#P, S, A, and M Modes

P, S, A, and M modes offer different degrees of control over shutter speed and aperture:

Mode

Description

 

 

P

Programmed auto (0 68): Camera sets shutter speed and aperture for

 

 

optimal exposure. Recommended for snapshots and in other

 

 

situations in which there is little time to adjust camera settings.

 

 

 

 

S

Shutter-priority auto (0 69): User chooses shutter speed; camera selects

 

 

aperture for best results. Use to freeze or blur motion.

 

 

 

 

A

Aperture-priority auto (0 70): User chooses aperture; camera selects

 

 

shutter speed for best results. Use to blur background or bring both

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foreground and background into focus.

 

 

Manual (0 71): User controls both shutter speed and aperture. Set

Mshutter speed to “bulb” or “time” for long time-exposures.

ALens Types

When using a CPU lens equipped with an aperture ring (0 269), lock the aperture ring at the minimum aperture (highest f-number). Type G lenses are not equipped with an aperture ring.

Non-CPU lenses can only be used in modes A (aperture-priority auto) and M (manual), when aperture can only be adjusted using the lens aperture ring. Selecting any other mode disables the shutter release.

AShutter Speed and Aperture

The same exposure can be achieved with different combinations of shutter speed and aperture. Fast shutter speeds and large apertures freeze moving objects and soften background details, while slow shutter speeds and small apertures blur moving objects and bring out background details.

Shutter speed

Aperture

Fast shutter speed

Slow shutter speed

Large aperture (f/3)

Small aperture (f/36)

(1/1,600 s)

(1 s)

(Remember, the higher the f-number, the

 

 

smaller the aperture.)

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