Intro to the Digital SLR

Menu modes, presets and file types

The Menu System

These modes can be accessed by the controls and settings of the camera.

Menus and sub-menus provide all the camera setting which are not accessible

via the knob, buttons and wheels on the camera

Camera Modes and Presets

Camera Modes

1. Picture quality: eg; RAW image

2. Exposure mode: eg; P, TV, AV, M, B select wheel

3. Metering Mode

4. Drive Mode

5. Focusing Mode

Exposure Modes - Full Auto

P (Program AE)

For any given scene, there are usually multiple combinations of aperture and shutter speed that will deliver a correct exposure

Shutter Priority AE/Time Value

This mode allows you to set the lens aperture (with available apertures depending on the lens in use), while the camera selects the most appropriate shutter speed. Again, you have control over all other exposure variables

AV - Aperture Priority AE

Aperture-Priority AE allows you to set the lens aperture (with available apertures depending on the lens in use), while the camera selects the most appropriate shutter speed. Again, you have control over all other exposure variables

Exposure Modes - Full Auto

Bulb

Keeps the shutter open for as long as the shutter release button is held down. Bulb

exposures are best controlled with an external remote release, to prevent camera shake

CA - Creative Auto

This mode is something of a cross between the Program and Full Auto modes. Again

all of which you will start to make these decisions for yourself

Metering Mode

What is metering?

• Metering is how your camera determines what the correct shutter speed and aperture should be

• Today, every DSLR has an integrated light meter that automatically measures the reflected light and determines the optimal exposure

To help achieve the correct exposure for a variety of subject conditions, your camera has three or four different 'Metering Modes'

1. evalative

2. spot

3. center weighted

4. partial

Metering Mode cont.

Evaluative for Canon/Matrix for Nikon

Divides the scene into areas that are metered individually and then evaluated against a series of algorithms stored in the camera memory

Spot

Measures the light only from a small part of the subject, defined by a circle in the center of the frame and is useful for exactmeasurements of individual areas

Center Weighted

• Measures the light from the whole scene but places less emphasis on the area near the edges of the frame

• Use this setting when the subject is in the center of the photograph and exposed correctly, so that the subject is not affected by the exposure of the background

Drive Mode

Single shooting

As the name suggests, when you press the shutter, one shot will be taken

Well suited to static subjects. You can take several pictures, but they are not need to be within a few seconds of each other

Continuous

When you press the shutter completely, shots will be taken continuously

Continuous - Burst

Different cameras have different shooting and recycle speeds

Your CF or SD card "writing speed" will also be a factor in how fast your camera can recycle between shots

Self-Timer

When a shutter button is pressed the camera will wait a number of seconds

before taking the picture

The Weakest Link

Let's look at the things that happen when you take a photograph with an SLR;

• The mirror flips up

• The aperture closes to the pre-determined F-stop

• The shutter opens for the pre-determined amount of time

• The film or sensor is exposed to light

• The shutter closes

• The aperture returns to wide-open for viewing

• The mirror returns to the viewing position

MLU - Mirror Lock Up

Of the three things that happen within the camera prior to exposure the mirror

flipping upwards is potentially the most harmful to image sharpness

Focus Modes

• Single/one shot

• Continuous Al Servo: when you put the camera into Al Servo mode, you

will have to set the condition "the subject is definitely moving"

• Continuous Al Focus: the camera starts off in one shot mode and the

shutter will lock until it achieves focus

Picture Styles

• Standard

• Faithful

• Portrait monochrome

• Neutral

• Custom (1,2,3)