Manual mode

[twistedlogic]

In manual mode you select shutter, aperture, and ISO to properly expose a photo.
In the other settings the metering mode determines your correct exposure settings.

So does this mean in full manual, even though you can still see what the meter is reading, your photo was shot without a meter?

What I mean is if a photog decides he needs the lowest ISO and a faster shutter, so he dials down the shutter and ISO and shoots wide open, essentially ignoring the meter and correcting any exposure problems through the histogram and image.

 

[ivan2]

yes

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

yeah, in manual mode you have full control of everything that determines how a picture is exposed. the camera is still metering, still measuring the light, but all it does in manual is simply display as an FYI what it thinks the resultant exposure is going to be. you're the driver and the camera is in the backseat saying "just an FYI, this is what i THINK your resultant picture will be like with these settings and conditions."

in all other modes the camera has a partial to full hand in determining the way the camera takes the picture, with different levels of your ability to override the camera, such as with exposure compensation .

 

[twistedlogic]

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
you're the driver and the camera is in the backseat saying "just an FYI, this is what i THINK your resultant picture will be like with these settings and conditions."

So do most photographers use the light meter in manual or go by eye and experience and/or double check the histogram for correct exposure.

I'm just not comfortable yet using manual while shooting out and about, so I'm eager to learn.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Originally posted by: twistedlogic

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
you're the driver and the camera is in the backseat saying "just an FYI, this is what i THINK your resultant picture will be like with these settings and conditions."

So do most photographers use the light meter in manual or go by eye and experience and/or double check the histogram for correct exposure.

I'm just not comfortable yet using manual while shooting out and about, so I'm eager to learn.

I usually trust my camera's metering, knowing it has a tendency to under-expose, and adjust EV accordingly. I generally operate in Av mode, spot metering for wildlife and multi-segment for most other.

I always check the histogram for exposure. Never trust the LCD, imo.

I'm not a "real" photographer, though.

 

[twistedlogic]

Originally posted by: Flipped Gazelle
I'm not a "real" photographer, though.

LoL. But how many "pros" are actual "real" photographers rather than someone with just expensive equipment?

Yeah the whole basis for my thread was actually because of EV. I found that in manual mode the EV does not effect your exposure at all, just how the light meter reads (which makes sense once I understood EV).

Thanks for all the help, will give Manual another go when I get a chance.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Originally posted by: twistedlogic

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
you're the driver and the camera is in the backseat saying "just an FYI, this is what i THINK your resultant picture will be like with these settings and conditions."

So do most photographers use the light meter in manual or go by eye and experience and/or double check the histogram for correct exposure.

I'm just not comfortable yet using manual while shooting out and about, so I'm eager to learn.

Most probably go by the meter to give them a general idea of where they're at, but more experienced ones will zone in on perfect exposure by themselves once the light meter has taken them to the general vicinity. This requires knowing your camera's metering style and what situations it gets fooled in. Then they double check with the histogram, not the LCD, to make sure things haven't been blown out or too underexposed.

I use aperture priority with a lot of exposure compensation for speed purposes. For flash, I like to use manual.

 

[ElFenix]

the meter is on and the camera will display what it thinks is the correct exposure*. you can either ignore it entirely and work off sunny f/16 and experience (useful in situations where the light hasn't changed but the metering could be fooled by the color of what you're photographing), or anticipate that the meter has been fooled and under or overexpose. you can also chimp if you like.




*doesn't work if the camera has no meter, a broken meter, or no battery for the meter