2009 at 7:11 am
I use a Canon SD1100 in manual but is not really that manual, just more flexible than auto. I voted Program, maybe I’m wrong.
January 28th, 2009 at 3:09 am
I use Program mode most on my Nikon D80. It’s a lazy way to do photography, but I’m less likely to screw up an exposure when I’m not thinking about it. (After years of point-and-shoot photography, it’s easy to forget that the camera can do more.) Automatic mode allows the flash to work and I seldom want the flash to activate. I also use Aperture mode quite a bit to have control over my depth of field. For aerial photography, I use shutter speed priority, set to 1/500 or faster with focus on infinity.
January 28th, 2009 at 10:26 am
On my Nikon D90 with either new or ancient lenses (doesn’t matter which)
50% manual
25% aperture pri
25% shutter pri
<1% auto, if I’m in a hurry
January 28th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
I shoot in a mix of A and M. More A than M. Really, there’s not much difference between the two since with A, I usually twiddle with the exposure compensation after taking a “baseline” shot. I used to shoot more in M, but think it’s quicker to let the computer find the “baseline” from which to twiddle rather than doing it myself in M.
January 28th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Hi,
I use the manual mode only. I love having the control of all factors. One thing that I don’t change that often is the White balance. I love the daylight option, I use that most of the times.
January 29th, 2009 at 1:36 am
I can’t believe I’m in the minority on this one…I almost always shoot in Shutter Priority mode, with the speed at 1/125. I usually have to take pictures quick (the kids just never stop moving!), and that one seems to do the best for me. I do tweak colors later in PSE or in Flickr (using Picnik…amazingly easy). I shoot in JPEG Normal. I’ve shot in RAW, and for me, it’s a hassle to go in and look at every single one. If it is dark, I’ll up the ISO to 400…otherwise, it’s pretty much always on 200 (I don’t lower than that on the Nikon D40).
If it is really dark, then I have to manual focus…sometimes I do anyways just because I want to…but most of the time, I auto focus.
January 29th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Most of the time I’m shooting in aperture priority. If I’m shooting hand held in low light or something moving I shoot in shutter priority. Nikon D90.
January 29th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
I use Automatic mode on my digital camera Sony DSC-H50 because it has iSCN technology which automatically detects required mode. Also I am newbie and after taking photo in auto mode I am studying its exif data so now I am trying to shift to manual modes
January 29th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Aperture mode, definitely. Even just using this methid I can choose anyway the shutter time playing on the aperture, so -for me, at least- it’s the better way of controlling the image parameters.
January 29th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Wow! Lots of purists and lovers of control – great stuff. I have always had a very strong balance between my love of art and my love of technology, and photography allows me to combine them very well (as does computer assisted music- my other love).
I tend to shoot in AP – If it’s out of focus there is nothing you can do, but if it is a bit dark or light, there are plenty of post options. And I love using Photoshop!
January 29th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
I shoot in AV or TV mode most of the time because that is the way I learnd to use my old (then new) pentex some 40 years ago when thas all most slrs had. Also always used a hand held light meter.
So it comes very easy for us old timers to keep on doing this the right way. I can take my Canon DSLR
go outside in any type of lighting and just know what to set my camera at. We de didn’t have all these modes
on our cameras, you had to learn and know why you set your camera on a certain setting to get the results you were looking. the average person I talk to that has a DSLR has KNOW IDEAR HOW TO USE IT RIGHT.
But they will be fast to blame the camera if their pictures don’t come out right.
January 29th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
Manual mostly. I’d like to control the settings to suit my needs.
January 30th, 2009 at 12:25 am
On my D40 I’ve been shooting mostly shutter priority: for birds to avoid subject motion blur, and for night baseball to get enough exposure without camera shake. Program mode is good too for quick shots. Sometimes manual mode too, when the camera won’t let me shoot otherwise (usually because of low light).
I just got a 40D … I don’t know how that will work out.
January 30th, 2009 at 12:26 am
Manual for more creative control. Program for more urgent photo situations.
January 30th, 2009 at 1:04 am
I carry my Nikon D80 out and about with me for that “once in a lifetime” shot, using the Nikon 18-200 VR AF super lens. However, my first preference is manual shooting whenever possible for personal control, and I have my in-house light table to carry through on macro shooting, with Nikon 55mm and 105m lenses, plus left and right extention arms for SB-30 sidelighting. These arms and sidelighting can be used in the field also, for handheld and tripod macro work.
January 30th, 2009 at 1:23 am
With Manual you can have a complete control of what you capture.Mostly,you can always get a good quality picture. I use a Cannon US400D.Commenced using the camera about 2 months ago.
January 30th, 2009 at 1:31 am
Mostly Shutter Priority, continuous servo (Nikon D300). Why? I’m not experienced enough yet to go Manual. I’m mostly taking fast & irratic action/panning with bursts of 3 to 8 shots.
January 30th, 2009 at 1:51 am
I shoot aperture priority 98% of the time – I shoot ‘moments of beauty’ and want my subject in focus and the rest of the world blurred. I also use spot almost exclusively to get the clarity on my subject. Of course I get a few out of focus shots (shooting wildlife, birds and people in action) as subjects are often moving but when I get one it is great.
Gerry
January 30th, 2009 at 4:39 am
Most of the time I shoot in shutter priority mode since it is fastest and easiest. I get some very good shots that way, especially the ones that may have gotten away. I consider this my “snapshot” mode. When I am wanting a more professional, or artistic shot then I use aperature priority mode, a tripod, and a shutter release button. I have tried manual mode, but don’t tend to like it, perhaps because I’m not yet experienced enough to take into consider the interplay between aperature and shutter speed. In my early days I always used shutter priority and most of the shots on my website are shot in this mode. Blessings, Bob.
January 30th, 2009 at 7:21 am
“Automatic” for me! Altho’ I’ve had my camera for 5 months now, my shots are usually not planned and so “Automatic” seems to work best for me until I can find the time to really learn the camera!
January 30th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
i use aperture priority (A )most of the time. my brother bought nikon D60 a month ago and im having fun exploring the camera and photography per se… photography is great…power up! i used programmed mode (P) when tmy camera was still days old… P mode is good but A mode is better when composing a shot
January 30th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
I use manual mostly these days. I didn’t use it much before becauase i used to think that it wasted too much time adjusting setting for exposure and i might have missed good picture moments so i used to just switch to pre-programmed modes like close-up, portrait, landscape, sport or night. then as i got better acquainted with slr photography and befriended my camera a bit more i grew more confident and now i am used to getting as much control as i can when shooting. so much that i sometimes find point and shoot a bit frustrating at times <:)
January 30th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
I learned early on to manually set my DSLR. I adjust easily (usually the aperature) as necessary. I study my (shooting) conditions before the session and set the camera ahead. If I move from indoors to outdoors, I remember to adjust my ISO (if needed), switch lenses, and usually adjust the aperature higher for sun (11-16), or if I’m lucky enough to have a cloudy day, sometimes as low as 2.8 with a 200mm lens and love it when I don’t have to use off-camera flash. I do use autofocus (versus manual) exclusively and focus on the eyes.
January 31st, 2009 at 6:39 am
I use the auto mode all the time only because I don’t know how to use all the manual modes. I need to find someone that can explain the camera to me in layman’s terms. I have a Sony cyber-shot-DSC-H9 and I’m very pleased with the auto shots.
May 7th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
I shoot aperture priority most of the time to manage depth of field. But no matter which mode you use, you really should be checking both aperture and shutter speed on each shot. That’s why the info is in the view finder!
August 21st, 2009 at 4:10 am
I shoot in different modes because I am still learning. I take my camera everywhere in case I see a picture I want to take. I do not have a camera that shoots with RAW yet but I want to get one.
August 21st, 2009 at 11:33 am
I shoot manual and raw 99% of the time. My Nikon D2h is easy to use in manual. In raw I can edit and still keep my original image. When I give the images to others I save them in jpeg
August 22nd, 2009 at 10:14 am
Well, I do shoot manual 90% of the time, but there are occassions when I will switch to Aperture Priority. Usually when I am shooting for HDR.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
Since most of the time I shoot indoor, still subject not a fast moving subject and play too much in the Depth of field so 90% in AV mode from Canon 400D while the result is satisfying in my point of view, while sometimes the 5% are manual to play a bit in exposure and the remaining 5% are Shutter priority TV mode for some fast moving subject , panning and blurring photos.
August 26th, 2009 at 12:55 am
The only reason I shoot in auto almost 100% of the time is that I have been reduced to a low-end P&S. My main camera broke and I am putting aside pennies to buy the new Oly E-620. I plan to invest a lot in the learning curve of manual shooting to get the images I see but cannot currently capture.
Every now and then I take a run at playing with the different manual settings to see what I can get, but the camera is quite limited in its capabilities. Soon I’ll be a manual-shooting nutcase!!
Oh, it’s also why I don’t shoot in RAW – my current camera does not have that capability. There are many instances of taking photos when I would use RAW because I know I will want to do a lot of post production on the images. My new camera can shoot jpeg and RAW at the same time, which is a wonderful thing :)
September 22nd, 2009 at 2:30 am
I use ‘P’ and turn the wheel on my D40 to get the ap/shutter combination I want. I use expose compensation or exposure lock when I know the light will be difficult for the meter or I want to under or over expose. When I have an old ‘AI’ lens on the D40 I use a hand held meter (euromaster V) or successive approximations (the advantage of the histogram)
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:27 am
I”m apparently one of the few that shoots in scene mode a lot. But it’s for a very specific reason – I shoot a lot of sports photography and the sport setting on my a700 works very well given that I’m constantly changing position and focus. (Almost always in JPEG – extra fine to get as fast an fps as I can with enough detail that I can crop as needed.)
When I’m doing more static work, however, I shoot in either manual or aperture – or occasionally auto mode. And always in RAW – JPEG combo.
October 3rd, 2009 at 12:00 am
I mostly shoot in aperture setting. But I also switch back and forth to shutter & manual. I don’t shoot raw. At least not at the moment.
October 3rd, 2009 at 1:10 am
I shoot a D-90 In Shutter P. I mainly shoot High School / Middle School Sports and like the controle over my shutter speed.
November 13th, 2009 at 6:21 am
About 99% of the time I just leave it in “P” mode. My Pentax K20D has what the other companies don’t have… Hyper Program!
Pentax allows me to use normal program mode, (just like the other camera companies), or with a simple dial roll I’m using program mode and set my apt for DoF control. If I choose, another simple dial roll and I’m in program mode with motion control settings. I can also use a combination of both while still in program mode.
If I should get way out of bounds, I push what I call a “PHD” button. (Push Here Dummy!) It’s a small green button that puts everything back to the ordinary program mode.
Hyper Program puts Pentax one step above the others. It’s quick and easy! Should I want to use the other modes, they are there just like the others.
November 13th, 2009 at 6:31 am
Okay, I’m wrong on my last message.
Some of the other companies have started to copy Pentax, (again), and do have something like hyper program mode.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:07 am
Hello there.
I own a Canon IXUS 860 IS which currently is being checked for a lens motor malfunction 3 months after purchase. However I use Auto exposure for normal daytime photography and play with SCN settings after dusk or when light is limited. Last week I purchased a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 which is fantastic and hopefully will be kinder to me.
I am getting the Canon fixed as I have a expensive Underwater housing that I haven’t used yet but if the camera can be restored to it’s original state then I will have a dedicated tool for diving photography.
Thanks for a great site.
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