6.38.1 Portrait

Figure 6-79: Portrait Mode

Figure 6-80: Portrait Mode Examples

Like the all the other Scene modes, Portrait mode (Figure 6-79) can take advantage of knowing the kind of picture you’re trying to take and help you along. Portrait mode does three things:

1. It emphasizes shallow depth-of-field (large f/stops, like f/2.8), which is often a component to a pleasing portrait.
2. It assumes the largest portion of your image is your subject’s face, and concentrates its exposure calculation on that. (Face Detection does the same thing now.)
3. It adds a little warmth to the color which usually makes for the most pleasing portraits.

To get the most out of this mode and end up with a classical-looking portrait, it is best to zoom in all the way AND make sure that you have “good light”, such as that provided by a large, North-facing window. (Or a South-Facing window if you’re in the Southern hemisphere.) Figure 6-80 has some examples of good existing-light portraits taken in this way.

TIP: For fun, try combining Portrait Mode with Soft Skin Effect (Section 6.35).

6.38.2 Sports Action

Figure 6-81: Sports Action Mode

Sports Action Mode will choose the fastest shutter speed possible for the given amount of light. Not only is it ideal for sports, but it also excels at shooting kids and pets (two more groups that don’t sit still for anything). Sports Action mode will invoke the following camera features:

• Auto ISO (maximum of 6400)
• Wide AF (with Lock-On Wide AF as an option)
• Continuous AF mode (AF-C)
• Continuous Drive mode (you can change the speed)
• And it will strive for the fastest possible shutter speed for the amount of light.

If you’re after less blur than what Sports mode produces, I highly recommend using the following settings (which you may wish to commit to a memory location (Section 6.47):

• Set your camera to “A”perture Priority mode
• Set the f/stop all the way open (lowest number). This will have the camera choose the highest shutter speed practical for the amount of light and ISO you have set.
• Set ISO to something reasonable depending on your light. Your target goal is for a shutter speed between 1/500^th and 1/1000^th of a second.
• Set focusing mode to AF-C.
• Set focusing area to Wide (or Lock-on AF wide to track your subject).
• Set drive mode to “Continuous”.

6.38.3 Macro