Essential Settings for Camera
OK, the story I’m going to link to actually starts with the experts and eventually works its way down to the beginners, so if you’re new to digicam tweaks and advanced settings, try reading from the bottom up.
The most instantly useful tips are probably the three for beginners:
- Adjust white balance manually to account for lighting conditions (especially fluorescents)
- Use a higher ISO rating to account for lower light conditions
- Use Aperture and Shutter Priority modes to keep backgrounds in focus (aperture mode) or freeze fast-moving action shots (shutter priority)
Among the more useful tips from the two advanced sections:
- Use Full Manual Mode to set both aperture and shutter modes together (though this can get complicated)
- Try burst mode to capture a bunch of shots, rapid-fire (this is so easy it shouldn’t be in the advanced tips, I think)
- Use histogram displays to quickly check if you’ve overexposed a shot
- Use exposure bracketing to try the same shot at different exposure levels to find the one that ultimately looks best.
I know these tweaks take time and patience to master, but next time you’re shooting pics, try giving just one of them a whirl. You might be surprised what a difference they make to your snaps!
