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CAMERA SKILLS
A TO Z OF THE CANON EOS DSLR SYSTEM From Autofocus to Zoom lenses: learn all about the cameras, lenses and other kit in the EOS system in our in-depth guide
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he Canon EOS DSLR system is about much more than just cameras. It incorporates lenses, flashguns, GPS units, Wi-Fi units, image processing software and much more – in fact, it’s everything you need to produce stunning images, from pressing your camera’s shutter button to editing and printing out your photos. In this guide you’ll discover all you need to know to help you get to grips with your
EOS DSLR, including exposure modes and settings, autofocus and other shooting settings, and tips on using the LCD and viewfinder displays. You’ll also learn about EF lenses, flashguns and flash settings, printers, and Canon’s Digital Photo Professional software, amongst other topics. Over the next 13 pages we’ll equip you with keys skills, and share our top tips, to help you get more out of the EOS system, and your photography, with our amazing and in-depth A to Z guide…
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CONTROL YOUR CANON
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Canon Advanced Handbook
A is for… Autofocus
ZONE AF
ALO is available on all current EOS DSLRs, and is designed to even out contrast by selectively adjusting areas of the image. It’s great for backlit subjects, as it can detect faces and brighten them for a better, balanced exposure. It can be set to Low, Standard or Strong, but only affects JPEGs, not Raw files.
You can set your Canon DSLR’s autofocus system to use all its AF points, or select individual points or groups of points for more precise focusing
SINGLE-POINT AF
ANTI-FLICKER SHOOTING
The Anti-flicker shooting function of the EOS 7D Mk II, EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R cameras is designed to ensure optimal exposure when you’re shooting in environments that are lit by fluorescent or flickering light. In A+ mode antiflicker shooting is automatic.
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The autofocus systems in EOS DSLRs have never been more intelligent or more accurate. All the models in the EOS range offer a variety of AF points – from nine points in cameras like the EOS 700D, 100D and 1200D, up to 65 points in the EOS 7D Mk II. By default your camera’s AF system is set to Auto, so the camera will select the AF point it thinks should be in focus – usually the AF will lock on to the nearest subject in the frame. For greater flexibility – and to focus on the subject you want the AF to lock on to – you can manually select a specific AF point, or group of points.
AUTO LIGHTING OPTIMIZER (ALO)
CAMERA SKILLS
CANON EOS SYSTEM A-Z
High-end EOS DSLRs have an Anti-flicker shoot mode
CAMERA WORKSHOPS
B is for… Bracketing Depending on your DSLR, you can bracket exposures between +/-5 or +/-3 stops in 1/3-stop increments for three successive shots, enabling you to capture a range of exposures of the same scene: overexposed, underexposed, and standard for what the camera thinks is the ‘correct’ exposure. This improves your chances of getting a perfect exposure in tricky lighting; you can also combine shots for a high dynamic range image.
-1 STOP
STANDARD
+1 STOP
BULB MODE
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This variable shutter speed setting is designed for when you want exposures of more than 30 seconds. You open the shutter, and the exposure continues until you close it again. To eliminate camera vibration, however, a cable release or wireless remote must be used. With many EOS cameras you need to switch to Manual (M) exposure mode to access the Bulb, or ‘B’ mode.
BEEP It’s a good idea to bracket exposures in high-contrast lighting conditions – if you can’t pull all the shadow and highlight detail out of one of the shots you can combine images to capture the scene’s full tonal range Canon Advanced Handbook
If you’re fed up with the beeping sound that confirms when autofocus has been achieved you can turn it off. The Beep option in the camera menu is set to ‘On’ by default – just scroll down to select ‘Off’ to cancel it!
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The canon challenge
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MANvscamera
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It’s the ultimate challenge: a man armed with manual modes vs a fully auto Canon DSLR... who will win?
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Canon Advanced Handbook
CAMERA SKILLS
Dial M for manual
PHOTO PROJECTS camera WORKSHOPS
Canon Advanced Handbook
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nly robots rely on the automatic modes on their Canon DSLRs and editing software, right? Real photographers use manual options to really take control of their photography… Well, maybe it’s time to think again. Over the next 19 techniques challenges, you’ll discover who’s really calling the shots: you or your camera. We compare key automatic EOS camera options with their manual counterparts, and go head to head with Adobe software’s auto corrections. From shooting modes to exposure, focusing to processing, we reveal when it’s best to control your DSLR manually and when you can rely on auto settings…
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learnprosecrets
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Take your hobby to the next level with expert advice and success stories from the very best professional photographers
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Canon Advanced Handbook
MASSIVE EXPERT G • Build a UID • Set up brilliant online p E ortfo suc
CAMERA SKILLS
Make cash with your canon
• Essenti cessful skills wor lio ksho al sto • Discov ck library secre ps er your s ts pe • Shoot th e perfect ciality wedding • Sell you r prints
PHOTO PROJECTS
Over the next 12 pages you’ll find a comprehensive guide to getting started. We’ll show you smart ways in which you can make money with your existing photographic portfolio, and how to shoot a fresh stock of images that sell. We’re going to be realistic too; don’t expect to be inundated with commissions when you take your first steps into the world of freelance and semi-professional photography. Only a lucky few social media-savvy photographers can boast of ‘overnight’ success. In reality it takes time to build a name for yourself, as well as a collection
of cracking, commercial images. But it can be done. For instance, combining your other interests with your photography can put you ahead. Do you have an in-depth knowledge of fishing? Mad for martial arts? Have the hots for dogs? You’re more likely to pick up sales if you’re a big fish in a specialist pond. Don’t overlook the opportunities close to home, either. Offering to shoot your company’s corporate headshots or a local hairdresser’s marketing photos may generate enough word-of-mouth to start the ball rolling. Turn over the page for more easy first steps…
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Canon Advanced Handbook
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e’d find it hard to believe that any you first picked up a Canon camera with the intention of turning it into a cash machine. In fact, we’d put money on it. We’re in it for the art, escapism and enjoyment, right? The thing is, photography can be an expensive business. All the travelling. All the shiny new lenses and accessories. Software, storage, prints… it can soon start to mount up. So, if you can use your camera to earn yourself some extra cash to splash on new gear, then why not?
CAMERA SKILLS
photoprojects The Mission Learn how to paint with light and enhance the effect with reflections Time needed One hour
PHOTO PROJECTS
Skill level Intermediate Kit needed Tripod • Remote shutter release • Assortment of torches, LEDs and coloured cups
Light painting needn’t be carried out in the pitch black. In fact, a little dim ambient light will help enormously, as you can see what you’re doing. But the longer the exposure, the more the ambient light plays a part and the lighter the scene will be. You can see in the main image here that the glow from the city beyond the lake has lightened the sky. To the naked eye it was nowhere near as bright – but when exposed for a hundred seconds, it becomes much brighter.
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How dark?
Resources available on FileSilo
The light fantastic
Armed with a few torches and LEDs, spend an evening by a lake and learn how to create symmetrical light paintings
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n 1882, pioneering photographer Georges Demeny attached light bulbs to an assistant and told him to jump. Ever since then photographers have been combining moving lights and long exposures to ‘paint’ with light. For a fresh approach to the technique, we thought why not use reflective surfaces to enhance the effect? Whether it be water, glass, mirrors or even simple Photoshop image-flipping, a little reflected symmetry can take
amazing light-painted patterns to a whole new level. If you are new to light painting, you’re in for a treat. It’s one of those wonderful techniques that demonstrates just how exciting photography can be once you start experimenting with your exposure. A light painting is created by moving any light source through a dark scene while the camera’s shutter is locked open. In exposure terms, light is accumulative, so dragging a torch across the
Step by step Get set up for light painting Find out about the camera settings and gear you need to paint with light
01 Compose and focus
02 Set Bulb mode
03 Lock the shutter
04 Take a test shot
Set up on a tripod. It can be tricky to get the framing right so compose loosely. We don’t want the lens hunting for focus, so pre-focus on a point in the scene then switch to manual focus to lock it.
We need a remote release to lock open the bulb exposure, either a cable release or – even better – a wireless one. DSLRs with Wi-Fi can be triggered with a smartphone and Canon’s Camera Connect app.
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frame is like taking chalk to a blackboard. Besides a sturdy tripod, a dark environment and a few torches, the key here is your camera’s Bulb exposure mode, which lets you lock open the shutter for as long as you like. With it we can take exposures that last for several seconds or even minutes. Once you get the basics right, the real fun is in experimenting with different light sources and moves to create wonderful patterns like this. So let’s go…
DSLRs max out at 30 seconds, which usually isn’t long enough. For more time set Manual mode and dial the shutter speed down to Bulb. This way the shutter stays open for as long as the button is engaged.
Take a test shot to work out the ISO and aperture. Start at ISO100 and f/8, then start a Bulb exposure and try shining your light sources. If it’s too dark, open the aperture or bump up the ISO. Canon Advanced Handbook
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The light fantastic
PHOTO PROJECTS camera WORKSHOPS
ESSENTIAL camera skills DIY light-painting gear
An LED torch is a good choice for light painting, as they’re usually fairly strong, and you can shine them through coloured materials. For smooth flowing lines, attach them to a rod or piece of string. Canon Advanced Handbook
02 iPad
Tablet and phone screens can emit plenty of light, so you could use on-screen images to create all manner of light painting effects (such as the New York skyline you’ll see over the page).
03 Coloured cups
There are lots of specialist light-painting products out there, but you probably have items around the house that will work just as well. Taping a torch to a standard coloured cup worked for us.
04 Phone torch
Moving around in the dark, particularly near water, is tricky. A weak light such as your phone’s lock screen will help and shouldn’t show in the exposure if you shield the screen from the lens.
05 Lightsabre
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01 Torches
Kids’ toys, such as lightsabres or other light-emitting wands, are great for light painting. They also make it easier to create smooth, flowing shapes, as you can swing them in steady arcs.
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CAMERA SKILLS camera WORKSHOPS
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photoprojects
The Mission To create a vibrant lighting effect with cross polarization Time needed 45 mins
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Skill level Intermediate Kit needed Tripod • Polarizing filter • Light source (LCD monitor) • Plastic object or ornament
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Polarizing patterns Create a vibrant light show with festive decorations
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hotographers are forever playing around with, enhancing, modifying and experimenting with light for different dramatic effects. Here, we’ll show you how to generate vibrant colours from a cheap plastic ornament lit up by a laptop screen. The effect itself is called cross polarization, and our tutorial will guide you step by step through the process, including assembling the equipment.
Cross polarization has largely been forgotten about in the digital era. It’s actually a scientific application that finds weaknesses in clear glass and plastic, but it yields rainbow-like results that look great when put to creative use. We recommend going for really tacky Christmas decorations here – the cheaper the plastic, the better! To get started, you’ll need a polarizing filter to screw onto the front of your lens – if you don’t already have one, make sure you
get one that matches the thread size of your intended lens. The first step is to set up a computer monitor or laptop screen on a tabletop behind the ornament (which will act as another polarized light source). The best part about this project is – apart from a filter – you don’t need any additional kit. Focus and composition needn’t be tricky either. Grab your plastic trees, angels or snowflakes and conjure up rainbows of your own... Canon Advanced Handbook
Polarizing patterns
KIT REQUIRED the shooting section You only need a few bits of kit before you can start making rainbows 01 POLARIZING FILTER
The polarizing filter is key to creating the cross-polarization effect – no surprises there! We screwed a 72mm Hoya Circular Polarizing Filter on to the front of our lens, then rotated it to create the final effect.
02 CLamp or counter
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Resources available on FileSilo
03 LCD MONITOR
You might need to use a clip or clamp to hold oddly-shaped plastic objects steady in front of the screen. We didn’t need to do that here, as the bottom of our Christmas tree was flat and stood up on its own.
A computer or laptop monitor is the perfect background and light source for this project, as it has the polariser built in! Make sure you position the screen directly behind your subject at the same height.
PHOTO PROJECTS
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camera WORKSHOPS
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It’s best to mount your camera on a tripod, so that you don’t have to worry about motion blur if the indoor light levels are low. Set up your height and composition first, then tighten up the tripod head. Canon Advanced Handbook
05 DSLR & lens
It doesn’t matter too much what Canon DSLR and lens you use (as long as you’ve got a circular polarizer on). We used the 7D Mark II here with an 18-200mm lens, so that we could quickly recompose the shot.
06 PLASTIC ORNAMENT
As this technique works by showing up weaknesses in glass and plastic, it’s best to go for low-quality materials. Head to the budget section of the Christmas aisle and shop for acrylic items. Or, raid the attic!
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04 TRIPOD
CAMERA SKILLS camera WORKSHOPS
PHOTO PROJECTS
photoprojects
The Mission Capture splashes with high-speed photography Time needed 1 hour
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Skill level Intermediate Kit needed Close-focusing lens • Tripod • Liquid • Container • Objects to drop • Poster boards • Food colouring
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Splash without flash Check out this easy way to capture liquid motion
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aking photos of splashes and spills might not be anything new, but it’s always fun to try. Freezing motion using high-speed photography feels like magic, because it gives you a glimpse into everyday moments that usually happen too fast for our eyes to process. Many splash photographers make use of softboxes, Speedlites and a maze of triggers, but we’re here to show you how it can be done using just your Canon DSLR and a fast
shutter speed. When you attempt anything new there’s a learning curve involved, and this project is no different. Once you’ve set up, focusing is the first tricky element. By setting the lens to manual focus, you might need to adopt a slight trial-and-error approach and take plenty of test shots as you tweak the focus point. The shutter also needs to be fired at the perfect time, at exactly the moment when the object first hits the liquid. Don’t get frustrated if you can’t initially fire the shutter
at the same time as the splashes appear. Simply review your shots and work out whether you need to fire earlier or later next time. By dropping objects from the same height each time, you’ll find it easier to figure this variable out. Intricate splash shots like this can be a challenge for your patience, but they’re also a real chance to conjure up superdynamic still lifes. Shake things up by adding food colouring, try different objects, then give the final images a Photoshop boost. Canon Advanced Handbook
Splash without flash
Quick Tip!
The setup don’t splash out on kit It’s simpler than you’d think to capture freeze-frame drops The setup for this technique isn’t an overly complicated one, but like any still life shoot there are a few basic things to bear in mind. Because we’re using a completely flash-free technique to freeze movement, it does mean that you’re
reliant on having enough ambient light in your chosen environment. You need to reach shutter speeds that are fast enough to capture the splashes in mid-air, so ideally you should try to stay around 1/1000 sec or higher.
Set up outside, where you can harness daylight. This also means you’ll have more space to work with, and will be able to keep any mess away from a home environment. Shoot on days where there’s little wind and plenty of light!
Use a wireless remote release to fire off your camera in one hand and drop an object with the other hand
CAMERA SKILLS
Resources available on FileSilo
PHOTO PROJECTS
To freeze the motion of splashes, you’ll need to use a DSLR and set it to a very fast shutter speed in Manual or TV mode.
02 STURDY TRIPOD
Although you could handhold the camera for this project, it’s much simpler to mount it on a tripod and compose the scene.
03 work surface
Work in a garden or outdoor spot, to avoid splash explosions coating your house. Use a flat area such as a bench, chair or table.
ESSENTIAL ingredients what you’ll need
You can use water, milk, coffee, tea – or any other liquid that takes your fancy. Think carefully about the viscosity of the liquid – the thicker it is, the less dynamic the splash will be. Canon Advanced Handbook
02 POSTER BOARDS
White or black boards are an essential prop. One can be positioned underneath the container, and the other can be used as a plain backdrop. Alternate between the two colours, depending on the subject.
03 CONTAINER
You can use anything to hold the liquids, such as cups, mugs or trays. You might want to start with a big glass or plastic bowl until you’ve perfected the technique, so you have a bigger area to shoot.
04 objects to drop
For some reason, edible objects are the most fun to drop – and eat when no one is looking. Try out items in different sizes and shapes, such as fruits (berries work well), cereal or even mini-doughnuts.
05 food colouring
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01 LIQUID
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01 MANUAL MODE
Adding drops of colour to the liquids brings another level of interest and experimentation to this project. Invest in a few different hues and then swirl them around to get some great effects.
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CAMERA SKILLS camera WORKSHOPS
PHOTO PROJECTS
photoprojects
The Mission Capture landscapes under a full moon with a super-long exposure Time needed One hour
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Skill level Intermediate Kit needed Tripod • Cable release • Torch • Stopwatch
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Moonlighting
Shoot stunning landscapes by the light of the moon
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hen you’re shooting at a stunning location it’s easy to lose yourself in the moment and, before you know it, then light is fading. However, just because the sun goes down there’s no need to head home. If the moon is out and the skies are clear, you can continue shooting well into the night. To do so involves a fairly substantial long exposure. We’re not talking a few seconds here, more like a few minutes. Aside
from the need for a tripod and cable release, we also have to be able to expose correctly for the moonlight. But how to do this with such long exposures? We could experiment, but that might cost us an hour. Instead, the solution is to take a rough test shot with a really high ISO, then use it to work out an equivalent exposure, before capturing the final shot in Bulb mode. All exposures are a fine balance of three factors – aperture, shutter speed and ISO. If we tip the scales
in one direction, we can compensate later. This is why we talk about stops of light, as they’re a means of balancing the scales – a stop decreased here can be made up with a stop added there. A moonlight shoot like this can be a challenge for your camera skills and your patience – especially when exposures last eight minutes or more – but it’s a chance to capture landscapes under the ethereal light of the moon, and the results can be unexpectedly beautiful. Canon Advanced Handbook
Moonlighting
Shooting skills Get set up to shoot with moonlight Make the most of a full moon and head out at night for beautiful landscape photos 01 Bring a sturdy tripod
02 Focus with a torch
A head torch is vital for night-time shoots. Apart from the obvious benefit of being able to navigate rough terrain in the dark, you can shine the torch on foreground objects to aid focusing. And if you’re in a creative mood you could light paint with it.
03 Check light pollution
Light pollution is common near built-up areas. The reflected tungsten glow in the clouds can sometimes be unsightly, but not always; here we think the orange sky adds to the image. So look out for light pollution, but don’t always avoid it.
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PHOTO PROJECTS
Other than your camera, a good tripod is the most essential piece of kit for nighttime shooting. When near water like this, make sure the legs have a firm footing, and if your tripod has spiked feet then consider using them to anchor it in place.
CAMERA SKILLS
Resources available on FileSilo
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camera WORKSHOPS
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04 Use a cable release
Your Canon has a max shutter length of 30 secs, anything longer requires Bulb mode – where the shutter stays open as long as the button is engaged. A remote release is essential for locking open the shutter, and a stopwatch is handy to time the exposure. Canon Advanced Handbook
05 Cover the viewfinder
During a long exposure light can leak in through the viewfinder; it usually appears as a purple ‘fog’ at the centre of the frame. Cover the viewfinder before taking the shot. Few things are as annoying as finding your eight-minute exposure is fogged!
06 The waiting game
With exposures lasting several minutes, a night-time shoot means lots of waiting around. Be prepared with warm clothes, a camping chair and a flask of something hot. If you have a second camera, you can set up another shot while you’re waiting.
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CAMERA SKILLS
Canon PROBLEM #25
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Do I really need Manual mode? Manual is slow and fiddly – so is it relevant to the digital photographer?
Y
camera WORKSHOPS
our EOS camera provides convenience and control over exposure when used in its semiautomatic shooting modes. Whether you’re taking pictures in Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority or Program, you can lock the exposure with a dab of the ‘*’ button, quickly make subsequent pictures brighter or darker using exposure compensation, and then call up the brightness histogram to check for over- or underexposure. So why bother using Manual mode, where you have to spend time dialling in all the exposure settings, always with an eye on the exposure indicator in the viewfinder? Simple: Manual exposure gives you consistency. Once you’ve settled on your preferred level of exposure for a scene, the settings stay locked in. Unless the lighting changes or you dramatically shift the focus point closer or further away, then you can get on with the business of composing a picture and waiting for the decisive moment without having to worry about how the
camera’s going to expose it. This is particularly useful when you’re shooting active subjects. As long as the lighting is consistent on the subject, you know that it will be exposed well, no matter what type of background it’s moving past. A change from a dark backdrop to a light backdrop, or vice versa, can cause a semi-automatic shooting mode to shift the exposure and make the subject appear too bright or too dark.
Manual labour
Manual exposure is also essential for night photography, where the camera meter becomes redundant – or, at best, easily confused. Semiautomatic shooting modes can make a
mess of all those bright lights and dark areas, and to prevent lots of toing and froing with test shots and varying degrees of exposure compensation, it’s often quicker to switch to Manual. In Manual exposure mode, it’s down to you to set the three parameters of exposure: aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Thankfully you’re not left high and dry as the camera can guide you to the correct exposure.
ion Exposure compensat ual mode. But doesn’t work in Man era’s Auto you can still use thete incagm(AEB) to Exposure Brack at different take three shots els exposure lev
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“You’re not left high and dry as the camera can guide you to the correct exposure” 202
Canon Advanced Handbook
Need to control the depth of field? Set the aperture first
When you adjust any of the parameters, keep an eye on the exposure indicator in the viewfinder or on the camera’s display. If it moves left, towards the ‘-’ end of the scale, the metered area will appear darker in the picture. If it moves towards the ‘+’ end of the scale, the metered area will appear brighter. Alternatively, you can take an exposure reading in one of the other shooting modes,
Increase the ISO when you want to shoot in the dark handheld
make a note of those settings and then use those in Manual mode as a starting point. The metering mode makes a big difference. With Evaluative metering, the entire picture area is measured and the camera calculates the optimum exposure – indicated, as always, by the centre marker on the exposure scale. But you don’t really know how it’s arrived at this exposure. For
more precise and predictable results, use the Partial metering option (this acts a bit like Spot metering, but takes in a larger area at the centre of the frame, so is more forgiving if you find it hard to judge tone). It’s important to develop an eye for tone when you’re using Manual mode. If you point the Partial or Spot meter at an area that’s approximately midtone, such as a tree
camera WORKSHOPS
STEP BY STEP
How to check the exposure during Live View
You can only use Evaluative metering during Live View, so how do you take your meter readings when using Manual?
Find a midtone
Evaluative metering gives priority to the area within the AF frame; move this onto a midtone area, then adjust the aperture, shutter speed or ISO until the exposure indicator is in the middle of the scale.
Canon Advanced Handbook
Check the highlights Check the shadows
Now move the AF frame to a bright part of the image. Although the exposure remains the same, the exposure indicator has moved to the right, showing this area is 2 1/3 stops brighter than the midtone tree trunk.
Repeat with a dark area. Again, the exposure hasn’t changed, but the indicator shows this is 1 2/3 stops darker than the tree, or a 4-stop difference from the highlights – well within the tolerance of the sensor.
View the histogram
Press Disp or Info until you reach the live histogram. This provides further peace of mind that the dynamic range of the scene (the histogram) fits within the dynamic range of the sensor (the horizontal axis).
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9000
Which should you start with when shooting in Manual? It depends on the subject…
PHOTO PROJECTS
For creative motion control, set the shutter speed first
CAMERA SKILLS
Shutter speed, aperture and ISO
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