Brandmic Loc: Alabama

I used to only shoot manual but after reading where multiple top photographers use mainly SS or Apeture priority mode I have switched and it has improved my photography quite a bit. I use manual to get settings and switch and compare. I use the exposure (AE) lock with this and it works quite well. Sometimes I will use SS or A to get settings and use manual if I want to use a specific apeture or SS. Hope this helps.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

Very helpful, thank you.

Brandmic Loc: Alabama

How do you like the d7100? I use the d5100 and I am planning on purchasing the d7100 within next couple of months. Everything I've read seems to point to it being very incredible.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

Good idea, thank you.

johneccles Loc: Leyland UK

I use Aperture most of the time set on the sweet spot (F8) with ISO at 100, I change the aperture when the lighting is too dark/bright and if necessary I increase the ISO. I have a "Landscape" setting which I use sometimes. I never use "Auto" as this produces an image which is too vivid, it can be changed but reverts back to default after every shot.

christofras Loc: Gold Coast Australia

I use Ap mostly,...except when shooting fast moving subjects,then I use s/priority. I see no point in using manual with modern cameras.In most cases, one has little time to get "that shot"

FutureLook Loc: Florida, USA

Although having the feeling of controlling every aspect of you photography, I found it was easier an quite rewarding to shoot all my landscape, portrait, even bird photography on a sunny day, etc... on Aperture to control the depth of field. And of course, shutter preferred with sports or other erratic and fast moving subjects such as baseball where my grandson pitches in college. I have found that at my age is not easy to move as fast with my fingers when using manual mode. Of course, I shoot in raw which gives me more flexibility to do minor changes since I am not well versed on CS6 to do the wonderful things that other do. I had one of my pictures published on "Mastering the Nikon D7100" by Darrell Young on Chapter 3 and it was shot early in the morning in Costa Rica. I also have many more on my website: futurelookphotgraphy.com. They were mostly shot at Aperture to capture the desired depth of field along with some HDR. Please note that my idea is not to promote my site in any way but just to share some of my pics for others to see the difference on both. I honestly tell you that I rarely shoot in manual and I my utmost respect for those that do.

sjrw Loc: Gunnislake, Cornwall, UK

After watching joe buissink's wedding photography videos I use P mode a lot. It is the best of both because you can adjust either and the other follows. Also using back button exposure hold I can keep settings then just let go if I have to move to a different light. It works well for me and I am thankful to joe for his persuasive reasons.

AlexS Loc: Minnesota

When I started about a year ago I wanted to learn as much as possible. For me, it was helpful to start in Manual. It allowed me the opportunity to better learn the 'triangle'. Yeah, I had a lot of shots that were not that great [still do] but it allowed me to learn how to make better pictures. I still shoot about 90+ % in Manual. However, a good friend of mine taught me that walking around in Program mode can help to capture those spontaneous shots that might otherwise be missed while trying get the settings right.

Over the past year there has been a noticeable improvement in my picture making. It took a lot of patience on my part to stick with Manual but now, I find, that I am more comfortable in that mode. I have also become more comfortable with my camera overall and far less intimidated than I used to be

indycaver Loc: Indianapolis

Depends on the situation. I use Ap. priority when I want a certain depth of field. If I'm shooting a moving object, i.e. race car, birds in flight, I use shutter priority. Most of the rest of the time I shoot manual so I can control everything.

mikedidi46 Loc: WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA

I started out 2 years ago using AUTO, or one of the scene modes [Landscape].

Now I bounce between Shutter & Aperture depending on the scene or the lighting. I also will switch to Program Mode and setup a specific ISO setting.

A Pro Street Photographer told me me once. When in the city, shoot program mode. You will never miss a photo.

gldaum

Not qualifying as a great photographer, but one who has been doing it for about 50 years.

I would say it depend on the basic needs for quick shots. Mine is usually a lighting issue, so I usually keep my camera on aperture priority lowest f stop. If your needs deal with motion more often, go with shutter. To be fair, the aperture setting also manipulates the shutter setting and vice versa, so the borderline between them is blurred.

If a lot of your shots need tweaking of depth of field and lens effects, go with manual.

FutureLook Loc: Florida, USA

This is the way I do it and it works perfect for me. I use only manual when I have plenty of time to do it.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

I use manual for birds in flight - using autofocus back button with manual override - I always have my hand on the focus ring.

I use aperture with specific ISO for 99% of all my other shooting, but always conscious of my shutter speed, making adjustments along the way.

When using flash, I use manual, letting the flash make the primary adjustment, and adjusting the shutter speed to provide more or less ambient light.

Peekayoh Loc: UK

I've come late to this thread, 5 pages already, so I didn't read it all so I may be guilty of repetition and apologise if so.

You know, I smell the stink of elitism when I hear people claiming that MANUAL is the only way to go or that PROs only use Full Manual. I don't know any who do that, Pros use whatever tools are appropriate in getting the shot and that may or may not include full manual.

My first camera didn't even have a meter so there was no choice, learn the sunny 16 rule or buy a meter. In 1962 Minolta introduced the SR-7, the first SLR to have a meter built into the camera. As you might expect, it wasn't fully automatic, you set a shutter speed and the meter suggested an aperture that may be appropriate which you could then set using the aperture ring on the lens. The meter is pretty much a dumb animal, it was then and is now; the meter follows a set procedure to determine appropriate settings but the real skill lies in knowing how to compensate for the dumb failings of the meter. The only real difference between then and now is that the camera can set the shutter or aperture from the meter reading; it doesn't mean the setting is right, any more than it was then.

Clearly there are times when the meter gets it right and there are times when it's wrong; backlit situations or changing background light as you pan spring to mind as more obvious examples but the meter can still give you a decent starting point. I'd lay odds of ten to one that the full manual shooter will use the meter to see if the shot is under/over exposed and fiddle about from there. The only cameras where you don't need to look at the meter reading at all are those with cameras with EVF like the Sony SLTs or the mirrorless A7/A7r and NEX which can be set to show the change in the finished shot (EVF or LCD) as you alter the settings.

There's no shame in using Aperture priority; you've made a concious choice of an aperture either for DOF reasons or available light, the camera sets what the meter deems an acceptable shutter but you use your experience to adjust exposure compensation to tailor the result. Apart from being quicker, how is that any different from Full Manual control?

Obviously, whichever method is used, a degree of skill and an understanding of the exposure triangle is required. How those skills are acquired is a different matter and that may include shooting in full manual for a while to drive the basic points home but once the skills are in place, use whatever tools you like to get the shot.