📸 Camera Setup and Aperture Priority Mode

Before turning on the camera

Camera preparation checklist

Keep the camera turned off. Leave the power switch set to OFF while preparing the equipment. Check the battery. Confirm that the battery is charged and inserted correctly. Insert the SD card. Make sure the card faces the correct direction and clicks into place. Check the lens. Confirm that the lens is securely attached to the camera body. Remove and store the lens cap. Keep the cap somewhere safe while photographing.

Turn on the camera and select Av mode

1. Turn on the camera.
2. Rotate the Mode Dial to Av.

Section 2 explains how Aperture Priority mode works.

Format the SD card

Formatting prepares the card for a new shoot and removes all existing files.

Warning: Formatting permanently deletes every file on the SD card. Only format an instructor-provided card after confirming that its previous files have been transferred and are no longer needed.

1. Press the MENU button.
2. Use the navigation buttons to locate the yellow Setup menu.
3. Select Format card.
4. Select OK and press SET.
5. Wait until the camera finishes formatting the card.

Do not remove the card or turn off the camera while formatting is in progress.

Set the image quality to RAW + JPEG

Using RAW + JPEG creates two versions of every photograph:

• The RAW file retains more image information for editing.
• The JPEG file is processed by the camera and can be reviewed or shared quickly.

Steps

1. Press the MENU button to go into the options.
2. Go to the first tab of the menu.
3. Go to Image quality and press SET to enter the options.
4. Select RAW and Large/Fine JPEG and press SET to confirm.

Set the aspect ratio to 16:9

The aspect ratio controls the proportional relationship between the width and height of the photograph.

A 16:9 aspect ratio creates a wide, horizontal frame that matches standard widescreen video.

Steps

1. Press the MENU button to go into the options.
2. Go to the fourth tab of the menu.
3. Go to Aspect ratio and press SET to enter the options.
4. Select 16:9 and press SET to confirm.
5. Press the MENU button to leave these settings.

Activate the composition grid

The grid helps with:

• Subject placement
• Rule of thirds
• Horizon alignment
• Visual balance
• Consistent framing

Steps

1. Press the MENU button to go into the options.
2. Go to the fourth tab of the menu.
3. Go to Aspect ratio and press SET to enter the options.
4. Select 16:9 and press SET to confirm.
5. Press the MENU button to leave these settings.

Confirm the recording settings

Initial recording settings

Shooting mode set to Av SD card formatted Image quality set to RAW + JPEG Grid display set to Grid 1 Aspect ratio set to 16:9 Live View checked Confirm that the grid and 16:9 frame are visible on the LCD screen.

Aperture Priority mode

Check that your camera is set on Aperture Priority mode.

1. Turn the camera on.
2. Rotate the Mode Dial until Av aligns with the mode marker.

In Aperture Priority mode, you choose the aperture and ISO. The camera automatically selects the shutter speed needed for the available light.

Keep the camera in Av mode throughout the Day 1 activities.

Main back controls

Select the numbered controls to review their functions.

Use the Quick Control screen

Press Q, use the navigation buttons to select a setting, turn the Main Control Dial to change it, and press SET to confirm.

Initial Day 1 setup

Default camera settings

Shooting mode: Av You control aperture and ISO; the camera controls shutter speed. Focus: MF Always use Manual Focus (`MF`) White balance: Daylight A fixed white-balance setting keeps colour consistent during the aperture and ISO comparisons. ISO: 100 Begin with the lowest standard ISO and increase it only when necessary. Flash: Off Do not use the built-in flash during the Day 1 activities.

Check these settings whenever you receive a camera. A previous user may have changed them.

What is exposure?

Exposure describes how light or dark a photograph appears.

Exposure	What it looks like
Underexposed	The photograph is too dark and important shadow details may be difficult to see.
Balanced exposure	Useful detail remains visible in both brighter and darker areas.
Overexposed	The photograph is too bright and important highlight details may become white.

A darker or brighter photograph can be an intentional creative choice. Begin by creating an exposure that preserves useful detail.

What controls exposure?

Exposure is affected by three connected settings:

• Aperture: The size of the opening inside the lens
• Shutter speed: How long the sensor receives light
• ISO: The camera sensor’s amplification setting

In Av mode:

• You select the aperture
• You select the ISO
• The camera selects the shutter speed

When you change aperture or ISO, watch the shutter-speed value selected by the camera.

When photographing handheld, a shutter speed slower than approximately 1/60 second may create accidental camera shake. Increase the ISO, use a wider aperture, or place the camera on a tripod.

What is aperture?

Aperture is the adjustable opening inside the lens. It affects how much light enters the camera and how much of the scene appears sharp.

Aperture is measured in f-stops.

• A lower f-number, such as f/3.5 or f/5.6, creates a wider opening and can produce a shallower depth of field.
• A higher f-number, such as f/8 or f/11, creates a narrower opening and can keep more of the scene sharp.

A smaller f-number means a wider aperture. A larger f-number means a narrower aperture.

Change the aperture

1. Confirm that the Mode Dial is set to Av.
2. Turn the Main Control Dial to change the f-stop.
3. You may also press Q, select Aperture (F#), and turn the Main Control Dial.
4. Watch the f-number and the shutter speed change on the screen.
5. Begin at approximately f/5.6.

The next activity will ask you to photograph the same subject at several aperture settings.

What is ISO?

ISO controls how strongly the camera amplifies the light recorded by the sensor.

• A lower ISO produces a cleaner image with less visible digital noise.
• A higher ISO can help the camera use a faster shutter speed in darker conditions, but it may increase noise and reduce fine detail.

In Av mode, the camera usually compensates for a change in ISO by selecting a different shutter speed. The photograph may remain similarly bright while the shutter speed and image noise change.

Change the ISO

1. Confirm that the camera is set to Av.
2. Press the ISO button on top of the camera, or press Q and select ISO.
3. Turn the Main Control Dial to choose a value.
4. Press SET to confirm.
5. Begin at ISO 100.

Situation	Suggested starting ISO
Bright outdoor light	100
Cloudy weather or open shade	200–400
Bright indoor location	400–800
Darker indoor location	800–1600

Use these values as starting points rather than fixed rules. Check the shutter speed and review the photograph after changing ISO.

What is white balance?

White balance adjusts how the camera records the colour of the light in a scene.

Different light sources may make a photograph appear warmer, more orange, cooler, or more blue. White-balance presets help the camera compensate for these differences.

White-balance presets

Setting	When it is commonly used
AWB / Auto	The camera estimates the colour balance. Useful for quick general photography, but the result may change between photographs.
Daylight	Direct sunlight and general outdoor photography.
Shade	Subjects photographed in open shade. It adds warmth to compensate for cooler light.
Cloudy	Overcast skies or late-day outdoor light. It usually adds a small amount of warmth.
Tungsten	Warm household or studio bulbs. It adds blue to reduce an orange colour cast.
White Fluorescent	Fluorescent lighting, which may create green or cool colour casts.
Flash	Photographs illuminated by the built-in or an external flash.
Custom	Uses a photograph of a neutral white or grey reference to define the colour balance. Custom White Balance will be introduced in a later activity.

Default setting for Day 1

Use Daylight as the default setting for the aperture and ISO comparisons.

A fixed setting is important because:

• The camera will not reinterpret the colour between photographs
• The technical comparisons will remain consistent
• Changes in aperture and ISO will be easier to evaluate

For the White Balance Technical Card, you will temporarily photograph the same subject using each preset. Return the camera to Daylight after completing the comparison.

Change the white balance

1. Press the WB button on the back of the camera.
2. Use the navigation buttons to choose a preset.
3. Press SET to confirm.
4. Review the symbol on the screen before photographing.

You can also press Q and select the White Balance setting from the Quick Control screen.

Day 1 final setup

SD card formatted Shooting mode set to Av Image quality set to RAW + JPEG Focus set to MF White balance set to Daylight ISO set to 100 Starting aperture set to approximately f/5.6 Flash turned off

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What is next?

Continue with ⚙️ Technical Cards: Aperture, ISO, and White Balance.