Welcome to today’s post for the great Blogging A to Z Challenge!

Today is M is for Manual.

Well, if I have to be completely honest, I am not going to spend this entire post talking about Manual mode for the camera.  I try to use manual modes most of the time.  But there are also a number of automatic modes on the camera, so I want to talk about the specific settings I have available to me on my camera (settings that are probably available, under one name or another, on most cameras).

So, my DSLR is a Canon EOS Rebel Sx.  It’s an older camera, but it seems to work pretty well.  I think what I will do today is tell you what Manual and Auto settings I have on my camera, tell you what they are (or what I think they are) and show you some pictures I took on each setting.  Yes.  That sounds like a plan!

So, the Manual settings on my camera’s dial are:

A-DEP (Automatic Depth of Field).  Here, objects in the foreground and background will be automatically focused (according to that there official manual).

M (Manual Exposure).  Here you can set shutter speed and aperture.

Av (Aperture Priority).  This changes the depth of field.  You change the aperture setting.  The higher the setting,  the wider the depth of field.

Tv (Shutter Priority).  This setting is for “action shots”.  Freeze the action or create blur by changing your shutter speed!

P (Program).  In this mode, the camera sets aperture and shutter speed, but you can change other settings (flash, ISO, etc.) to customize the shot.   So this close-up had a slower shutter speed and the other shot a faster speed (didn’t have to change anything).

And the Auto modes on my camera’s dial are:

Full Auto.  Basically wherever you place your Auto Focus points will control the settings (you know, focus, aperture, ISO, flash, etc.).   I think this is the setting you use when you don’t have time (or the energy) to think 🙂

Portrait.  Apparently this auto mode focuses on the subject and blurs the background for you.  It also makes skin and hair tone softer (so the manual says).

Landscape.  Landscape mode is for wide landscape shots, night pictures, and to have everything in focus (remember hyperfocal?  Think this is the auto setting for this!) It probably works best with a wide angle lens.

Close-up.  Yes, it’s what you think.  Use when you are taking close-ups.  Use a Macro lens to make it better.

Sports.  This is a cool mode.  If you are taking pictures of moving things, Sport mode will set your setting to make things clearer.  Unfortunately I didn’t have much moving to take a picture of.  Kitties are all sleeping right now…but let’s try some water…

Night Portrait.  This is to help you take pictures at night but make things look normal.

Flash off.  This is for when you aren’t allowed to use flash, or just don’t want flash (pictures by candlelight anyone?)

And there you have it.  Guess I got me some practicin’ to do!