CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Manual is for sissies. When I learned photography, we walked up hill both ways in the snow and said, 'thank you, can I have another' ...

sirlensalot Loc: Arizona

Means nothing in my opinion. Just another way to sell tee shirts.

NikonRocks Loc: Sydney

I bet 99.9% of those advocating the use of "M" mode drive an automatic car. I learned photography way back before all the bells and whistles were added to camera when cameras had range finders for focus, a dial to adjust the speed up to 1/500 and and a ring on the lens to adjust the f-stop. I mainly shot Kodakchrome film with ASA of 10 and allowing up to 36 shots though you could squeeze in 37 if you were lucky. Film cost a lot relatively speaking back in those days so you thought twice before pressing down on the shutter release.

I also leaned to drive with a car that had a four speed gearbox. Those skills developed with manual systems stand me in good stead today with my driving even though I do now drive a car with a three speed automatic gearbox. However, I drive with my left foot covering the footbrake and the right foot covering the accelerator pedal. The quicker reaction time for braking has save my bacon on numerous occasions. I have no problems switching between vehicles with different gearboxes.

Also I grew up in the age before electronic calculators existed so that all my basic math skills are still with me.

Maybe there is a lesson for us here that learning a skill is best started in the "M" mode.

Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida

What a cool camera that is..WOW

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

"M" is for ME, as in "It's all about ME"

BebuLamar

It requires a lot more skill and practice to drive a manual transmission car than to use a camera in manual mode.

Angmo

The great thing about manual is you learn to see the light much more than spray and pray modes. Years ago, I’d experiment and guess the exposure and try to do better than the camera. It’s a learning tool too.