What Exposure Mode do you use

[Nikon Kid]

What Exposure Mode do you use ? I first started using Av and then went onto manual which I like alot. But looking through the gallery images I have
found alot of people are using Auto exposure and most of the images are spot on. What I don't quite understand is why do people strip out there exif
data from the images, might this be because they are using Auto exposure ? I have taken a few shots with Auto exposure and I am impressed with that mode.

[RJL2005]

What Exposure Mode do you use ? I first started using Av and then went onto manual which I like alot. But looking through the gallery images I have
found alot of people are using Auto exposure and most of the images are spot on. What I don't quite understand is why do people strip out there exif
data from the images, might this be because they are using Auto exposure ? I have taken a few shots with Auto exposure and I am impressed with that mode.

I use either Av or Manual, can't comment on auto although prehaps I should try it|:d| I think PostcardCV uses program mode while on the move, thats virtually auto, and he takings some stunning stuff!

The exif is missing from alot of posts cos 'save for web' in PSE removes it to save file space.
Cheers RJL

[Ash1456]

I use Av but im experimenting with Manual for BIF shots. I started off using Tv and then was told to use Av because it esier for beginers.

[postcardcv]

I use either Av or Manual, can't comment on auto although prehaps I should try it|:d| I think PostcardCV uses program mode while on the move, thats virtually auto, and he takings some stunning stuff!

I do indeed use P when moving around that way I know I won't foul up a sudden chance by having my camera set wrong. Once I'm on a bird I'll take some shots in P (to get some 'in the bag') and then will switch to Av or M if needed. Perhaps I'm just lazy but I find that P normally gets the exposure right, but using Av allows much more control over DOF. I do like to use M for flight shots, it's better than ending up with loads of massively under exposed shots. (BTW I'm glad you like some of my shots).

[cab1024]

Exactly what postcardv said.

Shooting in manual against a sky keeps your bird properly exposed, rather than the sky.

[danehower]

I always go with TV - has to be done in my situation as I use a pretty huge lense and usually in low light and without mono or tripod support. Sadly I am almost always pushing the ISO into a pretty noisy level.

[GYRob]

another vote for Manual, i use it ALL the time
Rob

[JohnZ]

I stick to good old Av. Not clever enough to use manual.

[IanF]

I stick with using AV almost all of the time, for birds in flight as well. I adjust EV according to light conditions.

As regards Exif details the noise filtration software I use strips the info automatically.

[Overread]

Myself I tend to have different modes for different things:

Av - aperture priority mode - I stick with this mode most days when there is good lighting, I like to have a more direct control over the depth of field in my shots (though I won't say I am master). I am in this mode nearly all the time when I am not shooting macro

Tv - I prefer this mode on darker days, since I mostly shoot animals and birds shutter speed is often a key setting, one can brighten up a darker shot and get a decent result, but motion blur won't hide away. So on dimmer days I prefer this mode so that I can give myself a set shutter speed to work with

Manual - this mode is mostly for macro work and time when I have controled lighting and a mostly static subject. Macro mode demands settings that the other auto modes would not give me and since I am using flash to boost local lighting this is possible..

[Roy C]

As far as I know anything except manual is auto exposure as you are letting the camera do it for you BUT dialling in the amount of exposure compensation is the tricky part. If you are going to use an Auto mode such as AV or TV then you have several things to consider to establish the correct amount of compensation needed e.g.

Tone of the bird (dark, medium or light)
Size of the bird in the frame (large, medium or small)
Background tone (dark, medium or light)
The elements above gives 27 different scenarios which you need to learn (mind you some of the different combinations equate to the same thing but you still need to be able to recognise them)

Then there is the metering method you use for instance in the same circumstances evalutive can give a different reading to say, partial or spot and visa versa. You need to be able to recognise all these different elements to be able to get exposure right most of the time. If you are using one of these methods I think that you should stick to one metering method and get to know it well and learn to recognise the amount of Ev comp needed in any given circumstance. From what I have seen, most keen bird photographers who use Auto exposure use evaluative metering (this includes many pro's such as Art Morris)

For my part I find Manual much easier and use it for most of the time. Once you have set the ambient light you only have to consider the tone of the bird (dark, medium or light) - the size of the bird in the frame and the tone of the background becomes irrelevant in manual. The disadvantage with manual is if the light changes you have to re-set your ambient level to compensate but this gets very easy to do after a while.

[jpwone]

Personally I generally use Manual for most things I photograph but there are exceptions. I will quote from another thread on another forum that largely sums up my choice of mode.

If the light is constant but the scene/subject changes then shoot manual.
If the light is changing but the scene/subject is constant then shoot auto.
If the light is changing and so is the scene/subject then one way or another you will need to keep making adjustments.
If nothing is changing then shoot however you like. Once you're set you're set.

The thread this comes from is here http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=115623

and is a very good and informative guide for those wishing to get the best out of their metering/exposure.

[Duke Leto]

I think it summarised in all the responses, there is no one method, I tend to look at the conditions and choose. I never use P mode but I see the sense in what people say, I may well leave it in P when traveling in case I get an unexpected opportunity.

[snowyowl]

I use AV more than anything else, switching to TV if the bird is moving quite a lot. I set the aperture to f8 and the ISO is 400. That gives me a reasonably fast exposure and sufficient DoF for most lighting. A touch of EC gives me good skies.

[Nikon Kid]

In my post the Auto was referring to Full Auto any comments on this.

[postcardcv]

In my post the Auto was referring to Full Auto any comments on this.

do you mean the little green box? if so then no I don't like it, you can't set the ISO and the flash will fire if it wants to... at least in P you have control over these kind of things even though you let the camera decide both aperture and shutter speed.

[jpwone]

Got to get out of the Full Auto if you are going to make the decisions and not the camera.

The link I posted gives a good explanation of the whys and wherefores. I suppose I'm lucky in that I have done enough shooting (average 6k shots a week in football season) to be able to slip into manual or aperture priority and be pretty close with the settings I need/want.

I also treat the camera meter as a guide and not an absolute. Try changing metering modes for the same scene and you will quickly see how the meter can be fooled. For anyone just making the move from Full Auto to manual or aperture priority I would recommend the Bryan Peterson book 'Understanding Exposure'. Having said that the link I gave gives a very good explanation and is aimed at bird photography (the same principles apply in general though).

[DOC]

I agree with all that Roy C said .
I shoot mostly Manual mode , but the exposure program is only one part of the equation .
The other part is metering - spot, matrix etc .
When shooting in Manual mode - exposure compensation has no meaning , it's you that changes it while adjusting speed& aperture . So you can dial in any Ev , but it won't change the camera's parameters like it does when shooting AV or TV .
When shooting birds in Manual mode - I almost always use Spot Metering - I need the bird to exposed correctly . Thus - when locking on a white bird - I want my meter to show +1 or maybe +1.5. I achieve that with playing around with the speed & aperture, and if needed - i change Iso settings to match my predicted exposure .
I disagree with overread about brightening a darker picture . It brings out noise and poor result . I never shoot dark and rely on PS to brighten the photo .

I think that one should estimate the shooting conditions ( light , type of bird , Background etc .. and then decide on the exposure mode ) .
There's no "One Way " to shoot birds .

[Duke Leto]

Agree Doc, there's a noticeable difference between shooting to safeguard highlights and stopping down to shoot dark

[Roy C]

Agree Doc, there's a noticeable difference between shooting to safeguard highlights and stopping down to shoot dark
Me to Steve,I go even a bit further and 'expose to the right', would much sooner be slighter overexposed than under. With under exposure you not only create noise when you push in processing but you also miss out of a lot of the dynamic range that the camera is capable of.