Learn tips for adjusting your SLR's settings.
A single-lens reflex or SLR camera allows you to control shutter speed, aperture and focus manually. Understanding manipulate these controls on your camera is a start, but an advanced knowledge of the settings is helpful when you begin to get a feel for what kind of photos you want to take. Issues such as blurring and exposure can be controlled through your settings.
Using Aperture
Aperture choice affects the outcome of your image in terms of how much of its depth is sharp. Using a lower number aperture, such as f/2, results in the opposite of whatever plane you have focused on (not necessarily the background) to be out of focus. A higher number setting, such as f/22, creates sharpness throughout more levels of depth in the image.
Handheld Camera and Shutter Speed
Shutter speed controls the amount of time light is allowed into the camera. Once shutter speeds become as slow as 1/30 of a second, it is possible for the image to blur merely because the camera is being handheld. You can reduce blur by bracing yourself against a wall, or eliminate it completely by using a tripod. The 1/30 of a second rule is good for a normal lens; using a long lens such as a 300 mm necessitates that you use even faster shutter speeds to avoid blur.
Using an Automatic Mode with Exposure Compensation
Using the manual mode of your camera can waste precious seconds if you are in a fast-moving situation. Try using an automatic mode, such as Program, Shutter Speed Priority or Aperture Priority, along with the Exposure Compensation button. This button is marked by a "+/-". You have the flexibility of slight underexposure or overexposure when necessary, while having your camera figure out most of the exposure work for you.
Altering the ISO with Film Cameras
Film cameras should usually be set to use the same ISO as the film it is loaded with. Using 400-speed film with an ISO setting of 800 will fool the light meter into thinking the film is more sensitive to light than it is, which in turn underexposes the entire roll. This can be used to your advantage in a situation where the film needs consistent overexposure or underexposure, such as a backlit subject. In this case, using a lower ISO setting keeps the images overexposed without needing to adjust your aperture or shutter speed settings to something other than what your light meter indicates.
Focusing on an Off-center Subject
If your camera has autofocus (AF) capabilities, it is likely that it has some variation of a center-weighted focus meter. This becomes problematic if your subject is not centered in the image. You can get around this by composing your photo with the subject in the center and half-way holding down the shutter release button. While holding it down, recompose your photo to make the subject off-center, and the focus will be maintained until you press the button to capture the image.
Tags: your camera, Exposure Compensation, holding down, light meter, shutter speed, shutter speeds