Choose the Settings for a Digital SLR Camera
Although shooting in automatic mode can produce decent results in many situations, learning to shoot in alternative modes and to choose camera settings yourself will give you greater control over your pictures. When you become familiar with the different settings on a digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera, such as shutter speed and aperture, you will be able to determine which setting is most important for your needs and interests in a given situation.
Instructions
Selecting a Shooting Mode
1. Select specialized automatic mode to allow the camera to choose appropriate settings for a particular environment or subject. Each of these modes tells the camera to prioritize a certain setting and select other settings accordingly to create a good exposure. These modes allow you to get better results without having to choose any settings yourself. In portrait mode (indicated by a face symbol), the camera will prioritize a large aperture, allowing for minimum depth of field so that your subject will appear isolated against a blurred background. In landscape mode (indicated by a hill or tree symbol), the camera will prioritize a small aperture for the greatest depth of field. In sports mode (indicated by a runner symbol), the camera will prioritize a fast shutter speed for stopping motion and in night mode (indicated by a moon symbol) the camera will prioritize a slow shutter speed.
2. Select aperture-priority mode (A or AV) or shutter-priority mode (S or TV) to select your own aperture or shutter speed and allow the camera to select other settings accordingly. If you want to keep the shutter speed slow to blur a waterfall on a bright day, for example, choose shutter-priority mode and let the camera adjust the other settings to accommodate your chosen shutter speed.
3. Select manual mode for complete control over all settings, including aperture and shutter speed.
4. Set your camera's mode by turning the mode dial on the top of your camera until the mode you want to use aligns with the guiding dot or arrow.
Selecting an Aperture and Shutter Speed in Manual Mode
5. Select the most important setting for a particular subject or shot, and choose that setting first. For example, if you are shooting a subject in motion and want to stop or blur that motion, you will need the appropriate shutter speed to accomplish that goal and should select an aperture to accommodate. If depth of field is more important in a particular shot, then select an aperture first and a shutter speed second.
6. Select a shutter speed by turning the rotating dial located on the right front of your camera, just behind the shutter button. The shutter speed number will appear on the camera's information screen. Select a fast shutter speed to stop motion and a slow shutter speed to blur motion.
7. Select an aperture by depressing the exposure compensation button, labeled with an "AV" and a "+/-" symbol, and turning the same rotating dial you used to select a shutter speed. The aperture number will appear on the camera's information screen. Select a small aperture (large f-stop number) to maximize depth of field, and a large aperture (small f-stop number) to minimize depth of field.
8. Consult your camera's light meter to see if your chosen shutter speed and aperture combination will produce a well-balanced exposure. Depress the shutter button slightly to take a light reading, and look at the light meter scale on your camera's information screen. If the arrow or bold line appears in the center under the light meter scale, the exposure is balanced. If it appears to the side indicated with a minus sign, the image is underexposed. If it appears to the side indicated with a plus sign, the image is overexposed. Make changes to your aperture or shutter speed settings to correct the exposure.
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