Nikon D3000 Reference Manual

67

t

t

, S, A, and M modes offer different degrees of control over shutter 

speed and aperture:

Programmed auto 
(

0 68)

Camera sets shutter speed and aperture for optimal exposure. 
Recommended for snapshots and in other situations in which 
there is little time to adjust camera settings.

Shutter-priority auto 
(

0 69)

User chooses shutter speed; camera selects aperture for best 
results. Use to freeze or blur motion.

Aperture-priority auto 
(

0 70)

User chooses aperture; camera selects shutter speed for best 
results. Use to blur background or bring both foreground and 
background into focus.

Manual (

0 71)

User controls both shutter speed and aperture. Set shutter speed 
to “bulb” or “time” for long time-exposures.

D

When using a CPU lens equipped with an aperture ring (

0 158), lock the aperture ring at the 

minimum aperture (highest f-number). Type G lenses are not equipped with an aperture 
ring.

A

The same exposure can be achieved with different combinations of shutter speed and 
aperture. Fast shutter speeds and larger apertures freeze moving objects and soften 
background details, while slow shutter speeds and small apertures blur moving objects and 
bring out background details.