4. Getting the Right Exposure

When you bought your Sony Alpha DSLR-A580/A560, you probably thought 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 is one of the smartest cameras available when it comes to calculating the right exposure for most situations. You can generally choose one of the auto or Scene modes, or spin the 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 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.