How to Use DSLR Camera in Manual Mode

Tips from the Professionals

In setting the DSLR Camera into Manual Mode is considered to be an excellent setting that most people won’t try. I have known a lot of my friends, that has their own DSLRs and had never tried it before since they have bought it. One of their reasons why they haven’t tried it or never tried it before it is because they don’t know its technical aspects or they just don't know how to do Manual Mode Settings. They don’t know how to set their DSLRs with the correct settings with the 3 main elements in photography, the Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO.

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"Does this reason also relatively apply to you as well?"

If it does, then this might be a great opportunity for you to learn the Basic Manual Mode Settings in your DSLR Camera for you to play with in just a few minutes from now. I’ll be giving some simple steps for you to follow and then if you will learn from this tutorial, I bet you won’t be using Auto Mode again.

Basic Steps to Learn Manual Mode Settings Using DSLR Camera

• Get a Hold of Your DSLR Camera

It is very IMPORTANT that as you follow these tutorial steps where you have direct access to your camera at this moment or you are currently holding your DSLR Camera.

Now to begin, grab your camera with your both hands.

• Turn the Dial Pointing to M or Manual Mode

Rotate and point the dial mode to "M" or depending on your camera that would turn the Camera settings to Manual Mode.

• Turn the Camera On and Point It to Where You Can Find Good Enough Lighting

This is also a very important step of the process and don’t ignore it. If you still haven’t turned on your camera, this is the best time to do so and then point it towards a subject which has adequate amount of lighting. Stay or keep the camera on a stable surface (I prefer putting it on a tripod) making it sure that the composition is stable.

• Check the Important Settings of the Camera (Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO)

To check these important settings you need to press the button that says “info” to display the current settings in the LCD.

NOTE: After a few seconds LCD screen display times out, press “info” button to get it back.

With these current settings displayed on the LCD we are just to focus on the Aperture and ISO.
(F – Usually this is the standard symbol for aperture).

Set the value of your Aperture (F) to its smallest value, depending on the type or brand of your DSLR Camera, but normally it is set to F2.8

For your ISO, set the value to its smallest setting, ISO100 but for some DSLRs its minimum value is ISO200.

How to Hold Your DSLR Camera Properly

• Check the Metering Indicator of the Camera

Check the camera metering indicator which usually displays a dotted line with (-) and (+) sign on each side of the line. As of the moment, it doesn't matter where it is currently pointing at. You’re going with deal with it soon and understand how those metering works.

• Press the Shutter Button!

What I mean with this is that you’ll just have to press the shutter button literally as if you are taking pictures with it. And yeah! You are really taking pictures with it but on this certain step, you are just testing your camera and this is where you’ll learn about mastering the shutter speed of your DSLR Camera I was talking about earlier.

"Now, let's see those pictures you have captured"

If the pictures you have taken are very dark, then it is underexposed due to less light hitting the sensor and also it means that the metering indicator was towards the (-).

If the picture you have taken is opposite from the one describe above, which mean the pictures you have captured are very bright or washed out — overexposed. This is because of too much light hitting the sensor. Also to indicate the meter indicator was pointing towards (+).

With this information, you already know how to solve the issue. Whether it’s overexposed or underexposed.

Setting the Exposure Value of Your Digital Camera

• Adjust the Exposure of the Camera to Achieve Its Proper Settings

Press the "info" button again to get back to the settings on the LCD Screen. Whatever the results you have captured in your camera, you already know how to adjust the metering of your camera. What you want to aim with your adjustments is to set the metering on the center of the line where a "0" is labeled. In this process you are setting the value of the Shutter Speed of your camera to achieve the proper exposure.
Shutter speed is represented in seconds. Generally it will be in fraction of seconds like 1/30 or 1/60 all the way up to 1/4000 or 1/8000.

To make things short, you may want to keep the arrow to be pointing at the center or at the value "0". Unless there are other situations that you may want to adjust it from its normal settings due to that your subject may be too dark or bright.

• Make Your First Image Capture with Your DSLR Camera Using Manual Mode!

Now this time, take better pictures using your DSLR Camera set in Manual Mode settings! You now have complete control of your camera.
Keep practicing for you to be able know the full potentials of your DSLR Camera and learn the basics of photography.

If you are looking for a DSLR Camera but doesn't have any ideas with the technical specs, read more about DSLR Camera reviews where you can have better ideas on the camera you would like to choose according to your own preferences.