A Beginner's Guide to Basic Camera Settings

Shooting with a DSLR or mirrorless camera is one of those things we are often terrified of, without even knowing why. When inspecting all those buttons and dials, it's easy to become overwhelmed — but have you ever actually taken the time to understand what they are and what they do?

Let's take a look at some basics that will help you quickly overcome the initial hurdles and set you on the way to becoming a better photographer.

Table of contents

• The exposure triangle
• Aperture explained
• Shutter speed explained
• ISO explained
• The balancing act
• Using camera modes to make life easier

The exposure triangle

Commonly referred to as the "exposure triangle", the following three settings are the most basic and probably most important things to get your head around if you want to drastically improve your images and your control over your camera.

• Aperture — The size of the hole which lets light into your camera
• Shutter speed — How long the shutter stays open when letting light into your camera
• ISO — The sensitivity of your camera's sensor

It's important to remember that adjusting one of these settings will directly affect the others, so getting the right exposure can be thought of as a balancing act — which we'll discuss more below. For a deeper dive into how these three elements interact, our complete guide to the exposure triangle covers every scenario in detail.

Aperture explained

There are a few basic aspects to aperture which, if mastered, will not only improve your exposures but also help you gain greater control over the overall appearance of your image by adjusting the depth of field (how much of the image is in focus). The feature you adjust to change the aperture is referred to as an f-number. It's important to remember that a smaller f-number is, in fact, a larger aperture — and vice versa.

The following condensed points may help this sink in:

• Larger aperture (smaller f-number) = Shallow depth of field (less of the image is in focus)
• Smaller aperture (larger f-number) = Larger depth of field (more of the image is in focus)

Shutter speed explained

The shutter of your digital camera allows light to enter onto the image sensor to create an image. The shutter speed determines how long the shutter stays open, and therefore how much light is captured.

Shutter speeds are measured in increments of a second, such as 1/60 or 1/250. As well as affecting exposure, shooting with a slower shutter speed leaves you more susceptible to capturing blurry images — both from subjects moving in your frame and small movements of your hands causing camera shake.

Understanding the effects of different shutter speeds can be used to your advantage. If you're photographing a fast-moving subject that you want captured sharp, select a fast shutter speed. Conversely, if you wish to emphasise movement — popular in waterfall photography — a slower shutter speed is your best bet. When using slow shutter speeds, a tripod is essential for negating camera shake. Our beginner's guide to shutter speed goes further, covering the best speeds for common shooting scenarios.

ISO explained

The ISO setting adjusts the sensor's ability to capture light. Shooting at a higher ISO allows your camera to shoot in darker situations, but in a trade-off, this often results in more "noise" within your images.

Certain types of photography require a higher ISO in order to shoot at suitably fast shutter speeds — such as sports and wildlife shooting, or when shooting handheld in darker scenarios.

Photography is a series of decisions, so ultimately it's up to you to decide when to bump up the ISO. A good rule of thumb: keep the ISO as low as possible while still allowing you to shoot at acceptable shutter speeds to capture sharp images. If you want to explore this setting further, our dedicated article on what ISO means in photography explains it in full.

The balancing act

As touched on above, adjusting any one of the three settings of the exposure triangle will directly affect your image and will require the adjustment of one or more of the other settings.

It's essential to inspect the exposure meter of your camera, and when you decide to make an adjustment to one setting, counteract this change with the adjustment of another.

A real-world example: You're photographing a portrait and want the model to be the central focal point. You've decided to shoot at a larger aperture so your image will have a shallow depth of field (the background will be blurred). You set the aperture to f/2.8, but in conjunction with your current shutter speed of 1/60, your images are now over-exposed.

This situation will require you to shoot with a faster shutter speed to correct the exposure. If the image is still over-exposed at a higher ISO, you'll then need to lower the ISO if possible.

Using camera modes to make life easier

If jumping straight into the deep end and shooting in full manual seems a little too daunting, most modern cameras have a few specialised modes. These allow you to take some control over the appearance of your images while the camera helps out with the rest.

• Aperture Priority — You select the aperture and your camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed. Great for experimenting with depth of field.
• Shutter Priority — You select the shutter speed and your camera automatically adjusts the aperture. Perfect for experimenting with motion — making subjects sharp or intentionally blurred.
• Program — Allows you to make adjustments to either the aperture or shutter speed, while your camera adjusts the opposite. Takes creative control without putting exposure to chance.
• Manual — Once you're confident with how the exposure triangle works, you're ready to shoot in Manual mode, where you make all the necessary adjustments unaided. When you feel ready to take that step, our beginner's guide to shooting in manual mode will walk you through the transition.

Improve your photography today

With a basic understanding of the camera settings above, you're well on the way to mastering this art form called photography. If you're looking for new ways to grow your photography at home or abroad, keep an eye on our photography blog for more hints, advice and gear recommendations.

Basic Camera Settings for Beginners: Where to Start

If you're new to photography, staring at a camera full of dials and menus can feel overwhelming. The good news? You don't need to master everything at once. Start by focusing on just three basic camera settings: aperture, shutter speed and ISO. These form the exposure triangle and control how bright or dark your image looks.

Rather than jumping straight into full manual mode, beginners are often better served by semi-automatic modes like Aperture Priority (Av) or Shutter Priority (Tv). These modes let you control one setting while the camera handles the rest — giving you creative input without the guesswork. It's a practical stepping stone toward shooting fully manual.

The best way to learn basic camera settings is through hands-on practice. Set your camera to Aperture Priority, head outside and experiment with different f-stop values. Notice how the background blurs or sharpens. Shoot the same scene at multiple settings and compare the results. There's no substitute for trial and error when building your instincts as a photographer.

Basic Camera Settings at a Glance

Use this quick-reference table to understand the 3 main camera settings, what values to use and when to use them.

Beginner Guide to Action Camera Settings

Action cameras like the GoPro HERO series have their own set of core settings that beginners should understand before heading out to shoot. Getting these right makes a significant difference to the quality of your footage.

• Resolution — Start with 1080p or 4K at 30fps for everyday footage. Higher resolutions use more storage and battery.
• Frame Rate — Use 60fps or higher if you plan to create slow-motion edits. 24fps gives a more cinematic look.
• Field of View (FOV) — Wide FOV captures more of the scene; narrow FOV reduces fisheye distortion.
• Stabilisation — Enable HyperSmooth or equivalent stabilisation for handheld or mounted shots to reduce camera shake.

For most beginners, setting your action camera to 1080p, 60fps, wide FOV with stabilisation on is a reliable starting point for almost any activity.

FAQ: Basic Camera Settings

What are the 3 main camera settings?

The 3 main camera settings are aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Together they form the exposure triangle and determine how much light reaches your camera's sensor, directly affecting the brightness, sharpness and quality of your image.

What are the best camera settings for beginners?

Beginners should start with semi-automatic modes. Try Aperture Priority (Av) mode with an ISO of 100–400 in good light. This lets you control depth of field while the camera sets shutter speed automatically — a great way to learn without overcomplicating things.

What are the best digital camera settings for everyday shooting?

For general everyday photography, try aperture f/5.6–f/8, shutter speed 1/125s or faster, and ISO 100–400 in daylight. In lower light, raise the ISO gradually and widen your aperture before slowing your shutter speed to avoid camera shake.

How do I avoid blurry photos?

Blur is usually caused by a shutter speed that's too slow. As a rule of thumb, your shutter speed should be at least 1 divided by your focal length — so at 50mm, use at least 1/50s. Enable image stabilisation if your lens or camera supports it.

What settings should I use on an action camera?

For action camera beginners, start with 1080p resolution, 60fps frame rate, wide field of view and stabilisation enabled. This combination handles most shooting scenarios well and gives you flexibility when editing your footage.

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