Nikon D600 For Dummies

Exploring the Advanced Exposure Modes

In the automatic modes I describe in Chapter 3, you have little control over exposure. You may be able to choose from one or two Flash modes, and you can adjust ISO. To gain full control over exposure, set the Mode dial to one of the advanced modes highlighted in Figure 7-7: P, S, A, or M. You also need to use these modes to take advantage of many other camera features, including some of the color and autofocus options that I cover in Chapter 8.

The difference among the four modes is the level of control over aperture and shutter speed, as follows:

• P (programmed autoexposure): In this mode, the camera selects both aperture and shutter speed, but you can choose from different combinations of the two for creative flexibility.

  

  Figure 7-7: You can control exposure and certain other picture properties fully only in P, S, A, or M mode.

• S (shutter-priority autoexposure): In this mode, you select a shutter speed, and the camera chooses the aperture setting that produces a good exposure at your selected ISO setting.
• A (aperture-priority autoexposure): The opposite of shutter-priority autoexposure, this mode asks you to select the aperture setting. The camera then selects the appropriate shutter speed to properly expose the picture.
• M (manual exposure) ...