Don't Read your Camera Manual

Is that startling for me to say?

Why do I say that? I've often said, read your manual. But I don't I don't read mine. It's not a novel, not interesting, book clubs don't recommend it. Don't read it.

About 70 years ago my highschool instructor offered this advice. "You don't have to remember everything. You need to know how to find everything". Reflecting on much of my life that's just what I've done. 

Technical documents, manuals, ... You don't read them you discover where to find "everything".  Start with the chapters,  contents, features index, index.

So don't read, discover. Remember you eat and elephant bite by bite.  Topic by topic.

BBAF and Auto, my secret sauce

With anything in photography Your Mileage May Vary. You may differ with me and that's OK. It's all about getting the shot.

I must say in 2015 I learned BBAF in a camera club in AZ. Used it and then discarded it. A few years later I rediscovered it and it has need my primary focus mode.

BBAF https://youtu.be/5fjwZ7HYtbs

Once I decided that noise was something I could tolerate I primarily use Auto ISO .

Manual with Auto ISO https://youtu.be/UPZPv3Z5t_o

As all YMMV.

it's boring but RTFM

In an email from "Picture Correct",  we've heard this many times BUT ...

10 Common Composition Mistakes in Photography

They show this as 10. I think is should be first. You also remember what you read. For example when you are bracketing consider using Sequence shooting. So you don't have to remember the number the times you press the shutter release

10. Not Knowing Your Camera Controls and Functions

You MUST read your camera manual. Knowing your camera and all of its buttons and settings is vital. Being able to do that takes practice. You should be able to adjust ISO, shooting mode, focus point, exposure compensation, aperture, and shutter speed without taking the camera away from your eye. Believe us, it will make a difference that you can’t afford to miss!

News Years Resolution

I've read this article and the first resolution, read the manual, it the most important. If you don't know the tools in your tool box how do you hope to improve? Remember your manual isn't a novel. Get the pdf version so you can easily find information. Know the contents, major sections. Print the feature index, usually only a few pages, so that you can refer specific buttons, dials, menu items.

I know several folks that don't how to change focus settings, enable high light or shadow warnings.

RTFM!!!

Why Exposure Compensation in Manual?

For a few months I have been shooting in M, Manual, usually action, birds. I want to control the DOF and freeze motion. Since the light may be changing I use auto ISO.

So I've wondered what's the use of my exposure compensation, (+/- ) button. So i assigned it to do another function.

Wow, a wrong choice. I follow Robin Wong to learn things about my Oly. Spoiler, basically I now use exposure compensation when in manual made with auto ISO. View this video to know why, 

Auto ISO

This is my go to manual, ok semi auto, setting. But there are times that I choose a specific ISO as low as possible to meet the shooting situation.

Auto ISO

Additional information

   Auto ISO, 

   Backcountry Gallery

BUT if you want to take HDR or similar composite shots it's not for you.

Often it is recommend to use exposure compensation to make quick exposure changes. My choice is to use AUTO ISO. Oh but the grain the grain. Yeah? What of it? You're post processing your RAW data aren't you? Who will see your image? Phone, tablet, laptop screen.  That's a different post.