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38 P, S, A, and M Modes
P, S, A, and M Modes
P, S, A, and M modes offer control over a variety of advanced settings, including
shutter speed, aperture, and white balance.
Mode Description
P
Programmed
auto (B 39)
Camera sets shutter speed and aperture for optimal exposure. Rec-
ommended for snapshots and in other situations in which there is
little time to adjust camera settings.
S
Shutter-priority
auto (B 40)
User chooses shutter speed; camera selects aperture for best results.
Use to freeze or blur motion.
A
Aperture-priority
auto (B 41)
User chooses aperture; camera selects shutter speed for best results.
Use to blur background or bring both foreground and background
into focus.
M Manual (B 42) User controls both shutter speed and aperture.
C 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.
Fast shutter speed:
1
/1,000s Small aperture (large f-number): f/7.6
Slow shutter speed:
1
/30s Large aperture (small f-number): f/2.7
9
9
91/125
1/125
1/125 F4.3
F4.3
F4.3
Shutter speed Aperture