I distinctly remember my Intro to Filmmaking instructor forbidding us to use ANY auto function on the camera (good ol' XL1). Any use of an auto feature would result in an automatic F on the project. In retrospect, he was really just trying to get us to learn how to get exposure, focus, audio volume, etc. on our own. It made us learn to understand how the features worked and how they affected the image without relying on the camera to make decisions for us. I think it was a great method for teaching new shooters not to rely on the camera's ability to determine what the image looked like.

So true. As is every auto feature on a camera. That said, I still wince a little and look over my shoulder when I reach for the auto-focus switch. ;)

Kind of off-topic, but thought I'd share anyway.