4. Getting the Right Exposure

When you bought your Sony Alpha NEX-5N, you probably considered your days of worrying about getting the correct exposure were over. To paraphrase an old Kodak tagline dating back to the 19th Century—the goal is, “you press the button, and the camera does the rest.” For the most part, that’s a realistic objective. The Alpha NEX is one of the smartest cameras available when it comes to calculating the right exposure for most situations. You can generally choose Intelligent Auto or one of the Scene modes, or spin the virtual mode dial to Program (P), Aperture priority (A), or Shutter priority (S) and shoot away.

So, why am I including an entire chapter on exposure? As you learn to use your Alpha NEX creatively, you’re going to find that the right settings—as determined by the camera’s exposure meter and intelligence—need to be adjusted to account for your creative decisions or special situations.