Printable cheat sheet

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 camera settings

Reliable starting points for every common scene — tuned to the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 and its EF-S 18-55mm STM kit lens. Keep it on your phone or print it for your bag.

Your camera: APS-C sensor (1.6× crop) · Kit lens EF-S 18-55mm STM (f/4–f/5.6) · Clean ISO to about 6400 · Max shutter 1/4000 · Creative modes labelled Av (Aperture Priority) and Tv (Shutter Priority).
SceneModeApertureShutterISOWhy
Bright daylightAvf/8auto (~1/500+)100Sharpest aperture, cleanest file.
Portrait · blurred backgroundAvf/4 (wide open)~1/250100–400Zoom in, step close, focus the near eye.
Action · kids · petsTv1/1000Auto (cap 6400)Fast shutter freezes motion; let ISO float.
Landscape · sharp throughoutAvf/8–11auto100Focus about a third into the scene.
Indoors · low lightAvf/4auto1600–6400Open wide, raise ISO, brace yourself.
Sunset · golden hourAvf/8auto100Expose for the bright sky; let foreground fall.
Night · cityAvf/4auto (steady)1600–6400Brace on something solid or use a tripod.
Night sky · starsMf/4~15 s1600–6400Tripod + manual focus to ∞; widest lens.
Macro · close-upAvf/8–11auto100–400Depth is razor-thin up close; tripod helps.
Panning motionTv1/30–1/60100Track the subject smoothly; background streaks.
These are starting points, not rules. Take the shot, check the back of the screen, and nudge. Your Av/Tv dials and the camera's meter fine-tune through the actual lens — the cheat sheet just gets you in the right ballpark fast.

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