Digital Camera Scene Modes

If you read through the specifications of a digital camera you are likely to notice a selection of scene modes. Scene modes are available on every compact digital camera produced by the major brands as well as the majority of Digital SLR cameras These give you access to a number of predefined camera settings. All you need to do is select the most appropriate setting before you take a shot and your camera will do the rest.

The idea of scene modes is to help you take the best possible photo with minimum intervention from you.

Accessing Scene Modes
The most common place to access scene modes is within the menu system of a digital camera. Sometimes you will need to have placed the camera into "scene mode" before gaining access through the menu system. More advanced and larger cameras often have a control dial on top of the camera. The control dial will normally have a selection of the most used scene modes.

Typical Scene Modes
Different brands and indeed different cameras give you access to varying numbers of scene modes. Different manufacturers may well also call them something different too. For example Casio digital cameras contain a setting called Best Shot. Behind the Best Shot button you will find scene modes. Casio typically offer a wider selection of pre programmed scenes than any other manufacturer. A number of their digital cameras give you over 30 different modes to select from.

The most common modes are portrait and landscape. These cover a high number of every day scenes that people photograph. Other standard scene modes include night scenes, children, sunsets and sports. If underwater housing for a camera is available you may also find a scene mode dedicated to underwater photography.

What Do Scene Modes Do?
The easiest way to explain the effect different scene modes can have on photos is to run through some examples.

If you place your camera in landscape mode then the camera is likely to boost blues and greens in the shot. On top of this it will adjust the focusing in an effort to ensure the shot is focused from edge to edge.

In portrait mode a softer focus is used. This helps to smooth the skin. The camera may also attempt to soften the focus of the background to make sure the subject of the photograph stands out more.

If you are shooting sports then the camera will attempt to freeze action so that you truly capture the moment.

Are There Any Downsides?
There can be from time to time, so it is best to experiment with your camera whenever possible so that you can gain a good understanding of how it functions.

An example of a downside could be when shooting a sports shot. In order to freeze action the camera will use a fast shutter speed. Additionally it may increase the ISO setting. This could lead to some noise creeping into your photo, especially if lighting is not as bright as it could be.

Summary
Scene modes provide you with a relatively straightforward way to improve your photographs. It is usually quite easy to select a scene mode and once you have done so all you have to do is compose your shot and press the shutter button.