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Something daunting about "Manual" mode for beginners.
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Nov 22, 2017 09:10:30   #
gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast
 
There seems to be something daunting, too challenging, about Manual mode. I'm not a novice but I still don't use it. However, besides allowing complete control over your camera, I think that it is the best training tool for beginners who want to learn the technical side of photography - how things work. Become familiar with capturing your artistic vision using manual controls and all the other options in modern DSLR's will make much more sense.

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Nov 22, 2017 09:20:50   #
ole sarg Loc: south florida
 
Got my first camera in 1959 along with a light meter. All camera's except for point and shoots were manual. Get a cheap light meter and learn how to use it and manual becomes obvious.

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Nov 22, 2017 09:24:20   #
Yankeepapa6 Loc: New York City
 
gvarner wrote:
There seems to be something daunting, too challenging, about Manual mode. I'm not a novice but I still don't use it. However, besides allowing complete control over your camera, I think that it is the best training tool for beginners who want to learn the technical side of photography - how things work. Become familiar with capturing your artistic vision using manual controls and all the other options in modern DSLR's will make much more sense.

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Nov 22, 2017 09:26:34   #
lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA
 
gvarner wrote:
There seems to be something daunting, too challenging, about Manual mode. I'm not a novice but I still don't use it. However, besides allowing complete control over your camera, I think that it is the best training tool for beginners who want to learn the technical side of photography - how things work. Become familiar with capturing your artistic vision using manual controls and all the other options in modern DSLR's will make much more sense.


When I first started with Photography all there was, was Full Manual. It is all fairly instinctive now.

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Nov 22, 2017 09:32:09   #
BebuLamar
 
gvarner wrote:
There seems to be something daunting, too challenging, about Manual mode. I'm not a novice but I still don't use it. However, besides allowing complete control over your camera, I think that it is the best training tool for beginners who want to learn the technical side of photography - how things work. Become familiar with capturing your artistic vision using manual controls and all the other options in modern DSLR's will make much more sense.


I agree that Manual is good for beginners who want to learn the technical side of photography. It's slow but is both easy and simple. I do not think that it has anything to do with artistic vision.

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Nov 22, 2017 09:43:41   #
Bill_de Loc: US
 
I'm not sure if all new photographers today find it too challenging or just unnecessary. If you really understand how the primary auto functions work (A,S,P) and how to use exposure compensation you can achieve the exact same results. Auto can then be faster.

In constant light start by setting exposure compensation. Now, in any of the three auto modes turn one dial to set what is most important, and it doesn't matter what mode. Even in shutter priority mode you can still adjust the aperture to what you want. As you change the shutter speed, just watch the aperture setting until you achieve what you want, and vice versa. You are still in control, but only need to turn one dial instead of 2 required in manual.

I started with manual cameras and learned how to drive a three on the tree with a clutch. Most people today don't need to learn either.

---

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Nov 22, 2017 09:45:47   #
willmscr Loc: Beloit Wisconsin
 
ole sarg wrote:
Got my first camera in 1959 along with a light meter. All camera's except for point and shoots were manual. Get a cheap light meter and learn how to use it and manual becomes obvious.


I agree wholeheartedly with this. I don't go back quite this far but I remember doing everything manually for many years. When I finally got a light meter equivalent in my film camera, I thought I was in seventh heaven.

I remember one trip to Yellowstone Park with my wife. We had our Fujika801 cameras with Kodacolor 64 slide film in them. We ran into a photographer who had put Polaroid film in his 4x6 film holders and who was taking pictures of the Lower Falls. His light meter had died and he was having trouble. We had both the in-camera light meters and a hand-held meter tht we took for backup. We looked at the conditions and made an estimate of the proper settings based on his film speed. When used the handheld meter, we discovered that e were spot on. It is something that you can learn and it is a good thing to learn.

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Nov 22, 2017 09:54:05   #
RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas
 
I would say this as I grew up when all things were pertty much manual, As was said above you got your self a light meter and camera and you took your time, you learned how to take photographs what a wonderful period it was, unlike today when most things are already figured out for you, you see this all the time right here on this very site with the questions that are asked. but it’s okay to ask, one thing for sure some of these folks need to read the operator information first IMO. Just my rant for today!

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Nov 22, 2017 09:58:17   #
rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
 
It's not at all daunting once you understand it and there are plenty of good books that teach how to use it. It's kind of like in computer programming there are these things called pointers. When I was a novice programmer I avoided pointers because I didn't understand how they worked. A teacher once told me the moment I understand them I'll realize how easy using them is. She was right. When it finally clicked in my mind it opened a whole new dimension of possibilities, just like shooting manual. But, there are lots of times where semi auto, program auto and full auto are a good choice.

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Nov 22, 2017 10:20:20   #
BebuLamar
 
rmorrison1116 wrote:
It's not at all daunting once you understand it and there are plenty of good books that teach how to use it. It's kind of like in computer programming there are these things called pointers. When I was a novice programmer I avoided pointers because I didn't understand how they worked. A teacher once told me the moment I understand them I'll realize how easy using them is. She was right. When it finally clicked in my mind it opened a whole new dimension of possibilities, just like shooting manual. But, there are lots of times where semi auto, program auto and full auto are a good choice.
It's not at all daunting once you understand it an... (show quote)


Manual exposure and manual focusing are much much easier to understand and do than pointers. I am not surprised that many have problem understanding pointers but I am very surprised (based on the number of questions regarding this matter on the UHH and other photography forums) that so many people struggle with Manual on the camera.

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Nov 22, 2017 10:20:43   #
Yankeepapa6 Loc: New York City
 
rmorrison1116 wrote:
It's not at all daunting once you understand it and there are plenty of good books that teach how to use it. It's kind of like in computer programming there are these things called pointers. When I was a novice programmer I avoided pointers because I didn't understand how they worked. A teacher once told me the moment I understand them I'll realize how easy using them is. She was right. When it finally clicked in my mind it opened a whole new dimension of possibilities, just like shooting manual. But, there are lots of times where semi auto, program auto and full auto are a good choice.
It's not at all daunting once you understand it an... (show quote)


My daughter was married two months ago. The photographer we hired had two assistants. Halfway through he wanted to get some more group poses. He had a Cannon. I asked if I could look at it. It was set to Automatic.

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Nov 22, 2017 10:33:40   #
Just Fred Loc: Darwin's Waiting Room
 
ole sarg wrote:
Get a cheap light meter and learn how to use it and manual becomes obvious.


You don't even have to get a physical light meter. There are several high-quality smartphone apps that provide light metering. I use Pocket Light Meter (Nuwaste Studios) on my iPhone, and I'm looking at replacing it with myLightMeter, which gets 4.7 out of 5 stars on the App Store. There are both free and paid (~$4) versions. Certainly cheaper than a(nother) device you're going to trundle around with you.

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Nov 22, 2017 10:34:09   #
boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander
 
lamiaceae wrote:
When I first started with Photography all there was, was Full Manual. It is all fairly instinctive now.


Bingo. For many of us. full manual was all that was availble. There was no adjustable ISO the ASA was a given, You didn't have any choice you learned manual or you didn't use a camera. It's amazing how fast you learn when you have no alternative. What's to ba afraid of. mistakes. We all make them. At least digital mistakes are "free" film mistakes can be expensive.

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Nov 22, 2017 10:34:44   #
rpavich Loc: West Virginia
 
gvarner wrote:
There seems to be something daunting, too challenging, about Manual mode. I'm not a novice but I still don't use it. However, besides allowing complete control over your camera, I think that it is the best training tool for beginners who want to learn the technical side of photography - how things work. Become familiar with capturing your artistic vision using manual controls and all the other options in modern DSLR's will make much more sense.


It would certainly cut down on the amount of "what went wrong?" or "how do I blur this?" or "how do I stop this?" posts, that's for sure.

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Nov 22, 2017 10:37:17   #
Just Fred Loc: Darwin's Waiting Room
 
Yankeepapa6 wrote:
My daughter was married two months ago. The photographer we hired had two assistants. Halfway through he wanted to get some more group poses. He had a Cannon. I asked if I could look at it. It was set to Automatic.


Automatic isn't automatically (sorry, no pun intended) a bad choice. Given the right conditions, letting the camera make the choice for you isn't always a bad thing. Wedding photography, especially during receptions and constantly changing light conditions, automatic mode can frequently adjust faster than the person who has to mentally make choices and decisions, perhaps losing the "moment."

I'm not deriding you or the photographer. I'm merely pointing out that automatic has a place on the camera wheel. I don't know anything about the conditions at your daughter's wedding.

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