Are you M, A or S shooter

[Dieter Schaefer]

<p>@nicolaie costel: thanks for the clarification - under the conditions that you describe, I would be using M as well (note that in my post I stated that I would choose M when using flash). Consistency in M mode is only assured as long as the lighting isn't changing - if it does and you don't react I would argue that an automatic mode would have given you the consistency you wanted automatically. My main point is that one uses what one is comfortable with and what gives the results one wants.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<blockquote>

<p>My words exactly. What is the difference between setting M on the camera { guessing adjustments, looking at the picture, remaking adjustments and getting it right} or shooting in A (letting the camera choose exposure time, looking at picture, dialling apropriate exposure compensation and or ISO change and retaking the picture) ??</p>

</blockquote>

<p>It makes all the differences in the world when I use flash as the main light source in a dark environment. A means the camera will choose the aperture and shutter speed according to the ambient light, but since the flash will be the main light, any exposure set according to ambient will likely have too slow a shutter speed and/or too wide an aperture. That leads to camera shake and subject motion issues.</p>

<p>With flash, I typically set the aperture to f4 or f5.6 to get some depth of field and fix the shutter speed to 1/30 sec or so to get some ambient contribution to the exposure, but the main exposure is controlled by i-TTL flash.</p>

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>Usually A. in low light and when I'm taking slow careful photos I use M. I have never used S except for kid sports events, but even then, I usually shoot M and set Auto ISO within a certain range.</p>

<p>BUT... I'm going to get flamed for this... IF something real quick happens and I need a really quick shot of something going on I go RIGHT to the Green program mode and let the camera do the work. And you know what? Those pics always come out great...</p>

<p>I don't think I've ever once used a scene mode, though.</p>

[Andrew Garrard]

<p>Peter - that's the first time I've heard someone who knows what they're doing use green for anything other than handing the camera to someone else. Out of interest, why green rather than, say, P? (Also pertinent to the current "D700 auto exposure more" thread.)<br />

<br />

I have to say - whatever mode I use, I keep an eye on the camera's settings. There's little difference between checking that the camera has picked a suitable ISO, shutter speed or aperture than checking the exposure in M mode - but I find it quicker to monitor the camera than actually make changes, so (flash and panoramas aside) I don't use M (without auto-ISO) much.<br />

<br />

Having said that, I don't find it unduly painful to use my Bessa my setting a shutter speed and playing with the aperture to adjust exposure - but changing shutter speed with a dial on the top of the camera is more of a faff than rotating an aperture ring if you've got your eye to the viewfinder. Besides, I don't have a fast lens for it, so DoF is less significant than on my SLRs.</p>

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>Andrew, I NEVER use it when the image is "critical". But I use the P because, frankly, when it's a quick and dirty photo (we're talking about when you have seconds, not even moments, to snap the shutter), the GREEN id1ot mode gives me better results than the P, which I used to use... hands down... I would say out of 1000 photos, it's maybe 5, and rarely one of my faves, but is always a shot (often of my kid) I might have missed any other way...</p>

[photo5]

<p>F100, 'A'. F3HP, also 'A'. They are both that good. Never could use 'A' on my FE2 back in the day, it never had as accurate metering as I wanted with slide film, so it was always used in Manual mode, and had that great green bar and black needle to watch where the exposure was landing. I miss that.</p>

[phil_burt]

<p>Lately I am trying for "M" most of the time<br>

For quick things I usually use "A"<br>

Some kid Sports, soccer, basketball I use "S"<br>

The reason I want to use "M" most of the time now is mainly for learning purposes. I try to think my way through each shot. Sometimes it works and other times I just get frustrated.<br>

phil b<br>

benton, ky</p>

[bojepsen1]

<p>About 95% of the time I shoot in A. The remaining 5% are divided between M and S in about equal portions.</p>

[Andrew Garrard]

<p>Peter - thank you; interesting. It suggests that green mode isn't just the "P mode without flash auto-release and with customisations disabled" that I believed was the accepted wisdom. I'm now curious what it <i>is</i> doing - I may have to do some research. (Not that I have a Nikon body with a green box mode...)</p>

[marco_p1]

<p>When not M, i usually set A on my D300 just because I am an old FG and then F3 guy. But if you think of it, all three automated modes (A-S-P) work just the same in that moving a single dial you can choose your ideal f-stop/shutter time combination for a given iso setting and amount of light. Yes, even in P mode you can change the combination suggested by the camera to your ideal one just by turning the rear command dial, at least on the D300 but I suspect in most modern Nikons.<br>

Have fun,<br>

Marco</p>

[Andrew Garrard]

<p>Marco - the spanner in the works is auto-ISO, which made a massive difference between how I use my D700 and my old 300D (which has no useful auto-ISO). Effectively - except in good light where the shutter speed can increase - by using aperture priority and auto-ISO, I trade aperture for ISO and keep shutter speed fixed. I could do this in M as well, but I'd prefer the shutter speed to change if I hit the limits of the ISO range for the aperture I select, rather than have the exposure change.</p>

[sunray1]

<p>'M' most of the time, with matrixmetering and 1/3 increment ISO/f/s stops for maximum control;<br>

'A' with spotmetering and 1/1 increment f stops for i.e. concertphotography;<br>

'A' with matrixmetering and 1/1 increment f stops for streetphotography;<br>

'S' with spotmetering, continuous AF and auto ISO for sports/action</p>

[craigd]

<p>Wow, busy thread... interesting to see that so many people e. (including me) use A sometimes but rarely S. Presumably this means we care about DOF more than motion blur. Though even when I do want to reduce motion blur, I usually do it by opening up the aperture rather than switching to S mode!</p>

<p>One thing I want to take issue with, though, is the statement a few people have made that there is no real difference between M and A (or M and S). On the one hand, it is true that you can get the camera to do what you want in any of these modes; exposure compensation in A or S gives you flexibility more or less equivalent to M mode. However, in A and S modes you are chasing a moving target. In a situation where the light is reasonably constant, the meter may still decide to vary your exposure depending on exactly what you're looking at; a black man in a dark shirt may result in a longer exposure or wider aperture than a fair-skinned blonde in light-colored clothes, even if they are illuminated identically. This means you have to vary your exposure compensation from shot to shot, whereas in M mode you can just meter the scene once and then use the same exposure settings without any risk that your camera will suddenly decide to change them.</p>

[Andrew Garrard]

<p>Craig - re. moving targets, you could just exposure lock to avoid this. Actually, I tend to avoid M exactly for the opposite reason - the situation may change, and the parameter I'd least like to modify is exposure. If I'm metering off someone's face, it's unlikely I'll suddenly choose to take a photo of someone else (and I tend to rely on the matrix meter anyway unless I expect it to be challenged); it's much more likely that someone will walk in front of (or away from) the window that's providing the primary illumination for the scene, where I'm not looking. Suddenly adjusting the shutter (or ISO) is better than the image being wrongly exposed. The exception is when I want to meter to stay out of it, such as when I'll be stitching a panorama.</p>

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>A, miniscule bit of M. Hardly original.<br>

(Quite amazed how little here use S!)</p>

[michael_alger]

<h1>Are you M, A or S shooter?</h1>

<p>Well, I am a NAS shooter...<br>

Ok, seriuosly, 89% A, 19%M and some S once in a while<strong>.<br /></strong></p>

[alex_foto]

<p>M = 97% of the time.<br>

S = 3% of the time.</p>

[ismail_ba_aran]

<p>It was an interesting and educating reading. Thx for this question Karen. By the way, I shoot nearly all the time A; and have a tendency to explore M, as AI does not give what I want al the time. </p>

 

[vikas_kohli]

<p>M = 99% of time<br>

S = 1%</p>

 

[photojen]

<p>100% M, never tried any thing else...maybe I should see what the others are all about. </p>

[Uhooru]

<p>Mostly A when I can, especially on a rangefinder when there's no DOF lever, so I can have some idea of DOF. </p>

[michael_khalsa]

<p>97% A and occasionally M<br>

First i set the Apature, then i adjust ISO<br>

When i start photographing i set the ISO at a speed appropriate for the light to ensure a sharp image (typically 100, 200, or 400), and if above 200 I will then take additional shots adjusting it down to try and get some sharp shots with a low ISO<br>

I also vary the ISO, with my first shot at a high enough ISO to gaurantee no blur, then i go down ISO, and of course look for any blown highlights. If necessary I will always blow the shadows rather than usable highlights.<br>

With low DOF, if there is enough light, I often bracket a few different aperatrures in case my primary shot looses some detail where i do not intend.<br>

(As you can see, i have not yet shot much sports).</p>

[mjferron]

<p>A? S? P (professional?) Where can I find these settings on my M3 DS? Damn I'm still looking for the on/off switch.</p>

[CvhKaar]

<p>I use 'S' for moving subjects ( also water, then I choose a low 'S' sometimes)<br>

I use 'A' for people shots, macro, and some other things ( under water I also fix'to 'A' more often than 'S' ).<br>

I use 1/3 of the time 'M' for macro , night time , dusk and dawn etc. , and Flash ( have i-ttl balance the light..) .<br>

I use next to never 'p' .<br>

With all modes i fix the ISO setting to what i find appropriate to the circumstances ( so never auto-iso..).</p>

[sideris]

<p>Right now I do prefer fully manual, even focus, and a good tripod, when I have time enough of course. Otherwise aperture priority and centered auto focus. My toy? Pentax K20D with a prime Pentax 135mm F 2,8 and another prime Pentax Limited 43 mm F1,9. Hard to get good results because my lack of skills (still learning), but when I achieve something it is really great. The 18-55 mm and 70-300 mm zooms almost exclusively for outdoors with day light</p>