If you have a new camera, you’re going to want to change from the factory settings that your camera is pre-set with, so you can get the best photos you can!

In this blog post, I’m going to share with you the 10 settings that I personally change when I get my hands on a new camera, so that I have my camera set up exactly the way I want it.

If you’ve been shooting a while, and have just upgraded to a new camera, you can simply use this checklist to make sure you remember everything!

If you are new to photography, then don’t set your camera up in exactly the same way until you are sure that you know how to use each setting correctly! Simply consider this as a checklist of settings you might want to learn more about.

Are you ready to dive in?!

If so, let's kick it off with the first thing on my menu which is…

#1 Change Image Quality to RAW

I always change the Image Quality from JPEG to RAW. This is because I want to have the full range of tones in the image available, so that I get the most control over editing my image.

Plus, I don’t want the camera to make any editing decisions for me, I want to do that myself, so shooting in RAW gives me the power to get my images looking exactly the way I want it!

I do recommend shooting in RAW if you can (and you have editing software to edit your images) because you have that control if you need it.

If you want to read more about the difference between RAW and JPEG, be sure to give this post Raw In Photography a read!

#2 Change White Balance to Custom

I always move white balance away from the AUTO setting, and will usually set this to custom, so that I can set my own white balance with my Expodisc.

I want to make sure that the colors are right in my image, so I don’t like to use AWB as that can often get it wrong, particularly when shooting indoors.

I do recommend setting a custom white balance, as this can make all the difference to your photos!

#3 Change Metering Mode to Spot

I always use spot metering, or at least I do 99% of the time, so this is another must for me!

This means that my meter will show me the exposure level for a single area of the image that I select, which for me, is often the skin in a portrait, but I use it for other types of images too.

If all these terms are confusing for you, you’ll want to download my FREE photography guide and starter kit! If you are learning photography it’s worth it’s weight in gold, so be sure to download it here.

#4 Turn On Highlight Alert

I always turn on my highlight alert - this lets me see any areas of the image that are clipped when I’m setting my exposure, so that if it’s too bright in certain areas, then I can adjust my exposure before I start shooting away!

If you shoot Sony, this is one area where they are called something different - it’s called the zebra pattern, but it works in exactly the same way, it’s just called a different name.

#5 Image Review

Although I don’t look down at my screen after every shot, I do like to be able to quickly check my exposure, so I always have image review turned on, and I have it set to 4 seconds - that’s usually enough time for me to access the image, and make sure that everything is the way I want it before I keep shooting.

You can also change this with most cameras so that you can see the histogram when shooting too.

#6 Screen Brightness

I don’t do this right away with a new camera, but I find that on most DSLR or mirrorless cameras, the screen brightness is set way too high, and can throw me off my game when it comes to exposure.

So I normally take this down a level, and then what I see on my screen more accurately reflects the true exposure.

#7 Set Back Button Focus in Custom Controls

I like to use back button focus, so I always go into the custom menu, and change out the buttons for focus.

I remove focus from the shutter button, and assign that to the AF-ON button instead.

One of the first episodes here on the podcast, episode 3, is actually all about back button focus, so give that a listen if you want to know more.

The What, When and How of Using Back Button Focus

#8 Change AF Method to Single Point Focus

Staying on focus, I’ll also set my AF method to 1 point AF.

This allows me to choose the focus point instead of my camera, which is really important for getting sharp images,because otherwise the camera is going to pick the focus point for me, and that may not be exactly where I want it to be!

#9 Servo AF - Multi Purpose Setting

Remember at the beginning I said I would set my camera up in the same way for a rebel or other entry level camera? This is the only one that you won’t have access to if you have an entry level camera.

My camera has different “case settings” for focus, but I leave it on Case 1 multi-versatile settings most of the time!

#10 Drive Mode

This one maybe isn’t as crucial as the others, but I always like to change my drive mode too.

By default, most cameras will be set up for single image shooting, which means every time you press the shutter button it captures a single photo. Even if you keep your finger down on the shutter button, it will still only record one solitary image.

So I change my drive mode to continuous. In this mode, your camera will continue to take photos for as long as you have your finger pressed down on the shutter release button - or at least until your buffer fills up. This is really useful for action shots, when you might not be able to press the shutter at exactly the right moment - having continuous mode on means you get a burst of shots, which can help you nail that perfect moment.

Your homework!

As you know, I like to make my posts actionable, so I've got a little homework for you to do!

I want you to think about the settings that I’ve mentioned here, and whether you could benefit from making those changes with your camera.

If you use something different, and you know why you use it, then go ahead and continue with that - my settings aren’t magic settings, they’re just what I use after shooting and experimenting for 13 years.

But if you are starting out, and some of these settings don’t mean anything to you, or you’re still using the auto version of that setting (for example, having the camera set the focus point, or using evaluative metering on your camera) then consider this a little list of things to start to learn.

I would also recommend that you download my free Photography Starter Kit and Guide - it’s going to go over a lot of these things for you, and give you a reference guide so you know what you should be learning.

I really hope you enjoyed this post and it’s given you some ideas about what to change on your own camera!