AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

This hasn't been the worst thread on this topic, but I truly don't see what the big, deal is.

Yes, shooting in manual is probably the best way to learn exposure principles (I hate the "triangle" expression as a metaphor, personally...but it works for most), but once you are comfortable with the effects of adjusting shutter speed, f stop, and ISO, you can shoot in whatever mode you want and still place your subject values wherever you want them. I find myself shooting in aperture or shutter priority most often, where one setting is of predominant importance, but it's also pretty easy to meter and adjust both in manual. I'd say about 90% of my shots are in either A, S, or M modes. If I am in a big hurry and the shot has neither critical aperture or shutter speed aspects, I may even set P and then adjust with the thumbwheel.

I generally use the scene preset modes or auto when I am handing the camera to someone else to take a shot. There is nothing that can't be better adjusted manually if you have a basic understanding of exposure settings. It's just a guess, but I think a lot of the problems encountered by newbies or those who never learned exposure in manual days come from choosing the wrong preset.

As several have said, there is no one right way for every photographer.
Andy

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

I still remember playing charades with children years ago and pantomiming turning the knobs to indicate a TV show. They just stared at me like I had grown a second head. I then tried imitating a remote control and everything was fine.

NJFrank Loc: New Jersey

I usually use aperture or shutter priority with auto ISO. But every once in awhile i do use auto if Im having a problem getting the results i want. Of course before I set it on auto i look around to make sure no one see me using auto.

PhotoFem

So true...and good observation.

nytexano

'Manual' is how most older photographers learned the physics and craft of exposing for effect. When 'Programmed mode arrived on Nikons, my training in manual allowed me to effectively adopt it into my shooting strategy. It worked! If I don't have specific depth of field and/or motion elements which are central to the shot, Program Mode is excellent. Aperture or Speed priority Mode provide better fine tuning, and are usually just as rapid (all of these modes are quickly modified with the compensation function. For the non-obsessive.

For the obsessive or nostalgia-prone user, 'Manual' is god, the same as vinyl is god for obsessive music appreciation (until it rapidly deteriorates and scratches, it does have a wider spectrum for some music). That film is inherently superior to digital is another fantasy trope, although I would say: film IS superior to digital for users who are incompetent in Photoshop and/or Lightroom and/or CaptureOne. I slowly poisoned myself and demolished my plumbing after decades of processing film and prints. I DO NOT miss it. To my eye, modern archival prints, when matched on one of the myriad of magnificent dye/ink papers far surpass any photographic papers that were available, are obviously superior. No doubt for some, Daguerreotype is superior to film, and on and on.

BebuLamar

There are many functions on the camera that I don't want or need. They are just there because they simply don't make them without. If you want to find a good camera without the P mode you can but check the price.

Stephan G

"What, F... That"?

James R. Kyle Loc: Saint Louis, Missouri (A Suburb of Ferguson)

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YES!!

Great to know that another "ZONER" is still doing the "time-tested" meterings of the different areas of the intended image they are about to capture.

A few are "surprised" to know that the "Zone System" works with Digital and or Color. With me = And when faced with "difficult light" - It IS the ONLY way to get EVERYTHING balanced to have a WORKABLE image.

With digital, when faced with a mix of very High highlights and Very Low shadows = I turn to H.D.R. (I like the wording of "Equivalent Dynamic Range" as that is really what it is). Taking a "Spot Meter" I get the Highlights of the Clouds that I want - Remembering that - I meter the Lowlights - Then set the Two "Ends" of the Exposure (with me that is Three) and I am not really concerned with the mid-range, I can work them over in Post-Edit. This works for me. I have had others give me "funny looks" or scratch their head at the way I do things - CooL - Perhaps they have dandruff??

One of the really cool things I like with Digital is that I have the selection of ISO settings - Without having to Unload a roll of film to replace with another. AND, the obvious, I can almost constantly shoot All Damn Day without reloading, and at the cost of only time to delete the unusable and or crappy ones from the day's efforts of "Capturing Images".

https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Zone-System-Digital-Photography/dp/0240807561/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1534511922&sr=8-3&keywords=the+practical+zone+system+for+film+and+digital+photography

OR......

https://www.hawkesburycameraclub.com.au/uploads/pdf/resources/zone_system.pdf

Peace - Out.

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AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

I don't understand why this is so. I can adjust the exposure value by selective metering to place whatever object I want on whatever zone I want, even when shooting in aperture of shutter priority. I just figure the EV I want to set, then adjust up or down by under or over exposing on the metered value. Am I missing something here? Yes, it's a little quicker in Manual on my Nikon, as you just use the thumbwheel rather than exposure value compensation from the menu, but the end result is the same exposure settings. Am I missing something?

Andy

James R. Kyle Loc: Saint Louis, Missouri (A Suburb of Ferguson)

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You are not "missing" anything.

May The Light Be With You.

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philo Loc: philo, ca

I drive a manual car 2004 mini cooper and a auto Nissan van. they both take me from point a to point b. I enjoy driving the mini because i be come more of the process.

BebuLamar

I don't have manual transmission car any more as I found out I can't afford to have car for toys. I have my cameras as toys so I use them in manual otherwise just pushing the button is too boring. So yeah I do agree that P is for pro.

AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

And may the Golden Hour Magic Light be with you as well...

Your past advice, as well as Bob's, has been very useful in helping me think about zonal placement in this new digital world. It's somewhat counterintuitive for old school filmies - expose for the highlights, develop for the shadows is the simplified way of looking at it. Imagine the fun old Ansel, Fred, and Minor would have had with the electronic darkrooms available to us today.

Andy

fotobyferg

“If you carefully read what several of our pro photographers wrote, you will see that they concur "one size does NOT fit all."

Simple question: how does one know who the real pros are here in UHH?

lamontcranston

Everything you need to know about the Exposure Triangle is covered in the 1st chapter of Bryan Peterson's excellent book, "Understanding Exposure". The rest of the book goes into the depth of the subject and is a very enlightening and enjoyable read. Highly recommended for anyone seeking how to produce better photographs using the basics of the exposure triangle.

https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Exposure-Fourth-Photographs-Camera/dp/1607748509/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534513201&sr=8-1&keywords=understanding+exposure