If you’ve just got a new camera or you’re ready to take the plunge, it’s time to make the most of it. Understanding camera settings might seem overwhelming at first, with terms like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO flying around. But mastering these basics and switching from auto to manual settings is the key to taking photos that truly capture your vision.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve your skills, this guide will be your handy reference. With help from Lizzie James, Product Specialist at Jessops, we’ll explain the essential camera settings and how to use them across different camera brands. We’ll also answer frequently asked questions to help you take better photos every time.

Plus, we have a handy camera settings cheat sheet, so you can quickly find and understand each setting as you practice and explore your camera.

Contents

What are the camera mode settings?

Different camera types and what settings you can adjust

What are the 3 basic camera settings?

How to use the exposure triangle

Additional camera settings every photographer should know

Frequently asked questions

Here’s a quick breakdown of the most common camera modes:

Auto (A or green icon) — The camera takes full control of all settings. Great for beginners or quick, no-fuss shots.

Program (P) — The camera chooses shutter speed and aperture, but you can still adjust things like ISO and white balance.

Aperture Priority (A or Av) — You choose the aperture, and the camera adjusts the shutter speed to match. Ideal for controlling depth of field — perfect for portraits or close-ups.

Shutter Priority (S or Tv) — You set the shutter speed, and the camera handles the aperture. Great for freezing fast motion or adding motion blur for creative shots.

Manual (M) — You control everything — shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. Best when you want full creative control or consistent results across multiple shots.

The type of camera you use can make a big difference to the settings you can control. Here’s a quick rundown of the most common camera types and what you can expect to adjust on each one:

Lizzie explains: “When you're getting to grips with manual photography, there are three key settings that form the foundation of every shot — aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Together, they make up what’s known as the exposure triangle and knowing what each of them does and how to adjust them, essentially means you’ll be able to photograph anything.”

“These settings control how much light hits your camera’s sensor and how your final image looks — from how bright it is to how much of the scene is in focus or whether motion appears frozen or blurred.”

“You’ll find and adjust these settings a little differently depending on your camera’s brand or model — especially between compact, mirrorless and DSLR types.” But don’t worry — we’ll walk you through this.

Aperture (f-stop)

“Aperture is the size of the opening in your lens that lets light into the camera,” explains Lizzie. “It’s measured in f-numbers (like f/1.8, f/4, f/16). A wide aperture (like f/1.8) lets in more light and creates a shallow depth of field — that’s how you get that lovely blurred background effect in portraits.”

“A narrow aperture (like f/16) lets in less light but keeps more of the image in focus, which is great for landscapes or group shots.”

“Most compact cameras control aperture automatically, especially in full auto mode. Some advanced models let you change it manually by switching to a mode like Aperture Priority (often labelled as Av or A), but options are usually limited.”

“If you’re using a mirrorless or DSLR camera, you’ll usually adjust aperture by switching to Aperture Priority (Av/A) or Manual (M) on the mode dial. Once you're in the right mode, you'll typically use a physical dial near the shutter button — or sometimes a wheel on the back of the camera — to scroll through different f-numbers.”

Exactly how you do this can vary depending on the brand. Here's a quick guide to help you find the aperture setting on your camera:

Shutter speed

Image taken with a slow shutter speed (1/50)	Image taken with a fast shutter speed (1/2000)

Shutter speed is the length of time your camera’s shutter stays open to let light hit the sensor. It’s measured in fractions of a second — like 1/250 or 1/60 — or whole seconds, like 1” or 10”.

A fast shutter speed (e.g. 1/1000) freezes motion, perfect for fast-moving subjects like wildlife or sports. A slow shutter speed (e.g. 1/10 or slower) blurs movement, which can create beautiful effects like smooth waterfalls or light trails.

Most compact cameras control shutter speed automatically. But if you're using a mirrorless or DSLR camera, you’ll usually have access to Shutter Priority (S or Tv) or Manual (M) mode, giving you full control.

Switching to Shutter Priority mode lets you set the shutter speed while your camera automatically adjusts the aperture and ISO (when these settings are in auto mode). In Manual mode, you can control all settings.

Here’s how to control shutter speed with the main camera brands:

Check out our Shutter Speed Guide to learn how different speeds affect your photos — with examples and tips for every scenario.

Lizzie says: “On most compact cameras, ISO is set to automatic, but if you want to change it, you’ll typically find the option hidden in the menu system or a quick settings button. But mirrorless and DSLR cameras often have a dedicated ISO button either on the top or back of the camera body.”

“For some Fujifilm models, there might even be a physical ISO dial on top. Once you press the ISO button or turn the dial, a menu will appear on the screen where you can scroll through different ISO values.”

“In Program (P) mode, you can adjust the ISO while the camera automatically sets the shutter speed and aperture. In Manual mode, you control ISO, shutter speed, and aperture yourself, giving you complete creative control over how your photo is exposed.”

Take a look at our Beginner’s Guide to ISO with tips and examples to help you get the best results in any lighting condition.

The exposure triangle is the balance between shutter speed, aperture, and ISO — the three settings that work together to control the brightness of your image. Adjust one, and you’ll usually need to tweak one or both of the others to maintain the right exposure.

Take car light trails, for example. You’ll want a slow shutter speed to capture that smooth, streaking effect. But because the shutter stays open longer, more light hits the sensor, which could lead to overexposure. To compensate, you’d typically lower the ISO (to reduce sensitivity to light) and/or narrow the aperture (a higher f-number) to let in less light.

Lizzie says: “Getting the exposure balance right takes practice — so don’t worry if it feels a bit tricky at first. Try using your camera’s semi-automatic modes to build confidence. In Aperture Priority mode (Av or A), you choose the aperture, and the camera sets the shutter speed for you if you have it set to Auto. And in Shutter Priority mode (TV or S), you pick the shutter speed, and the camera adjusts the aperture to match. When in Aperture or Shutter Priority mode, you can let the camera handle the other settings by setting them to Auto or take control and adjust them yourself by setting them to Manual."

"In Program mode (P), the camera chooses both shutter speed and aperture, but you still have control over ISO.”

White balance

“White balance controls the colour temperature of your photos — it adjusts how warm or cool your image looks,” explains Lizzie. “Different lighting conditions, like sunlight, shade, or indoor bulbs, can make your photos appear too blue, orange, or green.”

“By setting the correct white balance, your camera ensures that whites actually look white, and all other colours stay natural. Most cameras have automatic white balance (AWB), which works well in many situations. But for more accurate results, especially under tricky lighting, you can select presets like daylight, cloudy, tungsten, or even set a custom white balance.”

On compact cameras, white balance is usually adjusted through the menu or quick settings. On DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, there’s often a dedicated WB button.

Focus modes

Focus modes determine how your camera focuses on a subject, which is crucial for capturing sharp, clear images. The main types are:

Single autofocus (AF-S or One-Shot AF) — The camera locks focus when you half-press the shutter, ideal for still subjects.

Continuous autofocus (AF-C or AI Servo) — The camera continuously adjusts focus while the shutter button is half-pressed, perfect for moving subjects.

Manual focus (MF) — You adjust focus yourself, useful in tricky lighting or for creative control.

Choosing the right focus mode helps ensure your subject is sharp, whether it’s a stationary portrait or fast-moving action.

On compact cameras, focus modes are often set automatically. On DSLR and mirrorless cameras, you usually switch focus modes with a dedicated button or a switch on the lens, and can also select modes via the camera menu or touchscreen.

Exposure compensation

Exposure compensation lets you manually adjust your camera’s exposure to make your photos brighter or darker than the automatic settings suggest. It’s useful when your camera’s metering might be fooled by tricky lighting, like bright snow or backlit scenes.

On compact cameras, exposure compensation is usually adjusted via a dedicated button or within the quick menu. On mirrorless and DSLR cameras, you often use a dedicated +/- dial or button, sometimes combined with turning a control dial, to increase or decrease exposure quickly.

Metering mode

Metering mode determines how your camera measures the light in a scene to calculate the correct exposure. It affects which parts of the frame the camera uses to decide how bright or dark the photo should be. Choosing the right metering mode is important because it helps avoid underexposed or overexposed shots, especially in tricky lighting conditions like backlit scenes or high contrast.

Most cameras offer several metering modes such as matrix/evaluative (measures the whole scene), centre-weighted (focuses on the middle), and spot (measures a small area). Selecting the best mode for your scene helps ensure your subject is properly exposed.

On compact cameras, metering mode is usually automatic and rarely adjustable. On mirrorless and DSLR cameras, you can easily change metering mode using a dedicated button, dial, or quick menu.

Drive mode

Drive mode controls how many photos your camera takes when you press the shutter button. It includes options like single shot, continuous burst (multiple shots in quick succession), self-timer, and sometimes bracketed exposures (several shots at different brightness levels to help you get the perfect exposure).

Lizzie explains: “Use continuous burst mode to capture fast-moving subjects like sports or wildlife — it increases your chances of getting the perfect shot. For group photos or selfies, try the self-timer to avoid camera shake and give yourself time to get in position. Don’t forget to switch back to single-shot mode when you’re done, so you don’t fill your memory card with extra photos.”

On compact cameras, drive mode is usually found in the menu or quick settings and may be limited to single-shot or self-timer. On mirrorless and DSLR cameras, you get more options and quicker access via dedicated buttons or dials.

File formats (JPEG vs. RAW)

File format determines how your camera saves images. There are two main types: JPEG and RAW, and Lizzie explains the difference: “Whether you should use JPEG or RAW really depends on what you plan to do with your images. RAW is best if you want the flexibility to heavily edit your photos or if you’re unsure how the shots will turn out. Because RAW files capture more information, you can make significant adjustments to exposure, shadows, highlights, and more during post-processing. On the other hand, JPEG is great if you prefer minimal editing or just want to make slight tweaks quickly.”

“Keep in mind, RAW files are much larger than JPEGs, so they take up more space on your memory cards and storage devices like hard drives or cloud services — that’s an important factor to consider.”

“A good compromise is to shoot in both RAW and JPEG simultaneously. It takes up more storage, but you get the best of both worlds: an easy-to-share JPEG for quick use and the detailed RAW file for when you want to make extensive edits later.”

It’s useful to know that only certain camera models support shooting in RAW format. Generally, DSLRs and mirrorless cameras almost always offer RAW shooting. However, not all compact cameras do — usually only higher-end include RAW support. Entry-level or basic compacts typically shoot only in JPEG.

If RAW shooting is important to you, it’s best to check the specifications of the specific camera model before buying.

Now that you’ve got a solid grasp of your camera settings, it’s time to put your knowledge into practice. Our Jessops Academy Photography Courses and Experiences are perfect for helping you take those next steps.

Led by our team of photography experts, our courses range from Introduction to Photography for beginners to advanced workshops focused on specific styles and techniques, like our Wildlife Photography Experience Course.

Looking for more tailored support? Our 1-to-1 training sessions can help you unlock your camera’s potential, get editing support, or refresh your skills before your next shoot.

And of course, we’re here to support your kit needs too. At Jessops, you’ll find a wide range of digital cameras, lenses, photography accessories, and more to help you get the results you're after.

If you're new to photography, check out our Beginner’s Guide to Choosing the Best Digital Camera. Or for more advice and inspiration, head over to our blog for tips, how-tos and ideas to fuel your creativity.

Got questions or need a hand choosing the right gear? Contact us — our team is always happy to help.