Camera setting....??

[slimngrizzly]

Do most of you set your f-stop and shutter speeds manually or do you use your camera on automatic and do some touch up in photoshop??

I have a Canon 300D, Ive used it for years and should post some pics... but I was wondering how many of you do it? Always looking to pick up a few tips! Thanks!

[Dbl]

I shoot manual probably 50% of the time, Av mode about 45% and Tv mode about 5% of the time. There is an automatic setting?

Seriously it really depends on what you are shooting. In almost all cases you are better off taking charge of the camera settings rather than letting the camera decide what it thinks are the proper settings. Cameras have become better at evaluating situations and coming up with a set of numbers, but nothing beats your eye and how you want to approach the shot.

In the digital age there is really nothing to fear from taking the camera off automatic, pictures are free. In fact you will learn very quickly, because of the instant feedback, how to make adjustments and get a properly exposed shot.

[MN Shutterbug]

The more experienced photographers rarely shoot on automatic. There is only so much you can do during post processing. You are much better off choosing your aperture or shutter speed manually to get the desired effect. You rarely want your camera to make all the decisions for you. There are also many times that you are going to want to tweak the exposure with exposure compensation. If you want to blur the background so the subject stands out, you are going to need to choose a wide aperture and if you are shooting something moving, you are going to have to choose a faster shutter speed to keep the subject from blurring. These are just a couple of many examples where you are going to need to take control.

[polarsusd81]

Another thing that also helps when shooting in manual mode versus auto is the ability to adjust the white balance settings as well as the ISO settings for the camera. I shoot the same camera and I would say that 75% are shot on Manual and 25% on AV mode. The only time it ever goes to any auto setting is when someone else picks it up and wants to see what they can do - usually when I am holding a fish in my hands. I have even started to teach my good fishin buddies how to use my camera in manual mode so they can get the photos to turn out the way I want them to in certain situations.

Tom

[slimngrizzly]

Thanks a lot! I was just curious... Ill have to keep playing around with it.