Aperture priority vs manual mode: how to get comfortable with both

Aperture priority vs manual comes down to how much you want to decide yourself. In aperture priority, you set the aperture and the camera sets the shutter speed. In manual mode, you set both. Each one is worth learning once Auto mode stops giving you the photo you had in mind.

This guide covers dedicated cameras and the manual or Pro controls on Samsung, Google Pixel and iPhone cameras.

What do aperture, shutter speed and ISO do?

Every mode, Auto included, balances three settings. Knowing what each one does makes both modes easier to use.

Aperture

Aperture is an adjustable opening inside the lens that lets light reach the sensor. It is shown as an f-number. A low f-number, such as f/1.4, means a large opening.

A low f-number blurs the background behind the subject you focus on. A higher f-number puts more of the scene in focus, from front to back.

Shutter speed

Shutter speed is how long the camera lets light in. A fast speed freezes motion. Canon gives 1/1000 sec as an example for a fast-moving subject. A slow speed lets moving things blur.

Slow speeds also show camera shake. Canon’s general rule is to use a shutter speed at least as fast as 1 divided by the effective focal length. For example, with a 50mm lens setting, Canon says 1/50 sec or faster. Image stabilisation and wind change what works, so check your photos on the screen.

ISO

ISO sets how sensitive the camera is to light. Each time you double the ISO, the camera needs half as much light. Raising it lets you shoot in dimmer places, but it adds noise, a grainy look.

What does aperture priority do?

In aperture priority, you choose the aperture and the camera sets the shutter speed to get a correct exposure. You decide how much of the picture is sharp. The camera handles the brightness.

Canon marks this mode Av on the mode dial. Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm and Panasonic mark it A.

How to use aperture priority mode

• Turn the mode dial to A or Av.
• Turn the control dial to change the f-number. On Fujifilm cameras, turn the aperture ring on the lens, or the front command dial if the lens has no ring.
• Pick a low f-number to blur the background, or a higher f-number to keep more in focus.
• Then take the photo. The camera chooses the shutter speed.

If the camera cannot reach a correct exposure at the f-number you chose, it warns you. Sony and Canon cameras blink the shutter speed. Fujifilm shows it in red. Change the f-number or the ISO until the warning stops.

If a photo comes out too dark or too bright, use exposure compensation. It makes the picture brighter or darker than the camera’s choice.

How to use manual mode on your camera

In manual mode, you set both the aperture and the shutter speed. The camera marks this mode M. Canon, Nikon, Sony and Fujifilm all use the same letter.

The camera shows an exposure level indicator, a small scale. On Sony and Nikon cameras, it appears in the viewfinder and on the screen. With Sony cameras, moving toward plus means a brighter photo, toward minus means a darker one, and 0 is the exposure the camera judges correct.

• Turn the mode dial to M.
• Set the f-number for how much you want in focus.
• Set the shutter speed for how much motion you want to freeze or blur.
• Watch the exposure indicator and adjust until it sits near 0, or where you want it.

On Sony and Nikon cameras, you can also leave ISO on Auto in manual mode. You keep control of aperture and shutter speed, and the camera adjusts ISO for the brightness. On Sony cameras, the exposure scale is hidden while ISO is on Auto.

Aperture priority vs manual: which should you use?

Use aperture priority when the light keeps changing and you want to react fast. Instead, use manual mode when the light stays the same, or when the camera’s own choice keeps getting it wrong.

On your trip	Aperture priority	Manual mode
A portrait with a soft background	Good fit. Choose a low f-number and let the camera set the speed.	Works, but slower to set.
A whole scene or a group, all sharp	Good fit. Canon suggests small apertures such as f/16 or f/22.	Works, but slower to set.
Walking through a town with sun and shade	Good fit. The camera adjusts the speed as the light changes.	Needs constant changes.
Fireworks or the night sky	Possible, but not the mode Nikon suggests here.	Good fit. Nikon suggests manual mode for long exposures like these.

Does your camera have aperture priority and manual mode?

The Canon, Nikon, Sony and Fujifilm camera manuals checked for this guide all include both modes. Many compact and travel-zoom cameras have them too. Some simple point-and-shoot cameras do not.

To check, look at the mode dial or the shooting mode menu. If you see M and either A or Av, your camera has both. However, if you only see Auto, P and scene modes, it does not.

Can you use manual or Pro mode on your phone?

Many phone cameras have a fixed aperture. The Galaxy S26, Pixel 11 Pro and iPhone 17 each list one f-number per lens, so there is no true aperture priority mode on them. Many phones offer a Pro or manual mode instead, for shutter speed, ISO and focus.

Samsung Galaxy

Samsung’s Pro mode lets you set ISO, shutter speed, exposure, white balance and focus. Open the Camera app, tap Mode (or More on some models), then tap Pro.

If you set the shutter speed yourself, ISO cannot stay on Auto.

Google Pixel

Pro controls let you set focus, shutter speed and ISO with a slider at the bottom of the screen. Google’s help pages list them for the Pixel 8 Pro, 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL. Its Store spec pages list them for the Pixel 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL, 11 Pro and 11 Pro XL. The standard Pixel 10 and 11 do not list them.

iPhone

In the iPhone Camera app, tap the screen to set focus, then drag up or down beside the focus box to make the photo brighter or darker. Touch and hold to lock focus and exposure.

For a blurred background, use Portrait mode. Its Depth Control slider changes the blur. You can also change it later in the Photos app.

The iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max are the first iPhones with a variable aperture on the main camera. On these two models, you can set aperture, shutter speed and white balance yourself in the Camera app, and check a histogram.

Aperture priority and manual settings to try on your trip

Use these as first settings, then adjust by looking at the result.

• A person or a flower with a soft background: aperture priority, the lowest f-number your lens allows.
• Scenery or a group photo: aperture priority, f/16 or f/22, as Canon suggests.
• A moving train, bird or boat: a fast shutter speed. Canon’s example is 1/1000 sec.
• Holding the camera by hand: keep the shutter speed at 1 divided by the effective focal length or faster, as Canon advises.
• Fireworks or the night sky: manual mode, with the camera on something steady.

Practice aperture priority and manual mode before you travel

1. Set the dial to A or Av and photograph the same object at your lowest f-number, then at f/16. Compare the backgrounds.
2. Use exposure compensation to take one photo brighter and one darker.
3. Switch to M. Change the shutter speed until the exposure indicator sits at 0, then take the photo.
4. If your camera allows it, set ISO to Auto in M and repeat.
5. On your phone, open Pro mode or Pro controls and change the shutter speed once.
6. Look at every result on the screen before your trip.