The Scene Modes
The Scene modes are groups of settings that are applied to an image to match the scene that you are shooting. Unlike Scene Intelligent Auto, which attempts to determine the scene for you and adjust the camera settings on your behalf, the Scene modes require you to choose the appropriate scene based on your needs.
In the past, the Mode dial on most Canon DSLRs displayed an icon for each Scene mode. On the 6D’s Mode dial, they’re rolled into a single icon: SCN. To change between the modes, press the Quick Control button on the back of your camera and hit the Set button on the uppermost option (A) (B).
Portrait Mode
Portrait shooting mode will help you take better portraits by blurring the background (with a wide aperture) and giving skin a softer look. You can choose the file format, ambience setting, drive mode, and white balance.
Landscape Mode
Landscape shooting mode is great for shooting wide-angle scenes of nearly any kind. It uses a smaller aperture to keep more of your image in focus (depth of field), and it boosts the saturation of greens and blues, allowing them to pop more than normal. You can choose the file format, ambience setting, drive mode, and white balance.
Close-Up Mode
Close-up mode should be used when you want to get very close to your subject, such as when shooting flowers with a macro lens. This setting uses a wider aperture, providing a shallower depth of field so that the background of the shot is out of focus. You can choose the file format, ambience setting, drive mode, and white balance.
Sports Mode
Sports mode is for when you want to photograph subjects that are moving, such as a soccer game or wildlife. The setting engages a faster shutter speed to help you “freeze” motion in the frame, and it continually tries to find focus if you press the shutter release button halfway as you track your subject. You can choose the file format, ambience setting, drive mode, and white balance.
Night Portrait Mode
Night Portrait mode is for taking photographs of people in low-light situations, such as at night or in a dark room. Unlike the standard Portrait mode, Night Portrait allows you to keep the shutter open for a longer period of time to help you obtain a more natural-looking background. Flash is required, and it is recommended that you use a tripod. You can choose the file format, ambience setting, drive mode, and white balance.
Handheld Night Scene Mode
Handheld Night Scene is for the more adventurous photographers who want to take photographs at night without a tripod. In this mode, four shots are taken for each image. The shots are then blended together to produce a bright photo with reduced camera shake. You can choose the file format, ambience setting, drive mode, and white balance.
HDR Backlight Control Mode
HDR Backlight Control mode is best used when you want to produce an image with more detail in both the bright and dark areas. Three shots are taken at different exposures and then blended together to produce a single image with less loss of shadow and highlight detail. You can choose the file format, ambience setting, drive mode, and white balance.
When to Use the Basic Zone
New photographers who are still learning the fundamentals of exposure might find comfort in the Basic zone. But you are giving up a lot of control when it comes to the overall look and feel of your images.
If you find that you are not getting the results you are after using the Basic zone, it might be time to give the Creative zone a try. You will have much more control over the settings that affect the capture of motion and depth of field, and you can more creatively determine the exposure that works for your photograph.