new canon 40D questions

[EliteReefs]

Hey all

Well I ordered a new canon XSI camera the other day. Waited a few days and got nothing. Then it arrived. I was thrilled. Open up the box and my happiness quickly turns to horror. THEY SHIPPED THE WROGE CAMERA!!! I call them up and they set it up to be shipped back.
In the mean time I called yelling and screaming that I needed this for a special event and now my plans are ruined bla bla bla. Hours later I got a call back from them. Get this. They said if I pay 150 more I can keep the camera I got.

Well needless to say I could not pull out my credit card fast enough
850.00 For
Canon 40D
28 mm - 135 mm - f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Canon EF
Extreme III 8gig flash card

SO now I have a camera that is WAY over my head. I am super happy about it but this thing is making me feel dumber by the second lol. Can anyone point me to a good online type photo course? I don’t care about all the basic feature since I know most of that already. I can more about the advance techniques type stuff that really make photos come to life.

 

[Eklikewhoa]

I wouldn't have been mad about them sending a 40D instead of an XSI.....

 

[EliteReefs]

I wouldn't have been mad about them sending a 40D instead of an XSI.....

that was the point of the story. I was mad at first because i thought it would have to send this back and wait all over again for the right one which would have taken a good amount of time. once they offered me an option of keeping it i was thrilled

 

[bluegrass]

wow, I'd be happy too!
here is a canon forum
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/index.php

 

[surfn]

nice deal.

but honestly, if you thought you were going to be able to just open up the XSi and know how to use it like a point and shoot camera, without ever using a dSLR before..........you don't really know much about dSLR's lol

and actually, the 40D and XSi have basically the same identical user interfaces. everything is practically the same except the body, a few extra items on the menu, and some of the inner workings. XSi is basically a miniature version of the 40D.

as far as the advanced settings being able to make the pictures "come to life", thats not exactly how the camera works. pictures come to life b/c of the photographer and the lens, not the camera. a great photographer who knows what settings to use in the right conditions can take a much better picture than a newbie with the $3k camera body.

its an awesome camera. i've had mine for almost a year, but it takes a HUGE learning curve to learn how to use it correctly and get out of the auto mode. read the book cover to cover, and practice taking lots of pics.

it will take you many months to get the full hang of it, good luck!

 

[EliteReefs]

nice deal.

but honestly, if you thought you were going to be able to just open up the XSi and know how to use it like a point and shoot camera, without ever using a dSLR before..........you don't really know much about dSLR's lol

and actually, the 40D and XSi have basically the same identical user interfaces. everything is practically the same except the body, a few extra items on the menu, and some of the inner workings. XSi is basically a miniature version of the 40D.

its an awesome camera. i've had mine for almost a year, but it takes a HUGE learning curve to learn how to use it correctly and get out of the auto mode. read the book cover to cover, and practice taking lots of pics.

it will take you many months to get the full hang of it, good luck!

well i have an rebel XT already I have a cheap macro lens i bought used and it took shots that worked for what i needed but i have never taken the time to really figure it out.

i started last night by taking one section of the book reading it through and then i will shoot using what i learned for a full week. then move onto the next section of the book. the hope if by the time i get through the whole book i will be well versed in most functions. the problem with that hope is i will have forgotten what i learned in the first part of the book by the time i get to the last lol

 

[surfn]

well i have an reble XT already but i have never taken the time to really figure it out.
i started last night by taking one section of the book reading it through and then i will shoot using what i learned for a full week. then move onto the next section of the book. the hope if by the time i get through the whole book i will be well versed in most functions. the problem with that hope is i will have forgotten what i learned in the first part of the book by the time i get to the last lol

thats basically what i did. keep the reading the book every week, spending a full week on each chapter of the book. then whatever mode or function you are reading about, be sure to go around and take lots and lots of practice pictures. then look at them on the computer and compare them etc.

you learn by taking pictures, and figuring out what works best for *YOU*.

there isn't a magic dial or setting unfortunately that can make you take better pictures, its all about the person behind the camera.

 

[Poseidon]

pictures come to life b/c of the photographer and the lens, not the camera. a great photographer who knows what settings to use in the right conditions can take a much better picture than a newbie with the $3k camera body.

you learn by taking pictures, and figuring out what works best for *YOU*.

there isn't a magic dial or setting unfortunately that can make you take better pictures, its all about the person behind the camera.

AMEN BROTHER!!!!

Practice Practice PRACTICE!!!

Start with Av mode set for f8, ISO 800, and set the ev to -1. Start taking coral pictures... Oh, make sure to use a tripod.

For fish pictures, leave the iso at 800, set the aperture for the smallest number you can, then take LOTS AND LOTS of pictures.

 

[surfn]

AMEN BROTHER!!!!

Practice Practice PRACTICE!!!

Start with Av mode set for f8, ISO 800, and set the ev to -1. Start taking coral pictures... Oh, make sure to use a tripod.
.

why do you set the EV to -1, and then ISO to 800? just curious. i like to keep the ISO no higher than 400 on a tripod in case I need to crop for some macro stuff.

 

[Poseidon]

'Cause I don't know what kind of tripod he has! Yes, the lower the ISO the better, but if he has a wiggly tripod, then the faster shutter speed will yield better results. Plus 800 on the 40D is like 400 on most other cameras!

As for the EV to -1, I find that my tank lights fool the built in meter, and -1 seems to put things back into place. (On my 20D it is -1, on the 1D more like -1/3)

 

[surfn]

'Cause I don't know what kind of tripod he has! Yes, the lower the ISO the better, but if he has a wiggly tripod, then the faster shutter speed will yield better results. Plus 800 on the 40D is like 400 on most other cameras!

As for the EV to -1, I find that my tank lights fool the built in meter, and -1 seems to put things back into place. (On my 20D it is -1, on the 1D more like -1/3)

well yeah, my question is more specifically about the EV. when my camera was new, i had the EV set to 0 and my pics looked perfect. i haven't taken any tank pics in quite a while, and lately when i try to shoot it seems all my pics are over exposed at 0EV while in AV mode at f9-13 (ISO 100).

what kind of metering do you suggest for pics on a tripod and pics of the tank handheld, also what kind of metering for regular walk around picture taking?

 

[Poseidon]

I use evaluative metering 90% of the time, I think that is why I use the EV to compensate. If you switch to spot metering, then you may not have to use the EV at all. That is trading one manual camera setting for another though, and it really doesn't make it any easier does it? This is where the case by case, or in this case, tank by tank situation makes it impossible to say.

Here is a perfect example, is you use spot metering while taking a picture of a blue tort, you will find the image WAY over exposed. However spot metering and a hot pink milli may be just fine! (Pink is closer to neutral then dark purple is.)

As for walk around, 99.9% of the time evaluative is the way to go. (Exceptions of course go to backlit scenes.)

 

[surfn]

I use evaluative metering 90% of the time, I think that is why I use the EV to compensate. If you switch to spot metering, then you may not have to use the EV at all. That is trading one manual camera setting for another though, and it really doesn't make it any easier does it? This is where the case by case, or in this case, tank by tank situation makes it impossible to say.

Here is a perfect example, is you use spot metering while taking a picture of a blue tort, you will find the image WAY over exposed. However spot metering and a hot pink milli may be just fine! (Pink is closer to neutral then dark purple is.)

As for walk around, 99.9% of the time evaluative is the way to go. (Exceptions of course go to backlit scenes.)

thats interesting, i just looked at what setting i was on and it was set to center weighted averaging. for some reason, i remember using spot metering in the past.

 

[Poseidon]

Center weighted average is my least used metering mode, I don't know why, I seem to do spot, or evaluative...

Try the other options, see what you get.

 

[roshi719]

I usually bracket my shots when I take them. Meaning: I take one at 0 ev, one at -1 ev, and one at +1 ev. That way when you get to the computer you almost always have the best shot in one of them. The rest of em you just delete. I LOVE DIGITAL!!!

 

[Kigs!]

So if you did not call them, you would've even saved the $150?

 

[EliteReefs]

So if you did not call them, you would've even saved the $150?

if i was into stealing then yes i guess your right