The aperture controls not only exposure, but also depth of field; the area
between the closest and the furthest object in focus. The larger the aper-
ture value, the greater the depth of field. The smaller the aperture value,
the shallower the depth of field. Usually landscape photographs use a
large depth of field (large aperture value) to keep the foreground and
background in focus, and portraits use a shallow depth of field (small aper-
ture value) to separate the subject from the background.
The shutter controls not only exposure, but also the ability to stop motion.
Fast shutter speeds are used in sport photography to stop action. Slow
shutter speeds can show the flow of motion. The use of a tripod is recom-
mended with slow shutter speeds.
The change in aperture and shutter speed is not apparent in the live
image. For critical work, take a test photograph and view it in Quick View.
The photographer selects the shutter speed and the camera sets the appropriate
aperture to ensure correct exposure. When shutter priority is selected, the shutter
speed on the monitor turns blue and a double arrow indicator appears next to it.
The shutter speed can be set between 1/1000 and 15 seconds. If the shutter speed
is beyond the aperture range, the aperture display will turn red.The flash mode can
be set to fill-flash, fill-flash with red-eye reduction, or slow sync. (p. 26).
Use the up/down keys of the controller (1) to set the
shutter speed. Press the shutter-release button part-
way down to activate the exposure system; the corre-
sponding aperture will be displayed on the monitor.
Shutter priority (S) Exposure mode
Shooting Tips
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