Olympus® PEN E-PL1 For Dummies®

Chapter 3. Easy Breezy: Shooting in iAuto, Scene, and Movie Modes

In This Chapter

• Getting the best results in iAuto mode

• Dipping your toe in creative waters with the help of Live Guide

• Selecting a picture type in SCN mode

• Shooting high-definition movies

Are you old enough to remember the Certs television commercials from the 1960s and '70s? "It's a candy mint!" declared one actor. "It's a breath mint!" argued another. Then a narrator declared the debate a tie and spoke the famous catchphrase: "It's two, two, two mints in one!"

Well, that's sort of how I see the PEN E-PL1. On one hand, it provides a full range of powerful controls, offering just about every feature a serious photographer could want. On the other, it also offers two "almost automatic" shooting modes, iAuto and SCN (Scene, if you can afford to buy a vowel), that enable people with absolutely no experience to capture beautiful images. "It's a sophisticated photographic tool!" "It's as simple as point-and-shoot!" "It's two, two, two cameras in one!"

Now, my guess is that you bought this book for help with your camera's advanced side, so that's what other chapters cover. This chapter, however, is devoted to your camera's point-and-shoot side, explaining how to get the best results from the iAuto and SCN modes. In addition, this chapter walks you through the steps involved in recording movies with your E-PL1 — a process that's ...