Basic Operations

Holding the Camera

  • Viewing the screen as you shoot

    As you shoot, you can tilt the screen to adjust it. For details, see Using the Screen.

    • (1) Normal angle
    • (2) Low angle
    • (3) High angle

  • Shooting through the viewfinder

    To obtain sharp images, hold the camera still to minimize camera shake.

    • (1) Horizontal shooting
    • (2) Vertical shooting
    1. With your right hand, hold the camera firmly by the camera grip.
    2. With your left hand, support the lens from below.
    3. Rest your right index finger lightly on the shutter button.
    4. Rest your arms and elbows lightly against the front of your body.
    5. To maintain a stable stance, place one foot slightly ahead of the other.
    6. Hold the camera near your face and look through the viewfinder.

Shutter Button

The shutter button has two steps. You can press the shutter button halfway. Then you can further press the shutter button completely.

Pressing halfway

This activates autofocusing and the automatic exposure system that sets the shutter speed and aperture value.

The exposure value (shutter speed and aperture value) is displayed on the screen, in the viewfinder, or on the LCD panel for 8 sec. (metering timer/Timer 8 sec.).

Pressing completely

This releases the shutter and takes the picture.

Tips Preventing camera shake

Hand-held camera movement during the moment of exposure is called camera shake. It can cause blurred pictures. To prevent camera shake, note the following:

  • Hold the camera still, as shown in Holding the Camera.
  • Press the shutter button halfway to autofocus, then slowly press the shutter button completely.

Note

  • The camera will still pause before taking a picture if you press the shutter button completely without pressing it halfway first, or if you press the shutter button halfway and immediately press it completely.
  • Even during menu display or image playback, you can return to shooting standby by pressing the shutter button halfway.

Main Dial

  • (1) After pressing a button, turn the Main dial dial.

    Press a button such as MODE or Multi-function, then turn the Main dial dial.

    If you press the shutter button halfway, the camera will go back to shooting standby.

    • After the MODE button is pressed, the dial is used to select a shooting mode.

    • After the Multi-function button is pressed, the dial is used to set the white balance, drive mode,* flash exposure compensation,* or Picture Style.

      Available only in still photo shooting.

  • (2) Turn only the Main dial dial.

    Turn the Main dial dial while looking at the screen, viewfinder, or LCD panel.

    • Use this dial to set the shutter speed, aperture value, etc.

Note

  • The operations in (1) can be performed even when controls are locked with the Multi-function lock ().

Quick Control Dial 1

  • (1) After pressing a button, turn the Quick control dial 1 dial.

    Press a button such as MODE or Multi-function, then turn the Quick control dial 1 dial.

    If you press the shutter button halfway, the camera will go back to shooting standby.

    • After the MODE button is pressed, the dial is used to select a shooting mode.

    • After the Multi-function button is pressed, the dial is used to set the metering mode,* AF operation,* ISO speed,* or AF area.

      Available only in still photo shooting.

  • (2) Turn only the Quick control dial 1 dial.

    Turn the Quick control dial 1 dial while looking at the screen, viewfinder, or LCD panel.

    • Used for operations such as setting the exposure compensation amount and the aperture value setting for manual exposures.

Note

  • The operations in (1) can be performed even when controls are locked with the Multi-function lock ().

Quick Control Dial 2

  • (1) After pressing a button, turn the Quick control dial 2 dial.

    Press a button such as MENU, then turn the Quick control dial 2 dial.

    If you press the shutter button halfway, the camera will go back to shooting standby.

    • Used for operations such as switching between main tabs on the menu screen.

  • (2) Turn only the Quick control dial 2 dial.

    Turn the Quick control dial 2 dial while looking at the screen, viewfinder, or LCD panel.

    • Used for operations such as setting the ISO speed.

Note

  • The operations in (1) can be performed even when controls are locked with the Multi-function lock ().

Multi-Controller

Multi-controller is an eight-direction key with center button. To use it, press lightly with the tip of your thumb.

  • Examples of using the Multi-controller
    • AF point/magnified frame movement in still photo shooting or movie recording
    • White balance correction
    • Magnified area position movement during playback
    • Quick Control
    • Selecting or setting menu items

Mode Button

You can set the shooting mode.

  • Press the MODE button, then use Main dial, Quick control dial 1, Quick control dial 2, or Multi-controller to select a shooting mode.

/ Multi-Function/FTP Server Image Transfer Button

Shooting screen

By default, the Multi-function button works in conjunction with dials to enable you to adjust settings used in shooting or recording.

Settings you can configure in conjunction with dials

  • White balance ()
  • Drive mode* ()
  • Flash exposure compensation* ()
  • Picture Style ()
  • Metering mode* ()
  • AF operation* ()
  • ISO speed ()
  • AF area ()

Available only in still photo shooting.

How to use with dials

  • Press the Multi-function button to display the settings you can configure with dials (Timer 6 sec.). Press the Multi-function button again repeatedly (or turn the Quick control dial 2 dial) to select a setting to configure.
  • To adjust the upper row of setting items, turn the Main dial dial.
  • To adjust the lower row of setting items, turn the Quick control dial 1 dial.

Caution

  • Advanced white balance settings such as color temperature cannot be configured this way.

Note

  • To set the AF area, you can also press the AF point selection button and then the Multi-function button.

Playback screen

Pressing the Transferring images to an FTP server button on the playback screen transfers images to the FTP server.

AF Start Button

Equivalent to pressing the shutter button halfway (except in [Scene Intelligent Auto] mode).

Multi-Function Lock Switch

Configuring [Control customization: Multi function lock] () and setting the power/multi-function lock switch to Multi-function lock prevents settings from being changed by accidentally touching the Main dial, Quick control dials, Multi-controller, control ring, or touch-screen panel.

/ LCD Panel Info Switching/Illumination/Cropping Button

  • Each press of the LCD panel info switching/illumination button changes the information on the LCD panel.
  • Illuminate the LCD panel by holding down the LCD panel info switching/illumination button (Timer 6 sec.).
  • Pressing the Cropping button on the playback screen switches to [Playback: Cropping] settings.

Control Ring

By default, exposure compensation can be set by turning the control ring of RF lenses or mount adapters while pressing the shutter button halfway in [Fv], [P], [Tv], [Av], or [M] mode. Otherwise, you can assign a different function to the control ring by configuring [Control ring] in [Control customization: Customize dials/control ring] ().

Info Button

Each press of the INFO button changes the information shown.

The following sample screens are for still photos. (5) and (6) are not shown in the viewfinder.