Do you want to LEARN to USE your camera?

[MrAlexajlex]

Originally Posted by nebgranny

CJ, Got it right this time..Wink-Wink:
These are really great ! I have watched the first two this morning already. I like that I can watch them over and over(You know the ole memery is not as it used to be)! You found some good ones. When I did a search for myself some came up on UTube and were not that good. How did you find such good ones?

I am going to call the Camera store today as think there might be something wrong with my camera. I was taking a picture last night and the flash just kept flickering!! The other day I was taking a picture of a flower and getting close to get a nice close up and when I hit the shutter button to take the picture it just made a continious clicking sound. Something is not right. I am not having the best luck with cameras . I origionaly bought the xti and had to take it back and then the xsi came out so I added a little more money to the pot and bought the xsi. I sacrificed the telephoto lens though as I used it for awhile with the xti and was a little disappointed in it. So I decided not to get the kit and wait and get a better telephoto lens down the road.

I think with people like you, I will learn this camera and how to take some nice pictures in other modes than Auto. I had joined a group for a short time on Yahoo 2 days to be exact and posted a few questions about live view(someone else had the same question and no one responded ..should have gotten a clue then) The response I got was to read the manual!! The person said , what difference is there in reading the manual or reading a response to your question!! I said alot!! The manual can not respond back if I do not totally understand the reading and have a question, but on a GOOD forum or group people can respond and help you find some clarity. Needless to say I did unsubscribe. I remembered your post on Camera's and came back to old faithful Retouch where there ARE the best and friendliest people on the net!! That is how the other group promoted themselves !! LOL

Well thanks again for the links and great help, I appreciate it more than you know. When you invest in a decent camera one wants to learn to use it to it's full potential!!
Thanks so much. Neb

The flash will flicker (if you are in AUTO) or in any other mode (M, Av, P, Tv,etc.) if you've manually activated it (the little button on the side). It does this to when the light levels are too low and it cannot lock focus.

This is the inbody AF assist beam and it lights the scene with repeated flash bursts so the camera can lock focus. You can disable this from the menu (custom functions: set flash to not emit). This is normal behavior.

If you get an external speedlight like the 580EXII I have it has a red light which is the AF assist beam. It is more in obtrusive and works a lot better.

I really recommend looking at POTN (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/) the #1 Canon photography forum. Great resources and write ups.

I've been a member of that forum for quite a while and while my knowledge of camera operations (worked with Mamiya gear) is very solid I constantly learn how to tweak other aspects (mainly lighting).

[Janet Petty]

This post has little to do with "how" to use one's camera and more to do with basics of photography. Understanding these few basics will help with camera settings and increase familiarity with how the camera functions, especially if one practices. Learning basics is essential to photography and essential in understanding one's camera. If one understands how these elements work together, then understanding camera settings becomes easier as well.

Learning the meanings of some common words used in photography helps negate confusion. A few terms are: aperture, ISO (used to be ASA a long time ago), film speed, shutter speed, shutter priority, aperture priority, depth-of-field, lens opening (f-stop)...

I made a rough chart that explains (hopefully) a little bit about some basic problems beginners have while learning to take pictures and while learning their cameras. Typos are free. The rest is open to discussion, clarification, and debate. I hope this helps.

Janet

[fpellerin]

Hi Janet, just one little thing pertaining to your chart:

You wrote "Big number=less depth of field....Small number=larger focus depth". It's actually the opposite. The wider your aperture is (smaller f number which translate in a "bigger hole") the shallower your depth of field will be.

I've added a few quick photos (no PP) taken to demontrate this. Notice how the car is becoming more "in focus" while the actual focus remains on the flower (due to the increasing Depth of Field).

[palms1]

Thank you Janet, for your info I have saved it to go over when time permits ( that has been a problem this last week )

Frank that is a super way of seeing things thank you very much for the time and effort used

Palms

[fpellerin]

My pleasure Palms!

[nebgranny]

I am a visual and hands on learner and this is is just great Frank.

Thanks Janet for the time it took to put together the chart.

I appreciate both your time and effort. Neb

[CJ Swartz]

Some links are repeats of those I posted in the first list, but putting them here may help keep the flow going for those who are trying to understand some of the important basics. These are all YouTube videos.

Exposure - what is it? (mentions aperture and shutter speed, but not ISO)

Camera exposure - goes over the basics

Shutter speed basics

Aperture - basic meaning, DOF - depth of field, (Repeats some of what other members have explained here - but repetition is helpful when learning)

Aperture sizes (your camera may NOT have the depth-of-field preview button shown here that makes it easier to see the change in aperture)

ISO settings - sensitivity to light

**(This is NOT a promotion for any instructor's DVD advertised on their video - I have no knowledge of the quality of the product and am only providing a link to these free video lessons.)

How to increase your available light (in order to capture your photo)

[Janet Petty]

Originally Posted by fpellerin

Hi Janet, just one little thing pertaining to your chart:

You wrote "Big number=less depth of field....Small number=larger focus depth". It's actually the opposite. The wider your aperture is (smaller f number which translate in a "bigger hole") the shallower your depth of field will be.

I've added a few quick photos (no PP) taken to demontrate this. Notice how the car is becoming more "in focus" while the actual focus remains on the flower (due to the increasing Depth of Field).

You are quite right. My only excuse is that my morning wake up Janet hadn't kicked in yet. I changed it. If there are other typos, etc. chalk it up to the fact that I've had the flu all day today. Yuck!

Thanks.
Janet

[kombizz]

Thank you for your help

[falcon]

thanks for great resource

[erinavery]

Originally Posted by Janet Petty

Ok, all those out there who are experimenting with camera settings, flash, or whatever, I have a question. Do you or have you used second-curtain flash for anything useful?

I recently took a class in using second-curtain flash. After I finally caught on and the capture was turning out like the instructor said it would, I tried it on ceiling fans, the school bus going down the street, the cat ( ), and some other things. Now, I admit to being extremely challenged when it comes to people shots. But what else can I use this for creatively? Nothing I tried worked as well as the studio lit, people shots.

Janet

example attached--This photo shares joint copyright with the model, the model's employer, and me. It is NOT to be duplicated or used anywhere else. Thank you.

THAT is stunning!! i must figure out how to do that...i have accidently caught a couple double exposure shots that i LOVE but i must figure out how to do it on purpose! haha