- What are A (Av), S (Tv) and M modes, definition of each;
- In what situations should you choose each of them and why;
- Some advantages of (Av) and S (Tv) modes compared to manual tuning;
- Some advantages of manual configuration and examples of situations when this is the only possible option.
Manual shooting modes, what are they?
Manual Mode (M): This mode gives you full control over the three camera settings that determine exposure (known as the exposure triangle)—ISO sensitivity, aperture, and shutter speed. In the guide we will focus on each of the parameters.
Aperture priority (A on Nikon, Av on Canon): This mode gives you control over two settings, namely ISO and aperture. The camera will automatically determine the appropriate shutter speed to provide you with the correct exposure.
Shutter priority (S on Nikon, Tv on Canon): This mode also gives you control over two exposure settings, but this time it's ISO and shutter speed. The camera will automatically determine the appropriate aperture value for your settings.
There are other factors that affect the result, namely the metering that is used and exposure compensation. We will dwell on this a little later.
How do you decide which mode to use?
I use aperture priority and shutter priority mode more than any other. When deciding which one is better to choose, you should take into account what you are shooting, under what external conditions and what effect you want to achieve:
- Choose aperture priority mode when you want to control depth of field (DOF). So, for example, if you are creating a portrait with beautiful bokeh, then set the aperture to f2.8 or f1.8. You should choose aperture priority mode not only when creating a nice blurred background, but also in cases where, on the contrary, you want to take a sharp photo by choosing an aperture value of f11 or smaller.
- You should give preference to shutter priority mode when it is important for you to control the movement of the subject, that is, either make the subject very clear while moving, or, on the contrary, qualitatively blur it. Therefore, when photographing sporting events, concerts or wildlife where clarity is important, the shutter speed should be set to at least 1/500. When photographing the movement of water or a car at night, the shutter speed interval must be chosen significantly longer, at least 2-5 seconds.
- There are several cases where shooting in manual mode is the best option. So, if you are taking a night portrait or landscape, working in a studio, or taking an HDR photo using a tripod, also in some cases when using a flash (for example, when working in a dark room, you still want to preserve a little natural light) .
Here are some sample images taken using each of the modes described above.
Photo taken in aperture priority mode
Photo taken in shutter priority mode
A photo taken in manual mode at night
Things you shouldn't forget
ISO: Remember that when you select any mode, you are still setting the ISO sensitivity yourself.
You need to choose sensitivity based on the lighting you're shooting under. For example, when shooting in bright sunlight, it is better to set the value to 100 ISO or 200 ISO. If it is a cloudy day, or you are shooting in the shade, then it is better to set the value to 400 ISO. To shoot indoors with poor lighting, you need to set the value above 800 ISO, depending on the circumstances. Values above 3200 ISO are set in special cases, for example, if you are shooting a moving subject without using a tripod and at the same time, the lighting level is low. Using a tripod allows you to set lower ISO values, since the risk of taking a blurry shot is reduced to almost zero.
Check the shutter speed in aperture priority mode.
If the camera determines the shutter speed on its own, this does not mean that you will be able to take a high-quality photo, so it is better to double-check what speed your camera has set. Yes, generally there are no problems, but if you set up the camera and set the sensitivity to 100 ISO, with an aperture of f16 in a dark room, then you will be shooting with a fairly slow shutter speed, and if a tripod is not used, the frame will most likely come out blurry. Therefore, make sure that the shutter speed is set correctly, for this you can use the following rule - 1/focal length = shutter speed. That is, if you are shooting at a distance of 200 meters, then the shutter speed should be 1/200. Knowing this rule, you can adjust your ISO and aperture settings so that the shutter speed is automatically set to the value that works best.
Photo taken in manual mode with HDR
Watch for notifications warning you about incorrect exposure in S and A modes.
Your camera is pretty smart, but it can only work within its own limitations. Therefore, you may sometimes receive messages indicating that you are outside the parameters where it is possible to set the correct automatic settings. This message will appear as a flashing warning in the viewfinder. Here are examples of such cases, both in shutter priority and aperture priority modes.
Scenario #1. Aperture priority mode. Let's say you decide to set your ISO to 800 and F1.8 on a bright sunny day, and the camera will tell you that the scene is too bright. The camera cannot set the appropriate shutter speed (fastest). If you do take a photo, make sure that it is overexposed, which is what the camera warned you about. Choose a lower ISO or a smaller aperture and try again until the warning goes away.
Scenario #2. Shutter priority mode. Let's say you are shooting in a dark room with ISO 400 and 1/1000 sec settings, in this case the camera will not be able to set the correct aperture value, you will be notified about this through a message in the viewfinder. To resolve this issue, you will need to select a slow shutter speed and probably a higher ISO sensitivity so that the warning disappears.
Image created in manual mode during night photography
In recent years, digital photography has become increasingly popular. Just 3-4 years ago there were not so many available SLR cameras, especially since there were no photographic equipment originally created for beginners. Now all manufacturers, along with professional photographic equipment, produce models for beginners, drawing people into the world of digital photography and hooking them on their brands.
Cameras for beginners are distinguished not only by their simpler design and functionality. These cameras have standard photography modes: portrait, sports, landscape, etc. These are fully automatic modes in which all settings correspond to the program installed in the camera.
Nevertheless, mirror cameras have not lost the capabilities of older cameras. All cameras always have 4 basic photography modes: program automatic 'P', shutter priority 'S', aperture priority 'A' and fully manual mode 'M'.
Programmed automatic mode 'P'
In this mode, the camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed and aperture. This mode is recommended for snapshots when there is no time to select shooting options (including activating the internal flash).
In this mode, you can control the combination of shutter speed and aperture, which still gives the same exposure.
If the exposure parameters go beyond the available limits, the camera reports the occurrence of overexposure or underexposure. This rule applies to all shooting modes.
Aperture priority 'A'
In aperture priority mode, you set the aperture and the camera automatically selects shutter speed for optimal exposure.
A smaller aperture means a larger f-number - increases depth of field. Conversely, a larger aperture means a smaller f-number reduces the depth of field, making the background blurrier.
Aperture priority mode is the most common in use. In most shootings, you have to control the aperture and, accordingly, the depth of field, and only adjust the remaining parameters to get the desired frame.
Working with aperture is used in all genres of photography. But most of all, depth of field is felt in portraits and macro.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/durango99/659120369/ As you know, each lens has a range of aperture values in which it produces the highest quality image. On average this is f:11 - f:16, acceptable quality can be obtained at apertures f:5 - f:22. Setting extreme aperture values increases optical defects.
Shutter priority 'S'
Shutter priority mode lets you set the shutter speed while the camera automatically selects the aperture.
Shutter priority allows you to emphasize movement in the frame. A long shutter speed highlights movement by blurring moving objects; a short shutter speed, on the contrary, “freezes” the action in the frame.
Shutter priority is used in many interesting shooting techniques. For example, shooting with wiring, shooting fireworks, shooting moving water, etc.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnhale/2392486691/ There is a pitfall in using this mode. There are more shutter speed values than aperture values, so for a certain shutter speed the exact aperture value may not be found. In this case, the closest aperture will be used, resulting in a slightly underexposed or overexposed frame.
To get a sharp shot when shooting handheld, the shutter speed should be no longer than 1/x, where x is the focal length. For slower shutter speeds, use a tripod.
Manual mode 'M'
In manual exposure mode, you set the shutter speed and aperture yourself. Shutter speed and aperture are freely adjustable, and each camera's built-in metering sensor shows the amount of under- or overexposure for the current settings. That is, whether your frame will be overexposed or underexposed.
The shutter in this mode can be opened for an arbitrary period of time. This is called 'bulb' mode. It is used in situations where a shutter speed longer than 30 seconds is needed, for example for shooting frames with moving stars. The 'bulb' mode is also convenient when you need to control the shutter speed, for example when shooting lightning or fireworks.
Manual mode is set when shooting in a studio. Exposure is measured with a light meter and entered into the camera manually.
Exposure compensation
In any shooting mode, you can make exposure compensation by changing the value suggested by the camera. This is the fastest way to change the exposure without changing the priority value.
Depending on what shooting mode you are in, exposure compensation will change the non-priority value. For example, in aperture priority mode, bracketing changes the shutter speed, in shutter priority mode it changes the aperture, and in auto mode it changes the ISO sensitivity.
Exposure bracketing
When creating HDR photographs, images taken with different exposures are used, both positive and negative. The most convenient way to do this is to use exposure bracketing. Bracketing mode automatically shoots a predetermined number of frames with a specific exposure spread.
In addition to HDR, bracketing is used in situations where there is no time to fine-tune each photo
Auto exposure lock.
When using spot or center-weighted metering, if your subject is outside the metering area, it may not be exposed correctly. In such a situation, you need to expose the frame to the main subject and lock the automatic exposure.
Bottom line
The considered shooting modes give complete control over camera settings in a minimum amount of time. There is nothing complicated here. A few days of practice will help you fully understand all the material presented here.
The variety of operating modes of modern cameras can sometimes discourage amateur photographers. When setting up their camera, many DSLR camera owners typically select either Aperture/Aperture Priority or Shutter/Shutter Speed Priority mode. Both of these modes are good, but only in one specific situation or another. Let's figure out exactly when to use these modes.
First, what is aperture or aperture and shutter speed or shutter speed? In short, aperture is the size of the lens aperture opening. Changing the size of this hole controls the amount of light hitting the camera's photocells. This can be compared to the human eye, which also has a built-in aperture known as the “pupil”. When the external environment is too bright, our pupil constricts, allowing much less light to reach the retina. Since the surrounding space is lit quite brightly, our eye filters out excess light, allowing us to see the world clearly. On the other hand, when there is little lighting, the pupil dilates, letting in as much light as possible. Our eyes do this automatically, the camera can't (until you switch to automatic mode, which is boring).
In a camera, the purpose of the aperture is much broader than simply regulating the amount of light hitting the photosensors. Aperture also controls depth of field, or how the photographic image will be in focus. The wider (more open) the aperture, the shallower the depth of field will be. A shallow depth of field will leave fewer objects in focus, but sometimes this is the desired special effect.
Shutter speed is the amount of time it actually takes to take a photo. This is another way to control the amount of light hitting your camera sensors. A fast shutter speed will let in less light, a slow shutter speed will let in more light. A very fast shutter speed is used to “catch” objects at a certain point in time. A very slow shutter release allows the subject to be “dragged” across the image. Thanks to long shutter speeds (very, very slow shutter speeds), you can create truly fantastic effects.
The aperture, together with the shutter speed, will determine the total amount of light entering the camera's sensors and must be adjusted according to the lighting conditions to create the correct exposure for the photographic image. An “overexposed” image will have blown-out white areas where nothing will be visible. On the contrary, an “underexposed” image will contain dark, almost black areas, in which nothing will be visible either.
Simultaneously controlling the shutter speed and aperture in manual mode (not taking into account ISO and other modes) can be very problematic for a novice amateur photographer. Even experienced photographers can miss an interesting moment while fumbling for the right settings in manual mode. And it’s very easy to overexpose or underexpose an image without the necessary knowledge or enough time when preparing for photography.
Aperture priority mode can be found by setting the mode switch to “A” or “Av”. Aperture is measured in so-called "F-numbers". Most cameras measure F-numbers as fractions: 1/3 or 1/2. The lower the F-number, the wider the aperture is open. Aperture priority mode allows you to control the aperture, causing the shutter speed to be set automatically according to the amount of light entering the camera's sensors. In this mode, you can still change other settings (such as ISO), but not the shutter speed.
Shutter speed priority mode can be found by setting the mode switch to “S” or “Tv”. Shutter speed is measured in seconds. In most cases, these values fall within an interval of up to one second. Thus, they will be indicated in fractions (for example, 1/25, 1/4000). Here, the lower the number (or the larger the fraction divisor), the faster the shutter speed. As with aperture priority, shutter speed priority allows you to control one of your camera's two light filters, allowing the automation to choose the other's settings based on the amount of light it receives.
Now that we know what aperture, shutter speed, aperture priority, and shutter speed priority are, the only question left to answer is when should you use each setting?
The answer to this question is quite simple. It all depends on personal preference. So some amateur photographers take most of their photographs in aperture priority mode. Why? Because their subjects are mostly stationary, and as long as they keep the camera steady (such as using a tripod in low-light situations), they don't have to worry about blurry outlines. In addition, aperture priority mode allows you to control the depth of field. So, when photographing landscapes, it is important that the entire landscape is in focus, and not just the foreground or background. If you are photographing an object or person in good lighting, by setting a low F-number, you can blur the background and achieve a three-dimensional highlight of the central character in the photo.
There are times when using shutter speed priority mode is a must. And the first thing that comes to mind is photographing moving objects! Sports activities, lion chasing an antelope in the African savannah. Anything that moves quickly. In these cases, you usually want to capture the subject in a moment in time and avoid blurring it (a blurred background with a fast-moving subject can be achieved using special techniques). In this case, you can achieve the desired result by setting the shutter speed to a very fast speed. Shutter speed priority mode also helps when photographing people in low light (but a good flash is still better).
Why not use fully automatic mode?
Well, then you won't have full creative control over the photography process. The aperture and shutter speed will be set to the safest and most boring settings, and the images will come out flat and average. If you do decide to use full automatic mode, make sure your flash is working.
Why not then switch to manual mode and control absolutely everything?
Well, manual mode is really a great thing and sometimes it's worth using it. But usually the manual mode is applicable in situations where you can slowly set the exposure number and take one or two test shots. But even when shooting landscapes, this approach can be problematic, especially when you're trying to get clean shots during golden hours. In manual mode you run the risk of getting too little or too much light. And although you constantly monitor the exposure on the built-in display using test shots, there is nothing worse than missing out on great moments due to overexposure/underexposure, or because you hesitated with the camera controls.
So, it is now clear that aperture priority and shutter speed priority modes have their pros and cons and should be used depending on the situation. Landscape HDR photography and photographing static scenes in general is a situation for aperture priority mode (when photographing HDR images it is very important that the depth of field remains the same everywhere). For photographing moving objects, scenes in motion, and sometimes some people, the shutter speed priority mode is better suited. You should try both of these modes in different life situations, already relying on new knowledge.
Now, logically, the next one is shutter priority mode.
How and when to use it? We will not consider automatic settings, since everything is clear there, because the camera itself selects them, and the photographer only presses the shutter. As I said, this option can be called “Point and Click (or Photo)!”, and it is more suitable for beginners.
Partially and completely manual ones already indicate a more mature and serious approach to photography. For clarity, I would arrange them in order of complexity: program, shutter and aperture priority, manual.
Shutter priority specifics
Your camera, as it seems at first glance, has a lot of shooting styles. For example, on Nikon 5100 there are already 13 of them! You see icons for night photography, portrait, landscape, sports, and there is even an imitation of macro photography.
But by and large, they are all considered very simple and far from ideal, because they are absolutely automatic. For a photographer, several other modes (semi-automatic and manual) are much more interesting, including shutter priority: S– for Nikon and TV can be found on Canon.
The peculiarities of shutter priority are that you can set its values yourself, plus , and will be defined as auto.
- this is the time interval (in seconds, minutes) during which the shutter is open, or the curtains, cameras, and light enters the photosensitive material.
If we turn to, we will see that the capabilities of the camera were not always the same as they are now.
Much of the credit for the growth of these capabilities lies in the creation of the lamella style (three plate) shutter. In old cameras it was a curtain-slit or petal type and moved either along the long side of the frame or from the center to the edges. And, therefore, could not provide short shutter speeds.
But times have changed - a shutter in the form of blinds appeared. We photographers can only rejoice at this progress.
Mode comparison
Do you remember in the previous article we discussed aperture mode (A)? So it can be completely contrasted with the shutter speed mode.
Let's make a comparison between them. Using it, you can evaluate all the advantages of setting the shutter speed (t - time), as well as the limitations, and at the same time repeat information regarding the aperture parameter (f). When do we turn on aperture mode? These are the situations:
- Individual and group portrait. Do you want to photograph a person and highlight them against a blurred background, or include several people in the frame and make them all clear? In both cases, aperture priority will help you: in the first, open it (for example, 2.8-3.5), and in the second, close it a little (4.5-5.6).
- Scenery. Usually, when shooting natural or urban views, you have to work with f, with its large values - 10 or even 16.
- Changeable light. In a certain place or after a while, the lighting on the street may become different. To avoid having to adjust the camera again every time, just vary the f value. Do the same indoors; especially in studios, the aperture mode will come in handy.
That is, mode A (Av) is useful when shooting static objects; it is “indifferent” to movement in the frame.
The aperture is important if the above conditions are met in relation to the object, that is, the goal is to photograph an object or objects, a person or people, a beautiful view, etc.
Of course, if we set mode S in such circumstances, there will be little effect; we simply will not be able to take acceptable shots.
But shutter priority will be beneficial in a number of other cases, where, on the contrary, changing f will not contribute in any way to obtaining the desired photo. In general, this includes only two groups of such cases when it is necessary:
- Record the position of an object in time/space. Otherwise called “freezing”. The shutter speed should be kept as short as possible - from 1/320 to thousandths - corresponding to the intensity of movement. Just right for or another report. With these t indicators, you, as if by magic, stop any moving object (car, ball, water, etc.), animal or person (walking, running, falling, etc.). In this case, the entire scene is frozen, not just the main character.
- Blur motion. We perform the opposite action: we lengthen t to get a slight blurriness or emphasize the fluidity of the object. This technique is relevant when shooting flowing water. Here it is necessary to take into account the nuance that at long shutter speeds you will hardly be able to hold the camera in such a way as to avoid serious vibrations. Consequently, it is impossible to do without other means of stabilization.
Tip: Shoot handheld at a shutter speed no longer than 1/60 sec. If you take it longer, 1/30 s, and so on, movement in the photo cannot be avoided; the only solution is a tripod.
If you want to learn more about the capabilities of your camera using examples, there is a way out, the course is “” or “ My first MIRROR" An excellent video course that will tell you all the intricacies of your DSLR camera and set you on the right path!
My first MIRROR— for owners of CANON SLR photographic equipment.
Digital SLR for a beginner 2.0— for owners of NIKON SLR photographic equipment.
See you readers! And remember, my tips will be useful to you no matter how advanced your camera is, whether you take photos with Nikon or Canon, etc. So good luck in mastering your technique!
All the best to you, Timur Mustaev.
Shutter priority is a camera mode that everyone should know about. It doesn’t matter whether you want to develop further as a photographer or whether what your camera can do using only standard modes is enough for you, but knowing how to photograph correctly in certain cases will never be superfluous. Here we will look at what shutter speed is, how to use it, and in what cases and situations it is worth using shutter priority. We will try to analyze the excerpt in the simplest and most accessible presentation possible, without the use of complex professional terms.
So, What is shutter priority?? If explained in simple language and in simple words, shutter speed is the time when the camera shutter is open and allows light to enter the camera sensor. That is, the shutter speed. Most often, shutter priority is used for shooting moving objects, sports, and so on. The camera will shoot and record everything that it “sees” during the time you set. For example, if you take a 2-second shutter speed when shooting a running person, you will get a blurry figure, since every moment that the runner was at each point in space will be captured on camera and will appear in the picture. If you choose a slower shutter speed, for example, 0.1 second, then the runner will turn out to be clear, since in 0.1 second he will not move a long distance.
Thus, by choosing one or another exposure time, you can get either an artistically blurred image or a clear, static one. When photographing moving objects, many people use a shutter speed slightly slower than necessary so that there is a sense of movement in the photo, but a clear photo of a runner or a moving car will look static, as if it is not moving, but standing still.
Besides, special attention should be paid to the light! Take into account that over a certain amount of time, not only the image itself, but also the amount of light falls on the matrix. So, for example, if you shoot at a fast shutter speed on a cloudy day or indoors, you risk getting a dark photo. In addition, shutter priority is also used for shooting static objects at night. By increasing the shutter speed and fixing the camera for a long time, you will get a clear and bright photo with accurately displayed data. You can also adjust the aperture settings to control the amount of light. We have already written about aperture settings in the article ““. Thus, by choosing the maximum balance between the amount of exposure time and the opening width of the aperture, you can get very beautiful and picturesque photographs with good exposure.
Shooting in shutter priority mode is carried out when the main thing when shooting is the sharpness of moving objects, or, as we said above, the quality of shooting at long exposures. In various cameras, this mode is indicated by the symbols: S (Nikon) or Tv (Canon). Most often, shutter speed is adjusted for such shooting formats as: sporting events, photo reports, cars, dancing, moving people, water, fountains, fireworks and fireworks. In addition, this mode is used in such artistic shooting formats as light graphics, light painting, shooting with wiring, panning, shooting with zoom, and so on.
Shutter speed: 1/250 sec.
Shutter speed: 1/13 sec.
If, when photographing such objects, you doubt whether it is better to shoot at a long or short shutter speed, to make the object static or slightly blurred and give it movement, then it is best to experiment and take several photos of the same place, and then choose what you will like it more and it will look more picturesque. Also, when shooting fountains and other objects, do not forget about the aperture. When selecting a special mode shutter speed and aperture you can make the same fountain in focus and at the shutter speed you need, which, naturally, will give much greater expressiveness to the photograph.
The quality of the image largely depends on the amount of light hitting the camera sensor. This is affected by three parameters: ISO, aperture and shutter speed. ISO refers to the sensitivity of the camera sensor. Aperture - opening size. Shutter speed is the amount of time during which light enters the sensor. To competently take pictures in any lighting, you need to be able to handle these three parameters. But still, here we will dwell more deeply on this mode, such as shutter priority.
How they depend on each other three parameters depending on lighting? If the amount of light becomes less (indoors, twilight, night), then the shutter speed should increase so that as much light as possible falls on the sensor. To reduce the exposure time (to avoid blurring), you can increase the ISO sensitivity, which naturally compensates for the amount of light (a large increase in ISO can lead to noise). In order to reduce the shutter speed, you can increase the size of the aperture, that is, set the smallest aperture number (more about this in the article ““), opening the aperture will help more light penetrate, which will reduce the shutter speed. By using such simple calculations and constantly experimenting, selecting good values, you can achieve good effects in any illumination.
In shutter priority mode, the camera itself sets the required aperture parameters. Therefore, the main task for you here is to choose the shutter time you need. When experimenting with exposure, it is worth knowing that there is one pitfall here, which is called “underexposure or overexposure.” This danger lies in the fact that there are more shutter speed values than aperture values, so when choosing one value or another, the camera automatically selects the aperture value and, not finding a match, selects the one closest to it. As a result, there is some kind of “failure” in the picture, which can lead to a defect in the photograph; the picture will either be darkened or have highlights. However, modern graphics programs (Photoshop, Lightroom and others) will help you correct these unpleasant moments.
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