Peter Holdmann

What makes for an excellent cross-platform app?

Full file compatibility, so a file created on one platform works on the other and back again.

When to use M?

Most tutorials seem to favor M, but in my experience, it is not the one most people shoot in.

When to use A (or AV)?

From my own experience and from talking to and reading others, aperture priority (aperture value to Canon users) seems to be the preferred mode most of the time for most serious photographers. My cameras are in A most of the time. It is generally safer than shutter priority since there is a much wider range of shutter speeds, and controlling depth of field is generally the priority.

No one uses P, right?

Since it seems like most photography tutorials focus on getting you out of P, it is natural to wonder why it is on cameras in the first place, and especially high-end, professional cameras. The reality is there are times where P is the right choice. DSLR/mirrorless photography can be overwhelming when you start, and leaving the camera in P allows new photographers to focus on composition and how they see the world.

Where to go from here?

It is valuable to know how and when to use all the modes available on your camera. Once you learn to use them, they are all useful tools in your toolkit. No single mode is perfect for everyone in every situation, and all the modes can get good results in many situations, but there are times when certain modes work better.