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Home: Video University Forums: Digital Photography for Videographers:
How much are you shooting all-manual exposure?

Brackish
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May 7, 2007, 5:47 AM

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How much are you shooting all-manual exposure?	Can't Post

Versus using aperture- or shutter-priority?

Is it realistic to expect to be shooting all manual exposure
the whole day?

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"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

(This post was edited by Brackish on May 7, 2007, 6:24 AM)

Postal Boy
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May 7, 2007, 9:19 AM

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Re: [Brackish] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I don't think all manual, all day is not realistic simply because the environment changes so much constantly. For studio or VERY familiar environments it would work, but to do manual you have to know how much light there is just to adjust shutter speed. I guess you could lock an aperature in and use the on-board light metering system to adjust your shutter speed for each shot, but that is what the camera is doing as well (checking exposure and auto-adjusting shutter to do the same thing). Some full manual shots may be necessary if you get really creative with your stuff, but I don't know that going all manual, all of the time is necessary.

Others may disagree, though.

-Postal

Jeko
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May 7, 2007, 11:34 AM

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Re: [Brackish] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I never bother with Manual mode any more. When I was toting a Nikon F2 in the 80's, I would use it. But why now?? Especially with the rapidly changing conditions as you shoot digitally.

These days, I have always prefered the Av mode whenever possible. It is what I know/like/trust on my digital cameras. I do monitor shutter speed and use ISO adjustments and exposure compensation to get the results I want when I can use Av.

When I can't (indoors and bouncing flash off ceilings and sides), I do not hesitate to use P mode. Especially with all the moving around in there.

I only use Tv for effects at weddings... though I am using more now during my kid's sports.

After saying all of that, I do take my assistants and second shooters out on practice shoots and force them to go Manual. It gives them a fuller understanding/appreciation for what all these controls are doing. Kinda like doing math by hand before you use a calculator or spreadsheet, eh?

Jeko

Sony VX2100's, iRivers, M-audio 24/96, Canon 5Ds/20Ds (and too much glass), Vegas6, PhotoShop CS3, Lightroom, etc.

Brackish
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May 7, 2007, 11:48 AM

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Re: [Jeko] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

When I can't (indoors and bouncing flash off ceilings and sides), I do not hesitate to use P mode.

What is P mode? I know it stands for Program but I don't understand how it's different from Auto mode, since it seems that the cam is making all the decisions on exposure either in P or Auto.

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"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

Scott Brooks
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May 7, 2007, 3:17 PM

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Re: [Jeko] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Either aperture or program for myself. I will occasionally shoot manual at the reception.

Aperture if I want a specific dof and program if lighting is changing and I just need to get the shot.
Scott Brooks

Scott Brooks
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May 7, 2007, 3:43 PM

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Re: [Brackish] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

When I can't (indoors and bouncing flash off ceilings and sides), I do not hesitate to use P mode.

What is P mode? I know it stands for Program but I don't understand how it's different from Auto mode, since it seems that the cam is making all the decisions on exposure either in P or Auto.

Actually there is a fairly large list of differences ... too many to list here, but some of the more important ones are:

AF mode selection
Drive mode
iso speed setting
metering mode selection
AE lock with * button
able to shoot in raw or raw+jpeg
white balance selection

There are also additional choices when using flash.

Using the canon on automatic is not the end of the world. I accidently switched my setting to auto one time during an engagement shoot. It was bright out and hard to see, but I had to step into the shade to see why I wasn't able to change my settings. Once there I found that in a quick attempt to go to program I went one setting too far.

End result ... some great looking jpegs.
Scott Brooks

videochicke
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May 7, 2007, 3:45 PM

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Re: [Brackish] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I am always in manual.
Julie

Shadow
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May 7, 2007, 7:32 PM

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Re: [Brackish] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I enjoy shooting in manual. It is what I learned on back in college. For most things, even around the house, I use manual.

I can see the advantage of av mode when you're outside doing candids at a wedding, there isn't often the timing for making sure the exposure is good so av mode would be great. Quickly adjusting the fstop if there are more people or more dof is desired then shoot away.

I also like tv mode for reception stuff, but still find I use manual for that as well. Actually, I use manual for most stuff.

When I did the sports action photos I used tv mode.

__________________________
My boring blog: www.pawspun.blogspot.com

Alan R
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May 7, 2007, 11:38 PM

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Re: [Brackish] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I learned to shoot everything in manual back in the 70s on a Minolta SRT-201 match needle SLR. I have also photographed a few weddings using a Mamiya TLR which didn't even have a meter. So I know how to get around in manual mode. But today, I shoot 90% auto. I use both shutter and aperture priority most of the time depending on what result I want. I rarely use Program mode, as I like to have control of at least one element. Modern metering systems are so good now that most of the time there is no need to use manual most of the time.
That said, while I am in auto mode most of the time with photography, I use manual exposure settings all the time for video. The differerence is that in photography you are capturing conditions at one moment, rather than over a period of time where lighting conditions may be changing.

Alan Robinson
Bonnie Blink Productions

Brackish
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May 8, 2007, 2:52 AM

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Re: [videochicke] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

I am always in manual.

Hi, Julie.

I'm just wondering what your procedure is for setting exposure.

Say you walk into a room and want to take some shots.
I suppose you have a ballpark idea about the settings.
Do you take some test shots to narrow it down, looking
at the LCD to see how they turn out?
Do you compare meter readings to what your ballpark
setting is, say by panning the camera about the room
while watching the meter?

----------------------------------------------
"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

Jeko
Enthusiast

May 8, 2007, 8:32 AM

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Re: [Brackish] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Program mode, the camera sets "optimal" aperture and shutter speed for you to get correct exposure (compared to Av or Tv, where it only adjusts one of these). It doesn't change the ISO (as full auto does), and you can still customize focus points and metering mode (can't in full auto). There are many other differences too, but basically full auto doesn't allow you to change much on your own.

On the other extreme, you control it all in manual mode... maybe too much for shooting rapidly. The in camera meter will guide you as to the exposure level (while you can continuously control shutter and aperture with your two fingers), but I prefer to run Av or P and keep my attention on composing and watching the crowd reacting. It is simply faster for me to react that way (letting camera make the shutter speed adjustments).

I suggest that you experiment a bit with each mode and find what works best for you.

Jeko

Sony VX2100's, iRivers, M-audio 24/96, Canon 5Ds/20Ds (and too much glass), Vegas6, PhotoShop CS3, Lightroom, etc.

Brian M
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May 8, 2007, 7:01 PM

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Re: [Brackish] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I shoot in manual all the time ... Jenn toys around with apeture mode for specific shots (because she's got an agenda) but I enjoy experimentation then looking at the image and thinking "oh crap how did I get down below 30 shutter again?" Guess we're used to shooting video in manual and want to do the same with photo. We have very specific ideas on what results we want at the end of the day and I feel that can only be done in manual.
Brian M

________________________________________________
Photographer & Videographer

Brackish
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May 9, 2007, 3:20 AM

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Re: [Brian M] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

I shoot in manual all the time ... Jenn toys around with apeture mode

Jenn's mostly shooting all manual?

I've been shooting all manual for the limited times
I've shot so far. One concern I have with shooting
aperture priority mode is that I'll end up taking
an important shot and the cam will have set the
shutter at 1/30th.

----------------------------------------------
"We'll always show up at the wedding with a gift bag for the bride. Inside we have these incredible fuzzy slippers in the teal of our branding."

Scott Brooks
Veteran

May 9, 2007, 3:46 AM

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Re: [Brackish] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Quote

I've been shooting all manual for the limited times
I've shot so far. One concern I have with shooting
aperture priority mode is that I'll end up taking
an important shot and the cam will have set the
shutter at 1/30th.

Yeah, but that just means you need a higher iso setting or open up your aperture.

The thing is ... regardless of shooting on manual, aperture, shutter or program ... you can still control everything. It's just a matter of what you get used to.
Scott Brooks

Postal Boy
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May 9, 2007, 9:40 AM

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Re: [Sparky] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Even in aperature mode I always keep my eye on the shutter speed and exposure to make sure that they are at acceptable levels.

Sometimes I DO forget though...

-Postal

Scott Brooks
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May 9, 2007, 12:04 PM

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Re: [Postal Boy] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

While on vacation last year I only wanted to take one card, so I changed over to shoot jpeg and then shot the majority using manual ... just to see what happened. I honestly can't say I saw a difference between the ones that were shot in Av, manual or program.

Scott
Da Blog
Scott Brooks

Shadow
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May 9, 2007, 12:35 PM

Post #17 of 20 (985 views)
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Re: [Brackish] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

One concern I have with shooting
aperture priority mode is that I'll end up taking
an important shot and the cam will have set the
shutter at 1/30th.

That has happened to me, which is why I only use aperature mode in good lighting. Also what made me use manual mode. I just use the metering inside the camera. I do have a light meter but rarely use it.

__________________________
My boring blog: www.pawspun.blogspot.com

Scott Brooks
Veteran

May 9, 2007, 7:38 PM

Post #18 of 20 (961 views)
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Re: [Shadow] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

One concern I have with shooting
aperture priority mode is that I'll end up taking
an important shot and the cam will have set the
shutter at 1/30th.

Maybe you guys can point out the obvious to me. If you're metering in manual then that means that you're setting your iso, shutter and aperture. If you're watching your in-camera meter then you would immediately see that you're at 1/30 on your shutter and adjust your settings.

What is the difference if you're shooting in Av mode and watching the settings? If your shutter speed is 1/30 then you either have your iso set incorrectly for the available lighting, you're tying to get a broader DOF than is possible with the lighting ... or both.

By some chance am I overlooking something?

ETA ... I changed my post ... what I meant to say was, "Maybe you guys CAN point something out to me." Sorry.
Scott Brooks

(This post was edited by Sparky on May 10, 2007, 1:16 AM)

Shadow
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May 9, 2007, 9:22 PM

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Re: [Sparky] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I see what you're saying. But I found that when I'm in aperature mode I am too busy looking at the aperature setting. When I'm in manual, I'm more in tune with setting both.
If that makes any sense at all.

Manual just works better for me most times, I seem to have goof ups from time to time if I rely on the other settings.

__________________________
My boring blog: www.pawspun.blogspot.com

DarrenS
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May 11, 2007, 4:30 PM

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Re: [Brackish] How much are you shooting all-manual exposure? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Ditto Julie.