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 or in the viewfinder for 8 sec. (metering timer/Timer 8 sec.).

Pressing completely

This releases the shutter and takes the picture.

  • 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 Main Dial

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

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

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

    • Used for operations such as setting the ISO speed, drive mode, AF operation, white balance, and flash exposure compensation.

  • (2) Turn only the Main dial dial.

    While looking at the screen or viewfinder, turn the Main dial dial.

    • 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 Quick Control Dial

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

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

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

    • Used for operations such as selecting the ISO speed, drive mode, AF operation, white balance, and flash exposure compensation.

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

    While looking at the screen or viewfinder, turn the Quick control dial dial.

    • 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 ().

Multi-controller 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

Multi-function Multi-Function Button

By pressing the Multi-function button and turning the Quick control dial dial, you can set the ISO speed (), drive mode (), AF operation (), white balance (), and flash exposure compensation ().

To select the AF area, press the AF point selection button, then press the Multi-function button (Timer 6 sec.).

AF start AF Start Button

Equivalent to pressing the shutter button halfway (in Creative Zone modes).

Multi-function lock Multi-Function Lock Button

Configuring [Custom Functions: Multi function lock] () and pressing the Multi-function lock button prevents settings from being changed by accidentally touching the Main dial, Quick control dial, Multi-controller, control ring, or touch-screen panel. Press the Multi-function lock button again to unlock the controls.

Control ring 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 Flexible-priority AE, Program AE, Shutter-priority AE, Aperture-priority AE, or Manual exposure mode. Otherwise, you can assign a different function to the control ring by customizing operations in [Custom Functions: Customize dials] ().

INFO Info Button

Each press of the INFO button changes the information shown.

The following sample screens are for still photos.

In Basic Zone modes, the screen by (1) is not displayed.