Manual vs automatic

[markok765]

What do you prefer i prefer manual because it gets you to think about

the photo. i dont need automation. i went to a local soccer game and

made a lot of good photos with manual focus.

[klix]

shouldn't you be in school?

[2yellowdogs]

If I <i>had</i> to choose between one or the other, I'd take manual. Fortunately most peole don't have to do that. That's why most cameras come with M, A, S and P options. Auto exposure (either aperture priority or shutter priority) can come in pretty darn handy in certain circumstances. The key is to undersand them and use them to your best advantage.</p>

 

As for shooting sports, Marko, manual is definitely the mode of choice. Shooting action against varying crowd backgrounds, empty stands, windows in a gym - whatever - necessitates taking readings and using the camera on manual so that you don't get bad exposures from varying conditions that no meter can accurately handle.

[markok765]

no klix i shouldnt be in school, it was 5 pm when i wrote this. im not just asking exp, also focus.

[bob_gentile]

I use an old digital P/S for web site pics (eBay, etc.). I yoosta have an AE

(aperture-preferred) manual-focus SLR, but I never got comfortable with it. I'd set the

aperture and then <em>wonder</em> about the shutter speedcan I hand-hold this shot?

Do I need to open up to get a faster shutter speed? I finally gave it to my brother.

 

<p>That left me with three all-mechanical SLRs and an all-mechanical

view camera. Maybe if I had something with a P-mode I could trust the camera more,

butso farI haven't found an incentive to spend the money. The manual stuff

still works fine for me. Ignorance is bliss.

[charles_stobbs3]

Nothing wrong in honing your skills with both.

[oceanphysics]

How does having to worry about the technical aspect of keeping soccer players in focus help you "think about the photo?" It seems to me that it makes you think about the focus.

 

I don't need automation because I don't shoot sports. But judging from what gear is on the sidelines of every major sporting event, the professional sports shooters of the world disagree with you.

[bob_gentile]

<em>"... How does having to worry about the technical aspect of keeping soccer

players in focus help you "think about the photo?" It seems to me that it makes

you think about the focus..</em>."

 

<p>Yeah. Good point. (Unless he focuses on the hyperfocal distance.) I've never had the

opportunity to use it, but it seems to me that sports photography is one of those areas

where autofocus has a real advantage.

[machts gut]

I use both and since I own one of the later generation Af-SLR (Dynax 800si) I'm very comfortable with AF. The Af is very precise and faster than manual. If I want to slow down I use my Bronica.

 

Exposure? Everything from hand held light meter to automatic - depends on the situation.

 

Stefan

[pjmeade]

For run of the mill situations I go with auto focus and aperture priority. When I don't think they will give me the exposures or focus I need, I'll change to manual.

 

In fact, there's as much skill in getting a modern lens to focus accurately on something like a jumping horse or running sportsman, as there is in focusing on them with a fully manual camera. If you look about these forums, you will find lots of posts on back-focus.

[michael_huizenga]

I've shot quite a few children's soccer games and I'm a big fan of auto-focus. The trick seems to be to know when to use which autofocus mode. Sometimes closest priority works best, other times it's using a single focus point. You need to be able to switch back and forth quickly, though.

A bigger help is an auto exposure mode. Let's face it, most of your shots are going to be exactly what the light meter suggests, so it's nice to have that done automatically. I find that aperture-priority works the best for these fast moving games.

So you have an equipment reference, I use a Nikon F100 and a Nikon D50. Both work very well for me.

As for thinking about the photo, sports like soccer tend to move so fast that I need to be thinking more about what I want to capture more than each camera setting. Good luck.