Shooting Modes

Camera Controls
Written By Vic Steadman

After encouraging everyone at Biddestone to move away from their fully automatic comfort zones I decided to look deeper into the shooting modes available on my own camera and so wandered off into, for me, uncharted territory.

My EOS 90D has 10 options on the dial (and some of those have multiple sub options). So straight away I identified 30 or so alternatives to the single fully automatic mode that most of you are using. If “Full Automatic” is so good why do manufacturer’s provide so many alternatives? What creative opportunities are we all missing?

Lets look at each of these shooting modes in turn (although this is based on my own Canon EOS90D, other camera makes and models will be similar apart from some variation in language/names).

  • P - Program

    • In program mode, the camera sets both aperture and exposure. It is therefore very similar to the Full Auto (Green Square) setting except that:

      • The user retains control over ISO, white balance, focus mode, metering mode and flash control.

      • The user can shift the settings without changing the exposure. So, for example, the user can choose to decrease the aperture value and the camera will adjust the exposure accordingly. Or you can shorten/lengthen the exposure.

        Comment. This only really works if you use the optical viewer as the scene will change each time you look at the live view screen.

        This is a good option if you are shooting reactively and do not know what other setting is better until you know what are are shooting. You can grab a quick shot with/without program shift before adjusting your mode dial.

  • Tv - Time Value

    • The user sets the exposure, the camera decides the aperture

    • Good for moving subjects, e.g. sport, wildlife.

    • The user can choose to freeze or blur the action.

  • Av - Aperture Value

    • The user sets the aperture, the camera decides the exposure.

    • Good for static subjects

    • The user has control of depth of field.

  • M - Manual

    • The user sets both the exposure (tv) and the aperture (av) values

    • This suggests you need a light meter (or experience or a good guess) to determine what the correct combination of Av and Tv. Our camera has a pretty good light meter so why would we want to use a a semi automatic mode to determine the correct values and then switch to manual?

    • I use manual in special circumstances such as:

      • Studio lighting - when I control the image by changing the brightness and positioning of the lights.

      • Shooting a manual panorma when I want the exposure and DoF to be consistent across several photos often with different light values, for example a panoramic view of a sunset.

      • Creating a time lapse video.

  • B - bulb

    • Similar to manual mode.

      • You set the aperture value, and

      • the exposure value manually by holding the shutter button down

    • Suggests use of an external timer.

    • Specilist use such as:

      • Astronomical images

      • Long exposure (water, movement etc.)

  • C1 - Custom 1

    • Specialist - create a personal set of settings

  • C2 - Custom 2

    • Specialist - create a personal set of settings

  • Creative Filters

    • This is a new area for me, I had to research it.

    • Special effects created in camera. Includes:

      • Grainy black and white, Soft focus, Fish Eye, Toy camera, miniature, HDR (High Dynamic Range) - 4 versions

    • On my camera I can only apply the filters after creating a photo, so I am more likely to do this in LightRoom or PhotoShop.

  • Special Scenes

    • Again new territory for me. This is a feature aimed at less experienced photographers as those with more experience will use individual settings to achieve the same results.

      • Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports, Night Portrait, Handheld Night Scene, HDR Backlight Control, Food, Kids, Candlelight, Group Photo, Panning

  • Green Square/Fully Automatic/Scene Intelligent Auto

    • Completely automatic photography; the camera analyzes the scene and chooses settings that, in its opinion) produce the best results.

    • The photographer composes the scene and presses the button

Conclusion

It all seems frighteningly complex, 30 plus automated ways to set 3 variables; it as if the camera is admitting it is not up to the job. If the photographer wishes to take creative control there are only 3 shooting modes of interest.

  • Semi Automatic

    • Aperture Value (Av) Priority

    • Shutter (Time) Value (Tv) Priority, or on special occasions

  • Fully Manual

    • Manual

I am not suggesting you abandon camera automation completely, at least not until you are a lot more experienced; so the choice draws down to one from 2.

Which one? We will consider when we think about Shutter Speed and Aperture

Vic Steadman
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