UTILIZE SETTINGS The wrong camera settings by default

Better photos need more than your Canon camera’s default settings

Default settings for your camera are invariably not the required settings for you and your photos. So why do so many default settings appear to be the wrong for serious shots? We all have to start somewhere, and when your camera leaves the factory it’s default settings are selected to ensure that the camera has the most autonomy to help it capture good looking photos with minimal input. Default settings are derived by the manufacturer using a combination of years of camera making expertise and photographic knowledge.

For most cameras, this means the fully auto Scene Intelligent Auto mode, or green square mode, is the default exposure method, but it’s rare that the best photos are made using the factory setting. It’s the application of your skill and intent that makes the best photos.

When I pick up a new camera I spend ten to fifteen minutes going through the menus and also change the settings to suit me. First off the beeps that confirm focus, and touch screen operation, are turned off. Then I make sure the camera won’t take photos without a memory card. Next, I’ll select to shoot in Raw, change the exposure mode, set the focus mode and configure back button focus.

As soon as I want to take photos of moving subjects, I’ve got to select AI Servo AF and continuous drive. I also think about which AF point I might need – 1-point for precise control, or multiple AF points for more dynamic subjects. I also need to decide if I want to show movement in the subject with a slower shutter speed, or freeze the action with a faster shutter speed as the safe default.

The trouble is, there’s a lot of settings, and, for the new photographer, it can be tough to know what settings to change and what to leave. In the extreme case, I’ve heard that people read their camera manual! The camera can’t know if your photo is a record shot of a family day to the zoo, or a world-first expedition to discover a new species, so play around!

A portrait like this is far beyond default settings – this features restricted depth of field and off-camera flash lighting Action subjects require many changes to settings to be able to capture dynamic images, like this wide-angle view