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Message: <blockquote data-quote="spb_stan" data-source="post: 641411" data-attributes="member: 43545">The advice to go manual is only for those who want to learn the relationship between   time, light intensity and aperture. Without that fundamental concept it relegates the beginner to a hobby of snap shots.  By visualizing a finished image/print and making it come out as intended, one has to take control of those ratios and the only way to transfer basic theory to almost automatic understanding of what is going to result, does one become a photographer where images are intentional.  If one leaves all decisions to the camera, often a  a well exposed image results but it might have little connection with the photographer's intent. If auto modes are prefered, it makes more sense to stick with the entry level cameras because they have scene modes which are optimized for those snap shot photos and perform very well. A D3400 is an excellent image machine for someone with those interests, and would return more consistent good images than if the same person was using a pro oriented camera where the expected operation with have a lot of user input. The main difference in cameras of entry level, enthusiast and pro is the expected user input, it is not image quality for normal sized prints. By putting the camera in manual and trying theory versus real world shooting, and making deliberate experiments to test the theories involved with the exposure triad can be an excellent education that if taken to heart changes everything in their understanding of what is happening and how to influence the results. Soon, within hours of experiments, viewing a scene and subject will intuitively suggest the exposure needed for the intended final result.  Manual ought to be tried after reading the basics of exposure, then using those concepts to test it by visualizing the results before taking a shot and comparing expected to result. Repeating that with different intentional settings and comparing his expectations to results is an excellent and even essential learning exercise.   Once it becomes intuitive by glancing at a scene, everything opens up to new possibilities of getting what your visualize. It also allows jumping into taking control of augmented light with modifiers, flash, strobes or anything else, it all makes sense only after knowing how time, light and opening relate.    After knowing this, his keeper rate will increase a lot. If action is fast he can always go to a auto mode, but he will know which to activate after understanding exposure, and metering. A book I have recommended to beginners for years was written for film but updated for digital, is Brian Peterson's Understanding Exposure  It is an easy read, and explains the concepts in a breezy fun style that makes you want to try the demos and examples yourself.   I gave a copy to an ex-GF who was getting into photography and she read it in an afternoon and suddenly she understood the basics that were essential for her to progress. She did indeed progress and now does pro shooting, mostly weddings, and commercial photography full time. Film or digital, the basics are the same.</blockquote>

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