Capturing a perfect shot depends not just on your skill but also on the camera settings. Apart from your everyday choices when you’re actively photographing, like exposure modes, ISO, and metering mode, there are some fundamental settings that you should check to fine-tune the camera to your preferred shooting style.
Whether you’ve just bought a new camera or want to reset your trusted one to factory default, configuring these foundational settings is key before you start taking pictures. There are also a number of features that you may want to simply switch off to save battery power or to avoid annoying distractions.
1. Check for Firmware Updates
This is one of the first things you’ll want to check with a new camera or if you restore your settings to factory default. Firmware updates fix known issues, and more frequently, enhance or introduce new features. A great example of this was thefirmware updates for the Nikon Z6 II/Z II.
Keeping your camera’s firmware current is essential for unlocking its full potential, staying compatible with the latest accessories, and staying up-to-date in the ever-evolving world of photography. Overlooking firmware updates can limit your creative possibilities and the overall functionality of your camera.
2. Set the Date and Time
Updating this setting is vital so that the EXIF data will be accurate for your images. This will help later on when you need toorganize your photos in apps like Lightroom.
If neglected, you run the risk of having to go back and Sherlock Holmes your entire photo collection, a process that may prove to be next to impossible if you can’t remember the dates of your photos. For the sake of organization and preserving your precious memories, set the date and time whenever a camera’s date and time are wrong.
3. Turn Off the Shoot Without Card Option
If you don’t turn off the Shoot Without Card option, your camera will take pictures without saving them to a card. This feature may be great for display models in a camera store but not so much for personal use. Always turn this option off.
4. Change the File Format
Change your file format to include a Raw option. There are severalbenefits to shooting in Raw. If not, at least be aware of all the options your camera offers and choose the right format for you.
Many new cameras tend to come with Raw as the default option (if it’s available), but if you’re using a different camera or purchasing a secondhand one, the file format might be configured to JPEG exclusively.
It’s counterproductive to invest hundreds or even thousands of dollars in a camera system that’s fully equipped for Raw editing and unlocking extensive post-processing capabilities, only to shoot in JPEG as if using a smartphone camera.
5. Assign Custom Functions
This may not be something every photographer will need to do, but for seasoned photographers, assigning custom functions to specific buttons on the camera is essential for saving time. For example, a custom button for switching between autofocus and manual focus when the lens doesn’t have the option, or a custom button that saves multiple camera settings for shooting different subjects.
With modern camera systems making customizable buttons more readily available, photographers are now able to change cameras to be much more adaptable and usable in the field. Once you get to know your camera better, start assigning custom functions to save time.
6. Turn Off External Lights and Sounds
External lights and camera sounds can be distracting in the best of times or ruin your shots when complete silence is necessary. You may want to switch off all external lights and sounds and consider silent shooting if your camera has this capability. Turning off these settings is also appropriate for sensitive situations like funerals and private functions.
Keep off external lights and sounds until you discover a reason for needing them.
7. Turn Off Auto Power Off
For studio work and portrait shoots, it may be practical to switch off the Auto Power Off feature so that your camera is always ready. This feature is meant to preserve your battery, but if you need uninterrupted performance, keep an eye on the battery level and maintain complete control over when you power the camera off.
The last thing you need is for your camera to be in sleep mode or turned off, and you miss an important shot.
8. Turn Off Auto Rotate
Another feature that’s meant to be helpful but can potentially be annoying if it isn’t needed, is Auto Rotate. With this feature on, your camera will automatically adjust the orientation depending on how it’s rotated.
Consider switching it off to avoid annoyance and also save a little bit of power. This is another feature that you can turn on again if you discover a useful reason for it.
9. Turn Off Auto Review
Turning off Auto Review helps you save time by not having to wait for each image to display on the screen after capturing it. Not only that, but you may not wish to have your photos displayed on your LCD screen out of privacy concerns. You’ll also reduce distractions if you have a lot of shooting to do.
10. Turn Off Long Exposure Noise Reduction
While Long Exposure Noise Reduction can improve image quality, it’s not always needed and can increase processing time between shots. Keep it off in situations that require a fast workflow and you’ll be able to take continuous shots without delay. This is yet another feature best left off until there’s a logical scenario to have it on.
