Newbie exploring out of Auto Mode

[neech7]

I think we are confusing the newbies by telling them all these M and P modes.

Over 90% of the time, I just use Av mode. First determine what aperture you want to use, dial to that aperture and set the ISO to 100 (or whatever the base ISO of your camera is). Half press the shutter, look at the shutter speed the camera chooses for you. Is it high enough to overcome camera shake? If not, bump the ISO until the shutter speed is acceptably high. Re-compose and take the picture. That's how over 90% of my pictures are taken. The rest of the time, I do use M, Tv, and B modes. But why confuse the newbies with all these other mumbo-jumbo?

 

[sjackal]

IMHO, M mode is the best learning mode to me. The more you allow the camera to make decision for you, the less you understand photography and the longer you take to learn it. When every decision you made had a direct influence upon your photo, you quickly grow out of newbie stages. The learning curve is steeper but the returns are exponential.

Of course, what works for me might not work for another.

The same with telling people to use Av mode.