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a, b, c, and d Modes
Shooting in a, b, c, and d Modes
a, b, c, and d modes offer a differing degrees of control over shutter speed and
aperture. Choose the mode best suited to the situation.
Shutter Speed and Aperture
The same exposure can be achieved with different combinations of shutter speed and
aperture, allowing you to freeze or blur motion and control depth of field. The following
figure shows how shutter speed and aperture affect exposure.
If the ISO sensitivity setting is changed (A 53, 111), the range of shutter speed and
aperture settings that will achieve optimal exposure also changes.
C Lens Aperture Ring
When using a CPU lens equipped with an aperture ring, lock the aperture ring at the minimum
aperture (highest f-number). Type G lenses are not equipped with an aperture ring. When a CPU
lens is mounted, adjust the aperture from the camera.
Mode Description
a Programmed auto (A 41)
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.
b Shutter-priority auto (A 42)
User chooses shutter speed; camera selects aperture for best
results. Use to freeze or blur motion.
c
Aperture-priority auto
(A 43)
User chooses aperture; camera selects shutter speed for best
results. Use to blur background or bring both foreground and
background into focus.
d Manual (A 44)
User controls both shutter speed and aperture. Set shutter
speed to “bulb” for long time-exposures.
Shutter speed Aperture
Fast shutter speed
1
/1,600 s
Small aperture (large f-number)
f/36
Slow shutter speed
1s
Large aperture (small f-number)
f/3