[blackecho]

Ok, I bought this nifty arse digital camera, a Fuji FinePix S3000. It's 3.2megapixel with a 6x optical zoom. It's also got a manual mode, although it's a half-*** manual mode. I plan on taking pictures of fast moving things but I can't figure out how to do it. Does anybody know how to change the ISO or shutter speed of this camera, or is there even a way?

It's got an Apperature Priority setting, what's that mean? The setting has three different settings, f2.8 f4.9 and f8.2. What do these mean and what do they do? I've noticed that when I change the apperature it gives me wierd numbers for the speed, like 1/2.8 or something like that. The fastest the camera can go is 1/1500 sec, how do i get that?

Thanks in advance!!!!

 

[hewee]

Try looking here.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/F3800/F38A.HTM

 

[slipe]

With your level of knowledge and willingness to read the manual I strongly suggest you use the sports mode (under “Scene”) to get the maximum available shutter speed for the available light. And use the portrait mode to blur the background with a portrait.

The sensor is just like film in that only a certain amount of light can reach it and get the picture right. Too much light and the highlights burn out. Too little and it is too dark. The camera can control 3 things to make it come out right:
Aperture is how much light it lets in – how big the hole is.
Shutter speed determines how long light can come in.
ISO determines the sensitivity of the sensor.

F2.8 is the most light your camera can let in and f8.2 the least. F8.2 lets in about 1/8 the light of f2.8.
In a given situation the wider the aperture the faster the shutter speed has to be to keep the light at that constant amount. Program mode gives the best combination for most situations and sports mode will open the aperture all the way so the shutter will go the fastest it can for the light.
If the camera has the lens full open and the shutter speed is still too slow for the zoom range it will increase the ISO. Doing that makes for noisier images.

If you set f2.8 in aperture priority you will get the fastest possible shutter speed for the light. Raising the ISO will give you a faster shutter speed at the cost of image quality.

 

[AlbertB]

I can recommend this site too:

S3000

Dig into it and you will find a tutorial on all aspects of using the camera.