Lens Aperture |
ISO |
Shutter |
f1.8 (Shallow Focus Area) |
100 |
1/8000secs |
f2.8 |
100 |
1/4000secs |
f4 |
100 |
1/2000secs |
f5.6 |
100 |
1/1000secs |
f8 |
100 |
1/500secs |
f16 |
100 |
1/250secs |
f22 (Deep Focus Area) |
100 |
1/125secs |
|
|
|
f8 |
100 |
1/500secs |
f8 |
200 |
1/1000secs |
f8 |
400 |
1/2000secs |
f8 |
800 |
1/4000secs |
f8 |
1600 |
1/8000secs |
Aperture Priority Mode means
(very simply) that I will select my lens aperture of choice to
suit the style of image (wide open e.g. f1.8 for a very
shallow focus area in the scene or
stopped down e.g.
f8 for a deeper focus area).
Select my ISO setting (e.g.
ISO:100 for a slower shutter speed or
e.g. ISO:1600 for a
faster shutter speed) and the camera will automatically select
the shutter speed pertaining to the Aperture and ISO settings.
Always attempt to use the lowest ISO setting possible.
I can increase my shutter speed by
raising the ISO rating (e.g. 100 to 200) or lower the
shutter speed by decreasing the ISO rating
(e.g. 200 to 100) but the higher the ISO rating
(e.g. 3200) the more noise (speckle) will start to appear in the final captured
image print, especially an enlargement.
Most cameras will warn you with a shaking hand icon in the
electronic viewfinder or LCD monitor if your shutter speed is
too slow. A rule of thumb dictates that for slow moving subjects
the shutter speed should be around 1/125seconds or above and for
images of flighty birds, such as finches, the shutter speed
should be around 1/1250 seconds at least to capture feather
detail.
WB - White Balance - Most photographers set their WB
(white balance setting) to automatic, so check it is set to
this when you use your camera for the first time on the day.
Alternatively, if indoors, you could manually set it to another
setting (e.g. fluorescent lighting) but always watch you
are not taking a shot with WB set to the wrong light conditions.
AE or AEL - Expose Lock Dial - In the camera menu this
should be set to toggle (press button for on
and a star appears in the electronic viewfinder or LCD screen)
press button again for off. This is mainly used when you have a
difficult lit scene (e.g. dark foreground against bright sky).
You should use the AEL button to lock the scene's exposure to
your liking in the electronic viewfinder or in the LCD monitor
and then (if required to isolate a subject) use the half
press/hold of the shutter button to lock the focus on a subject
in the scene, realign the camera to the scene and then press the
shutter button fully home - ideal for portrait shots in uneven
lit scenes.
The AEL button is a quick way to change a scene's uneven
lighting. Lift the front of the camera to make the sky more
blue, make sure the foreground is still visible then press the
AEL button to lock the exposure - now you can recompose the
scene at leisure, focus and then shoot. Alternatively, lower the
front of the camera to make the foreground brighter. Remember to
toggle the AEL button off after you have taken the shot.
Other Controls - There are other controls pertaining to
your camera, in particular how it meters the exposure, how it is
set to focus and whether the shutter is set to single shot,
burst mode or timer amongst other menu settings. Please read
your camera manual to better understand the camera menu
settings.
The Learning Curve - It takes time and practice to better
understand how your camera works. The more you use it in manual
mode the more control you will have over the type of image you
want to create. Whilst you are learning, you can always revert
to the Intelligent Auto Mode (usually a green setting
on the main control dial) to ensure you have captured an
image.
If this article has assisted you in any way - please
donate to my Charity of Choice -
The
Sick Kids
Richard Lawrence
Scotland
United Kingdom
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