9 Years of Camera Setting Knowledge in 29 Minutes

[@Codacolor]

Download the free cheat sheets here! connects.codymitchell.com/exposurecheatsheet Also, something I forgot to mention in the video: A good rule of thumb for handheld shooting is to set your Shutter Speed to at least twice your focal length. This can help you know your minimum safe Shutter Speed when shooting at longer focal lengths.

[@amberhawke]

This is probably the best description/tutorial regarding exposure that I have seen. It is clear, concise, ad gives real world examples of what you are teaching. My daughter's friend took an intro photo course at her college, and she was struggling. I know that this would have helped her immensely.

[@loquatmuncher]

the work you put in for editing your documentary all year is showing. you've leveled up! great vid.

[@mamo4104]

The greatest tutorial presentation on exposure, thank you.

[@iprelvu]

One of the best photography videos I've seen in a long time. Congratulations Sir. Subscribed

[@Max-w94]

I rarely comment on videos cause I'm too lazy but I can't but appreciate the amount of work put on this video info wise and especially editing wise just wow . Thank you for this amazing video and keep up the good work

[@andrewhethmon3219]

Hugely helpful! I’ve been taking an old Sears TLS film camera with me on travels and disaster relief and all the shit I get into for the last year and really enjoying it. I’ve been trying to educate myself more on the technical side of film photography but till this point have only really been able to pick up bits of info without being able to get a foundational understanding of how it all works together. This has given me EXACTLY what I’ve been needing and it doesn’t hurt that you put together a very pleasing esthetic and vibe to the video too. Very digestible but not oversimplified. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge, sir!

[@locke_ytb]

One of my top favorite Photography videos. I really liked the hands-on activities during the video.

[@ngnxnh]

You are the best teacher for photography fundamental ❤

[@Codacolor]

Honored to receive that ❤️

[@SunCrushr]

Cody, this is the first video I've seen on your channel. I've been doing photo for years, so it's all just a review for me, but I now have a go-to video to send to others to learn about the exposure triangle and important factors like noise, depth of field, light, motion, and shooting platform stability, not just from a technical standpoint, but from a creative choices standpoint. You also do a good job of keeping the viewer engaged. You may not see yourself as trendy, but you are quite charming and helpful. Keep it up!

[@expeditionpangaea226]

The KZbin algorithm loaded your video into my feed and I’m glad I decided to take a moment and view it. Cody, your approach to this video is refreshing as opposed to what we normally see on KZbin these days. Your video is excellent. Well done. With your pacing, choice of music, style of shooting, B-roll shots, and the clear knowledgeable explanations, it kind of feels like you are the iconic Carl Sagan of the “Cosmos” for photography education. That’s a compliment as I always enjoyed that show when I was a kid. I really enjoyed watching this video. You do a great job of explaining or teaching the concepts in a very clear manner, as well.

Bravo Cody. This is a very good lesson on aperture for beginners, one of the best I've seen so far on YT.

[@fishnoxygen]

Great job! Easy to understand, at least for me who has been taking photos for more than 15 years lol. But what's nice is that I could just show this video to my missus who has been complaining that I scream at her whenever I tried teaching her all these theories. One feedback - You could note that for handheld shooting, as a rule of thumb, is to set camera shutter speed to at least twice the focal length of the lens to minimize camera shake and ensure sharp images (instead of 1/60s). Well of course for more advanced technique would be taking into consideration of IBIS etc).

[@Codacolor]

Excellent point on shutter speed. I probably should have included that in the video, but I was afraid of making an already complicated video even more complicated. I'll make a note of it in a pinned comment, though!

[@mmmyeahh]

Omg this is actually the first time I understand how to operate my camera properly, just needed a video that was easy to understand, excellent work !!!

[@phillippacker5920]

Masterfully written and presented. Thank you.

[@jaredweinstockphoto]

one of the best, if not, the best, video explanation of the exposure triangle. well done

[@cliftonivey3756]

Great video! Shared the video with my two adult children before I’d finished watching. They are pretty new to photography and nailing exposure will make photography so much more enjoyable for them. This may be the best video I’ve watched on communicating this very important fundamental of photography.

[@undeadpixel2770]

Man, I'm just sad I only have one like to give. I'm not new to photography, though it's just an occasional hobby of mine. I have heard the concepts, and understand them at a basic level. But your video is very well done, and I wish it was the first one I ever saw when I started shooting. The practical examples, and flow of thought is great. This is a great video, and you've earned a subscription.

[@fjorge13]

Hi Cody, It was welcome surprise being a fellow Bendite and recognizing all the locations. You did a fantastic job of explaining the exposure triangle and the effects of changing the parameters. I enjoyed watching, thanks.

[@thomasgartman4025]

I taught photography classes for the better part of eighteen years. This is one of the best explanations of exposure I've seen in a long time. It is clear that you put real effort into this video. Thank you for a job well done.

[@jays9591]

I just bought a camera for Xmas. Your video has given me a good start. A great video. Your approach to explaining something technical is so enjoyable to watch. Thank you.

[@HighStartAeronautics]

Superb video! Not only was it a pure joy to watch, interesting, easy to follow and with beautiful scenery, but I really feel like I now properly understand the concept and technical aspect. I will surely try this out with my Sony A6400 that I have for only a couple of months, I’m still a beginner. Truly one of the best KZbin video’s I have come across in a long time. Thank you and keep it up, you’ve got a new sub.

[@AlejandroAlbagli]

Nothing i didn't know, because I've been doing photography for 15+ years, yet the video is amazing. Best tutorial for someone new at this I've seen in a while. I'll share.

[@EverettRudolph-n2m]

Excellent return to YT. You are very gifted at teaching and sharing what you are passionate about. Thank you for the exposure cheat sheet. I look forward to your weekly tips email as you get underway. You tackled one of the most difficult initial concepts for folks beginning in photography with more the a cellphone. Too many YT photographers do gear reviews instead of tackling what you did in this video. I recently purchased my first camera at age 73. I watched YT videos for months before the purchase and still made a mistake and bought a camera without IBIS which at my age would have been very helpful. (Canon R50-no IBIS and less expensive primes do not have OIS onboard) . I should have bought a used Olympus MFT most of which have IBIS and nice small primes are aplenty. I was too easily swayed by the photo salesperson. Decades ago I had a Canon AE-1 but it was stolen in a house break before I became adept at using it and just had point and shoots thereafter.

[@escargotomy]

Bar none, the best presented explanation of basic camera function and creating an exposure I have seen. I've been looking for a video just like this to refer to my nephew who is learning film photography for the first time. Well done!

[@aquss33]

I've known all this for like 7 years, I just watched the video because of how good it was. There were some incredible resources when I was learning this, but this is on another level of quality.

[@lordmonkey3285]

Thanks so much for this video, while an experienced photographer. I was trying to explain basic photography to my girlfriend and failing miserably. Surprisingly there's not that many quality cohesive videos on KZbin like this one. This was by far the best for beginners. Well explained and with great examples

[@Filmstill__]

This is so simple to understand, even if I already know all these rules, what a pleasure to watch! This should be shown in photography schools, you're too good and simple man.. keep the good work!

[@bokamoso]

This goes down as the best photography explanation video I’ve ever seen. I’ve always known manual shooting techniques but this video just showed me how and why the techniques are Great video!

[@arleaw]

thank you so much for this, and for all your videos! they are honestly the biggest help and consistently easy to understand, even when explaining the more complicated stuff. i found this one particularly helpful as i come to grips with ‘the exposure triangle’ 😊

[@delicatedirector3694]

This video was uploaded on my 21st Birthday, and the same day I got my first digital camera, a Sony A7c. Thank you so much for this video, I have been taking photos on 35mm film for a few months and this is by far the easiest to understand.

[@toruisalive5499]

About to finish the video as well but for any rookie and beginner photographer. Domt worry too much. Put your camera into Manual. Use your F./ For the amount of background blur you want. For example, doing a Portrait youll usually be between 1.8 and 2.4 for product photography maybe at 6-8. Next put your ISO, and thats the key to this! Test your camera and find out what it's iso limits are before your images become too noise. My RX10 IV for example has a tiny sensor so it catches barely any light to begin with that i could enhance via ISO, so ill have to stay at 100-1600 iso for clean images. If you have a fullframe youll probably be able to go way further like ISO 12000 or so. And lastly just adjust your shutter speed to your type of motive. Still standing subjects youre good using any shutter speed you want like a full second, for portraits like /80 and sports or birds /1800 of a second. Youll figure out your required shutterspeed in no time. But those little settings will cover you 99% of the time, all the time. Especially in the beginning. Happy shooting!

[@liperosden4606]

What an awesome way to share knowledge, that's exactly what I was missing in other tutorials, real life examples, you nailed it !

[@chalfontcrew]

Official, you just created the best video to teach someone who doesn't know what they're doing. How to take photos? Absolutely awesome! You're a genius!

[@5oclock_Charlie]

This is such good quality Cody! I dove head first into photography with film not knowing this stuff 2.5 years ago.. I did learn eventually after talking to enough people and lots of $$$ lol.. I wish this was around when I was still learning the basics.

[@haylo75]

This is an incredible refresher of my fuzzy memory of the exposure triangle and how to manipulate it creatively. I saw you're using an X-T5. After years of phone photos, I finally decided to learn more and picked up an X100VI. You live in a wonderful state! I was out at Crater Lake NP in Sept. I wish I had a proper camera with me then.

[@GLu-qc6vn]

This is the clearest, practical and most enjoyable explanation I've seen of the exposure triangle, and what auto mode often selects, and how to modify that for the conditions. You're a master learning designer! That said, I'd suggest adding a quick explanation of why your camera didn't "balance the exposure" triangle at time reference 19:53. The camera chose 1/80 second, which lets in double the light of the original 1/164 second (the equivalent of one stop), even though you decreased your aperture three stops to f/11. I actually don't know the full answer, though it seems the camera algorithm was satisfied to have the photo two stops darker when shooting at f/11, for some kind of different optimal balancing. Yet the brightness of the two images seems pretty similar. ... Could be there's a typo in the numbers presented.

[@Bruno_fyi]

I have been doing photography and videography for close to 2 years and you finally thought me about stops of light! This was definitely one of the best tutorials I've ever watched and I've watched thousands!😄

[@claricefoong7529]

Fantastic video! Made it so easy for a first time photographer to understand. I just got the fuji xm5 and couldnt for the life of me understand the different functions of the dials. Thank you so much !!!

[@RobertGarity]

Perhaps the most useful video I have ever watched on KZbin. Thank you, and thanks for the cheat sheet.

[@ellenmitchell3174]

Impressive on so many many levels …very informative and easy to digest and a pleasure to watch.

[@sellignomod83]

Just thank you. This was so very helpful. So clear. Thank you Cody, you did help me a lot.

[@janskrdlant4197]

Dear Cody, you are such a likeable person. And the video is nicely done, even for those who know, a good refresher. Thanks Jan

[@Krydan]

Hoooly, this may be the best video I have ever seen on the Exposure Triangle! Such a creatively correct video!

[@dannylines8497]

Good to have you back!

[@luismoran7176]

Great video 🙌🏻 super informative , helpful and easy to understand for a beginner photographer like myself 😁

[@rajakhilesh]

Great informative video. This is by far one of the best photography tutorial videos I have come across on KZbin. Really very helpful for any new beginner photographers like myself. Cheers….👍

[@brendan.holt_]

Nice work! I’m a waffler, and always impressed how people can say what I want to say in a shorter amount of time. You did this 10 fold! This is a video I could share instead of trying to explain and boring the ears of many. Bravo, and thank you.

[@Codacolor]

Completely understand what you mean. Anytime I try to explain exposure to someone in person their eyes just glaze over. Now I have a video with examples in it I can send them instead!

[@am365]

Just wanted to say! Great presentation, very comprehensive! Finally understand exposure & how to use my camera, Wow worth 29 minutes. Thank you!!!

[@janq-h8139]

Thank you sooooo much, now it was easy to understand the effects of the triangle. Regards from 🇳🇴

[@ebreevephoto]

So happy to have you back!!!!

[@yogasukmap]

man, this video is so good for covering fundamental aspect of photography, and you did great with the video, also how the hell you did everything by yourself only!

[@jetingchen]

unbelievable production and lesson quality. thanks Cody.

[@geromemanicia3809]

I wanted to pick up my camera again and this video came at the most perfect timing. Thank you for sharing!

[@nomimidzu8984]

Thank you for a very interesting and informative lecture!

[@RasheedKhan-he6xx]

It really wasn't very long ago that a half hour documentary style video of this quality in its planning, dialogue, direction and editing was firmly in the domain of large budget TV production houses. And so I am genuinely impressed because not only was this a treat to watch, it was extremely well written. It's the best entry level presentation of the exposure paradigm I have ever seen. That being said I do feel there is one thing you perhaps should have touched on and one thing that, speaking personally as guy in his 50s who started off shooting in film, I would have liked to see. The first: I feel you should have touched on how the camera decides what is a good exposure. Because the beginner photographers you address in this video will not understand why a building they shot in bright sunshine under a very blue sky turns out completely under-exposed - because the camera was trying to average the light across the entire frame and the exposure got "skewed" by how bright the sky was. So perhaps a quick mention of exposure mode settings (centre, average etc) and the compensation dial would have been helpful. And the second issue, which is related, is I wish you'd taught the old thumb-rules of exposure like Sunny 16. In film you had to know these because of course there was no chimping and in my opinion they helped make you a better photographer. Honestly these are not criticisms, just suggestions for if you should ever do this again or decide on making a part 2. I did love the video. Edit - I see you actually did include one thumb-rule in your pinned comment. Excellent!

[@rlgenge]

Thank you, for a great concise video, packed with great information and practical examples. Extremely well delivered. After a disappointing days shooting it does me good to be reminded of the basics. Now subscribed.

[@leoguy1979]

I been a photographer for many many years and I still have problems at times with what to choose when it comes to proper expose, iso and shutter. To someone that is new to this your video was very well done and explained many things without going into full detail and confusing people more rather than explaining 😂 recently I been playing with both the shutter and aperture more usually keeping my ISO to 100 because of the noise. I been doing lots of moon shots at night and early in the morning and just playing with those two setting have been giving me amazing results. I have an older Nikon D7200 and using a Sigma up to 300mm lense. I'm gonna keep watching your videos. Very insightful content.

[@MulletStainz]

Man this video was shot so nicely

[@AndyRSV]

Man, this is top 1 learning ressource / video. Well explained and demonstrated with various example!

[@adrianxrodrigues]

I like the color in those photos, did you did any post-processing? if yes you should make a video about how you edit them :)

[@marcusaurelius6607]

man, you’re the best, thank you! much love from singapore!

[@maritimuse9127]

What a great video! Thank you for this, being new to photography, this taught me a lot!

[@TimboStash]

This is really awesome knowledge, expertly and clearly presented. Thanks for the education! There was a lovely piece of video when you were driving and the tops of the trees were lit up - nice work.

[@zAzNzO]

Thank you so soooo much for this. I just got an XT5 and this video was EVERYTHING. Thank you.

[@bort42]

No better feeling than seeing that Cody Mitchell just uploaded a half hour video

[@nectarioslelekis2238]

Literally the BEST photography ‘how to’ video 👍

[@josephlai1078]

Excellent video with very intuitive instructions. A quick question, as you shoot mostly landscape, I assume you rarely use spot metering? Cheers and welcome back. I still use your tips on using light meter for metering when shooting film. One of the best things that helped me with my photography.

[@dlc1119]

While I 'knew' all this, it still helps to see it so well-presented. Thumbs way up.

[@mosfear]

Thanks for posting. Nicely put together, although I was a little surprised you headed off at 13:00 to discuss ND filter effects. Not personally being a big fan of 'slow water', I guess I expected you to suggest the compromise exposure of iso 200, ss 1/125 and F/8...

[@mikewolfe9458]

Nice! Great to see you back here.

[@neilattuk]

Thank you. So well explained and easy to understand. The best explanation of the triangle I have seen.

[@nige]

That was incredible. The one that you never mentioned the settings used (or I just blatantly missed it) is the one where your head was blurry but the background was clear. Do you recall what settings are used to get such a unique photo? This was a great video to watch. I am definitely going to watch it again. Thanks!

[@lucdelhaize4029]

Dude you have mastery of cinematography as well or you are with someone who does.

[@chriscorey5164]

Another excellent video. So glad that you are back at it.

[@jstnjeergdss]

Yea, great content my dude. As others have said...this was an efficient, clear and well-produced way of explaining exposure. Thank for this! Subsribed.

[@perancisboleh]

Thanks for sharing all this very practical knowledge with us all here ! I'm a new subscriber.

[@photographlisbon]

I already know about settings but I did enjoy the landscapes and found it very interesting how you explained everything. Very good video.

[@hawhawroyce]

Amazing explanation - clear, concise, and well demonstrated!

[@xTheTamingx]

This is the best video I've found. Thanks for this!

[@dxbrvp]

I purchased the X-T5 for the same reason you did and am experimenting as well. Would love to see a follow-up vid of what you have learned with it and some recommendations. Love that you are back,BTW

[@MJennifer]

This is a 10/10 video. Very well done. Bravo 👏🏻

[@DanielVanKerckhoven]

Very well done. What with the exposure compensation ?

[@mauriciocalheiro]

Excellent explanation. Thank you!

[@just_eirik]

This is a great video! I’m sure beginners will learn a lot from it. I’ve been shooting for many years and I still use aperture priority most of the time. I usually don’t need full manual control and it slows me down. But since I’m lucky enough to shoot with Fujifilm X-T5, when I need a different shutter speed or iso than the camera is choosing in certain situation, I can quickly take manual control of them by just turning the dial. I also have a camera without dials like that, and on that camera I have to switch modes in situations like that. Basically I’m saying that Fuji’s X-T series cameras gives you superior control over the exposure triangle, compared to most other cameras. IMO ofc. :)

[@stayontarget999]

Thank you for creating this Fantastic explanation. I wish I had seen something like this decades ago.

[@Focal_Paradox]

@26:00 or... Option 4. Choose to use the (entire) film at a higher ISO than the box speed and then push process the film during development. Another thing to consider when doing long (multi second) exposures with film is the reciprocity failure rate of the film being used. You can look up the films reciprocity factor to know how to adjust the exposure.

[@davidroseborough]

Well done! please do more of these

[@maxwmccoy]

Understanding Exposure - A Cody Mitchell Feature Film

[@andrewpreiss3923]

Great presentation, easy to understand and follow.

[@plythbird]

this is a great explanation of exposure, thank you!

[@skaleoleo]

This is golden! You Sir are awesome and your content is awesome!

[@scooby0000]

Very good explanation ! Thank you 🙏. Images says more than text books. I hope to learn much more from you 👌.

[@AkshayPande-n6c]

Sir your teaching style is awesome, can you please share the background music link you used from 23:40 duration

[@yoh2857]

Absolutely awesome work. It would be great to see a similar manual on film scanning/converting.

[@Codacolor]

You read my mind.

[@adrielleselma7801]

Wow this is so beautiful and informative! Thank you!

[@ericx3woo]

Thanks for making this! It helped me out a lot

[@BELGRANOization]

great job explaining it all. Loved it!

[@luisrosario1415]

Thank you so much. This helps allot. Appreciate the way you broke things down.

[@ssef3232]

the way you demonstrated the stops accross the triangle made it stupidly simple. I watched a few tutorials, some quite long, and none came close to this