Recipes

Concrete scenarios with the exact settings and lens to use — and the one failure to watch for. Filter by what you're shooting, the light, and which lens is on the camera.

Mode
Subject
Light
Lens

24 recipes

Photo · Places · Bright · 10-20 G

Architecture & verticals

10–14mmAf/8AutoISO 100

Keep the sensor level so verticals stay parallel, then use the ultra-wide to take in a whole facade.

Video · Motion · Bright · 10-20 G

B-roll slow motion (4K120)

10mmMf/41/250ISO Auto

Shoot 4K120 for buttery slow motion — just remember the crop turns your 10mm into a ~24mm equivalent.

Photo · Places · Night · 10-20 G

Blue-hour cityscape

10–16mmAf/8Auto (1–4 s)ISO 100

The short window when the sky still glows and the city lights balance it — shoot from a tripod at ISO 100.

Photo · People · Low · 17-70 VC

Concert & stage

50–70mmSf/2.81/250ISO auto 3200–12800

Fast glass and a fast shutter freeze a moving performer under coloured, unpredictable stage light.

Video · People · Mixed · 17-70 VC

Event speeches

50–70mmMf/2.81/50ISO Auto (capped 6400)

A tripod, a long-enough focal length, face-priority AF, and clean sound off the source carry a speech.

Photo · Places · Night · Either lens

Fireworks

17–24mmMf/112–4 sISO 100

A tripod, a small aperture, and a multi-second exposure paint whole firework trails onto a clean sky.

Photo · Things · Mixed · 17-70 VC

Food at the table

35–70mmAf/4–5.6Auto (min 1/125)ISO auto 100–1600

Shoot into soft window light at f/4, focus on the nearest hero element, and keep white balance honest.

Photo · People · Golden · 17-70 VC

Golden-hour portrait

50–70mmAf/2.8Auto (min 1/250)ISO auto 100–3200

Wide open at 70mm, let golden light do the colour work while f/2.8 lifts your subject off the background.

Photo · People · Low · 17-70 VC

Indoor gathering, low light

17–35mmAf/2.8Auto (min 1/125)ISO auto 100–6400

Open to f/2.8, trust ISO 3200–6400, and let human recognition hold faces across a dim room.

Video · People · Mixed · 17-70 VC

Interview setup

50mmMf/2.81/50ISO Auto (capped 6400)

A 50mm at f/2.8 on a tripod, soft key light, face-priority AF, and — above all — a clean external mic.

Photo · Motion · Bright · 17-70 VC

Kids & sports outdoors

70mmSf/41/1000ISO Auto

Shutter priority at 1/1000 with a burst and eye tracking catches fast, unpredictable action outdoors.

Photo · Places · Bright · 10-20 G

Landscape at hyperfocal

10mmAf/8AutoISO 100

Focus a third of the way in at f/8 and let the hyperfocal distance carry everything from your feet to the horizon.

Photo · Things · Mixed · 17-70 VC

Macro-ish flowers

70mmAf/8–11AutoISO auto 100–800

The Tamron's close focus at 70mm fills the frame with a bloom — stop down and nail focus on the thin plane.

Photo · Places · Night · 10-20 G

Night sky basics

10mmMf/415–20 sISO 3200–6400

Wide, fast, and steady — gather starlight with a long exposure short enough to keep the stars as points.

Photo · Motion · Bright · 17-70 VC

Panning cars

35–70mmSf/81/60ISO 100

A slow shutter and a smooth swing keep the car sharp while the background melts into streaks of speed.

Photo · Motion · Bright · 17-70 VC

Pets in motion

50–70mmSf/2.8–41/1000ISO Auto

A fast shutter freezes the leap while animal-eye recognition keeps a moving pet pin-sharp.

Photo · Things · Mixed · 17-70 VC

Product on a desk

35–70mmAf/8AutoISO 100–400

Soft window light, a tripod, and f/8 give a clean, sharp product shot with honest colour.

Photo · Places · Mixed · 17-70 VC

Rainy-day reflections

24–50mmAf/5.6Auto (min 1/125)ISO auto 100–3200

Wet streets turn every puddle into a mirror — get low, expose for the lights, and skip the polarizer.

Photo · People · Golden · 17-70 VC

Silhouette at sunset

35–70mmAf/8AutoISO 100

Expose for the bright sky and let your subject go black — a clean shape against colour.

Photo · People · Bright · 17-70 VC

Street candid

35mmAf/5.6Auto (min 1/250)ISO auto 100–3200

A natural 35mm, f/5.6 for a forgiving focus margin, and a fast shutter to catch the moment as it happens.

Photo · Places · Bright · 17-70 VC

Travel, one-lens day

17–70mmAf/5.6Auto (min 1/250)ISO auto 100–6400

One versatile zoom, a sensible baseline, and no lens changes — so you shoot the day instead of managing gear.

Video · People · Mixed · 10-20 G

Walk-and-talk vlog

10–12mmMf/41/50ISO Auto

Ultra-wide at arm's length with Active SteadyShot turns handheld walking into near-gimbal footage.

Photo · Places · Mixed · Either lens

Waterfall long exposure

24–50mmAf/111–2 sISO 100

An ND filter and a tripod turn moving water to silk while a polarizer cuts the glare off wet rock.

Photo · People · Mixed · 17-70 VC

Window-light portrait

50–70mmAf/2.8Auto (min 1/125)ISO auto 100–1600

Turn a subject toward a soft window and let the best free light you own do the work at f/2.8.