What mode do you shoot in most frequently?

[Diamond Lil]

What mode do you shoot in most frequently? Why?

• Full Manual - You have the control and do the work to create the image you desire
• Shutter speed or aperture priority?
• Program AE - As it is called in Canon-world, meaning the camera does the work of determining shutter speed, aperture and auto-focuses, but you can set ISO, AF mode, Drive mode, Flash, etc
• Auto - Let the camera do the detail work
• Anything else??

I'll start

Being a bokeh-phile , I am an Aperture Priority type of gal because it gives me the opportunity to work with depth of field. I love those in tight shallow focus shots. Working with wildlife however, does make shutter speed a very serious consideration, so it cannot always be left up to the camera to decide. It has no way of knowing what the stop action demands of my challenge is at any given moment.

[EZE RIDER]

Although I would rather give you a different answer, I shoot at least 90% of the time in Auto. This is because I use my camera as a "spur of the moment inspiration" recorder (read snapshot) most of the time and auto does a fine job. When I am lucky enough to be out just to take pictures and enjoy my hobby, I try to use all the settings not only to obtain different effects but also trying to get/stay familiar with them so if a great opportunity comes along for a great shot, I will be a little better at getting it.

I do find the semi auto settings that most all dslrs have very handy too. They are just like a little shortcut to get some appropriate settings.

[Kodatech]

95% of the time in manual mode. Occasionally Ill go to aperture priority for snapshots...or Shutter priority when trying to freeze action and I dont have time to set both.

[pegdragger]

Manual 100% of the time.

[EZE RIDER]

Hey KT and PD, does that include Auto focus?

[echo3]

I am also about 95% manual. I do use shutter or aperture priority if I get frustrated with my results.

Thanks for posting this question Lil, you just saved me some research. I was at Shamus' wrestling tournament the other day and a photographer for one of the schools started talking to me.
I told him I was having a hard time with blur and lighting. He suggested I get an external flash and shoot in AE -
I had no idea what AE was for and was too embarrassed to let him know how clueless I was!

[pegdragger]

I shoot auto focus all the time.

[J. R. Weems]

Mostly will depend on what I am doing, but APERTURE PRIORTY will get the nod more often than not. Why? DOF mostly seems to be at the top of my list. Seems everything else will fall in line. Sometimes.

[echo3]

Originally Posted by pegdragger

I shoot auto focus all the time.

Okay, I feel really silly asking this Michael, but how do you shoot in manual and use auto focus?

[pegdragger]

Originally Posted by echo3

Okay, I feel really silly asking this Michael, but how do you shoot in manual and use auto focus?

The "M" mode on your dial is manual mode, and down by the lens there is a switch to change from Manual Focus to Auto Focus.

Manual mode allows you control every setting (ISO, aperture, Shutter speed), while Manual Focus lets you focus the lens using the ring on the lens vs. the auto focus motors doing it for you.