A camera setting cheat sheet is a brilliant way to get some essential starting points for desired and quality photography, especially for beginners.
It also helps learn about various photography aspects in manual mode to memorize and study them and improve photography skills.
Camera exposure is the basic part of the camera settings cheat sheet and the initial stage for beginners to learn photography.
Following the guide, we have described the camera exposure in depth, along with mentioning a photography cheat sheet for convenient practice.
Camera Settings Cheat Sheet- Exposure
The exposure of a photographer determines how dark or light the image will be after capture.
![Camera Settings Cheat Sheet- Exposure](https://ronspixguide.com/wp-content/uploads/Camera-Settings-Cheat-Sheet-Exposure.webp)
The three key camera settings are shutter speed, aperture, and ISO.
You can’t improve your skills in photography without becoming a master of using these settings.
In general, the aperture controls the area from where light can get into the camera.
Similarly, shutter speed controls the exposureβs duration while ISO speed controls the camera sensorβs sensitivity according to the received amount of light.
A photographer can use these three camera settings in a wide variety of ways to get the same exposure.
But the key to understanding is which trade to create, as every setting manipulates other properties of the image.
For instance, shutter speed affects motion blur, aperture speed affects depth of field, and ISO speed affects image noise. Let’s explain them briefly:
Shutter Speed
The shutter of a camera controls the time when the sensor will be open or closed to receive light from the camera lens.
Shutter speed means the duration of time light can enter the camera.
Shutter speed and exposure time are directly linked with each other; the faster the shutter speed, the lower the exposure time.
You can use the shutter priority mode to adjust the shutter speed.
Simply select TV or S on the menu or top dial setting of the camera and change the shutter speed using the relevant dial.
You can also slow the shutter speed using the ISO setting.
Applying the lowest ISO setting, usually at 100, will make the shutter speed slower.
Conversely, raising the ISO range to around 400 or above will deliver a faster shutter speed.
Following is the typical range of shutter speed along with the perfect purposes to use:
Shutter speed range | Purposes |
---|---|
1 – 30+ seconds | Deliver perfect night and low light images on a tripod |
2 – 1/2 second | Add a smooth and shiny look to flowing water like the fountainAlso suitable for landscape photographing on a tripod to enhance the depth of field |
1/2 to 1/30 second | Add motion blur to the moving subjectβs backgroundImprove the quality of handheld images working with a stabilization |
1/50 – 1/100 second | Suitable for capturing and-held pictures without using the substantial zoom |
1/250 – 1/500 second | Freeze the movement of the action or sports subjectOffer better quality handheld images working with substantial zoom |
1/1000 – 1/4000 second | Suitable for freezing the movement of the very quick and extremely up close subject. |
Aperture Setting
The aperture setting of a camera controls the place from where light can pass via the camera lens.
It refers to the f-stop value where decreasing the f-stop value increases the area opening.
In the photographerβs language, stopping down means increasing the f-stop value and opening up means decreasing the f-stop value.
Below is a list of various aperture settings along with relative light and shutter speed:
Aperture setting | Relative light | Shutter speed |
---|---|---|
f/22 | 1x | 16 seconds |
f/16 | 2x | 8 seconds |
f/11 | 4x | 4 seconds |
f/8.0 | 8x | 2 seconds |
f/5.6 | 16x | 1 second |
f/4.0 | 32x | Β½ second |
f/2.8 | 64x | ΒΌ second |
f/2.0 | 128x | 1/8 second |
f/1.4 | 256x | 1/15 second |
ISO speed
The ISO speed of a camera measures the sensitivity of a camera to incoming light.
Likewise, shutter speed is also associated 1:1 with the amount the exposure decreases or increases.
However, lower ISO speed mostly remains desirable, unlike the shutter speed and aperture.
The reason is that higher ISO speed enhances the image noise dramatically.
Therefore ISO speed mostly increased from its lower value if the required shutter speed and aperture are available.
Below is a list of ISO ranges along with their preferred photography type and performance
ISO range | Photography type | Performance |
---|---|---|
ISO 50-200 | Landscape | Give the best quality and reduce camera shake supporting tripod |
ISO 200-6400 | Sport | Suitable for capturing action in low light where noise is secondary |
ISO 800-1600 | Astrophotography | Help shorter exposure to lower objects moving across the sky |
ISO 3200-12800 | Low light/Candid | Help get a sharper shot and preserve the atmosphere |
ISO 12800+ | Twilight/Candid | Suitable for low-light wildlife photography |
ISO 51200+ | Nocturnal | Allow shooting anything that doesn’t see |
Camera Setting Cheat Sheet- Different Type Photography with Preferred Camera Setting
Photography type | Aperture | ISO | Shutter Speed |
---|---|---|---|
Moving waterfall | f/4 | 100/400 | 1/30 or less |
Bokeh effect | f/4 or wider | 100/400 | 1/60 or faster |
Landscape | f/11-f/16 | 100/800 | 1/60 or faster |
blurred background for a portrait | Widest available | 100/400 | 1/60 or faster |
Micro flower photo | f/5.6-f/11 | 400/800 | 1/60 or faster |
Photos of star | Widest available | 800/6400 | 20 seconds or longer |
Light painting | f/8-f/22 | 100 | 10-30 seconds |
Blurred motion | f/8-f/16 | 100/200 | Slower than 1/60 |
Food photography | f/4 or wider | 100/400 | 1/60 or faster |
Sunrise or sunset | f/11-f/16 | 100/400 | varies |
Concert photography | f/2.8 or wider | 640 or higher | 1/125 or faster |
Golden hour | f/2.8 for bokehf/11-f/16 for landscape | 100/400 | 5 seconds or longer |
Light trails | f/5.6-f/11 | 100 | 10-15 seconds |
Water blur | f/22 | 100/400 | 1/2000 |
FAQs about Camera Settings Cheat Sheet
What Are The Basic Camera Settings?
The most basic camera settings are aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.
These settings control the overall exposure or brightness of the photo.
Apart from that, shutter speed and aperture bring unique creative effects as well.
How To Set The Camera Perfectly?
To get the precise image quality, set the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to the required settings based on the subject, the environment, and preference.
If you require a narrower depth of field, set the aperture at f/1.8βf/5.6 or f/8βf/16 for a wider depth of field.
Likewise, set the ISO speed from 30 seconds to 1/4000th based on the scene and 100-3200 or 100-6400 depending on the photography type.
What Setting Do Most Photographers Use?
Most amateur photographers and some professional photographers use aperture priority mode most of the time to get the properly exposed picture.
Final Words
Having a camera settings cheat sheet in your hands makes it convenient to set camera settings conveniently and get the best possible image quality.
It also helps you become a master of various photography techniques and eliminates the need for automatic mode.
Last but not least, the camera settings cheat sheet we mentioned above will only guide you in the right direction while the desired result depends on practice.