Camera exposure settings. Five Important Camera Settings and How to Use Them

The vast majority of photographs are taken in automatic white balance mode. This is a simple choice that makes sense in most cases. But it is not 100% reliable.

In general, white balance systems tend to correct natural color deviations into the highlights, so that images appear too bland. For example, warm sunlight early morning or evening may become too cold.

When shooting outdoors, in many cases the best results are achieved using the Daylight or sunlight. They can produce even better results than the Auto setting in shady or cloudy conditions.

Most cameras also have white balance settings for shadows (Shady) or cloudy day(Cloudy), which will add a little warmth to your images.

EEI_Tony/Depositphotos.com

In some situations this color shift may be excessive. However, it's worth experimenting with your camera to understand how each white balance setting works in different conditions.

For maximum control, use custom settings (Customs Manual) white balance and set the value manually.

Your camera's manual will tell you exactly how to do this, but the basic method involves photographing a white or neutral gray target (a piece of cardboard works well) in the same lighting as your subject, and using that image to set the white balance. . When you photograph the white or gray cardstock again after manually setting the white balance, you should see it become neutral.

If you want, you can use your camera's white balance settings to warm up or cool down your photos. You can try experimenting with a non-neutral calibration target.

2. Sharpness

Most digital cameras allow you to adjust the level of sharpening that is applied to JPEG images as they are processed.

Some photographers suggest that maximum setting- best option, as this will give the clearest images. Unfortunately, this doesn't always work. Highly contrasting edges, such as a clear horizon, can break off, becoming overly sharp and halo-like.

Application lowest value , on the contrary, can lead to the fact that small details will look somewhat blurry. However, this usually looks better than overly pointed edges.

The best way to get good results is to apply sharpening carefully, gradually increasing it from image to image until you achieve the perfect result. Or at least use installation in the middle range for most shots.

3. Autofocus

Many photographers allow their cameras automatically set the focus point for faster and more convenient shooting. However, most cameras assume that the main target of the photograph is the closest subject and that it is close to the center of the frame.

Although this allows you to get good results in most cases, if you are shooting someone who is not in the center, and even with a large number objects around, the camera may place accents incorrectly.

delsolphotography.com

The solution is to take control of your AF point selection. So you can place the hotspot in the right place.

Your camera's manual will explain exactly which mode you need to select, but it's usually called either Single point AF, or Select AF.

Once the correct mode is set, use the camera's navigation controls to select the AF point that is on the target subject in the frame.

In some cases, you may find that there is no AF point in line with the desired subject. In such a situation, you should use the technique of focusing and recomposing the frame. To do this, simply select the center AF point (as this is usually the most sensitive) and move the camera so that it is on the subject. Then lightly press the shutter button to allow the camera to focus the lens. Now, keep your finger on the shutter release and compose your shot. When you're happy with the composition, press the shutter button all the way down to take the photo.

4. Flash synchronization

By default, cameras are set to fire the flash at the start of the exposure. This does not pose a problem at fast shutter speeds or when the subject and/or camera are stationary. But with long exposures or with moving subjects, this can lead to strange results.

The problem is that the ghostly, blurry image of the subject is transferred in front of the properly exposed, sharp version. This gives the impression that the object is moving in the opposite direction.

You can easily get out of this situation if you delve into the camera (or flash) menu and turn on the function Second curtain flash synchronization (Rear Sync). This will cause the flash to fire at the end of the exposure. Then the movement of any object will be recorded as a blur behind it, rather than in front of it, which will make the image much more natural and can really emphasize the speed of movement.

gabriel11/Depositphotos.com

5. Long exposure noise reduction

The Noise Reduction feature compares the main image to the black frame and subtracts its noise to produce the final photo. The black frame uses exactly the same exposure time as the main image, but the shutter does not open and the light does not reach the sensor. The idea is to record non-random noise caused by changes in pixel sensitivity and visible at long exposures.

As a result, when using the noise reduction function, it takes almost twice as long to record a photo, which is especially annoying during long exposures. Therefore, many photographers are tempted to disable this feature.

jurisam/Depositphotos.com

However, the noise reduction results are worth the wait.

Of course, you can independently extract the “black frame” using software for image editing, but it is still advisable to take at least a few “black frames” throughout the shooting, since the noise level tends to increase due to the heating of the sensor during intensive use.

The most reliable approach is to use the camera's built-in noise reduction system.

6. Long shutter speed

Many novice photographers overestimate their ability to hold the camera firmly, and therefore, to shoot well at relatively long shutter speeds.

welcomia/Depositphotos.com

The general rule for getting sharp images when shooting handheld with a full frame camera is to use a shutter speed of at least one second divided by focal length lens. This means that if you are shooting with a 100mm lens, your shutter speed should be at least 1/100s.

This rule can be adapted to work with DX cameras by taking into account the crop factor (factor of increasing the focal length). For example, a 100mm lens on SLR-type digital cameras (in other words, DSLRs) with an APS-C sensor (for example, Canon EOS 700D) has a crop factor of 1.6. Therefore, a shutter speed of at least 1/160 sec will be required to take a sharp photo.

Let me remind you that the shutters of modern cameras use standard shutter speed scale in fractions of a second: for short shutter speeds the numerator is omitted and the shutter speed is described by the denominator: 1/100 → 100; 1/250 → 250 and so on.

Many photographic lenses and some cameras now have built-in image stabilization systems. This allows you to use faster shutter speeds when shooting handheld.

Plus some lenses provide exposure compensation up to 4eV, which allows you to further reduce the shutter speed - from 1/125 to 1/16.

We have discussed the main questions that may arise for a person who has decided to take photographs in a studio for the first time. In this same article, I propose to dwell on issues related to camera settings that are necessary for studio photography. There are no hard and fast rules, but there is an algorithm of actions that will help you get high-quality images. In short, there are four things to keep in mind:

Shoot in manual mode(M, Manual);

Use the lowest ISO setting;

Set the shutter speed to 1/125–1/160;

Tailor your aperture to suit your purposes, or choose an aperture value between f5.6 and f11.

Before we begin to look at these points in more detail, I would like to dwell on the issue of image quality. Almost all cameras have the ability to choose what type of file the camera will record: JPEG, RAW (NEF for Nikon) or TIFF. They differ from each other not only in the size and “heaviness” of the photograph, but also, mainly, in the amount of information received from the matrix. When shooting in the studio, I almost never photograph in JPEG format, only RAW.

RAW is your digital negative containing the raw and maximum full information with all the detail that the sensor could recognize. When working with such a file in the future, you will have more options for image correction (for example, white balance settings). Therefore, I would highly recommend setting your camera to record the image in RAW. However, there are times when the footage needs to be quickly viewed or a preliminary image needs to be sent to the client via email. In this case, our salvation will be the camera mode, which allows you to shoot in RAW and JPEG simultaneously.

We have one more format left - TIFF, which implies virtually lossless compression. He keeps a lot inside himself more information than JPEG, but this is not the best option for shooting. It takes several times more space than RAW. As a result, recording information takes a very long time.

As you already know, one of the main advantages of the studio is the ability to create ideal and constant conditions for photography, which can be changed only when you need it. They are achieved using pulsed sources that produce a powerful but short stream of light, which makes it pointless to use priority modes (semi-automatic M - manual, automatic - aperture priority A, shutter priority S, program P). The exposure automation of modern cameras, which is responsible for adjusting the aperture and shutter speed, is designed to work with constant rather than pulsed light. In fact, all light measurement occurs before shooting, and the pulse device is triggered only at the moment the shutter is fully open. Therefore, if you rely on automation, the camera may incorrectly calculate the amount of light, resulting in a defect in the photo. To avoid this, it is recommended to work in fully manual mode - M (Manual). It will allow you to set your own aperture and shutter speed.

As you remember from the last article, studio conditions are almost ideal for shooting: the devices have sufficient power to illuminate the object being photographed, so the ISO must be lowered to the minimum possible. This will ensure the best quality photos.

The shutter consists of several curtains that open and close the matrix. The pulsed light source should be triggered when the entire surface of the photosensitive element is open, that is, at the moment when one curtain has fully raised and the second has not yet begun to fall. The minimum shutter speed at which the shutter is fully open is called the sync speed. Typically, sync speeds range from 1/125 to 1/160 s. At shorter shutter speeds, the curtains do not open completely, creating a gap through which the entire image is exposed. If the shutter speed is shorter, then one of the curtains will block the flash impulse and you will get an unpleasant black stripe in the photograph - the unexposed part of the frame. The sync speed value for your camera can be found in technical specifications. For example, for Nikon D3300 it is 1/200 s, for D810 - 1/250 s, for D4s - 1/250 s. All this information is in the instructions for the camera or on the manufacturer’s official website.

In a studio setting, you can control exposure using light sources (changing their power and distance to the model), aperture and ISO value. It is recommended to increase the latter only as a last resort, because you get the best quality picture at the minimum ISO.

To correctly determine the aperture value, you can use a device called a flash meter. It should indicate that your sensitivity is 100 ISO, and the metering method is flash. After this, you need to bring it as close as possible to the model’s face and press the transmitter trigger to activate the light source. The aperture value will immediately appear on the display, which can be changed by increasing or decreasing the power of the monoblocks.

It is believed that for portrait photography, the most optimal aperture value is 8 or the value closest to this number (f5.6, f11). Almost all lenses at this aperture produce their maximum sharpness, detail does not decrease due to diffraction, and aberrations become less noticeable. Plus, the depth of field is sufficient for shooting many scenes. At apertures f/16–f/22, the sharpness of images begins to decrease due to diffraction, and side light sources can create rough highlights in the frame. It's worth remembering when you're filming. small items, because to get a large depth of field, you need to close the aperture very much.

If for some reason you do not have a flash meter at hand, you can determine the impulse either experimentally or by taking the required number of frames at different powers of the devices. You can also focus on the image that you see on the monitor of your camera. In this case your a good helper there will be a histogram. This is a graph of the distribution of halftones in a photograph, showing which areas of your image are overexposed or overly darkened.

Overexposure occurs when too much light hits some area of ​​the photo. The fragment will not just be white, it will lack image information. If the overexposure is not very strong, then sometimes the situation can be corrected by a RAW file, from which you can extract at least some data.

Do not forget that there is no such thing as an ideal or correct histogram. Depending on the subject of the shooting and the artistic intention of the photographer, light tones or shadows may predominate in the image, causing the histogram to shift to one side.

In addition to the histogram, when determining exposure, you can use a setting in the camera such as displaying highlights, when overexposed areas will blink.

So, we looked at the basic settings that you shouldn’t forget about. It is advisable to check them every time you start shooting in the studio.

It is also important to address the issue of white balance. The human brain quickly adapts to changing lighting conditions and perceives a white object no matter where it is (in the shade, under the rays of the sun, or next to an incandescent lamp). However, in all these cases the shade of light will be different. For example, objects in the shade appear bluer than in the sun, and incandescent light produces an orange tint. A modern digital camera can also “see” these differences using the white balance settings.

Ideally, the final image should look like it was taken under neutral white lighting. If the camera receives incorrect data, the image you take may acquire an unpleasant cold tint or, conversely, too warm. Some photographers prefer to adjust white balance by eye based on their creative ideas or extensive professional experience. We will consider options for more accurate and understandable edits for a studio beginner.

To begin with, it is worth noting that almost all modern cameras, including Nikon, have white balance presets: Auto, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Manual and others.

Some people prefer to work with the Flash option or manually set the color temperature. For studio pulsed light, this is 5400–5700 K. But probably the most accurate way is to adjust the white balance using the so-called “gray card”. This is a small plastic or cardboard plate of neutral gray color that reflects 18% of the incident light. The gray card is devoid of color shades. Therefore, it will serve as a standard for the camera. The white balance will be adjusted so that in the current lighting its hue is fully compensated by the camera.

There are two ways to work with a gray card:

1. You measure the white balance using a gray card, the camera remembers the received data, and then you shoot the entire series with the same settings.

If you have just begun to master the art of photography and purchased for this good camera, then you will need knowledge on how to set it up after purchase. In this article we will give you all the information you need.

Step #1: charge the battery

In order to set up the camera, you must first charge it. This must be done immediately after opening the package. As a rule, the camera comes with a special charger, into which you need to insert the battery, and then connect it to electrical network. But there are also batteries that are charged inside the camera itself via a USB connection. All charging cables must be inside the box.

Step #2: format the memory card

As soon as the battery is charged, you need to insert the memory card into a special slot. After that, turn on the camera and press the “menu” button and find the option for formatting. Please note that formatting deletes all files from the card. Therefore, if you have used a memory card, then make sure to download valuable images from it.

Step #3: Picture size and quality: Extra Fine and Large

To take pictures best quality select the picture size, which is called Large. Only then can you get the most possible benefit from pixels. Next, set the most optimal picture quality option, which can be called ExtraFine JPEG, Highest JPEG or Fine JPEG.

If you are new to the art of photography, then do not shoot RAW files on their own, but shoot JPEG photos at the same time. Once you gain experience, this option will come in handy.

Step #4: Auto White Balance

In order to adjust the camera, you need to take into account the balance white. As a rule, setting the auto mode gives excellent results. But sometimes it is not enough. And in some lighting cases, you need to select the “incandescent lamp” or “fluorescent lamp” mode. You should start adjusting the white balance yourself later.

Step #5: Exposure metering: multi-segment, matrix or evaluative

Most cameras offer 3 metering modes, which can be used to evaluate the brightness of light and suggest exposure settings. In addition to spot and center-weighted metering, there is a third option - evaluative. It is also called matrix or multisegment. This mode will excellent choice, as it takes into account the brightness of light across the entire scene and recommends those exposure settings that produce a balanced shot.

Step #6: Focus - SingleAF or AutoAF

In SingleAF mode, the camera focuses on the subject, taking into account active points autofocus when you press the shutter halfway. Once the camera focuses, the lens will begin to hold focus until you press the button fully. This great option for most situations. However, if the subject is in motion, the focus will not be adjusted.

Many cameras have a special Auto-AF option. It automatically determines whether an object is in motion or not. As a rule, if the subject is stationary, then Single-AF is applied, and if it moves, then continuous autofocus is activated. To adjust the camera, use autofocus, otherwise set it to Single-AF.

Step #7: AF points - selecting in automatic mode

Many cameras have a setting that tells the equipment which autofocus points to use. If you are a beginner, then this device will be a good choice for you.

Step No. 8: select the shooting mode: “continuous shooting” or “single shot”

If the camera you're setting up is in single shot mode, that means it takes one photo each time you press the button.

During continuous shooting, the camera will take pictures until the memory card is full or until you can no longer hold your finger on the button. This mode will be useful when shooting objects that are in motion.

Step #9: Turn Image Stabilization On or Off

The slightest movement of the camera may result in blurry photos. But this can be easily avoided using an image stabilization system in the lens or the camera itself. If you take pictures handheld, be sure to activate stabilization, and turn it off when mounting it on a tripod.

Step #10: Adobe RGB - color space

To configure the camera, you need to select a color space - Adobe RGB or SRGB. The first option has a wider color range.

As you can see, setting up the camera is not that difficult. If you have carefully read these short instructions and done everything according to them, then you can safely start creating your first masterpieces!

Instructions

You need to start with the ISO settings. This is photosensitivity. The most common ISO range is from 100 to 800. When should one value or another be used? In sunny weather, when the subject is well lit, it is better to set the lowest ISO: 100. Then, thanks to the sun, the subject will be perfectly illuminated and detailed, and due to the low photosensitivity, the photograph will be ringing and clear. If the sun is not shining very brightly, you can raise the ISO to 200. The picture will also be very good. But in bright light, this value can lead to overexposed areas and loss of quality. In gloomy weather or at dusk you should set ISO 400. In the evening - 800 or higher. Please note that when high values ISO digital noise appears. It makes you less attractive and sometimes really spoils the shot.

Next, you should configure the bb, i.e. white. Don't be alarmed. This setting is easily possible even in the simplest digital point-and-shoot camera. You've probably seen settings like "cloudy", "sunny", "incandescent", "fluorescent", etc. You should select one of these settings. Essentially, it helps the colors in the photo appear correctly.

Now you need to determine how to meter exposure. It is best to choose matrix metering. Then all the colors in the frame will be more accurately rendered. If you want to realize a creative idea, you can try spot metering. This feature is only available on SLR cameras. Moreover, you can adjust the exposure. If the lighting is too dark, you can adjust the exposure to “+” and the photo will become lighter. And if it is too bright, you can, on the contrary, make the image darker.

There are only a few settings left before you take your shot. We now need to determine. A short shutter speed will allow you to get sharper images without any “shaking”. The faster the photographed object moves, the shorter the shutter speed should be. However, in evening time you need to use long shutter speeds for better detail. But at the same time, you need to make sure that it does not move (use a tripod) and the subject itself must also remain motionless. Otherwise the frame may be damaged. On the other hand, shooting moving cars in the evening at a long shutter speed seems very interesting, and the photographs turn out to be unique. In general, experiment.

Now let's move on to the aperture. The more you open it, the lighter your photo will be. Therefore, opportunities are very important here. In addition to transmitting light, the diaphragm is responsible for one more important point: Depth of field. When the aperture is open, only the subject on which the camera focuses remains clear. The background and foreground objects will be blurred. This technique works best for portraits. For landscapes, you need to close the aperture as much as possible and set a long shutter speed (again, a tripod will come in handy) so that everything is clear and well-detailed.

The last thing we need to adjust is the focal length. This physical characteristic lens. Depending on this value, we can place a picture with a larger or smaller viewing angle in the frame. Zooming also affects this if you have a zoom lens. You can adjust the focal length by rotating the ring on the lens. If you have

You bought digital camera and brought it home. But the joy is clouded by the fact that the device does not work or the pictures are of poor quality. You shouldn’t immediately run to the store and start a scandal. Calm down and carefully read the instructions that come with each camera.

If the equipment shows no signs of life, first charge the battery. After this, make sure that the camera is turned on and the memory card is in place. Indicators on the liquid crystal display or in the viewfinder will signal you about this. What each symbol means is described in the user manual.

Now about how to set it up. Any camera manufacturer has an automatic shooting mode. Each company has its own name for this mode, but in most cases it is the letter A (auto). Many people call this option smart shooting. How to set up the camera for shooting in automatic mode is written at the beginning of the user manual.

Having set the camera to automatic mode, it is advisable to immediately indicate to the camera that images need to be saved to the memory card. You should also set the image sizes in the menu. It is desirable that they be no lower than 1915x1285. This optimal size 10x15 and 13x18 cm. Than larger size, those better quality photo. How to set the camera to a specific image size is usually indicated in the manual, but you can look it up through the menu button. Typically, image options are first on the list.

So now you know how to set up a digital camera. But shooting on “full automatic” will not give the expected results if you are in a hurry

to be. In this mode, technology needs time to assess the situation and self-adjust. Therefore, after choosing a frame, fix the camera in your hands, then exhale and smoothly press the shutter button, but not all the way. By holding the button in this position for a few seconds, you allow the camera to take the necessary measurements. In just two seconds, the subject will become sharper on the LCD monitor or viewfinder, and the image may fade. Don't let this scare you. This is how the device signals that it has adjusted to the location and lighting conditions of the object. Now you can smoothly press the button all the way.

If you are not satisfied with the quality of pictures in automatic mode, you can use scripts. Once you have an understanding of what scripts are, you can easily learn how to set up a camera from any other manufacturer.

Scenarios are optimal settings for certain situations. Since these situations are usually standard, it is not difficult to guess from the pictograms (drawings) what we're talking about and understand how to set up the camera. Graphic symbols of preset scenarios are shown in the figure.

This guide provided advice to novice amateur photographers on setting up their cameras. More high quality images requires experience and careful study of the user manual for your specific model.