Camera Settings

porshe1015

I don't know what my settings should be for my camera and video, both indoors and outdoors. Do I just keep it on auto to take pictures? Sometimes it is too bright. My video was blurry also.

bruto

Too much at once, but you should start by sitting down, reading the instructions, looking around at some web suggestions, and then start trying things. Remember that the more complete instructions are on the CD. The printed manual is not as complete. Read what you can with the camera in your hand. Try things. Do not be afraid to make lots of mistakes.

It can be daunting at first to deal with so many options. Take it slowly. Many need not be dealt with for a while. Learn what does what, one thing at a time.

In various places you can find suggestions for taking more control in specific circumstances. There are some suggested settings elsewhere on this site. The cheat sheets sold here outline numerous different situations and what settings will provide good and predictable results. Once you have gotten used to setting the camera in specific ways for specific situations, you will begin to understand how different settings vary, and will be able to make up your own.

Remember that this is a digital camera, which means that you can erase lots and lots of mistakes. If you come upon a setting and wonder what will happen when you change it, change it and see.

Auto mode gives you the least control over just about everything. It works well much of the time, but when it does not you may never know why.

At the very least, I think you should start by using a mode that does not actuate the flash by itself. Get used to deciding when you want flash, and when you want natural light.

Study up on auto focus modes. The default, in auto mode, is "auto area", which uses multiple focus points to guess where you're aiming. It does not always guess right. This may be the problem you have in video. Make sure that if you are aiming at a subject, it is the subject that you're focusing on. You might try switching the focus to "A" (camera decides whether the subject is moving, and acts accordingly) and "dynamic area" (focus begins on the lit point in the viewfinder and follows a subject if it moves).

For video I'm not much help, but if it's blurry, you probably need to find a better way to focus.