Simon, I know you get this all the time, but even so - your delivery is always sharp, your demeanour always calm and friendly, and your insights are always solid and splendidly illustrated. In my opinion, you set a standard for teaching, and you uphold it infallibly. That's why even on topics where I already know what you are going to suggest from the title, I watch the video with pleasure. You are a delight to follow.
Finally someone said this... I'm a commercial photographer and I almost never use Manual except the scenarios when I really need to control the light like you described. I use mostly semi-auto modes, with only manual aperture control. Thanks for your video. I'm wandering around youtube and found your channel. A breath of fresh air! Cheers from Portugal.
Thank you, Simon. I have been beat to death by being told I must shoot in full manual, and I’m missing so many shots because I’m not fast enough. I feel like you’ve given me “permission” to let my camera help me. I’m so grateful for these educational videos! You’re the “bomb-diggety”!❤
I feel the same as you, mate! I`m in photography for about, 15 to 18 years now, maybe a little more... and i was hammered real hard with the slogan: "YOU'VE GOT TO SHOT IN MANUAL MODE ALL THE TIME!!! REAL PHOTOGRAPHERS ONLY SHOOT IN MANUAL MODE!!!". And because of that, I've always had this aversion to any mode that's not Manual... With Simon, I've learned that i can allow myself to relax, breed and use another modes that aren't "Full Manual" all the frigging time. Mainly because my main interest in photography is Photojournalism (Graduated in august last year, finally) where both the time to think of the configurations and actually capture the scenes i want, or the agenda demands, are really fast and short in time.
I am 82 years young. Thanks for reminding me. I know all this stuff at one time but it is good to brush up. My DSLR only comes out during the summer when I am out and about on my mobility scooter. Otherwise, I use my iPhone to take regular photos.
I've been a pro photog for 38 years. This is probably the best content I've seen discussing this topic. Very clear and easy to understand. I tend to use Av or Tv most of the time, but I also use manual with auto ISO. And ... sometimes I just put it in P and let it go.
Same. I don't know any professional photographer that doesn't switch modes with the environment, subject and effect/desire of the final image. I think everyone has their two or three favorites but even those are up for debate between photographers and their brand/camera body.
High ISO noise is so manageable on newer cameras, I’ve gotten to where I use Tv and auto ISO almost exclusively when shooting large field sports with multiple “exposure zones.” 12800 is far, far less noisy than even 800 was on my first SLR from 2009.
7 месяцев назад+1
P with Focus and Exposure on dead center is one of my favorites
I used to use shutter priority or aperture priority. Then I discovered using manual mode with auto ISO. For what I do, outdoor sports, wildlife, outdoor events and indoor performances, it is my go to every time! Thanks for posting this video! It confirmed that I'm doing some of the right things! 😉
I love that you say, for example, a blurry background is “seen” as desirable! You can do whatever you like and you don’t need to follow conventions. I like taking all-in-focus street photos to practice my composition 👍
90% of the time I use manual with auto ISO. I bought my first good camera (Minolta SRT-102) in 1975 and got used to manual operation over the years. My first camera with any automation was a Nikon N90 which I still have. By using manual with auto ISO on my DSLR cameras, about the only thing different now is being able to vary the gain with ISO instead of having to select film ASA and deciding about tone placement and push or pull in development. The capabilities of modern digital cameras and post processing software are amazing and, for a senior like me, allow me to continue to enjoy photography (although I still shoot some film occasionally in my old manual SLR and TLR cameras). Sorry for the long-winded ramblings. As Forrest Gump might have said, "I'm through talking, now". 😊
Someone had to say it. I agree 100%. Getting out of the "darkroom" has been a huge motivating factor to keep me artistically focused. The digital darkroom has been a godsend. Far less wasteful than messy chemical disposal and bad prints, and far quicker.
It's such an honor to hear that 'A' or 'T' modes are totally fine by the professional photographer. I think many people limits themselves by believing the myth of 'manual mode' and the 'lower iso'. Really appreciate that you made this video. Big fan from South Korea!
Videos that explain everything this plainly are rare. You speak in terms I can understand. The other videos here tend to get way too lost in the tech-speak... almost like they're trying to impress everyone with the fancy words, instead of the fancy understanding. Loved the video. Make more, please.
10 Years of forcing myself to the confines of manual mode, manual ISO, and everything... I stumbled on your channel this last few days and changed my everyday shooting of wildlife and handheld photography. Sure I'll still do manual / bulb for my nightscapes and astro work. But you're breaking the shackles of MANUAL 100 ISO ONLY I've been stuck in for a decade. Thank YOU.
I have been shooting Av with autoISO for years. Now that mirrorless is here, I have switched my Canon R7 to FV mode. It is just as easy to setup for ease of use and way more versatile.
I've found the best way to maximize control over the all settings while minimizing time to get to the exposure I want under pressure is: spot metering mode with AE-lock. This is a layer of control on top of the shooting mode. It works in all modes except shooting M without flash, but even M with flash, it's helpful. It works like this... Camera setup for a particular shooting scenario: - configure the AE-lock on whatever button you want, some people like shutter half-press, but I set that to AF-lock and use the right thumb button for AE-lock - dial in the ISO limits you want and auto ISO, or a specific ISO if you want total control over that - set spot metering mode - set Av mode and dial in desired aperture (or Tv and desired shutter speed), e.g., Av with f/2.8 When shooting: 1. dial in EC for whatever tone you want to set in the frame, often the easiest is to pick the lightest or darkest tone at set it at whatever EV value you want, but any tone at any EV for whatever tone you choose works 2. meter the tone you chose and use your preferred button to set AE-lock ... as long as you hold that button now, the exposure is locked in on that tone and won't change (keep in mind if you have a zoom lens on, you can go to max zoom temporarily to get an even more accurate spot meter on the tone you want) 3. autofocus on whatever you want and shutter half-press to lock AF 4. frame the shot & release the shutter This shooting workflow becomes automatic with practice. As long as you keep your thumb on the AE-lock button, the exposure won't change from shot to shot, as long as the lighting is consistent you can keep AE-lock down. If lighting isn't dynamic much over the whole scenario, then flick into M shooting mode and dial in the aperture and shutter speed directly. This approach is great when paired with auto flash, too. Whatever mode you're shooting, Av, Tv, or M, and however many lights whether a single flash or multiple, you'll still get the tone you metered at whatever EV you set it to. This approach is robust when adding more lights into the mix, and gives you control over FEC as an independent variable as well. AF mode and AF-lock are also managed independently however you like.
Great explanation, really great. I agree with you 100%. What ever works for you is best, but be open minded to other methods. I had been (for birds in flight) setting the aperature where I need it and set speed high enough to get sharp inages using auto ISO and used the dial facing the rear of the camera to do changes to exposure compensation as needed. I may go back to that. Right now I am in full manual and I have the ISO setting on the dial facing the rear of the camera where my right thumb can move it as needed. I use the histogram and the blinkies while shooting to clue me to changes in lighting of the subject so I can spin the ISO dial to prevent over exposing my target which is frequently a bird with some (or a lot) of white feathers. The bottom line is that the bird may start flying from a dark group of trees and then be flying in front of a very bright sky and the light meter in the camera will substantially change the auto ISO setting leading to over or under exposed white feathers. If only we could tell the light meter to just meter the bird. And yes I do prefer to expose to the right but that is also how blown highlights happen on what would have been you best shots. The challange as I see it is a bird in direct sunlight will require the same exposure as it flys in front of a dark background as will be needed when it then flys in front of a bright background and for that situation auto ISO can work against you. Practice, practice, practice etc until you can change either ISO or exposure compensation on the fly.
I spent about a year teaching digital photography to high functioning, developmentally Disabled Young Adult. Digital photography is a near perfect example of "multi sensory learning" and give instant re enforcement/success. I started them in manual foe depth of field and shutter speed and had them set the cameras to "p" on the canon and Nikon DSJRs that I loaned to them. They could concentrate on capturing the images that they wanted. Out of about 20 students that came and went, I got enough good work to include in two shows in Newark, NJ with no comment about any disabilities. Two of them sold works. One of the high points of my professional career
I have been a gainfully employed photographer for the last 40 yrs and just recently purchased a Canon R6, and guess what, I use every damn mode, I paid for them all so use and I use them correctly. For me, it also depends on the situation
Amen. I, on the other hand, am a beginner amateur and I also try to find, usually by trial and error, when I can choose which mode, and with which settings, to get the picture I want. It's there for a reason so I don't see why one should just stick to a magic solve-it-all mode.
I love Manual +Auto ISO. I tell people all the time "If you really do have more noise than you'd like, noise reduction software is stellar today. Blur/movement reduction? THAT is still a major challenge, even with the latest tools. So give me noise over blur."
In situations where lighting is quickly changing and I don't want to fuss around with settings, (especially when using variable aperture zoom lenses) I will use Aperture priority and auto ISO with minimum shutter speed based on 1/focal length (reciprocal rule for hand shake).
Changing from using aperture mode to manual with Auto ISO was a game changer for me… not only does it help to better understand how SS, Ap and ISO work together but since I changed I was able to achieve sharper shots much more consistently in my wildlife and nature photography, which I do mostly! THANK YOU… incredible channel, phenomenal work… very much appreciated! 👏🏼🙏🏼
I thought my pictures were looking good, but just after watching your videos i remember the tips and use them right in action. I'd never have such amazing shots without you, your videos are really educational and simple to understand. I can see the true experience. Looking forward to new videos!
Very well said. The only thing I would add is that a semi-auto mode is fine to use but ONLY if you already know how to use the camera in manual/ understand the exposure triangle. Many people use them because they don't really understand how it all works and that is where it's a problem coz they get confused and panicked when doesn't work. I always recommend that you should shoot in Manual mode for a while if you don't know how to (when you are relaxed and doesnt matter if you get settings wrong) and only once you truly understand the relationship between ISo, Ss and Aperture (and exposure comp) then you can switch back to semi-auto, especially in tricky light scenarios. At the end of the day, there are no short cuts in photography when it comes to understanding the camera. Personally I'm a control freak and prefer to shoot fully manual as I often push settings to extremes which definitely doesn't really suit a semi-auto mode.
This is such good advice. When seeing an amazing shot people very rarely say "did you shoot it in manual mode though?" and using the tools we have is much better than trying to make it harder.
The introduction of FV mode by Canon is pretty nice. I use it frequently on the R7 by setting shutter speed and aperture to my liking, setting iso to auto and using exposure comp to tweak the shot. It's still basically manual as you explained it but shows all the settings nicely on the bottom of the view finder and allows for fast setting changes. Kind of a hybrid manual mode hence flexible value. Keep up your great videos!
Simon, I’ve been an amateur photographer for over 25 years and thought that manual mode was the best. I shoot landscape and wildlife. Listening to this tutorial did 2 things for me. #1 is to use the aperture or shutter priority, or auto ISO modes for the appropriate occasions and #2 subscribe to your channel to learn even more great tips. Thanks
I now shoot my Canon R7 at shutter priority with auto-ISO for wildlife photography. With this set-up the aperture is held wide open and I can use the second back dial to adjust ISO for exposure compensation. This has an advantage over manual and auto-ISO where I had to press a button and then set a dial to change exposure compensation. Now I can instantaneously adjust my exposure as needed. I have an alternate mode where I have the R7 set to manual and auto-ISO, but I assigned the lens control ring to adjust aperture (this may be unique to Canon) and the second control dial to exposure compensation. This configuration allows me full control over the three main settings.
I work as a newspaper photographer, I tend to shoot manual, but use auto iso nowadays and use the compensation as needed. Most cameras can shoot pretty high iso, and software is so good at cleaning up noise, that it really isn't a problem. Saying that, it is important to learn how manual works for the odd times
Like you I shoot a lot of sudden photos, catching moments that suddenly present themselves and I need the camera to be as automatic as possible (candids, reactions at events, concerts etc). Aperture priority with limits on shudder speed work for most of my shots, the obvious exception being sports/action, but I appreciate these balanced opinions from people who truly know their craft. For a long time manual mode seems to be almost a badge of honor to signify "look, I'm serious about this". But how many great shots have been lost because of this fixation.
I use manual mode because I feel it is the best way to familiarise yourself with your camera and also to read the light conditions without relying on a meter, once you have become confident with your camera you can explore the different modes. It is just the way I do it and I am NO expert, just old fashioned.
Glad someone finally said this there is so much gate keeping in photography it makes me sick I say who cares what mode you shoot is as long as you are enjoying what your doing and getting the results you want plus alot can be "fixed" in post processing
When we had swimming class in school the first lesson was spent in the classroom learning some theory and safety rules. Watching this channel as I sit here with my first real camera that arrived before its charger feels just like that, excited to learn the occult secrets of a new craft and giddy for my first chance to test what I have learned from the sages.
Congrats on your new camera! You describe the experience so well, and you have so much fun ahead! I love how Simon guides us towards the essential elements, around stuff that doesn't really matter. In this case, decide what result you want, then identify what controls that result. I sometimes choose a scene, then play with various settings to see what can happen. I recently was at a pond with ducks. I took photos in Aperture priority, isolating the ducks at wide aperture, then framing the ducks near a tree limb with smaller aperture. I changed to Shutter priority to get fast sharp photos of a duck as it flapped, then slower photos of flowing water that show the blur. I tried several ways to include the falling snow too, which was tricky. Too fast and the snow flakes were tiny, too slow and they were too blurred and distracting. Enjoy the heck out of your new camera. Spring is a fabulous time to start. May you never stop learning and delighting!
I worked an event with an award winning AP photographer. He shot entirely in P mode. Called it “professional” mode! Composition was more important than anything else, as not getting the shot was worse than the wrong ISO.
I like when you say that you don't care what ISO is in your photo if it serves your creativity. I once read that if a high ISO photograph is in focus, it is usable.
For wildlife and aviation pics I've been using manual with Auto ISO and it's been working great. Can still apply exposure compensation say if for focusing on a white bird. I do keep an eye on the ISO and if getting high will adjust the shutter speed down to keep it in check and especially if a bird is not moving around too much. Thanks for the great video. I will use AV mode in some situations too. And like Simon says if you've got time and doing landscapes or astro on a tripod then I'll move to full manual.
My goto mode is FV (Canon). It is the best of all worlds. You have all controls available in one place and can essentially do Av, Tv or Manual mode in one view. I have set a button to quickly change the current setting I am on to auto and another button to change all settings to auto. Then I can quickly manually adjust the setting(s) I don't want on auto.
You can use the delete button to set the current setting to auto (press once) or all settings to auto at once (press and hold for a second or two). You don't need to dedicate one or two other buttons to the task.
@@ronjenkins4257Good point on the delete button. However, I can never find the delete button easily unless I take my eye from the viewfinder. That's why I mapped the buttons.
I use Program mode. After the camera suggests a setting I can easily change aperture or shutter using command dials. Exposure comp is also easy to adjust along with ISO. I think of Program as a semi/manual mode.
I didn't listen anything that I knew already. But it was a perfect feeling that a pro has confirmed what I had been doing already for years... Thank you very much Simon...
Simon - you are not allowed to say this! Love your video, I have been using these two modes for years because like you mentioned, "I rather focus on my creativity!"
I use manual mode because my camera only has manual mode because I shoot film because it was my dads in the 80s because I can't afford a digital camera because I'm poor
I’m late to the party but this is exactly how I used to teach exposure in the digital photography classes at our college’s photography program. Having a histogram and exposure compensation really changed the student’s ability to think creatively. I love your clear eyed approach to photography Simon. 👏🏻
I started my photography journey about 4 years ago with an (analog) EOS 1000FN and I currently use an EOS 600D for my digital shoots. I almost exclusively use the aperture priority mode. It just works for me every time.
I'm new to photography and have struggled to understand all that's needed to use manual mode in the field. In studio and other areas where you control the environment makes perfect sense, otherwise it being "ok" to take advantage of the technology (primarily with semiautomatic mode) in the camera is a huge relief. Love the analogy of buying a computer and then keeping it turned off. That has freed me up to "focus" (pun intended) on the art of photography and quit being limited by my lack of knowledge and dexterity to change settings fast enough. Great video.
I shoot motorsports (offroad motorcycle racing) and have grown to use Aperture priority almost all the time. I prefer to control the "look" of the photo (field depth of focus) and set my ISO manually to keep my shutter speed fast enough at it's slowest. If my shutter speed increase with extra light I am not bothered by the shutter speed increases to compensate. I refuse to let my camera mess with ISO... a hold over from my digital photography starting a couple decades ago. :) I do choose full manual mode with shooting with remote speedlights for control reasons. Other motorsport photogs looked confused when I say I prefer Av over Tv, but it makes most sense to me and how to get the pictures I want. I enjoy seeing others routes to capture pictures as there is no singular right way.
I hear you! I started on an older Canon Rebel where noise was really a problem. Now, with a Canon 80D, I limit myself 6400 ISO (where I can pretty easily mop up noise later) and go with Manual + Auto ISO.
I'm a storm chaser/weather photographer who mostly does timelapses and I usually stick with aperture priority. Most of the time, I set my aperture to f/8-f/11 to make sure everything's sharp and my intervalometer to somewhere between 2 and 10 seconds depending on the shoot. It's great to just be able to sit back and appreciate the storm while my camera body handles the shutter speed. I don't have a lightning trigger, so I get my lightning shots by doing long exposures in full manual mode, since the semi-auto modes can't handle dramatic brightness changes mid-exposure.
Simon you are a godsend, i have learned about settings and their effects from your videos with ease. Before I just could not grasp the method and when out shooting would get frustrated and forget basics. Thank you.
I have been interested in photography for over 30 years. I found your channel about 2 months ago. I have learned more in the last 2 months than the previous 30 years of tinkering! Love your videos thanks for sharing your knowledge!
Agree 100%. I have been a photographer for 55 years. Saying real photographers only shoot manual is said by people that don't understand how to use the powerful tool they have. Putting today's high end camera in manual (without Auto ISO), is like buying a computer and keeping it turned off. There is no way that someone can be more accurate or as fast as the camera can change settings. I have to say, if I am shooting on a bright sunny day and DOF is not an issue, I have shot in program mode as well. When I shoot concert photography, it is manual with auto ISO. Night rocket launches. shutter priority..
I shoot in manual with auto ISO since a while, and I really enjoy it! It gives you full control over how you want your photo to look and it has a wide range of possibilities. When I started photographing birds, other wildlife and nature (about a year ago) I prefered shooting in tv, since I lacked experience and I didn't have enough time to figure out what numbers I should use in the field. The tv mode gave me much more freedom to fully focus on how fast my subject was moving without worrying that I had a wrong aperture. But now that I have way more knowledge (especially because of Simon😊) I can control my camera pretty well to make the shots I want to make with the most input by myself.
Of all the photography tutors on RUclips you are, in my humble opinion, simply the best. Your instructions are clear, concise and to the point. Thank you for your invaluable help; you have made me a better photographer and for that I am very grateful. Greetings from Ireland.
So good to hear this perfectly described. Using semi-auto modes is what I have taught “newbies” for years. Even with sports photography, such as equestrian events, we’re so often battling for enough light and under a lot of other pressures. Contrary to what most people might think is “correct”, I like to use aperture priority for sports events. (I once had quite a heated exchange over this with the equestrian photographer I was shooting for, but when she saw my results, she stopped trying to change how I did things!) It allows me to set a wide aperture (for maximum light and a short DoF) and then pretty much forget about it. By keeping one eye on the shutter speeds the camera is selecting, I can quickly adjust ISO to try to keep that in a range I’m happy with. If I use shutter priority, the danger here is that my camera could then seriously underexpose in changing light conditions before I realise that I need to increase ISO. Aperture priority just feels so much better and safer in the light conditions we so often need to handle.
I just found out today that the auto-ISO on my D300s only works in manual mode. (that's with the latest firmware, I have four different Nikon DSLRs and brought them all up to the latest firmware this summer) A lot of things about this camera seem to only work right in manual mode. I completely understand what you're saying. I still expect the camera to do what I tell it to and if it's not in manual mode you're not telling it to do anything but that one function, whether it's setting the shutter speed or the aperture or just shooting a certain exposure in Program mode (or just *taking* the picture in Auto mode). The camera is setting all the other values for you, and the more automated you run the camera the more chance that it's not setting them right. If I want f9.5 and 1/300th sec shutter speed, the only way that I know that I'm going to get it is in manual mode. The question of whether that's enough of an exposure at that ISO? I leave to the auto ISO mode. After I make sure that it works correctly. It might even be slightly off. I can deal with it being a half or a third of a stop off. I can't deal with the shutter-speed and/or aperture being off by 50pct or even 33pct. F8 and 1/200th is not the answer that I'm looking for. In this age of "computational photography" you're lucky to even have that level of control.
This is exactly how I shoot action. Usually wide open aperture for maximum shutter speed and then adjust ISO and/or aperture depending on the shutter speeds I'm getting. Lighting doesn't generally change so drastically that you get unusable shots shooting this way and I stay in better control of my ISO. Occasionally I shoot manual with auto ISO, but then that's not really manual, is it?
@@touristguy87 If you are shooting fast action, like birds in flight or horses, the faster the shutter speed the better, unless shutter speed maxes out. Thus if I leave my aperture wide open and look for a minimum shutter speed of say 1/640, I'm quite pleased with a shutter speed that is two or even 10 times as fast. If I have plenty of shutter speed to play with, I'll lower my ISO or, if I want more DOF, decrease my aperture. I don't want to set my shutter speed at 1/640 because that is still kind of marginal for capturing things like BIF. If a bird flies from shade to sun I might get some keepers at 1/640 in the shade, but I'm much more likely to get keepers in the sun at 1/1250.
@@pennycarlson1943 well that's two different issues. My experience is that auto ISO works in manual mode but the exposure isn't adjustable, at least not for my Nikon gear. What I think that you're looking for you'd find in S mode, maybe A mode if you don't care so much about shutter-speed. You can always set the aperture manually and control aperture-related issues. But then the issue of the shutter-speed to ISO ratio comes up. I have 4 Nikon DSLRs. I think that only the D750 has an adjustment for auto-SS given auto-ISO (in S mode). I personally would rather just use M with auto-ISO because then I get almost all of the flexibility & reliability of S & A without having to sweat the ISO. Which is really all that I want. Regardless of shutter speed & F#, I want a decent exposure. The other problem is that noise *can* be a real problem because it doesn't just suddenly get too high as you increase the ISO. If you auto-ISO in 1/2 stops even, it's not going to double from step to step. It's more like 1.707, sqrt(2) I would guess. Something like that. So the noise is increasing somewhat linearly also, and if you've done enough PP you know that the appropriate sharpening and NR completely depend on the image AND the viewing-conditions. Or you can just turn NR on in the camera and let the customer deal with the fine-detail and sharpening from there. It's just not quite as easy as 1-2-3
Bonjour Simon, i studied photography 20 years ago and often felt like a fraud using semi-automatic modes after i finished my degree. At some point i got obsessed with getting the right manual settings at all times. After a few years without a real camera i'm jumping back into the game and i'm glad to hear this about speed or aperture priority modes, i will certainly use them at will. Your work is sick by the way.
I use 2 custom settings for wildlife: one for stationary subjects and one for moving subjects. I do this to be prepared for any situation that could happen at any moment since it's easy to switch between both. Stationary subjects: shutter speed based on max focal length of lens (in my case 500mm so 1/500s), Aperture at f/8 for sharpness but I may decrease it in darker scenarios, auto ISO, and small focus zone. Faster subjects: shutter speed at 1/3200s (may increase or decrease based on subject), same aperture as above, auto ISO, fastest frames/second setting, and larger focus zone. One change I need to make is mapping my metering to a dial because an all-white subject or an all-black subject can sometimes cause exposure issues. When it comes to landscape photos, I'll use manual mode.
@@peeweebarney No. Typically, I'll shoot anywhere ranging f/8-f/16 for landscape photos. It is said that shooting at a really small aperture (high f-stop) introduces diffraction and softens an image. Not to mention you'll need to have a slower shutter speed or a high ISO for proper exposure which is usually not ideal. If I need the foreground in focus and a distant background in focus too, then I'll shoot 2 images: one where my focus point is close and other on the background, then I'll merge the 2 images with Photoshop.
This video + the video on ISO are the two most fundamental skills I’ve learned in my photography journey, aside from learning the “rules” of good composition.
I’ve been using nothing but aperture priority for decades now. It’s what I use. It’s what I know with fantastic results. When people pull out an expensive camera and leave it on auto, I get queasy.
I’ve been shooting my church service photography in aperture priority with shutter speed set to a minimum of 1/125 and auto ISO because of watching one of your videos. My shots are coming out perfect all the time and all I adjust is my exposure compensation. This has really changed my photography. So much easier. And with the AI denoise in Lightroom, high ISO is not a problem. Thank you!
New photographer here. Glad I stumbled on this amazing video. Makes absolute sense and I will learn from somoene who knows instead of getting frustrated and not enjoying my hobby. Thank you from an excited new subscriber!
Thank you, very informative. It rings true to a beginner's ears! This way you also get to understand better what F stop you need vs aperture, just by observing what the camera is doing in semi-auto modes.
Started out trying to shoot manual but once I realized I'm just doing what the camera tells you to do so why not just let the camera do the work. Today I'm mostly using Apertur priority and controlling the rest with exposure comp. and Iso (mostly in auto)
For me every setting has it's purpose. I am fast as light changing all settings which gives me total control over every aspect achieving the picture I took in my mind before I press the release button. That's why I call myself a pro.
Most often overlooked feature: Program shift. Set the camera on P Mode, and you will be fine for most of your everyday photography. Change shutter speed or aperture for a special situation? Just dial up or down to change shutter speed and aperture at the same time to the values you need. Auto ISO sounds great to extend the range, but some cameras are reluctant to give you more ISO, and quickly changing the ISO value manually is no big deal.
Same with me. I use Av and Tv when the image I want to take requires it, but otherwise Program Mode and sometimes even Auto+ as modern cameras have really improved this mode a lot.
I’m the king of profiles setup for different days/types of shoots but I always love my first ever which is for aperture priority with min/max set up for iso and shutter speed. Its makes shoots flow so nice
I always use manual with auto ISO for nature/action and low-light as I can squeeze out a bit more sharpness with a slightly darker aperture. For daylight/street I use aperture priority. But I will see if I can set a minimal shutter speed for aperture priority. Would help with handheld shots in the dark as I'd prefer to stick to 1/50 or 1/60. Digital cameras are magical to allow for variable ISO's and giving you full control of your artistic preferences with both the shutter and aperture. Back in the day with a fixed ISO film roll you'd be somewhat more limited for sure.
Mostly I do photojournalism, and as such I mainly use auto ISO with manual settings of 500th sec and an f-stop set between f5.6 & f8 depending how much depth of field is required, sometimes knocking exposure compensation up or down dependent on how dark or light the background is, and with AF-C for moving subjects. Outside of that, just as you say, if one is setting up for things where one has time, portraits, landscapes etc, I'll generally flip to an ISO of say 400 and adjust f-stop and speed accordingly. In studio similarly, one has time to set everything just right. So it all depends what one is shooting. In a moving situation, protests, civil disturbances, covering politics etc, one doesn't always have time to continually mess with all the settings so auto-ISO and having a fast shutter speed and reasonable f-stop is best.
A pro does what they need to do to capture their shot. Sure, if we all had infinite time, we'd all shoot single-shot manual. But sometimes you only get a few chances at something. Having things like auto-bracketing, aperture priority, and shutter priority give you the best chance at success.
This is definitely the one video I would show to newcomers to photo who are often overwhelmed by the array of settings their newly bought and cherished camera offers. Your explanations are so clear, it really is a pleasure to watch. Renewed congrats Simon !
I love the way you deliver. It makes me feel ok to make mistakes and so, I kept going back to your videos for inspiration aside from learning. Thank you Simon.
I never hassle with ISO, I might set boundaries to how far the camera is allowed to go though. A little tip on the side: Many cameras have Dynamic Range Compensation, with that they will, even if you shoot raw, brighten dark shadows, depending on how high you set it. This way you can often get away with a -0.3 or even -0.5 exposure compensation, this way you will rarely if ever experience blown out bright backgrounds like a sky but still retain detailed shadows.
Nice to have such a good explanation and endorsement for M with AutoISO. By tweaking the exposure compensation when needed, this is almost the only mode I use on my Canon R7. By assigning the main control dial to shutter speed, lens control ring to aperture, and rear control dial to exposure compensation, I feel like I have complete control in a timely way. By limiting ISO to 100-3200, noise and low light are not an issue with modern sensors and denoising software. Thanks. PS I hope you made it through this week's snow emergency! Here in MB, it's raining!!
I just want to say Thank You. You make the best camera tutorials. I bought my Sony A7II for backpacking more than 10 years ago, and your videos are filling in all the gaps of what I learned slowly through trial and error.
Excellent advice. Im coming back to photography after a long, long break and this video has really helped with remembering to let the camera help me rather than me just control it.
Using Manual Mode with Auto ISO is the solution that is used by most experienced photographers and this capability has been available with most cameras for the past 10 years.
Great lesson. This helped me so much. I took an intro photography class in college, & I learned to use the modes this video discusses. I thought I still must get to the place where I learn to use Manual, so I'm lacking; but I obtained a Canon 80D, not a beginner camera when I took my class, so it is very complicated to learn even without using manual mode. I am so relieved to hear the info of this video putting manual mode, in perspective, including reading all these comments!!! I'm so happy to learn this info! This made my day. I cannot imagine how much trouble this one video just saved me, as I'm slowly but surely learning to use my camera as an artist. I'd rather do my art than waste my life away on slow use of manual mode, which I had thought was the goal! I'm glad to hear you have a video that teaches one vital mode I have not learned- manual with auto ISO. Thanks.
Ironically with Sony: Aperture Mode is best, with auto ISO & a min. shutter speed. Program a button on the directional pad so you can quickly change the shutter. The problem with manual mode is that if you have too much light the camera will hold the shutter speed and will over expose the image. Same thing with shutter priority strangely. In aperture mode you can just set a min. speed, and never overexpose an image. 90% of my shooting is this way.
@@jordivila5207 I am a Sony user. Started using A7III, then got A7IV and A7RV. The RV definitely does this, check your settings when you’re on aperture priority mode.
@@jordivila5207 So here's the way Shutter Priority Mode works on an A7R3 with current firmware with Auto ISO and Auto Aperture: Lock Shutter Speed ---> If too much exposure, then reduce the ISO to minimum ---> If still too much exposure, then tighten the aperture (FIRST PROBLEM: it will go all the way to f/22 and destroy any sharpness due to diffraction) ---> If still too much exposure, then blow out the image. If you're in Shutter Priority and lock the aperture, the camera will blow out the image until you manually quicken the shutter. Aperture Priority mode allows you to set a minimum shutter speed and then will intelligently quicken the shutter if possible, or will increase ISO if needed. I've had the best results for me with that mode. I can shoot closer to ISO 100 without worrying about blowing out an image. Edit: one more thing. They may have fixed this on the newer bodies, or it may just be my giant hands, but on mine it is RIDICULOUSLY easy to accidentally bump the back dial with my palm, which controls ISO by default. I can't tell you how many times I THOUGHT I was in Auto ISO and then bumped that dial, and suddenly I'm at ISO 50 and I screw up the shot. It's so bad for me that I've actually just disabled that back dial altogether, and will only turn it back on when I'm shooting in full manual.
This is the best summary of all you need to know to manage the various modes. Yes, having come from the manual days [Nikon F through to Nikon F5] I used to set my pro camera to manual, but am now using the modes more, although I find that the exposure compensation dial is very useful to ensure I get exactly the exposure I want.
Macro and Astro photographer here: Trying to invest in a full frame camera and learned that a lot of old lenses are extremely cheap because they dont have auto focus. Also noticed that new cheap lenses today have less quality in optics in my opinion. Just an example, the Canon 55-250mm that my dad got with his camera 15 years ago is much sharper and aberrations are not present in that lens. The Canon 75-300mm is horrendous. Image quality seems muddier and the aberrations are just horrendous. I am really looking into a Nikon Z5, and lucky for me, I have never used any other mode other than Manual Mode!
Macro almost _has_ to be done manually: effective aperture actually decreases at high magnification, so you have to overexpose at bit compared to shorter distances. And trying to meter stars is a real pain in the butt.... I'm in a similar situation: I have a couple of inexpensive stock lenses designed for my mount, but everything else is in a different mount because it has to be. No autofocus, no shutter priority. I set the aperture, and only ISO and shutter speed can be automated.
Absolutely agree with everything you said I love manual mode but it can be a pain changing ISO so choosing auto ISO allows you to enjoy taking photos rather than worrying about making adjustments and missing the shot.
Simon, this is just what I needed to hear - the dials changing depending on the mode just drives me crazy. I’m not smart enough to remember all the changes. So, being able to set the same dials for each mode is something I never thought to do. Thank you! By the way, I found you by way of Gavin.
I will shoot manual with auto ISO for fast moving subjects and modify the exposure compensation to grab the subject. Works like a charm 99% of the time.
Same. Let’s me set the camera for the subject and background and the camera adjusts the ISO accordingly. Could never do this in my 5D MKii as it was capped at 400
Only time I use "Manual" is when the camera I'm using is hooked up to fire some strobes in a studio, or a fixed lighting scene with the camera on a tripod. The other time it's on a telescope & a sky-watcher equatorial mount on "Manual" being controlled the the ASI-Air computer for multiple 3-5 minute long deep-sky shots. Otherwise, 95% of the time for me it's on "Aperture" priority. Previous 8x10' Deardorff studio guy and do both aviation/landscape stuff. Great channel Simon!
Thank you so much Simon, I have started watching your videos a little less than a month ago and i have not only learned so much about photography concepts such as proper megapixel count and composition tips but I have learned so much about every function my camera and their buttons and menu's are capable of and have mastered new ways to control creative photography i never thought was possible. You are a complete blessing to the community in your ability to perfectly articulate your teachings. You are also very well planned and do not harp on any subject too long and keep a very active and engaging flow in your videos.
Rapidly becoming one of my favourite channels. I used to by mystified by the interplay of these settings but no more! Plus your photos are nothing short of breathtaking.
As a photographer, it's the best comment I've ever seen from a photographer. If you don't shoot in "Manual you are an amateur". In my opinion, we should always try all the ways that gossip machines provide and come to our own conclusions as to what is the best method to photograph each scene...
Thanks for a great show Simon. I do it a bit differently. I sport an R6 and R7, and prefer total manual mode. I used to set ISO to auto but found the cameras tend toward over-exposure, and this affects colour tone that is difficult to recover in post processing. I now use the C1, C2, C3 modes (with auto update) set for 1 -Electronic shutter and settings for fast -moving birds, 2 -Electronic 1st curtain and settings for shady birds on a branch, and 3 -Settings for long-lens macro. I can rapidly change Cx to get the last settings for the type of shot I want to make, and make a small adjustment for a slightly different exposure. I don't expose to the right (as auto modes will do) because I can recover data in the darker areas better than the bright areas, and so I can get my clouds looking better, and avoid small areas of over exposure on bird feathers or leaves on trees.
EXACTLY. Since the camera meter doesn't read only the bird the only safe thing to do is not push the boundries of "expose to the right". A great photo blown out is not a great photo.
What mode do you use, and why? I’d love to know! I’m always looking to better understand the needs and choices of photographers to make better videos!
I use auto ISO, seems the best for me. I can control aperture and shutter speed.
FV mode
Manual with auto ISO, like you said, ISO is the only part of the exposure triangle that doesn't affect the creative outlook.
I usually use auto-ISO and depending on what I’m photographing, I choose shutter priority, aperture priority, or manual mode.
I use manual with auto ISO, adjusting e-comp as needed.
Great video!
Simon, I know you get this all the time, but even so - your delivery is always sharp, your demeanour always calm and friendly, and your insights are always solid and splendidly illustrated. In my opinion, you set a standard for teaching, and you uphold it infallibly. That's why even on topics where I already know what you are going to suggest from the title, I watch the video with pleasure. You are a delight to follow.
Too kind!
This is so true! I knew what you will tell us at the end but I also watched the whole video. I am a teacher and I really enjoy your videos!
This post nails it! Thank you.
completely agree !
so true
Finally someone said this... I'm a commercial photographer and I almost never use Manual except the scenarios when I really need to control the light like you described. I use mostly semi-auto modes, with only manual aperture control. Thanks for your video. I'm wandering around youtube and found your channel. A breath of fresh air! Cheers from Portugal.
I have used manual in some cases but in many of these situation I had the iso on auto, lol.
Without doubt, Simon is THE best photography tutor on RUclips.
After just watching this one single video that I've seen of his I agree, and I watch a lot of photography channels
Agree totally😀
Thank you, Simon. I have been beat to death by being told I must shoot in full manual, and I’m missing so many shots because I’m not fast enough. I feel like you’ve given me “permission” to let my camera help me. I’m so grateful for these educational videos! You’re the “bomb-diggety”!❤
You speak for so many of us!......I have so much more confidence now!
I feel the same as you, mate! I`m in photography for about, 15 to 18 years now, maybe a little more... and i was hammered real hard with the slogan: "YOU'VE GOT TO SHOT IN MANUAL MODE ALL THE TIME!!! REAL PHOTOGRAPHERS ONLY SHOOT IN MANUAL MODE!!!". And because of that, I've always had this aversion to any mode that's not Manual...
With Simon, I've learned that i can allow myself to relax, breed and use another modes that aren't "Full Manual" all the frigging time. Mainly because my main interest in photography is Photojournalism (Graduated in august last year, finally) where both the time to think of the configurations and actually capture the scenes i want, or the agenda demands, are really fast and short in time.
Who ever told you that you must alwas us manual has no clue what they are talking about.
@@vinnyvanoni5321 Thats to bad.
I just bought a dslr I’ll shoot however I want. People these days love to criticize others for what they are doing
I am 82 years young. Thanks for reminding me. I know all this stuff at one time but it is good to brush up. My DSLR only comes out during the summer when I am out and about on my mobility scooter. Otherwise, I use my iPhone to take regular photos.
I've been a pro photog for 38 years. This is probably the best content I've seen discussing this topic. Very clear and easy to understand. I tend to use Av or Tv most of the time, but I also use manual with auto ISO. And ... sometimes I just put it in P and let it go.
Great to hear!
Second that. I wish I had been taught this simply and with real life examples years ago.
Same. I don't know any professional photographer that doesn't switch modes with the environment, subject and effect/desire of the final image. I think everyone has their two or three favorites but even those are up for debate between photographers and their brand/camera body.
High ISO noise is so manageable on newer cameras, I’ve gotten to where I use Tv and auto ISO almost exclusively when shooting large field sports with multiple “exposure zones.” 12800 is far, far less noisy than even 800 was on my first SLR from 2009.
P with Focus and Exposure on dead center is one of my favorites
I used to use shutter priority or aperture priority. Then I discovered using manual mode with auto ISO. For what I do, outdoor sports, wildlife, outdoor events and indoor performances, it is my go to every time! Thanks for posting this video! It confirmed that I'm doing some of the right things! 😉
Same here
Nice post, if you don’t want to use manual mode don’t, but if you need it is there!
Same here.
Same. Auto ISO lets me control the DoF and motion blur.
I love that you say, for example, a blurry background is “seen” as desirable!
You can do whatever you like and you don’t need to follow conventions.
I like taking all-in-focus street photos to practice my composition 👍
I too use Manual and Auto ISO in most scenarios. Works great for me. Adjusting 2 setting is very quick and manageable.
Totally agree!
@@simon_dentremont And the exposure comp on the rear wheel. The wheel on the top is too clumsy.
90% of the time I use manual with auto ISO. I bought my first good camera (Minolta SRT-102) in 1975 and got used to manual operation over the years. My first camera with any automation was a Nikon N90 which I still have. By using manual with auto ISO on my DSLR cameras, about the only thing different now is being able to vary the gain with ISO instead of having to select film ASA and deciding about tone placement and push or pull in development. The capabilities of modern digital cameras and post processing software are amazing and, for a senior like me, allow me to continue to enjoy photography (although I still shoot some film occasionally in my old manual SLR and TLR cameras). Sorry for the long-winded ramblings. As Forrest Gump might have said, "I'm through talking, now". 😊
Yep.
Someone had to say it. I agree 100%. Getting out of the "darkroom" has been a huge motivating factor to keep me artistically focused. The digital darkroom has been a godsend. Far less wasteful than messy chemical disposal and bad prints, and far quicker.
It's such an honor to hear that 'A' or 'T' modes are totally fine by the professional photographer. I think many people limits themselves by believing the myth of 'manual mode' and the 'lower iso'. Really appreciate that you made this video. Big fan from South Korea!
I have been like you
Videos that explain everything this plainly are rare. You speak in terms I can understand. The other videos here tend to get way too lost in the tech-speak... almost like they're trying to impress everyone with the fancy words, instead of the fancy understanding.
Loved the video. Make more, please.
Auto ISO became a game changer for me when capturing wildlife with quickly changing light conditions. Brilliant video 👍🏻
10 Years of forcing myself to the confines of manual mode, manual ISO, and everything...
I stumbled on your channel this last few days and changed my everyday shooting of wildlife and handheld photography.
Sure I'll still do manual / bulb for my nightscapes and astro work.
But you're breaking the shackles of MANUAL 100 ISO ONLY I've been stuck in for a decade.
Thank YOU.
I have been shooting Av with autoISO for years. Now that mirrorless is here, I have switched my Canon R7 to FV mode. It is just as easy to setup for ease of use and way more versatile.
I've found the best way to maximize control over the all settings while minimizing time to get to the exposure I want under pressure is: spot metering mode with AE-lock. This is a layer of control on top of the shooting mode. It works in all modes except shooting M without flash, but even M with flash, it's helpful. It works like this...
Camera setup for a particular shooting scenario:
- configure the AE-lock on whatever button you want, some people like shutter half-press, but I set that to AF-lock and use the right thumb button for AE-lock
- dial in the ISO limits you want and auto ISO, or a specific ISO if you want total control over that
- set spot metering mode
- set Av mode and dial in desired aperture (or Tv and desired shutter speed), e.g., Av with f/2.8
When shooting:
1. dial in EC for whatever tone you want to set in the frame, often the easiest is to pick the lightest or darkest tone at set it at whatever EV value you want, but any tone at any EV for whatever tone you choose works
2. meter the tone you chose and use your preferred button to set AE-lock ... as long as you hold that button now, the exposure is locked in on that tone and won't change (keep in mind if you have a zoom lens on, you can go to max zoom temporarily to get an even more accurate spot meter on the tone you want)
3. autofocus on whatever you want and shutter half-press to lock AF
4. frame the shot & release the shutter
This shooting workflow becomes automatic with practice. As long as you keep your thumb on the AE-lock button, the exposure won't change from shot to shot, as long as the lighting is consistent you can keep AE-lock down. If lighting isn't dynamic much over the whole scenario, then flick into M shooting mode and dial in the aperture and shutter speed directly.
This approach is great when paired with auto flash, too. Whatever mode you're shooting, Av, Tv, or M, and however many lights whether a single flash or multiple, you'll still get the tone you metered at whatever EV you set it to. This approach is robust when adding more lights into the mix, and gives you control over FEC as an independent variable as well. AF mode and AF-lock are also managed independently however you like.
Great explanation, really great. I agree with you 100%. What ever works for you is best, but be open minded to other methods. I had been (for birds in flight) setting the aperature where I need it and set speed high enough to get sharp inages using auto ISO and used the dial facing the rear of the camera to do changes to exposure compensation as needed. I may go back to that. Right now I am in full manual and I have the ISO setting on the dial facing the rear of the camera where my right thumb can move it as needed. I use the histogram and the blinkies while shooting to clue me to changes in lighting of the subject so I can spin the ISO dial to prevent over exposing my target which is frequently a bird with some (or a lot) of white feathers. The bottom line is that the bird may start flying from a dark group of trees and then be flying in front of a very bright sky and the light meter in the camera will substantially change the auto ISO setting leading to over or under exposed white feathers. If only we could tell the light meter to just meter the bird. And yes I do prefer to expose to the right but that is also how blown highlights happen on what would have been you best shots. The challange as I see it is a bird in direct sunlight will require the same exposure as it flys in front of a dark background as will be needed when it then flys in front of a bright background and for that situation auto ISO can work against you. Practice, practice, practice etc until you can change either ISO or exposure compensation on the fly.
I spent about a year teaching digital photography to high functioning, developmentally Disabled Young Adult. Digital photography is a near perfect example of "multi sensory learning" and give instant re enforcement/success. I started them in manual foe depth of field and shutter speed and had them set the cameras to "p" on the canon and Nikon DSJRs that I loaned to them. They could concentrate on capturing the images that they wanted. Out of about 20 students that came and went, I got enough good work to include in two shows in Newark, NJ with no comment about any disabilities. Two of them sold works. One of the high points of my professional career
I have been a gainfully employed photographer for the last 40 yrs and just recently purchased a Canon R6, and guess what, I use every damn mode, I paid for them all so use and I use them correctly. For me, it also depends on the situation
Amen. I, on the other hand, am a beginner amateur and I also try to find, usually by trial and error, when I can choose which mode, and with which settings, to get the picture I want. It's there for a reason so I don't see why one should just stick to a magic solve-it-all mode.
I love Manual +Auto ISO. I tell people all the time "If you really do have more noise than you'd like, noise reduction software is stellar today. Blur/movement reduction? THAT is still a major challenge, even with the latest tools. So give me noise over blur."
In situations where lighting is quickly changing and I don't want to fuss around with settings, (especially when using variable aperture zoom lenses) I will use Aperture priority and auto ISO with minimum shutter speed based on 1/focal length (reciprocal rule for hand shake).
Can also slow shutter further to factor any available IS
Changing from using aperture mode to manual with Auto ISO was a game changer for me… not only does it help to better understand how SS, Ap and ISO work together but since I changed I was able to achieve sharper shots much more consistently in my wildlife and nature photography, which I do mostly! THANK YOU… incredible channel, phenomenal work… very much appreciated! 👏🏼🙏🏼
I thought my pictures were looking good, but just after watching your videos i remember the tips and use them right in action. I'd never have such amazing shots without you, your videos are really educational and simple to understand. I can see the true experience. Looking forward to new videos!
Very well said. The only thing I would add is that a semi-auto mode is fine to use but ONLY if you already know how to use the camera in manual/ understand the exposure triangle. Many people use them because they don't really understand how it all works and that is where it's a problem coz they get confused and panicked when doesn't work. I always recommend that you should shoot in Manual mode for a while if you don't know how to (when you are relaxed and doesnt matter if you get settings wrong) and only once you truly understand the relationship between ISo, Ss and Aperture (and exposure comp) then you can switch back to semi-auto, especially in tricky light scenarios. At the end of the day, there are no short cuts in photography when it comes to understanding the camera. Personally I'm a control freak and prefer to shoot fully manual as I often push settings to extremes which definitely doesn't really suit a semi-auto mode.
This is such good advice. When seeing an amazing shot people very rarely say "did you shoot it in manual mode though?" and using the tools we have is much better than trying to make it harder.
The introduction of FV mode by Canon is pretty nice. I use it frequently on the R7 by setting shutter speed and aperture to my liking, setting iso to auto and using exposure comp to tweak the shot. It's still basically manual as you explained it but shows all the settings nicely on the bottom of the view finder and allows for fast setting changes. Kind of a hybrid manual mode hence flexible value. Keep up your great videos!
I’ll make a video on FV one of these days.
Please do Simon - I think a lot of Canon shooters would be surprised how useful this underutilized mode is. It’s great!
Agree on Canon's FV mode. It's very useful when wanting to to quickly change settings on the fly - manual mode on steroids.
I tell myself that FV mode is “guided manual.” Great video.
@@jimbruton9482100% correct . Manual mode on steroids
Simon, I’ve been an amateur photographer for over 25 years and thought that manual mode was the best. I shoot landscape and wildlife. Listening to this tutorial did 2 things for me. #1 is to use the aperture or shutter priority, or auto ISO modes for the appropriate occasions and #2 subscribe to your channel to learn even more great tips. Thanks
I now shoot my Canon R7 at shutter priority with auto-ISO for wildlife photography. With this set-up the aperture is held wide open and I can use the second back dial to adjust ISO for exposure compensation.
This has an advantage over manual and auto-ISO where I had to press a button and then set a dial to change exposure compensation. Now I can instantaneously adjust my exposure as needed.
I have an alternate mode where I have the R7 set to manual and auto-ISO, but I assigned the lens control ring to adjust aperture (this may be unique to Canon) and the second control dial to exposure compensation. This configuration allows me full control over the three main settings.
I work as a newspaper photographer, I tend to shoot manual, but use auto iso nowadays and use the compensation as needed. Most cameras can shoot pretty high iso, and software is so good at cleaning up noise, that it really isn't a problem. Saying that, it is important to learn how manual works for the odd times
Like you I shoot a lot of sudden photos, catching moments that suddenly present themselves and I need the camera to be as automatic as possible (candids, reactions at events, concerts etc). Aperture priority with limits on shudder speed work for most of my shots, the obvious exception being sports/action, but I appreciate these balanced opinions from people who truly know their craft. For a long time manual mode seems to be almost a badge of honor to signify "look, I'm serious about this". But how many great shots have been lost because of this fixation.
I use manual mode because I feel it is the best way to familiarise yourself with your camera and also to read the light conditions without relying on a meter, once you have become confident with your camera you can explore the different modes.
It is just the way I do it and I am NO expert, just old fashioned.
simon is the reason why i forced myself to learn manual and got so much better so much quickly. Nothing but respect for simon.
auto iso is something i'm loving as a new photographer with a maximum value. makes things so much easier with still having almost full control.
"I don't care what the ISO is in my photos ... My image quality might be affected -- not the creative aspects of my photography." Excellent statement.
..."sure". Your creativity is independent of the technical specs of your gear.
Glad someone finally said this there is so much gate keeping in photography it makes me sick I say who cares what mode you shoot is as long as you are enjoying what your doing and getting the results you want plus alot can be "fixed" in post processing
When we had swimming class in school the first lesson was spent in the classroom learning some theory and safety rules.
Watching this channel as I sit here with my first real camera that arrived before its charger feels just like that, excited to learn the occult secrets of a new craft and giddy for my first chance to test what I have learned from the sages.
Congrats on your new camera! You describe the experience so well, and you have so much fun ahead!
I love how Simon guides us towards the essential elements, around stuff that doesn't really matter. In this case, decide what result you want, then identify what controls that result.
I sometimes choose a scene, then play with various settings to see what can happen. I recently was at a pond with ducks. I took photos in Aperture priority, isolating the ducks at wide aperture, then framing the ducks near a tree limb with smaller aperture. I changed to Shutter priority to get fast sharp photos of a duck as it flapped, then slower photos of flowing water that show the blur. I tried several ways to include the falling snow too, which was tricky. Too fast and the snow flakes were tiny, too slow and they were too blurred and distracting.
Enjoy the heck out of your new camera. Spring is a fabulous time to start. May you never stop learning and delighting!
You are in the right place. This channel is a wealth of information
I worked an event with an award winning AP photographer. He shot entirely in P mode. Called it “professional” mode! Composition was more important than anything else, as not getting the shot was worse than the wrong ISO.
I like when you say that you don't care what ISO is in your photo if it serves your creativity. I once read that if a high ISO photograph is in focus, it is usable.
For wildlife and aviation pics I've been using manual with Auto ISO and it's been working great. Can still apply exposure compensation say if for focusing on a white bird. I do keep an eye on the ISO and if getting high will adjust the shutter speed down to keep it in check and especially if a bird is not moving around too much. Thanks for the great video. I will use AV mode in some situations too. And like Simon says if you've got time and doing landscapes or astro on a tripod then I'll move to full manual.
My goto mode is FV (Canon). It is the best of all worlds. You have all controls available in one place and can essentially do Av, Tv or Manual mode in one view. I have set a button to quickly change the current setting I am on to auto and another button to change all settings to auto. Then I can quickly manually adjust the setting(s) I don't want on auto.
You can use the delete button to set the current setting to auto (press once) or all settings to auto at once (press and hold for a second or two). You don't need to dedicate one or two other buttons to the task.
@@ronjenkins4257Good point on the delete button. However, I can never find the delete button easily unless I take my eye from the viewfinder. That's why I mapped the buttons.
On the R7, the arrow pad buttons on the back are all ready set to do this.
I use Program mode. After the camera suggests a setting I can easily change aperture or shutter using command dials. Exposure comp is also easy to adjust along with ISO. I think of Program as a semi/manual mode.
I've been shooting for many years, but it wasn't until watching your videos that I learned the benefits of auto ISO. I'm absolutely sold on it!
I didn't listen anything that I knew already. But it was a perfect feeling that a pro has confirmed what I had been doing already for years... Thank you very much Simon...
Simon - you are not allowed to say this! Love your video, I have been using these two modes for years because like you mentioned, "I rather focus on my creativity!"
(A) Outdoors. (M) Studio. And Exposure Compensation all the time 🙂 That works for me. Thanks for another great video
Good choice!
I use manual mode
because my camera only has manual mode
because I shoot film
because it was my dads in the 80s
because I can't afford a digital camera
because I'm poor
It's 2055, we take pictures with our eyes now. Then use our vrain to transfer it to the PC.
I’m late to the party but this is exactly how I used to teach exposure in the digital photography classes at our college’s photography program. Having a histogram and exposure compensation really changed the student’s ability to think creatively. I love your clear eyed approach to photography Simon. 👏🏻
I started my photography journey about 4 years ago with an (analog) EOS 1000FN and I currently use an EOS 600D for my digital shoots. I almost exclusively use the aperture priority mode. It just works for me every time.
I'm new to photography and have struggled to understand all that's needed to use manual mode in the field. In studio and other areas where you control the environment makes perfect sense, otherwise it being "ok" to take advantage of the technology (primarily with semiautomatic mode) in the camera is a huge relief. Love the analogy of buying a computer and then keeping it turned off. That has freed me up to "focus" (pun intended) on the art of photography and quit being limited by my lack of knowledge and dexterity to change settings fast enough. Great video.
I shoot motorsports (offroad motorcycle racing) and have grown to use Aperture priority almost all the time. I prefer to control the "look" of the photo (field depth of focus) and set my ISO manually to keep my shutter speed fast enough at it's slowest. If my shutter speed increase with extra light I am not bothered by the shutter speed increases to compensate. I refuse to let my camera mess with ISO... a hold over from my digital photography starting a couple decades ago. :) I do choose full manual mode with shooting with remote speedlights for control reasons. Other motorsport photogs looked confused when I say I prefer Av over Tv, but it makes most sense to me and how to get the pictures I want. I enjoy seeing others routes to capture pictures as there is no singular right way.
Hey Kevin! The way you shoot, Aperture Priority and manually set the ISO, is exactly how I shoot at airshows. This is what works best for me too.
I hear you! I started on an older Canon Rebel where noise was really a problem. Now, with a Canon 80D, I limit myself 6400 ISO (where I can pretty easily mop up noise later) and go with Manual + Auto ISO.
I'm a storm chaser/weather photographer who mostly does timelapses and I usually stick with aperture priority. Most of the time, I set my aperture to f/8-f/11 to make sure everything's sharp and my intervalometer to somewhere between 2 and 10 seconds depending on the shoot. It's great to just be able to sit back and appreciate the storm while my camera body handles the shutter speed. I don't have a lightning trigger, so I get my lightning shots by doing long exposures in full manual mode, since the semi-auto modes can't handle dramatic brightness changes mid-exposure.
Simon you are a godsend, i have learned about settings and their effects from your videos with ease. Before I just could not grasp the method and when out shooting would get frustrated and forget basics. Thank you.
I have been interested in photography for over 30 years. I found your channel about 2 months ago. I have learned more in the last 2 months than the previous 30 years of tinkering! Love your videos thanks for sharing your knowledge!
Agree 100%. I have been a photographer for 55 years. Saying real photographers only shoot manual is said by people that don't understand how to use the powerful tool they have. Putting today's high end camera in manual (without Auto ISO), is like buying a computer and keeping it turned off. There is no way that someone can be more accurate or as fast as the camera can change settings. I have to say, if I am shooting on a bright sunny day and DOF is not an issue, I have shot in program mode as well. When I shoot concert photography, it is manual with auto ISO. Night rocket launches. shutter priority..
I’ll say it again. Not real. Great
I shoot in manual with auto ISO since a while, and I really enjoy it! It gives you full control over how you want your photo to look and it has a wide range of possibilities. When I started photographing birds, other wildlife and nature (about a year ago) I prefered shooting in tv, since I lacked experience and I didn't have enough time to figure out what numbers I should use in the field. The tv mode gave me much more freedom to fully focus on how fast my subject was moving without worrying that I had a wrong aperture. But now that I have way more knowledge (especially because of Simon😊) I can control my camera pretty well to make the shots I want to make with the most input by myself.
I am new to photography and in these 2 days watching your videos I have learned a lot, thank you for your time.
Great to hear!
Of all the photography tutors on RUclips you are, in my humble opinion, simply the best. Your instructions are clear, concise and to the point. Thank you for your invaluable help; you have made me a better photographer and for that I am very grateful. Greetings from Ireland.
Wow, thank you!
So good to hear this perfectly described. Using semi-auto modes is what I have taught “newbies” for years. Even with sports photography, such as equestrian events, we’re so often battling for enough light and under a lot of other pressures. Contrary to what most people might think is “correct”, I like to use aperture priority for sports events. (I once had quite a heated exchange over this with the equestrian photographer I was shooting for, but when she saw my results, she stopped trying to change how I did things!) It allows me to set a wide aperture (for maximum light and a short DoF) and then pretty much forget about it. By keeping one eye on the shutter speeds the camera is selecting, I can quickly adjust ISO to try to keep that in a range I’m happy with. If I use shutter priority, the danger here is that my camera could then seriously underexpose in changing light conditions before I realise that I need to increase ISO. Aperture priority just feels so much better and safer in the light conditions we so often need to handle.
I just found out today that the auto-ISO on my D300s only works in manual mode.
(that's with the latest firmware, I have four different Nikon DSLRs and brought them all up to the latest firmware this summer)
A lot of things about this camera seem to only work right in manual mode.
I completely understand what you're saying. I still expect the camera to do what I tell it to and if it's not in manual mode you're not telling it to do anything but that one function, whether it's setting the shutter speed or the aperture or just shooting a certain exposure in Program mode (or just *taking* the picture in Auto mode). The camera is setting all the other values for you, and the more automated you run the camera the more chance that it's not setting them right. If I want f9.5 and 1/300th sec shutter speed, the only way that I know that I'm going to get it is in manual mode. The question of whether that's enough of an exposure at that ISO? I leave to the auto ISO mode. After I make sure that it works correctly.
It might even be slightly off.
I can deal with it being a half or a third of a stop off.
I can't deal with the shutter-speed and/or aperture being off by 50pct or even 33pct. F8 and 1/200th is not the answer that I'm looking for.
In this age of "computational photography" you're lucky to even have that level of control.
This is exactly how I shoot action. Usually wide open aperture for maximum shutter speed and then adjust ISO and/or aperture depending on the shutter speeds I'm getting. Lighting doesn't generally change so drastically that you get unusable shots shooting this way and I stay in better control of my ISO. Occasionally I shoot manual with auto ISO, but then that's not really manual, is it?
@@touristguy87 If you are shooting fast action, like birds in flight or horses, the faster the shutter speed the better, unless shutter speed maxes out. Thus if I leave my aperture wide open and look for a minimum shutter speed of say 1/640, I'm quite pleased with a shutter speed that is two or even 10 times as fast. If I have plenty of shutter speed to play with, I'll lower my ISO or, if I want more DOF, decrease my aperture. I don't want to set my shutter speed at 1/640 because that is still kind of marginal for capturing things like BIF. If a bird flies from shade to sun I might get some keepers at 1/640 in the shade, but I'm much more likely to get keepers in the sun at 1/1250.
@@pennycarlson1943 well that's two different issues. My experience is that auto ISO works in manual mode but the exposure isn't adjustable, at least not for my Nikon gear. What I think that you're looking for you'd find in S mode, maybe A mode if you don't care so much about shutter-speed. You can always set the aperture manually and control aperture-related issues. But then the issue of the shutter-speed to ISO ratio comes up. I have 4 Nikon DSLRs. I think that only the D750 has an adjustment for auto-SS given auto-ISO (in S mode). I personally would rather just use M with auto-ISO because then I get almost all of the flexibility & reliability of S & A without having to sweat the ISO. Which is really all that I want. Regardless of shutter speed & F#, I want a decent exposure.
The other problem is that noise *can* be a real problem because it doesn't just suddenly get too high as you increase the ISO. If you auto-ISO in 1/2 stops even, it's not going to double from step to step. It's more like 1.707, sqrt(2) I would guess. Something like that. So the noise is increasing somewhat linearly also, and if you've done enough PP you know that the appropriate sharpening and NR completely depend on the image AND the viewing-conditions. Or you can just turn NR on in the camera and let the customer deal with the fine-detail and sharpening from there. It's just not quite as easy as 1-2-3
@@pennycarlson1943 there does come a point where the ISO is too high. If you don't know how to tell that...carry on
“Get the shot”.
If you have time to set up the shot, use manual. If not, let the camera help. I use Av a lot.
You’re a great teacher. Thank you.
I'm in Aperture mode 99% of the time,
That is good but at f8 the picture underexposed so every time I'm using the button under my lens in canon 5d
Bonjour Simon, i studied photography 20 years ago and often felt like a fraud using semi-automatic modes after i finished my degree. At some point i got obsessed with getting the right manual settings at all times. After a few years without a real camera i'm jumping back into the game and i'm glad to hear this about speed or aperture priority modes, i will certainly use them at will. Your work is sick by the way.
I use 2 custom settings for wildlife: one for stationary subjects and one for moving subjects. I do this to be prepared for any situation that could happen at any moment since it's easy to switch between both.
Stationary subjects: shutter speed based on max focal length of lens (in my case 500mm so 1/500s), Aperture at f/8 for sharpness but I may decrease it in darker scenarios, auto ISO, and small focus zone.
Faster subjects: shutter speed at 1/3200s (may increase or decrease based on subject), same aperture as above, auto ISO, fastest frames/second setting, and larger focus zone.
One change I need to make is mapping my metering to a dial because an all-white subject or an all-black subject can sometimes cause exposure issues.
When it comes to landscape photos, I'll use manual mode.
Great setup. I’ve done same.
Do you use the smallest Aperture opening for landscapes?
@@peeweebarney No. Typically, I'll shoot anywhere ranging f/8-f/16 for landscape photos. It is said that shooting at a really small aperture (high f-stop) introduces diffraction and softens an image. Not to mention you'll need to have a slower shutter speed or a high ISO for proper exposure which is usually not ideal. If I need the foreground in focus and a distant background in focus too, then I'll shoot 2 images: one where my focus point is close and other on the background, then I'll merge the 2 images with Photoshop.
This video + the video on ISO are the two most fundamental skills I’ve learned in my photography journey, aside from learning the “rules” of good composition.
I’ve been using nothing but aperture priority for decades now. It’s what I use. It’s what I know with fantastic results.
When people pull out an expensive camera and leave it on auto, I get queasy.
I’ve been shooting my church service photography in aperture priority with shutter speed set to a minimum of 1/125 and auto ISO because of watching one of your videos. My shots are coming out perfect all the time and all I adjust is my exposure compensation. This has really changed my photography. So much easier. And with the AI denoise in Lightroom, high ISO is not a problem. Thank you!
New photographer here. Glad I stumbled on this amazing video. Makes absolute sense and I will learn from somoene who knows instead of getting frustrated and not enjoying my hobby. Thank you from an excited new subscriber!
Thank you, very informative. It rings true to a beginner's ears! This way you also get to understand better what F stop you need vs aperture, just by observing what the camera is doing in semi-auto modes.
Started out trying to shoot manual but once I realized I'm just doing what the camera tells you to do so why not just let the camera do the work.
Today I'm mostly using Apertur priority and controlling the rest with exposure comp. and Iso (mostly in auto)
For me every setting has it's purpose. I am fast as light changing all settings which gives me total control over every aspect achieving the picture I took in my mind before I press the release button. That's why I call myself a pro.
Most often overlooked feature: Program shift. Set the camera on P Mode, and you will be fine for most of your everyday photography. Change shutter speed or aperture for a special situation? Just dial up or down to change shutter speed and aperture at the same time to the values you need. Auto ISO sounds great to extend the range, but some cameras are reluctant to give you more ISO, and quickly changing the ISO value manually is no big deal.
Same with me. I use Av and Tv when the image I want to take requires it, but otherwise Program Mode and sometimes even Auto+ as modern cameras have really improved this mode a lot.
I’m the king of profiles setup for different days/types of shoots but I always love my first ever which is for aperture priority with min/max set up for iso and shutter speed. Its makes shoots flow so nice
I always use manual with auto ISO for nature/action and low-light as I can squeeze out a bit more sharpness with a slightly darker aperture.
For daylight/street I use aperture priority.
But I will see if I can set a minimal shutter speed for aperture priority. Would help with handheld shots in the dark as I'd prefer to stick to 1/50 or 1/60.
Digital cameras are magical to allow for variable ISO's and giving you full control of your artistic preferences with both the shutter and aperture.
Back in the day with a fixed ISO film roll you'd be somewhat more limited for sure.
Mostly I do photojournalism, and as such I mainly use auto ISO with manual settings of 500th sec and an f-stop set between f5.6 & f8 depending how much depth of field is required, sometimes knocking exposure compensation up or down dependent on how dark or light the background is, and with AF-C for moving subjects. Outside of that, just as you say, if one is setting up for things where one has time, portraits, landscapes etc, I'll generally flip to an ISO of say 400 and adjust f-stop and speed accordingly. In studio similarly, one has time to set everything just right. So it all depends what one is shooting. In a moving situation, protests, civil disturbances, covering politics etc, one doesn't always have time to continually mess with all the settings so auto-ISO and having a fast shutter speed and reasonable f-stop is best.
A pro does what they need to do to capture their shot. Sure, if we all had infinite time, we'd all shoot single-shot manual. But sometimes you only get a few chances at something. Having things like auto-bracketing, aperture priority, and shutter priority give you the best chance at success.
This is the answer.
This is definitely the one video I would show to newcomers to photo who are often overwhelmed by the array of settings their newly bought and cherished camera offers. Your explanations are so clear, it really is a pleasure to watch. Renewed congrats Simon !
Wow, thank you!
Whichever mode I use I always follow this golden rule…only let the camera control one part of the exposure triangle and I set the other 2.
I love the way you deliver. It makes me feel ok to make mistakes and so, I kept going back to your videos for inspiration aside from learning. Thank you Simon.
I never hassle with ISO, I might set boundaries to how far the camera is allowed to go though. A little tip on the side: Many cameras have Dynamic Range Compensation, with that they will, even if you shoot raw, brighten dark shadows, depending on how high you set it. This way you can often get away with a -0.3 or even -0.5 exposure compensation, this way you will rarely if ever experience blown out bright backgrounds like a sky but still retain detailed shadows.
Nice to have such a good explanation and endorsement for M with AutoISO. By tweaking the exposure compensation when needed, this is almost the only mode I use on my Canon R7. By assigning the main control dial to shutter speed, lens control ring to aperture, and rear control dial to exposure compensation, I feel like I have complete control in a timely way. By limiting ISO to 100-3200, noise and low light are not an issue with modern sensors and denoising software. Thanks. PS I hope you made it through this week's snow emergency! Here in MB, it's raining!!
Pro here for 35yrs + - do not ever underestimate the power of Program!!!
Why don’t more people mention P mode? Because they don’t learn what it is - a better version of the “Manual with Auto ISO” that so many recommend 👍
@@brysimm404 100% yes from me
I just want to say Thank You. You make the best camera tutorials. I bought my Sony A7II for backpacking more than 10 years ago, and your videos are filling in all the gaps of what I learned slowly through trial and error.
Manual with auto iso for sure🎉
Excellent advice. Im coming back to photography after a long, long break and this video has really helped with remembering to let the camera help me rather than me just control it.
Using Manual Mode with Auto ISO is the solution that is used by most experienced photographers and this capability has been available with most cameras for the past 10 years.
Great lesson. This helped me so much. I took an intro photography class in college, & I learned to use the modes this video discusses. I thought I still must get to the place where I learn to use Manual, so I'm lacking; but I obtained a Canon 80D, not a beginner camera when I took my class, so it is very complicated to learn even without using manual mode. I am so relieved to hear the info of this video putting manual mode, in perspective, including reading all these comments!!! I'm so happy to learn this info! This made my day. I cannot imagine how much trouble this one video just saved me, as I'm slowly but surely learning to use my camera as an artist. I'd rather do my art than waste my life away on slow use of manual mode, which I had thought was the goal! I'm glad to hear you have a video that teaches one vital mode I have not learned- manual with auto ISO. Thanks.
Ironically with Sony: Aperture Mode is best, with auto ISO & a min. shutter speed. Program a button on the directional pad so you can quickly change the shutter. The problem with manual mode is that if you have too much light the camera will hold the shutter speed and will over expose the image. Same thing with shutter priority strangely. In aperture mode you can just set a min. speed, and never overexpose an image. 90% of my shooting is this way.
What model of sony do you have? I did not experience this.
@@jordivila5207what model do you have?
@@DavidStella A7R5. Are you a sony user too?
@@jordivila5207 I am a Sony user. Started using A7III, then got A7IV and A7RV. The RV definitely does this, check your settings when you’re on aperture priority mode.
@@jordivila5207 So here's the way Shutter Priority Mode works on an A7R3 with current firmware with Auto ISO and Auto Aperture: Lock Shutter Speed ---> If too much exposure, then reduce the ISO to minimum ---> If still too much exposure, then tighten the aperture (FIRST PROBLEM: it will go all the way to f/22 and destroy any sharpness due to diffraction) ---> If still too much exposure, then blow out the image. If you're in Shutter Priority and lock the aperture, the camera will blow out the image until you manually quicken the shutter. Aperture Priority mode allows you to set a minimum shutter speed and then will intelligently quicken the shutter if possible, or will increase ISO if needed. I've had the best results for me with that mode. I can shoot closer to ISO 100 without worrying about blowing out an image.
Edit: one more thing. They may have fixed this on the newer bodies, or it may just be my giant hands, but on mine it is RIDICULOUSLY easy to accidentally bump the back dial with my palm, which controls ISO by default. I can't tell you how many times I THOUGHT I was in Auto ISO and then bumped that dial, and suddenly I'm at ISO 50 and I screw up the shot. It's so bad for me that I've actually just disabled that back dial altogether, and will only turn it back on when I'm shooting in full manual.
This is the best summary of all you need to know to manage the various modes. Yes, having come from the manual days [Nikon F through to Nikon F5] I used to set my pro camera to manual, but am now using the modes more, although I find that the exposure compensation dial is very useful to ensure I get exactly the exposure I want.
Macro and Astro photographer here:
Trying to invest in a full frame camera and learned that a lot of old lenses are extremely cheap because they dont have auto focus. Also noticed that new cheap lenses today have less quality in optics in my opinion. Just an example, the Canon 55-250mm that my dad got with his camera 15 years ago is much sharper and aberrations are not present in that lens. The Canon 75-300mm is horrendous. Image quality seems muddier and the aberrations are just horrendous.
I am really looking into a Nikon Z5, and lucky for me, I have never used any other mode other than Manual Mode!
Macro almost _has_ to be done manually: effective aperture actually decreases at high magnification, so you have to overexpose at bit compared to shorter distances. And trying to meter stars is a real pain in the butt.... I'm in a similar situation: I have a couple of inexpensive stock lenses designed for my mount, but everything else is in a different mount because it has to be. No autofocus, no shutter priority. I set the aperture, and only ISO and shutter speed can be automated.
Absolutely agree with everything you said I love manual mode but it can be a pain changing ISO so choosing auto ISO allows you to enjoy taking photos rather than worrying about making adjustments and missing the shot.
Auto is great when you hand the camera to a family member.
Simon, this is just what I needed to hear - the dials changing depending on the mode just drives me crazy. I’m not smart enough to remember all the changes. So, being able to set the same dials for each mode is something I never thought to do. Thank you! By the way, I found you by way of Gavin.
Great to hear!
I will shoot manual with auto ISO for fast moving subjects and modify the exposure compensation to grab the subject. Works like a charm 99% of the time.
Same. Let’s me set the camera for the subject and background and the camera adjusts the ISO accordingly. Could never do this in my 5D MKii as it was capped at 400
Only time I use "Manual" is when the camera I'm using is hooked up to fire some strobes in a studio, or a fixed lighting scene with the camera on a tripod.
The other time it's on a telescope & a sky-watcher equatorial mount on "Manual" being controlled the the ASI-Air computer for multiple 3-5 minute long deep-sky shots.
Otherwise, 95% of the time for me it's on "Aperture" priority. Previous 8x10' Deardorff studio guy and do both aviation/landscape stuff.
Great channel Simon!
I have an EQ-6 and ASI Air myself!
New video from my favorite photography dad
Thank you so much Simon, I have started watching your videos a little less than a month ago and i have not only learned so much about photography concepts such as proper megapixel count and composition tips but I have learned so much about every function my camera and their buttons and menu's are capable of and have mastered new ways to control creative photography i never thought was possible. You are a complete blessing to the community in your ability to perfectly articulate your teachings. You are also very well planned and do not harp on any subject too long and keep a very active and engaging flow in your videos.
Those shots at the end 🥰🪄
Rapidly becoming one of my favourite channels. I used to by mystified by the interplay of these settings but no more! Plus your photos are nothing short of breathtaking.
As a photographer, it's the best comment I've ever seen from a photographer. If you don't shoot in "Manual you are an amateur".
In my opinion, we should always try all the ways that gossip machines provide and come to our own conclusions as to what is the best method to photograph each scene...
Thanks for a great show Simon. I do it a bit differently. I sport an R6 and R7, and prefer total manual mode. I used to set ISO to auto but found the cameras tend toward over-exposure, and this affects colour tone that is difficult to recover in post processing. I now use the C1, C2, C3 modes (with auto update) set for 1 -Electronic shutter and settings for fast -moving birds, 2 -Electronic 1st curtain and settings for shady birds on a branch, and 3 -Settings for long-lens macro. I can rapidly change Cx to get the last settings for the type of shot I want to make, and make a small adjustment for a slightly different exposure. I don't expose to the right (as auto modes will do) because I can recover data in the darker areas better than the bright areas, and so I can get my clouds looking better, and avoid small areas of over exposure on bird feathers or leaves on trees.
Great setup.
Isn't it fairly easy to put the exposure compensation to -2/3 or something that pleases you?
I always have this feeling cameras rather overexpose than underexpose.
EXACTLY. Since the camera meter doesn't read only the bird the only safe thing to do is not push the boundries of "expose to the right". A great photo blown out is not a great photo.