Easy Basic Photography
Digital Camera Shooting Modes and Scene Modes
The following are some of the more common shooting modes and scene modes that you will find on digital
cameras. Some modes may be on both Digital Single Lens Reflex (Digital SLR) cameras and Compact cameras.
The modes will vary from camera to camera.
Shooting Modes:
Automatic Mode: This is by far the most popular digital camera shooting mode. It is available on compact
cameras as well as on Digital SLR cameras. In this mode the camera will do all the work for you. It will set shutter
speeds, aperture, flash, ISO and anything else needed to come up with the proper exposure. Your job is to turn
the camera on, make sure it is set to automatic, then fire away.
Intelligent Auto: When using this shooting mode, the camera will recognize the type of scene you are shooting
as well as the shooting conditions. The camera will then choose the best settings for that type of scene. In the
Intelligent Auto mode, the camera will compare the scene you are shooting with various type scenes stored in its
data base. In the regular Automatic mode, the camera is just reading the light from a scene.
Program Mode: This mode is similar to the automatic mode as it will calculate the proper exposure for you. The
difference between the automatic and the program mode is that the program mode allows the user to manually
control some of the camera features that are usually controlled by the camera when it is in the automatic mode.
The program mode will automatically set the shutter speeds and aperture to obtain a proper exposure but the
user will still be able to manually change features like white balance, ISO, metering modes, as well as other
functions.
The program mode is great for those who want to start learning how to operate a Digital SLR camera without
having to worry too much about how to get a properly exposed image.
Aperture Priority. The aperture priority mode allows you to choose the aperture setting that will work best
toward helping you get the desired effect for your image. Changing the aperture setting will give you control
over how much light reaches the camera's image sensor. The camera aperture also controls how much of the
background and/or foreground is in focus or out of focus. When you set the aperture, the camera will
automatically choose the best shutter speed to go along with the chosen aperture setting to obtain the proper
exposure.
This mode is usually not included in most basic compact cameras. However, it is included in some advanced
compact cameras and is included in all digital single lens reflex cameras.
Shutter Priority: The shutter priority mode allows you to set the camera shutter to the speed you want to use.
You are able to set the shutter to a very high speed to "freeze" the subject motion or you can use a slower
shutter speed for night or low light situations. Once you set the shutter speed, the camera will automatically set
the aperture to correspond with the shutter speed so that a correct exposure may be obtained.
This is another mode that is usually not included in most basic compact cameras. However, it is included in some
advanced compact cameras and is a feature of every digital single lens reflex camera.
Manual Mode: The full manual mode will allow you to control the camera shutter speed, aperture, ISO and any
other feature available on the camera. This mode is best for those who want full creative control over their
pictures. It is only available with Digital SLR cameras.
Movie Mode: In this mode you can use your still camera like a video camera. You can record video scenes as
well as the sound. The quality is not as good as a regular video camera but it works well for short recordings
when a regular video camera is not available.
Scene Modes:
Portrait: The camera will assume you are taking a head and shoulder picture of one or maybe two people. The
camera will choose an exposure setting that will make the background slightly out of focus while keeping the
subject(s) in focus.
Macro: This mode is for moving in very close to a subject such as a flower. Using the macro mode allows you to
get within inches of the subject to record all the tiny details that you wouldn't be able to see if you took the shot
at a distance of maybe only two feet away. When using macro, try keeping the lens parallel to the subject
because the depth of field is very narrow. Sometimes an item or area only an inch or two behind or in front of
the main focal point can be thrown out of focus if the camera is held at too much of an angle in the macro mode.
Landscape or Distance Mode: This mode is good for photographing large groups, wide scenes and naturally,
landscapes. The best thing about this mode besides the fact that you can photograph a wider view is that you
will usually have a wide depth of field. This will help to ensure that more parts of the scene, whether close or far
away will be pretty much in focus.
Sports/Action Mode: This mode is geared towards photographing moving subjects or people. It works well for
sports, cars, wildlife in motion, etc. The sports mode attempts to "freeze" subject in motion by using a fast
shutter speed as opposed to a slower one in which case you might wind up with blurred subject.
Night Mode: This mode makes use of a slow shutter speed in conjunction with a burst from the flash. It uses a
slow shutter speed to allow more light to reach the camera in low light situations. This way there can be more
background detail recorded. The flash fires during the exposure to illuminate the main subject and the
foreground. Since the shutter speed is slow, you might want to use a tripod in some situations to avoid any
camera shake. A tripod is not really necessary if you are just playing around for a fun shot. But still try to hold
the camera a little steadier than you normally would.
Panoramic Mode: This is a fun mode that allows you to record images with a much wider view than your wide
angle lens would. You take several shots in sequence moving along in a horizontal or vertical line direction with
each shot overlapping a tiny piece of the previous shot. The number of exposures in the sequence be can
anywhere from three to ten or more. The various exposures are then "stitched together in your camera (or it can
be done in your computer).
The new camera models now feature "sweep" panorama. With sweep panorama, instead of taking individual
shots, just move the camera from one end of the scene to the other and the camera will put the whole scene
together as one image.
Beach Mode and Snow Mode: These modes are very similar because the camera adjusts the settings for
each mode to obtain the correct exposure in very bright light situations such as snow or beach shots.
There are many other scene modes available, too many to mention here. The bottom line is that you can pick
and choose which type modes are important to you when you are thinking of buying a camera.
The following are some of the more common shooting modes and scene modes that you will find on digital
cameras. Some modes may be on both Digital Single Lens Reflex (Digital SLR) cameras and Compact cameras.
The modes will vary from camera to camera.
Shooting Modes:
Automatic Mode: This is by far the most popular digital camera shooting mode. It is available on compact
cameras as well as on Digital SLR cameras. In this mode the camera will do all the work for you. It will set shutter
speeds, aperture, flash, ISO and anything else needed to come up with the proper exposure. Your job is to turn
the camera on, make sure it is set to automatic, then fire away.
Intelligent Auto: When using this shooting mode, the camera will recognize the type of scene you are shooting
as well as the shooting conditions. The camera will then choose the best settings for that type of scene. In the
Intelligent Auto mode, the camera will compare the scene you are shooting with various type scenes stored in its
data base. In the regular Automatic mode, the camera is just reading the light from a scene.
Program Mode: This mode is similar to the automatic mode as it will calculate the proper exposure for you. The
difference between the automatic and the program mode is that the program mode allows the user to manually
control some of the camera features that are usually controlled by the camera when it is in the automatic mode.
The program mode will automatically set the shutter speeds and aperture to obtain a proper exposure but the
user will still be able to manually change features like white balance, ISO, metering modes, as well as other
functions.
The program mode is great for those who want to start learning how to operate a Digital SLR camera without
having to worry too much about how to get a properly exposed image.
Aperture Priority. The aperture priority mode allows you to choose the aperture setting that will work best
toward helping you get the desired effect for your image. Changing the aperture setting will give you control
over how much light reaches the camera's image sensor. The camera aperture also controls how much of the
background and/or foreground is in focus or out of focus. When you set the aperture, the camera will
automatically choose the best shutter speed to go along with the chosen aperture setting to obtain the proper
exposure.
This mode is usually not included in most basic compact cameras. However, it is included in some advanced
compact cameras and is included in all digital single lens reflex cameras.
Shutter Priority: The shutter priority mode allows you to set the camera shutter to the speed you want to use.
You are able to set the shutter to a very high speed to "freeze" the subject motion or you can use a slower
shutter speed for night or low light situations. Once you set the shutter speed, the camera will automatically set
the aperture to correspond with the shutter speed so that a correct exposure may be obtained.
This is another mode that is usually not included in most basic compact cameras. However, it is included in some
advanced compact cameras and is a feature of every digital single lens reflex camera.
Manual Mode: The full manual mode will allow you to control the camera shutter speed, aperture, ISO and any
other feature available on the camera. This mode is best for those who want full creative control over their
pictures. It is only available with Digital SLR cameras.
Movie Mode: In this mode you can use your still camera like a video camera. You can record video scenes as
well as the sound. The quality is not as good as a regular video camera but it works well for short recordings
when a regular video camera is not available.
Scene Modes:
Portrait: The camera will assume you are taking a head and shoulder picture of one or maybe two people. The
camera will choose an exposure setting that will make the background slightly out of focus while keeping the
subject(s) in focus.
Macro: This mode is for moving in very close to a subject such as a flower. Using the macro mode allows you to
get within inches of the subject to record all the tiny details that you wouldn't be able to see if you took the shot
at a distance of maybe only two feet away. When using macro, try keeping the lens parallel to the subject
because the depth of field is very narrow. Sometimes an item or area only an inch or two behind or in front of
the main focal point can be thrown out of focus if the camera is held at too much of an angle in the macro mode.
Landscape or Distance Mode: This mode is good for photographing large groups, wide scenes and naturally,
landscapes. The best thing about this mode besides the fact that you can photograph a wider view is that you
will usually have a wide depth of field. This will help to ensure that more parts of the scene, whether close or far
away will be pretty much in focus.
Sports/Action Mode: This mode is geared towards photographing moving subjects or people. It works well for
sports, cars, wildlife in motion, etc. The sports mode attempts to "freeze" subject in motion by using a fast
shutter speed as opposed to a slower one in which case you might wind up with blurred subject.
Night Mode: This mode makes use of a slow shutter speed in conjunction with a burst from the flash. It uses a
slow shutter speed to allow more light to reach the camera in low light situations. This way there can be more
background detail recorded. The flash fires during the exposure to illuminate the main subject and the
foreground. Since the shutter speed is slow, you might want to use a tripod in some situations to avoid any
camera shake. A tripod is not really necessary if you are just playing around for a fun shot. But still try to hold
the camera a little steadier than you normally would.
Panoramic Mode: This is a fun mode that allows you to record images with a much wider view than your wide
angle lens would. You take several shots in sequence moving along in a horizontal or vertical line direction with
each shot overlapping a tiny piece of the previous shot. The number of exposures in the sequence be can
anywhere from three to ten or more. The various exposures are then "stitched together in your camera (or it can
be done in your computer).
The new camera models now feature "sweep" panorama. With sweep panorama, instead of taking individual
shots, just move the camera from one end of the scene to the other and the camera will put the whole scene
together as one image.
Beach Mode and Snow Mode: These modes are very similar because the camera adjusts the settings for
each mode to obtain the correct exposure in very bright light situations such as snow or beach shots.
There are many other scene modes available, too many to mention here. The bottom line is that you can pick
and choose which type modes are important to you when you are thinking of buying a camera.
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