PDF · US Letter · 48 pages
Print deck
One card per page on a light background, so it prints on any home printer without soaking the paper in ink. Keep the cards for your scenarios in the bag.
One scenario, one card
Every scenario card has the same four parts, in the same order, so you stop reading and start shooting.
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Quick Settings
Six tiles with the mode, aperture, shutter, ISO, focus, and lens or filter for the scene, taken directly from the scenario reference on this site.
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Start Here
One safe starting point built from the low end of each range. Set it, take a frame, check the histogram, and adjust from there.
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Dial It In
What each setting is doing for you and when to move it, in a sentence or two. The reasoning, not just the number.
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Field Tips
The three habits that matter most for that scene: where to focus, when to arrive, what to check before you pack up.
Two decks, one download
The same 48 cards laid out for paper and for a phone screen, plus every card as an image.
PDF · 1080 × 1920 · 48 pages
Phone deck
Dark theme sized for a phone screen, readable at low brightness. Swipe between cards in Files, Books, or any PDF app.
PNG · 48 images
Lock-screen cards
Every phone card as a separate image. Save the ones you need to Photos and set tonight's card as your lock screen before you head out.
36 scenarios, 8 planning tables
Each scenario card matches a page on this site. The planning tables put the numbers you look up most on cards of their own.
P Portraits
L Landscape and Nature
A Action and Motion
N Low Light and Night Sky
S Specialty
T Planning tables
- Exposure Stop Scales T-01
- The 500 Rule T-02
- ND Filter Exposure Table T-03
- Hyperfocal Distance T-04
- Handheld Minimum Shutter Speed T-05
- Exposure Compensation by Scene T-06
- White Balance Kelvin Guide T-07
- Aurora Kp Quick Reference T-08
How it is made and sold
Built from the live reference
Every value on every card is generated from the scenario pages on this site. Nothing is retyped, so the deck and the site cannot disagree.
Every edition is free
When the reference changes, the deck is rebuilt and the new edition goes to the email address used at purchase. Buy once.
30-day refund
If the deck is not useful to you, reply to your receipt within 30 days and the purchase is refunded. No questions.
One price, no countdowns
$19 is the price. There is no fake sale, no timer that resets at midnight, and no daily email pushing you to buy.
Questions
Which cameras does it work with?
Any camera with manual control: DSLR or mirrorless from any brand, and the manual or pro mode on a phone. The cards use generic terms (Aperture Priority, Manual, AF-C) rather than one brand's menu names, and the settings pages on this site explain each term.
How is this different from the free cheat sheets?
The free cheat sheets are three single pages: exposure basics, six scenes, and the Milky Way. The Field Guide is 48 cards: all 36 scenarios with reasoning and tips, eight planning tables, a phone edition, and lock-screen images, kept current as the site changes.
What exactly do I download?
One ZIP file that expands to a folder with the print deck (PDF, US Letter), the phone deck (PDF, 1080 × 1920), a folder of 48 card images (PNG), and a short README. On an iPhone, tap the ZIP in Files to expand it.
Do I need Lightroom or any other app?
No. A PDF reader and the Photos app are all it takes. Nothing to install and no account to create.
How do updates work?
The deck is generated from the settings reference on this site. When the reference changes, a new edition is built and emailed free to the address used at purchase. The edition number is printed on the closing page and in the README.
How is payment handled?
Checkout runs on Kit, with card processing by Stripe. Card details never pass through this site. Prices are in US dollars; Apple Pay and Google Pay are available where supported.
What if it is not for me?
Reply to your purchase receipt within 30 days and the purchase is refunded in full. Details are in the terms.
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