Any Other Nikonians Shoot In Manual Mode?

[c._f.]

<p>I almost always shoot in Manual mode. When give the camera to someone else, ussually put it in P or auto mode.<br>

Adam</p>

[Richard Williams]

<p>Another vote for Shiftable Program - this isn't your grandad's Program mode! Obviously there are some situations like Bill's where it's necessary to lock down a particular shutter speed (or aperture) and where using P could actually be extra work in changing light. But most of the time (like Shun) I think of P as an 'advanced A mode' (or in other situations as an 'advanced S mode'). Each of the PAS modes can easily be adjusted to give you any 'correct' shutter speed/aperture combination in the same light, and a similar amount of thought is required to use any of these modes creatively. All of them assume you trust the meter reading by default, but each is easily overriden by exp comp or lock when you don't.</p>

<p>Things get a bit more complicated when you also set auto ISO, however, and you might end up fighting the camera's decisions if you're not careful. The interesting thing is that the current generation of Nikons have very wide useful ISO ranges, so it seems entirely feasible to go back to M mode and let auto ISO take up the slack. Is anyone doing this routinely?</p>

[whoz_the_man_huh]

<p>Nice analogy, Bernard.</p>

<p>Although come to think of it I don't know of any star-crossed trysts between Canon and Nikon shooters. If anyone does, please share.</p>

[whoz_the_man_huh]

<p>Yes, Gary. Composition is the artistic and therefore more difficult part of photography.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<blockquote>

<p>I slavishly adhere to M and spot metering. Oddly enough, I started that while shooting sports (indoor basketball) as it gives very consistent results and it gradually replaced aperture priority for the rest of my shooting.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Zinged! Tell you the truth, I also tend to use manual metering with indoor school sports. But I use auto-ISO too. I want to maintain full control over shutter speed and aperture. But most public schools have very uneven illumination, with variations up to 1 EV or more between pools of light and shadow on the floor. A couple of school gyms I've shot in have more than a 1 EV difference between the baskets at either end. If I stuck with all manual mode, including a fixed ISO, I'd have lots of under- or over-exposed photos.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>"Nikonficionado" ?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Not enough quasi-religious/political fervor.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p><strong><em>Canonites and Nikonistas</em> </strong> ... is anyone else reminded of the Montagues and the Capulets?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Not bad. Add a little sexual tension to the quasi-religious/political fervor. Add some gore, Titus Andronicus style, and we'll have the makings of epic theater. Well, without the Kurt Weill.</p>

<p> </p>

[john_n._wall]

<p>I think "Nikonian" is a terrible made-up word, but to the folks over here:<br>

http://www.nikonians.org/<br>

it means a user of Nikon camera gear.<br>

Its a pretty good website (though not as good as photo.net) but awful name for "Nikon shooter."</p>

[whoz_the_man_huh]

<p>Ken, you're right to advocate flexibility. Thanks for your input.</p>

[laurentvuillard]

<p>I am always in "M" mode: Leica M. Actually not true I use a F2 with great pleasure with the 105 f2.5 (C not NIC, lower contrast better shades!) and IF ED 300mm which is super and costs nothing nowadays + motor drive. The F and F2 were really like Leicas in term of workmanship, so well build . I love the MD as well. It's old fashioned to diginikonites maybe but the slides are pretty good anyway!</p>

[whoz_the_man_huh]

<p>Thanks, Richard.</p>

<p>Pretty tough read for someone like me.</p>

[scott_murphy_photography]

<p >"<a href="../photodb/user?user_id=4969903">Calvin Nguyen</a> <a href="../member-status-icons"><img title="Frequent poster" src="http://static.photo.net/v3graphics/member-status-icons/2rolls.gif" alt="" /></a>, Jun 03, 2009; 09:27 a.m.</p>

 

<p>Scott, what's "AA's Zone System"?"</p>

<p>I must be dating myself! It is Ansel Adams' Zone System. Not <em>nearly</em> enough room here to go into any real detail, it took me many, many years to really master it and I still don't feel like I really know it all. It is a comprehensive camera-to-print system of exposure control and manipulation. It has it's greatest application in black and white negatives and prints but for spot on color exposure, it is still the best way to go in my opinion. Especially since color negatives (and slides especially) have less exposure latitude than black and white.<br>

Here is a good primer, but it barely scratches the surface! <a href="http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/zone_system.shtml">http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/zone_system.shtml</a></p>

 

 

[pcnilssen]

<p>Calvin, thank you.<br>

I never miss a chance telling others about my pictures and the dance competitions... ;) ;)</p>

[whoz_the_man_huh]

<p>Thanks, Bill.</p>

<p>I didn't realize there was such a difference in shutter speed requirement based on the direction of the moving subject.</p>

[stephen_asprey2]

<p>Calvin, Re. different shutter speeds depending on action direction:<br>

Remember that the camera is seeing things (from a shutter speed point of view) in 2D. So if an object is coming stratigh at the camera, the appearance of movement is less and the focus engine is working hard recalculating distance/focus changes. You can get away with slower shutter speeds than with an object moving across the screen. Here you need to freeze the greater apparent movement and one has go to a much highter shutter speed...The old rule to go by was the minimum shutter speed to freeze moderate movement, like a person gesturing or walking, was equivalent to the ISO speed. So at ISO 800, shutter speed must be at least 1/800. For something like motor racing try double, or one stop faster at least to 1/1600. This can be tricky with auto ISO, so always look at what the camera is doing with ISO (important to be able to have it displayed in the viewfinder) and spin the control wheel to increase shutter speed where needed. In this instance it might just be easier to use S mode and the correct aperture will follow automatically.</p>

[whoz_the_man_huh]

<p>Thanks, Scott.</p>

[bmm]

<p>Just a quick note to say thanks to all for one of the more interesting discussions I've read in ages here. This is one that will really make me go out and re-think some settings, try new things, etc.</p>

<p>Not saying that I don't enjoy the conversation on many other threads but I feel this is one othe few that will actually have some impact. In my case particularly in 2 areas - making me re-explore P mode, and making me think about the possibility of using M mode but deliberately with Auto-ISO</p>

[tom_becker8]

<p>Nothing better than a handheld light meter and shooting on manual. Pure comfortable bliss.</p>

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

<p>"There's almost a kind of bravado in forum threads attached to doing everything manual. Too funny."</p>

<p>Yes, it is funny. Particularly when peolpe who thump their chests about shooting in manual post pictures to their galleries with blown highlights.</p>

[whoz_the_man_huh]

<p>Stephen, thanks.</p>

<p>Are you certain it's not focal length that's the basis of the rule? For example, at 70mm, you want a minimum shutter speed of 1 / 70 sec. This makes sense to me because longer focal lengths amplify the effects of vibration. I'm not sure why ISO would be the factor.</p>

[vihao]

<p>i almost always shoot in manual mode. a lot of it is just habit, but for my dance stuff i'm usually shooting wide open at above iso 800. </p>

<p><img src="http://th02.deviantart.com/fs42/300W/f/2009/151/b/3/b37d4f57db3438b385dfcf7ac975d145.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="450" /></p>

[whoz_the_man_huh]

<p>Thanks for all your thoughts and that classic Shakespearean quip, Bernard.</p>

[dug1]

<p>I have owned the D80 for just over a year now. I only shoot in manual. I have a good grasp of the 'Zone System' from my B&W days. There is a lot to learn with a DSLR, but I view that as a plus. <br>

One thing I have recently decided on is to use the camera to gather as much information as it possibly can, and let my software do the enhancements as I feel is necessary. I feel that reducing the saturation and the contrast allows for more information in each exposure. I am beginning to think there is a 'K' factor to contend with.</p>

 

[whoz_the_man_huh]

<p>Nice work, Vihao.</p>

<p>Also congrats on the ballet POW.</p>

[ssnkssnk_ssnk]

<p>When I am taking pics with flash (SB900) in Single shoot mode:<br>

Aperture Manual, Shutter Manual, ISO Manual, AF Auto/Manual, WB Auto/Pre-defined, Flash Auto</p>

<p>When I am taking pics with flash (SB900) in Continuous shoot mode:<br>

Aperture Manual, Shutter Manual, ISO Manual, AF Manual, WB Auto/Pre-defined, Flash Auto</p>

<p>When I am taking pics without flash:<br>

Aperture Manual, Shutter Manual, ISO Auto (Max 3200), AF Auto/Manual</p>

[asad_shah]

<p>I use A mode with spot meter even on my D3 with my trusty manual focus 35/1.4....love this combo.</p>

[whoz_the_man_huh]

<p>K factor, Dug?</p>