[mzmn]

One of the most useful threads in this forum so far!

I, too, use spot metering and manual mode, and only found about the use of the AE-L button in this situation. Thanks!

I've tried using the Sunny 16 rule, but I don't have enough confidence to use it regularly. Instead, it's spot metering on the nearest middle gray equivalent, or brightest or darkest colors and adjust metering accordingly. So far, it works.

The only problem I have is when the dynamic range in the scene is much too great. So it's either bracketing for eventual merging of exposures, or settle for an average (blowing out highlights and/or losing shadow detail in the process, unless I zoom in). In these cases, where people are in the picture, I will use flash. Does anyone have any other suggestions for metering high dynamic range scenes?

[jeremy_c]

It seems a lot of people are using manual mode. The only time I am in manual mode is taking a night shot. Is there any reason for using manual mode over Av? One person did state that you can set the exposure for a given scene then shot several shots under similar conditions and have them all come out correctly, but this is chancing it a bit?

If you use Av and want to under/over expose a bit, you can do that via the exposure button (+/-) and go 2ev over/under. What is the real reason for using manual all the time? (minus the people using an external light meter).

Jeremy

[deludel]

Hi Jeremy,

The reason I first started using Manual was because an instructor told me to. (brings to mind the old saying "if an instructor told you to jump off a bridge ..") That's how I got started, but I was simply pressing the green button to meter, then shooting. Although it occurred to me that this was barely "manual" I still did it.

I took a course in "How to Meter Light" this summer, and I got some insight into how I can personally use manual. Here's what I learned:

Manual is for times when you do not necessarily need to maintain equivelant exposure Sure, you can use +/- in AV/TV, but you are only over/under exposing in those situations. There are other times when you don't need "equivalent" SS/Aperture settings.

Let's say you have a contrasty scene. You might want to spot meter off several different subjects in the scene to figure out a good "happy medium". So let's say you spot meter (in ANY mode) and come up with the ideal (here's hoping!) exposure setting. You can switch to manual and plug those in and shoot.

It's a work in progress for me, but it definitely can work.

[heliphoto]

It seems a lot of people are using manual mode. The only time I am in manual mode is taking a night shot. Is there any reason for using manual mode over Av? One person did state that you can set the exposure for a given scene then shot several shots under similar conditions and have them all come out correctly, but this is chancing it a bit?

If you use Av and want to under/over expose a bit, you can do that via the exposure button (+/-) and go 2ev over/under. What is the real reason for using manual all the time? (minus the people using an external light meter).

Jeremy

I'm in the same boat Jeremy, and this thread will definitely get me playing with M mode more. The way I currently meter is in Av / matrix, with the EV compensation set as necessary. They way I see it, the matrix metering is trying to get the average of the scene to be neutral gray, and I've learned how to see whether EV compensation will be necessary enough that I can often guess pretty well and dial in a fairly accurate EV compensation even before chimping the histogram.

[Marc Sabatella]

It seems a lot of people are using manual mode. The only time I am in manual mode is taking a night shot. Is there any reason for using manual mode over Av? One person did state that you can set the exposure for a given scene then shot several shots under similar conditions and have them all come out correctly, but this is chancing it a bit?

Maybe, but if you keep an eye on the meter - and an eye on the prevailing light - it isn't particular difficult to notice when a given shot might need to be bumped up or down.

Conversely, shooting in Av is also chancing it, quite a lot. Consider that if you take a picture of someone wearing a white shirt then another of someone wearing a black shirt, you're likely to get two wildly differently exposures. Meters tend to overreact to that sort of stuff. So really, either way, you've got to be on the ball and anticipate when you'll need to deviate from the settings you've made. I find that in practice, it's about the same either way, but the thought process required to alter settings is more natural to me in M mode.

Another very important factor - really, the one that clinched the deal for me - I use manual exposure lenses a lot, where "M" mode is all you get. And no multi-segment metering, either. So I spend a lot of time in M mode with center weighted metering, because there is basically no choice. Once you've become accustomed to working that way, it's always momentarily (actually, more than momentarily) disconcerting to have to get used to a different way of working every time you change lenses. I find it's less confusing to just leave the camera in M mode with center-weighted metering, so my camera always works more or less the same way.

[creampuff]

When metering, I have always followed an old adage:
Brighten (increase exposure) when shooting a bright subject, darken when shooting a dark subject.
With experience, it is quite easy to ballpark a working exposure.

I use aperture priority a lot because I have learnt to trust the camera's meter.
Obviously I use +/- compensation. For me it is definitely faster than manual mode.

[Lowell Goudge]

It seems a lot of people are using manual mode. The only time I am in manual mode is taking a night shot. Is there any reason for using manual mode over Av? One person did state that you can set the exposure for a given scene then shot several shots under similar conditions and have them all come out correctly, but this is chancing it a bit?

If you use Av and want to under/over expose a bit, you can do that via the exposure button (+/-) and go 2ev over/under. What is the real reason for using manual all the time? (minus the people using an external light meter).

Jeremy

one thing I forgot to mention in my porigonal posting, but which I have mentioned in past posts is how I meter in manual mode.

What I do is to select a grey subject, usually a paved path, road surface, or tree trunk, and meter off this. I let the camera put this "18% grey" surface where it needs to be, and then I go on shooting until I notice the light changes.

This is really doing an incident light metering (and I also have both incident and reflected light meters), it is not that I don't trust camera metering, i do, but i elect to choose exposure myself

[Gooneybird]

Conversely, shooting in Av is also chancing it, quite a lot. Consider that if you take a picture of someone wearing a white shirt then another of someone wearing a black shirt, you're likely to get two wildly differently exposures. Meters tend to overreact to that sort of stuff. So really, either way, you've got to be on the ball and anticipate when you'll need to deviate from the settings you've made. I find that in practice, it's about the same either way, but the thought process required to alter settings is more natural to me in M mode.

This has been a very interesting subject, with lots of variations in techniques and circumstances.

I also have begun using M mode for more and more of my shooting, for a couple of reasons.

One that hasn't been mentioned here applies to a type of shooting that I do quite a bit of. That is, with the camera on the tripod, and a cable connected remote, with me in a blind or otherwise away from the camera. It took me a long time before I read a post that helped explain why so many of my shots were under exposed when in AV mode. By not being close up to the viewfinder, stray light which often was direct sunlight, was able to come in through the viewfinder/eyepiece and influence what the camera was reading thru the lens. Thus the camera got a higher light reading than it should.

Just another thought for using M mode.

Incidentally, I have an old light meter of the early Sekonic design, but rarely use it nowadays, since I take a couple of test shots with the Histogram turned on and judge the remainder from what they show. My ratio of good exposures has improved significantly doing it this way.

Olin McDaniel

[TanGU]

Very informative thread indead. I am using the M mode since the beginning, and i never used either the green button or the A-L Lock.

I completely forgot that green button! That will make my life more easier, and be able to take picture faster since it will bring the Manual exposure within range quickly !

But i am not sure of the A-L lock button i have to test it to learn it...

[Marc Sabatella]

Very informative thread indead. I am using the M mode since the beginning, and i never used either the green button or the A-L Lock.

I completely forgot that green button! That will make my life more easier, and be able to take picture faster since it will bring the Manual exposure within range quickly !

But i am not sure of the A-L lock button i have to test it to learn it...

If your camera has a Green button, you don't use AE-L in manual mode. AE-L is what you use instead of the Green button on cameras that don't have a Green button. For cameras with a Green button, the AE-L does not work that way.

[jdg]

It seem's that some of my photo's that were taken in M come out more properly exposed and in focus compared to photos that were taken in Av mode.

[raymeedc]

You might think I'm a little crazy, but I meter My DSLR with a couple of voltage-altered (to accept modern 1.5 volt batteries) CDS powered Gossen Luna-Pro & Super Pilot handheld meters. I still do a lot of shooting with older non-metered cameras, & a combination of doing what by this point comes naturally, consistency in switching between different cameras, & just the pure enjoyment & familiarity with the process leads me to use my DSLR as a digital-backed meterless Spotamatic (my lenses are all screwmount Takumar or newer K-Mount manual primes..... I sold my Kit Lens a long time ago).

[tonyjayice]

I rarely use manual mode but I do sometimes.. .. But..
what I do, is to have the camera set on auto ISO ...
comes in VERY handy (and is exclusive to Pentax)
in auto ISO mode I choose my own priorities and can use +/- compensation to more control the ISO to "correct" the exposure if i like to under or overexpose..
and furthermore in the fn ISO menu, I can choose the lowest and highest ISO ratings.. so I can always get a perfectly exposed shot,
and still keep control of both aperture and shutter speed
I love auto ISO!

[OregonJim]

You might think I'm a little crazy, but I meter My DSLR with a couple of voltage-altered (to accept modern 1.5 volt batteries) CDS powered Gossen Luna-Pro & Super Pilot handheld meters.

Not crazy at all (unless we're BOTH crazy).

I use a Gossen Pilot or Pilot 2 most of the time. One's usually in my pocket, the other in the camera bag. I've got a Luna-Pro that I used mostly as a darkroom exposure meter - it doesn't see much use anymore since the Pilots work just fine (and don't need any batteries).

Unlike the camera's built-in meter, we can do reflected AND incident readings. Also, I've found it's actually *faster* to use a handheld meter than the camera's built-in - once you get used to it, it just comes naturally.

[res3567]

[

I rarely use manual mode but I do sometimes.. .. But..
what I do, is to have the camera set on auto ISO ...
comes in VERY handy (and is exclusive to Pentax)
in auto ISO mode I choose my own priorities and can use +/- compensation to more control the ISO to "correct" the exposure if i like to under or overexpose..
and furthermore in the fn ISO menu, I can choose the lowest and highest ISO ratings.. so I can always get a perfectly exposed shot,
and still keep control of both aperture and shutter speed
I love auto ISO!

Just remimber, the higher the ISO, the greater the noise.

If you are satified with the way your images look, then it is an excellent choice for your AE needs.