dadcowell Loc: Myrtle Beach SC

OK
I'm trying to move over to shooting in manual.
First off, I know there is an abundance of information relating to learning how to shoot in manual mode, but I'm looking for the condensed version in one place.
I'm hoping that one of the UHH members has felt the same way and can direct me to a great book or other write-up that can take me through the steps. I'd like to be able to learn how to use the camera's Histogram feature to improve my skills.
I own the Canon T3-I, the Speedlite 430 EX II and would like to eventually be able to just pick up the camera and quickly set it to the best settings.

Can you help?

Bill

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

The book is titled "Photography: Easily Become An Expert" and is free. I can't remember who wrote or published it, but it's got to be available somewhere. Best of luck!

In the mean time, you could start by using Aperture or Shutter modes and understanding stops.

Bill_de Loc: US

Good advice! Once you truly understand stops, all modes are equally easy.

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TheDman Loc: USA

First thing to learn, there are no "best settings". There are just different settings that do different things. Learning the infamous exposure triangle (how aperture, shutter speed and ISO interact with each other) would get you 90% there.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I remember thinking that I understood because I had memorized some. The reality was that I needed to comprehend the interaction of when I started changing one or two and what the heck the camera was doing. Forget about metering, EC and AF...got to be an easier way!

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

Learn the "exposure triangle', Aperture, Shutter Speed, Iso. A photographer must balance all three of these to get the desired results. Good luck, it's a fascinating journey.

Bill_de Loc: US

I took calculus in high school and passed because I memorized everything. I took it again in college and during the second class the professor made a couple of statements that made everything come together. It was really a two step process for me.

I think some folks have a problem with exposure because they memorize the settings but nobody explains step two.

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burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

There is no condensed version that will enable what you want. You must understand the underlying principles.

Read The *Fine* Manual first. Study each page with camera in hand. TRY each variable setting until you know what it does. Your patience and suffering WILL BE rewarded!

The ENVIRONMENT variable is LIGHT:

Volume/intensity
Type and color spectrum characteristics
Specularity (hard vs. soft sources)
Contrast
Brightness (dynamic) range

Manual mode always has to BALANCE that environmental variable (light) against:

Sensitivity (ISO)
Aperture (how much light gets through the lens)
Time (shutter speed)

Each of the four variables places CONSTRAINTS on at least one of the others. Each effects the quality/character of the image differently.

A good book on photography will help you understand. Tony Northrup’s *Stunning Digital Photography* and Bryan Peterson’s *Understanding Exposure* are good starting points.

Learning the basic principles behind photography will help you to choose appropriate tools and settings, and to determine desired outcomes.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

There's a lot to learn to be able to quickly set good manual settings. You need to know how much depth of field you want in various situations, and how to figure what aperture will give that to you. You need to learn what shutter speed will stop camera motion using different lenses, and what shutter speed will stop subject movement with various subjects. You need to do ISO tests with your camera to know how high you can go before the noise is not acceptable to you. You need to know how to meter your subject to get the optimum exposure, and then what combination of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO will give you that exposure and the best compromise of the three to meet your objectives.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Bill, people make WAY to much out of shooting in manual.
It's WAY easier than using your cameras automated assist functions!
You pic an ISO appropiate for the amount of light you have.
Pick the shutter speed appropriate for how fast your subject is moving or not moving.
Then line up the meters needle for the amount of over, under or nuetral exposure you desire by adjusting the aperture or one of the only two other variables as needed.
It's that easy.
How much you wanna bet many will say it's harder than that?

Or get an Instamatic...., point it and shoot it!!!
Doesnt get more manual than that! LoL

SS

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I can memorize all the settings I want, but the light is a variant that breeds flexibility! I monitor several nests for Audubon and rarely can I use the same settings two trips in a row. They put me in the ballpark!

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

BIF and blowing out whites is my challenge! Never bored!

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

Shooting manual is easy....you just wind down the wheel until you get the arrow on the zero at the bottom of the screen. Hey...you get the choice of setting it 1 or 2 stops higher or lower too!......That is all there is to it!

BUT, and there is always one of those!

YOU have to work out the Fstop,Shutter Speed, ISO, amount of light, distance from subject, (come on folks add some more...)

All those who shot with film and used manual had a fixed film ASA (ISO equivalent). A whole list of 'shooting instructions' for every situation passed down to them....and a light meter which they may or may not trust. If all else failed .....a few darkroom tricks to Fix it.

There have been many surveys done on UHH as to who uses manual and how often......
A few people swear they do it all the time
a lot of people use most of the other settings and occaisionally manual
quite a lot never use manual.
It is a bit like sitting in the school yard talking about sex....who knows who gets up to what!

All I can say is ....it is not compulsory....it may not even benefit your images by anything noticeable. Once you feel confident in apperture and shutter priority (Which does a lot of the hard thinking for you) you will (almost by osmosis) understand what settings work best in the most situations you find yourself in.....and then, if you like...you could try those in manual and maybe even 'play around' with a few 'random numbers' till you get your face slapped.

RELAX....It will work itself out.

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

A good way for a beginner to get a feel of the manual modes is to shoot a scene in "Auto" and see what the camera picked for the different settings, the beginner can go from there.

Laura72568 Loc: Anderson TX

I second that! BIF against a white cloudy background...my biggest challenge.