However, you don’t always have to operate your DSLR camera in manual control mode. The DSLR camera has a variety of automatic control modes, just like a point-and-shoot camera.
How to Use DSLR Modes
With most DSLR cameras, you will set the automatic modes through either the mode dial along the top panel of the camera or using the on-screen menu, accessible through the menu button on the back. Most DSLR cameras have a fully automatic mode, a fully manual control mode, and a few mixed modes, where some settings are determined by the camera automatically, while others are set manually by the photographer. These modes are a great way to ease yourself into the transition from a point-and-shoot camera to a DSLR, as you can learn about how to use the camera gradually. There’s no shame in using your DSLR camera in fully automatic mode, as most of these cameras do a great job in picking the settings for you and exposing the photo correctly. You’ll have good success shooting in fully automatic mode for those quick shots. With some automatic modes on a DSLR camera, you can choose to shoot with the flash off, and all other settings are automatically set, regardless of the external lighting. This is a good mode to use when you are prohibited from using a flash, such as at a concert. Normally, this flash off mode will appear on the mode dial next to or in combination with the AUTO label. When you’re having success in fully auto mode with your DSLR, just don’t become so caught up in this easy-to-use mode that you forget why you purchased the DSLR camera in the first place. Turn the mode dial to M sometimes to give you full manual control over the settings, too.
