Shooting in manual.

KIPAX said:
When you set to manual you are NOT doing exactly the same as the camera in AV/Tv otherwise it would be pointless. There are situations that those modes cannot handle.

Matt .. your right to learn how to shoot in manual. I would not advocate using it all the time but its better to ahve the knowledge for when you will need it.

The best time (IMHO) to teach yourself manual is in stable lighting conditions. not changing.

Set to spot metering, Point your camera at the track area you are going to be shooting at. I am guessing the track is grey or a simmilar nutueral colour. Change your camera settings until it is showing a perfect exposure ie pointer at center of line... (Yes just like AV/Tv would but read on)

Now... when a car comes along you will have the right exposure.. if a black car or a silver car with sunlight shining off it or a white car or a multicolour car... you will get the same constant exposure.. If a car is coming over a hill (I dunno I aint been to a race) and your shot is all bright sky and sunshine with a small part of it being the car..... your car wont be a black blob it will be exposed properly.. BUT the camera will be showing under/over exposed and maybe all over the place... You have to IGNORE that the camera is telling you your using the wrong exposure and trust that the settings you took are correct.

Thats using Manual

If you simply set the camera to the same as AV/Tv or wahetevr all the time its pointless. Once more.. there are situations those modes cannot handle and manual will be needed rather than miss the shot.
Click to expand...

A lot of common sense written in this thread ^^^^^^^.:thumbs: Thanks for putting it over simply and concisely.
 
And all I wanted was my "I Shoot In Manual" Gold Star !!
 
Matt, grab a copy of understanding exposure by Bryan Peterson - fantastic book.
I shoot mostly manual, because I want a badge of honour? no, because I want to understand what my camera is doing - I'm still learning and imo its like learning a foreign language - you'll learn the best if you're fully immersed.
Sure, if you have a fair bit of experience of whats going on then why not shoot semi-auto? but it sounds like Matt is trying to get a good grasp of how his camera operates and how changing the different values independantly create differently exposed shots :)
 
timmygcsc2308 said:
Matt, grab a copy of understanding exposure by Bryan Peterson - fantastic book.
I shoot mostly manual, because I want a badge of honour? no, because I want to understand what my camera is doing - I'm still learning and imo its like learning a foreign language - you'll learn the best if you're fully immersed.
Sure, if you have a fair bit of experience of whats going on then why not shoot semi-auto? but it sounds like Matt is trying to get a good grasp of how his camera operates and how changing the different values independantly create differently exposed shots :)
Click to expand...

:plusone: I'm currently working through this book. Very useful, informative, and easy to read. I'm also just learning and participating in a college course where the requirement is to use manual setting and no post production. I'm finding it really interesting and adds an extra bit of depth to the use of a camera.

S
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top