Who else shoots mostly manual exposure?

Well I've had my D700 for a whole 6 days now. Only shot about 10 pics (Iowa right now isn't very congenial).

I've read through most of Thoms guide. I've also just skimmed over the D700 exposure horror threads.

Here's what I've come up with:

• If I had my way I'd have my FE2 back, same controls, same everything only digital
• The amount of options on this camera is obscene
• Thoms guide is great but overwhelming (necessary I know)
• judging by the responses in the aforementioned threads, more people advocate shooting manual exp than I thought

Personally, I've always been a manual shooter (kind of a must when you grew up shooting a Hassy) and continue to do so. I use Matrix and A at times when I'm just shooting snapshots, otherwise I'm plenty happy with M.

I should add also that I'm probably one of the few who still uses the shutter focus lock. I meter, use my AE-L and then compose and shoot. I just don't think i could get used to the AF-ON button.
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Abouna

Hi,

Great comment, I would take my FE2 back any second had it nothing but the D700 sensor inside.

Really think dSLRs are totally overloaded with settings and menus.

Even an aperture ring between the F-Mount and the body would be great to change aperture as we used to also with G-type lenses, other than that a white balance mode switch might be useful and an A-mode for ISO, but all with the same controls as the FE2 had.

No AF, no review screen (if there is one just two modes: review and review with RGB histogram and flashing highlights), that would be my dream camera. And yes, it should have the same weight as the FE2, no more!

BTW: I am using the AF on switch - it is like manual focusing with the thumb: leave the AF mode selector always in C mode, press AF-ON and recompose. In case something moves: keep your thumb pressed.

I set my D700 to manual everything. Recently, however, I've been using my 50/1.8 in AF and sometimes prefer to alter with manual focus. Knowing how to use AF shouldn't be considered as a minus - just an extra tool to your disposal.

Knowing that I can't have D700 sensor in F2A....I kicked back and (really) am ejoying the ride.

Leswick

I like auto, If time A mode then switch to manual and re shoot. faster to chimp than meter sometimes and thats because Mongo forgot meter back in the bag in the dam car.. But yes Manual just to get mood, now photoshop can do this also, but I rather not.

30 year old habits are hard to break. Nikon's metering makes it child's play to shoot manual.

Manual is the ONLY was to shoot IMHO. I haven't ever used anything else except for shutter priority on remote cameras at sporting events.....and with digital, it's even easier by guessing the exposure (after years of hand held metering) and working from there.

I find it funny when I read posts about "my 50,000 zone metering is overexposing" ...etc etc

...adding to my post....why do I meter manually?

A camera only measures a scene's reflectance and CAN NOT meter the light falling on a subject, and is susceptable to errors from varying colours in a scene, and exposures can vary from one shot to the next without any light changes.

I like getting images right out of the camera and don't rely on PP to correct my/camera's mistakes. Manual metering makes the photographer totally responsible for the image's exposure, where the photographer must acknowledge changes in lighting and adjust accordingly.....that's what a photograher does....or used to do ;-)

...I never use EC either, for the reason that I'm typically shooting manual. When I learned to use an SLR there was no such thing as EC (well maybe there was, did the FE2 have it? I don't recall), nor the need for it since shooting manual negates it.

I actually started reading the section in the D700 manual on EC until I realized I have no use for it.

Talk about putting the cart before the horse. We develop AE just so we can add EC to get right back to M!
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Abouna

I shoot mostly manual. There is no such thing as auto exposure: let's call it "approximate auto exposure". That's the reason for the existence of exposure comp. The camera gets you in the ballpark and you end up tweaking the EC setting for a couple of chimp shots until you get it right. Let's face it: if the scene presents no particular challenges, the auto exposure will do a fine job on exposure, just as you would, using the analog display with manual exposure. It does it much faster, and provides usually good enough results if you're not too picky. If you reframe the same scene, a different exposure will necessarily occur with AE. Not the case with manual exposure: you first nail the correct exposure and leave it alone for different framings. I hate having an auto anything take control of the operations, an alter my set exposure, sometimes whithout warning (intermediate shutter speeds and apertures)

I do use AF, just like another poster above: AF-ON only and AF-c. It's the same as manual focus, but much faster and much more accurate if you know what to look for.

Push the AF-ON button and the camera focuses, keep pressing if it's a moving target. Release the button if the subject is stationary, and the focus is set. Today's AF provides superior results than what you can do with the available viewfinder.

With today's resolution, focus has to be much more precise than it ever was necessary on 35mm film.
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Jean Bernier

All photographs are only more or less credible illusions

Abouna said:

Well I've had my D700 for a whole 6 days now. Only shot about 10 pics (Iowa right now isn't very congenial).

Click to expand...

I shoot full manual all of the time except for a few situations where I'll switch on Auto ISO. In good light you can make a strong case for Aperture Priority mode since matrix gets it right a lot of the time.

When I'm using flash I want maximum control over the ambient exposure and would only ever use Manual mode.

...but use Manual with flash often or
if I want to make a silhouette.

maljo

With the D700's great high ISO performance, I find it very flexible to shoot manual exposure but with auto ISO on.

it's a shame there have not been more responses to this thread, as there have been a few excellent reasons to use M.... (asuming a consistant light source... manual mode does free the user for 'composition only' once the desired exposure combination is attained)

However: I see so many 'i would die if I resorted to an Auto something' mode, posts that do not qualify their statements/reasons.

M mode, in itself, is no better than an auto A or S mode if the user relies soley on what the meter indicates...

There's one post in thsi thread that DOES mention 'intelligent use of the meter' I presume they mean, not matrix and that what meter reading is indicated is just the starting point of an intelligent adjustment.. and they would be right.

I say this becasuse no camera meter can determne if the scene predominantly light or dark .. or just the subject of interst 'in the scene' is one or the other.

I prefer to use A mode 90% of the time along with the rear thumbwheel for quick compensation. I usually adjust compensation before pressing the shutter based on experiance of percieving the quality of the light and what it is reflecting off.

If you are going to make manual adjustments based soley on what the meter says with out any thought for the subject.. you may as well use an auto mode.

--
There is a very fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness.' :'!':

Do we use the meter in the cam?

If so, all we then do is start with either a particular aperture or shutter in mind, then choose the other based on the meter. How "manual" is that? or rather how different is it that shooting in A or S?

Or maybe we shoot with both a particular aperture and shutter in mind, and then let ISO float to achieve them (again based on the meter)....well, IMO that is about as manual as it gets... unless we overlay EV comp on top of that..maybe then we are shooting "manual"?

best, mark

My default setting is A mode. Gives me almost the complete control for regular shooting.
Using flash I mostly shoot manual.

I wonder what this thread tells you because it does depend on the use of the camera does it not? For example if I shoot macro for documentation I use a MF lens, a tripod and set aperture and shutter in manual.

Very different if I shoot fast animals

I have a friend who insists on shooting manual, but she simply is zeroing out the meter with the shutter and aperture settings, which is essentially what you'd get if you were A/S mode.

Manual is good when you have consistent light and you don't want the meter reacting to reflections or light bulbs that make their way in frame.

But honestly, between the exposure lock button and EC dial, we can achieve the same thing in many ways.

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Phil Flash
SF, CA USA

It's not the camera. It's you.

Stuff I own in my profile.

I still have an FE2, and love it. (But I love the F100 a little bit more.) Yes, the FE2 does have EC.

I like to shoot M a lot of the time. If you select spot, CW, or matrix, keep in mind the limitations and quirks of the camera's metering system, and aim the camera at an area that is illuminated in a representative fashion and not too light or dark, and mentally compensate for any anomalies, you can easily get the aperture and shutter speed adjusted the way you want them. Then you can compose (angle and zoom) the way you want without trepidation.

For those who shoot M + Auto-ISO, I understand why you might want to do this, I do it sometimes also. But - this means you are relying on the camera's metering system. Be sure to check the results.

As to focus: for the very best results I use a tripod and live view with manual focus. Other than that, I often prefer to use AF-ON. You can pulse AF-ON if the subject isn't moving, or if you know where the subject is going to be; or you can hold it down with AF-C selected if desired.

The bottom line is that we need to use the camera in those situations where it is quicker or more accurate than we are, but otherwise we need to remember that our brains are (or should be) better than the camera's.

Sometimes I'll start out shooting auto (aperture priority), but almost always have to switch to manual control because the mindless robot meter is giving incorrect exposures. BTW, I find center-weighted, full averaging mode to be the most useful and predictable.
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-KB-

Sometimes I will use spot meter with my flash. I find that in a wedding reception scene it can work quite well. But auto settings inevitably get fooled.

Like driving stick shift. At first it's seemingly impossible. Then it clicks. Now I can't drive an automatic car very well. I brake late, etc..

Manual is the way to go.
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[email protected]
http://www.courtlevephoto.com

pluton said:

Sometimes I'll start out shooting auto (aperture priority), but almost always have to switch to manual control because the mindless robot meter is giving incorrect exposures. BTW, I find center-weighted, full averaging mode to be the most useful and predictable.

Click to expand...

given what you said about the meter being both mindless and predictable, in the same paragraph, how you are determinging your 'correct' exposure in Manual mode? What process are you using ro get to your goal?

this is not a cynical question but a genuine enquiry

pluton said:

--
-KB-

Click to expand...

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There is a very fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness.' :'!':