I am an amateur photographer and have been for over 10 years. I strive to learn manual modes but I find that I don't always know how the camera should be set up. I have taken thousands if not tens of thousands of photos for all the trips I've been on and edited these photos and then made photo albums. I must admit that the auto mode has done me well. Not only am I happy with the results but every time I show my photos and albums to others I get many compliments. I know that I am not an expert and the professional can see so many more discrepancies than I can see, but to the 98% of the people out there who are not experts, who just enjoy seeing a nice picture, the auto mode really works for me. I still experiment with manual modes, especially for depth of field issues, but when I travel or see something I want to photograph I go back to the trusted auto mode and rely upon Lightroom or Photoshop to help get the final results.
Just my opinion but there are many non professionals out there who I am sure get confused as I do with auto vs manual modes. If you take photos for a living or use your camera every day then getting total control of your camera is certainly the way to go, but if you put your camera down for periods of time to enjoy other things in life, then enjoying auto mode when you pick it up to take those pictures really seems to work.
Just my opinion, but 10 years of taking photos has some worth.
Mike

We pay mega bucks for the latest camera with more computing power than a Moon-Lander and Auto Mode is disdained ?

Do you have an " Auto " car, or do you use a manual gearbox?................ Which drives the car most effectively ?

Are you in danger of missing the shot while fiddling with the settings ?

Washing machines, computer controlled CNC,...... Micro surgery the list is endless where the computer wins out.

Perhaps in years to come you will be able to program your drone to go to your favourite locations, take the photos

and return them to you to process in PhotoShop,

Coming from a history of manually cocked shutters, flash-bulbs and slow film speeds,graduating eventually to a Zenith SLR

(now that WAS manual) First SLR with TTL metering I am hugely impressed by the programming power and facilities offered

by a modern camera.

We pay mega bucks for the latest camera with more computing power than a Moon-Lander and Auto Mode is disdained ?

Do you have an " Auto " car, or do you use a manual gearbox?................ Which drives the car most effectively ?

Are you in danger of missing the shot while fiddling with the settings ?

Washing machines, computer controlled CNC,...... Micro surgery the list is endless where the computer wins out.

Perhaps in years to come you will be able to program your drone to go to your favourite locations, take the photos

and return them to you to process in PhotoShop,

Coming from a history of manually cocked shutters, flash-bulbs and slow film speeds,graduating eventually to a Zenith SLR

(now that WAS manual) First SLR with TTL metering I am hugely impressed by the programming power and facilities offered

by a modern camera.

I use nearly all the shooting functions on my cameras including auto, but cherish the ability to make choices as to where my camera will 'concentrate' its focusing area and how I may wish to over ride the auto feature. Regarding your comments on the 'auto everything' scenario; how bout a camera that automatically puts itself in the bag with automatic choice of the lenses you will need for the day. It automatically mounts itself on a tripod if needed. It automatically sets itself for every conceivable type of photo you would like to take. ( I guess it would have to automatically read your mind for that one) When you get home you load the pics on your computer and your photo editor automatically tweaks each pic and makes it look like someone actually knew what he was doing when he shot the pic.

Now you are all set to join the ranks of those who say, "Why, last week I couldn't even spell fotogafer, now I are one!"

No thank you for me. I take pride in learning and knowing HOW to do all that the automatic feature does. A problem I see in modern photography is the need or desire to be able to pick up a camera that does it all for you. It sells cameras, of course, but does nothing for the person holding the camera. Don't let the automatic stuff on a camera take away from the satisfaction of knowing how to operate the features on a camera and getting predictable results every time. Don't get me wrong, I am not ragging on the auto setting of a camera. I use it plenty, there is just more to it than that, and I know what you are saying about auto feature getting hammered by all the so called 'experts'.

I am not saying that the new computerized cameras are bad.I have them and use them, but they are just an enhanced tool and cannot replace your ability to know how to use them. I too remember the days of having to cock the shutter, manually focus and the whole scenario of using those old manual cameras, but I wouldn't trade that for a whole trainload of modern automatic features, even though I use those features. The time and experience of using those old cameras are valuable. And, by the way, if you learn to drive a stick shift car RIGHT it is just as efficient and effective as an automatic and sometimes much better. If you are stuck in the snow, an automatic will start you out at the lowest gear ratio which will spin your wheels too fast and just dig you in deeper. You have no control over what that automatic does. On the other hand, with a stick shift, you can put it in second gear instead of first and often that will walk you right out of the stuck spot.