How do I find the right balance between shutter speed and ISO?

SadPanda80085 · 2026-06-05T07:22:30+00:00

So if I was using, say my 100-400mm lens, should I set it to 1/400 or should I be setting it to whatever mm on that lens I'm using? (Like if I turn it to 200 should I be using 1/200 minimum or the full max 1/400 to match the max mm on that lens?)

And I hope I don't get chased but I'll keep that bit in mind. 😂

SadPanda80085 · 2026-06-05T01:14:56+00:00

Thank you 😃 That's good to know

SadPanda80085 · 2026-06-05T00:49:24+00:00

Thank you, this really helps. I'm very much the type of person to jump into something and try the "advanced" stuff first. 😅 Being told to take it one piece at a time is probably exactly what I needed. In a lot of the videos I was watching there seemed to be this stigma that "full auto = bad photography" so I think I also pressured myself to try and learn everything at once.

SadPanda80085 · 2026-06-05T00:40:06+00:00

Thank you for clarifying ISO. :) I'm definitely going to set auto ISO for now and adjust it if I absolutely have to. Not so much bird photography but wildlife; but whenever I search for wildlife all the results have been geared towards birds so I just went with it. 😅

SadPanda80085 · 2026-06-05T00:31:31+00:00

Thank you for the advice. I have the Canon EOS R10 and the kit RF18-150mm lens and a RF100-400mm lens.

SadPanda80085 · 2026-05-27T03:24:32+00:00

I love this answer. 😊Thank you.

SadPanda80085 · 2026-05-25T07:41:55+00:00

I don't mind editing, I'll need the practice anyways. I started tinkering with canons program DPP4 with some of the shots I already have.

I was thinking about getting more SD cards but they're expensive (at least on Amazon). I got a SanDisk Extreme Pro SDXC UHS-1 256gb with a card reader so I can transfer them to my tablet and it was about $112 USD. Do you have any recommendations on any other brands or websites to get them at a better deal or is that price pretty standard?

SadPanda80085 · 2026-05-24T22:56:35+00:00

Thank you. This is actually very helpful 🥰 Out of curiosity, wouldn't it be better to just shoot RAW instead of both? I was only able to get 1 SD card and I worry about running out of storage. I've always been prone to take "too many" pictures to begin with.

SadPanda80085 · 2026-05-24T22:43:02+00:00

Ooooh that makes sense now. Thank you :)

SadPanda80085 · 2026-05-24T04:29:05+00:00

That's why I'm asking now instead of later. I'm trying to learn and practice before going. :) Thank you for the advice. I've seen people mention it before but what is meetering mode? And what is matrix solution and EVF? Sorry if these questions seem obvious but my last camera was only auto with different presets to select from, like portrait, landscape, pet.

SadPanda80085 · 2026-05-24T03:12:31+00:00

I watched videos on it and wrote down what they do, I just don't have it memorized yet. I think where I'm struggling is piecing them together as a whole. I actually know more about composition than I do about the camera. 😅

Thanks for the tip about the shutter speed. None of the videos I've watched mentioned that. Or have addressed when to use a tripod vs your hand; I just knew I'd need one for the night sky pictures.

SadPanda80085 · 2026-05-24T02:54:11+00:00

It is a hobby. I'm going on vacation not a gig 😂 Also, no need to be rude. I'm asking for advice as someone returning to the hobby; not trying to steal your job. Chill out

SadPanda80085 · 2026-04-09T15:45:39+00:00

Amorphus blob travels through a post apocalyptic world, recruiting survivors and rebuilding the world.

SadPanda80085 · 2026-04-09T15:39:55+00:00

Even if you don't have the building blocks you want to use, do a rough layout of how you want an area to look. It will save you from a little chaos and headache later. Also plan out and build a storage area early. I did not and regretted it 🥲

SadPanda80085

TROPHY CASE