ok i got a new nikon d40 a while back but i still don't really know how to use it (i just use the auto button lol) what exactly is the "P" "S" "A" "M" setting do they all look the same (picture) and why does the pic look darker when i use these setting it also looks fuzzier i really want to learn about photography pleas explain this for me and anything else you thing i would need to know about this camera
nikon D40 /photography help....?
- Thread starter bry bry
- Start date
if you are only using your camera in auto mode, you might as well be using a $100 point and shoot camera. You are only using 10% of this camera's full potential.
Now, first... I would suggest going to the library or local bookstore and get a book that explains basic concepts of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO, and how they all work together to control the exposure of the image, and the creative look and feel of the image..
Once you have a basic understanding of the elements of these concepts, you can switch out of AUTO mode....where the CAMERA dictates the shot, to moving into the other areas where YOU tell the camera what to do.
Now....to start with forget M mode for now. Thats Full Manual....And since you just read your book, and don't really have a clue as to how these things work yet, FULL manual is not for you
Its for someone with years of experience.
Also forget the P mode....that's called prgramed priority and is basically auto as well
So what does that leave for a true budding photographer to truely develop real skills?
The A and S modes.
These are called Aperture priority and Shutter priority.
Essentially, YOU control ONE of the two aspects and the camera suggests the other one. You then have full control through your
"exposure compensation dial" to correct the camera if you suspect the camera is telling you something other than your objective
Most people would tell you to start with the A mode. That's because the APERTURE aspect of the exposure determines what elements of the scene will be in clear focus and what will be blurred.
PHOTO tip 101: a small numbered aperture like 3.5means that what you focus on will be clear and the background will be blurry....a look that a lot of people like. A large numbered aperture like f16 means that everything will be in sharp focus.
If you were at a sporting even taking shots of fast moving action, you may wish to switch to the S mode, or shutter priority mode to give you direct control over the shutter speed fo freeze the action.
If you were using your favored AUTO mode in this instance, the camera might not know that you want to freeze the action!! IN S MODE, you TELL the camera to freeze the action. GET IT???
I'm sure this all sounds very confusing. So like I said, read up about all of these things so you get a better understanding...Then, read your manual because that tells you exactly how to use the A mode and the S mode and which dials control what.
PS...no self respecting photographer uses AUTO, any of the SCENE modes
with the fancy Icons, or the P mode.
They develop their skills using the
A mode or S mode, and then move on to the M mode once they have mastered the basics
Now, first... I would suggest going to the library or local bookstore and get a book that explains basic concepts of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO, and how they all work together to control the exposure of the image, and the creative look and feel of the image..
Once you have a basic understanding of the elements of these concepts, you can switch out of AUTO mode....where the CAMERA dictates the shot, to moving into the other areas where YOU tell the camera what to do.
Now....to start with forget M mode for now. Thats Full Manual....And since you just read your book, and don't really have a clue as to how these things work yet, FULL manual is not for you
Its for someone with years of experience.Also forget the P mode....that's called prgramed priority and is basically auto as well
So what does that leave for a true budding photographer to truely develop real skills?
The A and S modes.
These are called Aperture priority and Shutter priority.
Essentially, YOU control ONE of the two aspects and the camera suggests the other one. You then have full control through your
"exposure compensation dial" to correct the camera if you suspect the camera is telling you something other than your objective
Most people would tell you to start with the A mode. That's because the APERTURE aspect of the exposure determines what elements of the scene will be in clear focus and what will be blurred.
PHOTO tip 101: a small numbered aperture like 3.5means that what you focus on will be clear and the background will be blurry....a look that a lot of people like. A large numbered aperture like f16 means that everything will be in sharp focus.
If you were at a sporting even taking shots of fast moving action, you may wish to switch to the S mode, or shutter priority mode to give you direct control over the shutter speed fo freeze the action.
If you were using your favored AUTO mode in this instance, the camera might not know that you want to freeze the action!! IN S MODE, you TELL the camera to freeze the action. GET IT???
I'm sure this all sounds very confusing. So like I said, read up about all of these things so you get a better understanding...Then, read your manual because that tells you exactly how to use the A mode and the S mode and which dials control what.
PS...no self respecting photographer uses AUTO, any of the SCENE modes
with the fancy Icons, or the P mode.
They develop their skills using the
A mode or S mode, and then move on to the M mode once they have mastered the basics
Jonathan K
New member
Look in your manual. If you wan't to learn photography, those are the modes your going to need to use. Just read your manual, I promise it helps. I just got done reading mine, and it explains it all very well.
casperskitty
New member
I was scanning through the other answers and I don't think anyone covered one of your questions which was why does the pic look darker when you use those settings.
Well, if you were using aperture mode and the ISO wasn't set high enough for the camera to find an appropriate shutter speed to use with the set aperture and ISO, your images would come darker or underexposed. If you had set the ISO too high, you could end up with images that are too bright or overexposed.
Same with the shutter speed. If the shutter speed was fast and the ISO too low, the camera may not have been able to set a wide enough aperture to get a proper exposure resulting in underexposure. And if you set a slow shutter speed with a high ISO you could overexpose.
Now with Manual, you choose all of the setting yourself so there is a lot more room for error.
When shooting manually you should pay attention to the meter. It will have a zero in the middle with negative 1, 2, 3 on the left and positive 1, 2, 3 on the right. There will be some kind of indicator over and under this meter. The bottom indicator is probably the flash exposure compensation indicator so don't worry about that one for now. The top should be the exposure indicator. If the indicator (which is probably a triangle or arrow) is not over the zero, then the camera is telling you that the exposure is off. You can change the shutter speed, the aperture and/or the ISO to get the indicator back to the middle.
I know that the manuals aren't always easy to understand. Get a book about photography and it will definitely help. Or look up exposure online.
Well, if you were using aperture mode and the ISO wasn't set high enough for the camera to find an appropriate shutter speed to use with the set aperture and ISO, your images would come darker or underexposed. If you had set the ISO too high, you could end up with images that are too bright or overexposed.
Same with the shutter speed. If the shutter speed was fast and the ISO too low, the camera may not have been able to set a wide enough aperture to get a proper exposure resulting in underexposure. And if you set a slow shutter speed with a high ISO you could overexpose.
Now with Manual, you choose all of the setting yourself so there is a lot more room for error.
When shooting manually you should pay attention to the meter. It will have a zero in the middle with negative 1, 2, 3 on the left and positive 1, 2, 3 on the right. There will be some kind of indicator over and under this meter. The bottom indicator is probably the flash exposure compensation indicator so don't worry about that one for now. The top should be the exposure indicator. If the indicator (which is probably a triangle or arrow) is not over the zero, then the camera is telling you that the exposure is off. You can change the shutter speed, the aperture and/or the ISO to get the indicator back to the middle.
I know that the manuals aren't always easy to understand. Get a book about photography and it will definitely help. Or look up exposure online.
P - Program Auto: in this setting you can control all the other settings (ISO, white balance, etc.) besides aperture and shutter speed.
S - Shutter Priority: in this mode, you can control the shutter speed and the camera will automatically change the aperture settings accordingly.
A - Aperture Priority: this mode is basically the opposite of the one above. You can control the aperture settings.
M - Manual: In this mode you can control every setting (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, etc.)
& when you were exploring these settings and you said that the photo became blurry, it was probably because the shutter was programed to stay open longer which cause motion blur. I suggest you use a tripod when you are experimenting with these settings. Just play around with them and you will learn which settings to use with each situation. Good luck!!
S - Shutter Priority: in this mode, you can control the shutter speed and the camera will automatically change the aperture settings accordingly.
A - Aperture Priority: this mode is basically the opposite of the one above. You can control the aperture settings.
M - Manual: In this mode you can control every setting (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, etc.)
& when you were exploring these settings and you said that the photo became blurry, it was probably because the shutter was programed to stay open longer which cause motion blur. I suggest you use a tripod when you are experimenting with these settings. Just play around with them and you will learn which settings to use with each situation. Good luck!!
Where did you purchase your camera? When you buy in camera stores, they usually offer you an Intro to Digital Photog. class as part of the pkg. of what you're purchasing. That's what you should take.
In the meantime:
1- Your camera's User Guide will explain what all those functions are and how they work. Consider that Guide your friend. Get to know it.
2- What the User Guide won't tell you is how to use those settings creatively - just what they are for and how to operate them. There are lots of photography books (check your local library, bookstore or Amazon.com) that tell you how to use those features to create better photos - some of those books are written specifically geared to the model camera you purchased.
P= program mode
S= shutter priority mode
A= aperture priority mode
M= manual settings
It is best if you look them up in the index to your User Guide to understand them and get the most from your nice camera.
In the meantime:
1- Your camera's User Guide will explain what all those functions are and how they work. Consider that Guide your friend. Get to know it.
2- What the User Guide won't tell you is how to use those settings creatively - just what they are for and how to operate them. There are lots of photography books (check your local library, bookstore or Amazon.com) that tell you how to use those features to create better photos - some of those books are written specifically geared to the model camera you purchased.
P= program mode
S= shutter priority mode
A= aperture priority mode
M= manual settings
It is best if you look them up in the index to your User Guide to understand them and get the most from your nice camera.
Where did you purchase your camera? When you buy in camera stores, they usually offer you an Intro to Digital Photog. class as part of the pkg. of what you're purchasing. That's what you should take.
In the meantime:
1- Your camera's User Guide will explain what all those functions are and how they work. Consider that Guide your friend. Get to know it.
2- What the User Guide won't tell you is how to use those settings creatively - just what they are for and how to operate them. There are lots of photography books (check your local library, bookstore or Amazon.com) that tell you how to use those features to create better photos - some of those books are written specifically geared to the model camera you purchased.
P= program mode
S= shutter priority mode
A= aperture priority mode
M= manual settings
It is best if you look them up in the index to your User Guide to understand them and get the most from your nice camera.
In the meantime:
1- Your camera's User Guide will explain what all those functions are and how they work. Consider that Guide your friend. Get to know it.
2- What the User Guide won't tell you is how to use those settings creatively - just what they are for and how to operate them. There are lots of photography books (check your local library, bookstore or Amazon.com) that tell you how to use those features to create better photos - some of those books are written specifically geared to the model camera you purchased.
P= program mode
S= shutter priority mode
A= aperture priority mode
M= manual settings
It is best if you look them up in the index to your User Guide to understand them and get the most from your nice camera.