Use Digital Camera Settings
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You're just starting out in digital photography. You don't have a $3,000 professional Nikon or Canon.
As we learn any new skill, we begin with the simple actions and build a solid foundation. It's the same with digital photography. Scene modes make it easier to take pictures in tough lighting conditions.
As you will quickly learn by surfing through this site, there are numerous things to master in photography. So why not take advantage of the pre-programmed camera settings which the manufacturer designed into your camera?
Let's face it... if you have all the time in the world to figure out what you need to do in a particular shooting situation, you can play around with different settings, see what happens, and keep adjusting until you like the results.
But what happens when a terrific photo opportunity presents itself and you only have 5 - 10 seconds to figure out the correct shutter speed, aperture, ISO, compose and take the photo? Under situations like that, you would be well advised to use the automatic mode settings.
Pre-programmed camera settings make it easier
to take digital camera photos in tough lighting conditions
Should you base your purchasing decision on how many scene modes a digital camera has? That depends. How likely are you to find yourself in difficult lighting situations?
If you think about the type of photographs you are likely to shoot, it's wise to see if that category is one of the pre-programmed camera settings (or, modes) that the camera has.
Digital cameras may offer scene modes to assist in the following categories/situations:
- Night photography
- Sports scenes/high-speed motion sequences
- Close up portrait photography
- Landscapes/Distant photography
Using these pre-programmed scene modes can result in excellent photographs. Will the camera produce professional-quality photos every time? Of course not.
However, they are your photographic "training wheels" until you become adept with the theory and practice of f-stops, apertures, shutter speeds, white balance settings, ISO, etc.
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