You’re making a significant investment in your outdoor photography whether you choose to purchase a DSLR, mirrorless model, or cutting-edge point-and-shoot camera. Once you own a camera, you’ll want to learn how to use it and all the cool things it can do.
The settings covered here work with the majority of cameras, but your model might have different terms. Learn the settings and how to change them by using your guide.
To help you in understanding how your camera operates, we’ll quickly go over the following subjects:
Exposure Settings: The camera has three ways to control exposure and depending on your exposure mode, you may need to set the following.
ISO: The amount of light sensitivity you set for your camera.
Aperture: The lens’s aperture is how big or small you make it.
Shutter speed: The rate at which the shutter opens and closes which you choose.
Exposure Modes: You’ll probably start with Auto mode, letting your camera do everything for you. When you’re ready to remove the Tripod, you can experiment with exposure modes like Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority that give you more creative control.
Metering Modes: Your camera reads light using a variety of methods; Under certain conditions, switching to a different metering mode will result in better exposure.
Exposure Compensation Feature: This allows you to override settings and increase or decrease exposure to fine-tune the brightness (or darkness) of the final image.
Image Formats: You have to choose how your camera saves the digital data it takes. The best chance to later modify your images is with RAW, which records the most info. JPG compromises some final quality but uses less storage space.
White Balance: You may alter how cool, warm, or accurate the colors appear by adjusting the white balance. Certain lighting conditions can give photographs an artificial appearance.
Focus Control: Your camera’s ability to autofocus is a valuable tool, but you’ll still want to be able to control what subject it focuses on.
Lenses and Filters: Switching to a different lens allows you to capture distant wildlife or extreme close-ups. For example, adding a filter can reduce flare and protect the front of your lens.
camera’s exposure modes and settings
All exposure modes involve three main exposure settings: ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. When you select a mode, you tell the camera which exposure elements you want to manually control and what you want the camera to do for you.
The main types of exposure include:
Auto (AE) Mode: Use this mode when you want the camera to provide exposure settings for you and you are not using a specific scene mode. If you are a beginner photographer, this is where you can start while exploring the creative aspects of image composition without worrying about exposure settings.
Program mode (P): This is a “semi-auto” mode where you set ISO and exposure compensation. The camera then selects the aperture and shutter speed for you. It also allows you to cycle through a series of aperture and shutter speed combinations and choose the one you want.
Aperture priority mode (A or Av): Use aperture priority mode when you want to control how much of the image is in focus, also known as “depth of field”. You choose the aperture you want, as well as the ISO, and your camera sets the shutter speed to make sure you get the right exposure.
Shutter Priority Mode (S or Tv): Use Shutter Priority when you want creative control over how motion appears in your photos. You choose the shutter speed for the effect you want, as well as the ISO, and your camera adjusts the aperture to make sure you get the right exposure.
Manual Mode (M): Use this mode when you want to control all exposure settings. You may want to experiment with the above modes first before taking full control.
Other exposure settings to consider are:
Scene modes: Use scene modes when you want to take certain standard types of photos, e.g. landscapes, sunsets, or night scenes, but want the camera to adjust the exposure for you. Each scene mode on your camera is an automatic setting optimized for a specific type of photo.
Auto ISO setting: Your camera might or might not have an automatic ISO setting. When using the aperture or shutter priority exposure settings, the Auto ISO function is particularly helpful. These settings will allow your camera to select the ISO for each mode you need to set. For each circumstance, ISO Auto chooses the highest quality ISO number. You could also be able to change other settings, such as the maximum ISO or the minimum shutter speed.
Image Format Raw v/s JPG
What are JPGs? The JPG image file type, usually pronounced jay-peg, was developed in 1992 by the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG). This group recognized the need to reduce the file size of large photos to make them easier to share. Some quality will be affected when the image is converted to JPG.
Most cameras give you a choice of two basic shooting formats: RAW and JPG. Here are the pros and cons of each and why you would use one over the other.
When to Choose RAW: Shoot in RAW if you want maximum opportunity to adjust your photos later in the editing process.
When to choose JPG: Shoot with JPG when you want to save storage space and simplify sharing and printing.
RAW + JPG mode: Not available on all cameras, consumes the most memory. The advantage is that you can instantly share the image, and then various editing options later.
RAW vs. JPG Format
| Image Format | Pros | Cons |
| RAW | Stores the maximum amount of image data, giving you more creative editing freedom. It can fully adjust the white balance during editing. | Need additional storage space on your computer and camera (both of which must use larger/more media cards). You must convert to JPG to share, post, email, or print images. |
| JPG | Already shareable; no conversion is required. Requires about 1/3 to 1/4 RAW file space. | In terms of editing, the range of design options is more limited. Minimal white balance adjustment during editing |
Controlling Focus on your Camera
How to focus your image: Many cameras have a default focus mode. It is common to have multiple focal points. By selecting a single focus point – the center point – instead, you have more control over the sharpest point in the frame. When your camera is in single shot and center focus mode, simply place your subject in the center of the frame, then press the shutter button halfway to lock focus. As long as you hold down the shutter button halfway, you can now move the camera freely to get the exact shot you want. The subject remains in focus even if you frame the shot with the subject elsewhere (off center) within the frame.
Focusing tips
- To check whether your focus is sharp, use your LCD screen.
- Consider using image stabilization.
- Use a stable tripod if you cannot hold the camera steady enough to avoid unwanted blur.
- A rule of thumb for the slowest shutter speeds in handheld mode is to pay attention to the focal length of your lens and use a tripod for speeds below that number.
Ijsim.com have tried to explain to you how the Cameras work. Hope this article on ijsim.com will help you in creating the most amazing memories of your lifetime by clicking the right image with the right camera settings.
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