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Arvind hasn’t used his camera in almost a year and he wants to learn Manual Mode but was wondering if he should start with Manual Mode or use Aperture or Shutter Priority first.

I personally think working in Manual Mode is the best way to learn, because in Manual Mode you have control over everything, which really helps you see and understand how the everything works together.

That being said, the best mode to learn in is the mode that helps you learn, whether that’s a Priority Mode, Manual Mode or even Auto Mode.

So what I’m going to do is explain the camera modes and how those modes can help you learn.

Starting with Program Auto.

What Program Auto does is automatically set the Aperture and Shutter Speed to give you a zero exposure for the scene.

Where I think Program Auto is most useful is as a reference for Manual Mode.

Here’s what I mean.


Let’s say you’re shooting in Manual Mode, but you have no idea what Aperture or Shutter Speed to set.

If you switch from Manual to Program Auto, you can point the camera at your subject and press the shutter button halfway down and the camera will set the Aperture and Shutter Speed for you.

Then you can make note of those settings and go back to Manual Mode and use those settings as a starting point.

In Aperture and Shutter Priority modes, things get more interesting.

These modes are called Priority modes because they give you the option to make one setting a “priority”, giving you control over that setting.

For example, in Aperture Priority mode, you control and set the Aperture, and the camera will automatically set the shutter speed to give you a zero exposure, and just like in Program Auto, you also have control over all of your other settings.

In Aperture Priority mode you can set the ISO, and the Aperture, and the camera will automatically set the shutter speed for a zero exposure.

It works the same way in Shutter Priority mode, but in Shutter Priority you control the shutter, and the camera controls the aperture.

These modes are good when you want to learn about that specific setting without worrying about your exposure.

If you want to specifically work with the aperture setting, you can shoot in Aperture Priority mode.

If you want to do the same with Shutter Speed, you can shoot in Shutter Priority.

So that’s an overview of the important camera modes, and how you can use them, and if you have any questions about any of the shooting modes, or photography in general let me know in the comments.

Your camera is an amazing tool, but it’s no good to you if you don’t know how to use it!

If you want to take control of your camera and use it to take amazing photos like a pro, check out my Guide to Shooting in Manual Mode video course.