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Camera Settings Helper

Switching off auto mode is easier with a good starting point. Pick what you are shooting and your lens, and the helper gives aperture, shutter speed, ISO and which mode to use, with one tip for that scene. It also works out the slowest shutter speed you can usually hold steady by hand. Take a test shot, check it, then adjust.

How it works

• Settings are common starting points photographers use for each scene in normal light
• Slowest handheld shutter = 1 ÷ (focal length × crop factor), then about 3 stops slower with stabilisation (each stop doubles the time)
• 500 rule for stars = 500 ÷ (focal length × crop) seconds before stars start to trail
• The triangle: wider aperture (smaller f-number) = more light and blur; faster shutter = less light and less motion blur; higher ISO = brighter but more grain

Three things this tool can't see

• Your actual light. Light changes everything. Check the histogram and adjust exposure.
• Moving subjects. Stabilisation helps with your shake, not with a subject that moves.
• Your camera. Menus and names differ by brand. Check your manual for the mode names.

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