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Camera skills
CAMERA TECHNIQUES
Master your Canon D-SLR in 12 hours! Take control of your Canon camera, and start taking top shots in just one day – we can guarantee great results!
B
uying or upgrading to a new Canon D-SLR is an exciting event for any amateur photographer. However, that excitement can soon give way to frustration when you discover that you can’t get the best out of your D-SLR because you’re overwhelmed by all the options and features, and you find that your photos just aren’t coming out as you’d hoped. The Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook team are all dedicated Canon photographers, and we’re here to
All images Peter Travers
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help you be the boss of your camera and get great pictures; but we’re also aware that your time is precious, and that you don’t have endless days to spend trying to master digital photography. So, over the following eight pages, we’ve created an easy-tofollow guide designed to help you take control of your D-SLR, improve your shooting skills and start capturing the shots you’ve always wanted – in just 12 hours! So set your alarm, and let’s get started…
Camera skills
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Camera skills
Basic Zone W
ithin the Basic Zone – next to the Image Zone picture modes – are full automatic and slightly more advanced auto modes. On older EOS cameras, like the 550D/T2i and 60D, you have Full Auto (green square), while on newer EOS cameras like the 600D/T3i, 700D/T5i and 5D Mk III, you get the improved Scene Intelligent Auto (A+) mode instead. In both Full Auto/A+ modes, all you need to do is point and shoot, your camera sets everything automatically. Most EOS cameras (from the 500D/ T1i onwards) also have a Creative Auto mode, where you can change a few more advanced settings, but in a simplified way…
FLASH OFF A
lso found within the Basic Zone modes is Flash Off, which does exactly what you’d think and ensures the built-in flash doesn’t pop up. This can be helpful if you’re shooting indoors in places that have a ban on flash photography (eg art galleries, sporting events, churches) or if you’re shooting a portrait and don’t want flash interfering. It effectively sets a high ISO setting (and suitable shutter speed) to prevent camera shake.
Full Auto is fine for quick snaps but offers little control – this shot is underexposed, the f/6.3 aperture gives very limited depth of field, and white balance is a bit too cool
FULL AUTO/A+ W hether your EOS camera has Full Auto (green square) or A+ (Scene Intelligent Auto) mode, they both work in a similar way – you concentrate on framing your pictures, while the auto mode analyses the scene and automatically picks the best settings to capture it. In A+ it will also set an ‘Auto’ Picture Style, which makes fine adjustments to colours. So, you simply aim at your scene or subject, press the shutter button halfway and wait for an AF point to highlight and beep to confirm you’ve achieved focus, then fully press the button to take the shot. Your camera sets
everything from exposure brightness to ISO to metering, and will also change the autofocus mode from One-Shot AF to AI Servo AF if your subject moves. The flash might pop up if you’re shooting indoors, it’s dark or lighting conditions are low. Full Auto/A+ is a good all-rounder for shooting ‘everything’, but of course, like the Image Zone picture modes, you have no control or ability to tweak settings if your shots are too bright or dark, if the flash pops up, if the ISO is too high or low, of if the aperture is too wide or the shutter speed is too fast, or white balance a little off. Creative Auto offers a simple way of determining your depth of field
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Camera skills
CREATIVE AUTO T
he Creative Auto (CA) mode (found on D-SLRs like the 500D/T1i and 7D and later) is perfect for enthusiast photographers looking to break out of the auto modes. The CA mode enables you to change a few key settings – in a simplified way. Press the Q button, then on the rear LCD you can use the dial to change the amount of background blur by moving the index mark left to blur the background more, and to the right to sharpen the background. This,
basically, is a simplified (or perhaps more complicated!) way of adjusting depth of field by changing the aperture from wide to narrow. In CA, you can also adjust the Drive mode (from Single Shot to Continuous to Self-timer) and turn the flash firing from auto to on or off. Plus, as in the Image Zone picture modes, you can set the ‘ambience’ of your shots – from standard, vivid, soft, warm, intense, cool, brighter, darker and monochrome.
EOS D-SLR Mode dials
650D/T4i Entry-level cameras have the most auto shooting modes as beginners will be comfortable with the picture modes found on compact cameras they’ve upgraded from.
EOS 60D Mid-range models have the usual Image and Basic Zone modes, the Creative Zone of P, Tv, Av, M and B – and also C for registering a custom mode of your choosing.
EOS 5D Mk III
EOS 7D Semi-pro models forego the Image Zone modes altogether, but offer custom exposure modes for creating your own presets for different shooting scenarios.
The higher-spec the EOS, the fewer shooting modes you get. Note that 1D-series cameras don’t even have a Mode Dial – and only have P, Av, Tv and M modes!
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Camera skills
CANON D-SLR TECHNIQUES
Master your Canon lenses How to shoot with any lens, from wide-angle and telephoto zooms to macro, prime and fisheye…
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enses. We all own one in some shape or form, and tend to take them for granted. But are you sure you’re getting the most from that pricey bit of glass stuck on the end of your Canon D-SLR? What lens you pick to shoot a subject, and how you use it, has a massive influence on the quality of your photographs. For example, the focal length affects how much of the scene you can include, which in turn will influence the viewpoint and composition. The apertures available on your lens will affect the depth of field, and will also determine the available shutter speeds. Certain lenses lend themselves to certain subjects. A wide-angle lens is the natural choice for landscapes, while for sports and
action you’ll almost automatically reach for a telephoto. But lens choice isn’t always this obvious. By understanding how each lens affects your images, you can think a little more laterally, and get even more eye-catching results by using a lens that you wouldn’t normally use for a particular subject. To discover the effect of different types of lens on your images, the subjects you shoot, and even the way you look at the scene in front of you, we’ve provided a straightforward guide to the main types of lenses: from 10-20mm wide-angles, 50mm primes and 70-300mm telephoto
Using different types of lenses on your Canon D-SLR provides you with the opportunity to capture scenes in original ways
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zooms to 8mm fisheye and 100mm macro lenses. And whether you use Canon, Sigma, Tamron or Tokina lenses on your D-SLR, our tips will be relevant to you. So read on how to discover everything you need to know about your collection of lenses, and how to get the most from them. We’ll also help you overcome some of the most common Canon-fit lens problems!
Camera skills
All photography: Future
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Want to get more from your D-SLR? We reveal the top tips, menu options and hidden settings that will transform your photography
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ou can capture great images with your Canon D-SLR straight out of the box, but your results will be even better once you start to leave behind the auto options and presets, and take control of shutter speed, lens aperture, white balance, ISO and other shooting settings yourself. And things get even more interesting when you start exploring the customisable settings, because it’s here that you can tinker with the innermost workings of your
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camera, and configure it in a way that suits your own style. Our aim is to show you just what your Canon is capable of – and we’re willing to bet it’s a lot more than you think! There are differences between cameras, of course, and newer or more advanced models will have features that older or more basic models lack. We’ll indicate broadly which cameras have which features as we go along, but you may need to check your own camera’s manual to find out for sure.
Camera skills
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Canon PROBLEM #6
How should I clean my Canon?
Keep your EOS D-SLR running smoothly with our spring cleaning guide
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our EOS camera is a picture-taking tool that’s been designed to capture tens of thousands of photos without problems, and your lenses should provide a lifetime of service, too. But, like all tools, it needs to be looked after if it’s to keep running smoothly. By far the biggest concern is sensor dust. When you change lenses, ‘dust’ (which includes dust, pollen, filaments and other debris) can enter the camera and be deposited on the filter in front of the sensor. Dust can even be generated inside the camera, by the friction between moving parts. Whatever the cause, the result is the same: blotches in the same place on every frame. When you consider that the imaging sensor inside your EOS is packed with millions of receptors, yet isn’t much bigger than a postage stamp, you can imagine how much detail a minute piece of dust could potentially obscure an image.
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Sensor dust is most noticeable in areas of smooth, pale tones such as skies, particularly if you’re shooting with narrow apertures, and it becomes particularly obvious if you use a narrow aperture and slow shutter speed during a panning shot. Bear in mind that it’s only once you’ve taken a picture and you’re looking at it on the rear LCD or on a computer that you’ll spot sensor dust. If you notice other specks when you’re looking through the viewfinder, it’s either the viewfinder window or the mirror inside the camera that require a quick blast from a rubber bulb blower. The Integrated Cleaning System inside your EOS does a fine job of vibrating most of the offending particles away from the sensor, but it isn’t perfect. Image-editing programs such as Photoshop make removing any shake-resistant spots relatively simple, but it’s better to remove
the dust from the sensor directly. If you’ve got the right tools and lots of patience you can have a go yourself; although bear in mind that you’ll void your warranty, and replacing a scratched sensor doesn’t come cheap! If in any doubt, leave it to a Canon-approved service centre (there’s a list at www.canon.com/support).
Just how dirty is your sensor?
The imaging sensor is protected by a glass filter, and it’s this that you actually remove dust from when ‘sensor cleaning’
Body beautiful
Before you head inside the camera, give it a thorough clean outside. We’re all guilty of giving the rear screen a quick rub with a handful of T-shirt, but it pays to be a bit more thorough every month or so – and more frequently if you’re shooting in harsh environments. Start with a blower bulb and brush to remove solid fragments around dials, buttons
When the sensor has been cleaned – either automatically, by the camera or manually, by you – take a test shot to check that all is clear. Switch the camera to Av mode, and set the narrowest aperture available on the lens. Photograph a bright, clean area – a piece of white paper is ideal – with the lens manually focused at a close distance. Upload this shot to your imaging software and apply Auto Levels or the equivalent to show up any specks. The bottom of the image actually represents the top of the sensor, so flip the image vertically to find out where on the sensor the dust lies prior to cleaning it. A sensor loupe – a device incorporating a magnifying lens and lights that fits over the lens mount – is also a great aid here.
Sensor ‘dust’ is usually evident as out-of-focus blobs. View the image at 100% in Photoshop…
and seals. You can then start cleaning the surface with a microfiber cloth (keep separate cloths for the camera body and your lenses). If you’ve been shooting near the sea, give the camera body a rub down with a cloth lightly moistened with fresh water, to remove any traces of salt spray. Remove grime around the lens mount using a lint-free tissue (face the camera down, to
“We’re all guilty of giving the rear screen a quick rub-down with a handful of T-shirt”
STEP BY STEP
How to clean the sensor in your EOS
Warning: dust-spotting your camera’s sensor requires a gentle touch and the right equipment…
Try auto cleaning
Make sure the camera battery is fully charged, then select the ‘Sensor cleaning’ option in the second Setup (yellow) menu. Choose the automatic option to start with.
Switch to manual
If dust persists, return to the sensor cleaning menu and select the manual option. This locks the mirror up and opens the shutter. Remove the lens to get access to the sensor.
Use a blower
First, use a manual air blower to dislodge any particles – face the camera down so that these fall out of the body. Avoid using a compressed air can. Now take a test shot.
Start dry cleaning
If dust remains, charge a sensor brush for ten seconds and carefully drag this over the sensor. If dirt is stuck to the sensor, do a wet clean with a swab and sensor cleaning fluid.
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Essential kit
Macro lenses Ready for your close-up? A true macro lens enables you to reveal minuscule detail that’s almost invisible to the naked eye…
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Essential kit
T
he ‘macro’ badge often seems to be bandied about willy-nilly, being slapped onto zoom lenses that offer as little as 0.3x magnification. All of the lenses in this roundup are true macro prime optics, offering full 1.0x or 1:1 magnification. This simply means that, at each lens’s closest focus distance, objects are reproduced at full life size on the camera’s image sensor. For example, cameras like the 650D/ T4i or 60D have APS-C sensors with a physical size of about 22x15mm. Use a 1.0x macro lens at its closest focus setting and even an object as small as a postage stamp will more than fill the image frame.
When you consider that these cameras have 18Mp of image resolution, the potential for enlarging tiny objects to enormous sizes on screen or in print is spectacular. When photographing stamps, coins and other objects with flat surfaces you’ll often want the entire subject to be sharp. At their shortest focus distances, macro lenses have an incredibly shallow depth of field, so it’s important that the lens has no field curvature, where the focus point is at a different distance towards the corners and edges of the frame than at the centre. True macro lenses are ‘flat field’ optics, so when you shoot a flat surface head-on,
OUR TEN on test 1 T amron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro £259 / $499 2 Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM £309 / $479 3 Tamron SP AF 60mm f/2 Di II Macro £299 / $524 4 Sigma 70mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro £299 / $499 5 Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM £379 / $599 6 Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro £329 / $669 7 Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di Macro £579 / $739 8 Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM £669 / $849 9 Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM £1,150 / $1,399 10 Sigma 180mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro £1,099 / $1,699
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