If you've bought a camera that offers custom exposure settings and scene modes, you may be confused by all the options available.
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We're talking about the different camera modes you find on your new toy.
While the standard Program, Aperture priority and Shutter priority modes are will be familiar to many, the latest digital camera models have many other scene modes which are bewildering to the uninitiated. Which is then the purpose of this article - to help you understand the most common scene modes available in the digital cameras today. |
The camera mode dial on a Nikon D70 camera
Auto Mode
This is the automatic mode found in all cameras. It is used by beginners and professionals who just want to take a quick snap without worrying about exposure settings. In the automatic mode, you will usually not be able to adjust ISO or white balance settings.
Shutter Priority Mode
The Shutter Priority Mode is best used when you're taking fast action photos and is usually found in enthusiast or advanced digital cameras. Here, you select the shutter speed and the camera chooses the best aperture. Some examples would include sports or wildlife photography, where you’ll need a high shutter speed.
Aperture Priority Mode
The Aperture Priority mode is found in many enthusiast level cameras, such as the Kodak EasyShare DX7590, Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20 or the Canon PowerShot G6. Essentially, what happens here is that you select the aperture, thereby locking your depth of field. The camera then automatically sets the best shutter speed to match the conditions. When do you use the the Aperture Priority mode? Well, its very suitable when you're shooting a stationary subject when you want to control your depth of field and aren’t too concerned about shutter speed.
Manual Mode
In this camera mode, anything goes. You can set the shutter speed and aperture, with options to change white balance, ISO, flash and even focus on some cameras. Choose this mode if you know what you're doing and want maximum flexibility for experimenting with the photo.
Landscape Mode
As the name implies, the Landscape mode allows you to shoot pictures of landscapes like mountains, Your camera will select the smallest aperture possible under the conditions to maximize depth of field in the image.
Note that the Landscape mode may not always work. Playing with my Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20, I found that the camera attempts to deliver sharpness from the foreground to the background - but it really depneds on the lighting conditions and the lens used.
Portrait Mode
If you want to shoot close-ups of people or faces, the Portrait Mode is the mode to choose. When you choose Portrait mode, the camera will select a wide aperture setting, minimizing your depth of field for a soft background effect, and also may adjust your zoom. In addition, the flash setting will try to switch to red-eye reduction.
Macro Mode
If you take pictures of flowers a lot (I do), this mode is invaluable. The Macro Mode allows you to focus on objects at amazingly small distances - sometimes just centimeters from the lens. Use the Macro mode when you need to capture the smallest little details on your subject. When activating this mode, I usually use a tripod for best results.
Sports Mode
If you want to capture fast action, then you'll need the fast shutter speed setting offered by the Sports Mode. When you switch to this mode, your camera will automatically choose the fastest shutter speed possible given the situation. Some cameras will also activate continuous shooting (instead of single frame), enable the evaluative metering mode (if any) and also disable the flash.
Beach & Snow Mode
If you shoot pictures on the beach or the snow, the bright and reflective surfaces will confuse the camera. The Beach & Snow Modes serve to compensate for the abundant ambient and reflected light by slightly overexposing based on the meter reading.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has taught you a thing or two about the various scene modes available in your digital camera. Learn how to use the correct scene mode in a given photo situation - and you'll start to achieve better exposures. Happy shooting!
