How to properly set up a digital camera. How to set up your camera

If your camera does not accept AA batteries, then the first thing you will need to do after opening the box is charge the battery.

In some cases it is supplied Charger, into which you need to insert the battery and then connect it to the network. But there are also batteries that are charged inside the camera via a USB connection.

All necessary cables should be in the box with the camera.

No. 2. Format memory card

Once the battery is charged, insert the memory card into the slot provided for it. Then turn on the camera, press the "menu" button and look for the formatting option.

Formatting prepares the card for use and removes all existing images from it.

If you've used the card before, make sure you download any images you want to keep from it.

No. 3. Image quality and size - Extra Fine (Highest JPEG) and Large

If you want to take the best pictures your camera can produce, select the Large image size. Then you will receive maximum benefit from all pixels.

Then set the image quality to the best option. It may be called Highest JPEG, Fine JPEG, or Extra Fine JPEG.

If your camera allows you to shoot RAW files, then you can take advantage of this opportunity simultaneously with the JPEG format, because RAW contains the most large quantity image data.

If you're new to photography, don't shoot RAW files on their own, shoot JPEGs at the same time. But you will need this option when you gain some experience.

No. 4. White balance - automatic mode

Our eyes and brains are really good at compensating for the different colors of light we encounter, which is why we see white objects as white.

The camera white balance system is designed for the same purpose and in most cases the setting automatic mode gives good results.

But in some situations it is not enough. And in specific lighting conditions, it is better to choose the “fluorescent lamp” (fluorescent lamp) or “incandescent lamp” mode.

Manual white balance allows you to set it by photographing a white object, such as a piece of paper, but this option is worth considering later.

No. 5. Exposure metering: evaluative, matrix or multi-segment

Many cameras offer three metering modes that allow you to evaluate the brightness of light and suggest appropriate exposure settings.

In addition to center-weighted and spot metering, there is a third option called evaluative, matrix, multi-zone or multi-segment.

This mode is a good choice as it takes into account brightness across the entire surface of the scene and tries to recommend exposure settings that will produce a nice, balanced shot.

No. 6. Focus: Auto-AF or Single-AF

In Singe-AF (Auto Focus Single) mode, the camera will focus on the subject according to the active AF points when you press the shutter button halfway.

Once it focuses, the lens will hold focus for as long as you keep the button pressed. This is a good option for many situations, but if the subject is moving, the focus will not be adjusted.

Many cameras have an Auto-AF option that automatically detects whether the subject is moving.

If the subject is stationary, then Single-AF is used, but if it moves, the camera activates the continuous autofocus system, that is, the focus is adjusted as needed.

No. 7. Selecting AF Points - Auto Mode

Most cameras have a setting that tells the equipment which autofocus points to use. This is a good choice if you are a beginner.

The camera tends to focus on what is closest to the center of the frame. So if your subject is not quite centered and there are other objects between it and the camera, then keep an eye on what your camera is focusing on.

If necessary, switch to single-point AF (or similar). It allows you to set the AF point using the navigation buttons.

No. 8. Shooting mode: “single shot” (Single) and “continuous shooting” (Continuous)

When your camera is in single shot mode, it takes one frame each time you press the shutter button. Even if you hold your finger down.

In "continuous shooting" mode, it will continue to take photos until you release the button or until the buffer or memory card is full.

This mode is useful when shooting moving subjects, but in most cases you'll want to take one photo at a time.

No. 9. Image stabilization - enable or disable

The slightest accidental movement of the camera can cause blur in your images, but this can easily be corrected with the help of image stabilization in the camera or lens.

It works by moving the sensor or elements inside the lens to compensate for movement. As a rule, the stabilization system is very effective and allows you to use fairly long shutter speeds.

If you're shooting handheld, be sure to activate image stabilization, but turn it off when mounting the camera on a tripod.

No. 10. Color space - Adobe RGB

Many cameras offer two color spaces to choose from: SRGB and Adobe RGB. Adobe RGB has a larger color range than SRGB. Therefore he will the best option In most cases.

No. 11. Picture Style or Picture Control - Standard

Most cameras can process images using a number of in various ways, using the Picture Style function, Picture Control, color modes, or Film Simulation mode.

Typically, there are several options. Including one that produces black and white (monochrome) images, another that boosts saturation to make the image brighter and "landscape" that enhances blue and green color.

By default, the camera uses the "standard" option, which is generally suitable for most situations, so make sure this is set to this.

I have already owned my first DSLR Nikon D5100 for three years. Recently, more or less beautiful photographs have begun to be obtained. Of course, I don’t yet have masterpieces for prestigious photo competitions, but it’s no longer so embarrassing to put my photos on public display. From my own experience, I know how difficult it is for beginners to understand the camera settings and understand which modes are best to shoot in order to get great images.

So I decided to write a series of articles with my explanations of the basics. I guess, that this lesson photography will be useful not only for novice amateur photographers, but also for me personally. After all, psychologists say: “If you want to learn better new material? Then teach the knowledge you have acquired to others!”

So, you spent dozens of hours reading reviews and tests of different cameras, beat everyone on specialized forums, asking questions like: “Professionals, help compare Nikon D5300 and Canon EOS 750D”! “What is the difference between Nikon D5200 and Canon EOS 650D”? “Which is better: Canon or Nikon DSLRs”? And similar questions of comparing different models of SLR and mirrorless cameras. Finally, you made the decision and purchased your first DSLR. As soon as they started filming, it turned out that it was not so easy to get beautiful card. The quality of the photos is not much different from what was obtained on a simple point-and-shoot camera. What to do?

How to learn to take photographs and improve the quality of your photos?

The answer to this question is very complex; it will not fit within the boundaries of one article. Professional photographers write thick books with five hundred pages of photography lessons on this topic. Today I will just try to briefly systematize my knowledge of photography and give some advice to beginners.

In my opinion, the concept of “quality photography” includes two components: technical quality and artistic value.

To get a technically correct image you need:

2) Take the camera and instruction manual and go outside with them. Read each section carefully and then in practice, check how the camera settings you just learned about from the instructions work. I was lucky: I bought my Nikon D5100 KIT 18-55 VR DSLR right before independent travel in China, Hong Kong and the Philippines. Therefore, I was able to use a variety of shooting modes every day in different lighting conditions, different genres and scenes.

3) Go to a bookstore and buy any book on digital photography. Also study it thoroughly and apply the acquired knowledge in practice.

As you can see from my report on a trip to China on my own, you can learn how to take technically high-quality photos with your Nikon D5100 or Canon EOS 650D in one week of vacation. The more you take photos and analyze the results, the faster you can improve your skills. For example, during the described trip to the Middle Kingdom and the Philippine Islands, I shot more than 1,500 frames.

But taking a sharp photo with the correct exposure does not mean getting a high-quality photo. Here is one of the first photos taken with a Nikon D5100 KIT 18-55 VR, which I posted for discussion on the specialized forum.

That day I read a photography lesson on night photography and went in the evening to shoot with a tripod. I looked at this work and thought: “Oh, how sharp! What colors! Super photo! Do you know what the ratings were? Not a single plus and 25 minuses.

What's wrong with this photo, why doesn't it grab the viewer?

Shot at 18 mm, and at short focal lengths, if the camera lens is not aimed strictly parallel to the horizon, strong geometric distortions (distortion) occur. Do you see how much the building on the right has fallen on its side?
Two dirty cars do not decorate this photo at all.
Bad angle. Tall buildings It is better to photograph from a hill when the shooting point is located in the middle of the building or slightly higher. Then there will be less distortion and, in general, the frame will differ from hundreds of similar ones photographed from the traditional position of “the camera in front of the photographer’s eyes at a height of 1.7 meters.”
The aperture is too tight. Landscapes are shot at f/(8-11). Here I have f/22, photosensitivity ISO=100, shutter speed 30 seconds.

How could such an image be captured better? For example, move further away so that you can shoot at a longer focal length (say, 35 mm), when the distortion does not appear so strongly. Include some object in the foreground (say, tree branches) in the frame for picturesque purposes.

Agree that this temple in the Summer Palace of the Emperor in Beijing, also shot on a Nikon D5100 with a kit lens Nikkor AF-S DX VR Zoom 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G with the following settings (spot focusing, shutter speed: 1/100 sec, aperture: f/11, FR: 26 mm, ISO: 200, exposure compensation: 0 eV, flash: off) looks better? Although, from the point of view of technical quality, it is also not flawless.

Well, it seems to me that the first shot with the temple could be radically improved if we shot not a landscape, but a reportage or production. For example, play in contrast: in the foreground there is an announcement about the purchase of stolen goods, in the background there is a temple. Tell a story: in the foreground an old woman is praying at a temple, or a little girl with bows and pigtails is admiring something on a building, etc.

In short, on that forum for photographers I posted various of my works for six months. I listened to the comments and advice of more experienced colleagues. And only six months later I was able to photograph a frame that, although it did not receive only advantages, still had more of them than disadvantages.

This photo for the first time received the majority of positive ratings (18 pluses and 4 minuses) and at number 82 entered the top hundred best works per month.

Shooting parameters: shutter speed: 1/100 sec, aperture: f/10, focal length: 55 mm, ISO: 100, exposure compensation: -1.33 eV, aperture priority, flash: did not fire, shooting time: October 20, 2012.

I don’t think that this is some kind of masterpiece of world photography. There's not even enough sharpness here. But agree that this work slightly better than the first example. What makes her more attractive? Filmed during restricted hours, there is a clearly expressed diversity, thanks to the fog in the lowlands. It would not hurt to reduce the saturation of the sky a little and increase the sharpness. And it would have turned out just like candy! ;)

Oops, I got distracted from the main topic of our photo tutorial on camera settings! At the beginning of the article, I gave advice to beginners: “To learn how to shoot well with your brand new Nikon D5200 KIT, go to a bookstore and buy any photography textbook.” This way you will quickly reach a level where your friends won’t criticize your photos too much, but no one will admire them either. Probably every beginning photographer sooner or later approaches this point. I have a blog full of similar pictures. Everything seems to be clear, the main object is in the “golden ratio” according to the rules of composition, but the work is not catchy... In the article “What to give a photographer”, where I discouraged the presentation of books and photography courses, I recommended printing out a wonderful textbook authored by Lidia Dykova “Conversations about photographic skills."

The manual was written back in 1977, when the “cattle language from the zombie box” and magazines like “Metropolitan” were not yet in use, and textbooks were written in order to teach, and not to beautiful headings force the buyer to shell out money for the dummy inside and increase sales of the publication... The book methodically talks about the basic laws of photography, which every professional photographer should know and understand, like Our Father:

The concept of a semantic center in the frame.
- Principles of filling the photographic image plane.
- What is composition. How to balance it.
- Rhythm in the frame.
- Light in photography.
- The influence of the tonality of the image on its perception.
- How to convey space in a two-dimensional plane.
- Ways to emphasize texture various materials On the photo.
- Sharpness as an artistic technique.
- What determines the dynamism in the picture?

Even by listing the sections, you feel the difference with a regular textbook on photography by modern authors. More often they discuss what we are talking about in today’s article: what aperture and shutter speed to set to take a night portrait or fireworks display. And it’s much rarer to find a book that tries to show you how to take an artistic photo. Unfortunately, “Conversations on Photography Craftsmanship” cannot now be purchased in printed form - you must either print it out or order it from Ozon on a “print on demand” basis...

You ask: “Why then can’t this smart guy shoot masterpieces with his Nikon D5100 DSLR?” But because I’m a sinner: I read the textbook, but I don’t have enough willpower to go out and practice every lesson once a week on the street... But, someday, starting on Monday, I’ll start my self-education... ;)

I think after reading this guide, you will understand how to take cool photos with your Canon EOS 1200D or Nikon D3300.

OK! Today we have our first photography lesson for beginners.

The concept of exposure. How it is affected by shutter speed, aperture and light sensitivity

The term "exposure" refers to the amount of light that manages to reach the sensor over a certain period of time. If the exposure is chosen correctly, the photo will look great. If there is not enough light, the picture will be dark, if there is too much light, it will be light.

In photography, the change in exposure is calculated in steps. A change of 1 stop means that twice as much light hits your camera's sensor. You can change the exposure using one of three methods: set a different shutter speed or light sensitivity by 2 times or aperture by 1.4 times.

Usually, if we take photographs in one of the semi-automatic modes, the camera sets the correct exposure value independently, changing the indicated three parameters. But when shooting in “M” mode and, in general, in order to achieve the best results, we must clearly understand the mechanism for regulating the amount of light falling on the photosensitive element of the carcass.

For clarity, let's take an analogy. Let's say you want to heat 2 liters of water in a clay pot from a temperature of 50 (- 1 EV) to 100 degrees Celsius (0 EV). To bring water to a boil, it needs to transfer a certain amount of thermal energy (exposure), depending on the following factors: 1) heating time (holding time); 2) the diameter of the gas burner (diaphragm) and 3) the thermal conductivity of the vessel walls (ISO photosensitivity). Then the problem can be solved in the following ways:

Heat the water not for 10, but for 20 minutes with the same burner diameter and pan material (increase the shutter speed by 2 times with the same aperture and ISO).
Place the pot on a burner with a diameter 1.4 times larger than usual. Then the water will boil within the initial 10 minutes (shutter speed and ISO remained the same, but the aperture changed).
Replace clay pot with low thermal conductivity onto a steel saucepan with high level heat conductivity (we changed the photosensitivity, but left the aperture and shutter speed unchanged).

Using the example above, we have come to understand that in order to obtain technically high-quality photo with the same exposure, you can change two of the three described shooting parameters: either aperture and shutter speed, or ISO and shutter speed, or photosensitivity and the diameter of the hole in the lens, etc. But more on that later.

Yes, let's give a definition of the concepts we are talking about today.

Shutter speed is the period of time during which light falls on the matrix of your camera (the moment between the opening and closing of the DSLR shutter).

Light sensitivity means the degree to which the camera matrix perceives the light falling on it. Measured in ISO (International Standards Organization) units. Standard ISO values ​​change in geometric progression with a denominator of 2 (if someone did poorly at school, this means that each new value is 2 times higher than the previous one): 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, etc.

Both shutter speed and light sensitivity are technical characteristics of the camera. Together they form an exposure pair (expo pair).

Aperture - is a partition with a hole of several blades inside the lens. The design of the diaphragm allows you to adjust the diameter of this “hole”. The larger it is, the more light will hit the matrix. Even in photography they use the concept of aperture, i.e. a number indicating the size of the hole in the lens. IN English textbooks in photography it is designated Aperture or f-stop.

Standard values ​​of the relative aperture are calculated based on the condition that changing it by 1 position will lead to an increase in exposure by 2 times: 1/0.7; 1/1; 1/1.4; 1/22; 1/2.8; 1/4; 1/5.6; 1/8; 1/11; 1/16; 1/22; 1/32; 1/45; 1/64. Typically, when discussing this shooting parameter, only the denominator of the fraction is spoken. Therefore, when in a photography lesson you come across a recommendation to “close the aperture to 22”, this means setting the aperture to f=1/22 and the hole will be narrower (see picture above). And when an experienced photographer you know advises “opening the hole to 2.8” to beautifully blur the background, he means that you should set the aperture to 1/2.8 or, in other words, increase the diameter of the baffle hole in the lens.

At this point in my photography lesson for beginner photographers, I would need to make another big digression and talk about the fact that the aperture size affects not only the exposure, but also the depth of field (depth of field) and hyperfocal distance. But, in order not to turn this story into a thick book, I will not discuss these terms for now.

To better imagine how changing one of the discussed shooting parameters affects others, we will conduct the following experiment with you. Let's put my Nikon D5100 DSLR camera with a Nikkor 17-55/2.8 lens on a tripod, set the focal length to 55 millimeters and the maximum possible aperture for it, f/2.8. Let's first start changing the light sensitivity at the same aperture and see how the shutter speed changes. Then we repeat this procedure when different meanings apertures. We summarize the measurement results in the following table (and there is no need to memorize them, since at each moment of time, with different illumination of the subject being photographed, they change).

You may ask: “Why the hell is this dude messing with my head for almost half an hour with his pots, burners and incomprehensible tables”?!! “And this,” I will answer, “is that the tablet presented above can give you the answer to a very important question!” I mean, beginner photographers often ask: “Why do my new DSLR Nikon D5300 KIT 18-140 or Canon EOS 650D KIT 18-135 IS produce blurry, blurry photos?” Or, for example: “Why do professional photographers buy a fast 17-55mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom for crazy money to shoot weddings? After all, with the same focal lengths it costs 50 thousand rubles, and the price of a standard Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S VR DX Zoom KIT lens is only 2700 rubles. In other words, it is 18 times cheaper.

Answer to the first question: “For what reason can the photos look soapy”?

Experience shows that on SLR cameras with a small number of pixels in the matrix (Nikon D3100, D5100 or Nikon D700, D90 and their analogues from Canon), the minimum possible shutter speed that allows you to photograph a stationary object without blur is calculated using the formula Vmin = 1/ FR, where FR is the focal length on the lens at the time of shooting. On more modern DSLR models, such as Nikon D5200, D3200, D7100 (and similar Canon) this value is even shorter Vmin = 1/2*FR.

That is, if you attach a standard kit EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM kit glass to your Canon EOS 700D, then at a wide angle FR = 18 mm its maximum aperture will be 3.5, and at narrow end FR=55 mm - the largest aperture is 55 mm. Let's say you want to shoot a portrait at 18mm. To make it more beautiful, you need to try to blur the background, i.e. open the aperture to maximum f/3.5. From my table you can see that at a minimum ISO of 100 the shutter speed will be 1/100 of a second. The result should be satisfactory, since the exposure time is less than 1/60 of a second (orange cell in the plate).

But for an 18 mm portrait you can also get a hit on the face of the subject, since geometric distortions are strong at a wide angle. And the background cannot be noticeably blurred, since the depth of field at such a focal length is large.

Okay, let's extend the lens to a focal length of 55 millimeters. Now the background will be better blurred (with a maximum aperture of f/5.6) and there will be no distortion: the model’s nose is of normal shape. Only at ISO 100 it will be problematic to take a photo without blur. You need to raise the light sensitivity to 125 units. If you have latest model Nikon D5300 or Nikon D5200 with a huge number of pixels, then to take a sharp shot handheld, you need to use a shutter speed Vmin= 1/2*FR, which means 1/(2*55mm)=1/110 seconds. With a maximum aperture of f/5.6, to achieve a shutter speed of 1/125 of a second, you need to set the ISO to at least 200 units. The quality of modern SLR cameras is such that photosensitivity in the range of 100-640 and, reluctantly, up to 1000 units do not spoil the photo much. Your portrait at ISO 200 will be of high quality.

Now you want to film a child playing with a dog in an apartment. The models are very fast. The shutter speed should be much faster, say 1/500 of a second. From the table with shooting parameters we see that when photographing with a Canon KIT 18-55 lens we will need to set ISO 640 (with a focal length of 55 mm and aperture of 5.6) or ISO 320 with a focal length of 18 mm and f=3.5.

The answer to the second question: “Why do professional photographers buy high-aperture optics”?

Let's say you're photographing competitions for guests at a wedding. On a standard kit lens KIT 18-55 Nikkor or Canon, you can set the minimum shutter speed to 1/800 second at ISO 1000 and maximum aperture 5.6 (see red cell of the table). In this case, the quality of the photo will be worse, as noise will appear. And if you had a fast professional Nikkor 17-55/2.8 or Canon EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS USM lens, then at the long end you could set the aperture to f=2.8 and you could capture the active movements of guests with a shutter speed of 1/1000 second with a photosensitivity of only 400 units (see red cell). Do you feel the difference?

Another example. I bought a Nikkor 70-300/4.5-5.6 telephoto lens for photo hunting. At a focal length of 200 mm, it allows you to set the aperture to f=5.3. Those. with a working ISO of 250 units, you can achieve a shutter speed slightly shorter than 1/160 of a second. Even if you install it on a tripod to prevent blur, you won’t be able to get a high-quality photograph of small birds, since they are too nimble. And for handheld shooting, the minimum exposure time should be no longer than 1/200 of a second. If I had paid 4 times more and bought a professional high-aperture Nikkor 70-200/2.8 telephoto camera, then with the same 200 mm focal length, with ISO 250 and an aperture of f/2.8 (and not 5.3), I could get B =1/500 second. 3.125 times shorter!!! Probability of getting sharp photo increases significantly!

When purchasing a fast lens, you need to pay attention to the following nuances:

1. When buying an expensive fast lens, you pay not only for the ability to set a wide aperture, but also for higher quality glass material with minor geometric distortions and chromatic aberrations, for fast autofocus and dust and moisture protection.
2. In our review of shooting parameters, we did not take into account the effect of aperture on depth of field, hyperfocal distance, and background blur (bokeh).

What modes should you use to take high-quality photos?

Okay, we spent many minutes to understand why in your new Nikon D5200 camera you can set the sensitivity, shutter speed and aperture on the kit lens yourself. But we haven’t made much progress towards answering the question: “What settings should I set on my camera to take a high-quality photo?”

Let's record what we already know:

ISO affects the sensor's sensitivity to light. This is the material of our pan. The higher the photosensitivity, the more light the matrix will receive in a given period of time and, by the way, the noise will also be stronger. Therefore, the task of a professional photographer is to photograph with minimal possible values ISO.

Shutter speed is the time when the camera shutter is open and light hits the sensor. These two parameters control exposure and are technical characteristics of a particular camera.

Aperture is the diameter of the hole in the lens. It also affects the exposure, but depends not on the body, but on the lens model.

Now let's look at my Nikon D5100 DSLR. We see that the camera has a control dial for selecting the main shooting modes: green (automatic), creative settings (P,A,S,M) and scenarios (portrait, landscape, sports, children, macro, etc.). If you select Scene on the dial and turn the wheel, you can also select a bunch of other modes: “night landscape”, “night portrait”, “beach/snow”, etc.

At first, when I didn’t understand what camera settings I needed to set to shoot different scenes, I simply installed the preset Scenes. For example, almost all of the photographs in the report of a solo trip to China in 2011 were taken in this way.

Lately I've been shooting mostly in A, S or M mode only. They give the photographer more control over the situation. Standard settings are convenient to use when shooting in JPEG format. “Green camera” - I never use the fully automatic shooting mode, since in most cases it produces photos worse than with manual settings.

Judge for yourself. You have decided to film a rafting trip down a mountain river on catamarans on a bad, cloudy evening. You set the camera to automatic mode and pointed at the place where the athlete should appear in order to press the shutter in time and get a breathtaking shot. The camera’s automation detects some poorly lit landscape, so it sets the aperture to f/5.6; ISO 300, shutter speed 1/15 second. But, with these settings, the image of people will be blurry. “Okay,” you decide, “I’ll put the “Sport” mode on. The camera sets the focusing method to “autofocus tracking” and the f/5.3 aperture, but understands that sports scenes require more a short time exposure 1/500 second. To get such a shutter speed, you need to “raise” the ISO to 640 units. The photo will most likely be sharp.

And now you wanted to film a crossbow competition under the same conditions and get a shot of an arrow flying out of a crossbow. If you select the sports mode, as in the previous example, then you will not be able to “freeze” the arrow. The shutter speed should be even shorter. But the camera doesn’t understand whether you’re filming catamarans or crossbowmen! IN in this example A sharp photo can only be taken in M, A or S mode, where you set your own exposure time, aperture and light sensitivity.

Let's go over the basic DSLR camera settings in the "creative zone".

A (on some Av models from Apperture Priority) - you select an aperture and the camera adjusts the ISO and shutter speed to get the correct exposure at that aperture. Also, in this mode, if I see that the shutter speed is too slow, I can raise the ISO.

S (sometimes Tv from Shutter Priority) - you tell the camera what the exposure time will be, and the camera itself changes the aperture and light sensitivity to maintain the exposure.

M (from Manual) - the photographer himself chooses the values ​​of all camera settings.

It is assumed that the “S” mode is more convenient to use when photographing sports, dancing and other active events, “A” - when photographing portraits and landscapes, “M” - both.

My favorite option is "A". Even if I’m shooting sports, I set “aperture priority”, tracking autofocus and check if the shutter speed is enough at a given ISO. If the exposure time is too long, then I raise the light sensitivity until I am satisfied with the shooting parameters.

Mode “P” (from Programmable Automat) - similar to “fully automatic mode”, only you can interfere with some settings (ISO, change the exposure metering method, etc.). I've never used it.

What intermediate conclusions can be drawn after reading all my previous writings, which I called with the loud term “Photography lesson on choosing camera settings for beginning photographers”? The conclusion is this: in order to shoot high-quality, beautiful photo, you need to correctly configure the basic parameters of the DSLR: shutter speed, aperture and light sensitivity. To take a masterpiece photo, you need to understand why other settings are needed (white balance, exposure correction and metering mode, shutter release and focusing method, autofocus zone mode), be able to properly configure the flash and read the book recommended above by Lydia Dyko “Conversations on Photographic Craftsmanship” . ;)

Now, in order to understand what settings to set on your brand new Nikon D3100 camera in different situations, you need to logically analyze the table presented earlier.

To take a beautiful portrait, we need to blur the background(open the aperture), while maintaining ISO and shutter speed at normal operating values.

Camera Nikon D5100, lens: AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G, shutter speed: 1/125 sec, aperture: f/5.6, focal length: 55 mm, ISO: 200, exposure compensation: 0 eV, shooting mode: aperture priority.

If we want to take a photo against the backdrop of a monument or some landmark, we need to tighten the aperture a little.

Camera Nikon D5100, lens: AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G, shutter speed: 1/125 sec, aperture: f/11, focal length: 29 mm, ISO: 110

Filming the sunset over the evening city. Here the subject is motionless. The main thing is sharpness. Therefore, we also set f/10 as the aperture priority. At ISO 200 the picture has little noise. Shutter speed doesn't matter since we're shooting from a tripod.

Camera Nikon D5100, lens: AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G, shutter speed: 1/80 sec, aperture: f/10, focal length: 18 mm, ISO: 200

Shooting a night landscape. There is very little light. The depth of field needs a larger one. Therefore, set the aperture to at least f/8. Light sensitivity for noise reduction is a minimum of 100 units. The camera offers an exposure time of 25 seconds, but we don't care since the shooting is done on a tripod. On the contrary, the traces of car headlights were beautifully blurred.

Now we also shoot at night, but this time it’s a portrait. People can stand still for relatively long periods of time. You will have to open the hole in the lens to the maximum (f=3.5), “raise” the ISO to ensure an acceptable shutter speed (remember B=1/FR?).

Camera Nikon D5100, lens: AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G, shutter speed: 1/5 sec, aperture: f/3.5, focal length: 18 mm, ISO: 800.

There are exceptions to any rule. For example, this photo was taken from a tripod, and we tried our best not to move. Therefore, the result was a sharp shot with such a long exposure time.

We are preparing to shoot something fast moving, for example, a magnificent horseman prancing on a mare in the dapples. ;) In the camera settings, set the shutter speed priority to B = 1/500 of a second, a low light sensitivity of ISO 125 units, and the camera itself will set the aperture f/4.5.

By the way, the photo above is an example of shooting on a Canon EOS 700D KIT 18-135 camera. This is also an example of a not entirely successful composition. If you are familiar with the rules of framing, you will understand that it was better to take this photo so that the main subject is on the line of the golden ratio.

In this case it appeared free place under the horse's hooves - she has somewhere to run. There is also space on the left for the hussar’s gaze; he does not rest against the edge of the photo. The lines of the road form guide diagonals to the main object. And the trees form a natural frame that prevents the viewer’s gaze from going beyond the boundaries of the image. An open aperture made it possible to blur the background a little and thereby focus attention on the subjects in the photo with sharpness. To turn this photo into a masterpiece, there is still not enough good lighting in the setting sun.

Many new photographers wonder how to set up their camera to get the best results their camera can produce. While there are no magic settings that will work for every shooting situation with every camera, there are some basic settings that will work well for any camera you have.

In addition, do not forget about special shooting modes - they greatly facilitate the photography process, especially for beginners. So, let's take a closer look at the basic camera settings for beginner photographers.

First of all, let's look at what settings are available on any modern digital camera. Since they are more or less universal, you should be able to find any of the settings below in a modern camera, regardless of make and model:

• Image Quality: RAW
• RAW Format: Lossless Compressed (if available)
• White Balance: Auto
• Picture Controls / Picture Style / Creative Style / Film Simulation: Standard
• Color space: sRGB
• Long exposure noise reduction: enabled
• High ISO noise reduction: off
• Activ D-Lighting / DRO, HDR, Lens correction (vignetting control, chromatic aberration control, distortion control, etc.): off.

All the parameters listed above are extremely important. First of all, start by choosing the right RAW file format. If your camera has an option to select RAW file compression, always select Lossless Compressed as this format reduces the amount of disk space consumed by RAW files.

Of course, when shooting in RAW, settings like Picture Controls don't matter (they only affect how the image appears on the LCD screen), but it's still best to leave the default settings. The same should be done with parameters such as Sharpness, Contrast, Saturation, etc. since such settings only matter when shooting in JPEG format.

When shooting in RAW, you also don't have to worry about color space, since you can change their settings in post-production.

If you're a beginner, it's a good idea to turn on the Long Exposure Noise Reduction feature, as it works when you're shooting RAW, reducing the amount of noise in your images (though it doubles the time it takes to take a photo).

All other functions and settings regarding lens correction, dynamic range optimization, noise reduction, and so on can be turned off, since they have no effect on the resulting image when shooting in RAW.

Having finished with the basic camera settings, let's look at the points that are of significant importance when taking photographs.

Which is the best shooting mode to choose?

Many photographers continue to argue that it's best to shoot in manual mode because it allows you to have the most control over your camera, but I beg to differ. Modern cameras are amazing at metering the scene correctly, so why not use one of the semi-automatic shooting modes instead of shooting manually?

For example, 90% of the time I prefer the aperture priority mode because not only does it do a great job of leaving me with control over the aperture, but it also allows me to choose how bright or dark the resulting image is. If the camera gives me an image that is brighter than I would like, then I simply use the Exposure Compensation button and achieve a result that suits me.

You can learn more about what exposure compensation is and how to use it.

Exposure compensation button on Nikon (A) and Canon (B)

If you're wondering whether you should shoot in any of your camera's scene modes (e.g. Macro, Sports, Fireworks, etc.), I wouldn't recommend using these modes for a number of reasons. The main one is that such modes vary significantly not only between different camera manufacturers, but also between different models of the same manufacturer. Therefore, if you are used to shooting in one of the scene modes on one camera, then when you switch to another you may not find it. In addition, most professional and semi-professional models simply do not have scenario modes.

Which autofocus mode is best for shooting?

Whatever you photograph, you should always be sure that you have chosen the best best mode autofocus. For example, if you're photographing a stationary subject, you can use single focus mode (also known as Single Area AF, One Shot AF, or simply AF-S), but if the subject you're photographing is constantly moving, you You'll want to switch to continuous/servo AF mode, as you'll likely want the camera to actively track your subject.

To make shooting easier for beginners, camera manufacturers sometimes include a hybrid mode in the camera that automatically switches between single focus mode and continuous autofocus mode depending on whether the subject is static or actively moving. This hybrid mode (“AF-A” on Nikon and “AI Focus AF” on Canon) can become excellent choice for those who find it difficult to constantly switch between single and continuous focusing modes.

In some cameras you'll find an Auto AF mode that evaluates the scene you're shooting and tries to focus on the object closest to you or the object the camera deems most important. I wouldn't recommend beginners use this mode, as it's still better to control where the camera focuses by moving the focus point. To do this, you will need to select single point focusing mode. You can then either move the focus point in the viewfinder, or move the camera so that the focus point falls on the subject:

Which metering mode to choose for shooting

Your camera may have several different exposure metering modes - you can learn more about each of them in our article:. For most situations, matrix/evaluative metering is best because it evaluates the entire scene you're shooting and usually does a better job of revealing the objects in the scene you're shooting.

Which aperture is better to choose for shooting?

The lens aperture affects not only the degree of isolation of the subject from the foreground and background, but also the amount of light passing through the lens and hitting the camera sensor. That is why the aperture value in a given situation must be chosen very carefully. In addition, aperture can affect image sharpness and depth of field.

If you're shooting in low light or want to avoid blurry photos due to camera shake when shooting in manual mode, your best bet is to choose the widest aperture your lens can offer. This way you can ensure that it hits the camera sensor the largest number Sveta. For example, if you are shooting with a 35mm f/1.8 lens, then under the conditions described above, you should stop at f/1.8. If a beautiful landscape opens up in front of you, and you want to capture a sharp photograph of the entire landscape, then the best option would be to close the lens aperture to f/5.6.

Often the aperture determines how much the subject will be separated from the background, but its functions are not limited to this.

Aperture is often related to how your subject is separated from the background, but it is only one of its many functions. The photo above clearly demonstrates the differences in images captured at different apertures - f/2.8 and f/8.0, respectively.

How to choose shutter speed for shooting?

As with aperture, the answer to the best shutter speed to use for photography depends on what you're shooting. For example, if your goal is to take a romantic photo of a waterfall, you should choose a slow shutter speed, on the order of a few seconds, to get a blurry image of the water flow:

If you want to freeze a subject, especially a moving one, you will need to use very fast shutter speeds, sub-seconds:

However, for most situations, you're better off using a shutter speed that's fast enough to capture a clear image of your subject without causing camera shake. For this reason, you should activate the Auto ISO function.

What ISO values ​​are best to use for photography?

You've probably heard and read that it's always best to shoot at the lowest ISO available, as it will produce the least amount of noise in your images (reducing graininess). Any photographer strives to ensure that his photographs are less noisy due to too high an ISO value.

However, shooting at the lowest ISO settings is not always practical, especially when shooting in low light conditions. In such situations, you need to increase the ISO to decrease the shutter speed to avoid blurring due to unintentional camera shake.

remember, that Good photo always balances between aperture, shutter speed and ISO.

Your camera most likely has an ISO Auto (or similar) feature, which can be a very handy tool for the beginning photographer. Once activated, your camera will automatically adjust ISO based on how bright your subject and the scene around it are, attempting to maintain shutter speeds consistent with the minimum shutter speed set in the ISO feature's setting menu.

18.09.2015 9160 Photography Tips 0

Whether you've just been given a brand new camera or you've given in to the urge to take better photos than your smartphone can, you'll need tips on how to set up your treasure for the first time. It is this request in search engines often brings you, our dear readers, to our site.

So, I decided to give you some tips on this matter, 12 tips, and here you will find all necessary information How can a beginner set up his camera correctly?

Tip #1. Charge the battery

If your camera does not come with AA batteries, which you must purchase yourself, then the first thing you will have to do after opening the box is charge the battery.

Most cameras come with a charger, into which you need to insert the battery and then connect it to the mains. But there are also cameras that allow you to charge the battery inside the camera via a USB connection. Please carefully read the instructions for your purchase regarding this matter.

All necessary cables or charger should be in the box with the camera.

Tip #2. Format the memory card

As soon as the battery is charged, insert it into the compartment provided for it (the card must be purchased additionally, in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations - again, read the instructions). Then turn on the camera, enter the menu and find the formatting function.

Formatting prepares the card for use and removes all existing images from it. If you've used the card before, make sure you download any images you want to keep from it.

Tip #3. Image quality and size

All cameras are capable of capturing images in different and different quality. If you want to take the best possible pictures, set the image quality to the best setting. It may be called Highest JPEG, Fine JPEG, or Extra Fine JPEG.

If you are new to photography, don't shoot RAW files on their own, shoot simultaneously with the JPEG format - you will need this option when you gain some experience and can process your photo archive. Subsequently, you are better off completely switching to the RAW format.

Tip #4. White balance

Our eyes and brains are good at compensating for the different colors of light we encounter, which is why we see white objects as white.

The camera's white balance (WB) system is designed for the same purpose, and in most cases, setting it to automatic gives good results. But when shooting in JPEG format, in some situations it is not enough - in specific lighting conditions it is better to select the “fluorescent lamp” (fluorescent lamp) or “incandescent lamp” mode, depending on the lighting.

If you shoot in RAW format, then feel free to set the WB setting to Auto mode - you will set the desired light temperature during post-processing in the editor (provided that you have these skills).

Tip #5. Exposure metering

Many cameras offer three metering modes that allow you to evaluate the brightness of light and suggest appropriate exposure settings: spot, matrix and multi-zone.

A good place to start is to set it to multi-zone, which is a good choice as it takes into account brightness across the entire surface of the scene and tries to recommend exposure settings that will produce a nice, balanced shot. As you master the camera, you will begin to use all three modes depending on your shooting tasks.

Tip #6. Focusing

A modern camera offers several. In AF-S (Single) mode, the camera will focus on the subject according to the active AF points when you press the shutter button halfway. Once it focuses, the lens will hold focus for as long as you keep the button pressed. This is a good option for many situations, but if the subject is moving, the focus will not be adjusted.

Many cameras have an AF-A (Auto) option that automatically detects whether the subject is moving.

If the subject is stationary, then Single-AF is used, but if it moves, the camera activates the continuous autofocus system, that is, the focus is adjusted as needed.

If your camera has an automatic focus mode, then install it.

Tip #7. Selecting AF points

Most cameras have a setting that tells the equipment which autofocus points to use. This is a good choice if you are a beginner.

The camera tends to focus on what is closest to the center of the frame. So if your subject is not quite centered and there are other objects between it and the camera, then keep an eye on what your camera is focusing on.

If necessary, switch to single-point AF (or similar). It allows you to set the AF point using the navigation buttons.

Tip #8. Shooting mode: single shot and continuous shooting

When your camera is in single shot mode, it takes one frame each time you press the shutter button. Even if you hold your finger down.

In "continuous shooting" mode, it will continue to take photos until you release the button or until the buffer or memory card is full.

This mode is useful when shooting moving subjects, but in most cases you'll want to take one photo at a time.

Tip #9. Image stabilization

The slightest random camera movements can cause blur in your images at relatively long shutter speeds, but this can easily be corrected with the help of an image stabilization system (some cameras use , most use lens stabilization).

Stabilization works by moving the sensor or elements inside the lens to compensate for camera shake. In general, the stabilization system is very effective and allows you to use longer shutter speeds.

If you shoot handheld, then be sure to activate image stabilization, but when mounting the camera on a tripod, turn it off.

Tip #10. Color space

Many cameras offer two color spaces to choose from: . Adobe RGB has a larger color range than SRGB. Therefore, it will be the best option in most cases.

Tip #11. Picture Style or Picture Control

Most cameras can process images in a number of different ways, using Picture Style functions, Picture Control modes, color modes, or Film Simulation mode.

Typically, there are several options. One produces black and white (monochrome) images, another increases saturation to make the image brighter, "landscape" enhances blues and greens, etc.

By default, the camera uses the "standard" option, which is generally suitable for most situations, so make sure this is set to this. And you can easily get the rest of the effects in a graphic editor during subsequent processing of the frame.

Tip #12. Shooting modes

The vast majority of beginners immediately set the Auto mode after purchase (wow, such a cool camera, it will definitely do everything right for me!). And this is a mistake. You need to immediately understand and use creative modes: aperture priority mode, shutter priority mode and manual mode. On most cameras they are marked as “A”, “S”, “M” respectively. If you have a Canon camera, you will notice that it likes to be special, and the same modes on it are labeled Av, Tv, M (Av is aperture priority mode, Tv is shutter priority mode, M is manual mode).

You're probably a little intimidated to switch to creative modes, but I strongly advocate with them, and in most cases using aperture priority mode as a tool for adjusting exposure and depth of field (DOF).

That’s basically all, now you can safely go on a photo hunt for masterpieces. Although... I don’t want to call this tip “thirteenth”, I’m a little superstitious, but still, take a look at our free one.

If you have any questions, ask them on the site forum, in our photo club. All the photography to you!

You took your brand new camera out of the box and want to quickly take your first photos. Of course, you can immediately arrange a large photo shoot, but it is advisable to do a few very important things before using the camera.

Please attach the strap to the camera before use.

Our words may seem like boring moralizing to you, but correctly and securely attaching the strap to the camera is important. A well-attached strap will make using the camera convenient and comfortable. And, conversely, an uncomfortable strap (long, short, twisted) can make traveling with a camera around your neck unbearable.

So, take the belt out of the box. Attach it to the camera body. To do this, thread the belt through the metal eyelet on the case, pull it through the solid plastic clip, then into the plastic fastener. Plastic and solid fastener allow you to adjust the fastening of the ends of the belt and their length. Before attaching the other end of the strap, make sure the belt is not twisted.

“Try on” the camera for yourself. You should be comfortable using the camera and taking pictures, and you should be able to move comfortably with the camera hanging on your shoulder or neck. If necessary, you can always lengthen or shorten the belt (this must be done on both sides at the same time).

Set the time and date

Charge the battery and insert it into the camera. After you turn on the camera for the first time, you will be prompted to set the date and time. Some users ignore these settings, but it is very important to record the date and time accurately when shooting. Your camera saves data for each photo in EXIF ​​format, including date and time.

Selecting the time zone on a Nikon camera

A user who has accumulated quite a lot of pictures on a memory card will find it easier to navigate through them by the date they were taken. If the date and time are set correctly, It will be easier for you to sort images and create catalogs for storing on your computer. This data is also needed to post photos to online storage services.

Format the memory card

A newly purchased memory card must be formatted (and in the camera, not on the computer). This needs to be done in the camera., because when formatting, the camera will set up the correct directory structure for storing photos and videos.

Buy the fastest memory card that you can afford. It has great importance when working with RAW format images, for burst mode and for HD video recording.

Enable additional features

If your lens has built-in image stabilizer(Nikon cameras call this Vibration Reduction, or VR), you'll likely want to enable this feature. There is a lever on the lens to turn it on and off.

AF and VR switches on a Nikon camera lens.

Some cameras (from manufacturers such as Sony and Pentax) typically have an image stabilizer built into the body. Therefore, their lenses are stabilized automatically. Before using your camera, make sure this feature is enabled by default (this is shown in the camera menu).

Change default settings

All cameras come with certain "default" settings that are not ideal (for most photographers). These are, first of all, image quality settings. Typically, by default, manufacturers set the image quality to “standard”. Instead of this select in settings " high quality Images".

Depending on your preference, you can shoot in JPEG and RAW formats (or both formats at the same time). Consider shooting in RAW() format. RAW format files contain all the information that the matrix captures; in such pictures there is no compression or any processing, as in JPEG format pictures.

By default, DSLR cameras are set to autofocus (AF) mode. AF works great for portrait photography, but it's not great for moving subjects.

To shoot stationary objects, Nikon cameras use the AF-S mode, in Canon cameras- One Shot AF.

To shoot moving subjects, you can change the focus mode so that the moving subject is in focus. This means that as long as you keep the shutter button pressed halfway, the camera will continue to focus on the moving subject in the frame. On Nikon cameras this function is called AF-C, on Canon cameras it is called AI Servo AF.

Customize your LCD screen

The liquid crystal screen of digital cameras is an excellent “tool” for high-quality work. If the screen has an automatic brightness control option, then the footage will always look optimally bright when viewed. If this option is not available, you can set the brightness level manually(so that viewing is comfortable). It's worth spending some time setting up the screen.

The display may show when viewing photos. different quantities data. Enter playback mode and consider the shooting options display modes. In some cameras, you need to use the DISP button to switch from one mode to another. In others, you need to press the button with the arrow pointing up. You will see different display modes (info mode, i mode).

Viewing modes vary greatly between camera models, so please refer to the User's Guide for your specific model to find out all the options. By switching to different viewing modes, you can see the quality level icon (high, standard, etc.), exposure values, histogram data.

In addition, when viewing a photo you can use the frame zoom button located on the back of the camera. This will allow you to examine all the details of the photo and see how well the camera focused on the key objects in the scene.

From automatic mode to manual setting

Usage SLR camera in "auto" mode is ideal for a beginner. But To improve your photographic skills, gradually progress to more complex shooting modes. Try shooting in semi-automatic modes, and then, as your skills improve, you can switch to manual mode for adjusting all shooting parameters. Without exception, all shooting modes are described in textbooks according to exposure (and in the instructions for your camera).