Canon EOS Rebel XS 1000D For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer Tech))

339 Pages·2008·24.73 MB·English

by  Julie Adair King

Canon® EOS Rebel

XS/1000D
FOR
DUMmIES
‰
by Julie Adair King

Canon® EOS Rebel

XS/1000D
FOR
DUMmIES
‰
by Julie Adair King
Canon® EOS Rebel XS/1000D For Dummies®
Published by
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
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Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2008939708
ISBN: 978-0-470-43392-8
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
About the Author
Julie Adair King is the author of many books about digital photography
and imaging, including the best-selling Digital Photography For Dummies.
Her most recent titles include For Dummies guides to the Canon EOS Digital
Rebel XTi/400D and XSi/450D, Digital Photography Before & After Makeovers,
Digital Photo Projects For Dummies, Julie King’s Everyday Photoshop For
Photographers, Julie King’s Everyday Photoshop Elements, and Shoot Like a
Pro!: Digital Photography Techniques. When not writing, King teaches digital
photography at such locations as the Palm Beach Photographic Centre.
A graduate of Purdue University, she resides in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Author’s Acknowledgments
I am extremely grateful to the team of talented professionals at John Wiley
and Sons for all their efforts in putting together this book. Special thanks go
to my awesome project editor, Kim Darosett, who is the type of editor that
all authors hope for but rarely experience: supportive, skilled, and amazingly
calm in the face of any storm, including my not infrequent freakouts.
I also owe much to the rest of the folks in both the editorial and art depart-
ments, especially Heidi Unger, Steve Hayes, Andy Cummings, and Mary
Bednarek. Thanks, too, to Jonathan Conrad for providing the awesome
nighttime shot for Chapter 7, and to agent extraordinaire, Margot Maley
Hutchison, for her continuing help and encouragement.
Last but oh, so not least, I am deeply indebted to Canon guru Chuck Westfall
for always answering all my questions, even the silly ones; to Scott Heath
at Synergy Communications for his help with this book and various other
projects; and to technical editor David Hall, whose keen eye and vast experi-
ence set me on the right track whenever I mistakenly thought I should go left.
Thank you, thank you, for sharing your time and your expertise — the book
would not have been the same without it.
Publisher’s Acknowledgments
We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our online registration form located
at http://dummies.custhelp.com. For other comments, please contact our Customer Care
Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax [phone].
Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Acquisitions and Editorial Composition Services
Project Editor: Kim Darosett Project Coordinator: Erin Smith
Executive Editor: Steven Hayes Layout and Graphics: Carrie A. Cesavice,
Reuben W. Davis, Christin Swinford
Copy Editor: Heidi Unger
Proofreaders: Lynda D’Arcangelo,
Technical Editor: David Hall
Amanda Steiner
Editorial Manager: Leah Cameron
Indexer: Galen Schroeder
Editorial Assistant: Amanda Foxworth
Sr. Editorial Assistant: Cherie Case
Cartoons: Rich Tennant
(www.the5thwave.com)
Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies
Richard Swadley, Vice President and Executive Group Publisher
Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher
Mary Bednarek, Executive Acquisitions Director
Mary C. Corder, Editorial Director
Publishing for Consumer Dummies
Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher
Composition Services
Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services
Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services
Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................. 1
A Quick Look at What’s Ahead ......................................................................2
Part I: Fast Track to Super Snaps .........................................................2
Part II: Taking Creative Control ............................................................2
Part III: Working with Picture Files ......................................................3
Part IV: The Part of Tens .......................................................................3
Icons and Other Stuff to Note ........................................................................4
About the Software Shown in This Book ......................................................5
Practice, Be Patient, and Have Fun! ...............................................................5
Part I: Fast Track to Super Snaps .................................. 7
Chapter 1: Getting the Lay of the Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Getting Comfortable with Your Lens ..........................................................10
Attaching a lens ....................................................................................10
Removing a lens ...................................................................................12
Using an IS (image stabilizer) lens .....................................................13
Focusing and zooming the lens ..........................................................14
Adjusting the Viewfi nder Focus ...................................................................15
Working with Memory Cards .......................................................................16
Exploring External Camera Controls ...........................................................18
Topside controls ..................................................................................18
Back-of-the-body controls ...................................................................20
Front-left buttons .................................................................................23
Ordering from Camera Menus .....................................................................24
Monitoring Critical Camera Settings ...........................................................26
Decoding Viewfi nder Data ............................................................................28
Reviewing Basic Setup Options ...................................................................30
Setup Menu 1 ........................................................................................30
Setup Menu 2 ........................................................................................32
Setup Menu 3 ........................................................................................34
Three more customization options ...................................................35
Chapter 2: Taking Great Pictures, Automatically. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Getting Good Point-and-Shoot Results ........................................................38
Using Flash in Automatic Exposure Modes ................................................42
Exploring Your Automatic Options .............................................................44
Full Auto mode .....................................................................................44
Automatic scene modes (a.k.a. Image Zone modes) .......................46
Changing the Drive Mode .............................................................................53
vi
Canon EOS Rebel XS/1000D For Dummies
Chapter 3: Controlling Picture Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Diagnosing Quality Problems .......................................................................56
Decoding the Quality Options ......................................................................58
Considering Resolution: Large, Medium, or Small? ...................................60
Pixels and print quality .......................................................................61
Pixels and screen display size ............................................................62
Pixels and fi le size ................................................................................63
Resolution recommendations ............................................................63
Understanding File Type (JPEG or Raw) ....................................................66
JPEG: The imaging (and Web) standard ..........................................66
Raw (CR2): The purist’s choice ..........................................................68
My take: Choose Fine or Raw .............................................................70
Chapter 4: Monitor Matters: Picture Playback and
Live View Shooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Disabling and Adjusting Instant Review .....................................................74
Viewing Images in Playback Mode ..............................................................74
Jumping through images .....................................................................76
Viewing multiple images at a time .....................................................77
Rotating vertical pictures ...................................................................78
Zooming in for a closer view ..............................................................80
Viewing Picture Data .....................................................................................81
Basic information modes ....................................................................81
Shooting Information display .............................................................83
Understanding Histogram display mode ..........................................86
Deleting Photos ..............................................................................................89
Erasing single images ..........................................................................89
Erasing all images on your memory card .........................................90
Erasing selected images ......................................................................90
Protecting Photos ..........................................................................................92
Using Your Monitor as a Viewfi nder ...........................................................94
Enabling Live View ...............................................................................96
Taking a shot in Live View mode .......................................................97
Customizing the Live View display ..................................................100
Part II: Taking Creative Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Chapter 5: Getting Creative with Exposure and Lighting . . . . . . . . . .107
Kicking Your Camera into Advanced Gear ...............................................108
Introducing the Exposure Trio: Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO .......109
Understanding exposure-setting side effects .................................111
Doing the exposure balancing act ...................................................116
Monitoring Exposure Settings ....................................................................118
Choosing an Exposure Metering Mode .....................................................122
Setting ISO, f-stop, and Shutter Speed ......................................................124
Controlling ISO ...................................................................................124
Adjusting aperture and shutter speed ............................................125
vii
Table of Contents
Overriding Autoexposure Results with Exposure Compensation .........128
Disabling Auto Lighting Optimization .......................................................132
Locking Autoexposure Settings .................................................................132
Bracketing Exposures Automatically ........................................................134
Using Flash in Advanced Exposure Modes ..............................................137
Understanding your camera’s approach to fl ash ..........................138
Adjusting fl ash power with fl ash exposure compensation...........141
Locking the fl ash exposure ...............................................................143
Exploring more fl ash options ...........................................................145
Using an external fl ash unit ..............................................................147
Chapter 6: Manipulating Focus and Color. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149
Reviewing Focus Basics ..............................................................................150
Adjusting Autofocus Performance ............................................................151
Selecting an autofocus point ............................................................152
Changing the AF (autofocus) mode .................................................154
Autofocusing in Live View Mode ...............................................................155
Enabling Live View autofocusing .....................................................156
Live View autofocus option 1: Quick mode ....................................157
Live View autofocus option 2: Live mode .......................................159
Manipulating Depth of Field .......................................................................160
Using A-DEP mode .............................................................................166
Checking depth of fi eld .....................................................................167
Controlling Color .........................................................................................168
Correcting colors with white balance .............................................168
Changing the white balance setting ................................................171
Creating a custom white balance setting ........................................172
Fine-tuning White Balance settings .................................................174
Bracketing shots with white balance ..............................................177
Choosing a Color Space: sRGB vs. Adobe RGB ........................................179
Exploring Picture Styles ..............................................................................181
Assessing the Picture Styles .............................................................182
Setting the Picture Style ....................................................................184
Customizing Picture Styles ...............................................................186
Creating your own Picture Style ......................................................188
Chapter 7: Putting It All Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191
Recapping Basic Picture Settings ..............................................................192
Setting Up for Specifi c Scenes ....................................................................195
Shooting still portraits ......................................................................195
Capturing action ................................................................................200
Capturing scenic vistas .....................................................................204
Capturing dynamic close-ups ...........................................................206
Coping with Special Situations ..................................................................208