How to take photographs with a DSLR camera? How to use a DSLR camera. Just something complicated

The vast majority of photographs are taken in automatic white balance mode. This is a simple choice that makes sense in most cases. But it is not 100% reliable.

In general, white balance systems tend to correct natural color deviations into the highlights, so that images appear too bland. For example, warm sunlight early morning or evening may become too cold.

When shooting outdoors, in many cases the best results are achieved using the Daylight or sunlight. They can produce even better results than the Auto setting in shady or cloudy conditions.

Most cameras also have white balance settings for shadows (Shady) or cloudy day (Cloudy), which will add a little warmth to your images.

In some situations this color shift may be excessive. However, it's worth experimenting with your camera to understand how each white balance setting works in different conditions.

For maximum control use custom settings (Customs Manual) white balance and set the value manually.

Your camera's manual will tell you exactly how to do this, but the basic method involves photographing a white or neutral gray target (a piece of cardboard works well) in the same lighting as your subject, and using that image to set the white balance. . When you photograph the white or gray cardstock again after manually setting the white balance, you should see it become neutral.

If you want, you can use your camera's white balance settings to warm up or cool down your photos. You can try experimenting with a non-neutral calibration target.

2. Sharpness

Most digital cameras allow you to adjust the level of sharpening that is applied to JPEG images as they are processed.

Some photographers suggest that maximum setting- the best option, as this will give the clearest images. Unfortunately, this doesn't always work. Highly contrasting edges, such as a clear horizon, can break off, becoming overly sharp and halo-like.

Application lowest value, on the contrary, can lead to the fact that small parts will look somewhat blurry. However, this usually looks better than overly pointed edges.

The best way to get good results is to apply sharpening carefully, gradually increasing it from image to image until you achieve the perfect result. Or at least use installation in the middle range for most shots.

3. Autofocus

Many photographers allow their cameras automatically set the focus point for faster and more convenient shooting. However, most cameras assume that the main target of the photograph is the closest subject and that it is close to the center of the frame.

Although this allows you to get good results in most cases, if you are shooting someone who is not in the center, and even with big amount objects around, the camera may place accents incorrectly.

The solution is to take control of your AF point selection. So you can place the hotspot in the right place.

Your camera's manual will explain exactly which mode you need to select, but it's usually called either Single point AF, or Select AF.

Once the correct mode is set, use the camera's navigation controls to select the AF point that is on the target subject in the frame.

In some cases, you may find that there is no AF point in line with the desired subject. In such a situation, you should use the technique of focusing and recomposing the frame. To do this, simply select the center AF point (as this is usually the most sensitive) and move the camera so that it is on the subject. Then press the shutter button lightly to allow the camera to focus the lens. Now, keep your finger on the shutter release and compose your shot. When you're happy with the composition, press the shutter button all the way down to take the photo.

4. Flash synchronization

By default, cameras are set to fire the flash at the start of the exposure. This does not pose a problem at fast shutter speeds or when the subject and/or camera are stationary. But with long exposures or with moving subjects, this can lead to strange results.

The problem is that a ghostly, blurry image of the subject is transferred in front of the properly exposed, sharp version. This gives the impression that the object is moving in the opposite direction.

You can easily get out of this situation if you delve into the camera (or flash) menu and turn on the function Second curtain flash synchronization (Rear Sync). This will cause the flash to fire at the end of the exposure. Then the movement of any object will be recorded as a blur behind it, rather than in front of it, which will make the image much more natural and can really emphasize the speed of movement.

5. Long exposure noise reduction

The Noise Reduction feature compares the main image to the black frame and subtracts its noise to produce the final photo. The black frame uses exactly the same exposure time as the main image, but the shutter does not open and the light does not reach the sensor. The idea is to record non-random noise caused by changes in pixel sensitivity and visible at long exposures.

As a result, when using the noise reduction function, it takes almost twice as long to record a photo, which is especially annoying during long exposures. Therefore, many photographers are tempted to disable this feature.

However, the noise reduction results are worth the wait.

Of course, you can independently extract the “black frame” using software for image editing, but it is still advisable to take at least a few “black frames” throughout the shooting, since the noise level tends to increase due to the heating of the sensor during intensive use.

The most reliable approach is to use the camera's built-in noise reduction system.

6. Long shutter speed

Many novice photographers overestimate their ability to hold the camera firmly, and therefore, to shoot well at relatively long shutter speeds.

The general rule for getting sharp images when shooting handheld with a full frame camera is to use a shutter speed of at least one second divided by the focal length of the lens. This means that if you are shooting with a 100mm lens, your shutter speed should be at least 1/100s.

This rule can be adapted to work with DX cameras by taking into account the crop factor (factor of increasing the focal length). For example, a 100mm lens digital cameras SLR-type (in other words, DSLRs) with an APS-C sensor (for example, Canon EOS 700D) has a crop factor of 1.6. Therefore, a shutter speed of at least 1/160 sec will be required to take a sharp photo.

Let me remind you that the shutters of modern cameras use standard shutter speed scale in fractions of a second: for short shutter speeds the numerator is omitted and the shutter speed is described by the denominator: 1/100 → 100; 1/250 → 250 and so on.

Many photographic lenses and some cameras now have built-in image stabilization systems. This allows you to use faster shutter speeds when shooting handheld.

Plus some lenses provide exposure compensation up to 4eV, which allows you to further reduce the shutter speed - from 1/125 to 1/16.

The ability to take decent photographs, although not a direct responsibility of a traveler, is still very desirable.

Nowadays, almost every active person has a SLR camera, but as I noticed, most use auto mode.

Perhaps someone thinks that there is no need for this at all, because the automatic mode already produces good quality pictures, but the fact is that only direct control of the camera provides ample opportunities.

Judging by my inquiries, people would like to use the device settings, but They think that learning photography is very difficult. My article today is intended to dispel this myth.

In this case we are only talking about cameras enough high level, that is, about DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. The latter are a much more practical option for the traveler.

First, let's define what it actually is - good camera, on which it makes sense to use manual mode. At the heart of a digital camera is a photosensor called a sensor, which focuses light passing through the lens. In principle, a modern camera is no different from a film camera - the film has simply been replaced with a photo matrix.

Matrix size

So, the most important parameter in the quality of the camera itself is the size of the matrix. I don’t want to go into theory, all this can be read on specialized resources or Wikipedia, I will only note that the physically larger the matrix, the higher the signal-to-noise ratio, and, accordingly, the quality of the picture.

The standard in the consumer segment is considered to be the so-called full-frame matrices (also called full frame), their the size is identical to 35mm film.

Therefore, in photography, all matrix sizes smaller than 36x24 ( full frame), calculated through the crop factor. This crop factor essentially means how many times smaller the sensor is than a full-frame one.

For example, most DSLRs have a crop factor of ~1.5, which simply means that their sensor is one and a half times smaller than a full-frame one. I don’t want to touch on how the crop factor affects focal lengths yet, maybe we’ll talk about that another time.

When talking about high-quality cameras, we can say that the lower limit of the matrix size is within the crop factor limit - 2. Anything that has a smaller matrix can be considered a point-and-shoot camera and is not considered in this article.

How many megapixels do you need?

One more note: for some reason it is believed that the number of megapixels in modern cameras is growing only under marketing pressure. Allegedly, on old low-pixel DSLRs the picture was much better.

This statement is nothing more than retrogradeness and longing for the “warm tube sound.” Increasing megapixels in DSLR cameras combined with new image processing algorithms only improves detail and reduces noise On the photo.

Let's proceed directly to shooting in manual mode. I know that many people associate such shooting with childhood memories, when, under the guidance of a parent, we measured the exposure level with a photo exposure meter and calculated the shutter speed depending on the required aperture. Friends, it’s the 21st century, everything has become much simpler.

Depth of field

Let's return to the camera. We don’t need fully manual mode M, so we turn on mode A. In this mode we control the aperture size, and the camera itself will select the shutter speed. It is very important to understand here that the aperture size determines the depth of field - one of the most important shooting parameters.

Most likely, you have seen more than once how photographers separate the main subject of a composition from the background by blurring. This is precisely the result of using a diaphragm. Remember, the wider we open the aperture, the more blurry it will be. the background.

And vice versa, if our composition is a landscape, and we need to sharpen everything that falls into the frame, we need to close the aperture. The numbers indicating the aperture value are in reverse order: that is, at 3.5 the aperture is open wider than at 8, and the depth of field will be shallower.

The second factor influencing depth of field is the focal length of the lens. The larger it is, the more the background is blurred. The wider the lens angle, the less blur.

The third is the distance from the lens to the object and from the object to the background.

That is, roughly speaking, portraits should be taken at a closer approach, with the aperture set to the lowest value (number). Here's an example. I want to shoot a girl in the city, separating her from other people with an out-of-focus background.

I turn the lens to the maximum (most often DSLR cameras come with 18-55mm glass), and I approach the girl with my feet so that she fits into the frame the way I need - full-length, waist-deep, just her face.

Thus, I make the distance between the camera and the subject minimal in this situation, which will allow you to blur the background well.

I set the aperture to the most public value(smaller number), most likely in your DSLR it will be 5.6. I take a photo and get a great portrait.

There are so-called portrait lenses. They are not zooms: as a rule, their focal length is 50mm, but they have a very wide open aperture - 1.4-1.8. The wider the aperture is opened, the more the background is blurred.

Advice: do not photograph people next to walls or large objects, ask them to move away so that there is at least five meters of free space behind them. This will give the photo “air” due to the contrast of the subject with the background.

Now, if you decide to shoot landscape or architecture, you just need to set the aperture smaller (the number is larger). Just don’t get carried away, for matrices with a crop factor of 1.5, at approximately aperture 10, the diffraction limit begins, at which the detail of the image begins to fall. Those who are interested in the nature of the phenomenon go to Google, the rest take my word for it that the aperture should not be set beyond 8.

Excerpt

Shutter priority mode S is used by photographers much less frequently, to solve specific problems. creative tasks. For example, we want to photograph a racing cyclist to convey his speed. We set the shutter speed longer (experimentally) and when a biker flies past, we follow him with the camera, pressing the shutter.

As a result, the person in the photo will be clear, but the background will be blurred in movement. It's called wire shooting. But I repeat, shutter priority is used very rarely, especially by amateur photographers. Therefore, 99% of the time the camera is set to aperture priority mode A.

It would seem that since the automatic machine selects the shutter speed itself, then we have nothing to monitor it, but unfortunately, this is not the case. The fact is that the less light there is outside and the harder we press the aperture, the longer the shutter speed is needed for our frame to be exposed.

With a long shutter speed, your hands are not able to hold the camera absolutely still, and the photo comes out a little blurry. Photographers call it a wiggle.

To find out at what shutter speed there will be no movement, you need to look at the shutter speed offered by the camera and compare it with the focal length of the lens. For example, if you have this moment If the wide angle is 25mm, then the shutter speed should be no longer than 1/25(a larger number in the denominator means shorter, a smaller number means longer).

Thus, by increasing the focal length of the lens, the need for light also increases. In the same place as in the previous example, having turned the lens to 55mm, our minimum shutter speed will already be 1/50.

To combat camera movement, a stabilizer is installed in cameras, and this device allows you to at least halve the need for light. That is, using a stub, with a focal length of 55mm, it will be quite possible to photograph at a shutter speed of 1/25.

What should you do if, no matter how hard you try, you can’t get a fast enough shutter speed and the photos come out blurry? You can open the aperture slightly (just remember that this reduces the depth of field), you can rest your elbows on your stomach, you can put the camera on some object.

The stabilizer prevents blurring due to hand shaking, but if there are moving objects (people, cars) in the frame, then in case of a long shutter speed they will be blurred.

But the easiest way is to increase light sensitivity. I deliberately do not touch upon the possibility of using the built-in flash, because the result will usually be disastrous. Avoid shooting with the built-in flash as much as possible.

Light sensitivity (ISO)

In order to shoot in low light conditions, the camera matrix is ​​capable of working in high sensitivity mode. This means that when you increase ISO by one point, the light requirement is cut in half. If you can’t achieve the minimum shutter speed at which you can take a successful shot, increase the light sensitivity.

Unfortunately, the ISO limit is not infinite - as it increases, the amount of digital noise sharply increases, which eats up details in the shadows, color shades, etc. Improving the photosensitivity of matrices is the subject of improvement in modern cameras, and today it is already quite possible to shoot at ISO3200, with almost no loss in picture quality.

Lens sharpness

All photographers love sharpness. This parameter depends on the optical properties of the lens. More expensive glasses are not always sharper, because other factors determine the price: optics design, weight, dimensions, subjective assessments and, of course, the red stripe on the front lens. 🙂

The thing to remember is that zoom lenses will almost always be generally less sharp than prime lenses. This is easily explained because with a zoom, the manufacturer has to combine too many variables, and for the lens to be sharp at all focal lengths, it must cost and weigh as much as a steam locomotive. Most often, zooms have the greatest blur at the edges: at the widest and farthest angles.

Another important feature is that each lens has its own sharpest aperture. This information is not advertised, but you can find it out by taking a few test shots in different meanings. As a rule, the open aperture is the softest. Therefore, if you want to take a portrait in which every eyelash is visible, close the aperture a little, sacrificing a little background blur.

That's all the information you need to start photographing the way you need, and not the way the camera seems right. In my opinion, everything is very simple if you practice a little. I am sure that by taking a few thoughtful shots that you yourself will like, you don't want to go anymore to automatic mode.

Having purchased new camera you can study its capabilities for a long time and constantly find something new. But how can you not waste time, but immediately master the basic functions of the new device and start taking photographs as soon as possible? This article will tell you about the main points that should be taken into account when mastering new technology.

When a new camera is first unpacked and turned on, you immediately want to start taking photos, but first you need to set up the camera. We will look at the main points that you should learn in order to start fully using your new camera. This guide is suitable for both owners of DSLR cameras and owners of compact and mirrorless cameras.

Before working with a new camera and memory card, the latter should be formatted. This will give you plenty of space to fill with pictures and give you confidence that this map memory will work fine on the new camera. You need to format the card periodically. This will allow it to last longer under active use. Every camera has a formatting function. It's on the menu.

Absolutely all cameras save photos in Jpeg format, but some models (all semi-professional and professional cameras) provide the ability to shoot in RAW.

The RAW format allows you to save maximum amount details and allows you to later, when processing on a computer, more carefully adjust the image parameters. However, the disadvantage of this format is that unprocessed images look bad. Every photo taken in RAW needs to be processed on a computer.

The Jpeg format is the result of image processing by the camera processor. The camera corrects the photo according to user settings or automatically (if auto mode is set). To convert a RAW file to TIFF and JPEG, special converter programs are used. They are usually supplied with the camera on a disk or third-party software is installed. Adobe Camera RAW, Adobe Lightroom and many others are suitable for this. RAW images take up a large amount of data. Additionally, they cannot be viewed by regular photo viewers. Therefore, RAW will definitely have to be converted to Jpeg if you want to send pictures via e-mail or post on social networks.

3. Image size

All cameras provide the ability to choose the size of future photographs. This size is measured in pixels. The smaller it is, the less the photos weigh, but accordingly the quality of the images also deteriorates.

All cameras have several exposure modes. setting them correctly allows you to get a well-lit frame.

The automatic mode can quite accurately determine the exposure mode on its own, but with it you will never take a creative photo with a non-standard exposure. To do this you will have to use manual settings, but still, manual settings are designed to accurately determine the frame exposure parameters. Automation sometimes makes mistakes, especially in poor lighting or unusual conditions.

Once you gain experience, you can move on to more advanced shooting modes - aperture priority and shutter priority. These modes allow you to adjust one parameter (shutter speed or aperture), and the camera selects the second independently. There is a fully manual mode "M" (Manual). This mode gives the photographer complete control over camera settings.

The light sensitivity of the sensor is measured in ISO units. This setting causes the camera to be more or less sensitive to light output. Under normal shooting conditions, a value of 100 or 200 units is used. Increasing the photosensitivity parameter allows you to take brighter pictures. This is especially noticeable when photographing in the evening and at night. But not everything is as good as it might seem. Increasing the ISO setting inevitably leads to the appearance of noise (interference) in the image. An unjustified increase in photosensitivity can completely ruin a photograph.

Different light sources have different shades of color. Human eye, or rather the brain, adapts this glow, turning it white, but the camera perceives everything as it is. That is, the yellow color of the incandescent lamp in the picture will be exactly yellow color. And the whole room will have a yellow tint. To avoid this, cameras have white balance settings. There is an automatic mode, several modes that are pre-programmed for the most common lighting conditions, and there are manual settings. The camera just needs to show you what kind of glow you want white to look like in the photo.

To get started, the most acceptable choice of exposure metering is Matrix or Multi-zone. In this mode, the camera divides the frame into many sections and measures the exposure in each section. This allows you to obtain the optimal exposure setting. Can be used on different cameras different name of this parameter: evaluative, matrix, multi-zone, or multi-segment.

There are two main focusing modes - automatic and manual.

In manual mode, you need to rotate the ring on the lens or change a certain parameter in the camera, achieve the moment when the subject becomes sharp. In automatic mode, the camera independently focuses on certain points or a given algorithm (many compact cameras recognize faces in the frame and focus on them).

There are different variations of automatic mode. For example, the camera can keep focus on the subject as long as the shutter button is held down - this is continuous autofocus. There is tracking autofocus. He follows the movement of the subject and constantly keeps focus on him.

9. Shooting mode

Typically the camera takes one photo when you press the shutter button, but there is a mode in which the camera continuously takes many photos while the shutter button is held down. This mode is often used in combination with continuous focusing and is used when shooting sports.

If your camera or lens has an image stabilization option, it's worth using it. It allows you to compensate for slight vibrations and swaying of the camera in the hands of the photographer. This stabilization makes it possible to take clear photographs, even if your hand trembles during exposure of the frame.

Many cameras have modes that can be broadly called Picture Styles or Picture Controls. These modes allow you to take optimal quality photos depending on the shooting conditions.

For example, when photographing nature, you need to set the appropriate mode on the camera and the camera will take green and blue colors more saturated. This will slightly increase sharpness to obtain better detail and contrast. However, this mode should not be confused with scene modes. Picture Control does not affect shutter speed and aperture, but scene modes do.

Cameras have built-in color model profiles. Most often these are Adobe RGB and SRGB. The Adobe RGB color model provides a wide range of colors, so your photos are colorful and expressive, but most monitors and printing devices in the printing industry work with SRGB, so if you are going to print photos or make collages on your computer, it is better to use SRGB.

Based on materials from the site:

As soon as you got your first professional camera, it seems to you that now you can do everything, and... you start taking photographs in auto mode, sincerely not understanding why the professionals look at you with a grin.

The thing is that the automatic mode, or as it is also called the “green zone,” is one of the top things in the ranking of contempt among professional photographers (after the kit lens, of course). It is considered the “fate of dummies,” a label that turns all photographs into bad taste, no matter how talented they are. And that's why knowledgeable people When buying a camera, the first thing you do is scroll the mode wheel away from the “green zone.” Of course, you shouldn’t indulge the majority, and if you like shooting in automatic mode, shoot as long as it brings you pleasure. But if you look at it from the other side, there are a lot of disadvantages in auto mode, when photographing in manual mode will give you more both for getting great pictures and for professional growth. Disadvantages of the “green zone”:

1. Lack of RAW in Canon cameras.
2. Often there is no way to correct the exposure.
3. You cannot control the depth of field.
4. In general, all the levers, buttons and knobs become absolutely useless, the camera simply does not earn the money you paid for it.

But if you are just getting acquainted with the art of photography, then starting with auto mode will be useful. And after you learn how to compose a frame, you can go into the settings.

Manually setting up the camera: basic modes

• P– program mode. This mode is almost automatic, since the camera selects the exposure pair (aperture and shutter speed) independently. You can only adjust less significant parameters, such as light sensitivity, jpeg settings, white balance, etc.
• A or Av– aperture priority. Here you can set the aperture value, and the camera itself selects the optimal shutter speed for it according to the data from the exposure meter built into it. This mode is used most often by photographers because it allows full control over depth of field.
• S or TV– shutter priority mode. Here you set the shutter speed that you think is appropriate, and the camera sets the aperture. This mode is quite limited and is usually used when photographing various sporting events, when it is important for the photographer to capture interesting point, and the elaboration of the background fades into the background.
• M– completely manual mode of the camera. Usually it is used only by those who are well versed in photography. All necessary parameters are set manually, various restrictions are removed, and you can set absolutely any aperture and shutter speed at any ISO value. Also, the flash in manual mode can be used by the photographer at his discretion. Any use of flash allows you to achieve various artistic effects in your photographs. In addition, in this mode you can take deliberately overexposed or underexposed photographs, shoot with lenses that were not originally intended for this camera, etc. Using M mode requires the user to have a thorough knowledge of the basics of photography.

Setting up manual mode in the camera: M mode for different types of shooting

1. Settings for portrait photography Manually setting up a DSLR camera for portrait photography is a science. It is important to take into account the lighting and how the light falls on your model's face, based on this, set the main values. For example, when shooting a portrait indoors with windows that create pleasant natural light, you need to open the aperture to maximum (for a whale it is f3.5-f5.6, and for a fast lens it is f1.4-f2.8), then you can use it to determine the shutter speed. Shutter speed, depending on natural light and lens, will range from 1/30 to 1/100. It’s best to leave the ISO value minimal – 100 units, so that the image does not lose its quality. These settings rarely result in underexposed frames, but if you do get a dark photo, just turn on the flash and everything will go away. When shooting in cloudy or cloudy weather, there is usually a problem with the exposure of the frame. If you get dark photos, and you didn’t plan for this at all, then increasing the shutter speed to 1/8 - 1/15 will help you; increasing the light sensitivity would also not hurt (200 - 400 units).

Sunny weather at portrait photography It doesn’t always work out that way either. You'll have to fight for shots with minimal shadows! Moreover, by setting the aperture and shutter speed just once, shoot with different angles and you will never get the points. And therefore, throughout the entire photo shoot, you will have to look at the resulting material every time. If your frame is overexposed, we advise you to reduce the ISO value and set the shutter speed a little faster (about 1/800 - 1/1000). It is possible that you will have to close the aperture a little. If it is simply impossible to place the model in the shadows, then use a flash - this way you can even out the light a little.
2. Dynamic scenes in manual mode. Photos that convey the dynamics of movement always look very impressive. Let's say you wanted to feel like a magician and use a camera to stop time and capture the first-class trick of a young and promising skater. To do this, you need to set the following parameters: shutter speed from 1/320, aperture from f4 to f 5.6. Photosensitivity: if there is enough lighting, then 100-200 units, if not, 400 units. If necessary, use a flash - it will add sharpness to the picture.
3. Photograph objects in manual mode in low light Shooting in manual mode is especially important at night. Walking through the city at night, fantastically beautiful fireworks, the romance of the starry sky, a concert of your favorite band - all this requires special camera settings.

• Concerts: ISO 100, shutter speed 1/125, aperture f8.
• Fireworks: ISO 200, shutter speed 1/30, aperture f10.
• Starry sky: ISO 800 – 1600, shutter speed 1/15 – 1/30, aperture at minimum.
• City lights at night: ISO 800, shutter speed 1/10 – 1/15, aperture f2.

Setting the flash in manual mode (M and TV)

The TV/S (shutter priority) and M (full manual mode) modes are simply ideal for convenient use of the flash, because in these modes you can set a fast shutter speed. In manual mode, exposure depends on the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO you set. You need to calculate the amount of light needed to illuminate the subject, and only then adjust the flash. Good workout for the brain, don't you agree? Manual mode will allow you to use a wider amount of flash power than other modes.

It's worth noting that in any shooting mode, you may notice the settings indicator blinking in the viewfinder. This happens when the set parameters cannot “work” with the flash. The main reasons are that the aperture is inaccessible to the lens of your camera or the shutter speed is too short and is not supported by your camera or flash.

Photography in manual mode: so which one should you shoot in?

• Aperture priority (AV) mode – in our opinion, is perfect for everyday shooting. Select the required aperture value (based on what depth of field you want to achieve), and the camera will select the required shutter speed itself.
• Program mode (P) - of course, allows you to change the shutter speed and aperture parameters, but does this exclusively in pairs. When taking the next frame, the values ​​will be set automatically again, and it is possible that you will need to adjust them again.
• Manual mode (M) is great, but very inconvenient because using it requires a large number of various manipulations, and the probability is much greater.

Make sure the exposure matches the scene you are about to capture. If the subject is evenly lit, choose evaluative metering, and if there are objects that contrast with the general background, choose spot or partial. Are there an equal number of dark and bright objects? Select center-weighted metering. There is no perfect “recipe” - experiment and learn from your own experience.

And one more piece of advice. Work in RAW! This way you can increase the likelihood of “saving” images that are successful in composition but have technical problems. Good luck!

Ah, these wonderful Canon cameras that are just begging to be held! Everyone who works hard, saving money for the coveted EOS, knows what they are doing. Canon cameras are distinguished by high performance speeds, enviable autofocus, high quality images and simply magical color rendering. This is why many photographers (both new and old-school) can spend hours drooling over the display window, looking at the most powerful boxes and lenses.
Since you already own a dream and are eager to learn how to manage it, we offer general development understand the brands of Canon cameras.

What do the numbers and letters on your camera brand mean?

Most “beginner photographers” who consider themselves at least Lezek Buznowski have no idea what EOS stands for. If you ask such a “professional” what the letter D in the brand of his camera means, he, with an embarrassed look, quietly tries to go to Wikipedia. Well, perhaps a real talent does not need this knowledge, and only those who like to show off in the company of friends remember such things, but we believe that in order to learn photography, you must know Canon by heart.

• The abbreviation EOS (Electro-Optical System) is consonant with the name of the goddess of dawn Eos, who can be found in ancient greek mythology. The first camera in this series was the Canon EOS 650, which was released back in 1987.
• The D in the name stands for Digital.
• Cameras with 3 or 4 digits in their names (EOS 400D, EOS 1000D) are positioned as cameras for beginners.
• If the name has one or two numbers, but they do not start with one (EOS 33V, EOS 30D), then this is a semi-professional camera.
• Canon for professionals is: EOS 5D Mark III, EOS 1D X, EOS 1D C.

Now you are sitting in front of the monitor, and in your hands, for example, a Canon 600d - how to take photographs?

How to take photographs correctly: Canon for beginners

It is known that in Auto mode the camera independently selects the settings so that the result is a suitable exposure. But it’s worth considering that if you shoot in difficult lighting, then even the coolest camera will not always be able to cope with its task. Moreover, you want to learn how to take photographs with a Canon DSLR, using all the possibilities, and not just randomly press a button and wait for your luck. Do good photo This is possible only after you have mastered the basic settings. Only then you will intuitively figure out how to photograph on 500d, 550d, 7d, 1100d, 600d, 650d, 60d, 1000d and other “d”.

There are three main settings and all of them are related to light in one way or another:

• Aperture is the size of the “hole” opened by the camera that allows light to pass through. The wider the aperture is open, the more light there is in the picture: everything is logical here.
• Shutter speed is the time for which you allow light to enter the camera’s sensor.
• Photosensitivity (ISO) – the higher the photosensitivity, the more light the matrix receives.

Learning to set Canon settings correctly

The aperture of your camera is designated as “f/” + a number that will demonstrate how open/closed the “hole” is that allows light to pass through. Want blurred background– open the aperture; if you want to get a completely clear picture, close it. The wider the aperture is open, the smaller the number next to “f/”.

By adjusting the aperture value, you can focus on a specific object and draw the viewer's attention to the subject you have chosen. Like here:

An open aperture works amazingly well in pictures with butterflies, flowers and small objects. How to photograph a portrait correctly? Canon with an open aperture - nothing is simpler. Do you need to visually distinguish a person from the rest? Again - Canon with an open aperture.

You need to close the aperture when shooting crowds, landscapes and streets, in general, wherever you need the entire picture to be in focus.

Students often ask: how to photograph with shutter speed? Canon is best suited to master this setting. First, you need to decide how you want to capture movement? After all, the longer the shutter speed, the more movement the camera will be able to capture; a short shutter speed, on the contrary, will freeze the moment.

Long shutter speeds are used when shooting a city at night, but you should use a tripod. Also with long exposure They take these interesting photos:

As for the fast shutter speed: it is good when shooting falling objects.

Light sensitivity is measured in ISO units with values ​​of 100, 200, 400, and so on up to 6400. Higher values ​​are used if the shooting takes place in poor lighting, but noise (small dots) often appears in the pictures.

So, before messing around with this setting, decide:

1. Do you have enough light to take a photo at the lowest ISO setting?
2. Do you want a photo with noise or not? Black and white pictures with noise look pretty cool, but it sometimes ruins color pictures.
3. If you have a tripod or any other way to secure the camera? Photosensitivity can be compensated by making the shutter speed longer, but then you cannot do without a tripod.
4. If your subject is constantly moving, then the ISO simply needs to be raised so that the photo does not blur.

You will have to set a high ISO in the following cases:

• Sports games, dancing, children's party in room. In general, when a short shutter speed is simply necessary.
• In areas where the use of flash is prohibited.
• That moment when the birthday person prepares to blow out the candles on the birthday cake. A flash can ruin the cozy light and the whole mood of the moment, so just increase the camera’s light sensitivity.

How to take photographs with Canon using the full power of the camera?

Daily observations show: The vast majority of SLR camera owners shoot only in Auto mode - green square. And this sad fact makes such an expensive purchase simply pointless. Suppose you paid about 27,00 thousand rubles for your Canon 600d, but in auto mode your camera only works 5400, i.e. excellent opportunity SLR camera Only 20% are used. Do you want to learn how to take photographs with Canon 600d and other models? Do you want to use your camera one hundred percent? Then remember, or better yet, write it down.

Semi-automatic modes.

In this part we will discuss working with the following modes: P, A (or Av), S (or Tv), M, A-Dep. These modes are excellent helpers for beginners who do not yet know how to take photographs with their Canon, and generally do not know what they are doing. Experienced photographers also highly respect these modes because they save them a lot of time.

1.The simplest mode is P (programmed autoexposure) mode. This mode will help you get a good exposure of the frame, select the aperture and shutter speed depending on what ISO you set. This is incredibly convenient for beginner photographers who are just experimenting with light sensitivity.

You can also change the exposure pair values ​​(exposure parameters of shutter speed and aperture), for example, to Canon camera 550d this can be done with a slight scrolling motion of the roller. If you need to set a faster shutter speed, then simply scroll the video to the right, and the camera will slightly close the aperture, keeping the exposure at the same level. This will allow you to photograph any falling object, which will simply freeze in the air in the picture.

2. Mode A or Av – aperture priority.

The whole point of this mode is that it allows you to control the strength of the background blur in the photo. You need to set the ISO value and adjust the aperture yourself, but the camera will set the required shutter speed so that you end up with a good shot. Here you need to decide whether you want a blurred background, then set the appropriate aperture value, and the rest is up to the camera. Convenient, right?

When shooting a portrait on Canon, set the ISO and open the aperture completely (the smallest number) to get a blurred background, and the camera will set the shutter speed itself.

3. Mode S or Tv – shutter priority.

It works exactly the same as the previous modes: you set the ISO, and the aperture value remains up to the camera.

In order to practice using this mode, find any moving object (person, cat, car, fountain): set a short shutter speed - this way you will get a clear photograph of the object “stopped” in the frame. Now set the shutter speed longer, place the camera on any stable surface and gently press the button. Most likely, you will get a beautiful “smear” that reflects the beauty of the dynamics of movement.

4.I last mode– A-DEP (depth of field priority). By the way, it is not available on all cameras. This mode allows the camera to set the aperture and shutter speed so that all objects in focus are sufficiently sharp.

It’s worth adding that once you mess around with manual settings or semi-automatic modes at least a little, you’ll never go back to the “green square”.

If, after reading this article, you still have questions about what to do with your camera and how to photoengrave on Canon, then our teachers will be glad to see you in their courses.