[TER-OR]

With regard to my own shooting, I find the TAV mode very useful for moving (or potentially moving) subjects and usually use manual exposure and focus for landscapes and other static subjects. However, when I shut off my camera for the day, I leave it in Auto in case I have to grab the camera and take a shot immediately with no preparation possible. That little technique has saved me a time or two.

I use TAv 90% of the time myself. Balancing aperture and shutter speed is the essence of photography, since the camera manages ISO with an electronic sensor.

Leaving the camera in Auto isn't a bad idea, though. I've forgotten to turn off special settings or 2-sec delay plenty of times.

[jatrax]

I've forgotten to turn off special settings or 2-sec delay plenty of times.

The 'memory' settings on newer cameras can be a real saver here. I went through and set those up so that only those items that I want to remain after a power off 'stick'. Did that after a rather embarrassing incident involving the timer delay .

[WPRESTO]

I tend to forget about setting up the "user" modes for quickly resetting many camera options for particular photography I do. Then when I remember to set the "user" modes, I forget what each one is for.

[Fogel70]

Well, I'd partially disagree here. It could be valid statement in normal daylight, but there are many special occasions, when you simply won't get proper exposure without switching to M.

There are also times when you can't get proper exposure using M-mode.
FI when you need longer exposures than 30s.

[jatrax]

Then when I remember to set the "user" modes, I forget what each one is for.

You can name them, at least I know you can on the k-3 and I think you can on the k-5. I would never remember what my user settings were for if I did not name them.

But I was talking about the memory settings in the menu, not user modes. In the menu you can tick on/off whether the setting of a particular item will stick to last used after a power down.

[OldPentaxFan]

Thanks to everyone that participated. It was a much more civil exchange than on the other forum!

[john.margetts]

I tend to use either my Pentax MX or Bronica ETRs - both are entirely manual cameras and the Bronica does not even have a light meter. So I use manual mode with both of those -not because it is best but because I get no choice.

If I am shooting digital, I use aperture priority and allow the camera to do everything it can. No point in keeping a dog and barking yourself.

[wildman]

RAW
Half press off
TAv
CF on
ISO range - full
My most common manual adjustments are EV followed by metering mode.

For me TAv seems the most natural, intuitive and flexible.

[goatsNdonkey]

My main reservations about various still-new-to-me automatic modes, is that I don't always know what they're doing and why. For some of the auto functions I understand better, I like to know that I can fall back on manual if the auto mode selected isn't getting the results I want. But I don't think going automatic disqualifies one from the photographer label, considering that what the camera does is only part of what is involved in making a good picture.

[dadipentak]

Boy I'm glad I don't hang with people who argue about this stuff. It's all about the results, imho.

[SteveM]

I pull out the gear once a year with the youth group I work with. We play with settings, take shots and project them so all the kids can see what they can do. We make peoples faces look normal, or distorted (fat and wide or narrow and long) by selecting the wrong focal length. We play with the DOF, sharpness, grain etc etc etc.

I don't think it matters if you use manual or an auto setting, as long as you understand the relationship of the settings to the photo so you can control it. Exposure is only one of the components.

[gofour3]

Photography as a hobby is supposed to be fun. So as long as you are having fun who cares what camera you are using or what settings you use.

The act of taking a picture should be good enough.

Phil.

[jcdoss]

Thanks OldPentaxFan for bringing up this topic! I enjoyed reading everyone's opinions, and mine is that everyone is absolutely right. This is one of those discussions that I wish we could have at the dinner table, or at a bar.