Every photographer should have a basic understanding of the available camera modes. Regardless of whether you are a beginner or already an expert in this field. When you have your camera in your hand and are ready to shoot, you should also know exactly which camera mode is best for what. There are several different camera modes and settings you can apply. However, I have compiled the four most important camera modes for you in this article. These are sufficient to set your camera correctly in 95% of cases.

What is a camera mode?

The camera mode allows you as a photographer to control various parameters of a shot. These include, for example, the shutter speed, the aperture, and the ISO value. Certain camera modes control these parameters automatically and other modes allow you to control them manually. In the past there was no camera mode – everything was manually operated. In order to be able to adjust the lighting conditions and intensity, the photographers at that time carried exposure meters with them in order to be able to adopt the measured values in the camera setting. If you learn to take pictures today, it’s a lot easier.

In 1938 Kodak presented a camera with integrated exposure meter for the first time and in 1962 the Japanese company “Topcon” launched the first SLR camera. From that time on, it was no longer necessary to carry exposure meters with you. Gradually, new camera modes have been developed and today’s cameras have different camera modes for a wide variety of situations and requirements. Compact cameras are equipped with automatic camera modes. However, more advanced cameras have modes that enable both automatic and manual control.

Types of camera modes

I have listed for you the 4 main types of camera modes. With these camera modes, you are well prepared. You can find them on all common digital cameras:

1. Program (P)
2. Shutter Priority (Tv) or (S)
3. Aperture Priority (Av) or (A)
4. Manual (M)

Program Mode (P)

Based on the amount of light falling through the lens, your camera automatically selects the aperture and shutter speed in P mode. This mode is best used when you just want to take an instant shot. The camera tries to balance between aperture and shutter speed. The two parameters are increased or decreased depending on the light intensity. For example, if you point your camera towards a brighter area, the aperture will be changed to a lower value to maintain a relatively fast shutter speed.

This mode takes a lot of control over the exposure. By moving the dial on the camera (on Nikon cameras the dial is on the back) you have the possibility to “override” the calculated shutter speed and aperture. If you turn the control dial to the left, the camera slows the shutter speed and increases the aperture. If you turn the dial to the right, the camera increases the shutter speed and decreases the aperture. Basically, if you need a faster shutter speed, turn the control dial to the right and if you need more depth of field, turn the control dial to the left.

Shutter Priority Mode (Tv) or (S)

In Shutter Priority mode, you set the camera’s shutter speed manually and this camera mode automatically selects the correct aperture. This happens based on the amount of light that passes through the lens. The shutter priority mode is best selected when you want to “freeze” movement in the image or intentionally shake the image. If there is too much light, your camera automatically increases the aperture to a higher value. This reduces the amount of light. If there’s not enough light, your camera automatically reduces the aperture to a lower value so more light passes through the lens. In shutter priority mode, the shutter speed remains as you set it. The aperture, however, is automatically increased or decreased depending on the amount of light.

Chances are high that this camera mode generates over- or underexposed photos. If the amount of ambient light is insufficient and you have really high shutter speed, your exposure is limited to the aperture of your lens. For example, if the maximum aperture of your lens is f/4.0, your camera cannot use an aperture lower than f/4.0, but will still use the fast shutter speed you set manually. Your result will be an underexposed photo…

Aperture Priority Mode (Av) or (A)

In-camera mode Aperture Priority, you can set the lens aperture manually while your camera automatically selects the correct shutter speed. You can freely increase or decrease the lens aperture and play with the depth of the field. If there is too much light, the camera automatically slows the shutter speed. In low-light conditions, the camera automatically reduces the shutter speed. The risk of over- or underexposed photos is very small with this camera mode. On most cameras, the shutter speed ranges from 30 seconds to 1/4000-1/8000th of a second, which is more than sufficient for most lighting situations. The Aperture Priority mode is recommended because it gives you full control over the depth of field. The image is guaranteed to be correctly exposed under normal circumstances.

This mode takes quite a bit of control over exposure. By moving the dial on the camera (on Nikon cameras the dial is on the back) you have the possibility to “override” the calculated shutter speed and aperture. If you turn the control dial to the left, the camera slows the shutter speed and increases the aperture. If you turn the dial to the right, the camera increases the shutter speed and decreases the aperture. Basically, if you need a faster shutter speed, turn the control dial to the right and if you need more depth of field, turn the control dial to the left.

Manual Mode (M)

As the name suggests, manual mode stands for complete manual control of aperture and shutter speed. In this camera mode, you can manually set both aperture and shutter speed to any value. This mode is best used in general situations where the camera has difficulty finding the right exposure in extreme lighting conditions. If the picture is very bright, your camera may incorrectly estimate the exposure and either overexpose or underexpose the rest of the photo. In this case you can switch your camera to manual mode and “override” the exposure with your own settings.

This camera mode is highly recommended for panorama pictures. For panoramas, you must shoot all shots with the same shutter speed and aperture. Otherwise, some photos will be darker while others are lighter. So if you set the shutter speed and aperture in manual mode, the images you take will all be exposed the same.

Chances are high that this camera mode generates over- or underexposed photos. If the amount of ambient light is insufficient and you have really high shutter speed, your exposure is limited to the aperture of your lens. For example, if the maximum aperture of your lens is f/4.0, your camera cannot use an aperture lower than f/4.0, but will still use the fast shutter speed you set manually. Your result will be an underexposed photo…

What about the other camera modes?

Many cameras also have other camera modes such as portrait mode, macro mode, sport mode and night mode. These modes are simply a combination of the already introduced camera modes plus some camera-specific settings. Different cameras can have different custom camera modes and you should not get used to only one of them. If you ever change your camera, you will probably find it harder to make friends with other camera modes.