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Camera Modes (part 1)
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Most cameras have a range of different modes that are usually selected by a dial on the top of the camera. The one shown on the right is from the Canon EOS 350D / Digital Rebel XT. A different make of SLR may use different symbols and letters but the basic modes will be the same.
The mode selected governs the way the camera calculates the exposure and the settings the photographer has control over. The modes usually fall into one of four categories: |
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- Fully automatic modes - the camera operates like a point-and-shoot. On the dial above, these are shown by the green rectangle and the 'P' (programmed AE) mode.
- Scene modes - fully automatic modes where the camera sets the various parameters to optimise it for a specific type of photograph (e.g. portrait, landscape, sports, etc.). These are usually represented by pictorial icons on the mode dial.
- Semi automatic modes - the photographer usually has control over one parameter and the camera controls the others to create a correctly exposed photograph. The most common are Aperture Priority (usually indicated by 'A' or 'Av' on the mode dial) and Shutter Priority (indicated by 'S' or 'Tv' on the dial).
- Fully manual mode - you have full control over all the exposure parameters. The camera's built in light meter will still take a reading and advise you whether it thinks the settings you have selected are either correct, over or under exposed but it doesn't change them. Indicated by 'M' on the mode dial.
The semi-auto and manual modes will be covered in detail later and, as you progress and learn more, you will probably want to use these by default, but the fully automatic and scene modes do have their place. After all, Canon still include them on their semi-professional EOS 40D (a camera costing nearly £1000 with a decent lens).
So when are the auto modes useful?
- At the start of the learning curve, there are many things to try to remember while taking pictures. We believe that it is better to concentrate on picture composition than to worry about which mode you use to take it. Therefore don't be embarrassed to use the auto mode while trying to learn all the different rules and guidelines of composition.
- If you return the camera to the fully auto mode, you will be ready to take a picture immediately should a fleeting opportunity arise.
Scene Modes
The most common scene modes are shown below. How these are implemented varies from one camera to the next so consult your user guide for more detailed information.
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Portrait mode - sets up the camera to create a shallow depth-of-field. Use this mode if you want the subject to stand out against an out-of-focus background. The blurred background also has the effect of increasing the perceived sharpness of the subject. Modern cameras may automatically activate features such as face recognition.
Landscape mode - sets up the camera to create a large depth-of-field, meaning the objects in the foreground as well as the distant scenery are all in sharp focus. Some models of camera may also change other parameters such as increasing the colour saturation.
Sports / Action mode - sets the camera to the fastest shutter speed possible so as to freeze the action. If the camera supports tracking (predictive) focusing, the camera will turn that on as well. |
Shallow depth of field created using portrait mode.
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Night time - sets the camera to underexpose the shot so as to retain the dark night time look in the final picture. If the camera does not have a 'night portrait' mode it may also enable the flash so as to light any foreground subject.
Night Portrait – will set the camera to use a slow sync flash enabling the people to be lit by flash while still retaining some of the background details by holding the shutter open after the flash has fired. Slow sync flash can often be enabled manually in many of the other camera modes.
Snow – overexposes the photograph slightly so that the snow comes out white rather than a mid-grey.
Macro mode - this is sometimes found on a separate button rather than on the main mode dial. It optimises the camera for close-up focusing. Note that on a DSLR camera, you will not have a macro capability unless you attach a macro lens (or zoom lens with a macro feature).
Black and White / Sepia modes - this is sometimes hidden within the menu system. After the picture is taken all the colour information is discarded prior to storing on the memory card, thereby creating a black and white (monochrome) image. No matter how much you like black and white photographs, we would advise you never to use the black and white mode on the camera unless your camera can shoot RAW and JPEG at the same time. There are many different ways to create black and white images out of colour ones so it is best left to powerful software on the PC. And, of course, if you take a colour image, you have the choice between colour and black and white later.
Movie mode - is used for recording movies and is not covered in this book. Just as mobiles don't make good cameras, cameras generally don't make good video cameras.
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Photographs
This is a site about photography so I'm sure you are expecting to see plenty of pictures.
For now, why not take a peek at the flickr galleries belonging to the two authors of this site.
Colin's Flickr Page
Phil's Flickr Page
"A snap shot is a two-dimensional piece of paper. A photograph is a three-dimensional work of art."
- Tedric A. Garrison
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