Shooting Fully Manual

0

01steven

Suspended / Banned
Messages
41
Edit My Images
No
I posted a thread recently asking for general advice about taking my photography to the next level.

One of the things I'd like to do is to move away from aperture or shutter speed priority and get into 'M' as much as possible.

I'd appreciate any thoughts/advice/suggestions about how best to do this. Techniques on getting the right exposure on my EOS 400D, best practices etc.

Thanks
 
fabs said:
Can I just ask why you want to get into using "M" as much as possible?
Click to expand...
Well I think this is the best way of really understanding how to take good photos. Not relying on the camera to work things out for you, but understanding yourself what makes a good exposure.
I know this may not be everyone's cup of tea, but people I respect suggest this as an excellent way forward and I'd like to give it a whirl.
 
I agree it is the best way to understand what is going on and create shots for yourself.

After learning it thoroughly then you can go back to AV or tv for speed.
 
that's fair enough, but the only difference is that you manually turn the wheel to the correct Aperture/Shutter Speed based on the light meter in your viewfinder, so you are just doing what the camera tells you to do anyway. Everything else is still manual anyway(White balance, ISO, Exposure Compensation etc...).
 
well no. Because I dont use it with the meter in the middle.

I use it by a "type" of the zone system.. by spot metering on a part I want to be correctly exposed and then adding +2 for a white for instance or -1 for something darker.
 
Personally i agree that this is a good way of understanding your camera,lighting etc just as we did when first picking up a 35mm with out any auto settings.
It can help to understand the light, this is without using the on board light meter. The use of apeture iso etc settings is a good way to learn more.
It takes a lot of time, but if you end up with a good image then you can say you done almost all of it on your own.
I remember shooting many images on an old 35mm only to find almost all were usless, exspensive way to learn, now it costs nothing, so go for the manual settings.
Having said that i do use A settings quite a lot.
 
The one big advantage of shooting in "M" mode is that you stop 99% of the situations that will fool the meter. If the light is fairly constant you can take a reading, dial it in and shoot away. The classic example is a stage performance against a black backdrop. The camera will constantly try and correct for the excess of black and over expose the shot. You could dial in some EC but you'd need to adjust for each shot unless they were identical. In manual you just take a reading for the subject and then stop worrying.

Shooting M means one less thing to worry about, at least for me ;)
 
Without spot metering on the 400D, can someone please offer smoe suggestions about using Evaluative/Partial Metering?
 
01steven said:
Without spot metering on the 400D, can someone please offer smoe suggestions about using Evaluative/Partial Metering?
Click to expand...

I know this isn't really helping but maybe your begining to reach the limits of your 400D and the way to take your Photography to the next level could be to upgrade the body?
 
Shooting M gives consistancy for me. I doubt M would help taking one shot at a plant pot but for say a sporting event where your shooting for a couple of hrs and you dont want to rely on the camera to get the right exposure.

that's fair enough, but the only difference is that you manually turn the wheel to the correct Aperture/Shutter Speed based on the light meter in your viewfinder,
Click to expand...

Right thats where I first went wrong when I went manual. You have to learn to ignore the camera telling you that the metering is off in M.
 
01steven said:
Without spot metering on the 400D, can someone please offer smoe suggestions about using Evaluative/Partial Metering?
Click to expand...

An old trick is to use your hand, switch to partial and take a reading from the palm of your hand in the same light as the subject. Now dial up or down from the reading based on the tonal brightness of your hand - this is something you can work out in advance by trial and error if nothing else. You'll always have your hand with you so you'll always be able to get the right reading.
 
a1ex2001 said:
I know this isn't really helping but maybe your begining to reach the limits of your 400D and the way to take your Photography to the next level could be to upgrade the body?
Click to expand...

Only bought it a month ago!!!
 
pxl8 said:
An old trick is to use your hand, .
Click to expand...

Neat trick with a 300mm lens :)

I use anything thats mid color.. Grass or grey pavement or a light wall. check the histogram and dial up/down accordingly.

The easiest time to learn M exposure is in a controlled enviroment.. indoors maybe... or a clear day.
 
The hand tip is useful because the palm of your hand is consistent so you don't have to guess at the tone of the grass or pavement. It's like having a grey card except you don't forget to pack it :thumbs:
 
01steven said:
Without spot metering on the 400D, can someone please offer smoe suggestions about using Evaluative/Partial Metering?
Click to expand...


Partial metering on the Canon is similar to spot metering, spot is around 5% of a viewfinder, partial is 9%.
 
Janice said:
I agree it is the best way to understand what is going on and create shots for yourself.

After learning it thoroughly then you can go back to AV or tv for speed.
Click to expand...

That's actually very sensible Janice... now go and have a lie down. :D
 
CT said:
That's actually very sensible Janice... now go and have a lie down. :D
Click to expand...

I'll have you know I do have the occasional sensible notion!! :D :lol:
 
I find manual a bit to much when you`re out and about, you end up fiddling with settings when really you should be shooting your subjects. That said i do go into manual mode when the need arises, as has already been said its only really necessary when you want to fool the camera into under or over exposing a shot.
 
I've had my 350D for just over a year. I started shooting in the automatic modes, the results were good, but it felt like I was just using it as a point and shoot.

I picked up a few tips from forums and read a few books and started experimenting with Av and Tv modes. I'm currently reading "Understanding Exposure" by Brian Peterson, it's really helped me understand the relationship between ISO, aperature and shutter speed, and a lot more besides, to do with metering, light etc. I really cannot recommend this book highly enough. It had been recommended to me for ages, my only regret was that it took me so long to buy it!
 
for bike racing I mainly use Manual as I prefer to do so. For boat racing, I tend to use AV and keep it wide open. For Marathon photos (retired from doing this) again used AV.

For product shots at work, I'm using Manual.

Carl.
 
Bumph GB said:
That said i do go into manual mode when the need arises, as has already been said its only really necessary when you want to fool the camera into under or over exposing a shot.
Click to expand...

The reason I use manual is exactly the opposite of that. It's because the camera is being fooled into under or over exposing that Manual comes good to get the right exposure..

Lets say your shooting into the sun and you want to get a perfect exposure on the subject. Will AV or watever get you that shot?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top