Les White

Ditto

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Erv Loc: Medina Ohio

Just a thought. Do you think it is your camera? If you have played in manual and it still isn't getting the shot, just might be the camera. Put it in P mode and go play. Limit your ISO to 100-400 and see if the camera can put out a good picture 100% of the time. I have shoot a D300s and now a D600. They both work great in all the modes. If I am out playing around my camera is in P mode and I am having fun, if I am trying to get a shot at weddings I go manual if things aren't moving fast. And A and S mode if needed. But I would shoot your camera in P and see if it gets the shot done and look at the histogram. Some times it may not be you, but your camera.
Erv

wteffey Loc: Ocala, FL USA

If you can consistently get composition, focus and timing (three things your camera can not do for you) right while shooting full manual then OK. But if setting your camera manually causes you to miss the best composition, focus and timing, then an automatic feature to lessen the workload might result in better photos.

edhjr Loc: Needham, MA

I agree with several folks who basically are saying shoot with what makes sense for what you are trying to do. I do not like to use auto ISO at all, I only very occasionally shoot in Program mode, for car racing, moving wildlife etc. I usually use Shutter Priority, for scenery, people, etc. I use Aperture Priority. I also use bracketing and exposure compensation in certain circumstances. I shoot jpeg and Raw but try to avoid much photoshop work so I do make a lot of adjustments on the fly to get what I want "in camera". I have sold a number of large prints with little or no PS work but that is just reflecting how I want to spend my personal time. Figure out what works for you -- make yourself happy.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

To better answer the question, how many years have you been shooting in full manual? In the first six months, what changes did you notice? What problems did you encounter most often in the first six months?

I shoot in manual 80% of the time now. The only time I do not is for certain sports situations, where I am in shutter priority mode.

aisajib Loc: Dhaka, Bangladesh

I'm still in confusion (I just tried both A and M in a photoshoot today and I couldn't determine which to go with). :(

I just had a smile, though. How these two replies compare... :)

aisajib Loc: Dhaka, Bangladesh

That goes close to what I would expect. Now the question is, in a portrait session with a model, is the time spent fiddling with the setting time wasted? Because I'm not going to miss any shot per se, the shot awaits me.

Wedding is a different story, as I use a manual external flash and camera doesn't know the flash is there, so it tries to expose for the low light by using a very slow shutter speed. I shoot a few pictures until I find the right aperture for a shot and I keep my shutter speed at 1/100. Works most of the time.

Changing flash power when there are more or less people in the shot or when the focal length changes is a bit of pain though.




I bought my camera on October 2013, shot for a fairly long time in full automatic, and then without even trying out any of the auto modes (Scenes, A, P, S), I jumped straight into manual to better understand how the exposure works. Granted, I didn't understand a thing until I got my 50mm 1.8, because with a kit lens how aperture affects exposure is very difficult to see. I bought my lens in February 2014, and I probably started shooting full manual in March-April.

I definitely enjoyed being in control of the exposure. Like whenever the location changes, I immediately take a few shots that are bound to be ill-exposed. And determining how the shot looks, I change the shutter speed (or aperture if using Flash). A properly-exposed (according to light meter) or a slightly overexposed image always looks better in the LCD (and even in histogram), but I intentionally underexpose a bit knowing that Nikons can come up with better shadow details (Am I doing that wrong? Should I keep the well-exposed images anyway?).

In terms of problem, there are many not-keepers because the location changes so often and on each location I have to take a few test shots to figure out the best exposure. Also, seeing how many portrait shooters use Aperture priority, I'm now thinking I might be wasting time fiddling with the settings. :? That's why I had to write this post.

katbandit Loc: new york city

i shoot manual 99% of the time...i like to determine my own settings..i find that when i do try to go to the A setting that the camera can be fooled into the right lighting depending on where the dark and light colors are in the subject..to me i feel the challenge of taking a shot and checking it out is what gives me the opportunity to use my skill at determining how to set the photo up..

hughburden Loc: UK

"Am I wasting time shooting full manual?"

Seems to me all the answers so far are correct as they work for that particular shooter.

For my two pence worth (two cents worth?) Deciding what kind of image you are trying to capture or what style you wish to produce makes the decision for you.

Action needs fast shutter speeds to freeze it, or slow shutter speeds to capture a blur… if either is the most important factor why not choose shutter priority and let the camera do the rest? Judge results with histogram, LCD image, highlight warning and experience.

If your preference is to control what is and what is not in focus then it makes sense to choose aperture priority and let the camera do the rest. Judge results with histogram, LCD image, highlight warning and experience.

Of course there will be occasions when your chosen shutter speed, or chosen aperture will not produce a useable image in the prevailing conditions or maybe for 'artistic' reasons. When this is the case you have to make further decisions-change ISO? maybe sacrifice/compromise on your chosen shutter speed or aperture?

On occasion the prevailing light conditions and the desired effect you want may not correspond to your chosen shutter speed/aperture and the camera's helpful decisions…at that point full human control of the settings are obviously obligatory to override the 'in house’ meter

Using aperture or shutter priority is the same thought process as shooting ‘fully manual’ in that you have to decide 'what am I trying to achieve?’ In manual you may start with a light meter reading, from that you may choose your aperture and the rest falls into place (this is the same thought process that the camera uses in aperture/shutter priority)

There nothing ‘pro’ or indeed ‘amateur' about shooting manual, priority or fully auto. Use what works to get the desired image. Perhaps the only thing a so called ‘pro’ has over the enthusiast is the constant commercial pressure has honed their decision process and experience; so these decisions can be almost a reflex. {or should be:~D }

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

If you do not feel yo are learning in full manual, perhaps you should shoot in AP or TV for awhile. As you do, you will get a better feel for the power of each function. You can always try maual again in the future.

By the way, keeper rates are a tricky thing. If I were shooting studio portraits, I would hope to have a keeper rate in the over 80% range. In sports or birds in flight, sometimes 10% is a good day.

aisajib Loc: Dhaka, Bangladesh

Thanks. That is good advice!




I shoot neither studio (too expensive) nor sport (not much interested). I shoot events sometimes and portraits. Sometimes it feels bad to see a perfectly posed and candid photo go to waste because of poor exposure. (Plus there is the shutter actuation thing. ;) )

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

If the lighting is even then setting the camera manually to neutral gray the subject should be correct even if the background changes. Use you histogram to help

redpepper Loc: Central NY

Great question! I've been shooting for more than 20 years and just in the last 7 years have I been more perceptive of the technicality of photography. With that said, I use manual for static shots and when I use my flashgun. I shoot my sons' track events and always shoot in aperture priority while keeping my eye on shutter speed. I've actually shot action in manual to get the high ss and fstop I want and let auto ISO do the work. I use custom WB for indoor sports events cause those tungsten gym lights are a horror. I was taught to expose for the ambient light when using flash, then tweak the flash output to illuminate your subj. the only time I use auto ISO is in the scenario I mentioned earlier. So all in all, I change my method based on the situation

ole sarg Loc: south florida

The pros are deciding how much DOF they want in light of the composition they are trying to achieve.

You can fiddle all you want but full auto in various mode settings will probably get you your best shot. But, if you want to be a poser sit and fiddle!

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Pros are just like everyone else, they shoot manual, A mode, P mode, and even auto mode!





True




You will find that light is easier to read the longer you do it.


Also, it's not a guessing game, you can still meter off of your hand or use a light meter to find the correct exposure.





You must decide on how to expose your image. The meter doesn't light your scene for you....you have to decide where to place the exposure, what you want the shadows to look like, if you want highlights blown out...etc.




I don't think you are.




I would seriously think about changing my MO here. If you are using a manual flash like the YN's then get them off camera and a "set distance" to the subject so you don't have to change settings...think "portrait session"

If you are using the flash ON camera then you MUST get a TTL flash if you want to keep your sanity. It's almost impossible to keep chimping and adjusting on the fly with manual flash on camera.




Either way is fine. If you don't like the camera making bad decisions for you then shoot manual; that's why I do it....I HATE nasty surprises and I don't like chimping the LCD to find out if the camera and I agree on what a shot should look like.




It's no different; you are still letting the camera "steer" and "hit the brake or the gas pedal" from the passenger seat whenever it decides to.

You have to decide how acceptable a situation like that is to you.