[johnytrout]

I am struggling to get to grips with the Manual side of things.
I read all about it, watch videos etc, but when it comes to practice, it all goes out the window for me.
Take for instance today. I read that on a sunny day at F16 the ISO number should match the shutter speed, thus 100 ISO would mean the shutter speed to be 1/100sec and ISO 200 to be 1/200 sec
I went out into the garden (btw it is sunny here today) Set F16 > ISO 100 > Shutter speed 1/100 sec and snapped some snowdrops in the lawn....The result was I could hardly see the Snowdrops, it was nearly black!!
How do I learn what is what when I get conflicting information?
Is there a rule of thumb or not? ...... This is so frustrating!!

[MrB]

Johny, your camera has a built-in exposure meter to help with setting the aperture and shutter speed - find the page for "Manual Exposure" in the instruction manual to see how to use it.

When you begin to set up the controls manually for hand-held daylight shots outside, you might try following these tips -

1. Start with the ISO set to its lowest value - this gives the best quality by minimising image noise (graininess).

2. The lower (wider) apertures, e.g. f/4, will make the background for your subject more blurred; the higher (narrower) apertures, e.g. f/11, will keep the background sharper. So set the aperture to give the effect you want.

3. Frame your shot in the viewfinder (or in live view on the LCD), and set the shutter speed at the value needed to centre the exposure meter. Then, before you press the shutter button -

4. Check that the shutter speed is at least as fast as the inverse of the lens focal length - e.g. if focal length = 55mm, the shutter speed should be 1/60s or 1/100s, etc. But not 1/30s or 1/20s, etc. - if it is one of these speeds, which are too slow for the focal length, then increase the ISO until you can get a shutter speed that is fast enough.

5. If your subject is moving, to avoid it being blurred in the photo, you must increase the shutter speed, e.g. to 1/250s, 1/500s, etc. (depending on how fast the subject moves) - you must then re-adjust ISO (and/or aperture) to re-centre the exposure meter.

6. When setting the camera controls like this - with the help of the camera's exposure meter - it should give a good image. However, the meter can be fooled by unusual lighting. So, if the subject looks too light or too dark in the photo you have just taken, the settings might need to be changed slightly. In this case, when you re-shoot, it's OK to press the shutter even though the meter is not centred.

Hope this helps.

Philip

[johnytrout]

Thank you for your reply Mr.B
Things seem a little clearer now.
Now the problem lies with birds and wildlife shots.
To get these settings right for a spur of the moment shot, like a bird taking off or a startled deer makes me wonder how the professionals cope.
By the time I get acquainted with ISO, F.Stops and Shutter Speeds through the view finder, the moments gone!!

[MrB]

Johny, perhaps it would be much wiser to get lots of practice at using Manual Mode for photographing relatively inanimate subjects for a while, before moving on to the more demanding ones. As the saying goes, "Don't try to run before you can walk."

While you are learning M-Mode, if you spot an unmissable wildlife moment, quickly switch over to P-Mode - you will probably get quite a reasonable image that you can work on in post-processing, and it might make a pleasing photo.

Philip

[Wall-E]

I am struggling to get to grips with the Manual side of things.
I read all about it, watch videos etc, but when it comes to practice, it all goes out the window for me.
Take for instance today. I read that on a sunny day at F16 the ISO number should match the shutter speed, thus 100 ISO would mean the shutter speed to be 1/100sec and ISO 200 to be 1/200 sec
I went out into the garden (btw it is sunny here today) Set F16 > ISO 100 > Shutter speed 1/100 sec and snapped some snowdrops in the lawn....The result was I could hardly see the Snowdrops, it was nearly black!!
How do I learn what is what when I get conflicting information?
Is there a rule of thumb or not? ...... This is so frustrating!!

Would you please post that image?
The 'Sunny 16' rule DOES work, if you're truly in full manual mode, and don't have anything impeding your lens (like a filter).

[EdMak]

What does the EXIF say the aperture was? Ed.

[kNox]

I think MrB's response hits the nail on the head. For me, though, before I was able to shoot in Manual, the "S" and "A" settings were of great help. They let you control either the aperture or the shutter speed, and the camera automatically sets the other.

[JDS]

With respect to shooting birds in flight, you need to take a some practice shots of stationery objects and adjust your exposure until it is right.

There is some good advice here: http://www.trilliumphotoclub.org/Special...nners.html

In particular:

[Getting the right exposure] is a combination of trial and error and experience. On a sunny day, try starting off with settings of 1/1600th, aperture f 6.5 and ISO 400. Take a couple of practice shots of nearby birds or light coloured scenery (grass or trees, or a clear northern sky), and view the exposure in the camera's LCD. If it is too light, you can afford to reduce the ISO or increase the shutter speed or f stop. If it is too dark, you have to increase the ISO or reduce the shutter speed or f stop.

Most DSLR's have a setting that will show overexposed areas as flashing in your LCD. This is often an optional setting and you may have consult your camera manual to find it. It is important not to blow out the whites on bird so if you are shooting a bird that has white on it, you will want to set the exposure just short of the point where the white parts flash. (Don't worry about flashing of the sky part of the picture -- it is the bird, not the sky you are shooting). If you are shooting a dark coloured bird with no white, you will want to expose more to the right.

After shooting a few birds, check your shots in the LCD and change your exposure if necessary. If the sun goes behind a cloud, change your exposure.

With some practice, you will get a feel for what the proper exposure is for given light conditions

[a2zidxdotcom]

I agree that practising on stationary objects is the place to start when using Manual mode.

While there are lots of combinations you can use to get the right exposure and even more to get it wrong. I start by considering the subject.

Is it moving? If so set the shutter speed to a speed that will freeze the movement or use a flash.

If you want to blur background use a wide aperture (f2.8 or the lowest available on your lens to get the maximum blur). The other consideration is to ensure that you use an aperture that will have enough of the subject in focus so you may need to use a narrower aperture say 5.6 to 16 would be typical.

I normally use ISO 100 unless absolutely necessary.

I will also use a flash if required.

For a bird in flight there is an example on my site at

http://www.art-seekers.com

This was taken as the Starling came into land. I used a flash to freeze the motion as the shutter speed was only 1/200 sec, ISO 100, F16 using an 85mm lens for those techies. This image was taken in overcast day light.

My last tip for taking wildlife photos is to set your exposure first. Then you do not need to adjust the exposure when you see something to shoot. Set your exposure using a gray card (or grass) holding the camera in the same general direction you will be shooting. This is also done by others who need to shoot photos quickly (wedding photographers often expose on the grass).

Mike

[Don Schaeffer]

Personally I never worry about it. Just try a setting--take a shot, make an adjustment and try another shot until it works. The images have a lot of flexibility, especially in raw.

[mcveed]

There are two ways to use manual exposure. The first is to adjust shutter speed, aperture and ISO to centre the exposure meter in the camera. Details of how to do this have already been posted. The second method is to set the camera mode to manual, take a spot meter reading on something that is mid tone and in the same light as your subject. The ideal target is a 'grey card' available from most photo shops, or green grass, and some have even used their hand. Once you have adjusted the settings on the camera for the grey card you can take pictures at that setting until the light changes. The latter method is what most bird photographers use to photograph birds in flight.

[epicurus]

I am struggling to get to grips with the Manual side of things.
I read all about it, watch videos etc, but when it comes to practice, it all goes out the window for me.
Take for instance today. I read that on a sunny day at F16 the ISO number should match the shutter speed, thus 100 ISO would mean the shutter speed to be 1/100sec and ISO 200 to be 1/200 sec
I went out into the garden (btw it is sunny here today) Set F16 > ISO 100 > Shutter speed 1/100 sec and snapped some snowdrops in the lawn....The result was I could hardly see the Snowdrops, it was nearly black!!
How do I learn what is what when I get conflicting information?
Is there a rule of thumb or not? ...... This is so frustrating!!

[epicurus]

I've been using that rule over here in England since 1969. Summer sunshine between 10 and 2 worked every time. I had to use it as I had no lighmeter and the college camera didn't have one built in!
I still use it occasionally when I have a flat battery in my old OM1.
My advice: buy a hand held incident lightmeter and set up manually as I do. Canon D60 + Weston Master IV (now reading 2 stops out - set 25 when you want 100ASA)
If you have a meter use a grey card (set colour balance too) or read off a white skinned hand and set a stop more exposure (make sure you don't read your own shadow. Black skinned palm might be OK too but you'd have to experiment.

[epicurus]

I agree that practising on stationary objects is the place to start when using Manual mode.

While there are lots of combinations you can use to get the right exposure and even more to get it wrong. I start by considering the subject.

Is it moving? If so set the shutter speed to a speed that will freeze the movement or use a flash.

If you want to blur background use a wide aperture (f2.8 or the lowest available on your lens to get the maximum blur). The other consideration is to ensure that you use an aperture that will have enough of the subject in focus so you may need to use a narrower aperture say 5.6 to 16 would be typical.

I normally use ISO 100 unless absolutely necessary.

I will also use a flash if required.

For a bird in flight there is an example on my site at

http://www.art-seekers.com

This was taken as the Starling came into land. I used a flash to freeze the motion as the shutter speed was only 1/200 sec, ISO 100, F16 using an 85mm lens for those techies. This image was taken in overcast day light.

My last tip for taking wildlife photos is to set your exposure first. Then you do not need to adjust the exposure when you see something to shoot. Set your exposure using a gray card (or grass) holding the camera in the same general direction you will be shooting. This is also done by others who need to shoot photos quickly (wedding photographers often expose on the grass).

Mike

[epicurus]

I've never seen wedding photographers exposing themselves on the grass over here in England. You colonials must have some funny ways!

[mcveed]

I've never seen wedding photographers exposing themselves on the grass over here in England. You colonials must have some funny ways!

That's probably because they use flash or fill-flash, and that changes everything.

[Carl Jones]

I am struggling to get to grips with the Manual side of things.
I read all about it, watch videos etc, but when it comes to practice, it all goes out the window for me.
Take for instance today. I read that on a sunny day at F16 the ISO number should match the shutter speed, thus 100 ISO would mean the shutter speed to be 1/100sec and ISO 200 to be 1/200 sec
I went out into the garden (btw it is sunny here today) Set F16 > ISO 100 > Shutter speed 1/100 sec and snapped some snowdrops in the lawn....The result was I could hardly see the Snowdrops, it was nearly black!!
How do I learn what is what when I get conflicting information?
Is there a rule of thumb or not? ...... This is so frustrating!!

Would you please post that image?
The 'Sunny 16' rule DOES work, if you're truly in full manual mode, and don't have anything impeding your lens (like a filter).