Manual shooting is just that... ALL variables are set manually (some people will tell you they're "shooting manually", though they're actually using M with Auto ISO.... they're wrong).

The REASON to shoot fully manual is to lock down all your exposure factors right where you want them and not let the automation change things you don't want changed. It is the best way to insure an image exposed exactly the way you want. Of course, it needs to be done accurately. There are many ways to do that... some people can determine exposure very well "by eye". Others use the camera's meter or just take some test shots, check the histogram and fine tune from there. Still other folks may use a separate meter of some type (there are several possible types that are used differently). Personally I do a bit of each.

HOWEVER manual exposure isn't always preferable or even possible. There are times when it's necessary or preferable to use one of the auto exposure (AE) modes the camera offers. Most cameras today have at least three AE modes: aperture priority (A or Av), shutter priority (S or Tv) and program (P). Many cameras now have a fourth AE mode: M with Auto ISO.

Each of these serve purposes and can be useful, preferred or even necessary in certain situations.

Exactly! Couldn't have stated any better!
There is a lot more to it than this. Rather than write a book here, I suggest you buy one that's already been written: Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure". It's an excellent read, even for old film shooters like you and me. It goes over all the different exposure modes thoroughly... what, when, why, and how to use them. It also deals with things like Exposure Compensation and how to use it to fine tune auto exposures. One thing it doesn't do (at least not in the edition I bought some years ago) is discuss using a separate, hand held light meter. Peterson emphasizes using the camera's built-in light meter and dealing with the foibles of reflective metering.

Personally I don't consider M shooting mode to be "purer" or "more satisfying" or anything... It's just one of several ways to handle exposure. Using M doesn't make me a better photographer. Sometimes it's the best way to achieve the images I want. Sometimes it's not. There are times when Av, Tv or even P are preferable or even necessary. I don't hesitate to use them when needed! They don't make me a worse photographer.

On cameras that have them, what I AVOID are the "super auto" modes... such as A+ or "Auto" or the "scene modes" (such as "sports", "landscape", etc). Those automate exposure and a whole lot more. These modes often dictate the way autofocus can be used, don't allow Exposure Compensation to be used, force flash to fire at times and even limit the type of file that can be saved. No thanks! I want to set those things myself.

I got my first 35mm camera in 1960 and every shot was manually exposed, except for the ASA (now ISO). After a while, I bought and used a light meter and my pictures became a lot better and much more interesting.

Lately I've seen quite a few questions regarding manual shooting and wonder why one would ever want to shoot entirely in manual mode, except in some very rare circumstances? At best, manual mode is a guess about the proper exposure settings, although some photographers can probably do a passable job. Certainly, I can see setting two variables manually and letting the camera set the remaining variable automatically, but totally manual exposure, I don't see.

What am I missing? Does "manual" mean setting two variables manually or does it mean setting all variables manually? Are manually exposed shots better in some way? Is it just a guessing game and the one who gets the closest to a great exposure wins the game? Help...

I got my first 35mm camera in 1960 and every shot was manually exposed, except for the ASA (now ISO). After a while, I bought and used a light meter and my pictures became a lot better and much more interesting.

Lately I've seen quite a few questions regarding manual shooting and wonder why one would ever want to shoot entirely in manual mode, except in some very rare circumstances? At best, manual mode is a guess about the proper exposure settings, although some photographers can probably do a passable job. Certainly, I can see setting two variables manually and letting the camera set the remaining variable automatically, but totally manual exposure, I don't see.

What am I missing? Does "manual" mean setting two variables manually or does it mean setting all variables manually? Are manually exposed shots better in some way? Is it just a guessing game and the one who gets the closest to a great exposure wins the game? Help...

I got my first 35mm camera in 1960 and every shot was manually exposed, except for the ASA (now ISO). After a while, I bought and used a light meter and my pictures became a lot better and much more interesting.

Lately I've seen quite a few questions regarding manual shooting and wonder why one would ever want to shoot entirely in manual mode, except in some very rare circumstances? At best, manual mode is a guess about the proper exposure settings, although some photographers can probably do a passable job. Certainly, I can see setting two variables manually and letting the camera set the remaining variable automatically, but totally manual exposure, I don't see.

What am I missing? Does "manual" mean setting two variables manually or does it mean setting all variables manually? Are manually exposed shots better in some way? Is it just a guessing game and the one who gets the closest to a great exposure wins the game? Help...

My history mirrors yours...maybe a couple of years later. I started with an Argus C4 and the information on the film insert sheet. But the C4 did have a split image viewfinder to provide focus assistance. Later inherited a Voightlander Vitomatic which lost the focus assist but gained a match needle light meter. So I guess even in my earliest days, I never really shot fully manual.

My personal belief about this subject is two-fold...manual shooting is completely over rated, and almost no one does it, no matterwhat they claim. Sure, there are situations when a particular aperture works "best." Sometimes a particular shutter speed works best. A lot of the time, a particular ISO provides best results. So set one. It's part of the game.

If you really, really want to shoot manual, get a box of the right size, paint it flat black inside, cut a hole and mount a lens, and figure out how to secure your film or sensor to the opposite side of the box. Don't spend a thousand, or two thousand, or five thousand or however many dollars for a fancy camera with all sorts of capabilities and functions and helps and then "shoot manual only." What a silly waste of money.

But if you shoot manual, then shoot manual. No Auto ISO to make sure the exposure is right. No two second delay to make sure there is no camera vibration.

If you are going to claim it, be honest about it.

My history mirrors yours...maybe a couple of years later. I started with an Argus C4 and the information on the film insert sheet. But the C4 did have a split image viewfinder to provide focus assistance. Later inherited a Voightlander Vitomatic which lost the focus assist but gained a match needle light meter. So I guess even in my earliest days, I never really shot fully manual.

My personal belief about this subject is two-fold...manual shooting is completely over rated, and almost no one does it, no matter what they claim. Sure, there are situations when a particular aperture works "best." Sometimes a particular shutter speed works best. A lot of the time, a particular ISO provides best results. So set one. It's part of the game.

If you really, really want to shoot manual, get a box of the right size, paint it flat black inside, cut a hole and mount a lens, and figure out how to secure your film or sensor to the opposite side of the box. Don't spend a thousand, or two thousand, or five thousand or however many dollars for a fancy camera with all sorts of capabilities and functions and helps and then "shoot manual only." What a silly waste of money.

But if you shoot manual, then shoot manual. No Auto ISO to make sure the exposure is right. No two second delay to make sure there is no camera vibration.

If you are going to claim it, be honest about it.