Comments on: Manual Exposure week

By: glenn

glenn — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:53:18 +0000

I read this post a few weeks ago and realized I’d never did more than noodle around a bit with anything other than the auto setting on my Canon A720 despite looking for a vareity of features when I bought it last year.

I just spent a couple of weeks on holiday and decided to explore the possibilities. The shutter and aperture settings became mainstays, ISO and white balance got workouts and I managed a handful of half-decent shots with the manual focus setting.

So, thanks!

By: YpoCaramel

YpoCaramel — Mon, 04 May 2009 06:33:36 +0000

The good meter on my old Nikon FE2 has me a bit lazy sometimes, since all you have to do is line up with whatever the meter says. But after a while it helps that you’re mentally saying “I’m going to f2.8 and 1/30 now, naw actually 1/60 since the lights are too bright.” It is different from saying “I’m at f2.0, camera I want -2/3 stops and whatever you choose.” Having to turn the dial yourself helps after a while.

By: Tomo

Tomo — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:36:33 +0000

I can’t shoot in Auto anymore…. Manual is fabulous!
You can play with your camera in many ways!!! It is so much fun!
Since I started taking pictures in manual, I try to visualize
the composition before taking pictures.

By: TSPhoenix

TSPhoenix — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 05:26:24 +0000

When I got my 450D I knew essentially nothing. What I did know was the green square was Auto and the M was for Manual and that I wanted to shoot RAW. I pretty much taught myself what combinations of shutter speed, aperture (which I didn’t really understand) and ISO got the results I wanted. I had no idea how to meter and learned just by taking shots and seeing if they looked good.

I did plenty of reading up on exposure (how I found Photocritic) and used the camera manual to find out what all these features were for, but I’d never had learned as fast as I have if it weren’t for jumping in the deep end and starting out with Manual. I’d even say thanks to shooting M I have a better grasp of knowing when its a good time to use the other modes.

By: Bryan Scarbrough

Bryan Scarbrough — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 04:19:02 +0000

I just tried this today and I have to say, I REALLY enjoyed it! It forced me to slow down and actually visualize the shot before I just pulled up the camera and pressed the button. THANKS so much for the challenge, I can’t wait to try it again tomorrow!

By: nate

nate — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:59:42 +0000

if i can’t get it to work, i’ll use M, for instance, shooting the moon or oddball flash setups, though it is a bit trivial to use M on a DSLR, since you have instant feedback. now M on a film camera in a weird light setup (lets say wedding reception), that’s ballsy

By: Tanya Plonka

Tanya Plonka — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:10:49 +0000

I can’t NOT shoot in Manual (sorry for the double negative). I’ve learned how to NOT listen to what the light meter says (it’s just a suggestion, really), and my life has gotten much better.

If you’re already at Av you probably have an idea of how exposures work… at the most it’ll take a week to get used to the scary M :)

By: Sharon

Sharon — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:18:55 +0000

I only shoot in Manual Mode have done for the past year and cannot go back to the priortiy modes. I have tried but do not get the same results that I do shooting manual.

By: Darron Mark

Darron Mark — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:12:35 +0000

I wouldn’t know how to shoot in any other mode other than manual. I’ve shot in manual mode since I pretty much had my first SLR and don’t understand how others still use Tv or Av modes, as its like having one hand behind your back when shooting. I may tinker a little more, but I think that’s perfectly normal to get the shot I want…

By: Lori Ann

Lori Ann — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 05:38:00 +0000

I’ll be taking you up on this challenge – I’m trying to learn my new-ish camera, and though I use manual mode occasionally, I never have exclusively for a full week.

By: DC

DC — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:46:48 +0000

Manual mode forces you to understand how the camera (and light) works. So, it’s a good teaching tool. But shooting in manual mode doesn’t automatically give your photographs some magical quality which you couldn’t get in P, A, or S (or Tv, Canon folks :P) — it’s simply another tool. It can be used when you have a specific intent in mind which the “auto” modes won’t let you do, but it can also be used to create awful crud — just like any other mode.

So what I’m saying is, use Manual Mode to learn about your camera. Learn how it’s useful. Learn how to make unusual photos with it. But don’t pretend that it is mystical and magical — it’s just another tool to learn and use when appropriate.

By: Jessica Price

Jessica Price — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 23:19:15 +0000

I started shooting in Manual about 2 years ago and have never once switched to anything else! I understand it so much better now, as if I needed to be able to shoot in M to ‘get it’!

By: Haje Jan Kamps

Haje Jan Kamps — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 22:41:39 +0000

I think there’s more to it than ‘just following the meter’ – the point is that if you dial things in yourself, you’re more conscious about what to do – and it’s easier to purposefully under- or over-expose…

But hey, if you don’t see the use, then don’t take the challenge.

Wimp :-)

By: Andrew Briggs

Andrew Briggs — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 22:26:19 +0000

Hmm, I’m not convinced. If all you do in manual mode is follow the meter, then how is it any different to using aperture or shutter priority?

By: Kyle

Kyle — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 17:21:22 +0000

Ha, what a cool coincidence, I just bought an old film camera with a broken light meter :)

By: Haje Jan Kamps

Haje Jan Kamps — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 16:47:12 +0000

Glad to help, Jeremy! Drop us a link on here once you’ve done them – I’d love to see what you come up with!

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 16:37:16 +0000

It’s on! Thanks for cluing me in on this, I was about to go shooting today. This’ll definitely makes its way into the flickr manual group