Am I missing something?

[Galaxy66]

For a change Mrs G was doing the driving and with nowt to read in the passenger seat I decided to have a look at the manual for my Canon 40D to see if there were any useful features I was not making use of.
After about 15 minutes of thumbing through the manual reading and trying different things I opened the page on Manual ,mmmmmmm I thought, why not, so I had a go at manual rather than the aperture setting I am used to.
I was surprised how easy it was using the wheel on the top for the shutter speed and at the same time adjusting the aperture via the thumbwheel while keeping an eye on the exposure setting.
The results were as good as the pics I have been taking on aperture setting
Or am I missing something :shrug:

 

[EdinburghGary]

For a change Mrs G was doing the driving and with nowt to read in the passenger seat I decided to have a look at the manual for my Canon 40D to see if there were any useful features I was not making use of.
After about 15 minutes of thumbing through the manual reading and trying different things I opened the page on Manual ,mmmmmmm I thought, why not, so I had a go at manual rather than the aperture setting I am used to.
I was surprised how easy it was using the wheel on the top for the shutter speed and at the same time adjusting the aperture via the thumbwheel while keeping an eye on the exposure setting.
The results were as good as the pics I have been taking on aperture setting
Or am I missing something :shrug:

I havent changed back since discovering manual mode. Its awesome

 

[Eseffpe]

if you're getting the same results as the aperture setting (programmed to get it right!) when you're using manual then you are definitely doing something right!! keep on at manual there are all sorts of nifty tips and tricks you will pick up and you can be more creative!

 

[robmiller]

If you're going to use manual solely to get the same exposure as the camera's meter gives you, then there is absolutely no point in using manual--it's just slower than using aperture priority and at the end of the day gives you identical results.

 

[chris321]

If you're going to use manual solely to get the same exposure as the camera's meter gives you, then there is absolutely no point in using manual

I think that's only partially true..... If you're getting the same results on both settings, it means the OP has a pretty thorough understanding of exposures, and that understanding can then be put to use by altering those settings. So it's a stepping stone to further greatness!

 

[robmiller]

I think that's only partially true..... If you're getting the same results on both settings, it means the OP has a pretty thorough understanding of exposures, and that understanding can then be put to use by altering those settings. So it's a stepping stone to further greatness!

Blindly trusting the meter does not develop "a pretty thorough understanding of exposure", and you can just as easily develop that by shooting in aperture priority and knowing when to compensate.

 

[33L]

I use manual all the time. the only time i use Aperture Priority is if im doing macro or outdoor portraiture (sp). I use Sutter priority if panning or want to get some deliburate blurring in the shot or not if the case may be.

 

[MikeeB]

I use manual all the time now, unless I'm doing panning shots or something. Gives me much more control over my images, and its a doddle once you use the exposure meter effectively.

 

[robbys82]

i think they are all relevant at certain times and for different situations

 

[dazzajl]

The questions here is not about what exposure mode the camera is in, although that's a common way for these dicussions to go. It's all about whether you use the cameras meter or not.

When you visualise a shot, you know if you need a fast shutter speed to freeze action, perhaps a long one to blur some water or clouds. You might know that you need shallow DoF or whatever, as long as you get the camera to do what it needs to so that you get your shot, it's all good.

To my mind, manual means a camera with no meter or preview screen.

 

[minimeeze]

No, I don't think you're missing anything I have only ever used manual mode since my first outing with Arkady. So much easier!

 

[Galaxy66]

Thanks for the replies, I have decided I am going to stay in manual mode and learn from there.

 

[Blapto]

Aperture priority when out and about for me, and if I disagree with the camera's meter I use exposure compensation.

If you're just using manual mode to get the needle of the exposure meter on the 0 then why bother? The camera can do that much faster than you. Manual mode is for when you want absolute control, so why let the meter control you?