Manual or Automatic Cam?

[amsurfer]

Its very interesting i have been using an automatic Nikon D-200 camera, that i purchased online from www.microglobe.co.uk, result is excellent, but someone advised me to check manual one, and it would return you better result than automatic, i am confused, is it true?? I shot nature… yea I love cameras for there is a very famous notion about: The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.( Dorothea Lange )

[MikeHoyer]

Well you can go fully manual (exposure and focus) with the D200 if you want. I reccomend giving it a try, there are some shots that I do go fully manual for, and it works well.

[Owain Shaw]

I'm fully manual all the time in pits and paddock because it makes me certain of concentrating on the picture, the content, the focus, the exposure, rather than taking any old rubbish. Also makes adjusting for highlights quicker, for me, than exposure compensation in a Priority mode.

I do use the priorities at the track because light conditions can change rather quickly and frequently. 1/3 stop under exposure compensation helps avoid all but the most extreme blowing out there.

Any SLR camera that has the automatic functions will also let you not use them, even the most basic models, which the D200 is not.

[James North]

I’ve gradually moved away from predominately relying on priority modes such as shutter or aperture priority to concentrate more on manual. Although changing light conditions can catch you out, there is one of the advantages of chimping! It shouldn’t take too long to find out! Plus manual is also better for the metering of headlights, since the headlights easily confuse a priority mode and you’ll get a under exposed shot.