Camera Modes And What They Mean

This is what modern DSLR camera controls look like to those unfamiliar with modern cameras – By HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE

It’s unfortunate the number of people who get a high-end DSLR with a decent kit lens, set the selector switch on Auto and that’s as far as they ever advance in photography. To me that’s a tragic waste of potential, both of the hardware and the operator.
Part of the reason that more people don’t experiment with their camera settings is they have grown increasingly complicated over the years. Those of us in the business a while have acclimated to the complexity gradually; for people new to photography camera controls have to seem daunting in their complexity.
Today I’m starting a series designed to take some of the mystery out of camera controls and encourage you to take over from the computer and fiddle with the dials. It doesn’t help the cause that almost every camera manufacturer has a different way of saying the same thing and sometimes the control labels vary between camera models of the same manufacturer! I’ll use the designations from Canon and Nikon, you may have to translate for your brand. Let’s start with the mode dial on top of the camera.
Auto and Auto-Assist
Every camera comes with an auto mode, almost always labeled with green letters or logo. It will be a green rectangle on most Canon models or a little camera symbol with AUTO printed above on Nikons, just in case you didn’t get what the green camera meant. On some Canon cameras, you’ll also find CA, which is Creative Auto, the differences are pretty minor.
In auto mode your camera is doing all the work. Reading the scene, selecting the aperture, shutter speed, ISO and, in most cases, doing the focusing as well. The auto setting turns your sophisticated DSLR into a point and shoot.
Program Mode
Program mode is designated by the “P” symbol on both Canon and Nikon cameras. In Program mode, the camera is still selecting the shutter speed and aperture, but leaves many of the other settings, such as ISO and focusing, up to you. I use program mode if I’m in a hurry or shooting a quickly developing scene. Once I’m sure I have a couple shots that are good, then I’ll get creative and take over more of the camera controls.
Shutter Priority
On Nikon cameras, that’s the “S” setting, on Canons it’s “Tv” and don’t ask me where Canon got that because it doesn’t make any sense to me, either. In Shutter Priority mode, you select the camera’s shutter speed and the computer selects the optimum aperture. This is very convenient for fast moving scenes, like sporting events, where you can select a shutter speed like 500th of a second, fast enough to freeze most action shots.
When you adjust to the S or Tv setting, one of the other dials on the camera will then become how you set the shutter speed, which will show up on the display in the camera viewfinder. Which dial becomes active will depend on your camera brand.
Aperture Priority
On Nikon it’s the “A” setting, for Canon it’s “Av”. On this setting you select the aperture or f-stop and the camera picks the corresponding shutter speed. As with shutter priority, one of the other wheels or buttons becomes how you adjust the f-stop.
Manual Mode
M on both brands. This setting will enable two other buttons and wheels to control shutter speed and f-stop independently. Some camera models may still be selecting the ISO and white balance for you, for others, you’re in control.
Bulb
The B setting on Canons, but for many Nikon cameras you have to set the camera to Manual mode, then set the shutter speed to BULB. This setting is for long exposures where you open and close the shutter manually. Usually used in conjunction with a tripod and remote operating switch of some kind.
This is hardly exhaustive, but it’s a start.