A DSLR Camera is a masterpiece of technology! It can make an amateur feel accomplished and make an Artist out of any Photographer with a creative imagination. It can also be a frustrating, curse-inspiring demonic pixel-plague when you don’t know how to use it.
That’s why in this series, I’m going to attempt to de-mystify some of the settings and make your Photography experience more enjoyable and rewarding. Please bear in mind that in Photography, as in many things in life, there are no hard-and-fast rules. Nothing is 100% carved in stone. The most important consideration is whether or not you are satisfied with the results you are getting. If you are, then continue doing what you’re doing. If you’re not, then hopefully these guidelines will help.
Also bear in mind that what I am about to tell you is based only upon my experiences with my Cameras and relate specifically to Canon EOS Rebel models; I know nothing about Nikon, Sony, or any of the other major (and not so major) brands on the market today, but they are all basically the same albeit sometimes with different names for the functions. (Po-tay-to, po-tah-to) Even within brands, the functions and settings may be different from model to model. For example, setting the ISO on my Canon EOS Rebel T6 is done differently than on the EOS Rebel T6i. However, once you know what ISO is and what it does, it doesn’t matter how you access the setting, it still functions the same. And, since this is based upon my experiences, there will be some settings of which I have no knowledge, since I’ve never used them. In these cases, I will openly state that fact.
Let’s begin with the Modes. Your camera’s modes – or functions – can usually be found on a dial on the top or back of your camera’s body. On the Canon, it looks like this. When a beginner first turns on a DSLR Camera, the natural tendency is to go directly to AUTO (Automatic) mode. On Canon models, this is identified by a green box and plus (+) symbol around the letter A. When your camera is set on AUTO mode, you’re letting the camera make all the decisions in what the photo will look like, including the ISO, Shutter speed, and Aperture. The internal settings such as white balance, flash, and focal point will also be affected. The only things you have control over are focus (and even that can be automated) and when to push the shutter button.
So, why bother to spend the money and carry the weight of a DSLR if you’re going to let the camera make all the decisions? Why not just use the camera in your Smart Phone or iPhone? Well, to begin with, a DSLR will allow you to use a wider variety of lenses, from Wide-Angle Prime, to a variable Focal Length Zoom. Many Wildlife Photographers (and some Landscape Photographers) depend on their Zoom lenses to get close-up images of the subject without getting too close. Using a DSLR will give YOU control over the settings, allowing more creativity in your Photography. Using the camera function in your phone may give you high-quality images, but the camera decides what settings are used. DSLRs also allow you to store your images in RAW files (more on that later) for future editing.
Other settings within the Semi-AUTO scale are CA, (Creative AUTO) Portrait, Landscape, Close-Up, (Similar to Macro) Sports, Food, Night, and Video. Aside from Video, all other functions can be created in the Manual and Semi-Manual modes.
On the other side of the scale are the Manual and semi-Manual controlled functions, such as Program, (a function I have NEVER used) which is similar to AUTO, Shutter Priority (or Tv on a Canon) which allows you to set the ISO and Shutter speed while the camera chooses the Aperture setting, Aperture Priority (Av) which allows you to set the ISO and Aperture while the camera chooses the Shutter Speed, and finally, Manual (M) which gives full control of the ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture to the user. This is the most flexible and creative mode, but there will be times when you will have to make sacrifices in order to get the image you want. I’ll explain that in greater detail after I’ve covered some more basic ground.
As I said before, I have never used the “Program” mode, so I cannot speak to it’s function. Therefore, I will skip ahead directly to Shutter Priority.
In Shutter Priority, you’re choosing the Shutter Speed and ISO while allowing the Camera to choose the Aperture. I usually keep my ISO between 100 (the lowest on my Canon) and 400. ISO is one of the factors that control the amount of light that gets into the Camera and onto the sensor. Modern Cameras have very good resolution even at high ISO settings, but the images start to get a grainy look after awhile. This grainy appearance is called “noise” and it makes the image look like newsprint. Sometimes that is okay, and sometimes even preferable, but for a nice smooth image, try to keep the ISO as low as possible. Shutter Speed is another element that determines how much light gets into the sensor. If the shutter opens and closes very quickly, not much light will get in, but if it opens and closes very slowly, then camera shake could cause your image to come out blurry. The general rule of thumb for Shutter Speed is 1/60th of a second or faster. Even at that speed you’d want to have your camera held securely so it doesn’t shake or move.
I don’t use Shutter Priority very often, but when I do, it’s because I want to have control over how rapidly the shutter opens and closes. Shutter Priority is useful for bright sunshine, images where movement of the subject(s) is possible. For example, if you’re taking a photo of a person walking, Shutter Priority with a setting of 1/125 second* could be ideal. Faster subjects, such as people running, cars driving in a city, or that sort of thing might require a Shutter Speed of 1/250 second. Running animals or fast vehicles such as trains or rural traffic might require a Shutter Speed of 1/500. Race Cars and other super-fast objects (including fast moving birds such as Eagles) might exceed 1/1000 second. (*These shutter speeds are only estimates. Some scenarios may require faster or slower shutter speeds.)
As with all things, experiment to see what is best for you, your camera, and your personal style.
Moving on to Aperture Priority… In this setting, you’re telling the camera, “I want to control the ISO and Aperture, you (camera) decide the best Shutter Speed for this image.” This one can be tricky though. Toward the end of the day, when the natural light is waning, (but the shadows are delicious) your camera may decide to leave that Shutter open for longer than is possible for you to hold the camera steady. That’s where a good Tripod is necessary. It doesn’t hurt to have one and even a moderately priced one can be a great investment. Aperture Priority is the most popular choice of Landscape Photographers. Besides the amount of light that gets to your sensor, the Aperture also controls the depth of field. I’ll elaborate more on that in part two of “YOUR CAMERA’S SETTINGS Getting Out of Auto Mode.”
Last week, I sent a Shout Out to two people who gave me inspiration and encouragement even before I began taking Photography seriously. Today I continue that practice by extending a Shout Out to my good friend, John Draper. John was instrumental in my decision to get more involved in Photography and gave me several helpful pointers and tips to get me started. Much of what I am saying here I have learned from John. He’s been a fixture in Fredericton for many years and much of the Photographic documentation of the Rock Music scene in Atlantic Canada can be attributed to John. For a very small sample of his work, go check out his website.
Thank you for taking the time to drop by and read this. As always, I appreciate your thoughts and comments. Until next week, keep your shutter finger warm and always remember to pack extra batteries!
Happy Easter 2022, everyone!.