Manual mode

When to use Manual mode

In Auto mode, your camera digitally processes images: for example, HDR mode handles high-contrast lighting and Portrait lets you blur backgrounds.

If you want to control and fine tune settings, bypassing this digital processing, switch to Manual mode on the viewfinder. You can adjust one or all of these settings:

Focus range (macro, infinite, or manual).
White balance helps objects that appear white in person appear white in photos by correcting for the color temperature of the light source.
Shutter speed sets the length of time the image sensor is exposed to light.
ISO controls the light sensitivity of the image sensor.
Exposure compensation makes photos dimmer or brighter.

If you don't adjust a setting and leave it as , the camera uses the default.

Adjust Manual settings

To change settings:

  1. On the viewfinder, touch > Manual.

  2. To change one setting:

    1. Touch its icon.
    2. Drag it to change setting.
    3. Touch when done.

  3. To adjust all settings:

    1. Touch .
    2. Drag each icon to change settings.
    3. Touch when done.
  4. To take a photo with those settings, touch .

If you switch to Auto or modes such as panorama or Portrait, these settings aren’t used. The digital processing for those modes calculates optimal values.

Use macro or infinite focus

Macro focus provides vivid detail on a close up object and blurs the background.

TipInstead of macro focusing the main camera lens as described below, switch to Macro mode and use the macro lens.

Infinite focus blurs the foreground while the background is in focus.

Not available for front (selfie) camera.

To adjust the focus:

  1. Touch .

  2. Select the type of focus:

    • For macro, drag to .
    • For infinite, drag to .
  3. Touch to take the photo.

Adjust focus manually

Not available for front (selfie) camera.

To adjust the focus range:

  1. Touch .
  2. Drag to , then slide from left (focus on foreground) to right (focus on background) to select focus range.

Control for light or motion

White balance

Adjust white balance for extreme lighting conditions.

Fluorescent indoor lighting
Incandescent indoor lighting
Sunny outdoor lighting
Cloudy outdoor lighting

Shutter speed

Shutter speed ranges from faster (1/6000s) to slower (1/6 s or 1/4 s).

For capturing motion:

  • To freeze motion, use faster shutter speed.
  • To blur motion, use slower shutter speed.

To control for lighting:

  • For a darker photo, use faster shutter speed.
  • For a brighter photo, use slower shutter speed.

ISO

For capturing motion, use a higher ISO to stop motion and reduce motion blur.

To control for lighting:

  • Use a higher ISO for a brighter photo with more noise.
  • Use a lower ISO for a photo with finer grain and less noise.

Exposure

  • Higher exposures are brighter.
  • Lower exposures are darker and more detailed.

If you want more light in shadowed areas, use a higher exposure.

Restore default settings

  1. On the viewfinder, check that you're in Manual mode.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • To restore all settings, touch and then .
    • To restore one setting, touch its icon and then .

Set file format (JPEG, RAW)

You can set whether photos will be saved as JPEG, RAW (DNG), or both.

Saving photos as JPEG files involves color processing, white balancing, and compression, in order to improve image quality.

RAW files don’t include the post-processing that JPEG files do. They are much larger than JPEG files. So, your storage won't be able to hold as many.

Save photos as RAW (DNG) when you're going to:

  • Do extensive post-capture editing
  • Significantly enlarge an image

To change the format for saving photos:

  1. On the viewfinder, check that you're in Manual mode.
  2. Touch , , or .
  3. Select the format for saving photos.

For files saved as RAW, you'll see on the photo or its thumbnail.

Exit Manual mode

On the viewfinder, touch > Auto. Or, touch and select a photo mode.