Camera modes

brad28

brad28

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bradley
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Hi, as some of you know I'm using a canon 550D

Is it ok to use the automatic mode to get a good picture, I've done this allot since owning the camera. (or automatic without flash)
Sometimes I use TV to capture motion or to reduce or increase light in my shots. Ive seen some amazing night shots using tv.
Not really found a situation where I can use the AV or M modes well


thanks,
 
For quickness P mode is probably the best because although its automatic you can still ajust the shutter speed and apeture value to keep the correct exposure while still being able to have a bit of creative control.
 
It depends how much control you want to have, and which setting you want to control.

In Tv, you are setting the shutter speed; You might want a fast speed say 1/1000 sec for sports or a slow speed say 1 sec to give a blurred effect to moving water. You decide the shutter speed and the camera automatically selects the aperture

In Av you select the aperture. This is when you want to control how much depth of field you have; you might want a shallow depth of field to isolate the subject from the rest of the picture, or you might want a lot of depth field, eg a landscape with good foreground, middle ground and background interest. You decide the aperture and the camera selects the appropriate shutter speed.

Manual might be used when you're using a separate light meter. eg studio flash.
 
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They all have their uses. Auto gives a lot of control to the camera but ultimately the results could end up being identical to any of the other modes, just depends what settings the camera settles on. All of the other modes (with the exception of M) give the camera a pointer as to what your priorities are. It's worth learning when each mode is useful.

Manual is a little different as people use it for several reasons but for me it is mainly when I'm either wanting to keep a constant exposure no matter what the change in light conditions. There are plenty of other reasons to use it though.
 
brad28 said:
Is it ok to use the automatic mode to get a good picture, I've done this allot since owning the camera.
Click to expand...

Of course it is, use whatever mode you need to get the result you want. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

It isn't about how you take an interesting photo, it's about taking an interesting photo.

Learning and improving technique will help you, but above all.. do whetever you need to do to keep on taking photos.
 
Alastair said:
Of course it is, use whatever mode you need to get the result you want. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

It isn't about how you take an interesting photo, it's about taking an interesting photo.

Learning and improving technique will help you, but above all.. do whetever you need to do to keep on taking photos.
Click to expand...

+1

exactly what Alastair said!
 
I think they all have their uses - I have used "P" mode a lot in the past but only ever use "M" mode these days. I'd try all the modes and see which ones work best.
 
Of course it is, use whatever mode you need to get the result you want. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

It isn't about how you take an interesting photo, it's about taking an interesting photo.

Learning and improving technique will help you, but above all.. do whetever you need to do to keep on taking photos.
Click to expand...

+1 again!!! especilly the first line

I used a 20D and shot it on auto for years & years (possibly using tv once in a while)

Now I have more time to play with the camera, I very rarely turn it off M, but that's because I want to learn by experience and am trying to be more creative.

I still put it on auto for all my ebay sales though :-D
 
It can depend on where your auto mode is biased but it will usually work well enough but probably never quite as well as the human brain (especially as you know what you want and the camera doesn't)
Auto mode on one camera may use a lower shutter speed, smaller aperture and 400 ISO whereas the same situation with a different camera on auto may use higher shutter speed and larger aperture and ISO 200.
Both would work but only you really know if you would prefer a higher shutter speed, larger or smaller aperture and the choice of ISO (either by controlling one, two or all of those settings)
 
You'll find a use for other modes when you've learned what it is that you want to achieve.

At the moment you're pointing at stuff and taking pictures, you'll learn that your photos don't look as good as other peoples, and come back and ask specific questions about how to get certain looks. That's the part that's different for everyone, we all have different interests, different taste etc.

New photographers think that their interest will build by being interested in 'photography', but you'll find that photographers generally use photography to say something about another interest, whether that's wildlife, landscapes, people or sports etc.
 
Another +1 for what Alastair said in the first line. If it gets you more interested and keeps you interested in taking photos then do it how you want. If you look at the settings the camera comes up with on auto you can then put it in AV, TV or M in the future and try to re-create the photos with some control of your own. That way you'll soon find out what you want to change to tweak the photos to how you want them.

I've been using a dslr since christmas 2010 (I got a 550D, which I loved, and gave it to my wife when I got my 7D and 5D2) and have been using AV and TV since I first got it and using M for the last 3 or 4 months after learning enough. A lot of folks on this and other forums seem to look down on anyone not using M from day 1 which is very off putting and totally untrue. I've got lots of great photos from all the modes apart from P, which for some reason I very rarely used. You will progress at your own speed and it's important to take whatever time you need to learn as rushing will lead to mistakes and frustration.
 
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