The optimal exposure setting for every situation

Saturday 2 May 2026, 20:20 by Nando Harmsen | 1,394 views | 2 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

Setting the exposure on a camera does not have to be difficult. It is a matter of making a few choices. That will almost always give you the optimal setting. The only thing you need is the exposure meter.

You can photograph in P, A, S or M. Apart from the P setting (Program), you always have to make choices. Those choices depend on what you are photographing, and which setting is most important for your subject.

First choose what is important for your photo. Choose the shutter speed when action and movement are important. Choose the aperture when depth of field is important. I will use depth of field as the first example, followed by shutter speed.

You should use ISO as a safety net, rather than to set the exposure. Start with a low ISO value. That could be ISO 100, 200 or 400. Increase it when necessary.

When aperture is important

Choose an aperture that gives you the desired depth of field. A small number gives a shallow depth of field, while a large number gives a deep depth of field. Set this, then use the shutter speed to set the exposure correctly.

ISO 100 was chosen, and f/11 for the depth of field. The shutter speed was used to get the correct exposure. It had to be 1/50 sec.
Is the shutter speed too slow for your desired depth of field? For example, because you cannot keep the camera still or the subject appears blurred in the image? Then increase the ISO value so that the shutter speed becomes faster.

When shutter speed is important

Choose the desired shutter speed. A fast shutter speed freezes movement, while a slower one shows movement. The speed of the subject determines how fast the shutter speed needs to be. Use the aperture to set the correct exposure.

1/640 sec was sufficient. f/8, the widest available aperture. I had to use ISO1600 to get the correct exposure at this aperture.
Do you need to choose a wider aperture for the correct exposure than your lens has? Then increase the ISO value until the correct exposure is possible at the widest aperture.

Set it yourself or let the camera do part of it

It does not matter whether you set everything yourself (M mode) or let the camera do part of it (A mode or S mode). Choose whichever works best for you. In both cases, the exposure is set using the exposure meter.

By working this way, you achieve the optimal exposure setting in every situation. It does not matter whether you are photographing indoors or outdoors. It is only different when using flash.

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