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STEP 02· 10 min

Camera Basic Controls
Mode Dial to Shutter

"There are too many letters on the mode dial and I have no idea what to use" — let's start there. You don't need M mode from day one. Learn one step at a time.

Jump to·Holding the Camera Mode Dial Half-Press Shutter First 3 SettingsAlready know the mode dial? → Jump to First Settings

First: How to Hold Your Camera

Camera shake is the most common cause of blurry photos. Just changing how you hold it can make a noticeable difference.

한 손으로 미러리스 카메라를 들고 피사체를 향하는 모습 — 왼손으로 렌즈를 받치는 올바른 자세

1Wrap your right hand firmly around the grip with your whole palm
2Support the lens from below with your left hand to bear the camera's weight
3Pull your elbows in toward your body to minimize shake
4When using the viewfinder, press the camera against your forehead
5Release the shutter when you've exhaled halfway

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Watch out for smartphone habits: Holding the camera with one hand like a phone causes shake with a 1–2 kg camera + lens. Use both hands and keep your elbows against your body.

Mode Dial — Just 5 Modes

Every camera has a busy-looking dial, but in practice you only need 5 modes. Start with P → A (Av) in that order.

Check the current mode and settings in real time on the LCD screen

AUTO

Full Auto

Beginner

Auto: Shutter, aperture, ISO, white balance — all automatic

When: When you first turn the camera on. But graduate from this within a week.

Program Auto

Beginner ★

Auto: Shutter and aperture auto, I set ISO and white balance

When: When you need to shoot quickly. Let the camera handle exposure; just adjust ISO.

A / Av

Aperture Priority

Intermediate ★

Auto: I set aperture only → shutter speed automatic

When: Portrait and bokeh shots. Open to f/1.8 to blur the background.

S / Tv

Shutter Priority

Intermediate

Auto: I set shutter speed only → aperture automatic

When: Running people or sports. Fix at 1/500s+ to freeze movement.

Full Manual

Advanced

Auto: None — everything is manual

When: Studio, long-exposure night shots, film aesthetics. The most powerful once you're comfortable.

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Recommended learning order: AUTO (1 week) → P mode (2–4 weeks) → A/Av mode (1–3 months) → M mode (after). Skipping steps makes it hard to understand why a shot turned out the way it did.

Half-Press Shutter — The Most Important Habit

Don't press the shutter all the way down in one go. Half-press → confirm focus and exposure lock → press fully. That sequence is everything.

두 손으로 카메라를 들고 위를 향해 촬영하는 모습 — 셔터를 누르는 동작

Half-press

Press the shutter halfway. The camera automatically locks focus and calculates exposure.

Confirm

When the focus point turns green in the viewfinder or LCD, focus is locked.

Press fully

Push the finger further to shoot. You can slightly reframe during this — focus stays locked.

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Focus Lock tip: When your subject isn't in the center of the frame, point the center at your subject, half-press to lock focus, then reframe. This is the Focus Lock technique.

First 3 Settings to Touch

The menu looks intimidating, but all you need to check at first are these 3 things. Leave everything else on default.

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Image Quality

settingsJPEG Fine (Large) or RAW+JPEG

Start with JPEG Fine. Switch to RAW once you learn post-processing.

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Lowering quality saves space but leaves no room for editing later.

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AF Mode

settingsSingle AF (AF-S / One Shot)

Half-press to lock focus and hold. Suitable for stationary subjects.

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For moving subjects (kids, pets), switch to Continuous AF (AF-C / AI Servo).

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White Balance

settingsAuto (AWB)

Accurate in most situations. Adjust to K value later when going for film aesthetics.

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If skin tones look off under fluorescent lights, switch to the 'Fluorescent' preset.

expand_circle_downWant to know more — M mode, Histogram, ISO noise

Intermediate+

What changes when you use M mode?

You set shutter speed, aperture, and ISO all manually. You can intentionally over- or under-expose beyond what the camera thinks is correct. Essential for studio lighting, long-exposure night shots, and film aesthetics. Start by watching the exposure meter (the bar at the bottom) and trying to hit 0.

What is a histogram?

A graph showing the brightness distribution of your photo. Shifted left = underexposed; shifted right = overexposed. The LCD can look different depending on ambient light, so the histogram gives a more accurate read.

How high can you push ISO?

It depends on sensor size. Generally, APS-C mirrorless cameras can handle up to ISO 3200 cleanly for print and social media. ISO 6400–12800 is acceptable for web use. Beyond that, noise reduction software (Lightroom Denoise, Topaz) is recommended.

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TRY THIS TODAY

Shoot 10 photos of the same subject in P mode

1Set the camera mode dial to P

2Pick one subject (a cup, book, plant — anything)

3Half-press the shutter until focus locks (green indicator), then press fully

4Shoot 10 photos of the same subject — varying angle and distance slightly each time

5Review each shot on the LCD

Check: Out of 10 shots, identify which ones are in focus and which are blurry. Blurry shots are usually caused by skipping the half-press or camera shake.

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BeginCAMERA

Analyze your shot with AI

What mode was used? What was the shutter speed? — AI estimates your camera settings from the photo. Compare AI estimates with your actual settings to learn faster.

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Up Next

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Exposure Triangle

Shutter, aperture, ISO — the next step after mastering P mode

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Camera Types

Mirrorless, DSLR, compact — differences and how to choose

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Buying Guide