What Shooting Modes do Our Readers Shooting in Most? [POLL RESULTS]
In last months photography poll we asked readers about what mode they shot in most. Is it Auto? Manual or something else?
Here are the results (with over 72,000 readers participating).
Last time we did this poll (back in 2009) the results were similar – the only notable shift being that ‘manual’ back then was 25% and is now 30%. It took a few % from ‘Aperture Priority’ and ‘Program Mode’. Everything else was pretty steady.
Thanks to those who voted in this poll – don’t forget to vote in our most recent one too – Do You Have a Photoblog?
52 Responses to “What Shooting Modes do Our Readers Shooting in Most? [POLL RESULTS]” - Add Yours
February 6th, 2012 at 2:51 am
I shoot AV mode.
February 6th, 2012 at 3:26 am
I shoot in Manual mode. AV mode in t3i I think is different than XSi.
February 6th, 2012 at 6:51 am
I’m fairly new to digital, but I definitely fall in manual. Going from a film slr where that was the only option, it seems pretty natural to carry on. I don’t touch auto or scene modes. Aperture is one i also get alot of use out of, but i take enough pictures in less than ideal light that it tries to get away with unreasonable shutter speeds. Program mode isn’t one I’ve really made any use of so far. So overall, aperture priority in ideal or rapidly changing situations, like broad daylight or a live subject. Manual for pretty much anything i can take my time on, or that is tricky.
February 6th, 2012 at 7:16 am
AV or M exclusively.
February 6th, 2012 at 8:31 am
This site seems geared toward beginners and learning… so I’m surprised at that M percentage. I wonder how many people who say they shoot in M are simply adjusting the knobs until the meter says everything is good and the little glowing line is in the center (Dont laugh… I’ve talked to a lot of people who do that, thinking there is some magic by simply shooting in M). They don’t realize that they’re still letting the camera make the decisions. That’s NOT really manual shooting. Manual is when you override what the camera is telling you to do bc you need to compensate for the meter being fooled or you’re going for a particular effect. But what do I know… maybe they’re all shooting studio portraits or something. In that case it would make sense. For practicality though… I’d say Av wins for experienced non-studio shooters.
February 6th, 2012 at 10:18 am
Manual or AV if landscape (tends to be more manual but i want to move more to AV a little bit)
Shutter Priority – If motorsport (would also use this for other sports too if i ever shoot it)
February 6th, 2012 at 10:53 am
When I took the poll last month I answered “AV mode”. Happy to report after reading tons of articles on DPS, I now shoot in manual mode 90% of the time! Thank you
February 6th, 2012 at 11:05 am
I usually meter in AV mode till I have an average reading of the light in a setting and then change to manual, especially indoors.
February 6th, 2012 at 1:19 pm
It is interesting seeing the data above. I get exposure readings in TV than switch to manual to work. In manual the majority of the time. I have noticed over the last 12 months, when I am at a function and someone passes me a camera and says “You know how to use one is these. Can you please take some photos for me.” In every case the camera is set to an automatic setting.
February 6th, 2012 at 1:20 pm
I shoot in manual mode 99% of the time and aperture priority for the other 1%.
I am surprised that 14% shoot in automatic and to those 14% i want to say its a new year make it your resolution to get out of automatic its well worth it. This is a awesome site that will help you every step of the way.
February 6th, 2012 at 1:47 pm
I shoot Manual and Aperture about 50% each. I think last night was the first time in about a year that I shot in Auto and I only did 5 pics out of the 600 I took last night in Auto.
February 6th, 2012 at 2:20 pm
I got my dslr last feb & started off in M right away. It took 2 weeks to get it in the mail, so in that time i got & read as much as i possibly could. It took about a week but it clicked pretty fast & have never shot in any other mode. Actually i have no idea what program mode is.
February 6th, 2012 at 2:54 pm
Nice to know what people use
http://raghavendra-mobilephotography.blogspot.com/
February 6th, 2012 at 3:06 pm
I used to shoot Aperture, but switched to Manual a few months ago. Of course, when switching from different lighting situations it requires a little more effort, but I’m definitely sticking to it! My picture quantity and quality is so much better.
February 6th, 2012 at 4:12 pm
Thanks to Darren indeed. You helped us moving towards manual mode through useful tutorials and related articles. I, myself, shooted in Automatic mode and gradually started to Manual. Now I use manual mode around 95% of times. Hats off to you guys.. Cheers
February 6th, 2012 at 4:30 pm
90% manual,4% programe(for slow sync flash),1% auto,4% hacking by CHDK to get 2min shutter speed or f/16 apartr.My cam support max 15sec & f/8 only.
February 7th, 2012 at 1:45 am
Manual isn’t the judgement of your skill or anything, if you use AV, Shutter Priority or Manual I would say you are using your camera properly. Each of those settings have their place.
The fact that people say Manual means your going to get better shots is complete and utter rubbish. David Noton (one of the best landscape photographers in the world in my opinion) has stated that he almost always shoots his landscapes in AV mode so he can concentrate more on the light and composition and so he doesn’t miss those best few seconds of light.
Basically by being able to use manual doesn’t mean suddenly you are on the ‘pro’ mode.
February 7th, 2012 at 10:52 am
I am very new to DSLR photography, and simply don’t know what settings will give me the best results. I have found the most early success using AP mode as a starting point, and making other adjustments (white balance, ISO, flash compensation….) by trial and error.
February 7th, 2012 at 11:07 pm
I wonder whether the shift from Aperture Priority to Manual modes could be caused by the rise of the auto-ISO functionality in digital cameras. In the past you’d have to tweak it yourself should you be setting the minimum possible shutter and fixing the depth of field but now it’s all done for you thus making manual far quicker to shoot in as well.
February 9th, 2012 at 12:39 am
Av mostly but I’m trying to be less fearful and venture to manual mode more often. I had to shoot an 8th grade Bball game the other day and didn’t want to use my flash. I needed a certain shutter speed and so I went to manual answer messed around with settings until could take a shot and have it not come out dark…I was seriously proud of myself. Lol
February 9th, 2012 at 8:00 am
Very interesting! I didn’t realize so few people shoot in shutter priority – which is my preference.
February 9th, 2012 at 1:14 pm
I like Manual because it forces me to be on point. I only switch modes when i want a break.
February 10th, 2012 at 2:57 am
I shoot in TAv. I select aperture and shutter, my camera chooses the ISO. Note: I am not allergic to higher ISOs (and my K-5 handles them very well). Works great in changing light conditions, and I can set upper and lower limits. Sometimes, with something tricky, I will switch to M. When shooting film I shoot Av.
February 10th, 2012 at 3:14 am
i’ve used SLRs since 1970 and i still have my ‘old’ Canon EOS ELANII SLR (retired) but i use either my Canon 10D or 50D and i truly don’t have a ‘favorite mode’ ’cause it all depends on the subject, light and situation –e.g., if there is action involved i can’t beat the ‘action mode’ via manual mode, etc.
sometimes i’ll start shooting in one of the auto modes and then switch to manual once i’ve established a ‘faux reference’ with the auto mode (also helps to confirm what i’m envisioning already).
scenario: the moon is out in its glory but it’s cold, no tripod and clouds are harshing the scene … what to do? turn on the IS, set mode to landscape, cradle camera well, zoom in and shoot before the clouds screw things up; otherwise go manual and start at ISO 100, f/11 and 1/100 and ‘work’ from there (or kick in AEB!)
the way i see it is that it’s all good as long as your shots come out great. good shooting, folks!
February 10th, 2012 at 3:38 am
I mostly do manuel
February 10th, 2012 at 3:51 am
I like the old lenses, M42 screws with an adapter etc. I prefer manual but sometimes my eyes are just not good enuff and I will go to automatic, depending on the camera and lens. I think todays light meters are better than they used to be so tend to rely on the camera metering. Situation/lens/camera combinations provide opportunity plenty of room for mistakes. I think todays cameras are extremely good in a total auto mode.
February 10th, 2012 at 4:08 am
I absolutely do not believe the number of “manual mode” responses. I would bet that many are confusing manual mode with manual focus! The comments are just too confusing to be sure either way.
What would really be helpful is to break down the results by type of photography. If you shoot landscapes, it is easy to use manual mode to get a great result. Nothing is moving at sixty miles an hour across your position! If you are shooting wildlife that spooks very easily, you better be in something faster like Av or Program!!! Fiddling with dials while a falcon is stooping on a rabbit is a guarantied way to miss the shot!!! Even a bird on a perch shot is one you better get fast before he takes off. Of course things are different if you are working with a model and can pose her how you want to. She will wait until you get the shot! So I don’t really know how to take these results as there is not enough information to be helpful.
February 10th, 2012 at 4:38 am
So few prefer shutter. After going back and forth between aperture priority, automatic, and manual for a long time, I finally found myself prefering shutter priority almost all the time, for almost everything. Notable exceptions are when I shoot landscape -> auto, and macro-> either AP or the macro mode.
February 10th, 2012 at 5:44 am
Well, I am a Manual, full Manual mode user. At times, rarely, I switch to auto focus, and when clicking self portraits handheld, I prefer the automatic Portrait mode.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephenstyris/
Regards,
Stephen,
Assam, India.
February 10th, 2012 at 6:25 am
Shutter Priority and at times manual.
February 10th, 2012 at 8:12 am
Program mode, mostly. Some Auto, occassionally scenic.
February 10th, 2012 at 8:24 am
I mainly shoot in program mode.
February 10th, 2012 at 8:51 am
I use either Auto or Scene
February 10th, 2012 at 10:36 am
Av at f8 virtually all the time. P for dim light so I don’t need to bother changed my Av setting. Very occasional use of S mode to get the right amount of motion blur.
I basically use my dSLR as a point and shoot
If I want a blurry background for a portrait, just use maximum zoom
Not sure why people think settings are so important, far more important things such as light and composition
February 10th, 2012 at 12:49 pm
The most convenient mode is Program mode, as during street photography, there not much time to experiment with the settings.
February 10th, 2012 at 3:10 pm
@bozonz
Well, definitely you too will feel that settings are so important in photography as and when u start getting exactly what photography is.
Let the shutters clap! 
People may say photography is the mere act of clicking a photo. But it’s not so. It’s an art. And to be creative in that art, u need to know the settings at least.
February 10th, 2012 at 3:12 pm
since the autofocus died on my kit lens, i’ve been getting used to manual only
February 10th, 2012 at 4:57 pm
I mainly shoot in AV and manual modes.
February 10th, 2012 at 10:48 pm
I always shoot Manual mode.
cheers!
February 11th, 2012 at 3:09 am
If i’m doing street photography with the people as the subjects, I use program. Other than that i use aperture. I only use manual when i’m shooting low light stills.
February 11th, 2012 at 5:31 am
Oh how love Canon shooters! Is it possible they don’t know what AV & TV relate to in the rest of the camera world? GOD help us.
February 11th, 2012 at 8:17 am
I shoot 99% in manual. I have never shot in shutter and maybe a handful of times in aperture priority.
I have a really stupid question — what is Program mode for? I’ve been practicing photography for almost 3 years now and I have never used it nor needed a reason to find out what it is. Although I’m a bit embarrassed that there’s a function on my camera that exists and I’ve never bothered to find out why it’s useful.
February 11th, 2012 at 9:47 am
I shoot Manual 95% of the time. I will swap to Aperture Priority when there is a lot of glare, near or on the sea for example, and there is a lot of movement in the objects I want to capture. I do this because I find it challenging to see the readings through the viewfinder with my glasses in these type of conditions
February 11th, 2012 at 2:30 pm
I shoot mostly in the Automatic mode. My camera is a Fuji Finepix S2550HD, and I find changing settings confusing and time consuming. (I like shooting wildlife, which usually leaves no time to fiddle.) Changing the aperture or shutter requires a bit of thumb dancing for (from what I can see) very little result. Eyesight problems mandate a “viewfinder” rather than an LCD screen only, and this was the most affordable camera I could find with that feature.
My ideal camera would be something like my old Argus AF with a digital back…………
February 15th, 2012 at 7:39 am
I was surprised shutter priority was so low, it’s often my second choice when working as a wedding photographer. AP when light is good… SP when it’s low light such as inside the church.
February 16th, 2012 at 1:20 am
Aperture priority almost always. Shutter priority when freezing the object is critical and Manual mode usually when shooting with tele zoom lenses hand held.
February 22nd, 2012 at 3:31 am
Normally I start with Program Mode and eventually shift to either Manual or Aperture Priority Mode for best results.
March 7th, 2012 at 3:42 pm
If I am drunk I use Program mode, otherwise manual:)
March 8th, 2012 at 2:53 am
I actually get a little upset when I see someone that has a $1500+ DSLR that shoots everything on automatic because they will not take 2 minutes to learn what Aperture and Shutter Speed are. And how they can be used.
May 23rd, 2012 at 8:42 pm
MANUAL … if another mode, it would be aperture
December 2nd, 2012 at 3:19 am
99% on manual mode
April 12th, 2013 at 2:57 pm
I used to care if its Av or Tv, but I will just settle with P and adjust from there,. after all, when you take a pic, no one would say, “really nice aperture/iso settings there. my cam can be set to prefocus at a specific distance, and in P mode, it all works fine
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