Camera settings guides
The best starting settings for each kind of shot — what to set and why. Then let the coach tune them to your exact gear.
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Best camera settings for bird photographyBirds are small, fast, and far away, so bird settings prioritize a fast shutter and autofocus that can track. Start here, then fine-tune to the light.Best camera settings for portrait photographyPortrait settings aim for two things: sharp eyes and a soft, unobtrusive background. That means a wide-ish aperture, eye-tracking autofocus, and a flattering focal length.Best camera settings for sports photographySports settings are about freezing motion and tracking unpredictable movement. A fast shutter, continuous AF, and a high burst rate do the heavy lifting.Best camera settings for wildlife photographyWildlife sits between portraits and sports: animals can be still or sudden, and you're usually shooting at long range. These settings stay ready for movement.Best camera settings for low-light photographyLow light is a balancing act between three levers: open the aperture, slow the shutter as far as you safely can, then raise ISO for the rest. Shoot RAW to recover the most.Best camera settings for landscape photographyLandscapes flip the priorities: you want everything sharp from foreground to horizon, the lowest noise possible, and time isn't usually a constraint — so a tripod and a small aperture rule.Best camera settings for night & astrophotographyNight photography is about gathering scarce light without ruining the shot. On a tripod you can use a long shutter and low ISO; for stars you balance a wide aperture, a high ISO, and a shutter short enough that the stars stay points.Best camera settings for macro photographyUp close, depth of field shrinks to millimeters, so macro is a fight to get enough of the subject sharp. That means a smaller aperture than you'd expect, careful focus, and often a burst of light.Best camera settings for street photographyStreet photography rewards being ready, not perfect. The classic approach sets the camera so you can raise it and shoot instantly, with enough depth of field that focus is almost guaranteed.Best camera settings for real estate photographyReal estate photography is about showing a space clearly: wide enough to take in the room, sharp throughout, evenly lit, and with straight verticals. A tripod and a small aperture do most of the work.