Your Guide To Camera ModesGet better images more easily with your digital camera’s pre-programmed settings |
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| By Wes Pitts | |
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Page 4 of 6 Here, accurate focus is important because with less depth of field, your margin for error is reduced. Make sure that the eyes of your subject are in sharp focus. Also, if you’re shooting a group of people, Portrait mode may not be the best choice if the subjects are standing at varying distances from the camera. In this situation, you’ll need more depth of field to ensure that everyone is sharp. Choose Aperture priority mode instead to select the smallest aperture possible for the exposure conditions. Sports. Sports and action photography demand a fast shutter speed to freeze the motion of your subject. Switch to Sports mode, and your camera will automatically choose the fastest shutter speed possible so you can concentrate on the action. Depending on the capabilities of your camera, this mode also will activate continuous shooting (as opposed to single frame) to help you capture the decisive moment in a series of shots. If your camera has an advanced evaluative metering mode, this likely will be employed rather than center-weighted or spot metering. Flash is usually disabled. Macro. Close-ups usually make for interesting images, provided that they’re sharp. The Macro or Close-Up mode in digital cameras allows you to focus on objects at amazingly small distances—sometimes just a few centimeters from the lens. Use the Macro mode when the little details really count. Depending on your camera, your zoom range may be restricted, and you also may be required to manually set your focus. The flash will likely be disabled as well. To get the best results, a tripod is recommended. Macro photography also is one of those applications where a flip-out, swiveling LCD is a huge benefit, as you can adjust the angle of the LCD to give you a clear view of the image even in tight quarters. Night. Night scene photography turns out best when you make the most of your ambient or existing light, which requires a slow shutter speed for a long exposure without flash. A tripod is absolutely necessary for best results.  |
