when/why do u need to use manual mode?


Status
Not open for further replies.

phantasia

New Member
Nov 9, 2003
639
0
0
The North
Visit site
Hi,

Sorry if this sounds very fundamental... But its just tat i'm not quite sure when is the manual mode essential/useful. Most of the time i'm using av/tv on my cam... and i find that this satisfies most of my shots. If i need to tweak exposure, most of the time i just use the exposure compensation.

So just wondering, under wat situation would the manual mode be useful...since shutter speed and aperture are related and fixing one would mean the other value is more or less fixed, in order to get a correct exposure.

THanks! :)
 

at the beginning of photography, i used Av or Tv. but after gaining some exp on it. i think M mode gives me more freedom for taking my shots. most of the time i use M mode to shoot insects. sometimes i try out M mode for my sch events too. :)
 

erm... i think you need to use manual mode if you hook up to a studio lighting system.
other members correct me if i am wrong.
 

hmm. when the camera think it is smarter than me.. LOLz
 

I go with manual mode when I use spot metering. Fiddling around with exposure compensation in S or A mode when spot metering is too troublesome... I find it easier to simply select the aperture andd shutter speed which gives me the exposure value I want, while keeping note of DOF as well.
 

sometimes when shooting in super super very very low light condition i just switch to manual mode and set ISO 800, -1 stop EV comp, f2.8, 1/4 to 1/30, flash depending on i want it or not.
 

i use M typically in two scenarios

1. no flash photography - just to lock down the exposures to a certain setting

2. flash photography - when i know approximately how much DOF/shutter speed i want when indoors.

i'm still an aperture priority person.
 

For me, I am all the way on manual mode for digital. Once in a while may try to use Av mode, the rest is out from me ... :D

Finds that M mode gives better control over the metering I want, Auto gives me headaches as metering run all over the places and have to be careful as situation and condition changes.

Auto A mode that I trusted over the year were indeed using my MF camera, they were very accurate and scored above 90% for it's results.
 

i. When fast reaction time is not required, I can slowly take multiple light readings from different spots and average out.
ii. In the studio where the light reading is done by the flash meter.
iii. Places where lighting condition is constant and I can just take one reading and use it throughout unless the lighting condition changes
iv. Indoor with flash (especially for event). MOST people(some just too proud to admit it :p :p :p) use iso800, f5.6, 1/60s with a TTL capable flash unit armed with a bounce card. I find this produce pretty decent results.
 

CaeSiuM said:
Indoor with flash (especially for event). MOST people(some just too proud to admit it :p :p :p) use iso800, f5.6, 1/60s with a TTL capable flash unit armed with a bounce card. I find this produce pretty decent results.

agree :thumbsup: or ISO400, 1/30 also can ;-)
 

Status
Not open for further replies.