Camera operating modes. Mode M - fully manual mode What does scn mean on the camera

Professional photographers almost never use automatic camera settings because no matter how “smart” the automatic modes may seem, they still do not “guess” the photographer’s intentions, and in full automatic mode it is impossible to control the most important camera settings.

It is likely that someday they will invent a camera with artificial intelligence that will be able to compete with a professional photographer, however, even in this case, a real photographer will never use automatic modes, because this will be the creativity of an intellectual camera, and not the self-expression of the photographer...

Semi-automatic modes of the creative zone give the photographer enormous scope for self-expression and at the same time make the photographer’s work much easier...

How to take photographs in P mode - Program

Shooting mode P (Program) is the first mode of the creative zone. At its core, P mode is an automatic mode. However, in this photography mode, the photographer can choose the shutter speed-aperture pair he needs at his discretion - shift the program selected by the camera towards a shorter shutter speed and open aperture, or vice versa.

Mode P works very simply: after pressing 1/2 of the way, the camera’s built-in exposure meter measures the illumination of the subject and sets the appropriate shooting parameters automatically, but the photographer can quickly intervene in the shutter speed and aperture settings and quickly select - for this, just turn to one or another side of the camera's adjustment wheel or press the corresponding button several times (depending on the model of your camera).

In P mode, unlike the fully automatic auto mode, the photographer can also change and decide whether or not to shoot without it.

The program setting mode of the camera P is not convenient to use if you want to take a series of photographs with an open (or closed) aperture or at a certain shutter speed, because after you take one frame, the camera will automatically set its settings and you will have to again Turn the wheel or press the buttons to select the shutter speed or aperture you need.

The P program shooting mode makes it very easy for novice photographers to work with flash (built-in or external). But, before using a flash, make sure that your camera has first-curtain synchronization set - in this case, the camera shutter will operate at a constant shutter speed (approximately 1/60 sec), and the correct exposure will depend on the flash settings: in the simplest case, the flash in AUTO mode - it will automatically calculate the required power of the light pulse.

How to Photograph in A (Av) Mode - Aperture Priority

Mode A (Av) (Aperture - aperture) is very popular among professional photographers, because in this mode it is very easy to control. Mode A (Av) is called aperture priority because in this mode the camera gives preference to the aperture chosen by the photographer, and the shutter speed is selected automatically. In this case, the camera, as in any automatic mode, uses the readings of the built-in exposure meter.

If you want to take pictures with a blurred photon (usually when shooting portraits), or vice versa, you need to close the aperture (landscape or group shot), then aperture priority mode will be the most optimal mode for setting up the camera. Moreover, in the aperture priority mode, unlike the program P mode, you will not need to “frantically” :o) turn the camera wheel in order to set the desired aperture before each shot - the aperture value will always be the one chosen by the photographer, until it will not change it itself (in some cameras, this value will remain even after turning off the camera)

Aperture priority mode is not very suitable for shooting moving objects or shooting in dim lighting without a tripod, when there is a high probability of getting a blurry shot due to an excessively long shutter speed. In such shooting conditions, aperture priority mode can become very dangerous for getting a clear shot! But, fortunately for the photographer, there is another creative zone mode.

How to take photographs in S (T or Tv) mode - shutter priority

Shutter priority mode is indicated by the letter T (Tv) from the English word Time or the letter S - Shutter. You probably already guessed that in this mode, priority is given to the shutter speed measured by the camera shutter (the time for which the shutter of your camera opens).

The shutter priority mode works in exactly the same way as the aperture priority mode, with the only difference being that the photographer rigidly sets the shutter speed required for photography, and the camera selects the aperture required for normal exposure. This mode should be used when you are shooting a moving object or want to get a specific one. Also, this mode is useful when shooting handheld without flash in low light - set the shutter speed approximately equal to the focal length of your lens and the probability will decrease significantly!

ISO in Creative Zone modes

All Creative Zone modes make it very easy to adjust shutter speed and aperture. However, there is another parameter, which is the sensitivity of the matrix or Since high values ​​​​of the sensitivity of the matrix can lead to the appearance of digital noise in your pictures, the general principle is this - the lower the sensitivity of the matrix, the better.

The sensitivity of the matrix is ​​your “lifeline” in conditions of insufficient light for normal exposure. Increase your ISO only when the shutter speed or aperture starts flashing in your camera's viewfinder or monitor. It is for this reason that the sensitivity of the matrix is ​​included in separate settings. In some cameras, to change the sensitivity of the matrix, you just need to press a button and turn the adjustment wheel, in others you need to “dig” into the menu.

If, when selecting photographic parameters in Creative Zone modes, the selected shutter speed or aperture value does not blink in the camera settings, then you don’t have to think about ISO. In addition, when shooting in the creative zone, regardless of the selected mode, you can always let the camera itself adjust the desired ISO value - to do this, just set the ISO to AUTO and, if something happens, the camera itself will set higher ISO values.

Why do professional photographers take pictures in M ​​mode?

The manual photography mode M (Manual) is usually used by very experienced photographers, but not as often as novice photographers think about it: o) because in manual photography mode, the photographer himself has to choose both shutter speed and aperture, and this requires for a while... However, do not be afraid of the manual mode of setting the camera - it is not as scary and not at all complicated as it seems at first glance... if you follow

Good afternoon I’m in touch with you, Timur Mustaev. How well do you know your technique? I can’t deny the importance of ideas and imagination for photography, but somewhere, perhaps, boring technical aspects cannot be avoided.

Knowing the features of a particular camera is the key to productive interaction with it. How else can you get masterpiece photos? The only way. The basis of the basics can be called the ability to set the desired modes on the camera. But how to work with them correctly? We’ll talk a little about this, and most importantly, we’ll figure out what manual camera mode means.

About modes in general terms

Modes, or shooting methods, are a very significant characteristic of a camera. All cameras must have them. The model here does not affect this, for example, whether you have Canon or Nikon - in any case, the set of modes is more or less standard. I'll quickly go over the main ones, and we'll, of course, touch on manual ones in more detail.

So, on the right side of the body of the photographic equipment you can find a moving wheel with all sorts of letters and symbols. This:

• Auto. And in principle, this includes other “colorful” names of modes - Landscape, Portrait, Night, Children, Macro, etc. Their whole point is that the camera itself selects the parameters, there will probably be small differences in each, but in general they are small. And I’m almost sure that if you take pictures in a car, then you won’t pay any attention to the values ​​and other parameters. Otherwise, the mode is called “Point and shoot!”
• Software (P). In many ways similar to the previous one, except that you can set the light sensitivity (ISO) yourself. Not a big deal, I tell you, but you have to start somewhere!
• . On Nikon it is designated by the letter A, on Canon (any, for example, Canon 600D) - Av. The f value is determined by the photographer, and the shutter speed is determined by the camera. A convenient way to shoot if you are photographing a stationary object or landscape.
• (S – Nikon, Tv – Canon). Everything is also clear, inverse to aperture priority: choose the time. A short or long shutter speed, respectively, can freeze or blur motion.
• Manual (M)– beyond creative modes. All parameters depend only on you!

Advantages and disadvantages of manual mode

Well, let's talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the latter mode.

Main advantage M lies in the multitude of photography options that you control. This means that whatever the external conditions or the specifics of the object in the frame, you can cope with them.

Moreover, the selected values ​​will be saved. They will not jump around with any change in circumstances or camera position, as in other modes where the camera controls part of the exposure.

One of the disadvantages, or rather a natural consequence of the first statement, is that if you are a beginner and do not understand the camera well, then setting up the camera yourself will not give you anything and may completely confuse you.

Also, as one might assume, the manual mode takes more time, because while you’re assessing the circumstances, you’re still setting everything up.

Therefore, it cannot be called mobile, especially with constantly changing lighting, weather or shooting location.

Practice for beginners

Experienced photographers, of course, do not have a question about how to use M. Although it is not always a priority in their work. I personally often use the aperture mode, but when I’m not in a hurry and want to achieve the perfect picture, I happily tinker with all the available options, selecting the desired values.

This mode is always used when photographing in the studio.

Getting started with manual mode can be difficult. Once you see the main parameters on the screen, do not rush to change everything right away. Assess the conditions: what time of day, how sunny it is, and adjust the ISO.

Next, decide on the purpose of filming and what is important to photograph. So, if you need to take a portrait of a girl, then adjust the aperture and then the shutter speed. In a situation where a moving object is frozen, it is definitely more important to decide on the shutter speed: aim for 1/800 sec. and below, 1/1000 and so on. To blur the background around a moving object, on the contrary, the time should increase, 1/400 and so on.

Pay attention to the built-in light meter, which you will notice in the viewfinder. Ideally, the small arrow should be at 0 - this is a normally exposed photo; if it deviates to the left or right, it will be under- or overexposed.

In what cases is manual mode useful?

I want to give a few examples where manual mode would be useful.

1. Shoot in low ambient light or at night, without flash. The camera will not be able to take an adequate picture in any mode other than manual - there will be too little light for it. The photographer can set even the lowest values, at which the exposure meter will simply go off scale, but the camera will take a photograph. The resulting image can be brightened using exposure compensation or during post-processing. In this case, an example would be shooting sunsets, precise or evening cities, and so on.
2. In the studios. It is imperative to synchronize the camera through a special device, synchronizers. And this synchronization is most often achieved thanks to a predetermined aperture, shutter speed and light sensitivity.
3. Special lenses are manual ones, which have problems transmitting information about the aperture from the camera.
4. Creating high-resolution HDR images, that is, the picture in this case consists of several others, taken with different parameters. Manual mode is also useful here if you are a professional and know what kind of photo you ultimately want to get.

I wonder what other parameters can be configured manually? If you look carefully at the menu, you can find a lot of interesting things.

Various cool features are available even to owners of point-and-shoot cameras or not very expensive DSLRs, for example, Nikon d3100 and its series. We must use every opportunity to somehow improve our shot, to make it unique. Settings to help us!

Here we can highlight the following: in Kelvin, brightness and saturation at the photography stage, area and location of the focusing point, etc. But these are completely different articles.

Conclusion

Well, how do you like manual mode? Difficult? It’s always like this at the beginning, don’t be upset, now I’ll tell you a little trick for a more complete understanding of this mode.

Take some object that you want to photograph. For this example, the conditions don't matter whether you're shooting at home or outdoors. Put the camera in Auto mode, only without the flash, it is also on the wheel, only indicated by the sign of a crossed out lightning bolt. It is advisable to fix the camera.

You can use the table. Place an object on one end and a camera on the other. The distance between them should be within 1 meter.

Point the camera at the subject and press the shutter button halfway so that the camera focuses on the subject, but do not press it all the way. Either in the visor (the eye where you look in a SLR camera), or on the screen, the values ​​of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO will appear. Write them down. After recording the data, you can press the button all the way and take a photo, let it be your option.

We switch to M mode, set the settings that you wrote down and take a picture. Let's see how it turned out. Next we begin to experiment. If the photo turns out dark, you can open the aperture, i.e. set the value less than, 5.6, 4.0, 3.5. Or increase the shutter speed, 1/400, 1/200, 1/100 and so on.

If, on the contrary, the photo turns out to be light, reverse the aperture and shutter speed. Try not to touch the ISO, but it’s better to bring it to 100 and practice with shutter speed and aperture.

But remember, the smaller the aperture value, the smaller it is!

If you want to develop in the field of photography and learn how to do it well, you need to fully master the manual mode. I can also recommend a good video course below. It details what a DSLR can do. Many tricks and secrets of photography are revealed. Everything is shown with examples. Everything is explained in a very accessible and understandable way. I recommend!

Digital SLR for a beginner 2.0- for owners of a NIKON SLR camera.

My first MIRROR- for owners of a CANON SLR camera.

See you! Dear readers, take the time to examine your camera. And my blog will help you with this! In order not to miss useful things, subscribe to updates. Share with your friends, I will be very grateful.

All the best to you, Timur Mustaev.

Every camera has a bunch of modes, so you look at them and don’t understand anything, but you want to understand something...? If “YES”, then I will try to introduce you to them as simply and interestingly as possible. Well, if “no,” then pick up the instructions (although they won’t help you much).

I want to say in advance that the camera has 4 main modes and the favorite “Auto” mode (expensive professional DSLRs only have 4 main modes). Of course, you’ll tell me now, but what about my favorite night mode or portrait mode, or something else that you use so often. But no way, this is just a husk, which is made mainly for those who understand little about the camera, and is often made quite poorly, the highlight is the modes P, S, A, M.

The first and most popular mode, which is used by 70% of people, is the mode codenamed "Auto", or auto, whichever is more convenient for you. The mode is for those who don’t really bother about what they can do, just press a button and that’s it. In many cases this is correct, I’m talking about those situations if you don’t understand anything at all about your camera, or you just bought it, etc. But sooner or later, I hope, you will get tired of the constantly popping up flash (if you accidentally forgot to turn it off), or you just want to find out what more your camera is capable of. If you choose the path of “don’t worry,” which, by the way, is also quite likely, then well, you can stop reading this topic right at this point.

We move on, very close and dear to the regime "Auto"- mode "P"(program automatic mode). In this mode, the camera automatically selects the necessary and by default. You can control this ratio, if possible, of course (if there is insufficient lighting, you will not be able to correct anything). This mode already makes you think about what you are doing, therefore, for those who take photographs in "Auto" I advise you to urgently switch to the regime "R", it won’t be worse, but better – I hope!

Mode, which is designated by a Latin letter "S"(priority mode). You need to know when to use this mode, it is intended, as its name suggests, to control your shutter speed, and it is. You control, and the camera sets automatically, depending on the selected shutter speed. This mode is useful if you are not satisfied with the shutter speed that the camera imposes on you. For example, if you take photographs handheld in a dark room and want to avoid blurring the frame, you can set the shutter speed you need using the mode "S".

Mode "A"(priority mode).

"M"(manual), or manual mode. You must set both the shutter speed and the aperture, and at the same time control the . My advice to you, if you hear from someone, take pictures only in "M" and you will be a cool photographer, run away from this person, this mode should be used extremely rarely, and in certain situations, for example, if you (I also take pictures in it when I attach old Soviet lenses to my camera, but not because I want to , but because there is no other way out). Why do I have such a negative attitude towards this, because I have met very, well, just very few people (or rather, I have not met such people) who can do it faster and better than a professional digital SLR camera into which the developers have invested all their experience , and not small at all. Yes, you can choose the parameters you need, while spending a lot of time on it, do you need it? You have a SLR camera in your hands, you are in the 21st century, if you want the thrill of sensations, pick up a film camera, an exposure meter and take photographs the way my father did, who took photographs on film for 20 years, developed it on sleepless nights and took photos.

Bonus: “video” mode, everything seems so clear here, rejoice those who have it, and rejoice even more those who do not have it! Although sometimes, very rarely, I regret that I don’t have it on my cameras.

Manual and semi-automatic modes of the camera, in contrast to the scenario modes of the green zone, allow the photographer to use the camera's resources as efficiently as possible. On the technical side, in all work programs, the camera is always guided by the principle of interchangeability of exposure parameters.

Automatic operating modes

In the “green zone” modes, most of the camera parameters are not available for editing, and the camera operates according to the program embedded in it, with the minimum possible settings available to the user. The well-known phrase “In the green zone the camera operates at 30 percent of its capabilities” appeared for a reason - despite the availability of the central control menu in scenario modes, often the image quality in them does not cause any admiration, since the camera program, in itself, without the possibility of adjustment, far from ideal.

Switching modes is done by turning the camera's main control dial. The disk contains icons corresponding to the mode.

There are several green zone modes on Canon DSLR cameras:

• Portrait. In this mode, the camera tries to set the lens aperture to its maximum open value, as this allows you to perfectly separate the subject from the background.

• Scenery. Landscape photography uses a large depth of field (aperture values ​​from f/5.6) at a shutter speed of at least 1/lens focal length.

• Sport. As a rule, sports mode involves shooting moving objects. When manually controlling the parameters, the shortest possible shutter speed and aperture are selected, allowing you to separate the background from the subject under these conditions. The camera in automatic mode in addition activates the object tracking mode.

• No flash. Shooting in automatic mode, with the flash turned off (recommended for use in museums and zoos).

• Night portrait. Long shutter speed at open aperture and high ISO. Due to possible shaking, it is better to use stabilization (tripod, etc.)

• Auto. Fully automatic shooting mode. According to the program, the camera, depending on the current lighting conditions, will decide for itself which exposure pair to choose. A very questionable mode in terms of output quality, especially if the shooting is done in JPEG.

• Macro. In macro mode, the camera tries to increase the depth of field, shooting at the minimum possible distance from the lens (not less than the minimum focusing distance).

• Custom Creative (CA) mode. In this mode, the camera allows you to further change the shooting atmosphere (tint the image). Otherwise, the same machine.

You can use these modes at the very beginning of your photographic journey, they are well described in the names of the modes themselves, or you can try to figure out the camera settings and start taking technically more advanced photographs.

Manual and semi-automatic modes

Manual and semi-automatic operating modes of the camera are also programs built into the camera. Unlike scenario modes, they have O A larger number of controllable parameters, and thanks to this, they are used in a variety of photographic conditions. There are few such modes:

• Aperture Priority, Aperture Value - A, Av

• Shutter Priority, Time Value - S, Tv

• Program machine (Program AE - P)

• Manual Mode (M)

• Freehand shooting mode

A number of modern cameras also have camera modes in which all user-set parameters are saved (Custom, C1, C2, C3).

Aperture priority (A, Av)

In this mode, the photographer can change the diameter of the lens aperture. The camera adjusts the required shutter speed based on the current aperture value. This mode is usually used to control the depth of field in the resulting image. For example, when shooting portraits.

On most Canon DSLR cameras, aperture priority mode is convenient for using manual lenses.

Shutter priority (S, TV)

In this mode, the camera selects the aperture value based on the shutter speed set by the photographer. You can use it, for example, when shooting fast moving objects (birds, cars, and so on), or vice versa, if you need to open the shutter for a long time (shooting the starry sky from a tripod). Shutter priority is also used in dynamic lighting conditions, and when there is no need (or opportunity) to think about depth of field.

A photograph taken in shutter priority. Canon 1Ds and Jupiter-37A

Programmer (P)

In the automatic mode, the camera works almost like in automatic mode. The difference is that it is possible to change the combination of exposure pairs, set exposure metering parameters, and photosensitivity. Exposure compensation input is also available.

The automatic program can be inconvenient because the camera position often differs from the user’s position: when shooting, for example, moving objects, the automatic often sets the exposure one to three stops lower than necessary, since the calculation is based on lighting data, and not what's happening around :)

The automatic program, in principle, allows you to take good shots.

Manual mode (M)

In the manual mode of the camera, the photographer can play with the settings as he needs it - it is possible to change the shutter speed, aperture, exposure metering mode, sensor sensitivity, exposure compensation, and others. The camera only displays exposure meter readings.

Manual mode is typically used in electronically challenging environments. For example, when all possible exposure metering methods do not produce the desired result, or it is necessary to photograph a moving object with a very shallow depth of field. Well, or in night photography.

The shooting was done in manual mode.

Freehand shooting mode

Bulb shooting mode (BULB) is a mode for manually controlling the camera shutter. Used, for example, when photographing the starry sky, or in other situations where manual shutter control is necessary. In this mode, the shutter opens when you press the shutter button and closes when you release it. Previously, in film cameras, this mode was used to work with non-synchronized flash lamps, hence the name - BULB (lamp).

Also found

A-DEP— depth of field control mode. The user uses a button on the camera body (as a rule, this is a DOF button) to indicate the points “from” and “to” to set the depth of field, and the camera already “adjusts” the exposure pair parameters. The mode is found in Canon EOS Digital SLR cameras. Exposure compensation is also available in this mode.

Sv— sensitivity priority mode. It works like a programmable machine, only the camera also sets the light sensitivity of the matrix.

TAv— Exposure priority mode. In it, the camera selects the required light sensitivity of the matrix based on the exposure parameters set by the user/

Sv and TAv modes are found in Pentax cameras. Canon and Nikon do not use them, since it is possible to automatically adjust photosensitivity (with the Auto ISO parameter) in any of the semi-automatic modes.

Which camera modes to use

As you may have realized, there are no universal modes. The most universal mode is the photographer's experience. And experience, as we know, comes through the study of theory and practice. However, I can assure you with an accuracy of 146 percent that after leaving the “green zone” and having practiced a little, you will subsequently want to re-shoot everything that you “filmed” on the machine.

Ask questions in the comments.

Auto mode Landscape

According to statistics, most photographs are created not by professionals, but by ordinary people, most likely far from photography. In such conditions, photographic equipment manufacturers are required to ensure that cameras can take pictures of acceptable quality with minimal intervention from the photographer. The way out of this situation was the shooting modes on the camera, corresponding to various situations: “Snow”, “Beach”, “Fireworks” and the like. The use of such modes does not require special knowledge. The camera automatically selects settings appropriate for each scene. However, there is also a zone of creative modes that allow you to independently control the shooting process. Using such modes without special knowledge is difficult, but with their help you can create truly beautiful shots.

Aperture priority mode

Indicated by A (Aperture) or Av (Aperture Value). This mode is very convenient when shooting portraits or landscapes, as it allows you to fully control the depth of field of the imaged space. The photographer sets the aperture value, and the shutter speed is selected by the camera’s automation. The smaller the f-number, the larger the diameter of the aperture, which means that the amount of light entering the photosensitive surface is greater.

As a rule, landscapes are photographed on a tripod, which makes shutter speed a secondary parameter. Therefore, you can safely close the aperture to get maximum depth of field. Accordingly, to obtain a portrait with an artistically blurred background, it is necessary to reduce the aperture number.

Shutter priority mode

Designated Tv (Time Value) or S (Shutter). In this case, the photographer operates with the shutter speed value, and the aperture diameter is determined by the camera’s automation. The most popular use for this mode is in sports photography. A short shutter speed allows you to “freeze” the movement of an athlete or make a photo finish. It's worth noting that if you're photographing a person running from the side, you'll need a faster shutter speed than if they're running towards you. Therefore, if it is impossible to set short shutter speeds (for example, in low light), you need to be more careful in choosing the shooting point.

Shutter priority mode makes it possible to capture another phenomenon - the slow change of something. Long exposures allow you to capture the movement of stars across the sky. Since the maximum shutter speed (usually 30 seconds) is not enough for this, you should use the Bulb shooting mode, which is available on most DSLR cameras. In this mode, the shutter remains open as long as the shutter button is pressed.

Speaking about shooting in shutter priority mode, we should talk about the so-called shake - blurring of the image due to the shaking of the photographer’s hands. You can avoid image blur when shooting handheld by setting the shutter speed to no more than 1/(lens focal length). For example, when shooting with a 50mm lens, shutter speeds shorter than 1/50 of a second are safe.

When photographing with the flash on, you should take into account the X-sync shutter speed, that is, the minimum shutter speed that can be set when using the flash. The value of this value can be found in the instructions for the camera or external flash.

In shutter priority or aperture priority modes, you can use the safety shift function. Its essence is as follows. Let's assume that in aperture priority mode the photographer has set the aperture number to F/2.8. In this case, the illumination of the scene is such that even at the minimum shutter speed, the amount of light falling on the camera matrix is ​​too large. Then the camera’s automation, despite the prohibition of changing the aperture, will still increase the aperture number to the required value, which in this case will prevent overexposure of the frame. Thus, the safety shift function helps the photographer to avoid exposure errors.

Shooting in Manual Mode: Shooting Mode M

Designated M (Manual). The photographer controls both aperture and shutter speed. The camera's built-in exposure meter gives recommendations: it reports an excess or lack of light without interfering with the photographing process. This mode is the most difficult to use, as the photographer is required to select all the necessary parameters. At the same time, this mode allows complete control of the shooting process and allows you to change any parameters depending on the photographer’s artistic intent. This way, you will quickly understand how to fully use all the capabilities of your digital camera.