Photography guide

Manual mode cheat sheet

1. The Exposure Triangle
   • ISO (light sensitivity)
     • 100-400 – Bright sunlight (outdoor, minimal noise)
     • 800-1600 – Indoors or low light (some grain)
     • 3200+ – Very dark environments (grainy but usable)
   • Shutter Speed (How long light hits the sensor)
     • 1/1000+ – Freezes fast motion (sports, action)
     • 1/250 - 1/500 – General handheld photography
     • 1/60 - 1/125 – Portraits, lower light
     • <1/60 – Use a tripod to prevent blur
   • Aperture (f/Stop - controls light & background blur)
     • f/1.8 - f/2.8 – Blurry background (portraits, artistic)
     • f/4 - f/8 – Balanced depth (events, groups, general)
     • f/11+ – Everything sharp (landscapes, wide shots)
2. How to Set Manual Mode
   1. Set ISO first based on lighting conditions.
   2. Choose an aperture (lower for blurred background, higher for sharp scenes).
   3. Adjust shutter speed to properly expose the image.
   4. Check the light meter (in the viewfinder) – aim for zero.
   5. Fine-tune with exposure compensation (+/-) if needed.
3. Quick Event Photography Tips
   • Use AF-C (Continuous Auto Focus) for moving subjects.
   • Shoot in RAW format if possible for better editing flexibility.
   • Use Burst Mode for action shots.
   • Avoid extreme ISO settings to prevent noise.
   • For sharp images, keep shutter speed higher than 1/100 when handheld.

Focal length size guide