The “M” on your camera’s mode dial stands for full MANUAL mode, where you’re expected to make both the shutter speed and aperture adjustments for yourself, without any help from your camera’s automatic functions. That’s pretty scary, isn’t it! Actually, Manual mode isn’t anything to be afraid of, and it can even be a great place for beginners to start out! Why is that true? Because unlike the Program, Shutter Priority and Aperture Priority settings, where the camera is always trying to accomplish good exposures for us using the exposure settings that we don’t lock in ourselves, that doesn’t happen in Manual. If you’re careful to also lock in your ISO to a single setting, then when you make an adjustment in manual, you get to see the effect it has on your image without any interference by the camera at all.
Getting started in Manual mode is easy. Let the camera help you to choose your initial settings! With your camera set at Program, or at Shutter or Aperture priority, simply meter the shot by pushing your shutter release button down half- way, note the shutter and aperture settings your camera chooses, turn the mode dial to M for Manual, and enter those settings there. Once you’ve gotten started, you’ll thrill to find yourself making adjustments to your shutter or aperture settings as light conditions change from shot to shot, and it won’t be long before you’ll find yourself starting out in Manual with some favorite settings from your own experience!
Earlier we talked about Exposure Compensation by describing it as a shortcut for quickly bumping your exposure up or down from the camera’s metered version. Be aware that Exposure Compensation works differently in Manual mode than it does in Program or either of the two priority settings. Since manual means that the camera no longer makes exposure decisions for you, then the EC dial in your viewfinder when shooting in Manual no longer has any control function at all. Said another way, you can try to change your exposure with EC if you want, but your camera’s hands are tied because you’ve locked in all three of the exposure controls yourself. Exposure compensation instead becomes an INDICATOR in manual mode, of how well you’ve done to correctly expose the scene with your setting choices. If the camera’s metering judges that your choices will result in an underexposed picture, the scale will show a MINUS reading, or a PLUS reading if overexposed.
There’s no doubt about it: Shooting in full manual mode is definitely like swimming in the deep end of the pool. But once you’re comfortable shooting there, none of the other mode settings will ever scare you again. So don’t be afraid. All of your failed attempts are free, and who knows: You might just learn to like shooting in Manual best of all!
