Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook - 2014 UK

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Welcome
W
ith models suitable for beginners as well as the
most demanding professional, Canon is the
number one brand in digital SLRs. The beauty of
these cameras is that they allow you to get really
creative with your pictures, and end up with photographs that
are far more than point-and-shoot snapshots. But getting
great images from these sophisticated tools means far more
than pressing the shutter and hoping for the best. An array of
dials, menu options and information-packed displays have to
be given proper attention. The Ultimate
Canon SLR Handbook Volume 1 is the
instruction manual that should have
CHECK ! come in the box. It doesn’t just tell
TH IDIS
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you how to use them to get great
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to photography with a Canon SLR
– from how to change your lens, to
how to master depth of field. Our
tutorials (and the accompanying videos
you’ll discover on chapter three’s pages) show you how to
edit the pictures you take using the software that is
shipped with every Canon digital SLR. As you learn more
about photography, you will be tempted to invest in more
lenses and other accessories – but make sure you read
our fact-packed group tests (on page 166) before
making a decision about what to buy!
If you like this bookazine, don’t miss The Ultimate
Canon SLR Handbook Volumes 2 and 3 – on sale now!
Chris George, Series editor
2014 The Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook 3

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CHAPTER ONE Video......................................................126
Battery power .......................................130
Camera skills 6 Custom Functions .................................134
Master your SLR!.......................................8
Live View ...............................................138
Don’t be a D-SLR dunce ..........................18
Drive modes ..........................................142
Exposure made easy ...............................28
Get creative with lenses .........................38 CHAPTER THREE
Sharpen up your shots!...........................50
24 steps to better night photos ............ 60
Master Canon software 146
Master Digital Photo Professional ...........148
Process multiple images in minutes ........152
CHAPTER TWO Turn three shots into a panorama ...........156
Canon SLR College 70 Create custom Picture Styles....................158
Focal length .............................................72 Ten ways to use EOS Utility ......................160
Focusing...................................................76 Organise your photos ...............................164
Depth of field ..........................................82
Aperture ................................................. 86 CHAPTER FOUR
Shutter speeds ....................................... 90 Essential kit 166
Exposure modes..................................... 94 Budget telephoto zooms ...................... 168
Metering modes explained.................... 98 Teleconverters ....................................... 177
White balance........................................102 Ultra-wide lenses .................................. 180
Digital processing................................. 106 Battery grips.......................................... 189
Flash .......................................................110 Macro lenses..........................................190
ISO speeds .............................................114 Superzoom lenses .................................204
File formats and memory cards ...........118 Remote releases.................................... 213
Histograms ............................................122 Flashguns ............................................... 214
Camera skills
Page 18
Page 8 Page 28

Camera skills
Camera
1
Page 60
skills
Master your SLR! ..............................................8
Don’t be a D-SLR dunce .................................18
Exposure made easy ......................................28
Get creative with lenses ................................38
Sharpen up your shots!..................................50
24 steps to better night photos ...................60
Page 38
Page 50

Camera skills
ASTER
Essential
M skills for
beginners
YOUR SLR! -and-dirty reference guide

Ultimate down
Camera skills
Chris George
W
ith its EOS range of people on a few occasions, and with so
Forgot the manual cameras, Canon is much on offer it’s easy to become totally
and the endless, producing some of the most

sophisticated D-SLRs
distracted and confused by all the choices!
In this guide, we’re going to cut to the
conflicting advice, available today, and each new camera that
it launches is bristling with technology and
chase and get straight to the essentials,
revealing the only settings you really need
here’s your no- equipped with an ever-growing range of to use to take great pictures straight out of
nonsense guide to features. This is great news for

photographers because, no matter what
the box and, just as importantly, how you
can make the most of them. So avoid the
everything you really you want to photograph, or how you want
to photograph it, there’s bound to be a
confusion over which buttons to press,
ignore the hundreds of options nestling in
need to know to setting or a button that will help you the menus, and don’t get distracted by
take great shots with achieve your goal.

However, some of these options are
multiple exposure modes: just follow this
guide to start taking stunning shots with
your Canon D-SLR really only going to be useful to a few your EOS in double-quick time.

MASTER
Essential
skills for
beginners
YOUR SLR!
Ultimate down-and-dirt
y reference guide
Get started
Before you set out…
In general, it’s best to set artefacts and remember that all
your camera to shoot of the processing will be done
RAW, rather than JPEG. The files in-camera, so you may want to
may be bigger, but the image change the Picture Style if you’re
quality will be better and you can after a specific look.
optimise your pictures by
adjusting the contrast, Whenever you’re heading
saturation, sharpening, and even out on a shoot, format your
the exposure when you convert memory card instead of deleting
them to TIFF or JPEG. images by choosing the Format
option from the Setup tab in your
However, if you want to camera menu. This will make
shoot a burst of images in sure that any camera-specific
quick succession, switch from data is written to the card before
RAW to JPEG. Use the highest you begin, which reduces the risk
quality setting to avoid JPEG of any data loss.
White balance AUTO WB Your Canon D-SLR’s Auto

White Balance is usually
Your camera’s white balance pretty accurate, but it’s
makes sure that your colours are better use the other white
correct when you take a shot, so it’s balance presets when you
important to get it right. If you’re want to warm up your
shooting RAW, use your camera’s auto image’s colours and tones
white balance (AWB) and fine-tune the
result in Photoshop’s Camera Raw
editor or Canon’s Digital Photo
Professional if you need to when you
convert your files.
If you’re shooting JPEG files, then

you need to get the white balance
spot-on when you shoot to avoid any
colour correction work. Use the camera’s CLOUDY WB
preset white balance options to match
the conditions you’re shooting in: Daylight if it’s
sunny, Cloudy when it’s overcast, and Flash
when you’re shooting with flash.
Using a Cloudy white balance setting at

sunset (or sunrise) will enhance the
warmth of the sky and create more saturated
colours for a dramatic look.
If you’re shooting in mixed lighting

conditions (both tungsten and daylight,
for example) the camera’s AWB can be fooled
into giving the wrong result, so set the white
balance manually. Shoot a white piece of paper
or card under the same lighting and use this
Chris George and Peter Travers
shot to create a custom white balance for

neutral results.
Exposure 1/90 sec at f/3.5; ISO1
00
Lens Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8
IS USM
Camera skills
Picture Styles STANDARD TOP TIPS

Picture Styles alter the contrast, saturation, Essential
in-camera sharpening and colour tone to accessories
tailor your shots to a specific type of subject. Memory cards
However, they only have an effect if you’re shooting A selection of spare
JPEG images as the processing is done in-camera. CompactFlash or SD flash memory
If you’re shooting RAW files, you can choose a cards are vital – especially if you
Picture Style when you process the image in the won’t have access to a computer
Digital Photo Professional (DPP) software that to download your images to for any
came with your camera. Note that only DPP length of time.
recognises Picture Styles – Photoshop does not.
The Landscape style is great for adding PORTRAIT

punch to an outdoor shot as it increases the
vibrancy of greens and blues, while the Portrait
style ensures smooth skin tones and vibrancy for
pixel-perfect people pictures.
You don’t have to stick to the default Picture

Styles – they can all be edited, allowing you Spare battery
to customise the sharpness, contrast, saturation Having one battery in your
and colour tone. You can save your custom styles camera and another on charge
as user-defined settings that you can quickly means you never have to take a
access from the Picture Styles menu. break from your photography!
Protective filter
Buy an affordable skylight
or UV screw-in filter to protect your
Controlling your drive modes lenses without adversely affecting
your images.
The drive mode tells your camera whether it wildlife, it’s best to switch to Continuous shooting
should take a single shot when you press the mode and fire off a burst of frames to make sure you Camera bag
shutter release, or fire a burst of frames while your catch the best moment. You can shoot a longer A padded camera bag’s not
finger’s on the ‘trigger’. Most of the time you can burst at a faster rate if you set the camera to shoot just for carrying your gear – it will
stick to Single shooting mode, which will give you JPEG instead of RAW. also keep it safe and all together
time to review your images as you shoot and adjust when it’s on a shelf at home.
the settings (if you need to) before shooting again. If your SLR’s on a tripod, use the self-timer to Tripod
trigger the shutter so you don’t introduce any An absolute must for
With a fast-moving subject you don’t want to camera shake when you press the button. Later EOS pin-sharp, shake-free images.
miss a shot, so if you’re shooting sports or SLRs have 2-sec and 10-sec self-timer settings.
BURST MODE
Quick Control
The Quick Control screen on the latest Canon
EOS models is a great way of changing your
camera settings without fumbling through menus
or looking for buttons. Simply press the Quick
Control button on the back of the camera, scroll
to the option you want to adjust and use the
control wheel to make any changes.
MASTER
Essential
skills for
beginners
YOUR SLR!
y reference guide
f/2.8
f/5.6
f/8
Chris George and Peter Travers
The wider the aperture you use

(such as f/2.8 or f/5.6) the more
the background will be out-of-
focus behind your subject…
f/16
Exposure
explained
Exposure mode choices
Program is a sure-fire way to to match. The same applies if you want
successful, hassle-free shots. a large depth of field: switch to Av,
Your camera will choose a suitable choose your aperture (f/16 or f/22),
aperture and shutter speed, but you and let the camera do the rest.
can shift the pairing to control the
aperture and shutter speed. When shooting action you need
to use a fast shutter speed to
If you know you want a very freeze movement, so Time Value (Tv)
shallow depth of field, switch to mode is the way to go. You choose the
Aperture Value (Av) mode to pick a wide shutter speed you want to use and the
aperture setting, such as f/2.8 or f/4. camera chooses the aperture that will
The camera will choose a shutter speed give you the perfect exposure.
Camera skills
Metering modes
Your Canon EOS has a choice of metering
patterns to determine the exposure for a
picture, but for the majority of shots the only one you
need is Evaluative. This will read the brightness of the
entire scene, balancing out all the light and dark areas
to give the best exposure.
If you’re photographing a scene that is either Partial metering will

very light or very dark, Evaluative metering can help when shooting
subjects against very
be ‘tricked’ into under- or overexposing the shot. The
dark or light backdrops
answer is to switch to Partial metering, which takes an
exposure reading from a small part of the frame. Aim
the central area of the viewfinder at a midtone, such
as grass, your subject’s face, or the back of your hand
(it doesn’t necessarily have to be an area that appears
in your shot), press the Exposure Lock button to ‘lock’
the exposure in the camera’s memory, and then
re-frame before firing the shutter.
TOP TIPS
DEEP DoF Depth of field explained 5 features you
When someone talks about your shots is one of the most creative
‘Depth of Field’ (DoF), aspects of photography; classic
can forget about
they’re talking about how much of examples of depth of field being used Full Auto
a scene appears to be sharp. for creative effect include portraits It may provide point-
Controlling the depth of field in where the person is sharp and the and-shoot simplicity, but
background blurred (a shallow depth of Program gives you much
SHALLOW DoF field), and scenic views where more control over your
everything in the shot is sharp exposures.
(a large, or deep depth of field).
A-DEP
Both of these effects are
Use Aperture Value
achieved by selecting the correct
(Av) or Program to control
aperture, and the simple way of
depth of field, rather than
remembering how aperture
letting the camera guess
relates to depth of field is ‘small
what you want to be in focus.
f-number=small depth of field, big
f-number=big depth of field’. Centre-weighted
metering mode
Once the only option on
many 35mm film SLRs,
ISO640
Shutter speed ISO but Evaluative is far more
sophisticated.
For action-stopping shots, use a shutter speed For the best
Monochrome
of 1/250 sec or shorter, while a shutter speeds image quality,
If you want a black-and-
of 1/15 sec or longer are great for blurring moving stick to ISO100 and only
white picture, most editing
subjects, such as waterfalls. increase sensitivity if
software provides greater
you have to. You don’t
flexibility than the in-camera
Camera shake can ruin a picture, so when have to worry about
options, so shoot in colour and
holding your camera, aim to use a shutter camera shake when
convert later. It also means
speed that’s the reciprocal of your focal length – using a tripod, but if
you’ll have a colour version of
1/100 sec or faster with a 100mm focal length, holding a camera, use
your shot as well.
1/200 sec with a 200mm focal length, and so on. the lowest ISO you can
to get a shutter speed Adobe RGB
1/8 sec 1/350 sec that’s fast enough to avoid camera shake. The Adobe RGB colour
space isn’t always printer-
A high ISO setting may seem like a great friendly, so stick to sRGB if
option for using faster shutter speeds, but it you want great looking prints
can introduce ‘noise’ that appears as coloured every time.
speckles and can ruin a picture.

MASTER
Essential
skills for
beginners
YOUR SLR!
y reference guide
Through the
viewfinder
LCD and menus 1 AF points
Your viewfinder is your EOS
camera’s ‘nerve-centre’,
providing you with a lot of information
about what you’re about to photograph.
Your camera’s AF Before you fire the shutter, take a
(autofocus) points moment to check the edges of the
are all visible, with frame so you haven’t got anything
the AF point(s) in creeping into the shot that you don’t
red indicating 1 want in your picture.
where and when
focus is achieved. Check the aperture and shutter
speed to make sure you’re using
2 Subject the settings you want: Is the shutter
or scene speed fast enough to prevent camera
Your viewfinder shake? Is the aperture giving you the
shows you how depth of field you want? If not, use your
much of your Canon’s control wheel to shift the
2
subject/scene will exposure to the aperture or shutter
fit in the frame. speed you need.
When you half-press the shutter

3 Exposure 3
release, the focus point indicators
The figure on the 4 will momentarily light to tell you where
5
left indicates your the point of focus is, so make sure this is
shutter speed where you want it. Also check that your
(1/125 sec in this camera has locked focus before you
case) and on the 4 Exposure level 5 ISO and max burst push the shutter release all the way
right is your If the marker is in the middle, Your ISO speed (100), how many down to take your shot – a solid green
aperture (f/8 in your exposure is ‘correct’, continuous shots you can take (9), dot will light up in the viewfinder of most
this instance). with +/- 2 stops either way. and focus confirmation light. EOS models to confirm focus lock.
Matthew Richards, Chris George and Peter Travers
Live View
The latest Canon EOS D-SLRs feature Live View, which allows you to use
the camera’s LCD screen to set up your shots. This is great for landscape
photography, or shots where your D-SLR is set up on a tripod, because you can
see clearly what you’re shooting, as well as your various camera settings. Once
Live View is activated, use the Display (Disp.) button to call up a histogram (see
Reviewing Your Shots, right) to get a ‘live’ guide to the exposure.

Camera skills
ALO OFF Useful menu options TOP TIPS

Peripheral Illumination Correction: Some lenses Three benefits
can suffer from ‘vignetting’, where the corners of of using flash
the image are slightly darker than the centre. Enabling Fill in shadows
Peripheral Illumination Correction removes this in JPEG On a bright, sunny day,
shots automatically, while the DPP software that came the direct sun can create
with your camera does the same thing to RAW files. harsh shadows that will ruin
portraits. Remove them by
Auto Lighting Optimizer: This automatically using your EOS’s built-in flash
improves the lighting, boosting the contrast in to provide fill-in lighting.
low-contrast scenes for a punchier result, or
brightening the subject if it’s slightly underexposed. Without fill flash
ALO ON
With fill flash
Backlit subjects
If taking a portrait
against a bright background,
use your pop-up flash to
avoid an underexposed shot.
Bounce flash
If using a Speedlite
flash, try bouncing it off a
white wall or ceiling for a
Exposure 1/160 sec at f/9; ISO1
00 softer, more flattering look.
Lens Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX
DC HSM
FULL SCREEN
Reviewing your shots
To be sure you’ve got the button, then zoom out by two steps.
result you are after, there are Zooming out is important because,
three things that you can and if you zoom in all the way, nothing will
should check if you’ve got the appear sharp. Use the control pad to
opportunity: framing, focus and scroll around the image and check
exposure. Press the Playback the area you want to be in focus is
button and follow the steps below to sharp. If not, shoot again, perhaps
confirm you’ve nailed your shot. setting the AF point manually.
As soon as you press Check the exposure by

Playback, your image
appears on the LCD, filling the
pressing the Display (Disp.)
button to call up the histogram
ZOOM IN!
screen. Check for stray elements graph, which shows the tones in
around the edges of the shot that your image, from black on the left to
you’ve missed through the white on the right. If the histogram
viewfinder, remembering that you is piled up against the left, this
can later crop the image or clone means shadow detail has been lost,
them out in your editing software. and if it hits the right of the graph,
your highlights have blown out. Use
To check the focus, zoom the Exposure Compensation
into the image as far as you control to adjust the exposure and
can using your camera’s zoom-in shoot again.

MASTER
Essential
skills for
beginners
YOUR SLR!
y reference guide
TELEPHOTO
Focal length
and focusing Autofocus modes revealed
The AF button on your EOS Providing you don’t take your finger off
camera accesses one of several the shutter button (or press it all the
autofocus modes, including One way and take a shot!), you can move the
Shot AF, AI Servo AF and AI Focus camera and recompose the shot
AF. For shots of static subjects, without the focus point changing.
stick to One Shot, as it’s the
quickest mode when it comes AI Focus AF is an amalgam of One
to locking onto a subject. For a Shot and AI Servo that will switch
moving subject, switch to AI from One Shot to AI Servo if it detects
Servo – your D-SLR will identify the subject moving. This may sound like
a moving subject and track it the perfect solution for all your shots,
across the frame to ensure it but camera movement can sometimes
stays sharp. fool AI Focus into thinking a subject has
moved when it hasn’t, and there can
In One Shot AF, half- also be a delay when it switches from
pressing the shutter One Shot to AI Servo (and back), which
release will lock the focus. can mean you miss your shot.
WIDE-ANGLE Shot at 10mm: Wide-angle

17mm 35mm 55mm
focal lengths are ideal for
capturing big scenic shots
Lenses, focal lengths and IS

As focal length changes so does When using a wide-angle focal
your angle of view; a wide focal length, tilt your camera down
length (eg 17mm) will fit more in shot slightly to fill the foreground and
than a longer focal length (eg 55mm). prevent a potentially small subject
getting lost in the wide view.
When shooting handheld,
lenses with built-in image A telephoto focal length (100mm
stabilisation let you use a shutter or longer) will compress the
speed three or four stops slower than perspective in a shot, which is great for
is usually safe to avoid camera shake. cityscapes when you want to create the
60 It also means you can use a lower ISO impression of buildings being ‘stacked’
Exposure 1/45 sec at f/16; ISO1
DC HSM
Lens Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX setting for better image quality. in front of one another.

Camera skills
Telephoto focal lengths TOP TIPS

enable you to get closer Four upgrades
for more intimate shots
of your wildlife subjects
to your kit lens
Canon EF 50mm
f/1.8 II
With a wide maximum
aperture of f/1.8, this lens is
perfect for portraits with a
shallow depth of field.
Sigma 105mm f/2.8

EX DG Macro
A macro lens can reveal
details that are
barely visible to the
naked eye, letting
you get up close
and personal with
your subjects.
Canon EF-S
10-22mm f/3.5-4.5
For dramatic landscapes
Adam Waring, Chris George and Peter Travers

with expansive skies, nothing
beats a wide-angle lens.
Canon EF-S 55-

250mm f/4-5.6 IS
This affordable favourite
delivers excellent optical
performance with an
Exposure 1/250 sec at f/5.6; ISO100
adaptable focal length range.
Lens Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM
Manual focus Focus points OUT OF FOCUS

With very-low-contrast shots, or in low-light For general shooting, you can leave your
conditions, your Canon D-SLR’s autofocus Canon D-SLR’s autofocus point selection
system might not lock onto the subject easily, in set to automatic, but when it comes to
which case you should switch the lens to manual photographing landscapes, you only need one
focus and focus manually. AF (autofocus) point active: the AF point in the
centre of the frame. This is the most sensitive
Manual focus is also very useful for macro AF point, which makes it the quickest and most
photography, when the camera’s AF system accurate. Use the AF point selection button to
might struggle to pick out the correct point of focus manually select the central point and you will
on a tiny subject. Because the depth of field will be know precisely where the camera will focus IN FOCUS
incredibly small, focusing manually ensures the with absolute consistency, so there’s no chance
part of the subject you want in focus will be sharp. of the camera trying to target the ground in front
of you or the sky.
While the central AF point is all you need

for landscapes, when it comes to action
shots and AI Servo mode, all of the camera’s
focusing points need to be activated so it can
track your subject. To help the AI Servo, focus on
your subject with the central AF point (the most
sensitive and quickest) in the first instance, and point(s) your camera chooses if the point
then let the camera take it from there. selection is set to automatic. Better still,
manually choose an AF point that falls over
For portrait photography, the point that your subject’s eyes to ensure your focusing in
Exposure 1/40 sec at f/4; ISO100 should always be sharp is your subject’s bang on. Beware of AF points that focus on
Lens Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro eyes, so pay very close attention to which AF backgrounds by mistake!

Camera skills
Want to learn how to master shutter speed, aperture,

focusing and composition? Our beginners’ class will teach
you all you need to know about using your Canon EOS SLR
W
hether you are lucky enough to have just shutter speed, for freezing subjects or capturing a
got your hands on your first ever shiny sense of movement in your scene. And we’ll pass
new Canon D-SLR, or you just need to on expert advice for getting the best possible
brush up on your shooting skills, we’ve got an results when the light is getting low.
all-in-one guide to getting to grips with your EOS. Then we build up to focusing, to help you get
We’ll start off this photographic crash course by sharp shots whatever you’re shooting, and how to
explaining – in simple terms – how exposure works, avoid common autofocus pitfalls. We’ll round
so you can capture perfectly exposed shots every things off with a composition masterclass,
time. We’ll show you the importance of choosing explaining the best ways to approach and compose
the best aperture and depth of field for different your shots. So, don’t be bottom of the camera
subjects. We’ll reveal all you need to know about class, turn the page to start swotting up now…
What you’ll learn here...

Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Lesson 4
Apertures and Shutter speeds Focusing and Composition

depth of field and blur AF points cock-ups cured

Camera skills

Camera skills
Lesson 1 NARROW
APERTURE
Aperture explained
T
he two main elements you use to take an hand, dictates how long your SLR’s shutter stays
exposure are aperture and shutter speed. open for, and so also controls how much light
The aperture of a lens ranges from wide to reaches the sensor. Aperture and shutter speed
narrow, and is measured in f/stops, such as f/4 act in unison to determine your exposure, so a wide
(wide aperture) to f/22 (narrow aperture). The f/4 aperture and fast 1/500 sec shutter speed lets
wider the aperture, the more light is let in to reach in the same amount of light as a narrow f/16
your EOS’s sensor – brightening your shots. The aperture and slow 1/30 sec shutter speed, giving
narrower the aperture, the less light is let in – an identical exposure. However, you may still end
darkening your shots. Shutter speed, on the other up with two very different shots…
WIDE APERTURE When taking portraits,

always make sure
you focus on the
eyes to draw people
into the shot
A mid-range focal length

of 55mm decreases the
angle of view, as well
as helping to further
decrease depth of field
(see top right)
Using a wide aperture

of f/3.5 ensures your
subject is sharp but the A wide-angle focal length of
background is blurred, 18mm increases the angle of
helping them stand out view and also increases DoF
Peter Travers
Using exposure compensation

Use Evaluative Metering
mode to get a good starting
UNDEREXPOSED OVEREXPOSED
point for your exposures.
You can then brighten or
darken them quickly using
exposure compensation
when shooting in Av (or Tv)
mode. Use the Av+/- button
on the back of your D-SLR
and the top dial to set
positive/negative exposure
– using the Exposure Level
Indicator in your viewfinder
(or rear LCD) to dial in
exposure compensation.
Turn the dial to the right to
brighten your shot, to the This shot is underexposed – a common problem Use exposure compensation to brighten shots,
left to darken it. when photographing white scenes or subjects but too much will result in overexposure

Camera skills
Depth
of field
When you change your lens’s aperture
setting, you affect depth of field (DoF).
The depth of field refers to the amount
of your scene that’s acceptably sharp.
Using a wide aperture (such as f/5.6)
will result in a ‘shallow’ depth of field.
This is why wide apertures are ideal for
shooting portraits and wildlife, as you
can blur the backgrounds behind your
subjects to really make them stand
out in the scene.
Using a narrow aperture (such as
f/16) results in a greater depth of field.
This is why narrow apertures are
perfect when shooting landscapes and
cityscapes, as you want to
ensure your scene is
acceptably sharp from
the foreground
through to the
background
area.
Use Av (Aperture
value or
Aperture Priority
) mode to contro
your apertures. l
In this semi-auto
Jeff Morgan mode, your EOS
will then set
the shutter spee
An aperture of f/16 has made the scene Use leading lines d for a
standard exposu
sharp, from the rocks in the foreground to to draw the eye re
the buildings in the background into your photos
Anatomy of the viewfinder

Look through your viewfinder to see Autofocus points light up to
what will be captured on camera show you which are active
SED
CORRECTLY EXPO
This scale
shows you
the amount
of exposure
compensation
has bee set
This LED
lights up
when the
autofocus has
locked onto
the subject
By dialling in +1 stop of positive exposure

Your shutter speed; Your aperture; in this Your ISO setting;
compensation the shot is now well-exposed
in this case it’s 1/15 sec case it’s set at f/22 increase to make the SLR
(not 15 seconds) more sensitive to light

Camera skills
Lesson 2
Shutter speed solutions
A
s explained on the previous page, the
aperture and shutter speed work together to STATIC SUBJECTS
determine how bright your exposure will be.
Like apertures, shutter speeds are also measured as
‘stops’, such as 1/250 sec and 1/125 sec. Shutter
speeds are easier to understand; a shutter speed of
1/60 sec lets in half the amount of light as 1/30 sec
as it’s half the amount of time. The speed dictates
the amount of time the shutter inside your EOS stays
open to let in the right amount of light.
MOVING SUBJECTS
When photographing fast- Shoot handheld for If the subject is not Keep ISO low to Use a tripod to ensure
moving wildlife and sports, greater freedom to moving, you can use a reduce grain and your D-SLR is rock-steady
use a fast shutter speed to move and recompose slow shutter speed – if noise appearing throughout the exposure
freeze the action as your subject moves you avoid camera shake in your images and to ensure sharp shots
Anatomy of an EOS: top

Press this button The Mode Dial, choose from Basic
Fast and
to pop up your
EOS D-SLR’s
Zone and Creative Zone modes
slow shutter
built-in flash
speeds
Which shutter speed you use depends on your
subject. The main point to remember, when
considering shutter speed, is if your subject or
part of your scene is moving. If you use a slow
shutter speed it will show a sense of movement
(captured as blur), whereas if you use a fast
shutter speed it will freeze any movement.
Using a slow shutter speed (such as 1/15 sec
or even 1 sec) is ideal if you’re shooting a
landscape with water in the scene and you want
to blur the movement of the water. Whereas you’ll
need to set a fast shutter speed (eg 1/500 sec or
1/1000 sec) if you want to freeze subjects in
The hotshoe: for attaching Choose Tv (Time value) Press this button
motion, such as sports or wildlife.
flashguns, like the superb mode to take control to set your SLR’s
Canon Speedlite 430 EX II of your shutter speed autofocus points

Camera skills
LOW LIGHT The 30-second shutter speed

necessary for this night shot
has captured ambient light in
the sky and also blurred the
water in the foreground
Shooting scenics in low light and at

night, a long shutter speed and a
tripod will be necessary to capture an
accurate exposure and sharp result
Shutter speed vs focal length Use Tv (Time va

lue or
The longer your telephoto lens, the more that your focal length with your shutter speed, so if Shutter Priority
) mode to contro
camera shake can become a problem. To you’re using a 300mm lens, make sure your your shutter sp l
eeds. In this
make sure the longer focal length doesn’t shutter speed is at least 1/320 sec or higher. semi-auto mode
your EOS will
then set the aper
result in blurred shots, follow this simple rule, Increase your ISO accordingly to achieve a ture for a
standard exposu
if you are not using a tripod: at least match fast enough shutter speed for sharp shots. re
FAST SHUTTER SPEED SLOW SHUTTER SPEED
Faster shutter speeds Any movement in your Slower shutter speeds record any Use a tripod when using
eliminate camera shake scenes (such as the river in movement in your scene as blur – slower shutter speeds
problems, enabling you to this photo) will be frozen in creating dreamy-looking water in to keep your camera
shoot handheld action by fast shutter speeds this riverside landscape image still for sharp shots

Camera skills SOFT FOCUS
Lesson 3
Focusing and
staying sharp Using a long
300mm telephoto
lens has resulted
in camera shake
Using One Shot AF
means the focusing on
the motorbike racer
isn’t accurate either!
FOCUSED ON SUBJECT
W
hen using a wide
aperture (such as
f/3.5), and therefore
capturing a shallow depth of field,
your depth of focus is also
reduced. This means only a small
plane in your frame will be sharp;
anything in front of and behind
your point of focus will blurred.
With this in mind, you need to be
extra vigilant with focusing when
using a wide aperture as, if you’re
off target, you’ll end up with
out-of-focus subjects. A good
example is when shooting motor
sports; be careful to focus on the
front end of the vehicle (or the
rider) as that’s what you want in
focus to draw people in. If your
focusing isn’t accurate, you can
end up with a shot where the back
of the vehicle is sharp, but the Increasing the ISO has Use AI Servo AF Using the AF points in the top
increased the shutter to help you track corners can help your compositions,
front of the car or head of the
speed to ensure a and focus on fast- by placing subjects in your frame
rider is out of focus. sharp result moving targets according to the ‘rule of thirds’
Anatomy of an EOS: rear

Press here to Select an AF point
Sharp subjects
access your using the cursor keys
D-SLR’s menu FOCUS ON BACKGROUND
When using manual Your D-SLR’s autofocus

AF point selection, will ‘hunt’ around, trying
be careful that your to focus on objects in
D-SLR doesn’t focus the foreground and
Use individual AF points Press the AF Point Selection button on the background background, when you half-
to control where and what and the selected AF point will be by mistake press the shutter button
you focus on in your scene displayed in the viewfinder and/or LCD

Camera skills
CHOOSING
YOUR AF POINT
The wide
aperture of
f/4 means the
rope in the
foreground is out
of focus and less
distracting, but
still adds depth
and context to
this photograph
Selecting a single
AF point makes
it easier to frame
a shot so that it
obeys the ‘rule
of thirds’ to
ensure a great
composition (see
over the page)
By manually
selecting your
AF point, you
can choose
where in your
frame you focus
Peter Travers
Autofocus (AF) points

Your EOS D-SLR is set with Auto AF Point when you want to take control and focus
In the Basic Zone
shooting modes
Landscape, etc.)
(Portrait,
Auto AF Point
Selection on as default. This is fine if you on something deeper in the scene for a Selection will ta
ke effect.
want to focus on whatever’s closest to you more creative result. Switch to Manual AF Switch to Av or
Tv mode,
then manually se
in your frame, but it becomes a problem Selection and choose your own AF points. t
AF
FOCUS ON SUBJECT
Timing is everything
when focusing on fast-
flying birds
Use Continuous Drive

mode to keep up with
the action. Be ready to
press the shutter button
before, during and after
the subject flies through
the frame
You can also pre-focus on

the spot your subject will
hit (the post in our shot)
then switch to Manual
Focus (MF on your lens)
to lock the focus

Camera skills
Lesson 4 ZOOMED OUT
Common
composition
mistakes
T
he best way to approach how you compose your
shots is to think about what you’re trying to With the subject plonked in the Although a wide aperture of
centre of the frame and with no f/4 was used, the background
communicate to people about the scene or subject
clear focal point, the eye is left objects are still too much in
you’re shooting. Don’t just take a ‘record’ of whatever’s in to wander around the frame focus, and are off-putting
front of you, think about what’s the most
interesting part of the scene to focus on,
zooming in or out if necessary.
ZOOMED IN A longer focal length of
A classic compositional mistake, 200mm decreases the
angle of view, so there are
when taking portraits, is to try and get
fewer distractions in the
the whole scene and the person in shot. surrounding scene
The result is a terrible ‘tourist’ photo
that leaves the person too small and Longer focal lengths
insignificant in the frame. Better to take also further decrease
a wide shot of the scene, and then a DoF to completely blur
tighter shot focusing on your subject. backgrounds, making
Also use depth of field to convey what’s your subject stand out
important to show – or a shallow depth Placing your subject
of field to blur parts of the scene, such off-centre (see the
as the background behind subjects, ‘rule of thirds’, below)
to keep the focus on them. creates an artistic
balance to the shot
Peter Travers
Anatomy of an EOS: front

The shutter button:
half press to focus, fully Attach the supplied
Rule of thirds
Try to avoid simply placing your subject slap-
press to take a shot Canon strap here
for easier carrying bang in the middle of your frame. By placing the
focal point of your scene off-centre, along
imaginary lines roughly one-third and two-thirds
into the frame, you’ll create a much more
balanced and pleasing composition.
When manually focusing, Use the zoom ring Every keen amat
should own a de eur
use the focus ring on the end on your lens to zoom in and out cent tripod as it
you have more co lets
of your lens to adjust focus for the best composition ntrol over depth
of field and shut
ter speed,
and will help en
sure
consistent resu
lts
Camera skills
VERTICAL/
PORTRAIT FORMAT Place prominent
features, such as this
tree, on intersections
of the rule of thirds grid
Shoot in Live Vi
ew and
use the grid displa
Place the horizon either y so you can
quickly apply th
a third of the way up or e ‘rule of thirds’
over your scene
a third of the way down or subject
to improve your
the frame for a dynamic compositions
composition
HORIZONTAL/
LANDSCAPE FORMAT
Try switching to vertical

format compositions as Remember to create a
you may find they work relationship between Getting down low will
better for certain scenes foreground elements and help prevent too much
and subject shapes focal points further away empty middle ground
on the horizon spoiling your shot
TOO CENTRAL BETTER BALANCE
Peter Travers
Placing horizons in As it stands, the By moving the horizon Don’t be afraid to include
the middle of your sky and sea have down so it is not dead more sky than land (or
frame will create equal weighting in centre creates a more water) in your shot –
an unbalanced and the shot dynamic composition particularly if the sky
boring image looks colourful

Camera skills
Get to grips with metering, histograms, exposure

compensation, and more with our jargon-free guide

Camera skills
S
etting the right exposure is one of the most of situations, many of the options can give you identical
the important things for the photographer – results. The next ten pages are all about exposure,
and camera – to get right. If too much light we’ll show you which options are the most useful –
reaches the sensor, your pictures can be a whitewash and exactly when you need to use them.
– quite literally! Too little light, and you might as well One of the great things about digital cameras is
have left the lens cap on! that you can check your pictures as soon as you take
Fortunately, your Canon provides you with a wide them – and even analyse the distribution of tones
range of ways to control the exposure – each using the histogram. If the shot isn’t how you wished it
providing different degrees of automation, or to be you can simply retake it – correcting it so that
different ways of setting and assessing the necessary it’s no longer too light or too dark.
combination of shutter speed and aperture. Our camera techniques will show you how to get
With such a great range of exposure modes, more from the camera, so you get more of your
metering patterns, locks and overrides, it can be pictures looking right first time around – and spend
difficult to know which to use when. Inevitably, some less time editing them in programs like Adobe
do very similar things to others – and in many Photoshop to fix them! So, let’s get started…

Camera skills
Exposure modes
Find out why Tv isn’t
good for you, and why Choosing the right mode
Av is better in our big- Options depend on your camera, but these are typical…
button guide Fully Auto Shutter priority Manual
The ‘green square’ option You set the shutter speed You set both aperture and
sets everything for you – shutter speed, but the
A
s far as the overall exposure is you want using the Main
concerned, there are always a severely restricting Dial, the camera sets the camera meter still shows
number of different combinations of creative options. For point- aperture for you. you what it thinks of your
shutter speed and aperture that will do the and-shoot only. choice of settings.
Aperture value
job. A long exposure with a narrow aperture Program AE You set the aperture you Automatic
has the same effect as a shorter exposure Shutter speed and want with the Main Dial, Depth of Field AE
with a wider aperture – giving a picture that aperture are set and the camera sets the A specialist mode that sets
can be equally bright. The exposure mode automatically – but you shutter speed for you. aperture and focus to
(set using a big knob on top of your EOS) can alter these simply by Probably the most useful maximise sharpness in
dictates which of these many pairs of shutter turning the Main Dial; a of all the modes. main part of the picture.
surprisingly useful mode.
speed and aperture is actually chosen. Basic modes
Some exposure modes make the decision Indicated using symbols,
completely automatically – others allow you rather than by letters,
to take some, or all, of the control. Some are these ‘pictogram’ modes
much more useful than others – and some set both aperture and
shutter speed for you in a
exposure modes are (in our humble opinion)
‘one size fits all’ fashion to
not worth ever using! It is partly personal
suit particular subjects.
preference, but some are better for certain Unfortunately, these
shooting situations than others, as they allow modes also severely limit
you to get the shutter speed you need to choices with other camera
freeze or blur action more easily, or because settings, so are not
they provide quicker control over depth of recommended.
field (how much of the shot looks sharp).
STEP BY STEP Keep a close eye on speed and aperture
125 8.0 9
Rear LCD Viewfinder Top LCD

On most recent digital SLR models, When looking through the viewfinder, With higher-range models, you also get
your exposure settings can be you will also be able to keep an eye on a black-and-white LCD on top to quickly
indicated on the rear LCD. Here, shutter the shutter speed, aperture, and the check your exposure. Again, this shows you
speed is top left, aperture is top right, with amount of exposure compensation. The speed, aperture and the amount of exposure
the compensation indicator underneath. ISO is also visible on some models. compensation you have set.

Camera skills
Exposure modes in practice

Pick the mode you use based on the subject you are shooting
Blur the
Exposure: 1/2000 background
sec at f/4, ISO125 For portraits, you often
Lens: Canon EF
want to make the
300mm f/4L IS USM
backdrop blurred by using
a wide aperture. Av Mode
is good for this. You can
also use P Mode, using
the Main Dial to dial in the
required aperture.
Freeze the action

Shutter Priority mode is good if you want to guarantee a
fast (or slow) shutter speed. However, when shooting
action it is often better to use Aperture Priority, and set
the widest aperture to ensure the fastest speed possible.
Studio lighting
M Mode is useful for flash setups. The shutter
speed is set to the SLR’s sync speed or below,
and aperture is set for desired depth of field.
Exposure is set by the power of the flash itself.
Simon Powell and Chris George
Exposure: 1/125 sec at f/4, ISO100

Exposure: 1/125 sec at f/11 Lens: Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM
DG
Lens: Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 EX

Camera skills
Metering patterns
Changing the way your camera measures the amount of light in a
scene can help your shot success rate
W
hatever exposure A bright sky throws standard matrix metering for this
mode you use, your church scene on the right. A solution is to use the AE
camera must first Lock, taking a reading from the foreground
measure the brightness of the
scene before it can work out
which combination of shutter
speed and aperture to use.
It might seem that all the
camera’s built-in meter needs to
do is to measure the light
reflecting from the scene.
However, the lighting intensity
can vary enormously in the scene
– with some parts often being
much, much brighter than others.
A straight average, therefore, will
rarely give a good overall
exposure. Instead, your Canon
offers a choice of different ways
in which it can measure the light
when using the M, Av, Tv, P, and
A-Dep exposure modes. These
‘metering patterns’ bias their
readings towards different areas
of the frame, using different
algorithms to come up with their
suggested exposure settings.
STEP BY STEP Using the exposure lock to take a reading
Set the metering mode Go for Spot metering Auto Exposure Lock
To access your D-SLR’s metering modes, Use the Main Dial to cycle between Point the centre of the frame at the area
first press the Metering button – it has a metering modes. Spot or Partial metering you want to take the meter reading from.
rectangle with a smaller circle and a dot in the is handy for taking a reading from a particular Then press the AE Lock button to save this
middle. It is accessed by pressing the up arrow, area of the frame – useful, say, when the setting. Now recompose your shot and press
or a button on certain EOS models’ top plate. background is lighter than your subject. the shutter to take your picture.

Camera skills
METER OPTIONS
Understand your metering modes
Your camera has a number of Evaluative Partial
The default metering mode Very similar to Spot metering
different metering options to is also the most intelligent. It option, but takes a reading
choose from. Here’s what the takes readings from all over
from a larger central, circular,
area – around 9% of the viewfinder area,
most common options do… the frame, then tries to work out the type and as such is a little more forgiving. Partial
of scene you are photographing so it can metering mode is only found on certain Canon
suggest the most sensible ‘average’ reading. EOS camera models.
Spot Centre-weighted
Takes a light reading from This old-school meter mode
just a tiny area in the centre takes readings from across
of the scene (about 4% of the whole frame, but biasses
the viewfinder area). Best used with AE Lock, its ‘average’ towards the brightness readings
experience is needed to know which area it is at the centre of the frame. Easier to predict
best to take the spot reading from. where it will go ‘wrong’ than Evaluative.
Evaluative
Centre-weighted
Partial
Spotlight on spot
When shooting stage shows, where
the subject is lit by spotlights, No right answer
Matrix and Centre-weighted The amount of exposure you need
modes will be misled by the dark partly depends on what you want to
background. Spot or Partial metering show in the picture. Different meter
solves the problem. modes will give different
interpretations – particularly when
Exposure: 1/30 sec at f/4, ISO800
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM shooting high-contrast subjects.
Chris George

Camera skills
+1.0 EV
Exposure
compensation
If you are unhappy with the results your SLR
gives you, you need to override the meter
W
hichever metering mode you
choose to use, there will always be
occasions when you get shots that
are darker or lighter than you want them to
be. By reviewing a shot on your camera’s LCD
screen (or analysing the histogram, see page
36), you can see when the exposure is not
quite right – and then reshoot it to get exactly
what you want. The simplest way to correct
the exposure is to do exactly what you did last
time (with the same exposure and metering
modes) – only this time use the exposure
compensation feature to brighten or darken
the image.
On many entry-level Canons you get a
range of Exposure Compensation options
from +2 through to -2 ‘stops’ – where 0
means no compensation at all. A setting of +1
gives one stop more exposure, letting twice A shot of the black dog using Evaluative
as much light reach the sensor; a setting of metering gives it a grey coat. To darken
+2 quadruples the amount of light. A minus the fur, an exposure compensation
value makes the shot darker. setting of -1 was used
STEP BY STEP Exposure compensation on an EOS 450D
Compensation button Dial in a figure Indicator scale

To adjust the exposure compensation on At the same time, use your index finger The amount of positive or negative
entry-level Canons, like the EOS 450D, on the top Main Dial to ‘dial in’ up to +2 or exposure compensation you dial in will
you need to be in Aperture Priority, Shutter -2 stops. Turn it right to make your shots usually be shown on the indicator scale on the
Priority or Program mode. Press down the brighter (increased exposure), turn it left to LCD screen at the back of the camera, and
+/- button on the right of your rear LCD. make them darker. also in the viewfinder.

Camera skills
The difference between the

brightness of the sky and
the beach means that the
foreground looks dark, Common subjects
unless you use positive
needing compensation
Silhouettes
To get strong, dark
silhouettes when
shooting into the light, set
to around -1.5.
Translucence
For translucent subjects,
such as leaves and
stained-glass windows,
increase saturation by
setting compensation to
sation
No compen
around -0.5.
All white
If your subject is
supposed to be white and
bright, you will need to
increase exposure. Set
to around +1.0.
Towards windows
The exposure for interior
shots can be thrown by a
bright window. Set
exposure compensation to
around +1.5 stops if you
Chris George
want to see the room.
STEP BY STEP Exposure compensation on an EOS 50D
Compensation button Turn the rear dial Watch the scale

Adjusting exposure compensation is even You can ‘dial in’ up to +2 or -2 stops of The amount of under- or overexposure
easier on higher-end models – such as exposure compensation (+/- 5 stops on you dial in will be indicated on the
the Canon EOS 50D or 7D. With this, you switch some models). Move the dial clockwise to make indicator scale on your top LCD, in the
on and rotate the Quick Control Dial on the your shots brighter, move it anti-clockwise to viewfinder – and also on rear LCD, if you
back of the SLR. make them darker. press the Info button twice.

Camera skills
Histograms Histograms that stack to

the right can suggest
over-exposure. Here it
simply shows us that the
explained
subject is white!
Learn to love these

little graphs, they’re
your best friend for
judging exposure
Y
ou can check the exposure of the
shots you have taken simply by
reviewing them onscreen. But looking
at the picture alone can be misleading. Your
camera also gives the option to show the
range of brightnesses in your image as a
graph – which plots the brightness from jet
black on the left to pure white on the right.
A ‘perfect’ histogram rises gently from the
left, rises in the middle, and drops on the
right – indicating a full range of tones, but no
loss of detail in shadows or highlights.
If shots are too bright, the graph looks
pushed up towards the right – suggesting
burnt out highlights. If the shot is A text-book histogram has some
underexposed, the graph looks stacked to deep shadows and bright
the left. In both cases, such graphs help highlights, but is mainly made up
suggest cases where Exposure of midtones. However, there are
Compensation may be necessary. exceptions to the rule!
STEP BY STEP How to find your camera’s histogram
Review shots Display button Histogram

To review your shots on your rear colour While reviewing your shots, press the Disp. This histogram lets you quickly check
LCD, simply press the Playback button on or Info. button twice to bring up more exposure and contrast. On some Canons,
the back of your camera. Use the arrow keys image data, and also the histogram. The image there is an option for showing an RGB
(or rear dial on some high-end Canons) to cycle itself is reduced to quarter size to make space histogram, showing tones in each of the primary
through your shots. for this additional information. colour channels (red, green and blue).

Camera skills
This histogram rises steeply on Phrase Book

the left, but this is fine for the Histogram
shot, as this peak corresponds A graph used as a
with black areas in the image way of depicting the
brightness, tonal
range, and contrast of
an image. Handy for
assessing exposure
problems on your
Canon.
Clipping
The loss of detail in the
highlights or shadow
areas of an image due
to over- or
underexposure. Your
camera may have a
facility that will make
clipped highlights in
your image flash as
your review them.
Contrast
A measurement
of the difference in
brightness between
the darkest and
lightest parts of
your image.
Avoid
burn out
Not all scenes give a histogram
that fits perfectly along the
whole width of the graph. With
low-contrast scenes, the graph
will not reach both extremes of
the histogram area. With
high-contrast scenes, the
histogram appears squashed
towards both sides of the graph.
In these cases, expose so that
the right-hand side of the
histogram is placed as far right
as it can go, without any stacking
– so that you retain detail in the
brightest highlights. If doesn’t
matter if low-contrast shots look
too light, or high-contrast shots
look too dark (as right) the
brightness can be adjusted on
your computer later.
Chris George

Get creative with
Make the most of your lenses, with essential skills to help

you get more creative with your D-SLR photography…
M
ost of us start off with a decent on your D-SLR is one of the most important
benchmark lens when we get into in creative decisions you can make. Other than the
digital photography – the ‘kit’ lenses sensor, it’ll have the greatest influence over the
available with Canon EOS bodies are versatile quality of your images. Of course there’s more
workhorses, with decent zoom ranges that will to a great photograph than splashing out on an
be useful in many photographic situations. expensive lens; it’s how you use that it counts.
However, there will be a time when you might So, if you’re ready to take your photography to
consider adding to your creative armory, and the next level and want to know how to get the
expanding your collection of lenses is a great best out of your lenses, we’ve got some great
way to go. The piece of glass you choose to place tips to help you get started…
Background image: Fotolia. Main image: Chris George

Get creative with
15mm
FOCAL
LENGTH
Everything you need to know
about your lenses’ focal 15mm lens with an APS-C sensor has an effective focal length of 24mm
lengths and the effect it will 35mm

have on your photographs
T
he lens you choose to fit to your Canon SLR will
determine how your end results look. Whether you
choose to shoot with a zoom, or a prime (see p46),
the main attraction is the focal lengths on offer. The focal
length of the lens directly affects the angle of view – with
wide-angles giving you a larger angle of view than
telephotos, which crop in closer into the scene. Which you
need will depend largely on the subject you are shooting –
but most focal lengths offer some creative potential with
all subjects. Here we’ve shot the same landscape to show
how simply switching from wide-angle through to
telephoto can transform your shot… Effective focal length of about 55mm
Crop factor explained DEPTH OF FIELD

The size of your sensor affects the angle of view The term ‘depth of field’ is used to
of your lens; the smaller the sensor, the longer describe the areas in your scene f/2.8
the ‘effective focal length’. A ‘full-frame’ sensor, both before and beyond the point
as used in the EOS 5D and 1Ds, has the same of focus that appear sharp. The
physical dimensions as a frame of 35mm film, narrower the aperture (such as
but smaller ‘APS-C’ sensors, as used in Canon’s f/18) the greater the depth of
popular consumer- and prosumer-level cameras, field, while the wider the aperture
use a much smaller portion of the image projected (such as f/2.8) the shallower it is.
by the lens, which has the effect of increasing the Switch to Aperture Priority (Av)
effective focal length by a magnification factor of mode to take control of the depth
1.6x, so a 50mm lens will actually perform like an of field in your scenes. The exact
80mm lens. range of apertures available to
you varies significantly,
FULL FRAME
depending on the lens you f/18
are actually using. A shallow
depth of field is great for
APS-C portraits as you can isolate
the subject from the
background by making it
appear blurred, while a deep
depth of field is great for
Peter Travers
landscapes where you want

the foreground and the distant
Peter Travers
horizon to appear sharp.

Camera skills
18mm 28mm
Effective focal length of 29mm Effective focal length of 45mm
55mm 100mm
Effective focal length of 88mm Effective focal length of 160mm
FREAKS!
Which focal length for portraits? Superzooms
Superzoom lenses, such
Use focal length to change the amount of background in your shot as the Tamron AF
There’s no right or wrong 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II
lens for portraits, however, VC, cover an enormous
different focal lengths will range of focal lengths,
produce very different from wide-angle to long
results. Just look at our telephoto. While the idea
examples and note how of one lens that does
changing the focal length everything is an attractive
and moving shooting notion, especially if you’re
position can create very packing for an overseas
different-looking shots. 18mm – wide angle of view 55mm – standard angle of view trip, a superzoom has
Generally a longer focal limitations; like most
length, such as 100mm, is things that appear too
more flattering and the ‘go good to be true, there’s a
to’ lens of many portrait big downside. Optical
pros. If you’re shooting an quality will not be as good,
environmental portrait, and the widest aperture
where the background is available will not be
Peter Travers
an important element, a particularly wide, giving

wide-angle focal length of you less control over
18mm might be better. 100mm – narrow angle of view 200mm – very narrow angle of view depth of field.

Get creative with
GO WIDE-ANGLE
The pros (and cons) of using wide-angle lenses
W
ant to shoot images with strong want to add drama to your shots. A wide- includes some foreground interest. Look for
impact? Then try attaching a wide- angle lens includes more of the scene in your landmarks in your scene, such as rocks,
angle lens to your Canon D-SLR; frame. However, objects will also appear trees, flowers or water, that will help lead the
it’ll completely change the way your shot smaller and the horizon more distant. You viewer’s eye into the image. Leading lines,
looks. Anything in the 10mm to 28mm range need to work at making your compositions such as a path or stream, are also effective.
is considered wide-angle (with normal non- work with a wide-angle lens, but it is worth it. If you’re using a tripod, be careful that the
full-frame SLRs), and is a natural choice if Choose your angle of view carefully so the legs don’t appear in the bottom of the frame
you’re interested capturing striking magnificence of the scene isn’t lost. Get – along with your shadow if you’re shooting
landscapes, working in confined space or down low and choose a viewpoint that with your back to the sun.
Focal point
1 When shooting
landscapes with a
wide-angle lens, look for
clear focal points, such
as landmarks, to lead
viewers into your
images. But bear in
mind they’ll appear
smaller in your frame.
Wide view
2 Wide-angle
lenses equal wide
angles of view, which are
ideal for capturing big
expanses and dramatic
landscapes images.
Depth of field will be
increased, but use a
narrow aperture, around
f/16, to ensure shots are
sharp from front to back.
BARREL DISTORTION
Barrel distortion is an effect that can
often be seen in images taken at the
widest end of a wide-angle zoom. It’s
most notable in shots where there’s
vertical line, such as a window frame of a
building. The lines will appear to bow
towards the edges of the frame.
Generally this is something you want to
avoid and is characteristic of cheaper
optics. However, it can be removed
easily in image-editing software, and in
some cases such distortion can be
used for creative results.

Camera skills
How to avoid
lens flare…
Reduce the effect of lens flare
in your photography
If you’re shooting towards the sun (contre-
jour) with your wide-angle lens, you may get
some lens flare. This is caused by the light
hitting the glass on the front of your lens, and
is fairly easy to avoid by simply attaching a
lens hood. If you don’t have a lens hood you
can use your hand – or a piece of card – to
shield the light. If you’re using a super-wide
lens be careful not to include your hand or the
Lens flare can also be used
hood in your shot – it can easily creep into
to produce artistic results
your composition!
Horizons
FREAKS!
3 The horizon will
appear much
Fisheyes
A fisheye lens, such as the Canon EF
further away, and the 15mm f/2.8 (used to take the shot below),
frame will usually is a brilliant way to capture a new
include more sky, when perspective on the world. Fisheyes record
using a wide-angle an 180-degree-wide angle of view. Some
focal length. Shoot at fisheyes are circular, and you’ll see a
sunrise or sunset to black circular frame around your shots,
bring more colour to while others are full frame and give an
your skies and scene. über-distorted view across the whole
Foreground image. For the creative photographer the
4
interest possibilities are infinite: try shooting a
By getting down portrait, get really close to your subject
low you can use the – you’ll almost touch their face – for a
wide angle of view to warped, if unflattering, shot! Fisheyes are
emphasise the things in great for landscapes too, although you’ll
the foreground. Hunt have to be careful with your composition.
out interesting Try a different point of view, tilt your
elements to provide camera up in a wood or forest and
interest in this area. capture the canopy in all its glory.

Get creative with
GO TELEPHOTO
Essential facts about telephoto lenses, how they operate
and the advantages of shooting with them
A
telephoto lens is regarded as alternative perspective and narrow angle of your telephoto. So, if you’re using a lens with a
anything with a focal length over view can bring a freshness to familiar focal length of 200mm, try not to use a
70mm. ‘Tele’ means ‘far off’ in Greek, subjects. shutter speed of less than 1/200 sec without a
and telephoto lenses make far-away subjects Telephotos are usually bigger and heavier tripod. If your lens has image stabilisation (IS)
seem closer than they really are. Telephoto than standard or wide-angle lenses, so you switch it on. Telephotos also capture a much
lenses are perfect for when you can’t get may need to use the support of a tripod or narrower depth of field. Try shooting a portrait
close to your subject, making them essential monopod. As a general rule, try not to at f/2.8 or f/4 and at 200mm and you’ll create
for wildlife or sports photography. They are handhold your D-SLR with a shutter speed a lovely out-of-focus background to make
also useful for landscapes and portraits; the that’s slower than the longest focal length of subjects leap out from your scene.
Now try this…

Great effects using a tele or standard zoom lens
Radial blur is a striking technique that during the exposure, and that takes a
is easy to replicate in Photoshop, but little bit of practice. Start by twisting
much more fun to master as a the zoom from telephoto to wide-
camera skill. It’s simple, too: switch angle while pressing the shutter
your Canon D-SLR to Shutter Priority release. As the focal length changes
(Tv) and choose a shutter speed during the exposure it will be
somewhere between 1/8 and 1/30 recorded as an awesome radial
sec. The trick is to zoom smoothly zoom blur.
Chris George
Squeezing
perspective
Contrary to popular opinion, changing
lens or focal length does not change
perspective. The only thing that affects
perspective is the distance you are from a
subject. However, as telephotos are
usually used at greater distances from
the subject than wide-angles, there is an
indirect effect on the perspective.
Telephotos are very useful for enabling
you to engineer a scene so that different
elements are made to appear much
closer to each other than they are in
reality. In the shot above, for instance, a
Colourful subjects work best when
telephoto lens compresses the
using the zoom-blur technique
perspective to bring the castle ruins and
steam train together.

Camera skills
Close up
1 Telephoto lenses magnify your
subjects to make them seem
closer, making them ideal for shooting
subjects that are either too far away, such
as sports, or where you can’t get close
without scaring them off, such as birds
and mammals.
Blur the background

2 One of the handy side-effects of
using a telephoto focal length is
that it enhances the shallow depth of
field in your shots, ideal for really blur-
ring your backgrounds to make your
subject stand out.
Focusing
3 The drawback of the extremely
limited depth of field at
telephoto focal lengths, however, is
that you need to be very careful that
the lens is accurately focused on the
right part of the scene.
FREAKS!
LONG TOM
The Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS
USM is a mighty piece of glass.
But at around £5,000 it’s
unlikely you’re going to buy one
on the off-chance that it might
come in useful one day! If you
fancy taking one for a spin, try
renting one instead. There are
several companies that hire gear,
such as www.hireacamera.co.uk,
who will rent you the 500mm
lens for £215 for a week. This is a
great way to try lenses that may
be unattainable; just make sure
you plan your shoot thoroughly
to maximise usage.
Peter Travers
Get creative with Lens Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L USM
GO
PRIME
Primes aren’t just for purists!
A
prime is a lens has a fixed focal length – so is
not a zoom. The popular Canon EF 50mm f/1.8
has the same focal length of 50mm as can be
found on a Canon EF-S 18-55mm zoom. The
advantages of a zoom are obvious; it’s a little like
having several lenses rolled into one, and if you want
to have more or less in your frame you only have to
twist the lens barrel. So why would you want a lens
with just the one, fixed, angle of view?
Prime lenses are generally superior in terms of
optical quality; they’re simpler to construct and have
fewer lens elements for the light to pass through
before hitting your sensor. More significantly, some
specialist lenses are only available in non-zoom
versions – and most primes are ‘faster’, having
Peter Travers
significantly wider maximum apertures than zooms.

Camera skills
50mm prime lens MACRO SHOT

True macro lenses are also
primes. They are fantastic for
close-up photography as they
allow you to focus super-close
to your subject. (Beware zoom
lenses claiming to have a
‘macro’ function – the
definition of macro is that the
Peter Travers
image projected on the

sensor is the same size as the
subject, something that zoom
Nifty fifty for portraits lenses simply aren’t capable of it.) vainly for the right focus point.
The 50mm prime, or ‘nifty fifty’, is great all-round If you’re considering buying a macro Use a small reflector to bounce light
lens. Mounted on a D-SLR with a full-frame sensor lens, kill two birds with one stone and back into your subject and a cable
(such as the EOS 5D Mk II) it will capture an angle choose one with a focal length that release and tripod to keep your gear
of view close to that of the human eye. On an APS- you’ll find useful for other subjects, steady and avoid camera shake.
C-sized sensor (such as 450D or 40D), a 50mm such as portraits. Depth of field is very restricted
lens will give an angle of view that’s equivalent to For close-up work, switch to when shooting close up, so you’ll find
80mm. This is an ideal focal length for portraits. Manual Focus mode, it’s easier than it impossible to get everything sharp.
Canon’s superfast EF 50mm f/1.8 II is the most relying on autofocus, which will hunt Choose your point of focus carefully.
affordable prime on the market (around £90).
Get creative with tilt and shift

Use a specialist tilt-shift lens for accurate architectural images
Tilt-shift lenses are specialist primes used to correct converging verticals
that were originally developed for and create shots with a ‘correct’
architectural photographers. perspective, so that buildings don’t look
They have movements in their narrower at the top than they do at the
construction that allow the bottom. However, creative
relationship between the lens photographers have also embraced
and the sensor to be altered in a tilt-shift lenses and use them to alter the
way that’s not possible with plane of focus. For a striking really
conventional lenses, but the image, take a shot looking down from a
important thing to know is that tall building and use the tilt/shift
tilt-shift lenses (Canon‘s TS-E
24mm f/3.5L, for example) can be
controls to make people and vehicles
look like toy figures.
FREAKS!
Lensbaby
Converging verticals Wide-angle A Lensbaby is a relatively
cheap optic that’s a lo-fi
The classic use of the shift movement is to alternative to expensive –
avoid converging verticals in your images. and often clinical –
To achieve this you start with the lens precision optics.
in its normal position, and making sure Photographers either love
that the camera is level and the sensor is ’em or hate ’em. The basic
vertical, frame your basic image. But at this Muse model (around £80)
stage the shot won’t include the top of the is made of plastic and uses
subject, and there will be a concertina bellows that
too much foreground, so Tilt-shift can be bent and twisted to
you shift the lens upwards, create interesting blurred
which will alter the framing effects. The cheap plastic
of the shot to include lens renders a poor quality
the top of the subject image, but this is part of
while keeping everything its unique charm and the
straight in the frame. skewed, blurry results can
be surprisingly artistic.
The Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook 47

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Camera skills
CANON D-SLR TECHNIQUES
Sharpen up
your shots!
Improve your photo skills with our simple 16-step
programme to getting pin-sharp shots every time…
M
odern digital cameras are designed to shake – no amount of Photoshop processing can
make your life easier. New technology make them truly sharp. With the latest high-spec
and clever functions are there to help Canon EOS D-SLRs coming equipped with 61-point
you take better, sharper photos, AF systems and their own AF menu in-camera, it’s
whatever you’re photographing. However, the not surprising that people are struggling to control
latest D-SLR autofocus (AF) features and their cameras to get sharp results.
multitude of lens stabilisation modes can actually Help is at hand! Our simple 16-step programme
become overwhelming and even more confusing, will guarantee you sharper shots. Follow our advice
leaving many amateur photographers completely and you’ll be feeling much more confident the next
baffled – and deflated even further – when their time you head out with your Canon D-SLR. So, turn
shots still aren’t sharp. the page to discover how to ensure you take
Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do if blur-free shots every time and learn to become a
your shots are out-of-focus or blighted by camera better Canon photographer the easy way.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
1. Focus modes.......................... p52 2. Camera-shake solutions ....... p54
3. Depth of Field tips ................ p56 4. Focusing techniques .............p58

Camera skills

Camera skills AI SERVO AF
Focus modes
Get your Canon D-SLR set up for sharp shots
1 Autofocus
modes
First things first, you need
ONE-SHOT AF
to set up your Canon
camera’s autofocus (AF)
mode to suit what you’re
photographing. There are
three main AF modes, but
only two you really need to
use; One-Shot AF is for
subjects that are static,
and AI Servo AF is for
moving subjects. There’s
also AI Focus, which switches between the two if your subject moves, but it can
be rather hit and miss, so we’d suggest you stick to the other AF modes. When
you half-press the shutter button down in One-Shot AF, your camera will only
focus once (and give a reassuring beep when it locks on to the subject). Whereas
in AI Servo AF, when you half-press the shutter button, the camera will
continually refocus on your subject – and won’t beep.
MANUAL AUTO AF
2 Selecting
AF points
A basic trap beginners
AF POINT POINTS
fall into is to rely on

their camera’s Auto AF
Point selection mode.
In this setting, your
EOS will use all the AF
points to focus on
whatever’s closest in
the frame, which can
mean something other
than your intended
subject. It’s better to
manually select your
AF Points. That way,
you can decide which part of scene or subject is in focus. Using off-centre AF
points will also help improve your compositions, rather than lazily using the
central AF point and plonking subjects bang in the middle.
CENTRAL AF POINT OFF-CENTRE AF POINT

Camera skills
3 Don’t touch
your camera!
Believe it not, the simple act of
pressing the shutter button to begin
your exposure can be
enough to nudge your
camera and capture a
blurred shot – even with
your Canon D-SLR strapped
on a tripod! This is even more
apparent when taking
long exposures at night
or in low light. To avoid
this common problem,
use a remote release.
Alternatively, use your
Self-Timer drive mode
to fire 2 or 10 secs
after you’ve pressed
the button to allow
any vibration to
subside.
Sharpening in
Photoshop #1
Remember that you
can only use
Photoshop to sharpen
images that are well
focused. All images
need a little
sharpening, especially
Engage Live View
to compose your if you shot in Raw
image on the LCD (JPEGs are sharpened
automatically in
camera, but may need
a little boost too). In
Photoshop Elements,
4 Use Live View

for landscapes
Thanks to Live View, you can
try Adjust Sharpness
(Go to Enhance >
Adjust Sharpness).
Zoom in to 100% on an
easily check front-to-back edge of your subject or
sharpness. With your camera on scene you’d focused
a tripod, switch IS off and switch Zoom in to check on. A good starting
sharpness on import
to MF (manual focus) on your lens, ant point for settings in
parts of the scene
press the Live View button, and set a Adjust Sharpness is
narrow aperture around f/16. Focus about Amount from between
one third up the frame using the focusing ring 50-150% and Radius
from 1.0-5.0.
on your lens, then zoom into to x5 or x10, and
use the cursor keys/multi-controller to scroll
around the screen to check everything is
sharp. Adjust your focusing slightly, if need
be, to ensure maximum depth of field, from
foreground to background.

Camera skills
Camera-shake
solutions
Banish camera-shake issues
and capture movement 5 Image Stabilisation
on or off?
Many lenses now come with image
stabilisation (IS) functionality built in.
IS enables you to use shutter speeds
slower than you’d normally need to
obtain sharp shots when shooting
handheld, usually 3 or 4 stops slower,
depending on the lens, making IS great
for getting sharp shots when shooting in
low light. For example, when you’d
normally want to use a shutter speed of
1/250 sec for a shake-free shot, a 4-stop
IS system will enable you go as low as
1/15 sec (although you’ll still have to hold
the camera nice and steady). However, if
you’re using a tripod, remember to
switch IS off – otherwise the movement
from the gyroscopes inside your lens
that power the IS system can actually
create images with unwanted blur!
6 Use a tripod
in low light
For landscape photography, you’ll
often be shooting in low light at
dawn or dusk (to get the best light),
and you’ll be using narrow aperture
to capture maximum depth of field.
These two factors combined mean
you’ll end up with slow shutter
speeds – too slow to shoot
handheld, even if using IS. This
means you’ll need a tripod to keep
your camera steady to capture
pin-sharp shots. The benefits of
slower shutter speeds means you
can blur waters and skies to
capture a sense of movement to
bring your scenic shots to life.
Use an ND filter to lengthen
shutter speeds further for really
blurred movement in your
landscape shots.

Camera skills
IS OFF – 1/10 SEC AT f/5.6 Longer lenses
7 Shutter speed
vs focal length
Your shutter speed choice is
require faster
shutter speeds
hugely influential over

capturing sharp shots. You
should always be thinking
whether your shutter speed
is right for your chosen lens
and subject (see Tip 8).
A good rule of thumb is to
shoot at ‘one over’ your
lens’s effective focal length – so a 100mm lens requires a shutter
speed of at least 1/100 sec. However on the most popular Canon cameras
(such as 550D, 60D or 7D), you’ll need to multiply the lens’s focal length by
the 1.6x crop factor to calculate the effective focal length – so when shooting
IS ON – 1/10 SEC AT f/5.6 on your kit lens at 55mm (55x1.6=88) a 1/100 sec shutter speed should give
shake-free shots.
Focal length Shutter speed

HOW SLOW CAN YOU GO? 10mm 1/20 sec
The minimum shutter speeds we’d 18mm 1/30 sec
suggest for shooting handheld with 28mm 1/50 sec
any popular Canon D-SLR (like the 55mm 1/100 sec
600D or 60D) without using image 100mm 1/160 sec
stabilisation, and for static subjects, 250mm 1/400 sec
are as follows: 400mm 1/640 sec
Sharpening in
Photoshop #2
Photoshop sharpens
images by increasing
the contrast at edges,
and another good,
reliable and popular
option in Photoshop
Elements/CS, is the
Unsharp Mask – under
Enhance in Elements, or
under Filter > Sharpen
in CS. Here you have
three main settings that
work in unison to obtain
the best sharpness for
Fast shutter speeds will your images; Amount
freeze moving subjects, but (try between 50-
you may need to up the ISO, 200%), Radius (try
and use a monopod for added 1.0-5.0) and Threshold
stability with big tele lenses (1-15). A good starting
point is Amount 70%,
Radius 1.5 and
8
1600, depending on light levels) to obtain a fast
Shutter speed vs enough shutter speed. Aim for around 1/500 to
Threshold 0 – but bear
in mind that a
subject movement 1/1000 sec and see if that’s fast enough to freeze landscape image will
If you’re shooting moving subjects, such as motor your subject. If you’re using a long 300mm-plus need to be sharpened
sports or wildlife, you’ll need to use a shutter telephoto lens, these fast shutter speeds will also differently to a portrait.
speed fast enough to capture sharp shots without override any camera shake, however it’s advisable
any motion blur in the subject. Once you’ve got to use a monopod to help support the weight of a
your shutter speed sorted for your lens focal heavy lens, not only to keep it level to ensure
length (see Tip 7) you may well need to increase sharp shots, but to prevent your arms from
your ISO setting (such as to ISO400, 800 or getting tired too quickly!

Camera skills
Depth of
field tips
How aperture affects sharpness
Sharpening in
Photoshop #3
You can actually apply
sharpening to your
images at the Raw
processing stage in
Camera Raw in
Photoshop Elements/
CS. Open a Raw image
in your version of
9 Use your lens’s
sweet spot
All lenses, even the top-of-the-range Canon
Photoshop, and click L-series pro lenses, have a ‘sweet spot’ or
on the Detail tab.
optimum apertures that will capture the
Under Sharpening you
sharpest shots right across the frame. The
have four sliders to
play with; Amount, sweet spot of apertures is usually in the
Radius, Detail and middle of the aperture range (f/8 to f/16),
Masking. Go too far while sharpness drops off at the minimum
and oversharpen your and maximum apertures, such as f/22 and
photos and edges will f/2.8. So, your aperture choice not only
end up with halos, affects depth of field, it use will affect the
making your images overall sharpness of your shots across the
look unrealistic. Nudge frame. For landscapes and cityscapes, and
down Radius slider certain close-ups, when you want the entire
and/or increase the
scene sharp, it’s best to use your lens’s
Detail slider to reduce
optimum apertures.
this unsightly side
effect of sharpening.
f/2.8 f/8
You can also use the
Clarity slider under the
Basic tab to increase
edge sharpness.

Camera skills
10 Shoot on
sunny days
Brighter lighting conditions equals
12 Get sharp shots with
macro photography
When working close up and using macro lenses, depth of field
sharper shots; more light will be falling (DoF) is dramatically reduced, and at the widest apertures
on your sensor, meaning you’ll be able to (around f/2.8), DoF is down to mere millimetres, so you’ll need
obtain faster shutter speeds – and even to use narrower apertures to ensure there’s enough depth of
at midrange apertures, around f/9 or field for your smaller, close-up subjects. Try f/8 and increase
f/11, you’ll be able to keep your ISO low or decrease your aperture, depending on how close you are to
for the best image quality. However, your subject and how small they are.
when shooting portraits on a bright day,
its best to shoot in the shade to avoid
harsh, distracting shadows and
f/2.8 – 100mm MACRO
screwed-up eyes…
f/4 AT 10mm
11 Depth of field
and focal length
The focal length of your lens will
f/8 – 100mm MACRO
also affect depth of field. The
basic rule is: wide-angle focal
lengths (10mm to 24mm) will
capture a deeper depth of field,
while telephoto lenses (70mm or
higher) will capture a shallower
depth of field. This is why wide-
angle is popular to capture
front-to-back sharpness of
landscape scenes, and why tele lenses are great for wildlife as
they really blur the foreground and background in front of and f/18 – 100mm MACRO
behind your subjects to
make them stand
out nicely from their
surroundings. This
means that at f/4 on
a wide-angle lens (eg
10mm) will capture
much more DoF than
f/4 on a tele lens (eg
200mm).
f/4 AT 200mm
f/16 f/22 f/32
Camera skills
Focusing techniques
Sure-fire techniques for sharp shots every time
13 Check your shots for sharpness

on the back of your Canon D-SLR
When reviewing your photos on your On some higher-end Canon D-SLRs,
Canon camera, get into the habit of such as the 5D Mk III, you can set
zooming in to 100% (use the magnify how your camera zooms in when
tool button on the back of your reviewing shots; such as magnifying
D-SLR) to check the area you focused to actual size (100%) to the selected
on is actually in focus. If it’s not AF point you used, rather than
sharp, adjust your settings if zooming in 2x magnification to the
necessary, and take another photo! centre of the frame.
f/2.8 – 50mm CLOSE-UP
f/2.8 – 50mm WIDER

14 Depth of field and
where to focus
When shooting wide apertures (such as f/11 or f/16), depth of field increases, but
f/2.8 or f/4) depth of field is dramatically with a ratio of one-third in front of your
reduced, so focusing needs to be spot-on focus point and two-thirds behind it being
to avoid out-of-focus subjects. Depth of acceptably sharp. So for scenic shots,
field also decreases the closer you are to shoot at around f/11 and focus a third
your subject, and the longer your focal of the way into the scene for optimum
length. With narrow apertures (such as sharpness throughout the frame.
AF TOO CLOSE AF TOO FAR AF THIRD IN

Camera skills
15 Take multiple shots

of moving subjects
Increase your chance of bagging sharp shots by using your
Canon’s Continuous Shooting drive mode. On at 600D this will
be 3.7-frames per second (fps), on a 7D this jumps to 8fps. This
‘burst’ mode is great for anything moving – from whippet-quick
kids and sports to wildlife and even flowers blowing in the wind.
Invariably one or two shots will be out of focus – as your
camera’s AF system struggles to keep up with the action
– but you’re sure to bag one that’s sharp and a keeper!
For tight portraits,

focus on the eyes For wider portraits,
focus on the head
Sharpening in
Photoshop #4
Sometimes you may
only want to sharpen
specific areas of your
images. For this you
can use the Sharpen
tool in Photoshop
16 It’s all about

the eyes…
When taking portraits it’s crucial you’re focusing
Elements/CS. Choose
a suitable brush size,
set Mode to Normal
and Strength to 50%.
correctly on the people you’re photographing. For Zoom into your image,
hold down the mouse
tightly composed portraits, always focus on the eyes
button and brush once
(or the eye closest to you if shooting at a creative
over the area you want
angle), as that’s what draws people into the shot – to sharpen up, brush
a portrait isn’t much use if the eyes aren’t sharp. For again to increase the
wider portrait compositions, focus on people’s heads. effect further.
Change the AF point to fall over your subject’s eyes or
their heads as necessary. Also bear in mind your
focusing needs to be bang on when using wide
apertures (such as f/2.8 or f/4), otherwise you could
end with portraits where the person’s ears or mouth
are sharp, but their eyes are knocked out of focus.

Camera skills

Camera skills
MASTER YOUR SLR TONIGHT!
Improve your nightlife with our easy techniques for better photos after dark…
T
hanks to the short days and the long nights, winter is guaranteed to improve your night images. We’ll start you off
the time to perfect your low-light photography. But with the basics and key Canon D-SLR set-up tips. We’ll then
capturing pin-sharp, stunning night photos can prove take you through the best way to shoot buildings at night,
a real challenge if you don’t use the right settings and tackle night lights and traffic trails, and then round it off with
techniques. To make sure your get off on the right foot, we’ve a masterclass on night sky photography. So what are you
put together 24 tried-and-tested techniques that are waiting for? Let’s head out into the dark and get stuck in…

Camera skills
CAMERA BASICS
How do I get set up?

1 Shoot best image quality
If you want the best night shots you free Digital Photo Professional
need to shoot in the best image software. RAW is especially
quality, and that means RAW. By beneficial when taking night shots as
shooting in RAW your images will it gives more options when you want
retain the most ‘information’, which to change things such as colour
gives you greater scope for temperature (or White Balance) or
enhancing your shots in Adobe accurately increase (brighten) or
Camera Raw (see tip 24) or Canon’s decrease (darken) your exposures.
2 Use a tripod
for sharp shots
Shooting after dark obviously means
there will be less light and therefore
slow shutter speeds, anywhere from
1-30 secs – that’s way too slow to
shoot handheld. So you’ll need to
attach your EOS D-SLR securely to a
tripod if you want sharp results.
Make sure your tripod is set up
correctly and rock solid – it’s easy to
end up with soft images because you
haven’t double-checked. Hang your
camera bag off the hook on the
bottom of the centre column if you
can. And don’t hold onto your tripod as
you’re shooting with slow shutter
speeds because any slight movement
can mean blurred photos.

Camera skills
3 Pick your
locations in
advance
Before you venture out into the
night and begin taking photos,
it will pay dividends and save you
valuable time later if you plan
ahead. Pick good locations
beforehand by scouting out the
best spots in your local town to
find the most interesting lights
and architecture, or if you’re
looking to shoot traffic light trails,
check which roads are busiest,
when is the best time for traffic,
and which is the best (and safest)
position to take photos from.
Check out online galleries for
inspiration, to see how other
photographers have tackled the
local city lights at night. Exposure: x Lens:
5 Lens
sweet spots
Use the ‘sweet spot’ range of
apertures for your lenses – this is
usually between f/8 and f/16, but
4 Use a wide-angle lens take test shots to find out. Even

pro-level lenses don’t produce the
Use a wide-angle lens to get sharp from front to back when best results when used at their
more of the scene, more lights using a narrow aperture. Don’t maximum and minimum apertures.
and more colour in your frame. forget to use a lens hood to By using apertures in the middle of
Wide-angle lenses also reduce unwanted lens flare in the available range you’ll increase
capture a larger depth of field, your photos caused by street your chances of capturing the
so more of your scene will be lights that aren’t in shot. sharpest shots with your lens.
6 Shoot in
Manual mode
To take control of your exposures it’s
best to shoot in Manual mode so you
can choose the best narrow aperture
and slow shutter speed for night
photography. Begin by composing
and focusing your shot, set a narrow
aperture around f/16, then dial in the
right shutter speed until the Exposure
Level Mark is in the middle of the Exposure
Level Indicator. Take some shots and review them
on your LCD. Remember this is what your camera
thinks is the best exposure, but if your shots are
looking too bright, underexpose by 1-2 stops so
that they actually look dark!

Camera skills
FLOODLIT ARCHITECTURE
Stunning buildings
7 Sparkly lights
Using a narrow aperture (around f/16) will
not only ensure a deeper depth of field, so
your shots are sharp from foreground to
background, but will also make street
lights ‘sparkle’ in your scenes to give your
shots an added magical effect.
Paul Grogan
8 Compositional
considerations
Carefully study the scene before you start taking
photos. Are parts of the scene in darkness? Do
areas of the shot become more interesting,
brightly lit or colourful as it gets darker?
If so, don’t be afraid to zoom in on the
most photogenic areas. Zoom in with
your wide-angle zoom lens or ‘zoom
with your feet’ – just move
closer to your subject!
9 Use Mirror
Lock-up
The slightest movement can
create unwanted camera shake,
and this even includes the mirror
moving up and down inside your
Canon D-SLR. You can quickly
10 Don’t touch your camera!
enable Mirror Lock-up in your When taking long exposures at night, even touching your camera to press
camera menu’s Custom the shutter button can create enough movement to leave you with blurred
Functions to get around this results. Use your EOS D-SLR’s built-in self-timer to trigger the shutter after
potential pitfall. you’ve pressed the button to avoid any problems.

Camera skills
COOL - 3200K
12 Control
the White
Balance
If you’re using Auto White
Balance, it’s easy for your D-SLR
to get confused with what it
thinks is the best White Balance
(WB) setting when shooting WARM - 6000K
under street lights at night.
To ensure consistent results,
manually set WB; try the Cloudy
(6000K) setting to warm up your
scenes (making them more
orange) or Tungsten (3200K) to
cool down the temperature
(making them look more blue).
Paul Grogan
13 Which ISO
setting is best?
The ISO setting you need depends on the
night photos you’re taking. If you’re shooting
city scenes at night with long exposures,
you’ll be using a tripod (see tip 3), so you can
keep the ISO at 100 because you won’t need
fast enough shutter speeds to shoot out of
hand. This will also keep noise levels down –
ideal for retaining maximum detail in scenic
night shots. If you’re shooting an outdoor
performance at night and working handheld,
you’ll need to bump up the ISO (try ISO1000
or ISO1600) to ensure a fast enough shutter
speed for capturing sharp shots.
11 Power to
the people
Invariably we photographers go out of our way
to avoid capturing people in our scenic shots.
However, when it comes to night photography,
including crowds of people in your frame can add
interest and life to your scenes. If people are
stationary, try using them as a creative silhouette
to enhance photos. Or, if people are walking
through, try using a shutter speed of around
1/4-1/2 sec so they’re ‘creatively’ blurred.

Camera skills
SLOW SHUTTER SPEED EFFECTS
Switch on the lights 1/5 SEC

14 Motion
blur shots
Blur can be your friend when it
comes to night shots.
Capturing motion blur on
camera can transform drab
images into dramatic works of
art. The good news is, like
most night photography, you 5 SECS
simply need to use your D-SLR
on a tripod and a slow shutter
speed (try between 2-5 secs,
depending on the speed of
the vehicles that you’re
shooting) to take creative
motion shots at night.
15 Switch IS off
Image Stabilisation (IS) on lenses is useful for reducing
camera shake when you’re shooting handheld, but it can
have the opposite effect when you’re using a tripod and
taking long exposures – the gyroscopic sensors inside IS
lenses actually creating unwanted movement. Switch IS
off and you won’t have to worry! Doing so will also increase
battery life – helpful in cold conditions.
16 Special
effects
Try the zoom burst technique
to capture artistic effects of
night lights. For this you’ll
need a zoom lens, your Canon
EF-S 18-55mm or 17-85mm kit lens will do nicely, and a slow
shutter speed – depending on available light, around 1/15-1/4
sec is a good start. Start with your lens at its wide-angle end,
then zoom in as you press the Shutter button. Alternatively,
start zoomed in, then press the Shutter button and zoom out.
Experiment and you’ll soon be capturing zoom-tastic results!

Camera skills
Big cities that look
provide great oppo out over water can
rtunities for captur
nightscapes with stu ing
nning reflections
17 Reflections
rule at night
To give your night shots a boost,
look out for water in front of
buildings – rivers or lakes – for
reflections that double the amount
of lights and colour in your images.
Even the wonderful wet, wintry
weather can help to turn drab
pavements and courtyards into
interesting reflective surfaces,
which in turn create some possibly
much-needed foreground interest.
18 Auto or manual focus?

For night shots it’s best to use both autofocus (AF) and
manual focus (MF). Use AF to focus on to part of the
scene, then switch to MF to keep focus locked. That
way your camera won’t be ‘hunting’ to achieve
autofocus if the light or scene changes or a good
surge of traffic drives past.
When shooting in the dark you’ll need to find
part of your scene that is bright enough for your
camera to be able to achieve AF. If you’re having
problems, switch to MF and use Live View to
zoom in on your LCD and check your focusing is
good before taking multiple long exposures.
19 Timing is everything
The time of night can make all the rush-hour traffic! Set up in a safe place on as their interior and rear lights will
difference when it comes to capturing a busy road and experiment with 10-30 produce thick streaks high and low in
traffic light trails. There will be more sec exposures to see which captures the your frame. Note that early in the evening,
traffic in your local city centre between densest light trails. Try and fire the there will still be a little light in the sky –
5-6pm – for once you’ll be wishing for shutter as double-decker buses drive past even if it looks dark to the naked eye.
4:30pm 5:00pm 5:30pm
Peter Travers

Camera skills
NIGHT SKY TECHNIQUES
The sky at night

20 How to shoot star trails
While traffic light trails exposures are Or you can take a series of exposures and 60 MINUTES
30 seconds long, star trails can take over mix them together using a piece of
30 minutes! There are two methods to software called Startrails (www.startrails.
shoot star trails, in one long exposure, or de). Use an aperture of f/4 and an ISO of
in a series of shorter exposures joined 400 to let plenty of light in. Take a series
together. With the single exposure of 30-second exposures on Bulb (in
method it’s best to use your camera’s Manual mode) and in continuous mode
Long Exposure Noise Reduction function. (with Long Exposure Noise Reduction
The problem with one long exposure is the turned off). Sequences need to last an
sky can become quite light by the end. hour or more for a good visual effect.
240 MINUTES
21 Torch light NO TORCH TORCH TORCH & GEL

On a night with no moon, statues in your
shots can become silhouettes against
the sky, so light them up using a torch!
With a tungsten bulb, the stone takes on
a colour cast. By covering the torch with
a blue CTB (Colour Temperature Blue)
gel, you can create a more natural,
moonlight effect.

Camera skills
22 Wrap up really warm

We don’t need to tell you it gets Layer up, wear a thick, windproof
chilly during the darker months of jacket and insulated, windproof
the year, but we perhaps need to trousers. Wear a hat, gloves, and
gently remind you that you’ll start thick socks to stop your toes from
to feel very cold while stood taking freezing solid. If you’re in a busy
photos at night. Dress properly and area or shooting near roads, wear a
this won’t spoil your enjoyment. hi-visibility vest for extra safety.
23 Keep an eye
on battery life
Battery power is drastically reduced when
shooting in cold, wintry conditions – and when
taking long exposures. To avoid being caught
out and missing the perfect shot, keep a spare
battery or two nice and warm in your jacket
pocket so you’re ready to quickly switch when a
battery inevitably dies. We often find that by
warming up the original, cold battery in our
pocket, it will come back to life so you can use it
for another round of shots if you get desperate.
24 Digital
darkroom
When processing your RAW nighttime images
in Adobe Camera Raw, don’t be afraid to pump
up the Temperature slider to increase the
intensity of the lights and colours. Nudging up
the Vibrance and Saturation sliders a bit can
boost colours too. Use the Recovery slider after
these tweaks to combat clipped (overexposed)
highlights, which can often appear after you’ve
carried out colour and tone enhancements.

Canon
S R
Page 94
Page 98
Page 76

Canon SLR College
2
Focal length .....................................................72
Focusing............................................................76
Depth of field ..................................................82
Aperture ...........................................................86
Shutter speeds ................................................90
Exposure modes .............................................94
Metering modes..............................................98
White balance................................................102
Digital processing ........................................ 106
Flash ................................................................110
ISO speeds......................................................114
File formats and memory cards .................118
Histograms.....................................................122
Page 106 Video ...............................................................126
Battery power ...............................................130
Custom functions..........................................134
Live View ........................................................138
Drive modes...................................................142
Page 86
Page 130
Canon
LESSON 1
What is focal Focal length:

85mm
length all
about?
W
elcome to the Canon SLR College –
a complete 18-part series that, over the
following 80 pages, builds into a
comprehensive beginners’ guide to how your
digital SLR works, and how to get the most from it.
In our first lesson we’re going to explain everything
you need to know about focal length.
A major benefit of using a D-SLR is that you can
choose from a variety of lenses suited to particular
photographic situations, and the main
determining factor in picking a certain lens is its
focal length.
Focal length is measured in millimetres,
with 35-50mm roughly equalling your field of
vision. Lenses with focal lengths of less than
35mm are known as wide-angle lenses and enable
you to fit more into your scene, so are good for
landscape shots.
Lenses with larger focal lengths, around 70mm
and upwards, are telephoto lenses and will
Peter Travers
magnify your subjects, and are good for close-up Focal length:
portraits, sports and wildlife photography. 17mm
STEP BY STEP How to switch lenses
Don’t do this in a dusty Lay your camera on its back Have your new lens within Use your left hand to press
atmosphere. Ideally, switch on a soft surface, such as a reach to minimise the down on the Lens Release
lenses indoors or sheltered from jacket or kit bag, to protect your amount of time your D-SLR’s Button, use your right hand to turn
the wind to avoid dust or dirt rear LCD, and so you’ll have both innards are open to the elements your lens in an anti-clockwise
reaching your camera’s sensor. hands free to switch lenses. to stop dust getting in. direction and pull clear.

Focal length
The anatomy of a Canon lens

The lens is the eye of your camera. We dissect one to show you what’s inside
Focus ring Focal length
Turn to manually adjust The focal length you’re
the focus – used when currently using is
your lens is switched to indicated by the
MF (Manual Focus). number on the zoom
The internal elements ring that lines up with
move together to focus the central mark.
the lens.
Lens aperture Bayonet

The lens aperture (or
lens mount
Attaches the lens to
opening) controls how
your D-SLR. Contacts
much light is let in.
supply power from your
camera to drive the
Front element autofocus and IS, and
The widest of all the lens
allows the camera and
elements, and the one that
lens to communicate.
is easiest to scratch!
Zoom ring Lens motor Image Stabilizer (IS)

By turning the zoom All Canon EOS lenses have built-in motors to move Canon’s Image Stabilizer (IS) technology
ring, the internal groups of the elements so the autofocus system can focus uses gyroscopic sensors and a micro-
lens elements move to the image. Some lenses have an Ultrasonic Motor computer to detect and correct slight lens
change the focal length. (USM), which is designed to be quieter and faster. vibrations caused by hand shake.
Illustration: Andy McLaughlin
Do I need to buy Jargon Buster

Canon EF or EF-S lenses? Focal length
With the vast choice of Canon lenses available, you may well get confused Measured in millimetres, the
when it comes to upgrading lenses. Should you buy EF or EF-S lenses? focal length is the distance
Well, unless you’re a pro photographer, own a full-frame (or APS-H) from the lens’s optical centre
D-SLR (5D or 1Ds or 1D ranges), or have deep pockets, you don’t have to to your EOS camera’s sensor.
invest in EF Canon lenses. Instead, concentrate on Canon’s EF-S lenses Angle of view
as they’re designed for smaller-sensor EOS D-SLRs like the 700D and What you actually see through
70D, are often more affordable, and you’ll still capture top results. the viewfinder. The longer the
focal length (eg 300mm), the
smaller the angle of view.
Conversely, the shorter the
focal length (eg 18mm), the
greater the angle of view.
Zoom lens
A lens that has a range of focal
lengths – eg 18-55mm. A
zoom lens doesn’t mean it’s a
telephoto lens!
Prime lens
A lens that is not a zoom, with
just a single focal length.
Crop factor
Put the lens down to one For Canon EF and third-party Slot the lens in, turn it The value used to convert the
side. Remove the dust cap lenses, line up the red dots clockwise until your hear it actual focal length of a lens
from the lens mount of the on the lens and camera. For EF-S click. Take the lens cap off your into the effective focal length.
replacement lens and put it on lenses, line up the white squares replacement lens and you’re ready Most Canon D-SLRs have a
the lens you’ve just removed. on the lens and camera. to take some pictures! 1.6x crop factor.

Canon
When we talk about the focal length of lenses, 450D, 1200D, 70D and 7D, there is a crop factor of zoom lens that isn’t telephoto, for example the
what we’re really talking about is the ‘angle of 1.6x; this effectively magnifies focal length by 1.6. Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 is an ultra-wide-
view’ you can see through your Canon D-SLR’s With telephoto focal lengths, this has the angle zoom.
viewfinder. In simple terms, the longer your focal advantage of bringing you even closer to the action The Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 standard
length (such as a telephoto lens at a focal length – a 200mm lens has an effective focal length zoom lens is also known as a ‘kit lens’, as it’s often
of 200mm), the smaller your angle of view and (EFL) of 320mm (200x1.6) – which is helpful for supplied with popular EOS D-SLRs. The 18-55mm
larger your subject appears in the frame. The wildlife or sports photography. Conversely, crop refers to the focal length range; 18mm is the
shorter your focal length (such as a wide-angle factor is seen as a disadvantage on wide-angle wide-angle end, while the 55mm end is a
lens with a focal length of 18mm), the greater focal lengths, as it increases an 18mm lens to an mid-range focal length. The f/3.5-f/5.6 refers to
your angle of view. EFL of 29mm (18x1.6), reducing how much you the maximum aperture range; at 18mm it will be
can fit in your frame – not so good when shooting at its widest aperture of f/3.5, while at 55mm it
Focal length and crop factor indoors where space is limited. will be reduced to f/5.6. However, narrower
This angle of view can be reduced further, Lenses with a fixed focal length are known as apertures are available at all its focal lengths.
depending on the Canon D-SLR you use. The prime lenses – such as the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 Higher spec lenses, such as the EF-S 17-55mm
smaller the sensor, the narrower the angle of view lens, whereas lenses offering a range of focal f/2.8 IS USM lens, have constant wide apertures
the lens provides (as the smaller sensor sees a lengths are known as zooms; an EF-S 55-250mm throughout their focal length range, in this case
smaller section of the view seen by the lens). This zoom offers all the focal lengths from 55mm to f/2.8 at every focal length from 17 to 55mm.
phenomenon is known as the ‘crop factor’. With 250mm inclusive. Some people confuse These ‘fast’ lenses are ideal for shooting
popular EOS models, such as the Rebel, 400D, ‘telephoto’ with ‘zoom’, yet you can have a hand-held in low-light conditions.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT! Focal length course work
A
s part of our Canon SLR College,
we’ll be setting you a practical 18mm 50mm
assignment at the end of each
chapter to help you practise your newly
learnt skills. To recap, when you change
your focal length you’re changing the angle
of view. So, at a short focal length of 18mm
you can fit more of your subject in your
frame compared to using a long focal
length of 200mm from the same spot.
But focal length is much more than a
simple cropping tool, and has other
creative effects on your picture. Zooming
also has an indirect effect on perspective –
as telephotos are used from further away
from a subject than telephotos. Wide- 200mm
angles, therefore, make foreground objects
look larger, and telephotos tend to
compress objects at different distances so
that they look closer together. Focal length
also affects depth of field, a great creative
tool that determines how much of your
scene is in sharp focus – we will look at this
in detail in lesson 3 (p82).
For your first assignment, see how
different focal lengths affect your results:
Take three shots of the same

subject standing in exactly the
same position at three focal lengths:
18mm (wide-angle), 50mm (standard)
and 200mm (telephoto).
Take three shots of the same

subject at different focal lengths
– 18mm, 70mm and 200mm – this time
moving so the subject fills the frame
Chris George
each time (see example, right).

Focal length
200mm (APS) 300mm
133mm (APS) 200mm

Focal length on crop-factor (APS) SLRs
Focal length on FULL-FRAME SLRs

70mm (APS) 105mm
55mm (APS) 82mm
35mm (APS) 52mm
18mm (APS) 27mm
10mm (APS) 15mm
FOCAL LENGTH With 35mm film cameras you could get

a good idea of a lens’s angle of view from
AND ANGLE its focal length. This still applies with

Canon’s full-frame cameras. However,
its smaller format ‘APS’ cameras have a
OF VIEW smaller sensor. This means you need

shorter focal lengths to get the same
angle of view
These two factors are closely
related, but your camera’s sensor
size has an effect too – a smaller
sensor needs shorter focal lengths

Canon
LESSON 2
US
OUT OF FOC
P
ictures where the main subject An out-of-focus picture is worthless, but
isn’t sharp are often completely your Canon is packed with advanced
worthless – and for this reason circuitry to help you get your subject
focusing is one of the most crucial remains pin-sharp
controls on your digital SLR. A lens can
only focus precisely at one distance at a
time, so it needs to lock onto the
IN FOCUS
correct part of the frame or your
subject may appear blurred.
Fortunately, thanks to depth of field
(a phenomenon that we will look at in
greater detail next lesson, beginning on
p82), a range of distances in your image
can often actually appear to be in focus.
All the same, your EOS provides a range
of different systems that allow to get
the main part of your image sharp – as
well as a number of checks for you to
ensure that key areas of the photograph
are not out of focus.
Canon introduced autofocus (AF) on
its SLRs 27 years ago – and the
technology has improved immensely
over this time. Essentially, a special
sensor in the camera body assesses
the contrast in the image, then adjusts
elements in the lens to bring the image
Chris George
into focus. Unfortunately, there are
STEP BY STEP Control autofocus by squeezing gently!
Check you are set up for Press the AF Point Selection Press the Set button (to the Always focus before you take
automatic focusing. button (you can find this at right of the rear LCD) until your shot! Squeeze the
Autofocus only works if the switch the top-right corner at the back of the AF Point Selection mode is set trigger halfway down gently, and
on the lens is set to AF. your EOS). to Auto Select. the AF comes to life.

Focusing
Learn how to read the viewfinder

Your D-SLR’s viewfinder gives lots of information about focusing, if you know where to look
Focusing screen Red alert
The image you see in the The AF points in use will
viewfinder is projected by briefly flash red as you
the lens onto the focusing squeeze the shutter
screen (see p79). release. Look out for
these, as they confirm
that the camera has
locked onto the right
Focus preview subject. Here three
The focusing screen has
points flash, showing
an etched surface, which
the person and the two
helps you identify which
near trees are in focus.
parts of the image are in
Not shown in AI Servo
sharp focus – and which
AF mode (see p78).
are not (as with the
church here). It also gives
a rough guide to how Focus
much depth of field you confirmation
will get if you set the A green circular LED will
widest available aperture. light up when the
autofocus has locked
onto a subject (when
using One-Shot AF
Multiple AF points Central AF point mode). It will blink if the
Current Canon D-SLRs offer Of all the autofocus points, the one in the centre is the most sensitive. AF cannot lock onto the
between 7 and 45 points, It is therefore the best AF point to use when shooting in low light, or when subject, or you are too
where the autofocus point can precise focusing is critical. You can use this central AF point even if you close. The LED does not
measure subject distance. don’t want the subject to be in the middle of your photo (see p78). light if using AI Servo AF.
How does autofocus really work? Jargon Buster

The autofocus system in Depth of field
your Canon SLR works by A measure of how much of a
looking at the image, and picture is in focus, from the
then adjusting the lens using nearest point in the scene to
a motor. It can tell whether a the camera that looks sharp,
shot is in focus by using the to the furthermost point that
principle that a sharp image looks sharp. The amount of
has a higher contrast than an depth of field is dependent on
out-of-focus one. So rather the aperture, the distance
than actively measuring the that the lens is focused at, and
distance between camera and the focal length of the lens.
subject, it uses a sensors that FOCUSED IN FOCUS FOCUSED
measure the image contrast TOO NEAR TOO FAR Focusing screen
at key points in the picture The surface upon which the
(a pair of sensors correspond viewfinder image of a digital
to each AF point you see in SLR is projected. A textured
the viewfinder). By analysing surface is designed to
the signal from each of the accentuate the degree by
AF sensors, this system can which the image is sharp or
adjust the lens to the point at not – thereby providing
which the highest-contrast assistance when focusing.
image is achieved. If more
than one AF point is being
used, the system assumes Low contrast High contrast Low contrast
that you want to focus on the Lens focused too near, Lens focused precisely, Lens focused too far,
point that gives the closest giving a low-contrast giving a high-contrast giving a low-contrast
focusing distance. image on the sensor image on the sensor image on the sensor

Canon
CAMERA SETUP a number of reasons why the system is

still not foolproof.
First, your camera cannot know
Choosing your focus mode which part of the frame you want to
Get ready to change settings if the subject starts or stops moving… focus on. A number of sensors are used
to detect the subject, but the AF system
will assume that you want to focus on
ONE SHOT AF the part of the picture that is closest to
The best mode for stationary subjects. In
the camera (and this is obviously not
this mode, the autofocus locks the focus
always the case). You can get around
position as soon as it is happy that it has
this by manually selecting an AF point
focused on the target. The circular green
that lines up with the subject – or by
LED in the viewfinder provides confirmation that the focus
moving the camera so that an AF point
has been found, and you can now take a shot.
focuses on your subject, then using
Focus Lock and recomposing your shot.
AI SERVO AF Moving targets

The best mode to use for moving subjects. Accurate focusing is also complicated
Half-press the shutter and the autofocus by the fact that not all subjects are
system continually adjusts to track the stationary. In the default autofocus
subject. Its predictive focus system mode (One Shot AF), the lens locks the
continues to track the anticipated path of the subject even focus when it has found the subject
after the shutter has been fired. distance. But with moving subjects, you
want the to switch to a mode (AI Servo
AF) that tracks the subject, right up to
AI FOCUS AF the point the shutter opens.
Ideal for when you are shooting a mix The autofocus system is a passive
of static and moving subjects – such as affair, which essentially looks at the
at a wedding. In this mode, the camera viewfinder image and adjusts the lens
automatically switches between One Shot accordingly, until the image it sees is as
and AI Servo AF – depending on whether it detects any high-contrast as it can make it. With
movement in the scene. uniform, low-contrast subjects (such as
a plain white wall, or open sky) it can
find no contrast to focus on, and can
‘hunt’ vainly for a target to lock onto. To
MANUAL aid autofocus, therefore, it can often
Switching off the autofocus can prove pays to find a part of the scene with
more accurate or faster in some specific sufficient contrast to measure the
situations – such as in low light, with low- focus from.
contrast targets, or when shooting some Good light is also essential for
fast-moving subjects that follow a predictable path. The red operation – and this is not just
Chris George
and green LEDs still light up in the viewfinder. dependent on the brightness of the
scene. Lenses with wider maximum
STEP BY STEP Use Focus Lock for off-centre subjects
Press the button on the Press the AF Point Selection Look in the viewfinder, or Line the viewfinder so that
camera marked AF, then button on the top-right on the rear panel, and the central point is lined up
use the Main Dial on top of the corner of the camera, then use cycle through the AF Point precisely with the point in the
camera to select the One Shot the cursor keys or thumbwheel to options until on the central point picture you want to focus on (in
autofocus mode. change the settings. is selected and lit up. this example, Jade’s eye).

Focusing
Ways to ensure a Focusing

screen
sharp picture Hidden below the
pentaprism or
pentamirror, the
Your EOS has more systems and controls focusing screen is what you see when you look through the
for focusing the image than you probably viewfinder (see p77). Some top models, such as the EOS 50D,
imagined – here’s where they are hidden allow a choice of optional focus screens (above), which improve
accuracy when focusing manually on subjects.
Manual focusing Lens elements
To control the focusing yourself,
rather than using the motorised
To adjust the focus, Viewfinder
groups of lens elements An eye-level viewfinder
AF system, you turn a ring on the
are physically moved gives a visual guide to
outside of the lens. But you need
within the lens. what’s in focus, and
to set the lens to MF first.
indicates when and on
what the AF is
focusing (see p77).
Sub mirror
The main mirror is
semi-silvered, allowing
some light to pass
through it to a hinged
secondary sub-mirror.
This reflects light
downwards, towards
the AF module.
Mirror
The main mirror reflects the image Autofocus module
created by the lens so that it appears A dedicated sensor is used to assess the contrast
on the focusing screen. It flips out of and focus in small areas of the image. Adjustments
the way, then the shutter is fired. are then communicated to the lens.
Adjust for
your eyes
In order to see the AF points
clearly in the viewfinder, and so
you can use the focusing screen
to see what is sharp, you may
have to adjust the lens in the
viewfinder to suit your eyesight.
A small knurled wheel by the
top-right corner of the eyepiece
gives this ‘dioptric correction’.
Press the shutter release button
Squeeze gently on the The red LED of the central Keeping the trigger half halfway down, then turn this
shutter release so that it is AF point briefly lights up. pressed, re-frame the shot as dioptric correction wheel until
only slightly depressed. This will The green AF confirmation LED you want it. When in position, press the icons and numbers in the
activate both the exposure and also lights up. Keep the shutter the shutter button all the way down viewfinder display look as crisp
the autofocus systems. release pressed halfway down. to take the shot. as possible.

Canon
S R
apertures provide better autofocus,
as they allow more light to reach the ADVANCED TECHNIQUE
autofocus sensor. In fact, many SLRs
have one or more autofocus points that Tricks for better manual focusing
are designed to perform best when How to improve your hit rate when autofocus is switched off
used with a lens with an aperture of
f/2.8. This setting is crucial, whatever
aperture you are using for the shot –
CAMERA MOVEMENT
When focusing on subjects that are just centimetres from
as the lens always focuses with the
the lens, adjusting the focus ring on the lens accurately
aperture at its widest setting (it only
can prove difficult. With such macro subjects, it can often
closes down as the shot is taken).
be easier to fine-tune focusing by moving the camera
instead. When the shot is roughly focused, rock forward and
When accuracy counts backward gently until the subject appears perfectly sharp.
The amount of depth of field available is
crucial – the wider the aperture you
actually take the picture with, the
smaller the depth of field and so the LIVE VIEW
more precisely you must focus. If your camera offers Live View, switch it on when you are
Similarly, the closer you are to the focusing manually. The video picture on the back screen is
subject, and the longer the lens focal great for pinpoint focusing accuracy, as you can zoom in to
length you use, the less leeway you this video feed – typically magnifying the image up to 10x,
have with focusing accuracy. so that any focusing inaccuracy is obvious. Remember to
Use the tricks and techniques on scroll to the area that you want to precisely focus on before
these pages to learn to increase your adjusting the lens.
focusing accuracy. And remember, to
make sure you have a sharp shot,
review the image you have just taken USE AN AUTOFOCUS POINT!
and then use the magnify tool to zoom Just because you are using manual focus does not mean
into the part of the image you are that the autofocus is completely off. It is still working in
interested in, and make sure it appears ‘focus assist’ mode, with the red LEDs of the AF points
perfectly in focus on the LCD. lighting up as the corresponding areas come into focus.
When focusing manually, ensure the AF mode is set to the a
single AF point, and use the red LED to guide the focus ring
Chris George
to the precise position.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT!
Focus control course work
With every lesson in the Canon SLR College you get some
homework to do – to help you put into practice everything
you have learnt! To check you now have complete control
over focus, find two subjects (two people, say, or two cans
from your kitchen cupboard) and place them at different
distances from you.
Set up a shot that frames both subjects tightly

and has a wide aperture (use Av mode, and use
the Main Dial to set aperture to f/4 or f/5.6). Use
manual AF point selection (see p76) to take two shots
– first with the nearest subject in focus, then with the
furthest subject in focus.
Repeat the exercise, but this time take the pair of

pictures using manual focus. Check all four
pictures on your computer, so you can zoom in and
check that the subjects that you wanted to be in focus
Lee Beel
really do look sharp!

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on iPhone and iPad
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Canon
LESSON 3
What is depth
of field all
about?
T
he ability to control which parts of your
pictures are sharp is one of the main
advantages of owning an SLR camera.
Look at a scene with your own eyes, and
everything from your feet to the horizon is
usually in focus. But your pictures do not need
to look like this. You can set up your EOS so
that only certain parts of the shot are in sharp
focus, and others are artistically blurred. This
allows you to create emphasis where you want
it – and to hide elements that would otherwise
prove distracting.
As we explained in the previous lesson
(page 76), your lens can only focus sharply at
one distance. However, due to an optical
property known as ‘depth of field’ a range of
distances will actually appear sharp. This zone
of sharpness will vary enormously. Focus in
close on a ladybird with a macro lens and depth f/4
Chris George
of field may only stretch for a couple of Changing aperture is one way to
millimetres behind and in front of the spot you f/22 alter how much of a shot is sharp
STEP BY STEP How to preview depth of field
When you look through the Press the button on the front With this Depth of Field To get a better preview of
viewfinder, you see the scene of your EOS (below the lens Preview button pressed, the how much depth of field you
using your lens’s widest aperture. release button) while looking viewfinder may darken (depending have with your current settings
So what you see is the minimum through the viewfinder, and the on the aperture set) however you simply shoot a test picture, press
depth of field you can get for the aperture closes down to the can see which parts of the image the Playback button, and zoom in
lens and distance set. aperture you’re using. will be sharp. using the magnification key.

Depth of field
Three ways to affect depth of field

How aperture, focus distance and focal length affect what will appear sharp
Changing the aperture

The wider the aperture you use, the less depth of field
that you capture. This isn’t always a disadvantage, as it
allows you to throw distracting elements out of focus
Aperture: f/8 Aperture: f/22

Focused at 10m Focused at 10m
with zoom setting with zoom setting
of 70mm of 70mm
20m

1155m
m
1100m
m
55m
m Red areas show how much of
Lens focused on
11m
the scene would be in focus
Aperture: f/2.8 subject at 20m
m
for each of the three setups
Focused at 10m with Camera set to an
zoom setting of 70mm aperture of f/8
with a lens setting
of 70mm
Lens focused on subject at 5m

Lens focused on subject at 1m Camera set to an aperture of f/8
Camera set to an aperture of f/8 with a lens setting of 70mm
with a lens setting of 70mm
20m

15m
10m
Changing the focus distance
5m 15m
The closer you are to the subject you’re focusing on,
1m
the less depth of field you will capture on camera
10m
5m
Changing the focal length 1m
The zoom setting, or lens, that you use affects how much
of the image looks sharp. The wider the lens (the shorter
the focal length) the more depth of field you capture
Focal length: 28mm Focal length: 70mm

Focused at 10m with Focused at 10m with
aperture set at f/8 aperture set at f/8
20m

15m
10m
5m Telephoto effect
The more you zoom in on your
1m
Focal length: 200mm subjects, the less depth of field
Focused at 10m with you’ll capture on camera
aperture set at f/8

Canon
have focused on. Switch to shooting a sweeping

panorama and everything from the flowers by your
The science of circles boots to the mountains in the far distance on the
horizon can be made to appear pin sharp.
What happens when things are not quite in focus For most subjects, depth of field extends
noticeably further behind the subject than in front,
but the exact split varies depending on the subject.
There are three key factors for controlling the exact
amount of depth of field that you get for any given
picture. The best known of these is aperture (the size
of the iris-like opening in the lens). The narrower the
aperture becomes (the smaller the f/number) the
more depth of field you can capture. There are several
EOS modes that allow you to set the aperture, and thus
change depth of field – we’ll look at these in more detail
in a later lesson. However, the best one to use is the Av
mode (or Aperture Priority). Set the top dial on your
A single point on the
D-SLR to Av, then you can rotate the wheel behind the
subject is only
registered on the shutter button to change the aperture setting – while
camera’s sensor as a your camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed
point if the lens is – to capture an accurate exposure.
precisely focused at Use a wide aperture (such as f/4) if you want to
the right distance. restrict the zone of focus and capture a shallow depth
Otherwise the point is Point on
subject of field. Or if you want to make sure as much of the
recorded as a circle.
Camera shot is as sharp as possible, close down the aperture
Lens sensor to a narrower setting (such as f/22) to capture a
greater depth of field.
Circles of confusion Point of focus Circles of confusion
Controlling depth of field
The handy thing about using aperture to control depth
Out of focus Out of focus of field is that it can be altered without changing your
Depth of field
camera setup. However, for ultimate control, you need
The further away the point in the picture is from the point of focus, the bigger the circle to harness the other two key factors that dictate the
(known as a ‘circle of confusion’). If the circle is small enough, it will still looks like a point on amount of depth of field that you capture.
the picture – and this creates the ‘acceptably sharp’ range known as the depth of field The first is the focal length of the lens you’re using.
As you zoom into your subject, the amount of depth of
Degrees of sharpness IN FOCUS
W
hile talk of circles of confusion can
seem confusing (see above), this
optical property does have relevance
in everyday photography. The key point to
remember is that depth of field is not simply a
case of which bits of the picture are out of focus,
and which are sharp. The amount of blur in the
out of focus areas varies too. Things that are BLURRED
just outside of the depth of field zone are still
recognisable, even if they are not tack sharp.
It’s often useful in photography to throw
certain areas (normally the background)
so far out of focus that they’re completely
blurred and no longer a visual distraction.
In order to do this, you need to restrict the
RED
VERY BLUR
depth of field even further than the basic depth
of field calculations suggest. It’s for these
reasons that professional photographers buy
lenses with the widest maximum apertures that
they can afford, allowing them, when necessary
Chris George
to restrict depth of field as much as possible.

Depth of field
field that you get reduces. Wide-angle lenses, by scene, use the longest telephoto setting you can get
definition, offer much greater depth of field than
telephoto ones. So for keeping everything in the frame
away with, set the widest aperture the lens offers, and
get as close as possible to your subject.
Jargon Buster
sharp, a composition with a wide lens setting of 18mm,
Depth of field
A measure of how much of a
or wider, is a good start. Similarly, if you want to blur Accurate preview picture is in focus, from the
the background as much as possible, switch to a long Because of the way that your viewfinder works, you nearest point in the scene to the
telephoto lens with a focal length of, say, 200mm. won’t be able to see the effect of depth of field camera, to the furthermost point
The final piece in the jigsaw is the distance from accurately as you frame up your picture. What you see that looks sharp. The amount of
you to your subject – or to put it more accurately, the roughly is the amount of depth of field you would get if depth of field is dependent on the
distance that the lens is focused on. The closer your you were to use the widest aperture available on the aperture, the distance that the
lens is focused, the less depth of field you’ll capture. lens you are currently using. There is a Depth of Field lens is focused at, and the focal
Inevitably, to become a master of depth of field, you Preview facility (see page 82), but as this makes the length of the lens.
need to use all three factors in unison. viewfinder much darker in order to show you exactly
To maximise the amount of depth of field, use a what is sharper, it is very hard to interpret accurately.
wide focal length setting, a narrow aperture, and don’t In order to experiment with depth of field, it is often
focus on anything too close to the camera. best to simply shoot a picture – then review it on your
And if you want to keep backgrounds artistically LCD, zooming in and scrolling around so that you can
blurred, drawing attention to just a single part of the see exactly which parts of your image are sharp.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT! Try this depth of field exercise

This lesson’s homework is designed to improve that the only blur you get in your image is take a second shot with the same setup, but
your knowledge of depth of field – and how to created by the limits of depth of field. If you with the aperture at f/22.
maximise or minimise it in your pictures. don’t have one, use a brightly lit room and a
As depth of field is more limited with high ISO (eg ISO1000), to ensure you can use Zoom out to use the widest zoom
close-up subjects, we are going to use a a full range of apertures. setting available (usually 18mm). Take
table-top still life for this subject. We’ve used a one shot at the wide aperture used in Step 1,
chessboard laid out with all its pieces – but you Frame your objects using the most and one at f/22. Don’t worry if your subjects
could just as easily set out the bottles and cans telephoto setting of your standard only occupy the central part of the frame.
from your kitchen cupboard. zoom (usually 55mm), and focus on the
Use a tripod, if you have one, as this will help object nearest to you. Set the mode to Av, Look at all four images on your
eliminate camera shake from the equation – so and turn the Main Dial anti-clockwise until computer, zooming to see which
the aperture is open as wide as possible subjects look sharp, and noting the degree
55mm at f/4 (usually f/4 or f/5.6). Take a picture. Now of blur in different parts of your pictures.
55mm at f/22
18mm at f/4
18mm at f/22
You should discover that even shooting at
f/22 you won’t get everything sharp, but
zooming out gives much more depth of field

Canon
LESSON 4
What’s aperture
all about?
A
ltering the aperture is one of the photographer’s
most potent weapons, but this apparently
simple control can lead to confusion. The exact
The key factors
setting used can create varied – and seemingly in exposure
contradictory – effects. And then there is the peculiar Aperture is just one of the factors that controls
number scale used – the numbers themselves appear exposure – and the amount of light that creates the
randomly generated, and arranged in the wrong order! image on the camera’s CMOS sensor. To understand
Aperture
First and foremost, the aperture is a simple hole – an how the factors work together, it can help to think of
Think of the
opening that can be varied in size, so as to control the exposure as being similar to filling a cup with water…
aperture is how far
amount of light reaching the camera sensor. Used in the tap is turned
conjunction with shutter speed (the length of time the Shutter speed on – do you want a
Think of this as the amount trickle or a torrent?
sensor is exposed to light), the aperture lets you match
of time the tap is left turned
the exposure to the brightness of the scene. The wider
on. It works hand in hand with
the hole, the more light that is let in – helping you to aperture – you can have the
compensate for darker conditions, say, or letting you tap on full for a short time,
use a faster shutter speed. or open just a little
The aperture is not actually in the camera – but in the bit for longer to get the
lens. As a D-SLR’s lens is interchangeable, the range of same volume of water.
aperture settings available varies depending on the
particular lens used. Notably, expensive lenses tend to A matter of taste Intensity of light
Exposure is not all This is like the water pressure – and
have significantly wider maximum apertures than
about science – it is this affects how far the tap is turned
budget zooms. also about artistic on, and for how long.
What frustrates everyone new to photography is the

interpretation.
f/stop scale used to measure the size of the aperture. Exactly how full do ISO
The strange numbering system, however, is not random. you prefer your cup of ISO is like the size of the glass. For
The first thing to realise is that the numbers are not water to be? short exposures, choose a small cup!
integers, but fractions. So f/4 is not 4 but a quarter
STEP BY STEP How to control aperture
You have a choice of aperture The exact Custom Function The best place to see the For an alternative view, many
scales – with half-stop or number varies; the one you aperture you are using is in Canon D-SLRs also show you
third-stop steps. To switch, press the want is called Exposure Level the viewfinder. Half press the the aperture you are using on the
Menu button and scroll to the Increments. Scroll to the one you’d shutter button; the aperture is the rear LCD. Again, half-press the
Custom Function options. like to use, then press Set. number second from the left. trigger to fire up the metering.

Aperture
Making sense of f-stops

An at-a-glance guide to aperture scales, and what the settings mean
=lccjkfgj (&)jkfgj (&*i[jkfgj

]&)%/ )%/ )%/
WIDE APERTURES
*%) Wide apertures
The widest apertures have
*%, the f/stops with the
LESS DEPTH OF FIELD
smallest numbers. The

widest ‘maximum’
*%, aperture available
MORE LIGHT
depends on the lens you

]&+ + + are using. On many
zooms, the maximum
+%,
ONE STOP
aperture gets smaller as
you zoom in.
+%,
,
]&,%- ,%- ,%-
-%*
-%.
Mid apertures
.%( The middle apertures on
your lens tend to give you
]&/ / / the best quality images
MORE DEPTH OF FIELD
– although they may not

0 give you the amount of
depth of field you require.
0%,
('
TWO STOPS
LESS LIGHT
]&(( (( SMALL APERTURES ((

(*
(* Narrow
(+ apertures
Most lenses have a
]&(- (- (- minimum aperture of
f/22, although some may
(0 offer smaller settings of,
say, f/25 or f/32. As the
(0 aperture gets smaller the
more depth of field you
)' get, but image resolution
deteriorates due to a
]&)) )) )) phenomenon called
diffraction.
Proportional
representation
F-stops are not a physical
measurement of the diameter of the
aperture – they simply express a ratio
between the diameter of a focal length.
On a 400mm lens, an aperture of f/8
has a diameter of 50mm. A 100mm
lens set to f/8 will let in as much light
– but the aperture’s diameter will be
Top-end D-SLRs, like the 50D The easy way to control the 12.5mm. With a zoom lens, the
and 7D, have a top-plate LCD aperture setting yourself is to aperture needs to open up wider as
screen, which gives you an easy-to- switch to Av mode – then turn the you zoom in – even if the f/stop
see readout of your exposure wheel by the trigger until you get number set on the camera remains
settings, including aperture. the value that you want. exactly the same!

Canon
(1/4). This explains why f/16 is a smaller aperture than

f/4. By “f/4”, we are saying that the aperture diameter is
What the aperture looks like “the focal length of the lens (f) divided by 4”. And a
setting of f/16 means the diameter of the aperture
Iris blades opening is a sixteenth of the focal length we are using.
The aperture is created
by between five and nine
interleaved blades. Stops making sense
The next mystery is to how the number sequence works;
why does the traditional ‘full stop’ scale jump from f/2.8
to f/4, then from f/5.6 to f/8, rather than more evenly?
Each time you close the aperture for a full stop, you let in
half as much light. This makes it equivalent, in exposure
terms, to halving the shutter speed. (NB: EOS cameras
measures the aperture along either a half-stop or
third-stop scale – you get choose which you use, see
walkthrough on p86.)
The reason the scale jumps in this fashion is that the
Motor amount of light let in by the aperture is dependent on the
This opens and
closes the aperture area of the opening, not its diameter. It is the square of
Lens when the shutter the f/number that counts: 2.8 squared is about 8; 4
component fires, to match the
f/stop set by you or squared is 16; 5.6 squared is about 32; and 8 squared in
The aperture assembly
is located in the barrel of each the camera, and to 64. With the f/numbers squared, 8, 16, 32, 64 makes a
lens you use, between the match the focal
length currently
much more logical sequence.
lens elements. This is from
a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8. being used. Altering the f/number does not just alter the amount
of light reaching the sensor. As we explored in the
How many blades? 5 BLADES
T
he diaphragm that creates the aperture is made up of a
number of blades – and some lenses use more blades than
others. The number of blades plays an important part in the
smoothness of out-of-focus areas – a quality that is known by
photographers as ‘bokeh’. This effect can actually be seen clearly
when photographing subjects with bright highlights in the
background – such as city lights at night. Out-of-focus highlights will
appear perfectly circular when using the maximum aperture of a
lens. But at mid apertures, the highlights will take on the shape of
the aperture opening – so will be pentagonal with five-bladed
apertures, hexagonal with six-bladed apertures, and so on. At the
smallest apertures, out-of-focus highlights become stars – with the
number of points equalling the number of diaphragm blades. de iris,
f/2.8 lens has a five-bla
The Canon EF 28mm hlights at f/5.6
-of-focus hig
giving pentagonal out
7 BLADES
The Canon EF-S 17-55m

m f/2.8 has a seven-bla
giving near-circular out de iris,
Chris George
Shot at a lens’s maximum aperture, out-of-focus -of-focus highlights at

f/5.6
highlights appear as circles in your picture

Aperture
previous lesson (p82), the aperture is one of the main
factors affecting the depth of field, and how much of the
scene actually appears sharp. The aperture that you What is Wide
aperture:
choose for a particular shot will therefore depend on
which parts of the scene (if any) you are prepared to
diffraction? edges
cause
Light is like a wave, and minimal
appear out of focus – and on the shutter speed you need
when it hits a hard edge its bending
to use (the faster the shutter speed needed, the wider
path is bent – creating
the aperture will need to be, if you are going to leave the
diffraction. The hard edges
ISO unchanged). However, there is another factor that
of the aperture cause
you need to take into account when choosing your diffraction – but this Narrow
aperture: a lens will perform better at some f/numbers gradually increases as the aperture:
than others, and it won’t give its best resolution when set aperture becomes smaller. significant
at its maximum aperture. Resolution and image quality At the smallest apertures, bending
will improve gradually as the aperture is made smaller the ‘eddies’ created by the of light
– but only up to a certain point. As the aperture gets aperture blades create a
even smaller, the resolution and contrast of the image fuzzy image on the
deteriorates again – due to an optical phenomenon D-SLR’s sensor.
known as diffraction (see box, right).
YOUR ASSIGNMENT! Give your lens a test

Often you will choose a particular aperture to
ensure you can use a particular shutter speed – to
give you the depth of field that you need. However,
there are plenty of subjects where depth of field is
not an issue (when photographing a flat surface
from face on, for instance). Similarly, with
stationary subjects, and when using a tripod, a
wide range of shutter speeds can be used. In
these situations, therefore, it pays to use the
aperture that gives you the best results. But the
exact aperture will vary depending on the lens.
This lesson’s homework is to work out which is the
f/2.8 optimum aperture for each lens that you own.
Find a piece of paper with fine printed

type. The financial pages from a
newspaper will do (here we have used the
works of Shakespeare). Set up your camera so
you can photograph the page as straight on as
possible – ideally you should use a tripod for
this exercise.
Frame up the page so it fills most or all of

the viewfinder. Set your EOS to its Av
mode (see p87), and set the aperture to its
f/8 widest setting. Focus and take a picture.
Take identical pictures at all the full-aperture
values available. Repeat the exercise for all the
lenses you own.
Load your test images onto your

computer and view them at high
magnification. There should be a noticeable
gain in resolution and contrast as you close the
aperture down from maximum, and then a drop
in resolution and contrast towards the smallest
apertures. Make a note, for future reference, of
the aperture that gives the best results with
f/22 your lens or lenses.

Canon
LESSON 5
What is shutter
speed all about?
1 sec 1/1000 sec
1/60 sec
Chris George
Changing shutter speed has a dramatic effect over

your pictures if the subject (or the camera) is moving
T
he shutter speed is one of two model that you own. The longest automatically Current pro-level 1D models are good for
fundamental controls for regulating the set shutter speed is 30 seconds – allowing 17 or 300,000 cycles, while the 5D Mk II’s shutter is
brightness of your pictures. As we learnt in 18 more stops of light to reach the sensor (up to said to last for 150,000 firings, compared to
the previous lesson (p86), the shutter speed 250,000 times more light). Use the Bulb setting 100,000 on the 50D. Entry-level models are not
setting works in tandem with the aperture to and the shutter will remain open for as long as given a figure, but are understood to be good for
ensure that you can get a perfect exposure in a you keep the shutter release pressed, so can be 50,000 shots. Programs are available to check
huge variety of lighting conditions. stretched to whole minutes – or even hours. the on-board counter of your SLR to see how
Shutter speeds are easier to understand than many times your shutter has been fired (try
apertures – as the scale used is far more Precision engineering EOSinfo, free from http://astrojargon.net/
straightforward. The speed – the duration for The shutter speed is controlled using the shutter, EOSInfo.aspx).
which the shutter is open – is measured in a precision-engineered mechanical device found
fractions of a second. A 1/1000 sec shutter just in front of the image sensor in your D-SLR. Allowing for movement
speed lets through half as much light (all other The skill of its design lies in being to regulate the Like the aperture, the shutter speed is not just a
things being the same) as a 1/500 sec setting. shutter opening precisely – particularly at the way of adjusting the overall exposure of an image.
The shutter speed range is much more fastest shutter speeds. The stresses of this It also has artistic uses, controlling the amount of
extensive than that afforded by the aperture high-speed firing and re-arming procedure mean blur (or lack of it) in a picture. This effect is only
range on even the most expensive lenses. The that Canon’s top-end models are normally noticeable if either the camera or the subject is
top speed on a digital EOS is either 1/4000 sec launched with an indication of how long the moving. Even with stationary subjects, shutter
or 1/8000 sec, depending on the particular EOS shutter will last until it needs to be replaced. speed is crucial if the camera is handheld – the

Shutter speeds
How the curtains fall… The twin-blind arrangement

ensures that the whole image
area gets the same amount of
light. The top of the scene is
At faster speeds, the image is exposed through a moving slit exposed to the sensor first,
but this part is also blocked
The shutter in your EOS controls how long the sensor is exposed to the light. It uses a pair off first by the second curtain.
of ‘curtains’ or blinds. One opens to start the exposure, and the other is closed to end it.
At slower speeds, both curtains are both open for some of the exposure. At faster speeds
(any speed above the ‘flash sync speed’ – 1/200 sec on most EOS
models), the second curtain closes the opening as the first is still
opening – so the sensor is effectively exposed
to the light through a moving slit.
Normal flash becomes

impossible with faster
shutter speeds (above
1/200 sec or 1/250 sec), as
the two curtains are never
fully open at the same time.
At the start of each exposure the first

curtain is fully closed, and the second
curtain fully open. They are reset to this
position by the camera at the end of every
exposure, ready for the next shot.

At the end of the exposure, the first
curtain is fully open and the second
curtain fully closed.
STEP BY STEP How to check and set your speed
The best place to see the For an alternative view, many Top-end D-SLRs, like the 40D The easy way to control the
shutter speed you are using is Canon D-SLRs will also show and 5D, have a top-plate LCD shutter speed yourself is to switch
in the viewfinder. Half-press the you the shutter speed you are using screen, which gives you an to Av, Tv or P mode – then turn the
shutter button; the shutter speed is on the rear LCD. Again, half-press easy-to-see readout of your wheel by the trigger until you get the
the first number at the bottom. the trigger to fire up the metering. exposure settings, including speed. value that you want in the viewfinder.

Canon
Making sense of the speed scale Electronic

Canon SLRs give you the choice of two different shutter speed scales – one with half-stop
steps, the other with third-stop steps (see Step by Step, below). Each step along the full
shutters
stop scale represents a doubling (or halving) of the amount of light reaching the sensor. The original EOS-1D, launched in 2001, had an
electronic shutter, where the shutter speed
=lccjkfgj (&)jkfgj (&*i[jkfgj was controlled by the CCD sensor itself. This
]&)%/
(&+''' (&+''' (&+''' meant it had a record-breaking 1/16,000 sec
Fast shutter
(&*)'' top shutter speed, and a massive 1/500 sec
speeds
(&*''' flash sync speed. Canon moved over to using
(&),'' its own CMOS sensors after this, which made
(&)''' (&)''' (&)''' the use of a mechanical shutter to control the
One stop
(&(,'' exposure essential – but gave countless other
(&(,''
Fast speeds = sharp images

advantages that meant the drop in top speed
(&(),' was well worth accepting.
of moving subjects
(&(''' (&(''' (&('''
(&/''
(&.,'
Third of a stop
(&-+' slightest movement of your body results in
(&,'' (&,'' (&,'' ‘camera shake’ and a blurred image. If the shutter
(&+'' speed is fast enough, this movement becomes
(&*,' imperceptible. Just how fast the shutter needs to
(&*)' be to avoid camera shake depends on a number
(&),' (&),' (&),' of factors (including whether you use an
(&)'' image-stabilised lens, and how windy it is). The
(&(/' most important factor is the focal length of lens.
One stop = shutter open twice as long
images of moving subjects
(&(/' The more you zoom in (and the narrower the

Slow speeds = blurred
(&(), (&(), (&(), angle of view) the more this camera shake
(&('' becomes noticeable. So the longer the focal
(&0' length you use, the faster the shutter speed you
(&/' need. A rough-and-ready rule is that your
(&-' (&-' (&-' minimum shutter speed should be ‘one over’ the
(&,'
focal length. So with a 50mm lens setting use
(&+,
1/50 sec or faster, and 1/200 sec or faster with a
(&+'
200mm lens.
(&*' (&*' (&*'
Slow shutter
Use a solid tripod, though, and the camera

(&),
speeds
shake problem is eliminated, giving you complete

(&)'
control of shutter speed – and therefore also a
(&)'
(&(, (&(, (&(, greater choice of aperture.
Moving subjects will also affect shutter speed
choice. If you want the subject to appear sharp in
STEP BY STEP 1/2- or 1/3-stop steps?

Your EOS
gives a choice
of two different
shutter speed
scales – with
half-stop or
third-stop steps. To
switch, press the
Menu button and
scroll to the Custom
Function options.
The exact Custom Function number
varies depending on the EOS model. The
one you want is called Exposure Level
Increments. Scroll to the one you want, and
press Set; we recommend ‘1/2-stop’.

Shutter speeds
the shot, a fast enough (short enough) speed
must be used to make the subject appear still.
Choosing the exact speed depends not just on How the shutter works Motor
The shutter
the speed of the subject, but also on how big it mechanism has
Focal plane its own motor, for
appears in the frame, and its direction. You EOS SLRs use firing and cocking
need a faster shutter speed if the subject is what is known as the blinds. A
‘vertical-run focal separate motor is
moving directly across the field of vision, rather
plane’ shutters – as used for the
towards the camera – and a faster speed the the blinds run up mirror, which
bigger the subject appears in the picture. and down, and are must be raised
found just in front just before the
However, it is not essential for everything to of the sensor. shutter is fired.
be completely still – many moving subjects are
more artistically captured with a deliberately Twin blinds Longevity
The shutter The shutter
long shutter speed. The secret is to use a mechanism is made durability varies
shutter speed that is long enough to make the up of two gossamer- considerably
blur look deliberate, rather than accidental. thin blinds. One from model to
drops open to start model. Current
Using a tripod helps – so static parts of the the exposure, the EOS-1D models
scene appear sharp, and only moving parts second follows to are good for
close the opening. 300,000 cycles.
appear artistically blurred.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT! Big freeze or big blur?
Jonny Gawler
/10 sec
1
1/10 sec
Having the choice over whether to volunteer to run or ride – and shoot
freeze moving subjects, or have them a series of shots as they pass.
appear artistically blurred, is one of the
great advantages of owning an SLR. Repeat this several times
For this homework, you’ll need to find a using slower shutter speeds.
fit volunteer to act as your moving Shooting at 1/1000, 1/250, 1/60,
target. The person will need to be 1/15 and 1/4 sec will give a good
able to run or cycle past you several range of effects.
times at similar speeds each time.
1/250 sec Check your images closely on
Set the camera’s Exposure the computer for each shutter
Mode dial to Tv, and set an speed you have used. Which
ISO of 400. Put the camera on a shutter speeds freeze the subject
tripod, if you have one. Set the perfectly. Which give the best
Drive mode to continuous and ‘artistic’ blur?
the AF mode to AI Focus.
As an optional, advanced
Using the wheel behind the challenge, repeat the whole
shutter, set the shutter speed exercise – this time ‘panning’ your
to 1/4000 sec (this may show as camera to track the movement of
4000 on the LCD display). If the the subject as it crosses the frame.
aperture number flashes, you will See what shutter speed gives the
1/1000 sec need to increase the ISO. Get your most pleasing ‘speed blur’ effect.

Canon
LESSON 6
Which mode
should I use?
If you just want a
fast speed, or the
fastest speed,
Aperture Priority
(Av) is the best
setting to use; for a
specific speed, for
creating blur, say,
choose Shutter
Priority (Tv)
T
he main dial on top of your SLR can have a The exposure mode options that you find on a
dozen or more settings – and it is not typical Canon D-SLR can be broken up into three
always obvious what they all do. As we will different types. The traditional exposure modes
discover, some of these ‘exposure modes’ are are known as the ‘Creative Zone’ modes. The four
more useful than others. main options are M, Av, Tv or P. Each allows you to
In the last couple of lessons, we looked at the specify exactly which shutter speed or aperture
importance of shutter speed and aperture that you use – giving you full creative control.
selection. We have explored how aperture can
affect how much of the scene is in focus, and how Pretty pictures
shutter speed can be used to create super-sharp The second group is the Basic Zone. These are
shots – or ones that are artistically blurred. fully automatic exposure modes that set the
Choose a particular shutter speed (or aperture) shutter speed and aperture for you – giving you
– and the aperture (or shutter speed) has to no direct control on the settings that you are
change as well, in order to get the overall using. With names like Portrait and Sport (and
exposure that you want. The exposure mode that with matching pretty pictograms) they give a one-
Chris George
you use dictates how the particular pairings of size-fits-all solution to common shooting
shutter speed and aperture are chosen. subjects. Unfortunately, they are not great

Exposure modes
Make sense of modes Landscape mode

Sets aperture to maximise depth of field,
An at-a-glance guide to all your big-dial options
but overrides other settings, see p96.
The number of shooting modes that you have available will depend on the model of
EOS SLR that you own. Some, such as ‘CA’, are only found on recent models, whilst
the full-auto ‘Basic Zone’ options represented by pictograms are not found on
Close-up mode
Sets a wide aperture to blur backgrounds,
high-end models like the EOS 5D or 7D. These are the 550D’s options:
but overrides other settings, see p96.
Full Auto Sports mode

The idiot ‘green square’ mode – sets all the Sets a fast shutter speed to freeze action,
camera settings for you automatically. but controls other settings too, see p96.
Creative Auto Night portrait mode

Only found on most recent EOS SLRs. Lets you tweak Combines flash with a slow shutter
aperture and exposure compensation in a jargon-free way. speed, but fixes other settings, see p96.
Metered manual
You set both aperture and shutter speed, but
the camera still gives a meter reading (see p97).
Aperture priority
You set the aperture, and the camera
then sets the shutter speed for you.
Shutter priority (time value)

You set the shutter speed, and the camera
then sets the aperture for you.
Program shift
The camera pairs aperture and shutter
speed, but you can tweak them – see below.
Movie mode Flash off mode

Only found on the mode dial of some newer EOS Fully automatic mode that ensures flash
models that feature HD video recording. does not fire – see full details on p96.
Illustrations: Andy McLaughlin
Portrait mode Automatic depth of field

Sets a wide aperture to blur backgrounds, Tweaks aperture and focus to ensure key
but overrides other settings, see p96. parts of picture are sharp. See p96.
STEP BY STEP How to shift the settings in P mode
You set the Program mode by The settings are only If you want a faster shutter If you want a slower shutter
turning the top dial to P. This suggestions – keep an eye on speed than suggested, or a speed, or a narrower
will set both aperture and shutter the speed and aperture set. Look at wider aperture, turn the wheel aperture, turn the wheel to the left
speed for you, based on the lens the values on the LCD and in the behind the trigger to the right (anti-clockwise), until you have
you are using, the ISO and the viewfinder (shown when you (clockwise). The settings change in shifted the settings shown to where
metered light level. half-press the trigger). the viewfinder (or LCD). you want them.

Canon
solutions. The Portrait mode will set an aperture

to blur the background, for instance – but this is
Understanding the Basic Zone not desirable in all pictures of people. More
Most EOS models offer these pictogram modes. They restrict the amount of user troubling to the serious photographer, however, is
control. All set the default Evaluative metering mode, disable exposure compensation, that these Basic Zone options take control of
and set the ISO for you automatically. All, except the 50D, won’t let you record in RAW. other camera settings, too. They set the
autofocus mode and white balance for you, for
Portrait mode instance – and usually won’t let you shoot in RAW
Priority: restricting depth of field. Exposure program: sets the aperture to or change your motor drive setting.
the widest it thinks wise for the lighting, in order to blur the background. The third group are best described as
Picture style: Portrait. Drive mode: Continuous. AF mode: One-shot. miscellaneous. The A-DEP setting, for instance, is
Flash: auto (with red-eye reduction option). a clever option that uses the multiple-point
autofocus system to try and maximise depth of
Landscape mode field across the main part of your picture. It can
Priority: maximising depth of field. Exposure program: sets the aperture to be very useful – but needs to be used with
the smallest it thinks wise for the lighting conditions, so as to try to blur the caution (see the Step by Step, below, for
background. Picture style: Landscape. Drive mode: Single. some pointers).
AF mode: One-shot. Flash: disabled.
Tv or Av?
Close-up mode It is the first group, however, that you really need
Priority: restricting depth of field. Exposure program: sets as wide an to learn to use. But which of the four Creative
aperture as it thinks wise for the lighting conditions, so as to try to blur the Zone options is best? Av or Tv? P or M? Which a
background. Picture style: Standard. Drive mode: Single. particular photographer uses often comes down
AF mode: One-shot. Flash: auto. to personal taste. But it is worth learning the
advantages of each.
Sports mode Av stands for Aperture Value – but is known as
Priority: freezing movement. Exposure program: sets the fastest shutter Aperture Priority. Here you set the aperture, and
speed it thinks suitable for the lighting conditions. Picture style: Standard. the camera sets the shutter speed for you to
Drive mode: Continuous. AF mode: AI Servo. Flash: disabled. ensure a good exposure (based on the ISO used,
the brightness of the scene, and the metering
option you have set). Av is undoubtedly the most
Night portrait mode versatile mode. Despite its name, you can use it
Priority: balanced flash exposures in low light with nearby subjects. to set a particular shutter speed just as quickly as
Exposure program: sets shutter speed slow enough so the background is a particular aperture (you just turn the dial until
not dark. Picture style: Standard. Drive mode: Single. the desired setting is displayed).
AF mode: One-shot. Flash: auto. Tv works in the opposite way. Standing for
Time Value, and better known as Shutter Priority,
Flash off mode you set the shutter speed and the camera sets
Priority: for low-light scenes where flash not necessary or forbidden the aperture to suit. It is less useful than Av, as it is
Exposure program: sets both shutter speed and aperture for decent too easy for the camera not to have a suitable
low-light exposure. Picture style: Standard. Drive mode: Single. aperture to pair with your selected speed. The
AF mode: AI Focus. Flash: disabled. range of apertures available is much more limited
than the range of shutter speeds – so it is good
STEP BY STEP Master the tricky A-DEP mode
The A-DEP mode adjusts The A-DEP mode doesn’t just Half-press the trigger, and Check which AF points light
both shutter speed and adjust the aperture in its A-DEP tries to measure the up – these need to
aperture for you automatically. The quest to maximise depth of field, it distance at all the SLR’s AF points, correspond with the points you
aperture is set to ensure enough also optimises the focus point – so ignoring ones it can’t get a reading want sharp in your shot. Small
depth of field to keep key points in the lens must be set to its AF from. The ones used light up red in changes in composition make a
the picture in focus. position (and not MF). the viewfinder. huge difference to the settings.

Exposure modes
Dial M for Manual
S
ome seasoned photographers love to use
Manual mode. Many do so out of habit, as
this was the only option on the cameras they
learnt their craft. However, being able to set the
aperture and shutter speed independently can have
its advantages in certain situations – where you
either want to completely ignore the built-in meter, or
if you want to use the metered reading only for
occasional guidance. Even in Manual, the viewfinder
display continues to provide an indication of what
the meter thinks of your settings! Manual is
particularly useful with studio flash – where shutter
speed and aperture are set for the subject, and the
flash output adjusted to give the right exposure.
Manual is also useful in situations when taking a
series of shots, where the background or subject Manual exposure is good option in the
clothing may change between shots, although the studio (above), or when shooting a
Chris George
lighting remains consistent. sequence against a dark backdrop (right)
practice to specify this yourself. Tv does come
YOUR ASSIGNMENT! Try a new mode!

into its own with certain types of creative
photography, where precise shutter speed is
needed to create a particular effect – such as
blurring movement or panning. It is important to learn that the exact choice of aperture available with your lens (typically,
In Manual (M) mode you set both aperture and exposure mode is not crucial – in many between f/2.8 and f/5.6). Take a picture.
shutter speed; we look at the times this can prove situations you can use any of the main Creative
useful in the box above. Zone options and get the identical Repeat this using the Av mode – again
Last, but not least, is P or Program. This is an combination of shutter speed and aperture. using the main dial so that you are using
excellent fail-safe option for those starting out Use this exercise to try a mode that you the widest aperture your lens allows.
with the Creative Zone modes. The camera will haven’t tried before!
set the aperture and shutter speed for you – Take another picture, but this time use
essentially choosing a combination to help you Find something to take a close-up of. the Tv mode and turn the main dial so
avoid camera shake. But when you want to set a We’ve used a frog – but a favourite that shot is taken with the widest aperture.
particular shutter speed or aperture you simply ornament from hour mantelpiece may be
turn the dial (see p95). Unlike with the Basic Zone an easier option! For your final picture switch to M mode.
modes, you retain full control of all your camera’s Set the widest aperture, then adjust the
other overrides and settings. Set the exposure mode dial to P. Use shutter speed until the exposure mark is
the main dial to set the widest zeroed in at the middle of the metering scale.
Chris George
Keep a particular eye on the

aperture setting. If it flashes, then
even using the narrowest possible
aperture, the A-DEP system cannot
adjust the focus so that all the points lit
in the viewfinder will be pin-sharp.

Canon
LESSON 7
How should I use

metering modes?
Evaluative
Spot and partial Spot
metering is a good
choice if the
background behind
your subject is
particularly brighter
(or particularly darker)
than the subject
Chris George
hted
Centre-weig
Evaluative
metering is good
for off-centre
portraits, whilst
Centre-weighted
metering excels
if the subject is
in the middle of
the frame
The 18% rule
18% grey 18% red tone
M
easuring the brightness of the scene enormously across the picture – the sky will
you are photographing is a crucial part usually be much lighter than the foreground, for
of getting the right exposure for your example – so some form of average reading
pictures. In the previous few lessons of SLR needs to be used. Arriving at the perfect average
College, we have looked at shutter speeds, is not made easier by the fact that the key area of
apertures and exposure modes – but even before your image will vary according to your 18% green tone 18% blue tone
these can be set or chosen you need to measure composition, and exactly what you want to
Each metering mode assumes there is
the brightness of the scene. This is where the highlight in your image.
an even spread of brightnesses
exposure meter comes in. To allow for this, your Canon SLR has not just
through the area it is measuring from,
Your EOS D-SLR has a built-in meter, of course one exposure meter system – but three or four
which average out at an grey tone that
– and you would be forgiven for thinking that its (basic models make do without the Spot
reflects 18% of the light falling on this
task was straightforward. But, unfortunately, it is metering option). Some of these are better in
part of the scene. Every colour is taken
not simply a matter of taking a single reading. For some situations than others. But there is not a
into account in this average brightness.
starters, the brightness of the scene can vary single right choice – which of the metering

Metering modes explained
At-a-glance guide to metering modes

How each of the metering patterns works, and when to use them
Spot metering
Spot metering only
measures the intensity of
light over a small circular
area in the centre of the viewfinder. The average
is calculated by measuring just 2-4% of the
picture area (depending on the model, see
p100). Not all EOS models offer spot metering. The centre circle in the viewfinder gives a
This 3D graph shows spot
metering’s central bias rough guide to a spot meter’s coverage
Partial
metering
All EOS models offer this
metering mode. It measures
the intensity of the light over a larger circular
area than in Spot mode. The average is
calculated by measuring 8-13% or the picture
area (depending on the model, see p100). The graph for partial
metering spreads further The coverage of the partial meter spreads
across frame out beyond the viewfinder’s centre circle
Centre-weighted
average metering
This light metering mode
measures the light across
the whole picture area, but strongly biases the
reading to the centre of the viewfinder area.
Unlike with Evaluative, it does not take the
focus into account, so uses the same averaging This metering pattern graph is
higher in the middle, as this is where Main metering zone is bounded by the seven
pattern for every shot. Found on all EOS D-SLRs. the meter concentrates its attention central focus points (SLRs with nine AF points)
Evaluative
metering
The default metering mode
on EOS D-SLRs, and the only
option if you choose one of the basic automatic
exposure modes (see previous lesson, p94).
Measures light across the whole frame, but
strongly biases the reading to the area around The graph for evaluative
metering changes shape, Main zone of interest will depend on which of
the autofocus point currently being used. depending on where the subject is the autofocus points has been used
STEP BY STEP How to switch metering modes
Press the Metering Mode You will have either three Use the Main Dial (or the On some models you will
button on your camera – or four metering modes. right and left cursor keys need to press the central
symbolised by an eye-shaped icon The four symbols above at the back of the camera) to Set button on the back of the
in a rectangle. On some recent (from left to right) represent cycle through the options and camera in order to confirm the
models this is accessed using the Evaluative, Partial, Spot and switch from one metering mode change you have made to the
Quick Menu button. Centre-weighted options. to the next. metering mode.

Canon
Watch the contrast

Unfortunately, your digital camera can only nightscapes. Unless you can change your shot,
register a limited range of tones – and cannot the best exposure needs to be compromise –
see the full range of brightness the human eye and how you decide which areas you want to
can. This presents a problem in high-contrast preserve details in will depend on which are the
scenes – where you have dark shadows and most important parts of the scene. When
bright highlights – such as when photographing shooting outdoors, it is generally a better idea to
in the middle of a sunny day, when shooting ensure that the highlights are not blown – and
towards the light, or when taking pictures of then rescue dark shadows at the editing stage.
Chris George
EOS metering model by model
Model Partial Spot Evaluative Zones
1000D 10% – 7 AF points 35-zone
1100/1200D 10% – 9 AF points 63-zone

100D 9% 4% 9 AF points 63-zone
450/500D 9% 4% 9 AF points 35-zone
550/600D 9% 4% 9 AF points 63-zone
650/700D 9% 4% 9 AF points 63-zone

High-contrast scenes means that there is no ideal
exposure – if the exposure is set for the sky the boat is
50D 9% 3.8% 9 AF points 35-zone
too dark, but expose for the boat and the clouds burn out
60D 6.5% 2.8% 9 AF points 63-zone
mode options you use in a given scenario
70D 7.7% 3% 19 AF points 63-zone depends just as much upon personal choice and
personal experience as it does anything else.
5D Mk II 8% 3.5% 9 AF points 35-zone
The main metering mode, and the one that
5D Mk III 6.2% 1.5% 61 AF points 63-zone your EOS will be set to when you take it out of the
box, is Evaluative (sometimes referred to as
6D 8% 3.5% 11 AF points 63-zone Matrix metering in textbooks). This is the only
option that you will get in some exposure modes
7D 9.4% 2.3% 19 AF points 63-zone
(you have to switch to M, Av, Tv or P modes to get
1D Mk IV 13.5% 3.8% 45 AF points 63-zone to use the other metering mode options).
Evaluative metering is by far the most
1Ds Mk III 8.5% 2.4% 19 AF points 63-zone sophisticated of the metering types. It looks at
the scene in an intelligent fashion, trying to work
1D X 6.5% 2.5% 61 AF points 63-zone
out what sort of picture you are taking – then
STEP BY STEP How to use Exposure Lock
Gently press the trigger Point the camera at the A green star appears in If you want to cancel the
but of your EOS, this subject or area of the scene the viewfinder to show the Exposure Lock, and not
brings the metering system to that you want to take a meter Exposure Lock is activated. Now use the saved meter reading,
life, giving you an exposure reading from. Press the star key on re-frame your shot and take press the button to the right of
readout in the viewfinder and the back of the SLR to lock this your picture using the meter the star button once. The green
on the LCD screen. exposure reading. reading that you have saved. star will disappear.

Metering modes explained
relaying its suggested average brightness used The difference between the two is that the
to create a shutter speed and aperture Partial metering area is about three times larger
combination. This metering pattern breaks the
scene into a number of zones – creating a range
than that used by the Spot metering option.
Spot metering is, therefore, the more precise of
YOUR ASSIGNMENT!
of readings, which are then analysed to work out
the type of picture you are taking. Most
the two – but it is also harder to use – as you
have to pick the spot that you use for the reading Hit the right spot!
importantly, it uses information from the with care. Both are best used along with the Spot and partial
autofocus system to work out where the subject Exposure Lock function – and come into their metering modes are
is in the picture. So if the AF point on the left is own when shooting subjects where the great for taking precise
used in a particular shot, it will pay more background is significantly darker – or lighter exposure readings –
attention to this area when working out its – than the subject (such as when you’re and can be a godsend
average. If you use manual focus, it will bias the photographing a spotlit actor on a stage, or when taking shots in
metering to the middle of the screen. when shooting a portrait of a skier surrounded tricky lighting
Biasing the average towards the centre of the by a snowy landscape). conditions. But the
frame is essentially the game plan of the skill is in deciding
alternative Centre-weighted average metering Error alert which part of the scene to take the reading
mode. This doesn’t take focusing into account, It is important to realise that, whatever the from in the first place. Practice makes perfect
and just assumes that the subject is in the metering mode you use, all will get the wrong – so try this exercise and see how you do…
middle. It works well for most pictures – and it result in certain situations. The problem stems
has the advantage is that this is the metering from the way these metering systems work; they Set up a back-lit scene, such as a
system that many older photographers grew up measure the light that is being reflected by the person standing in front of a window
with. It is also easier to predict when this subject, rather than taking an incidental reading (they don’t have to be doing ballet, as in our
metering mode will get things ‘wrong’ so you can that measures the light actually falling on the example!). Frame the shot wide to include
anticipate when Exposure Compensation will be subject. Unfortunately this reflected reading is the room.
necessary. And if the subject is not slap-bang in skewed by the colour and brightness of the
the centre of the frame, it can still be successful, subject itself. Bright, white subjects reflect more Set your EOS to spot (or partial)
simply by using it in conjunction with the light than dark ones. The averaging system, metering mode. Then take an meter
Exposure Lock (see opposite). used by all the metering modes, assumes that reading from an area of the scene using the
the average from the zone or zones that it Exposure Lock. Take a shot, and review the
Spot checks measures from is a midtone brightness (the picture to check the exposure.
Two further modes are also found on Canon ‘18% grey’ often referred to by old-school
D-SLRs. The Partial and Spot metering modes photographers). For this reason, Exposure Repeat the second step several times
take a much simpler approach and simply take a Compensation is always needed when – but each time lock in an exposure
reading from a small area in the middle of the photographing particularly light-toned or from a different area of the scene. Do these
frame – ignoring everything else in the picture. dark-toned subjects. versions give better – or worse – results?
A question of
compensation
Don’t always expect to find a metering
mode that will give you the ideal exposure
for the picture. It is often essential to use
exposure compensation to override the
meter reading to get the result that you
want. You will need this control most
frequently when your scene does not
conform to the mid-grey average that all
four of the EOS metering modes assume.
An obvious example includes a scene that is
made up mostly of light tones, such as a
snow scene or bulbs of garlic on a white
backdrop – as in the example on the right.
Here you will need to dial in +1 or +2 stops of
exposure compensation. With subjects that
are dark in tone, an amount of negative
exposure compensation will be needed.
With an all-white subject you must use exposure

compensation – or switch to Manual – to get the
right exposure, whatever metering mode is used

Canon
LESSON 8
What is white
balance all about?
AUTO WHITE BALANCE MANUAL WHITE BALA
NCE
Chris George
The Automatic White

Balance setting works well
most of the time – but its
restricted operating range
means that it often gives
orangey results with
indoor lighting and when
shooting floodlit buildings
F
or those new to digital SLRs, ‘white white balance system to compensate for the that does not look all-over orange when shooting
balance’ can be the one control that is colour differences in the lighting – so that the in your front room at night, or when
completely new to them. The focusing colours in the scene look exactly as we would photographing a floodlit building (as the colour
modes, ISO setting, exposure options, drive expect them. temperature of these light sources is lower). It will
facilities – and so on – are much the same as Your Canon D-SLR has a wide range of options similarly struggle just before dawn or on a foggy
those found on the film SLRs that many of us for controlling the white balance to suit the colour day, when the light is blue-toned and requires a
once used. Up until the arrival of digital cameras, temperature of the light in the scene. However, colour temperature higher than 7000 K if you
white balance would only have been familiar to your camera is supplied set to Automatic White want to avoid blue-rinsed imagery.
those who delved into the advanced settings of a Balance (AWB) – which will cleverly look after all Your D-SLR, therefore, has a number of manual
video camcorder. this for you. white balance options that allow you to take full
White balance, or WB, is necessary because This AWB setting does a surprisingly good job control. The easiest to access are the presets.
light does not just vary in brightness, but also in of getting the colour of your shots right in most These typically give half a dozen different settings
colour. Each light source has its own individual lighting situations. However, as with all your designed specifically for different light sources –
colour or ‘colour temperature’ – which as you camera’s automatic settings, it’s not foolproof. each represented by an appropriate symbol. A
move through the visible spectrum can vary from Most importantly, it can only operate within a lightning bolt is used for flash lighting (5900 K). A
red to blue. Human vision is very good at confined range of colour temperatures. Colour light bulb is used for tungsten-filament bulb
compensating for this, so that a sheet of white temperature is measured on the Kelvin (K) scale, lighting (setting a colour temperature of 3200 K).
paper will look white whether viewed in daylight and the AWB system can only adjust from around For daylight, there are three options. The colour of
or by candlelight. It is the job of the camera’s 3000 to 7000 K. It will struggle to get a picture daylight varies as it is always a mixture of direct

White balance
Colour temperature and the Kelvin scale
The colour temperature range of your Canon depends on the white balance setting used
AWB Presets K
Candle 3000-7000 K 3200-7000 K 2500-10000 K 2000-10000 K
1000 K Auto White Balance The option to set
(AWB) only operates the white balance Set a Custom white
Sunrise accurately in a with an exact Kelvin balance to get the
restricted range (K) number is only greatest range of
or sunset of colour available on some temperatures
temperatures EOS models
2000 K
Tungsten
3200 K
Tungsten
3000 K
The higher the wattage of

light bulb, the higher the
colour temperature Photoflood
4000 K
White fluorescent
4000 K
Daylight
5000 K 5200 K
Average
midday
sunlight Flash 5900 K
6000 K Flash
Cloudy
6000 K
Overcast sky
7000 K
Shady 7000 K
Hazy sky
8000 K The white balance
button on your EOS
The light reflected by the gives fast access to
atmosphere, known as six colour
skylight, is blue in colour temperature
presets
9000 K
Clear blue sky

10000 K
STEP BY STEP How to take control of white balance
To override white balance, Press the WB (White Balance) Your EOS comes set to AWB Use cursor keys or wheel to
you need to be in a Creative button, which you’ll find on the (Auto White Balance) mode, access the manual options.
mode, such as P, Tv, Av or M. top or back of your camera. but there are several other options. You may also need to press Set.

Canon
sunlight and reflected skylight (light reflected back

Taking the RAW advantage off the atmosphere, which is bluer in tone). On a
sunny day, skylight is less dominant, so the sun
Shoot RAW and you can edit white balance later symbol gives an ‘average daylight’ colour
temperature of 5200 K. The cloudy and shady
Software options options, meanwhile, give filtration for slightly bluer
All RAW-editing programs daylight conditions (with colour temperatures of
allow you to alter white 6000 K and 7000 K respectively). These setting
balance settings as you
are useful for getting consistent colours within a
process the file. Canon’s
sequence of pictures – or for tricking the camera
Digital Photo Professional
does the job and comes into giving you slightly warmer- or colder-looking
free with your EOS SLR results. However, the range of options is as
restricted as when using AWB.
Preset menu
A drop-down menu allows K is for Kelvin
you to tweak colour For a greater range of colour temperature
temperature in the same settings you need to use another manual option.
way as on your SLR
Although not found on all EOS models, the K
setting allows you to set a specific colour
Precise temperature temperature by setting the Kelvin value you want.
DPP’s Colour Temperature option allows
This is great for precision control – as you can dial
you to set any Kelvin value you like
in any setting from 2500 to 10000 K using the
appropriate option in the main menu.
Of greater use, and available on all EOS
Before models, is the Custom White Balance setting (see
Mixed lighting below). This gives an even greater range of colour
temperatures (from 2000 K to 10000 K) – and
Back in the days of film, colour temperature this is set by taking a measurement from a test
was adjusted using correction filters as the shot you have already taken of the scene.
picture was printed (or on the lens, if using For accuracy, it is best to use a picture of a
slide film). Filters are still used to correct piece of white paper, or a specialist neutral-grey
colour in digital photography when shooting card, to set this. Just ensure this reference card is
with two different light sources (known as in the centre circle in the viewfinder, and in the
‘mixed lighting’). When using flash in low After same lighting as that you want to take final
light, for instance, the white balance cannot pictures. In reality (and not many people realise
be adjusted for both the flash and the this) you can get good results with this system
ambient light – typically creating a peculiar simply with a picture of the scene, without the
orange-coloured background. By putting complication of including the test card.
an orange filter (known as a gel) over the
front of the flash, the colour of both light Why bother in RAW?
sources can be made similar, creating a The white balance that you use is not set in stone.
more natural-looking result. The colour of your shots can easily be changed at
the editing stage to compensate for inaccuracies.
STEP BY STEP How to set a custom white balance
Take a shot in the lighting you Press the Menu button and The reference picture you Your new custom white
want to adjust for. A piece of search for the Custom White have just shot is now shown balance is now created. To
white paper (or special grey card) Balance option (under the second on screen (you can scroll through use this, set the white balance
held in the centre of the frame tab on recent models). Now press to other shots if necessary). Now mode (see p103) to the flower-like
ensures accuracy. the Set button. press Set. Custom White Balance option.

White balance
In fact, if you set the file format (using the Quality
option in the menu system to RAW (or the sRAW SHIFT THE
available on some EOS models) you can easily BALANCE
alter the white balance after you have taken the
The WB Shift/Bracket
picture (see opposite), and without any
menu option allows
image degradation. you to fine-tune your
You could therefore argue that those shooting white balance, shifting
in RAW need not worry at all about white balance colours towards blue
settings – as it can all be fixed in post- or red, and towards
production. One good reason for taking white green and magenta.
Great for getting
balance seriously, even if shooting RAW, is that
slightly warmer shots,
the pictures displayed on your camera’s back
say, when using AWB.
LCD are actually shown with the white balance as A Bracket option even
set on the camera. If you want your pictures to allows you to take
look at their best as our review them, and show three shots at slightly
them to others on the screen, it makes sense to different colour
try and get the white balance correct as you take temperatures.
the picture!
YOUR ASSIGNMENT! Get creative with white balance

It is not always necessary to get Shade
your white balance 100% accurate Get the white balance ‘wrong’ to
at the time of shooting. And this is increase the colour in your shots!
not just because it is possible tweak
colours at the editing stage
(particularly if you are shooting
Tungsten
RAW). Getting the white balance
‘wrong’ can often actually help
your picture taking. Here are three
great white balance tricks to try for
this lesson’s homework!
Find a suitable outdoor

subject lit with normal
daylight on a bright day. But
rather than setting the white
balance to AWB or Sunny, try
setting it to Cloudy instead. This will make the trick when photographing
picture warmer in tone, and can be a great portraits or architecture.
Sunsets often look rather

less impressive in
photographs than you
remembered when taking
them. Cheating with white
balance can make dusk and
dawn look more golden. Set the
WB to Shade, or if your camera
allows, use the K option and set
a temperature of 10000 K.
Give your landscapes a

moonlit look by setting the
white balance to give an overall
blue tone. Set the WB to
Now take your actual shot using this Tungsten, or set a K value of 2500 K. orange or red paper for your test card.
bespoke white balance setting. Alternatively, use the Custom White This will trick your camera into giving you
Remember to change the setting for your Balance option (see left) and, rather than a blue-toned picture. The same trick
next setup, or if the lighting changes. using a piece of white paper, use a piece of works well for ghostly Halloween portraits.

Canon
LESSON 9
What is digital
processing about?
When magnified, every

digital picture is a mosaic
of squares – each of which
can typically be any one of
16.7 million colours! But to
create this rainbow palette
takes lots of computer
processing as each
individual pixel on your
camera is colour blind! Chris George
Y
our digital camera does a lot more work The first thing to appreciate is that your image is (around 1/16th of a width of a single human hair).
to turn what you see in the viewfinder into only converted into digital form well after it has Each creates its own electrical signal in
a finished image than you probably give it left the sensor. The sensor itself is an analogue proportion to the brightness of the part of the
credit for. The lens creates an image on the SLR’s (non-digital) component, creating an old- image that it covers. But these individual
CMOS sensor – which ends up being recorded in fashioned analogue signal, and a certain amount photosites cannot see colour – only luminance.
digital form on the memory card that you slot into of electronic circuitry is used to tweak this – To produce a full-colour image each photosite not
your EOS, that much may be obvious. But in allowing you to increase ISO, for instance, by only has its own miniature lens but also its own
between these two stages a lot of processing amplifying the signal in much the same way as miniature coloured filter (either red, green or blue
steps have to take place inside the camera. you crank up the volume on your radio – all and laid out in a grid pattern – see right). A pixel
Understanding a little of what goes on deep before the digitisation process begins. with a green filter will only see colours that have
inside your Canon’s circuitry will not only help you The sensor is made up of millions of light- some green light in them. But as practically all
understand what an amazingly sophisticated sensitive units, often referred to as pixels, but at colours can be made by mixing red, green and
piece of kit you have – but can also explain some this stage more accurately called photosites. blue light together, this still provides some
of the many options that you have to play with. These can measure as little as 0.004mm across valuable information.

Digital processing
Image storage
From light to digital file Buffer
The image captured by a lens
is first turned into a complex Digital image processing
electrical signal before it is
converted into a digital file. Analogue/digital converter
This diagram explains this Analogue electronics
in-camera journey
Image sensor
Mosaic filter
Lens
Light reflecting off the
subject is captured and
focused by the lens Canon’s digital SLRs
have one or two DIGIC
processors to help crunch
the huge a amount of
digital data created for
every image you shoot
Subject
The A/D converter turns the
analogue electrical signal into a
digital one, using the same
binary language used by
computers
Moiré effect
Your Canon’s CMOS sensor not only
has a filter in front of each of the
pixels (see left), it also has a filter
Although we use digital covering the whole sensor area. This ‘low-pass filter’
cameras, much of the is primarily designed to soften the image projected by the lens.
image-taking process is
non-digital or ‘analogue’ Why is this necessary, you may well ask? Without this, the
grid-like pattern of pixels in the sensor would regularly create
interference patterns
when photographing
The colour subjects that
filter array R G themselves have fine

R G grid-like patterns.
G R G You can occasionally
Each of the pixels or B G R still see the resulting
‘photosites’ in the sensor B G ripple-like ‘moiré’
can only measure R G B G
the brightness of the R G
effect when viewing
light hitting it, not its G R G fine-weave fabrics
colour. So that colour B G R on screen at certain
information is gathered, B G magnifications (as
each photosite has either R G B G in the example on
a red, green or blue filter. R G the right). The softening
These are arranged in a
R G
mosaic known as Bayer pattern, after
R effect of the low-pass
filter means that the
the boffin that came up with the arrangement. He
image then needs to be
discovered that by using twice as many green filters as blue or red you
get a sharper image. A complex demosaicing process is used to turn the raw electronically sharpened,
data from the array into the complex full-colour grid of pixels that are seen in either by the camera or
the processed, recorded images. on the computer.

Canon
The clever bit is how the pixels work

together as a team to assign accurate
Keeping one step colours to each pixel in the final image. The
ahead of the buffer green-filtered photosite can effectively ‘see’

red light by comparing the information from
The last step in the digital image processing is to write the one pixel with neighbouring pixels as the
data to your SD or CompactFlash memory card, and there information is processed. Known as
is a maximum rate at which this can be done. To avoid a ‘demosaicing’, this interpolation process
bottleneck and to ensure data makes an informed guess as to the colour
is not lost, the camera has of each and every square that makes up the
its own ‘buffer’ memory – a image. In fact, even with JPEG pictures,
temporary storage area each photosite can register 256 different
that acts like a reservoir that shades of brightness, which after
keeps your data steadily processing creates an image with an
flowing onto the memory incredible 16.7 million possible swatches of
card. The size of the buffer colour. RAW images, in which the
memory varies significantly demosaicing can be redone at the
from model to model – but it editing stage, offer even more colour
is easy for it to start filling up detail. Canon EOS D-SLRs offer either
if you take a lot of pictures in 4,096 or 16,384 brightness levels that
rapid succession. A number of can be recorded for each pixel – which
indicators (see below) keep translates into having either an
you informed as to whether incredible 68 billion or four trillion colour
the buffer is being used and variations on offer!
how full it is getting. If you are
shooting a high-speed motor Processing power
drive sequence, however, or a The amount of computing power offered
sustained sequence of pictures to handle the vast amounts of data
at a wedding (say), the buffer can produced by the sensor varies
get completely full – and the significantly from camera to camera. The
camera will refuse to take any more pixels in the sensor, the more
more pictures until the file processing you need – but unlike your
writing system has caught up. computer, you can’t upgrade components
The number of RAW files you to gain extra speed. The ability to process
can take in quick succession images with minimal delay is much more
typically varies from 4 to 28 To avoid your important with some photographic
– but with JPEG quality settings buffer filling up and subjects than it is with others. With sports,
you will get a much longer missing the best the processor needs to work fast and the
sustained burst. For this reason, shot, it is worth buffer memory needs to be large (see left)
when shooting fast-action switching from RAW if the camera is going to keep up with the
events like sport, it is worth to JPEG for fast- action. The amount of processing power
using JPEG. Chris
action photography will affect just how many frames that you
George
can shoot in a second – but just as
STEP BY STEP Find out how full your buffer is getting
500 2.8 9 500 2.8 7 0

The digit on the far right in the When you take a shot, a red Watch the buffer counter in When the buffer counter
viewfinder usually says 9, LED comes on by the card the viewfinder change, when reaches zero, you can’t take any
showing you can take at least nine door – this remains alight until the taking lots of pictures in rapid more pictures until there is some free
shots before the buffer fills. buffer memory clears. succession. buffer space.

Digital processing
STEP BY STEP How to change your Picture Style
Change your Picture Style to You typically get six presets Each preset can also be You can then set the
get the colour and contrast to choose from (P for tweaked to your own setting. Sharpness, Contrast,
you prefer. Press the button with Portrait, L for Landscape etc). Go to Picture Style in the main Saturation and the Colour Tone for
the icon that looks a bit like a Some cameras also offer extra Menu, pick the Style you want to this style to suit your pictures or to
six-pointed star. custom settings as well. change, then press Disp. create artistic effects.
importantly how many seconds you can

shoot for before the camera’s computer can’t
cope with any more data. Depending on your
YOUR ASSIGNMENT! Pick your style
camera and your Image Quality settings and Picture Styles may seem like a gimmick – and Look at the subtly different versions
memory card used, a camera may only take particularly so if you shoot in RAW, where you you have taken on the back of the
four shots before it refuses to take any more can easily change all the relevant settings later camera. Which colour balance, saturation
pictures – taking a break until it has as you process files on your computer. However, and contrast seems to suit the picture and
sufficiently caught up with recording the data the Picture Style you use affects how the shot is your own taste best?
stream. Switch from RAW to JPEG, however, displayed on the back of the camera’s LCD; so
and use the highest spec memory cards and, setting the right Picture Style allows you to With recent EOS models,
with some EOS models, you can keep your review your shots so they look as close to what you can download additional Picture
finger on the trigger and shoot continuously they will be like when you have edited them. Styles for your camera. Check out the
for literally thousands of shots. Using the right Picture Style becomes even options available, and find out how to use
more essential for when you choose to use one them at: www.canon.co.jp/imaging/
Do it with style of the JPEG quality settings. picturestyle/file/index.html.
Whether your choose to record in JPEG or
RAW format also affects the way a picture is Take a series of identical shots using
processed. The ‘Picture Style’ you use is a
case in point. Changing the Picture Style is
each of the six preset
Picture Styles available on your
Landscape
a bit like changing the type of film in the old camera. As different subjects
days. Each Picture Style gives a different and different lighting conditions
colour balance, saturation and contrast. The may affect your Picture Style
Faithful setting gives you a lower-contrast choice, use a test subject that is
pastel-shade version compared to the typical of the type of picture you
Landscape option, which gives you the most usually shoot!
saturated colours. Which you pick is ultimately
down to personal choice – and with the
most recent EOS models there is plenty
of scope to customise the existing
Faithful
Picture Styles, or even create your own.
However, if you shoot in RAW, the
Picture Style you choose does not
actually affect the raw data – so can
this choice can be completely ignored
at the processing stage. For those
using JPEG Quality settings (any of
the L, M or S options that your camera
offers) the choice of Picture Style is
an important part of the creative
process. But as you will find out in this
lesson’s homework assignment –
even those shooting in RAW should
take Picture Styles seriously.

Canon
LESSON 10
What is flash
all about? With flash
T
here is a time and a place for flash. It will A burst of flash is great when
often kill the atmosphere at a party, so is shooting portraits outdoors
best avoided. But conversely can be the – improving contrast and colour
essential ingredient for a successful shot – in in most lighting conditions. Use
daylight or in the dark. The secret to success is to your SLR in Av mode for
use the built-in flash on most EOS SLRs with natural-looking results
caution. The key to getting good results is often a
matter of exposure – ensuring you use settings
that make the flash look as natural as possible. Without flash
Using flash adds an extra complication to the
usual problems of exposure. You not only have to
judiciously choose the shutter speed and the
aperture and set the ISO to suit the occasion, the
flash power must also be fed simultaneously into
the exposure equation.
A flashgun provides a very brief burst of light –
but the actual duration can be varied by the
camera or photographer to alter how much flash
‘power’ is added to the scene. The amount of
power needed to light a subject, of course, will
depend on the aperture used (the wider the f-stop
setting the less power required). The ISO setting is
Chris George
also an important factor – the higher the sensor
sensitivity, the less flash power required.
Sync speeds
Interestingly, the shutter speed is often not a offer anyway. In normal flash modes, you need to are used then part of the image will be obscured
significant factor in the flash exposure calculation. ensure that the shutter speed is set at or below by the falling shutter curtain.
The way that the ‘focal plane’ shutter of your EOS the ‘sync speed’ for your camera. EOS SLRs have Fortunately, most of the factors that need to
works (see page 112) means that you do not have sync speeds of either 1/200 sec or 1/250 sec, be taken into consideration when calculating
the full range of your camera’s shutter speeds on depending on the model; if faster shutter speeds flash exposure are handled by the camera.
Incorrect sync
Sync speed Correct sync
Unless you use HSS
mode (see page 112), you
need to ensure you use a
shutter speed of 1/200
sec or slower (1/250
sec or slower on some
cameras) – if you shoot
at a faster speed you will
get a black horizontal
band obscuring part of
the picture.

Flash
QUICK AS A FLASH
A built-in or hotshoe flashgun regulates the
Anatomy of a flashgun
amount of illumination that it provides by What goes on under the shell of your strobe
varying the duration that the flash of light
lasts. This can be anything between
1/1000 sec and 1/50,000 sec. In low light,
a brief duration of flash can freeze events Capacitor
invisible to the naked eye. A reservoir of electrical charge.
A transformer ups the voltage
from the batteries to the 300
volts needed for the flash tube
Flash tube
A glass tube filled with xenon
gas, which the high voltage
charge passes through to create
the flash. An electrical coil
around the tube excites the gas
particles to give the arcing
Diffuser process a helping hand
screen
No tricks – card A translucent
riffling caught plastic screen in
using a regular front of the tube
flash exposure tries to spread the Reflector
light so that the A silvered surface ensures that
coverage is as even as much light as possible is
as it can make it directed towards the subject
A suitable sync-friendly shutter speed is set for E-TTL and E-TTL II exposure metering sensor. This ‘preflash’ is
you, unless you use the camera’s Manual (M) Exposure metering for flash is handled in a all-but imperceptible to the human eye.
exposure mode – and as long as you are using the slightly different way than for non-flash ‘ambient The E-TTL II system, found on all current
pop-up flash or a dedicated hotshoe flash. light’ exposures. Your Canon digital SLR uses Canon D-SLR models, refines the original E-TTL
An extra complication is that flash has a either E-TTL (Evaluative Through The Lens) measurement by also taking the subject distance
relatively limited range. The maximum power metering, or the more recent E-TTL II metering. into account – as measured by your lens’s
varies between the flash used – but once the With both of these systems, flash power autofocus system. This helps ensure a more
subject is more than a few paces away, flash has output is set by the flashgun firing briefly just naturally balanced exposure – and minimises
little effect. This ensures that there are plenty of before the shot is taken, and then measuring the flash power errors caused by light-toned and
subjects where the use of flash is impractical. light reflected back by the subject using the usual dark-coloured subjects.
STEP BY STEP How to take control of flash exposure
Switch to Av mode and set Check the result, if the If the background (the area Dial in a negative amount of
the aperture using the Main foreground (the area lit of the image not reached by exposure compensation if the
Dial on top of the camera. The by the flash) is too dark or too the flash) is too dark or too background is too bright. If it looks
shutter speed will be set for light, use the flash exposure light, use the normal exposure too dark, use a positive amount of
correct flash sync and so that the compensation facility to give compensation facility to alter compensation (say, +1). Then
background is properly exposed. more or less light and reshoot. the shutter speed. reshoot the scene.

Canon
When the flash fires depends on the shutter speed, and on the flash mode used
Curtains
FIRST-CURTAIN Second curtain closed
SYNC FLASH Both curtains travelling The shutter is made up of
First curtain fully open two metallic blinds, or
Curtains
In all auto flash modes, closed travelling curtains. The first opens to
the flashgun briefly start the exposure, the
pulses before the shutter second closes to finish the
fires, so that it can set exposure. The flash needs
the flash duration to to fire when the shutter is
suit the subject fully open
In normal flash mode, the flash fires

when the first curtain is fully open
Flash fires
Preflash Curtains
Second curtain closed
Curtains travelling
Curtains First curtain fully open
SECOND-CURTAIN closed travelling
SYNC FLASH
If the camera or flash is set to
second-curtain sync, the flash will
fire at the end of the period where
the shutter blinds are fully open
– rather than at the beginning of this
period. This is useful with moving
subjects, and with slower-than-usual
shutter speeds
Flash fires
Preflash Curtains
Second curtain
travelling closed
HIGH-SPEED First curtain
At shutter speeds above
SYNC FLASH travelling the SLR’s normal ‘sync
speed’, the shutter is
never fully open. At
The flash continually shutter speeds above
fires throughout the approximately 1/200
exposure – pulsing at a sec, the exposure is
rate of up to 50,000 therefore made by a
times a second moving slit, created by
(see below) the two shutter curtains
High-speed sync flash

Preflash
Normal flash
High-Speed Sync HSS flash
The HSS facility found on some flashguns
allows you to use shutter speeds faster
than the usual sync speed. This feature
allows you to use apertures that are wider
than those usually available with flash, and still get
the background properly exposed. This is particularly
useful for outdoor portraits, as you can use fast
lenses wide open to completely blur the background.
Be warned that the faster the shutter speed you use,
f/9
Chris George
the lower the effective power of the flash becomes.

f/2.8
Flash
First-curtain
Second-curtain sync is useful when
Second- shooting slow-shutter speed shots of
Chris George
curtain subjects moving in a straight line
flash Second-curtain
With normal flash, the flash fires as
soon as the shutter is fully open. But
when the shutter speed is slower than
usual, this can lead to some peculiar
results when shooting moving
subjects. Blurred lines created by the
ambient light appear in front of the behind the subject, is achieved if the
subject, which look particularly out of built-in or hotshoe flash is set to
place if the subject is moving in a second-curtain sync. In this mode,
straight line. A more natural effect, with the flash fires just before the shutter
the blurred ghost image appearing begins to close (see diagram, opposite).
Inevitably, despite the sophisticated metering,

automatic flash will not always give the results
that you want. For complex flash setups, such
in a studio, it is often best to switch to Manual
YOUR ASSIGNMENT!
mode, set the shutter speed to a suitable sync
speed, adjust aperture to give the depth of
Altering background brightness
field you need, and then simply manually Using flash usually gives you nicely
adjust the flash power to give the lighting
level that you want.
exposed foregrounds, but the
backgrounds can often appear to
Exposure 1/60 sec at
f/6.7 +/-0 EV
With built-in and hotshoe flash, however, dark or too dark. Shoot at night, and
your Canon camera provides two simple ways a cityscape or a living room can look
in which to get your exposure spot-on, even too dark – lacking the details you can
when using auto settings. For most flash see with your naked eye. Outdoors
pictures, you are best off using the Av during the day, blue skies can end up
(aperture priority) exposure mode from the looking bleached white in your
camera’s Main Dial. As long as the Custom fill-flash shots. The answer to both
Functions have not been set to do otherwise, problems is to use exposure
in this mode the camera tries to ensure that compensation…
the background and foreground are both
exposed perfectly. Essentially, the camera Try shooting a portrait
uses the flash power setting and the aperture indoors after dark (or on a lit
to control the exposure of the flash-lit street outdoors). Shoot with your
foreground, then adjusts the shutter speed built-in flash (or hotshoe flash if
to make sure the background is neither too you have one) with the Exposure
light or too dark. Mode set to Av. Shutter speeds
may be slow – if so use a tripod, if
Flash exposure compensation possible, or increase the ISO to
-2 EV Exposure 1/250 sec at f/6.7
On the other hand, if you find that the flash around 800, to avoid the
power is too strong or too weak, you can background looking blurred.
adjust this using your camera’s Flash
exposure compensation facility. On high-end The background in your
cameras, a top-plate button gives you fast after-dark image will
access to this override; on other models you typically look too dark. Set
will have to delve in the EOS’s menu options in exposure compensation to +1 (or
order to reduce or increase the flash output. possibly +2) and then reshoot.
In order to adjust the brightness of the
background in the image (the area of the Shoot a flash picture
image that is not lit by the flash) you use the outdoors on a bright day. The
main exposure compensation facility. With background in your shots will
cameras like the 550D, this means pressing often look too bright – particularly
the +/- key whilst turning the Main Dial. With if they include a large area of sky.
cameras like the 7D or 5D Mk II, you use the Set exposure compensation to -1
thumbwheel on the back of the camera to (or possibly -2) and reshoot.
make the adjustment.

Canon
LESSON 11
ISO1000 Exposure 1/15 sec at f/5.6
ISO100
Exposure 20 secs at f/9
Chris George
You only need to use a high ISO in low light if
the camera is handheld, or the subject is
moving. With static subjects, and a tripod,
you can use the slowest setting (ISO100)
ISO is the name of the International Organization

of Standardization: a body that creates
thousands of agreed standards for a huge range
of products, procedures and practices. For the
photographer, ISO is simply a set of numbers.
The base sensitivity of all current Canon EOS
Chris George
SLRs is ISO100. But this can be increased by

pressing the appropriate button, then rotating the
main dial (on some older cameras ISO is changed
B
ack in the days before digital, film came in the subject (unlike film), its sensitivity can through the Menu button). The scale is such that
a variety of different speeds. The ‘faster’ effectively be boosted by the camera’s circuitry. doubling the ISO number doubles the sensitivity
the film, the more sensitive it was to light This is done with the ISO control. Think of ISO as of the sensor. So increasing the ISO setting from
– allowing you to use faster shutter speeds than being like the volume control on your radio. If the 100 to 200 means that, to get the same overall
with ‘slower’ film. Using these higher-sensitivity signal is weak, you crank it up to compensate. exposure, you can use a shutter speed that is half
film emulsions was useful for moving subjects The signal from the sensor is simply amplified – as long (or twice as fast).
– and particularly so in low light. This film speed and this helps you get the fast enough shutter Each doubling of the ISO also increases the
was measured using a number of different scales speed you want in low light. sensitivity by a full exposure ‘stop’ – with the
– with two of the best known, the American ASA typical full-stop ISO scale progressing 100, 200,
and German DIN scales, eventually being brought Digital advantage 400, 800, 1600, and so on. The top ISO setting
together to give us the standardised ISO system. The advantage of digital over film is that the ISO varies depending on the age and cost of your
Digital cameras, of course, do not use film – can be altered for each individual shot. This Canon D-SLR – from ISO3200 to ISO204,800 on
but the same ISO scale is now used to measure makes ISO a powerful tool for the photographer, current models.
the camera’s sensitivity to light. Although the helping you to get sharp shots in a variety of Bizarrely, the top ISO settings on many models
camera’s imaging chip cannot be changed to suit lighting conditions. are ‘hidden’, and must be enabled using a

ISO speeds
Making sense of the ISO scale STEP BY STEP

As ISO doubles, the camera becomes twice as sensitive to light Custom ISO
ISO
100
ISO
125
ONE STOP
ISO
160
LOW SENSITIVITY
What the ISO
200
LESS NOISE
A Custom Function lets
L is this?
LOW ISO
you choose between

ISO
Some top EOS SLRs, 250 full-stop or one-third-stop steps
such as the EOS 5D Mk between each ISO setting. Using
ISO
II (above), have an ‘L’ or 320 the full stop scale means you
Low ISO setting, which can make big changes quicker!
ISO
is equivalent to ISO50
– and is half as sensitive
400
to light to the lowest ISO
ISO100 setting found 500
on most cameras. ISO
640
TWO STOPS
This option is loved
ISO
by landscape
photographers, as the 800
lower sensitivity makes ISO
it easier to capture blur 1000 Some D-SLRs offer an
in moving water. ISO Auto ISO setting that sets
1250 the ISO sensitivity for you. This
is ideal for handheld shooting…
ISO
1600
HIGH SENSITIVITY
ISO
2000
MORE NOISE
ISO
2500
HIGH ISO
ISO
3200
ISO
4000
1/3 STOP
A recent feature on EOS

models is the ability to set
ISO
5000 the maximum ISO used by Auto
ISO in the Menu options. This is
ISO
6400 good for avoiding unexpected
grainy pictures.
ISO
8000
ISO
10,000
ISO
12,800
ISO204,800 record breaker! Your SLRs topmost ISO
The maximum ISO setting varies from model to model. Some recent setting (or settings) may
D-SLRs have an even higher maximum than ISO12,800. Canon’s be labelled H (High) – and only
high-octane EOS-1D X (left) can shoot at a staggering ISO204,800. be accessed by enabling the
Top ISO speeds have gradually increased over the years. Back in 1995, ‘ISO Expansion’ option in your
Canon’s EOS DCS 1 had a top sensitivity setting of just ISO100! camera’s Custom Functions.

Canon
Luma noise custom option called ‘ISO Expansion’. The

reason for this is that each time you increase
the ISO setting, you also get a small
There are two different types of noise decrease in image quality. Boosting the
found in digital images. Luminance picture signal also amplifies impurities in the
noise shows up as a speckled pattern, signal known as ‘noise’. This noise shows up
like specks of black sand, and is as grain and colour mottling in the image
similar to the grain that was found – and this gets progressively more
when using high-ISO black-and- noticeable the higher the ISO is set. Canon
white films. Chromatic noise is simply suggests that the highest ISO speeds
coloured and looks like the rainbow- produce so much noise that they should be
like sheen when looking at a patch of oil used with caution!
(and is similar in appearance to the
blotchy dye patterns that you saw when When to increase ISO
Chris George
enlarging high-ISO colour films). It’s Some photographers try to resist increasing
important to look at these two types of the ISO at all costs in search of getting the
noise separately – as each can be best, grain-free images. However, pumping
reduced using different tools during up the ISO often actually increases image
the editing stage. These are often quality overall, as this simple change lets you
provided as separate noise-reduction use a faster shutter speed – thereby
sliders by a RAW converter (such as in eliminating camera shake. A grainy picture is
Adobe Photoshop’s Camera Raw always better than a blurry one! A higher ISO
utility). Specialist software (such as can also enable you use a narrower aperture
Noise Ninja (www.picturecode.com) – increasing depth of field, and thus
and Dfine (www.niksoftware.com) is increasing the resolution of a lens – to give
particularly useful for reducing noise you sharper-looking pictures.
Chroma noise without sacrificing detail. Although higher ISO settings are
invaluable in low light, they are not essential
Strong current
Pumping up the volume Stronger light creates more
electrical signal from the
ISO adjusts for low light by amplifying the sensor output sensor, so less amplification
or ‘gain’ is needed
ain
Little G
Lots of light
Big signal
@JF
Weak signal Electrical boost

Less light means less electrical One solution to compensate for
Gain
current from the sensor the weak signal is to amplify it
Big
Little light @JF

Small signal
Other options
You don’t need to increase ISO with
a weak signal, you could simply
decrease the shutter speed

ISO speeds
Full Frame sensor

The full frame APS-C sensor
only 40% of
Two-and-half times larger
than the sensor used by
advantage size of full- most Canon
frame sensor D-SLRs
The bigger the sensor that your camera uses,
the less noise that you will get. Canon digital
SLRs use three different sizes of sensor. is that as the
Models in the EOS 5D and 1Ds families have sensor is so much
the largest ‘full-frame’ sensors. EOS-1D SLRs bigger, the individual light-
use slightly smaller ‘APS-H’-sized sensors. All sensitive ‘photosites’ are also
other cameras (including all the best-selling substantially bigger – with a far greater
models), use the smallest ‘APS-C’ sensors. surface area. This means that they collect
The reason that a full-frame SLR (such as more light in the first place, so the signal
a 5D Mk II) gives an image with less noise does not need to be amplified as much. Less
than an APS-C model (such as the EOS 50D) gain equals less grain!
for all low-light situations, in fact, if you can

keep the camera steady, they are often best
avoided. If you are using a solid tripod, the YOUR ASSIGNMENT!
slowest ISO setting (ISO100) is usually the best ISO100
option – as you can then use a longer shutter How good is your
speed to make up for the lack of light. Similarly,
if you are using flash, high-ISO settings are not
EOS at high ISO?
needed (although increasing the ISO will
increase the effective range of your flash). Lots of photographers are scared of grain,
and deliberately avoid using high-ISO
settings. But often the grain is nowhere near
Gain = grain as noticeable as you might think. In this
The less the signal is amplified exercise, you are going to find out for
by the gain circuitry, the yourself which settings you think give
cleaner the picture and the acceptable-looking results with your D-SLR.
less grain in the image
Ensure that ISO Expansion is
enabled in your Custom Functions
(if available on your EOS – see p115).
Set up a still life near a window indoors in

daylight. Pick a subject with a
good range of colours, detail and a
decent expanse of black (we
arranged some pencils on a
black velvet jacket).
With you camera on an

Low grain tripod (to rule out the
effects of camera shake), take ISO1600
a series of shots at all the
full-stop ISO settings your
camera offers (100, 200, 400,
800 etc).
Look at your shots carefully on the

computer, zooming in at 100% to
look at the grain. At what ISO does this
look unacceptable?
Check your Custom Functions to

see what the High ISO Noise
High grain Reduction is set to. Change the setting
and repeat the whole exercise.

Canon
LESSON 12
Y
our Canon SLR allows you to record your
stills images in two different file types – RAW
or JPEG. But if you switch between the two
using your SLR’s Quality menu you will see a wide
range of different options. S or M, pieces of pie,
staircase icons – what does all this mean?
JPEG is the world’s most popular digital image
format – and has the huge advantage that these files
can be opened by a myriad of different computer
Chris George
programs with no effort or conversion. Named after
the Joint Photographic Experts Group that produced
it, the JPEG also has the advantage that the file size
is completely scalable. Images can be compressed
so that the file size is smaller – a property that is
particularly useful on the web, or with email.
Unfortunately, compression comes at a price – the
more compressed a file is, the more the image
quality deteriorates – creating visible squares and
other artefacts in your pictures. On your EOS SLR,
you just get two different levels of compression to
choose from – the highest quality symbolised by a
piece of pie and the lower-quality smaller-file-size
option symbolised by the staircase-shaped icon.
Small JPEGs (above)

Pixel count create fewer pixels and Large JPEG (left) and RAW
In addition to this, your camera gives you a choice as use more compression – (above) use the full number
to how many pixels you want your picture to be creating noticeable of pixels of the camera, and
constructed of. To choose the maximum number pixelation and artefacts use minimal compression –
your sensor allows select Large (L). For half this when blown up giving similar detail
STEP BY STEP Beginners’ guide to setting RAW
Your camera will come set to Look through the tabs or The number of options When you have highlighted
record in JPEG. If you want to options until you find the one available varies from SLR to the option that you want, then
try RAW, you need to press the that is labelled ‘Quality’, then press SLR. Choose either RAW alone, or press the Set button to ensure your
Menu button. the Set button. RAW plus Large JPEG. choice is activated.

File formats and memory cards
Making sense of the numbers A j

Memory cards come in lots of sizes, speeds and classes… &
CompactFlash 50-pin connector D9
The traditional D-SLR memory
card comes in two thicknesses –
Compact Flash
3.3mm (Class I) or 5mm (Class II). ®
16 GB
Both will fit EOS cameras using the Transfer speed
CF format – but every card you buy
nowadays will be the thinner type.
The faster the speed the better the
performance at continuous shooting,
Dual fuel
for stills or video. The maximum data EOS models in the 1D family offer
Capacity transfer speed is often measured in both CompactFlash and SDHC card
Storage space is measured in megabytes per second (MB/s) slots. You can choose which you _ j
gigabytes (GB). Older cards
may be measured in 6 0 MB/s
use – or use both simultaneously, to =cX k
create automatic backups with the
megabytes (MB); 1024MB
equals 1GB UDM A same or different file formats. This
handy pro feature was introduced
with the Mark II models in the 1D
and 1Ds ranges.
Gold-plated contacts
SD On underside of card
UDMA
Now the most popular The latest generation of CompactFlash with
memory card format and
8 >9
the fastest transfer speeds use the UDMA SPEEDS COMPARED
smaller than CompactFlash, it (ultra direct memory access) protocol
comes in three types – SD, 40x 6MB/s
SDHC & SDXC (see below). 66x 10MB/s
100x 15MB/s
6 Class
SD cards now come in different classes, designed to give you an idea
133x
200x
20MB/s
30MB/s
Lock of sustained write speed (which is important when recording video). A 300x 45MB/s
Slide down so data Class 2 card will deliver a write speed of at least 2MB/s; a Class 6 card 400x 60MB/s
cannot be added to 133x (as in diagram) gives a performance of at least 6MB/s, and a Class 10 600x 90MB/s
or deleted from card Speed card offers speeds of over 10MB/s
SD The Secure Digital (SD) card is the

most popular type of flash memory format.
Transfer speed Anatomy of a flash card
Some cards
Older, original, cards have a maximum
capacity of 2GB measure data Inside the casing of a CompactFlash card
transfer as an
SDHC The newer High Capacity (HC) SD card
is much more useful for D-SLR users, as it offers
‘x factor’ rather
than in MB/s. Chips with everything
capacities of up to 32GB. First used as the main 133x is equivalent A memory card is packed full with a surprising amount
memory card type in the EOS 450D (Rebel XSi)
to 20MB/s. See of electronics. It is the job of the main controller to
table, above right
SDXC The newly launched eXtended Capacity regulate the flow of data between the card and camera
version of the card will offer capacities of up to
two terabytes (2,000GB). These only work in the
latest EOS 550D, 600D and 60D models
D M A &j
V
U D9
P6
HOW MANY SHOTS FIT ON A CARD?

0X 3
' -
X
The capacity
will depend on
the shot size,
9E
(+
the file quality

O+
$C
?/
setting, and the

A=
D
SLR used… 6 MEGAPIXEL 12 MEGAPIXEL 18 MEGAPIXEL

_ j
2GB 256 120 75 =cX k
XZ
608 460 285 dg
:f
2,112 2,290 1,590
Flash
8GB 1,024 480 300 memory
2,432 1,840 1,040 The image data is
stored on one or
8,448 9,160 6,360
more flash memory 50-pin connector
32GB Larger cards 1,920 1,200 chips inside the card 50 pins in the camera or card reader slot into holes in
the card. The pins can get bent if the card is inserted
not compatible 7,360 4,160
incorrectly, and this can be expensive to repair
with older SLRs 36,640 25,440

Canon
20MB RAW
10MB RAW
The size of a RAW file number, go for Medium (M) – or for a quarter of
varies depending on the maximum choose Small (S).
the detail the shot To get the smallest file sizes and to fit the most
contains. This
pictures on your card choose – and for the
architectural detail,
best-quality JPEGs go for . In almost all
therefore, creates a
file that is twice the situations, you should really record in – or
size of the simple choose the superior RAW format. The RAW
sunset option uses all the sensor pixels, and uses a
minimal amount of compression to create a
proprietary format – which stores the data in a
semi-processed state (like a digital negative). It
captures significantly more tonal information
than a JPEG version – which is invaluable for
editing purposes, even if the difference between a
RAW and files are not immediately apparent.
RAW files are considerably larger in size than
Format or throw away? JPEGs, so not only fill up your card quicker, but
also take longer to process in the camera and be
There are two different ways to delete all of your written to the card. For high-speed continuous
pictures, once they are safely transferred to your shooting, therefore, you can shoot longer
PC. The Erase Images option will only remove the sequences without the buffer filling up if you
image files from the image folder that your SLR switch to JPEG. The speed of the memory card
automatically creates on the card. It’s good will also prove critical in such situations.
practice to use the Format option instead, which
removes all of the files from the card (the card RAW processing power
can store any RAW files need specialist software to be
digital file, just processed – and need to be converted to a file
like a USB format such as JPEG if they are to be viewed on
memory stick). the web and other PC programs. However, the
disadvantages of RAW files are well worth putting
up with in order to have the increased flexibility at
the editing stage – as you can change colour
balance, contrast, exposure and saturation to a
far greater degree than is possible with a JPEG.
The compression used by RAW files is fixed,
however, on more recent EOS models, the number
of pixels actually recorded in an image can be
altered. The SRAW and MRAW options, therefore,
allow you to retain the editing advantages of the
RAW format, while enabling you to fit more
images on to your memory card.

Canon
LESSON 13
J
udging whether you have taken a decent
shot and a decent exposure is simple with a All EOS D-SLRs can
digital SLR. As soon as you fire the shutter, a show a simple
preview of your picture flashes up on the LCD. You graph that you can
can instantly see if the shot is too bright, or too use to judge
dark – so it seems unnecessary to have a second, exposure – some
more scientific, way of judging the suitability of can also display a
your exposure settings… So why bother looking at full-colour version
the histogram?
First, and foremost, displaying the histogram is
not a replacement for looking at the image itself
when you review a picture. This mathematical
graph simply gives you some additional, but
invaluable, information.
Quantity not quality

The qualitative nature of the preview image means
that it can be hard to see if an area of the shot is lighten the next image you take. But more
slightly too dark, or slightly too bright. The importantly, it also tells you about the contrast of
quantitative graph does not lie, and tells it to you the scene. This allows you to avoid – or at least
straight. Once you learn to read them, histograms take special care with – subjects that have a
clearly show the exposure – and whether you greater range of brightnesses than your sensor
need to use exposure compensation to darken or can cope with. It also ensures that you get the
STEP BY STEP How to locate the histogram
Start off by pressing the Review Your EOS has several ways of Keep pressing this button until Recent models offer a second
button on the back of the displaying the pictures you have the white luminance histogram histogram display mode
camera – the one with the blue arrow shot. To change the display mode, appears alongside the picture. Other (press the Disp/Info key again). This
in a square that you use to review the press the Disp or Info button (some information will also be shown – such gives separate graphs for red, green
pictures you have just shot. models have one, some the other). as exposure setting and file size. and blue (RGB) colour channels.

Histograms
Reviewing images with the histogram

Learn to look at the graph as you assess your shots
Compensation MIDTONES
Use exposure compensation to shift the
histogram left or right for your next exposure
NUMBER OF PIXELS
SHADOWS HIGHLIGHTS
TONAL RANGE
BRIGHTNESS OF PIXELS
Dark to light
Histogram The graph plots the brightness of each pixel
The shape and position in the picture, from darkest on the left to
of this black-and-white brightest on the right. Vertical lines
Image preview Settings graph can give you partition the graph into five segments,
The thumbnail image of the shot The histogram display also instant information designed to make it easier to judge the
is important when judging the provides the settings used about the exposure of position of the histogram graph
histogram – as it shows you if the to take the shot, time the shot, and of the
shot is meant to be dark or light! taken, and file information contrast of the scene
best-quality results from your sensor when

shooting low-contrast subjects.
The standard histogram – found on all EOS
Judging basic exposure
D-SLRs – plots the brightness (or luminosity, to
use the scientific language) of every pixel in the Underexposed
picture. This brightness is measured on a
If the histogram is
256-step scale (the number of permutations
positioned on the left-hand
available in a JPEG digital image). This graph can side of the available graph
also be displayed as you frame up a picture on area, this shows the shot is
cameras that offer Live View (see how on p124). dark and is probably
underexposed.
The right is bright
The darkest tone available is zero, and shown at
the left-hand side of the graph. The lightest, Overexposed
whitest tone achievable is 255 on the scale – and If the histogram is squeezed
is shown on the extreme right of the graph. The up on the right side of the
steps along the x-axis then fill in all the possible available graph area, this
shades in between. The vertical y-axis then simply shows the shot is light and is
shows the number of pixels of each brightness. very probably overexposed,
Contrary to popular opinion, there is no such with clipped highlights.
thing as an ‘ideal’ histogram. Some subjects will
give shots that simply have more brighter tones Well exposed
than others – and ultimately no two histograms
An ideal exposure stretches
will be identical. It’s the overall shape of the graph
the full width of the graph
that is your secret weapon for assessing the shot’s
area, so has the widest
exposure and contrast. possible tonal range – but
To get the best tonal range, and to avoid does not butt up to either
problems with underexposed shadows or side, so neither highlights
Chris George
overexposed highlights, the histogram should be or shadows are clipped.

vaguely bell-shaped. That is, the graph should

Canon
drop down to baseline towards both left-hand and

right-hand extremes. What you should try to avoid
is an image with the graph stacked to the extreme
Four graph types that are worth getting to know… right or left – as this suggests that detail has been
lost or ‘clipped’ in the highlights or shadows.
High contrast Graph squashed up on Some scenes have a
right. Highlights clipped greater tonal range Don’t blow it
than your SLR can
In digital imaging, overexposure is difficult or
cope with. A gradient
impossible to correct for at the editing stage – so
filter, or shooting at a
different time, can with high-contrast subjects it is better to have an
help reduce the image that is stacked to the left, than one that it
contrast. Or just squeezed up tight to the right. As it’s possible to
Graph squashed up on reshoot so highlights recover underexposed areas using image
left – shadows clipped aren’t clipped. manipulation software.
Caution must be used, however, when reading
Low contrast histograms. Firstly, the histogram only takes up a
No bright highlights Some subjects very small area on screen on Canon SLRs, so it
contain no highlights
can be hard to see whether the graph is really at
or shadows. Ideally
the extremes or not. Secondly, the histogram is
these should be
re-exposed so the based on a JPEG image of the shot that you are
graph is as far to the taking. If you shoot in RAW, the camera will
right as possible, capture more tonal detail (as it is captured in a
No dark shadows known as ‘exposing to 12-bit or 14-bit form, rather than the 8-bit limit
the right’. used by JPEGs); so you may be able to recover
highlights that appear blown out in the graph
White background using RAW conversion software.
Huge peak on right matches In some shots, it is
large expanse of white in image It’s also worth pointing out that parts of some
perfectly acceptable
images should be clipped – simply because they
for areas to be burnt
should be shown as pure white or pure black.
out, and recorded
in pure white. An Specular highlights (mirror-like reflections from a
extreme example of shiny surface) will blow out whatever you do – and
this is when shooting a white backdrop in a studio is meant to look
High-key subject means against a white ‘overexposed’, if the background is not to appear
no visible shadow values backdrop in a studio. dirty and grey.
While you should take care not to set the
Black background exposure to avoid unnecessary blown-out
Low-key subject means no Dark scenes will mean
highlights, don’t be overly cautious. With digital
visible highlights show on graph that the graph will
images, it is always best to expose images so that
peak on the left side.
Clipped shadows may they are as bright as possible. The reason for this
not be a problem, if is that half of the camera’s possible gradations of
you want some areas tone are actually devoted to the brightest 20% of
of the shot to appear the image. If you underexpose the shot, even
Peak on left matches jet black in the image. slightly, you are throwing away image quality. As a
dark black background consequence, the darkest part of the image may
STEP BY STEP Activate your camera’s histogram
You will need a recent EOS Press the Menu and find the To use Live View, and see the As with the Review button,
model that offers Live View Live View function options. image on the LCD, press the Live View gives different
(EOS 450D or later). And you need Live View is preset to Disable. Live View or Set button (depending display options. Press Info or Disp
to turn Live View on… Enable, then press Set. on your camera model). to scroll through them.

Histograms
See the histogram as you shoot

Use Live View to see the graph before the shot is taken
Live histogram
In Live View, the histogram is displayed over
the image as you frame the picture. As you alter
the framing, and adjust the exposure settings,
the shape of the histogram will change
Exposure simulation
This menu option is invaluable in most shooting
situations, as it means the picture darkens and
lightens according to your settings – giving a
good pictorial preview of what the shot will look
like. Turn it off, however, to aid framing when
using flash in low light
Settings Magnifying frame

The histogram display also This is the area that will be shown if you press the blue + zoom key on
shows settings currently the back of your EOS D-SLR. Use the cursor keys to move it around
being used by the camera the frame. Once zoomed in, the histogram will temporarily disappear
end up with more noise and less detail. Recent

Canon D-SLRs also give the option to show a
colour histogram, in addition to the black-and- YOUR ASSIGNMENT!
white luminosity version. This RGB histogram
shows three separate graphs, corresponding How far can
to the red, green and blue channels that the
picture is made up of.
you push it?
RGB graphs can be useful for a number of One of the real benefits of using the
reasons. If there is a marked difference in the histogram is that it allows you to
three graphs, it can give an indication of a white maximise tonal range and minimise
balance problem (though this may simply show noise. You do this by ‘exposing to the right’
that one particular colour dominates the – setting the exposure so the histogram is
composition). With some subjects, clipped detail pushed as far to the right as possible
in the channels can also help you to ensure you (without key areas burning out).
get maximum detail in a particular subject (eg: the
petals of a bright red flower). However, for most Set up a still-life shot indoors
purposes, the simple black-and-white graph is all near a bright window; we used a
you need to avoid exposure pitfalls. jug of flowers, but any subject will do.
Use a tripod for consistent framing, if
you have one. Take a shot of the image
using Evaluative Metering and using
the Av shooting mode. Look at the
histogram of the shot.
If the shot is not as far to the

right as possible, reshoot with
Exposure Compensation set to +1/3
or +1/2 a stop, then recheck the
histogram. Don’t worry if the shot
looks too bright on-screen – this can
be corrected for at the editing stage.
Keep pressing the Info/Disp If the histogram is squashed up to

button until you see the histogram the right, reshoot with -1/3 or
superimposed over the image on the -1/2 a stop of Exposure Compensation,
LCD at the back of the camera. and then recheck your histogram.

Canon
LESSON 14
What is video on
SLRs all about?
V
ideo on D-SLRs is like Marmite – some
people love it and others hate it. 3:2 ratio
Whatever you think, this new feature is 4:3 ratio
here to stay. But when you do try it out, you’ll
discover that there are a lot of new things that
you have to think about, including the camera
settings themselves.
The first thing to understand are the
formats. Canon EOS SLRs record videos in a
variation of the Quicktime (.MOV) format,
known as H.264. Like with stills, you will
change this to a different format to edit your
Chris George
footage, and to another format again when it
comes to saving your blockbuster. But
there are some options to choose from at
the recording stage. An EOS with HD offers
16:9 ratio Your image
a choice of two or three different proportions
resolutions. ‘Full HD’ or 1080p offers the change when you
best resolution (the same as a Blu-ray Disc), shoot video:
but restricts the maximum length of each normal stills have
shot you record to 12 mins (taking up 4GB of a 3:2 aspect ratio;
memory). For those used to camcorders HD video gives a
that can record continuously for an hour or widescreen 16:9
more, this might seem a significant ratio; standard
restriction. However, for most types of video, definition
each individual clip that you record will 640x480-pixel
usually only be a matter of seconds long. A footage has a
low-resolution VGA option lets you record traditional TV
continuously for up to 24 minutes. A third ratio of 4:3
STEP BY STEP Making sense of EOS video settings
Most HD video models (except In the Menu, switch Video The Movie Rec Size option Autofocus modes vary,
the 1D and 5D) have a separate System to PAL for Europe or sets resolution quality and according to the model of EOS
control or mode setting for NTSC for North America. This also frame rate – but will also dictate the you are using. It’s best to set focus
switching the camera into its dictates the range of frame rates that maximum length of each clip you before recording, and use the option
video-shooting mode. will be available. can record. that disables AF as you record.

Video
The anatomy of an HD D-SLR

The features and foibles of a video-shooting Canon EOS camera…
Card Shutter release Movie mode Flash Built-in
High-speed memory You can take stills as you The EOS 550D has a The pop-up flash is no use microphone
cards come into their record video – however, simple movie setting on when shooting video. Special This records in mono,
own when shooting the video footage will the Mode dial – but this lights need to be bought if you picks up operational
video. Canon freeze for about a second is not standard on all want bright shots in low light noise, and is unlikely
recommends using as the still is written to Canon’s HD models to be close enough to
cards with a write speed the memory card the source of the
of at least 8MB/s (approx sound you actually
60x speed or faster) want to pick up

Interchangeable
lenses
The ability to swap
lenses is one of the
reasons serious
filmmakers are
switching from
using camcorders
to D-SLRs
HDMI socket
A mini HDMI socket is
used if you want to see
AV socket your footage on an HD
The standard Canon audio/ TV. A special lead is
video output is not high needed (£9.99, www.
definition – but you do get a keeneelectronics.co.uk)
Light path lead for this with your EOS
The sensor needs to see the image at all
times as you shoot video – so the camera
Mic socket
A stereo mic mini jack socket lets you use an external
stays in Live View mode with the mirror
microphone in order to record better sound. However, the
raised. You therefore can’t see anything
lack of headphone socket means that many pros record
through the eye-level viewfinder
sound separately on a special audio recorder
Jargon Buster
1080p
Available frame rates ‘Full HD’ video format, with
The frames per second your Canon D-SLR can shoot at depends on the model and the resolution setting… 1080 TV scanning lines (made
up of 1920x1080 pixels); ‘p’
Resolution 1200D 500D 550/600/ 60/70D 100D EOS 5D EOS 5D 1D Mk IV/ stands for progressive, and
(dimensions) 650/700D 6/7D Mk II Mk III 1D X means that every frame uses
1080p (1980 30, 25, 20fps 30, 25, 30, 25, 30, 25, 30, 25, 30, 25, 30, 25, every pixel.
x1080 pixels) 24fps 24fps 24fps 24fps 24fps 24fps 24fps
HDMI
720p (1280x 60, 30fps 50, 60fps 50, 60fps 50, 60fps – 50, 60fps 50, 60fps Stands for High Definition
720 pixels) 50fps Multimedia Interface; these
VGA (640x 30, 30fps 50, 60fps 50, 60fps 50, 60fps 30, 25fps 50, 60fps 50, 60fps plugs come in two sizes: Type
480 pixels) 25fps A for TVs, Type C for your EOS.

Canon
SHOOTING OPTIONS option (on most models) is ‘Standard HD’ or

‘720p’; this has the same 12-minute (4GB)
maximum length for each clip, but offers a
Get set up for your subject different range of ‘frame rates’. The frame rate is
essentially the number of shots taken each
The best frame-rate and resolution depends on what you shoot… second to create the illusion of movement. The
standard setting for European TVs would be
25fps, and for North America it is 30fps.
SHOT LENGTH However, a faster frame rate (50fps or 60fps,
It pays to keep each shot short (see
Your Assignment, opposite) but with depending on your location) is useful for creating
some events this is not possible. With slow-motion sequences in post-production. An
a concert, you probably need to record alternative 24fps is also available – which
the whole thing, not just a few seconds. matches the look and frame rate of the big film
But set quality to 1080p or 720p, and cameras used to shoot big-budget movies.
the maximum shot length is 12 minutes.
Switch to VGA to get a maximum shot Sound advice
duration of around 24 minutes.
An HD EOS D-SLR is also capable of recording
synchronised audio alongside the video. The
GET A CINEMA LOOK format allows sound to be recorded in ultra-high
To give your pictures a cinematographic quality ‘PCM’ digital stereo form, but the reality
look, you need to use a 1080p or 720p is that getting good sound is not so simple. First,
quality setting – as that will give you the the SLR’s built-in mic is not stereo. Second, sound
widescreen aspect ratio. But also set the doesn’t travel as well as light, and the mic is in a
frame rate to 24fps – as this will match poor position for recording the sound you actually
that of Hollywood movies and other big- want to record. A mic socket is provided on all
budget pictures shot on real film, and models (except the 500D/T1i) which enables you
make your results look more arty.
to add a stereo mic that you can position closer to
the sound source, and further away from rustling
fingers on the camera. Yet, it’s still not perfect – as
SLO-MO there is no headphone socket so you can keep an
A useful editing trick to have up your ear on what you’re actually recording. Professional
sleeve is to put some video sequences users tend to use D-SLRs to record the video
in slow-motion. It’s a great technique for alone, using a separate portable digital audio
showing action events, of course, but can recorder to pick up the sound.
be just as useful for a family video of a Focusing can also provide unexpected problems
wedding or party. To get the best slo-mo when videoing. Videos are made in Live View
effect, set your Canon camera to either mode, and you get the same AF options as when
50 or 60 frames per second.
shooting stills in Live View. However, the Quick
AF mode (which flips up the mirror to set the
focus) is unsuitable for use while recording, and
STOP-MOTION ANALYSIS the Live AF option is rarely accurate enough.
You can’t be too adventurous with shutter Instead, it is usually best to set the focus before
speeds with video. The slowest you can you start recording (with one of the AF options,
use is 1/30 or 1/60 sec, depending on or manually). As you are often forced (or want)
the frame rate. But shutter speeds above to shoot video at wide apertures, the focus
1/100 sec can create jerky playback with point needs to be selected carefully to allow for
fast-moving subjects. However, if you
want to analyse your golf swing or create
Chris George
a super-sharp freeze-frame, shutter

speeds above 1/1000 sec can be useful.
Awkward ergonomics
D-SLRs might produce stunning video rotating screen, goes some way to easing
footage, thanks to their large sensors and the strain. However, a huge cottage
wide-apertured lenses – but their design industry has sprung to life, as people build
does not lend itself to moviemaking. The ever-more ingenious contraptions that
eye-level viewfinder does not work, forcing makes the traditional SLR easier to use for
you to use the LCD – which is awkward to serious filmmaking. These include external
look at while you are recording sequences monitors, viewing loupes, devices that allow
that are whole seconds or minutes long. smooth manual focus while recording, and
The EOS 60D (right), with its fold-out, Transformer-style support rigs.

Video
Checking the settings on screen

The LCD doesn’t just show you the picture as you record, it can double as an info panel
Timer Recording
Shows you remaining shooting time available, The red dot appears when you start
or the length of current shot – depending on recording. Worth keeping
whether the red record light is on or not an eye on, as it’s easy to end up
recording when you don’t mean to!
Frame rate
Number of frames recorded
per second
Built-in speaker
Lets you monitor the audio
of what you have just shot.
Video resolution As there is no headphone
Number of horizontal socket, use this to review
pixels recorded – 1920 a test recording to ensure
means you are using the you are picking up the
top 1080p HD setting sounds you want to
AF mode
Available autofocus Exposure mode
modes will depend on This is either auto (as here)
the camera you use or manual (with an M)
Exposure ISO
compensation More important for
Key exposure control for moviemaking than when
video – allowing you to set shooting stills – as the range
the brightness of the of available shutter speeds is
recording accurately more limited
YOUR ASSIGNMENT!
subject movement during the shot. You can set
exposure manually, but unless you have plenty Think in shots! 2 secs
of time to set up each shot, the auto option is
usually the best choice. Here the shutter speed,
S
hooting a video is not just a matter of
aperture and ISO are altered in order to achieve pressing the record button. You need
the calculated exposure. You can then use the to start thinking in ‘shots’. A shot is the
exposure compensation (as you would do with basic building block of a video – lasting from
stills) to brighten or darken the image to get the when you press the button to start recording
look that you actually want. In order to retain the until you press it again to end it. Learning to
ability to use the widest apertures, even in bright capture enough shots to create an interesting
light, a useful accessory to have at your disposal sequence and tell a story is the real skill. But
is a variable ND filter (prices starting at £60, go to how long should each shot last?
www.lightcraftworkshop.com).
This lesson’s homework can be done 10 secs
whilst watching the telly! Watch
carefully and see how often the shot lasts
on screen – and how many are used in each
scene or sequence.
Keep a note of how many shots are

used each minute. This will vary with
the genre. An action movie uses more shots
than a documentary; a 30-second TV ad
30 secs
will use even more. When shooting your videos, try and
apply these rules. Keep each shot as
Some shots last longer than others. short as possible, and vary the camera
Close-ups will be shorter than wide shots angle and the crop each time. A close-up
that show the whole scene; the tighter the detail should last on screen for perhaps
composition, the less detail the viewer needs to two to five seconds. Wide shots with lots of
take in, and so the shorter the duration. detail might last as long as 30 seconds.

Canon
LESSON 15
What are batteries

all about? Cold
W
e take it for granted, but you simply
can’t take pictures with digital cameras
without a battery. While some
old-fashioned film cameras can use
human mechanical power to cock the
shutter, lift the mirror and wind on the
Hot
film, all digital cameras have so many
electronic components that they
become little more than a
Chris George
paperweight when they run out of
electricity to run on.
Although the rechargeable lithium
ion pack that you get with your Canon
EOS lasts for hundreds of shots before Batteries create electricity
through a chemical reaction. This
it needs to be topped up from the
means that temperature is an
mains, it is put under more strain than
important factor in how long a
you might think. Powering the LCDs, battery lasts between charges –
processors, and intelligent circuitry is and in its overall life expectancy
one thing – but the cells also provide
power for a number of high-drain
motors, as your camera is still a very
mechanical machine. The shutter, mirror, signature spark of light. A flash-lit picture takes realise is that all batteries create electricity
image stabilisation and lens focusing are all almost twice the battery power to create as a through a controlled chemical reaction – and the
powered from this one battery. flash-free image. lithium ion packs used on all recent Canon
And then there is the built-in flash, which D-SLRs are no different. As with many such
drains out a significant amount of power from the Chemistry lesson chemical processes, the temperature has an
cells to charge up the high-voltage capacitor So what goes on inside the grey block that sits important part to play. Use your pack on a cold
needed to provide the charge that creates its inside your camera? The important thing to day, and it will not allow you to take as many shots
STEP BY STEP How to replace the backup battery
Many EOS models have a With popular budget models, Pull out the plastic retaining It is important to make sure
user-changeable backup it is in a tray in the main tray that holds the backup you place the replacement
battery – found in a baseplate battery compartment. You will button cell. Remove the silver oxide the right way up. The positive (+)
compartment, under the socket need to remove the main battery in cell carefully, and check the type of terminal is on the top (the side that
flap, or in the main battery bay. order to get to it. replacement battery you need. has the writing on it).

Battery power
The anatomy of a Canon battery

There’s more going on inside your rechargeable lithium ion pack than you think
Twin cells Size matters
Your Canon battery pack contains Different EOS cameras use different
two cylindrical cells, each with batteries – an important factor to
a nominal output of 3.7 volts, consider when it comes to upgrading
and giving a combined your SLR (see table below)
output of 7.4 volts
Heat vent
Each individual cell has its own
On-board heat vent and terminals, and they
computer are linked together in series to
Hidden inside your create a connecting circuit
rechargeable battery
pack is a circuit board
that helps regulate the
output of the battery,
and which ensures
correct charging. It also Layers
features safety features, The battery is made up of alternating
such as a heat sensor layers of two chemicals, between which
the reaction occurs. Each of these
layers is separated by a micro-perforated
plastic so they don’t touch, but through
which the ions can pass freely
Making
contact
Gold-plated
contacts are used
to make a connection with Chemical composition
terminals inside the battery gh
lin The anode chemical is normally graphite, and
Lau
compartment. These need to be kept y Mc the cathode material is most usually lithium
nd
n: A cobalt oxide. An electrolyte material is also
clean, and should be kept away from stra
tio
Illu
metal objects to avoid a short circuit added to aid electrical flow
as on a warm afternoon. The voltage produced

by the battery drops off as it is used – and once
it reaches the cut-off limit set by the camera the
Which battery do you need? At-a-glance guide to the button cells, grips
and battery packs for every EOS SLR
battery indicator starts flashing, and the shutter Canon EOS SLR Main battery Battery grip Backup battery
button and LCDs soon stop working. A rise in 300D BP-511 BG-E1 CR2016
temperature (putting the battery in your pocket) 350/400D NB-2L(H) BG-E3 CR2016
can bring the pack back to life for a shot or two, 450D/500D/1000D LP-E5 BG-E5 Built-in
but ultimately the cells will need recharging – a 1100/1200D LP-E10 None Built-in
process that reverses the chemical process, so 100D LP-E12 None Built-in
that the lithium ions in the battery are ready 550D/600/650/700D LP-E8 BG-E8 Built-in
once again to go on the journey from cathode to D30/D60/10D BP-511 BG-ED3 CR2025
anode in order to power your camera. 20D BP-511 BG-E2N CR2025
Although we might think of rechargeable
30D/40D/50D BP-511 BG-E2N CR2016
batteries as a renewable energy source with a
60D LP-E6 BG-E9 Built-in
low running cost, they do not live forever.
Typically, you can expect your battery pack to
7D LP-E6 BG-E7 CR1616
last for around 500 charge cycles before it will
need to be replaced, but this longevity can vary
5D BP-511 BG-E4 CR2016
significantly in practice. Lithium ion cells will lose
5D Mk II & III LP-E6 BG-E6 CR1616
about 5-10% of the charge a month even if they
1D & 1Ds Mark I & II NP-E3 Built-in CR2025
are not used, and if they are left idle to self-
discharge they may not recover – and so it’s 1D & 1Ds Mark III LP-E4 Built-in CR2025
always important to try and use all your spare 1D Mark IV LP-E4 Built-in CR2025
batteries in rotation. Longevity is also highly 1D X LP-E4N Built-in CR2025

dependent on how well the batteries are

Canon
charged – and particularly so with lithium ion

Power add-ons cells; complex monitoring circuitry in the charger
and the battery ensures that this process is
Keeping an eye
Little extras to give you a optimised, but inevitably some batteries and on the meter
bit more juice on the job chargers will be better at this than others. The normal LCD battery power gauge,
Temperature also plays a role here too. In warm seen on the camera’s external LCD screen
climates, a battery will not give you as much or in the viewfinder, only gives a very
service as in a cold one. For those living in hot rough indication to the amount of power
countries, it may pay to ensure you keep your in the pack in use. The more recent LP-E6
batteries cool when not in use! battery, used with the 5D
Mark II, 7D and 60D,
Car charger
Fits into the cigarette Size matters gives a menu
lighter socket of your Some models of EOS D-SLRs come with a bigger option that
vehicle to charge up shows battery
battery than others – and size is a pretty good
your batteries on the power as a
indicator of how long this will last between
move. Available from percentage,
charges. However, for a scientific measure you as well
Canon and other
accessory
need to look at the battery’s capacity which is as other
manufacturers. measured in milliampere hours (mAh). The LP-E5 information
for the EOS 450D is rated as 1050mAh, while the about the
LP-E6 for the 7D is rated at 1800mAh. Some buttery’s
AC adapter similar-looking batteries have different capacities; performance.
This handy gadget allows
the BP-511 and BP-511A will both power a 50D
you to run your camera
from the mains – great and other EOS SLRs, but one has a capacity of
help for studio work, when 1100mAh and the other 1390mAh. Third-party
shooting video, or for long batteries may have lower or higher capacities
exposures. A dummy than Canon’s own.
battery connector is In addition to carrying a spare battery or two,
used to make the
one way of increasing your available portable
connection.
Sold by Canon electricity supply is to use a battery grip (see
and others. opposite) to double your shooting time. These are
available for all Canon D-SLRs except the new
EOS 1100D (where this is not an option), and the
1D and 1Ds series, (which effectively have this
bolt-on grip built-in as standard).
Quantum And you might not realise it, but your EOS also
Quantum packs are has a second battery. This is typically a silver time you need to recharge the main power pack.
ultra-high capacity oxide-type button-shaped cell, which provides a This typically lasts several years, but on many
external batteries.
small amount of power to the camera when the models (see table and step-by-step on p130-131)
They are typically
rechargeable battery is removed. This is essential can easily be changed by the user, while others
used by wedding
photographers to to ensure that you do not have to reset the time, will need to be taken to an authorised service
give sustained, fast date and Custom Function preferences every centre to be replaced.
flash recycling – but
with the right
connector can also be
used to power your Dead or Battery covers can
protect contacts
Canon camera.
See www.qtm.com.
alive…? and prevent short
circuits – and some
How do you remember can indicate the
which batteries in charge status
Dual-slot charger your kit bag are fully
Nearly all chargers can only recharge a charged and which
single battery pack at a time – so if you ones need recharging?
have more than one you have to swap Some recent Canon
them over. This Hähnel Twin V Pro batteries come with
charger can top up two packs at a time a cover with a charge
– so you can simply leave it to get on indicator. Put the cover on one way
with the job and the little battery-shaped window
when you is blue (full of power); turn the cover
get back the other way round, and the window
to base. is black (drained). Obviously, you need
(£45, www. to remember to put the covers on the
hahnel.ie) right way round at the right time for this
traffic-light system to work!

Battery power
Get to grip with

battery grips Flash power
Popping up the built-in flash
almost doubles the amount of
These bolt-on accessories will double power used to take a picture.
If you use this facility a lot for
your D-SLR’s fuel tank capacity fill-in, or in low light, then a battery
grip is particularly useful
Electrical connections
The grip has a limb that takes the place
of the usual battery, and makes the
electrical connection with the camera. Tripod bush
The usual battery compartment door The battery grip is
has to be removed attached to the camera by
screwing into the tripod
bush on the baseplate
Double power
Battery grips use two of the
camera’s standard rechargeable
batteries to double the number
of shots you can take Right fit
Canon has produced ten
different BG battery grips
Vertical controls to date, so you need to
Grips replicate controls already found ensure you get the right
on the camera, including an additional one for your camera (see
shutter release, Main Dial and exposure p131). Several accessory
lock – and are designed to improve manufacturers make
handling when holding the camera for attractively-priced
portrait compositions alternatives
YOUR ASSIGNMENT!
Saving energy Beep off
P
erhaps it won’t save the planet from global warming, but it’s useful Some energy-
to know which of your camera’s functions use the most battery saving measures
power. Your homework this lesson is to experiment with some of won’t save much juice,
the following energy-saving options, and see if you notice a difference as but are worth using
to the number of pictures that you can shoot between charges… when they are not
needed. You may as
An obvious way to Review off well turn off Image
save energy is to not use Stabilization, for
the built-in flash and Live View, instance, if you are
focus manually rather than use using a tripod. And the
AF. But a great way of saving world will be a quieter
juice is to turn off the image place if you turn off the annoying focus-confirmation beep in the
review, so you don’t see the shot main menu – also useful for quiet candid shots.
on the LCD after you take it. Try
shooting without it for an Be careful about Bad ideas
afternoon. Not seeing your some energy-
images immediately will feel strange, but this lack of visual saving ideas. You can
feedback is what everyone had to put up with in the days of film! save power by reducing
the brightness of your
Another useful trick is to Auto off LCD, but then your
turn the Auto Power Off pictures may look
menu option to the minimum underexposed when
amount allowed – that way your they are not. You can
camera will go into energy save power by not
saving mode for you. It will shooting in RAW,
switch everything back on as reducing resolution,
soon as you half-press the and by avoiding long shutter speeds – but all these things may well
shutter release button. negatively effect your photographs!

Canon
LESSON 16
Mirror Lock-up
Custom AF lock
T
he whole point of an SLR is that it can
be customised to the nth degree. The
ability to change lenses, focus mode,
Jeff Morgan
shutter speed, aperture, colour balance
exposure metering, resolution, and many
other settings is the raison d’être of owning an
EOS. But above and beyond the usual
overrides that Canon D-SLR owners can use to
The custom functions
customise their cameras, you’ll also find a set
you use will vary largely
of menu options called Custom Functions. depending on the subject
The number of these you get will vary you shoot. Mirror Lock-up is
enormously depending on the particular model great for slow-shutter speed
you own. The sports pro’s favourite, the EOS-1D tripod work, and altering the
Mark IV offers a staggering 177 options within default autofocus setup is
useful with action subjects
its 62 Custom Functions; the new budget 1100D,
on the other hand, has just ten such Custom
Functions, with a more manageable 29 settings.
But however many your camera offers, they can working. Here you will typically find options that Custom Function list, and which get listed in
only be accessed if you use one of the creative will let you change a button so that it does Y another part of the on-screen Menu system.
exposure modes (such as Av, Tv, P or M). rather than X – or that switches on a processing
Custom functions evolved as a facility that function that not every photographer would want Mirror Lock-up
enabled fussy photographers to change the to use. However, there is little rhyme or reason for One of the most useful Custom Function
setup of their camera from its default way of what feature options get annexed within the features, for instance, is Mirror Lock-up. When
STEP BY STEP How to customise the My Menu functions
The My Menu option is Scroll to My Menu tab on the You get a range of options, Scroll down the long list
found on newer EOS far right (shown by a star). enabling you to delete My of items, and when you find
D-SLRs, from the 450D and This lists your top six custom Menu choices or to rearrange the one you use often, press Set. To
40D onwards. To set it up, first functions. Choose My Menu order. First go to Register To My confirm your My Menu selection,
press the Menu button. Settings and press Set. Menu, and then press Set. press Set again.

Custom functions
STEP BY STEP How to find and set your custom functions
The number of Custom On some models, Custom Each Custom Function The default factory option for
Functions varies between Functions are broken into provides two or more each Custom Function is zero.
models. To see your options press groups, on others it’s one long list. choices. To pick the option you An handy indicator at the bottom of
Menu, scroll to Custom Functions, Scroll through and pick the one you want you must scroll to it and then the screen reminds you which
and press Set. want with the Set key. press Set. you‘ve changed.
the mirror rises out of the way when the

shutter is fired it can create enough vibration How many custom options?
to make long tripod-supported exposures
look slightly blurred. Custom My Camera
Canon EOS SLR Functions Menu User Modes
The Mirror Lock-up (MLU) option ensures
the mirror is raised up long enough ahead of 1D 21 No No
the shot being taken so that the vibrations 1D Mark II 22 No No
have subsided. As you need this facility for
1D Mark III 57 Yes No
some shots but not others, but still need it
regularly, you could argue that it should be 1D Mark IV 62 Yes No
located in an easier place to find in the menu 1Ds/1Ds Mark II 21 No No
system; but this is the way it has always
1Ds Mark III 57 Yes No
been. Fortunately (thanks to the addition of
the My Menu option on recent cameras, for 1D X 31 Yes 3
instance), there are ways of minimising the 5D 21 No 1
hassle in hunting out the Custom Functions
5D Mark II 25 Yes 3
and menu options that you frequently use.
The My Menu facility was introduced to 5D Mark III 13 Yes 3
the Canon range a few years ago, from the 6D 21 Yes 2
450D and 40D onwards, and it enables you
7D 27 Yes 3
to put six of your most-used features (those
you switch on or off, depending on the D30/D60 13 No No
situation) in one easy-to-find place. It’s well 10D 17 No No
worth taking the time to set it up (see the
20D 18 No No
walkthrough on the previous page).
30D 19 No No
40D 24 Yes 3
50D 25 Yes 2
60D 20 Yes 1
70D 23 Yes 1
300D None No No
350D 9 No No
400D 11 No No
450/500D 13 Yes No
550/1000D 12 Yes No
Add other favourite options To reach these functions in
5 in the same way. The list of
6 future, you simply press
600D 11 Yes No
100/650/700D 8 Yes No
your most-used custom Menu, scroll to My Menu, and select
functions are then listed under one from the list of options by 1100D 10 Yes No
the My Menu tab. pressing the Set key. 1200D 11 Yes 3

Canon
STEP BY STEP How to set up C modes for personal service
The first decision to make Use the external keys to Now enter the main menu Your white balance, for
1 is the Exposure Mode you
2set your preferences for
3 system. Select other key
4 instance, can be set in the
want for your Custom Mode. Set metering, ISO, autofocus, and functions that you want set main menu. You might set this
this (such as Av) – don’t set to C, so on – as well as your default up every time you pick this to AWB for sport, but to Flash
C1, C2, or C3 yet. aperture or shutter speed. particular Custom Mode. for studio shoots.
The C modes are When using a C mode, the When everything is set up,
7 particularly useful in
8 SLR reverts to the values
9 you need to save these
10 Scroll to the option called
Register, and press Set
situations where Custom registered each time it switches settings. Hunt out the Menu again. You’ll then have to
Functions need to be changed off. To avoid the problems this option called Camera User confirm you want to register
from their everyday positions. causes, set Auto Power Off to Off. Setting and press Set. these settings.
The settings that you choose to change As these features are more useful for some
regularly, or switch from their default subjects than others, and are detrimental
position, will largely depend on the subjects with some others, they may end up with
that you shoot. Action photographers will be being turned on and off on a regular basis.
keen to modify the autofocus performance
to suit the sports they shoot – and they get The power of C
lots of options to do this if they own a The number of tweaks that you may have
high-octane EOS such as the 7D or 1D Mk IV. to make as you switch from one favourite
You can select which AF points are active on subject to another may well end up with you
Chris George
a zone-by-zone basis, expand the sensitivity wasting time making adjustments as you get
of the AF points, and even control tracking your camera optimised for your next shoot.
speeds of the predictive autofocus system. Your My Menu screen can help – but as it
For those who own other models or shoot only stores six favourite items, it may not be
more sedate subjects, a popular custom the whole answer.
function override is to alter the shutter The Camera User Settings found on
button so that it no longer locks both focus cameras such as the 60D, 5D Mark II and 7D
and exposure when pressed halfway down are the perfect lightning fast solution.
(it’s a feature much-loved by bird Symbolised by a C, C1, C2, or C3 on the main
photographers among others). mode dial of the camera, each of these can
memorise the complete setup of your
ALO to the rescue camera. These are, therefore, useful for
Jeff Morgan
The relatively-new Auto Lighting Optimizer creating a set of custom function and Menu
(ALO) and Highlight Tone Priority (HTP) are options for shooting nightscapes or for
also turned on and off using Custom sports, say – and they can simultaneously
Functions. ALO adjusts the contrast of the memorise and set all your other camera
subject, and can be particularly useful for options. Exposure mode, ISO, starting
rescuing shadow detail. HTP is designed to shutter speed or aperture, white balance,
maximise detail in the brightest parts of the drive mode, AF mode, and so on, can all be
picture – and can be invaluable for shooting set to a favourite configuration simply with
subjects with large areas of white, such as one turn of the top-plate dial. You can learn
Jeff Morgan
the clouds in a typical British landscape, or how to harness this useful facility using the
the bride’s dress in a traditional wedding. step-by-step guide above.

Custom functions
YOUR ASSIGNMENT!
Must-have menu tweaks
F
or those who have a Canon camera that offers My Menu or Exposure dial
custom modes, your homework this time is to set them up in a way that
they’re useful to you. If you don’t have these options, go through your menu
options and Custom Functions. Here are five we think everyone should set…
Most Canon SLRs

5 Choose the Quality setting
you want. RAW might be
6 Set the other menu
preferences how you want
1 come set up with
the best choice for landscapes, them for the shooting situation a restricted ISO range.
but you might prefer the speed you have in mind, and don’t If you want to access the
of JPEGs for action work. forget custom functions. most sensitive settings,
ideal for handheld
low-light shooting, turn
on the ISO Expansion
custom function.
Your EOS defaults

2 to increasing
aperture and shutter
With cameras with two or
11 three Custom Modes, you
12 Your full set of custom
settings are now
speed a third of a stop at
a time. Your camera will
now get to choose which one memorised. To retrieve them at
handle faster if you move
you want to use for this any time, you just turn the main
up and down the scale in
particular setup. dial to the chosen C setting.
half-stop steps.
The Colour Space

Typical custom setups 3 menu setting dictates
the range of colours that are
captured. The sRGB default
STUDIO PORTRAITS is optimised for computer
Exposure Mode: Manual Aperture: f/5.6 display, but the alternative
Shutter Speed: 1/200 sec Metering: Spot (or Partial) Adobe RGB option captures
White Balance: Daylight Drive: Single ISO: 200 AF: One more colour information;
shot Picture Style: Portrait Menu Choices: Shoot w/o you can always convert to
card – Off; Highlight Alert – Enable; Live View shoot – sRGB later.
Enable Custom Functions: AF point selection method:
The Auto Rotate
Multi-controller direct (if available) 4 menu option
SPORTS controls which way
Exposure Mode: Av Aperture: f/2.8 round upright pictures
Metering: Centre-weighted White Balance: AWB are displayed on your
Drive: High-speed continuous ISO: 400 AF: AI Servo LCD screen and
Picture Style: Landscape Menu Choices: Shoot w/o card computer. Turn it on for
– Off; Highlight Alert – Enable; Live View shoot – Enable computer viewing, to
Custom Functions: ISO speed increments – 1-stop; save time rotating them
ISO expansion – On; Safety shift – On (if available) when on your PC.
Live View is one of

5 the best new
LOW-LIGHT & HDR features of the last few
Exposure Mode: Manual Aperture: f/11
years, but unbelievably
Metering: Evaluative White Balance: Daylight
when you buy a camera
Drive: Single (or 2-sec self-timer, if not using cable release)
with this option this
ISO: 100 (or 50, if available) Quality: RAW AF: One shot
function is disabled. You
Picture Style: Landscape Menu Choices: Shoot w/o
need to enable it in the
card – Off; Highlight Alert – Enable; Custom Functions:
Menu before you can
Mirror Lock-up – Enable; Long Exposure Noise Reduction
switch it on.

Canon
LESSON 17
Composition
Low level
A
s technologies go, Live View is not
complicated to understand. Flick a
switch and the normal eyelevel
viewfinder goes dark, and the image is
instead displayed on the back of the camera.
Rather than using an optical system using
mirrors and prisms, Live View gives you a
big-screen view using a live video feed, and
takes advantage of the high-quality TFT LCD
on the back of the camera that you already
use to scrutinise pictures after you have
taken them. It is a way of framing your
Manual focus pictures that compact camera and mobile

phone users have long taken for granted.
For the SLR user, however, the
introduction of Live View on Canon cameras
Chris George
in 1997 was revolutionary. Much more than a

gimmick, this feature is now found on every
Live View has many uses, such as single one of the current EOS range. For
making precise manual focusing many subjects, using this alternative viewing
possible, or helping you to shoot system brings some significant advantages.
from unusual angles. Some uses The most obvious of these comes with
are not so obvious; its large 100% framing the subject. The bigger image, and
view makes composition easier the fact that you can see it without having to
with still-life shots, for instance put your eye up to the viewfinder, means
STEP BY STEP How to set up your EOS to use Live View
Not all EOS D-SLRs have Live With all EOS models, you From the Live View Function To turn Live View on and off,
View (see opposite), and with need to first enable Live Settings menu, choose Live either press the dedicated
some models you need to be in a View. Press the Menu button, View Shoot, click Set. Scroll from button (found on more recent EOS
Creative Mode (like Av or P) in scroll to the Live View function Disable to Enable and then press SLRs) or use the Set button (on
order to use it. settings, and click Set. Set again. older models).

Live View
Taking control of Live View

How to make the most of the different options you have on offer
100% vision Change view Blackout Live View button Zoom for a
The video image on the Pressing the Disp or The eyelevel viewfinder With older models, Live View is better view
LCD is not only bigger Info button toggles you goes dark with Live View enabled using the Set button. Press the button
than that you see through the different because the 45º mirror More recent EOS D-SLRs have marked with the blue
through the usual view options – allowing that reflects the image a special Live View button, ‘+ looking glass’
viewfinder, it also shows you to minimise or is raised out of the way which also doubles for start/ symbol once for a 5x
100% of the image area. expand the amount stop record button when in magnification, and
Most eyelevel of data shown video mode again for a 10x
viewfinders typically blow-up. This is very
show you only 95-98% useful for focusing
of the picture manually. Use the
cursor keys or
Keep an eye joystick to move
on the graph around the image
In normal shooting, when using this
you can only check zoomed-in view
the exposure and the
contrast of the scene
using the histogram
after you’ve taken a Exposure
picture. In Live View, simulation
you can opt to see The Exp Sim feature
this graph as you tries to make the
frame the picture image on screen look
as close as possible
Settings to the finished image.
This icon goes grey or
on show flashes if an accurate
The left-hand side
preview is not

and bottom of the
possible. On
screen can be set up
higher-end models,
so that you can see
this facility can be
all the key camera
turned off – useful
settings currently
with studio flash
used at a glance
that Live View can help you be more adventurous

with camera angles. It makes it easier to frame up
Your LCD can give you a live preview of the colour
balance and of the exposure. An Exposure
Live View models
pictures with the camera at ground level or above Simulation feature tries to ensure that the image Live View Dedicated
Canon EOS SLR autofocus Live View
your head. It enables you to retain eye contact on screen is as bright or dark as the picture that options button?
with your subjects (great for portraits). An you will actually record on the memory card. No
1000D 3 No
unexpected advantage is that you see 100% of more guessing how much exposure
the image, as it will be recorded (most eyelevel compensation to use, or taking test shots to 1100/1200D 3 Yes
viewfinders crop off the extreme edges of your review before adjusting aperture or shutter speed
450D 2 No
shot). You can also superimpose a grid over the settings. As we discovered in Lesson 13, you can
image, to ensure that lines are parallel to your even display the histogram in Live View, to provide 500/550/600D 3 Yes
picture edges, or to make it easier to apply the an instant graphical display of the image 650/700/100D 4 Yes
rule of thirds to aid composition. brightness and contrast with your current
settings. This is superimposed over the image 40D 1 No
Remote possibilities (in basic or full-colour RGB form), so that you can 50/60D 3 Yes
These compositional advantages pay extra instantly see the effect of making different 70D 4 Yes
dividends when combined with an articulated exposure corrections.
6D 3 Yes
LCD, such as on the recent 60D and 600D. But This immediate feedback also extends to
with all EOS SLRs, Live View can be enabled on a controlling depth of field. Checking the effect of 7D 3 Yes
remote screen using Canon’s EOS Utility different apertures and different focusing 5D Mark II/III 3 Yes
program, a USB lead and your computer, or with distance has never been easier – you press the
1D Mark III None No
using a wireless accessory like Hähnel’s Inspire. depth of field button found on the left-hand side
But Live View is much more than merely a of the lens mount on every camera (except the 1D Mark IV 3 No
framing tool. The video feed can also be used to 1100D, where you use a Custom Function and the 1Ds Mark III None No
give you much more precise control over the Set button). Precision checking is also possible as
1D X 3 Yes
camera settings themselves. you can zoom into the live feed; pressing the ‘+

Canon
How Live View works Rising

temperature
As the main sensor
What goes on when you is in constant use
switch your Canon EOS into during Live View, it
can get very hot.
its Live View shooting mode This can create
noisier-looking
images during
Eyelevel prolonged use
viewfinder – particularly at
With Live View enabled, high ISO settings
the normal eyelevel optical or in warm climates.
viewfinder goes dark. In acute cases,
Instead you view the image a warning icon
using a video feed, shown will appear, and
on the main LCD at the Live View may
back of the camera switch itself off
automatically
Look, no
mirror
Like when shooting
video, the reflex AF Quick mode
mirror is raised and The usual autofocus system uses a sensor below the
the shutters are open mirror, so can’t function when Live View is active. In
when Live View AF Quick mode, the mirror is quickly lowered and
is activated raised, so it can get an accurate focus fix
AF options in Live View looking glass’ key once gives 5x

magnification, press it again gets you a 10x
blow-up, and pressing again takes you back
Which of the three autofocus systems is best? to viewing the whole image area.
Focus issues
It’s this magnified image that makes Live
View the go-to setting when using manual
AF Quick uses the same AF Live uses the main This high-tech solution
autofocus system as when CMOS sensor to control detects people in the shot focus. Manual focusing is not usually easy
you’re not using Live View the focusing and focuses on them with a D-SLR, as the focusing screen in the
Fastest autofocus speed, You don’t lose sight of A variant of AF Live. viewfinder is set up for autofocus, and does
with familiar multiple AF subject as it focuses; you Very effective if you’re not give enough coarse detail for precise
point selection pick the focus point shooting people manual focus. But in magnified Live View
Needs to raise the mirror Can be slow to lock on as You need to select the mode, you can fine-tune the focus with
to work, so you lose sight you watch the picture try subject if there’s more
of the subject temporarily to come into focus than one face in the frame
certainty. There are up to three autofocus
options too (see the table on previous page).
STEP BY STEP How to get precision focusing
Whether you are using Live View Live View, however, provides a A white square appears on Now you enlarge the selected
or not, there are situations and highly accurate way of screen. Move this to the area of area on the screen so that it
subjects where the autofocus on your manually focusing on the target. First the picture that you want to focus on fills the whole LCD by pressing the
EOS will struggle to focus accurately. switch the lens from AF to MF mode. using the cursor keys (or joystick). blue ‘+ looking glass’ button.

Live View
But while the number of Live View autofocus

YOUR ASSIGNMENT!
options have increased over time, some
other options are only available on higher- 10 great reasons to make
end models. Exposure Simulation (as
mentioned earlier) can be turned off on
models such as the 40D – and when off the
more of Live View
LCD simply provides a bright, visible image
T
his lesson’s homework is to get out The big screen is also great when
whatever shutter speed and aperture is set. and use Live View more in your
5 shooting things with your SLR on
This Custom Function override is invaluable day-to-day shooting. Here are ten the ground, or with it above your head
when you are using flash, as in the studio. ideas to get you going: – as you can still just about see the LCD.
Sound of silence 1 Switch to Live

Other advanced options are the Silent View when ND filters
modes. These are designed to minimise the using manual
6 are great
amount of sound made when you take a focus for more for getting
shot – but as well as for shooting in quiet accuracy; ideal slow-shutter
surroundings (such as at a theatre), they for shots with speed shots even
also have the advantage of minimising the limited depth of in daylight – but
amount of vibration made when you take a field (like macro). the strongest are
shot. In Live View the mirror is not only kept so dark, you can’t see the subject in the
permanently up, but in the Silent Mode 1 and
2, the first curtain doesn’t actually move to
2 Forget crooked horizons, switch on
the grid display to ensure scenes
viewfinder. Switch to Live View, so you
can see what you are doing.
take a picture – which is great for those do not end up
situations where even the tiniest vibration slanted. Live Try using
can ruin a picture. But don’t fret if you don’t View is also
7 manual white
see Silent Mode options in the Live View great for balance to give
Settings menu – low-cost models, such as positioning your pictures a
the 450D and 1000D, always fire in Silent grad filters. creative, toned
Mode 1 mode! The Silent Mode 2 option is look. Use Live View,
designed so the second curtain does not and you can quickly
move (and so delaying the sound that you Try Live View’s scroll through the options
normally hear) until you take your finger off
3 Face Detection available and see immediately which gives
the shutter release. AF Live mode when the colour you are after. Use the Q button,
Although a lifesaver in many situations, shooting kids – it will if your camera has one.
it’s important to realise the limitations with follow them around the
Live View. It’s not suitable, for instance, with frame for you, so you don’t Seeing low-light scenes clearly
most moving subjects. It’s also a vast drain need to keep refocusing.
8 using the normal viewfinder can be
on battery power – reducing the number of difficult – brighten it up Live View!
pictures you can take by more than 80%. Live View is very handy
You should also avoid using Live View for
4 with still-life subjects.
extended periods, as it causes the sensor to You get a 100% view, so
get hot, which in turn will affect image you can make maximum
quality, as image noise becomes more use of your pixels.
noticeable as temperature increases.
Want to see how
9 much of your
shot is in focus at the
aperture you are
using? Just press the
Depth of Field button
by the lens whilst in
Live View. To make
absolutely sure key
parts are sharp,
press the magnifier
key, and scroll around
the enlarged image.
You can now see if this area is If not sharp, turn the focus ring
5 sharp or not. If necessary,
6 on the lens until the shot looks
press the blue + button again to in focus. Take the shot (the image
10 Want to eliminate the vibrations caused by the mirror flying up
as you take a picture? Switch to Live View (and use Silent
switch from 5x to 10x magnification. you take will not be magnified). Mode 1, if your camera has it). Also use a remote cable release!

Canon
LESSON 18
What
are drive
modes
Chris George
all about?
B
ack in the days of film, having a motor drive on your SLR was
something of a luxury. Many didn’t even have a built-in motor for
advancing a film, and a five-frames-per-second bolt-on power
winder was reserved for well-funded sports professionals. Today, all
current Canon digital SLRs have a well-appointed Continuous shooting
mode – that can rattle off a sequence of shots at three frames per
second or faster. All you have to do is hold your finger down on the
shutter button.
Given that there is no film or processing costs to pay for, it may seem
sensible to shoot in this modern-day motor drive mode all the time –
simply as a way of increasing your success rate. However, the amount of
processing needed to sustain the associated stream of data to the
memory card means that the Continuous shooting mode can only
The best drive mode depends on what you are taking pictures of. maintain its sprint performance for a relatively short number of shots.
Continuous can be great for action subjects, and Single for static How many will depend on your camera – and the capabilities of the
ones. Self-timer options are not just for pictures of yourself, camera’s processor and memory buffer. As you will see in the table on
they also help get shake-free shots with a tripod page 144, the length of this burst not only varies from model to model,
STEP BY STEP Exploring your different drive options
Press the button marked Toggle through the options When you find the drive The Self-timer/Remote
with the motorwind icon, available on your particular mode that you want, you option on some models
or Drive, to alter your setting. model, using the cursor keys, Main may need to press the Set button enables you to shoot with an
Make sure you’re using a Dial or the rear thumbwheel to ensure that your choice is infrared remote – immediately, or
creative mode such as Av or P. (depending on your SLR). actually activated. after a two-second delay.

Drive modes
Drive options at a glance

Making sense of your Canon SLR’s symbols and icons
2-sec Self-timer
Single Only found
shooting as a drive option
This is the on some cameras, this cuts
default drive the self-timer delay to just
mode for your Canon two seconds. This is can be
SLR. You press down used for firing the camera
your finger, and it when using a tripod to
takes a shot. If you minimise any vibration and
want to take another, resulting camera shake
you have to raise your with long exposures
finger and then press
down again
Continuous
shooting
In this mode,
when you Continuous
hold down the self-timer
shutter button the This is a great
camera takes feature for group
pictures continuously shots. A novel twist on the
until the buffer fills. traditional ten-second
A numeral in the far timer, this allows you to
bottom-right of the take up to ten pictures in
viewfinder gives a succession (rather than
countdown of the the usual one) without the
number of shots you need for going back to
can still take, if this the camera, or a remote
Self-timer/Remote control

is fewer than nine. control. Take enough
The number of shots The standard Self-timer mode provides a ten-second delay – shots, and hopefully
taken per second judged just enough time for you to press the shutter, and get there’ll be at least one
varies depending yourself into the picture without rushing. On some cameras (see p145) where everyone has
on the camera you also use this mode to enable infrared remote operation their eyes open!
but also depending on whether you’re shooting JPEGs or RAW files.

For action photographers, who can’t afford for their camera to grind to a
halt when the buffer is full, shooting in JPEG therefore becomes an
A question of timing
essential compromise. Choosing the latest high-speed memory cards
J
ust because you use
can also ensure peak performance. Continuous shooting,
To avoid filling up your card and hard drive too quickly, the alternative there is no guarantee
Single shooting drive mode is the default option when photographing you’ll capture the exact moment
that you want. The sports pro’s
EOS-1D Mark IV shoots at ten
frames per second. But set at
1/1000sec, it’s blind to what is
going on for an incredible 99% of
the time – so you could still miss
the perfect pose, or that perfect
expression. In this steeplechase
sequence shot at 3fps, the gaps in
the action are obvious.
The sensor for the infrared With all self-timer modes,

5 remote system is in the
6 a blinking light gives you a
grip, so this ‘eye’ must not be visual indication that the camera is
Chris George
covered up when using the counting down in preparation for

remote if it’s to work properly. taking the picture.

Canon
8 fps
How fast do you need?
When a high-speed drive setting becomes essential
Canon EOS SLRs equipped with the serve shows, even at a rapid-fire
fastest motor drive settings offer two 8fps there are significant
Continuous shooting modes. There is a differences between successive
more sedate low-speed option (with, say, frames. For a faster motor drive
a burst speed of 3fps) and an additional speed still, switch your Canon
High-speed Continuous setting (say EOS to video recording, if it offers
8fps). You might use the slower rate for a it. In Full HD mode, your camera
fashion shoot, for example, and keep the can shoot two-megapixel stills at
fastest rate reserved for explosive action 30fps (or a 60fps sequence of
events. As this sequence of a pro tennis one-megapixel stills).
more sedate subjects – as you physically have to lift your finger and
Speed and staying power re-press the shutter button before another picture is taken. Often,
even if the subject is moving, this one-frame-at-a-time approach is
S
ome EOS SLRs have faster drive settings than others. But just more than sufficient to get the picture you need.
as important as the rapid-fire speed, measured in frames per In many situations, such as when using flash or when using long
second (fps), is how many shots this burst can be sustained for. shutter speeds, the Continuous mode becomes ineffective – simply
Canon Max Max burst Max burst Infrared
because of the length of time that needs to elapse before the next
EOS SLR speed (RAW) (JPEG) remote? frame can be taken.
1D 8 fps 16 21 No
1D Mark II 8.5 fps 20 40 No
It’s all about you
The Self-timer mode, or modes, are also found in the drive settings.
1D Mark III 10 fps 30 110 No As the name suggests, the facility was invented, and still widely used,
1D Mark IV 10 fps 28 121 No for taking pictures that include you, the photographer. Whether you
1Ds 3 fps 10 10 No are on your own or part of a group, the camera is set up on a tripod
1Ds Mark II 4 fps 11 32 No (or another stable platform). When you press the shutter, there is
then a delay before the picture is taken – giving you enough time to
1Ds Mark III 5 fps 12 56 No
get into position. The normal Self-timer mode (represented by the
1D X 14 fps 38 180 No clock alone) uses a delay of ten seconds. Often more useful is the
5D 3 fps 17 60 No 2-sec Self-timer mode. While this amount of delay is not sufficient for
5D Mark II 3.9 fps 13 78 Yes most self-portraits, it will create enough of a delay for any vibrations
5D Mark III 6 fps 18 65 Yes caused by you touching the camera as the trigger is pressed to have
subsided when the actual image is
6D 4.5 fps 17 73 Yes
taken. This can help minimise
7D 8 fps 15 126 Yes camera shake – and can save the
D30/D60 3 fps – 8 No need to buy or remember to carry
10D 3 fps – 9 No a cable release when shooting
slow shutter speed shots with a
20D 5 fps 6 23 No
tripod. On cameras without a
30D 5 fps 11 30 No separate 2-sec Self-timer, you can
40D 6.5 fps 17 75 No still get a two-second delay by
50D 6.3 fps 16 90 No using the normal Self-timer
option, and then using it in
60D 5.3 fps 16 58 Yes
conjunction with the Mirror
70D 7 fps 16 65 Yes
Lockup custom function
100D (Rebel SL1) 4 fps 7 28 Yes
300D (Rebel) 2.5 fps 4 4 Yes
350D (Rebel XT) 3 fps 4 14 Yes
400D (Rebel XTi) 3 fps 10 27 Yes
450D (Rebel XSi) 3.5 fps 6 53 Yes
500D (Rebel T1i) 3.4 fps 9 170 Yes Continuous mode doesn’t
suit all sporting situations.
550/650D (Rebel T2i/T3i) 3.7 fps 6 34 Yes
If using flash (above), the
650/700D (Rebel T4i/T5i) 5 fps 6 30 Yes
capacitor can’t recharge
1000D (Rebel XS) 3 fps 5 at 1.5fps 514 No quickly enough. This isn’t
a problem when shooting
Chris George
1100D (Rebel T3) 3 fps 5 at 2fps 830 No

1200D (Rebel T5) 3 fps 6 69 Yes
in daylight (right)

Drive modes
Chris George
Who was the

photographer?
C
anon D-SLRs that allow
the use of an infrared
remote control (see table
left) let you take pictures of
yourself without having to rush
round in position. Use the 2-sec
delay switch on the RC-6 remote.
see lesson 16 (p134). Some recent consumer models have an

additional self-timer option – the Self-timer Continuous mode
enables you to shoot between two and ten images in succession
Auto bracketing
when the trigger is pressed, which can prove a godsend with some Switch to Continuous when using AEB
group pictures. Your Canon SLR’s Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) facility takes a
series of three pictures with slightly different exposures. This is great
Look, no hands! if you want to be sure of a decent shot, or if you want to combine them
Although all Canon EOS SLRs can also be fired using a cable together to create an arty ‘high dynamic range’ or HDR picture. When
release, an increasing number can now be fired with a wireless using AEB, set the drive mode to Continuous, so the delay between each
infrared control (such as the old RC-1, or its replacement the RC-6). shot is as short as possible.
Powered by a button cell, this allows you to fire the camera from a
range of about five metres. To ensure the camera can be controlled
in this way, you need to move the Drive setting to the Self-timer/
Remote setting. A switch on the remote allows you to choose
between firing the camera instantly (for shake-free tripod shooting,
say) or after a two-second delay. It’s perfect for taking pictures of
yourself in groups and giving yourself just enough time to get the Jeff Morgan
remote out of the shot!
YOUR ASSIGNMENT!
Discover your
secret drive mode!
T
here’s yet another drive mode – Time-
lapse, which allows you to take a
sequence of photographs at set
intervals – but you can’t select it directly
from your camera…
Put your Canon on a tripod, attach it to

your PC via the USB cable, and open the
EOS Utility software that came with your
camera. Click the stopwatch icon and the
Time-lapse window pops up.
You’ll need a scene that changes slowly You can enter the interval between
over time, such as a flower blossoming, shots, set an initial delay, and the total
a view of your garden number of shots you’d like to take in your
with clouds moving sequence. Different subjects will work better
across the sky, or even with different exposures, so experiment to
the progress of a dinner see which works best with your chosen scene.
party throughout the Play back the images in quick succession
evening can work well. to see your scene sped up!

Master Canon’s software
Page 148
Page 158

Page 152
Master
Canon’s
software
3
Master Digital Photo Professional.............148
Process multiple images in minutes..........152
Turn three shots into a perfect panorama.. 156
Create custom Picture Styles......................158
Ten ways to use EOS Utility ....................... 160
Organise your photos ................................. 164
Page 156

Master Canon
Digital Photo
Professional
Use Canon’s free software to correct and enhance your Raw
images, and change camera settings post-shoot
T
his chapter looks at how you can sharpness, and compressing the file to
Checklist process and enhance the files that save space – much of the original image
What you’ll need you capture with your Canon data is discarded along the way. Shooting
Canon Digital Photo Professional D-SLR, in a variety of programs that came Raw files enables you to take control of the
How long it’ll take bundled free along with your EOS camera. conversion process, and also rescue
10 minutes We’re starting by looking at the Canon highlight and shadow detail that can be
The skills you’ll learn Digital Photo Professional (DPP) software, lost if you shoot JPEGs.
How to open a Raw image
which is a powerful Raw editor. A Raw file Canon regularly updates its software,
How to adjust a shot’s exposure,
is essentially the ‘raw’ unprocessed so once you’ve installed DPP – and the
colours and sharpness
How to save your edited Raw
brightness and colour information other software covered in this chapter –
image as a JPEG captured by the camera sensor. If you you should regularly check for updates by
shoot JPEGs your camera processes this going to www.canon.co.uk, to ensure that
information, optimising the white balance, you’ve got the latest version with the most
colour saturation, contrast and up-to-date tools and features.
STEP BY STEP Process a Raw file in DPP
Phrase Book
Quality settings
To shoot Raw images, choose the
Raw Quality setting on your
D-SLR. Raw files are much larger
than JPEGs, although some
cameras enable you to capture
medium (M-Raw) and small
(S-Raw) files rather than full-size
ones. You can also choose to Open and start Brightness adjustment
capture both Raw and JPEG Open DPP, and click the Folder View button at We’ll work down the options on the panel, which
versions of each shot, so that you the top-left of the interface. Navigate to the start are divided between Brightness Adjustment,
have one image ready to use image, and double-click the thumbnail to see a larger White Balance Adjustment and Picture Style. Start
straight from the camera, and a version. Now click the Tool Palette button in the main by moving the Brightness Adjustment slider right, to
Raw file as a backup if needed. options bar – as we’re processing a Raw file the RAW 1.00, to lighten the shot – this has the same effect as
panel will be selected by default. applying +1 stop of exposure compensation in camera.
Watch the video http://bit.ly/PMZ36_video1 Get the file http://bit.ly/PMZ36_image1

Expert Tip
You can adjust many of the
settings that are used to
process Raw files in your Canon
D-SLR, as well as in DPP. Go to the
Picture Style menu and select a
Style; if you press the Info button
you can adjust the settings for
that style, such as Saturation,
Contrast and Sharpness. As DPP
is fully dedicated to your Canon
D-SLR it will remember these
settings when you open the Raw
Picture Style file in DPP, and if you want to
White balance Next you have the option to select a Picture change any settings you can
Under White Balance, open the menu below Style; in this case we can leave it set to Standard. easily do so (these settings won’t
the eyedropper, select Colour temperature and The histogram displays the brightness levels of the be recognised by third-party Raw
move the slider right to 5600K to warm the image up image’s pixels as a graph, ranging from shadows on converters such as ACR). Note
a little. You can also choose white balance presets that the left to highlights on the right. To boost the contrast, that you can only do this for Raw
correspond to those on your camera, such as Daylight pull the slider to the left of the graph in to meet the left images; you can’t change
and Cloudy, or choose Click white balance and click on a edge of the histogram to darken the shadows, and pull the settings for JPEGs.
tone that should be neutral with the eyedropper. the right-hand slider in to brighten the highlights.

Expert Tip Get to know…. DPP’s RGB tab

DPP gives Photoshop The best thing about DPP is its Curves control. Here’s a handy guide...
Elements and Photoshop
CS a good run for their money – RAW files you can make the
particularly as you get it for free. 1 Tone Curve Assist 5 same basic adjustments in
You don’t get the full Curves Two automatic buttons alter the RAW tab.
control with Elements, for the curve for you to adjust
1
instance – and this alone can be a brightness, contrast and 5 NR/Lens/ALO
good reason to use DPP on colour – the second button 2 3 Third tab that provides noise
certain pictures. Also, to open giving a more extreme reduction and lens fault
Raw files from recent SLRs you correction than the first. The correction. Also allows you
need a new version of Photoshop third button resets everything. to adjust Auto Lighting
(to handle 600D files, for Optimiser settings, if the
instance, you’ll need Elements 8 2 RGB camera used supports this.
or CS5 or above). If you make do Gives the option of editing the
with an old version of Photoshop, black line on the Curve graph. 6 Hue/Saturation
DPP is a great tool for Raw Changes brightness of pixels Again, these sliders are
conversion. Adobe programs without affecting the colour, more useful with JPEG files,
come into their own when you changing red (R), green (G), as similar effects can be
want to make selective and blue (B) colour ‘channels’ achieved in the RAW tab.
adjustments, however, and they in unison.
also provide a number of creative
4 7 Sharpness
tricks that Canon’s free 3 R, G or B Use sharpening tools with
software simply cannot do. Allows you to edit red (R), care – particularly when
green (G) and blue (B) colour working on RAW files; there
channels separately – with 6 are sharpness sliders in both
each being controlled and 8 the RGB and RAW tabs, and
displayed using a coloured the effect is cumulative.
line. This is great for fine
colour balance adjustment – 7 8 Reset buttons
or for creating psychedelic Return each slider you’ve
effects. moved to its default position.
4 Brightness/ 9 Full frame preview

Contrast 9 Even if you zoom in and turn
These sliders are more useful off the Thumbnails, you can
for editing JPEG files. With still see your whole shot here.
Phrase Book
Curves
The Curves graph starts as a
straight line. By pushing this line
up (or down) you can make
midtones brighter (or darker)
without making extreme whites
any brighter or extreme blacks
any darker (and turning the Highlights and shadows Sharpen and crop
straight diagonal into a curve). You can fine-tune the exposure and contrast You can apply basic sharpening to an image by
By pushing different parts of the with the Contrast, Highlight and Shadow sliders. moving the Sharpness slider right, but for more
line up and down, a more complex Set Contrast to 1, Highlights to -3 to pull back the blown control select Unsharp Mask and set Strength to 5,
curve is created, and a shot’s highlights in the flower, and Shadows to -1 to darken Fineness to 8 and Threshold to 5. To crop the image click
contrast can be precisely the shadows a bit more and further boost the contrast. the Trimming Angle button, choose 3:2 from the Aspect
adjusted. You can also adjust the Tone and Saturation of the ratio menu, draw a crop and press OK to apply it. Finally,
colours – increase Saturation to 1. go to File > Convert, and save the image as a JPEG. Q

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Lee Beel
Process multiple
images in minutes
Digital Photo Professional makes light work of processing RAW files.
Here we’ll create a custom Recipe and apply it to a batch of shots
Checklist
O
ne of the many benefits of using your free Canon few simple clicks. This is a great way to ensure all the
Digital Photo Professional (DPP) software to edit images from a day’s shoot are consistent.
What you’ll need your digital photographs is the speed at which DPP also lets you personalise White Balance settings
Digital Photo Professional
(free with your Canon D-SLR)
you can process multiple RAW files – leaving you more post-shoot to make your images look exactly how you
time to spend on your photography. want during the editing process. You can then save these
How long it’ll take
5-10 minutes DPP enables you to save various complex settings and apply them to any image later on – or to a
The skills you’ll learn enhancements you’ve made to one image and then apply batch of images that were taken on the same day.
An easy way to register the same settings to multiple images. This can save you In this tutorial we’ll show you how to do all of this, and
White Balance settings hours of post-shoot processing time. DPP does this by reveal how to ‘batch process’ multiple RAW files to convert
How to apply similar
enabling you to save your image changes as a Recipe, them to more manageable JPEGs for viewing and sharing.
adjustments to multiple images
which you can then apply to one or more images in just a So let’s get started…
How to quickly batch-process RAW
files into JPEGs
STEP BY STEP Make light work of editing photos
Start up DPP Personalise your White Balance

Download the four shortcut_start.CR2 images DPP enables you to register your own White
from the link below. Highlight shortcut1_start. Balance settings, which you can then apply to
CR2, then click on Edit Image Window at the top-left of multiple images. To do this, first click on the White
the interface. We’ll enhance one shot and save our edits Balance Adjustment dropper and then on the whitest
as a Recipe so we can apply these changes to multiple part of your image – the reflection of the clouds in the
images. First, move the Brightness Adjustment slider water. Try to avoid making the image look too blue and
(the same as Exposure in Photoshop) to 0.33. cold – instead go for a warm, orangey foreground.
Watch the video http://bit.ly/PMZ36_video2 Get the files http://bit.ly/PMZ36_image2

153
Phrase Book
White Balance
Set correctly – in-camera or
with DPP or Photoshop software
post-shoot – White Balance will
ensure the white areas of your
images appear white. The ‘colour
temperature’ of your images is
measured on the Kelvin scale,
from cool, blue colours (lowest
2,500K) to warmer, orangey Register your White Balance Tasty Recipe
colours (highest 10,000K). You To save your White Balance setting, click on Go to Edit > Save Recipe In File, name the Recipe
can use White Balance presets Register. In the window that appears, select shortcut_start1.vrd and click Save. Next, click on
on your EOS D-SLR and in DPP to number 1 from the drop-down menu (unless you’ve Main Window and highlight the remaining three
reflect the ambient light of your previously saved White Balance settings, in which case shortcut_start.CR2s while pressing Shift. Click Edit
subjects, eg Fluorescent indoors select number 2 or 3) and press OK. To apply your Image Window, then Thumbnails to see the three
(4,000K), Daylight outdoors personalised White Balance setting, simply select your images on the left. Go to Edit > Read And Paste Recipe
(5,200K) and Cloudy (6,000K). image and click on the number 1 button on the right. From File, select shortcut_start1.vrd and click Open.
Now go to Edit > Paste Recipe To All Images.
Process multiple files

In the Main Window, click Select All to choose the
Choose a Picture Style four shortcut_start.CR2s. Click on Batch Process
To continue improving this image, select the to convert your RAW files into JPEGs, then on Browse to
Landscape Picture Style from the drop-down select your Save folder. Set Kind of File to Exif-JPEG,
menu to give the blues in the sky and greens in the Image Quality to 10 and Output Resolution to 350dpi. If
foreground a helping hand. Now, on the histogram, drag you want a specific image size (such as 10x15cm) click
the left-hand slider to -6.0 and the right-hand slider to Resize and keep Lock Aspect Ratio on. Now select
the edge of the graph to improve the contrast. Current File Name and hit Execute.
Expert Tip
DPP’s Batch Process
feature is a useful and
easy way to prepare images for
emailing lower resolution images
(which will have smaller file sizes) Adjust saturation and tone Create a contact sheet
to friends and family. To do this, Move the Colour Saturation slider to 1 and A contact sheet is handy if you want a printed
follow step 7, see right, but when Sharpness to 8, then click on 100% View at the top index of all your processed photos or just to have a
you get to File Name choose New of the screen to see the effect your sharpening has on quick way of showing your shots to others. Go to File >
File Name and add your name to the edges of the rocks in the foreground. Next, click on Contact Sheet Prints, then select your printer and paper
quickly convert and the RGB tab and plot two points on the Tone Curve size and how many images you want per page. Under
rename multiple images. Adjustment graph to create a shallow S-curve that helps Text, click on Caption: File Name so that each image is
to boost the contrast and tones. easily identified. You’re now ready to print.

Chris George (Future)
Turn three shots into

a perfect panorama
With Canon’s easy-to-use PhotoStitch software, you can create seamless
panoramic shots with just a few clicks of your mouse. Here’s how…
T
hanks to the limitations of traditional film stitch them together in your chosen photo editor to create
Checklist photography, we’re conditioned to think of a seamless panorama. Once you’ve got your head around
What you’ll need the shots we take in terms of the standard 3:2 breaking free of the traditional 3x2 format and have
Canon PhotoStitch aspect ratio, but with digital photography there’s no started to see the world around you in terms of
How long it’ll take reason why you should confine yourself to scenes that fit panoramas, the possibilities for capturing striking
5 minutes neatly into a 3x2 rectangle. If you’re shooting a stunning landscapes are endless.
The skills you’ll learn panorama, for example, you might want to photograph In this short walkthrough, we’ll show you how to create
How to create a flawless
panorama from multiple images
a narrow strip of mountains in the distance without stunning panoramic images using your free Canon
How to fine-tune the seams including too much of either the sky or foreground. PhotoStitch software, and how to fine-tune the resulting
to include additional detail The beauty of digital photography is that you can zoom composite picture so that it includes as much detail from
in on the scene, take a series of overlapping shots and then the original photographs as possible.
Watch the video http://bit.ly/PMZ36_video3 Get the files http://bit.ly/PMZ36_image3

STEP BY STEP Get the most from a landscape
Go for launch
Download the photostitch start images from the Get stitched!
email link below. Launch PhotoStitch and click Click on the Start icon at the top left and hit
on the Merge Images icon in the Launcher window. the Save tab at the top of the tool bar when the
Enlarge the window that opens so you can see what stitched image appears in the main window. The stitch
you’re doing, click Open, then find the photostitch_ that the software has performed has curved the
start folder. Hold down Shift while selecting each of the horizon, which means the suggested crop (indicated
start images and then click Open. by a green rectangle) cuts into the rocks at the bottom. Expert Tip
When shooting
panoramas, you must
ensure the camera remains as
level as possible for every frame.
This is particularly important
when using wide-angle lenses,
which tend to curve the horizon
slightly. This effect is exaggerated
when two or more frames are
stitched together, but keeping the
camera level in the first place is
Get set up Make manual adjustments one way of minimising this. If you
Click on Enlarge in the toolbar at the top of the Return to the Merge tab and select Display Seams. don’t have a dedicated panoramic
window until the images fill the screen, drag and Select the left-hand rectangle, click ‘Specify Two or tripod head, you can use a
drop them into the right order, then click on the Merge More Corresponding Areas’ and follow the instructions. pan-and-tilt head instead, making
tab. Choose Merge Settings. PhotoStitch can be used to Do the same for the right-hand rectangle and then click sure you allow plenty of
stitch scanned documents together, but to create a on the Save tab to see the new crop. Click Save to crop overlap.
panorama, select Panning and then click on OK. and save the finished image.

Claire Gilllo
Create custom Picture

Styles for better shots Use Canon’s Picture Style Editor to make your own Picture
Styles and take control of the colour of your images
Checklist
P
What you’ll need icture Styles are essentially a set of adjustments This clever software enables you to adjust the colours of
• Canon Picture Style Editor that are automatically applied to your image your images to match the true colours you see with your
• Canon EOS Utility in-camera as your Canon processes the raw data own eyes – or do the opposite and give them a hyper-real
• Mini-to-Micro USB cable
it captures from the sensor and converts it into a JPEG. look. We’ll show you how to select and individually adjust
15 minutes Your camera comes pre-loaded with a variety of Picture several different colour ranges.
The skills you’ll learn Styles – such as Landscape, Portrait and Neutral – but If you can’t see an accurate colour representation on
How to adjust individual we’re going to show you how to create your own custom screen, any adjustments you make will be a waste of time,
colours in an image Picture Styles with Canon’s free Picture Style Editor so it’s best to first calibrate your monitor; there are various
How to create and save your own software. You can then apply these styles to images in products available for this. Next, set up the Picture Style
Picture Style files
post-production, and share them with other Canon users; Editor software. Go to Choose Preferences > Work Colour
How to upload your custom
Picture Styles to your camera we’ll also show you how to upload them to your camera, Space and select Adobe RGB. In the Colour Matching
so you can use them when shooting! settings, select Monitor Profile and you’re all set to go.
Watch the video http://bit.ly/PMZ36_video4 Get the file http://bit.ly/PMZ36_image4

STEP BY STEP How to edit your Picture Styles Phrase Book

HSL colour
The HSL system defines colours
using three properties: Hue is the
colour itself, Saturation is the
intensity of the colour, and
Luminosity is the brightness.
When you adjust the HSL sliders,
the degree to which you can
adjust Saturation limited by the
Luminosity value. If a colour’s
Luminosity value is below 50,
increasing Saturation will make
the colours more vivid, and if the
Fine-tune the colour value is higher than 50,
Preliminary adjustments Adjust the HSL sliders to fine-tune colours: for the decreasing it will tone down the
Drag-and-drop picture_style_start.CR2 into the sky we set the Hue to +7, Saturation to +9 and vividness. To lock Luminosity
Picture Style Editor main window. Go to Tools > Luminosity to +9; for skin tones we set Hue to +10 and while adjusting Saturation, hold
Preliminary Adjustment to make some initial tweaks. Saturation to +5; and for the dress we set Saturation +9 down the Shift key when moving
Set Brightness Adjustment to 0.33. Click on the White and Luminosity +3. A red dot on the colour chart the slider.
Balance Adjustment drop-down box and select the pinpoints the adjusted colour and the colour swatch
Daylight preset (alternatively, you could use the Colour displays both the original and adjusted colours.
Temperature or White Balance Picker options).
Save your Picture Style file

Choose a Base Picture Style Select the horizontal or vertical split view icon
Go to View > Tool Palette to bring up the Picture (at the bottom-left) for a before and after preview.
Style options. Select a Base Picture Style to work Go to File > Save Picture Style file and enter the name,
on: we chose Portrait to retain the natural skin tones. caption and copyright details. If you plan to share your
Make further adjustments using the sliders below: we Picture Style or don’t want to make any changes to it,
boosted the Sharpness to 5 and Contrast to +1. check the Disable Subsequent Editing box.
Expert Tip
When you select a colour
with the colour picker,
check the ‘Show Affected Area of
Image’ box to highlight in grey the
colours that will be affected. If
you select a colour that you’ve
already adjusted, the slice in the
colour wheel will turn grey. You
can adjust the slice by dragging it
Upload to camera around the wheel to affect certain
Select a colour Connect your camera to the computer, turn it on, colours, so you don’t change
Click the Specific Colours tab. Grab the then open EOS Utility. Select Camera Settings/ what you’ve already adjusted. An
eyedropper and select the colour you want to Remote Shooting to bring up the Tool palette. Click on exclamation mark also appears in
adjust. The colour swatch displays your selected colour. Picture Style in the shooting menu and select Register the colour swatch panel if you’re
A slice of the colour chart will now be selected, User Defined Style. Click on the folder icon to locate readjusting a previously
highlighting the range you can work with, and a white your saved Picture Style, and click Open and then Apply adjusted colour.
dot pinpoints the colour you’ve just selected. to upload it to your camera. Q

Ten ways to
use EOS Utility
Canon’s free EOS Utility program enables you to control, fire
and adjust your camera from behind your computer screen
O
f all the programs on Canon’s free software enables you to save pictures directly to your computer’s
disc, EOS Utility is the most unusual. It’s not hard drive. This is a favourite way of working for
designed to help you edit your pictures; instead, professional studio photographers because it enables
it enables you to control your camera via your computer. you to see and review shots on a big screen as soon as
By connecting your camera to a PC and controlling they’re taken, rather than relying on your camera’s LCD.
it remotely, you can really get creative with your photos, However, the EOS Utility is no one-trick pony, and
using your mouse to fire the shutter and alter all the is capable of much more. On the following pages we’ll
camera’s settings. This ‘tethered shooting’ facility also reveal ten of the best ways to use it…
STEP BY STEP Control your SLR from your desk
Checklist
What you’ll need
Canon EOS Utility version 2.6.1.0
USB connection lead (both free with
your Canon D-SLR)
15 minutes Download images selectively Rename your images
The skills you’ll learn Turn your EOS on, connect it to your PC using Click on Preferences (below the thumbnails) and
How to download and rename the USB lead provided in the box and open EOS choose the File Name tab. This enables you to alter
selected shots from your D-SLR Utility (found in the Canon Utilities folder). In the Main the names of images as you download them, with preset
How to fire and control your EOS Window, choose the ‘Lets you select and download and custom options – you can add a date to your file
from your computer
images’ option. A window will appear with thumbnails of name, for instance. Click OK, then Download. You get a
How to capture amazing time-
lapse photo sequences all the images on your camera’s memory card. Click in preview of the images as they transfer, then your
the boxes to mark the images you want to download. selection opens in Digital Photo Professional.
Watch the video http://bit.ly/PMZ36_video5

Chris George
Tag shots with your name Synchronise watches Expert Tip

Back in EOS Utility, click on Main Window and Setting the time and date on your EOS can To see and access all
choose Camera Settings/Remote Shooting. Click be fiddly, but EOS Utility will make the process the functions of EOS Utility
on the hammer-and-spanner icon in the settings toolbar, painless. Click where it says Date/Time (below where you need to connect your camera
then click once where it says Owner’s Name before you’ve just typed your name). This enables you to set to your computer using a USB lead.
typing in your name. This information will now be the time using your keyboard, but if you simply press Remember, your EOS also
embedded in the metadata of every shot you take and the ‘From PC’ button it will copy the time/date settings needs to be switched on!
will identify you as the photographer. Click OK. from your computer’s internal clock. Press OK.

Phrase Book
Metadata
Information about a picture that
is stored as part of the image
file. Canon’s EOS Utility enables
you to set up your camera so
that images are automatically
tagged with your name.
Intervalometer
A camera feature that allows
you to take pictures
automatically at set intervals. Alter the camera settings
You can use the toolbar to alter most of your Get ready to fire
Live View camera’s settings (but not the Exposure mode). You can now go back to the thin toolbar window on
Feature found on the most
Double-click on any icon or figure in the simulated the desktop to alter the aperture, Exposure
recent EOS models that enables
LCD and pop-up windows will appear with options to Compensation, and so on. When you’re ready, press the
you to use the camera’s rear
LCD screen to frame the picture change the aperture, White Balance, image quality and shutter button icon and a Quick Preview window will
as you shoot. so on. You can fire the shutter and take a picture using open to display your photo. Digital Photo Professional
the black, circular button in the top-right corner. automatically opens to show your shot in its thumbnail
Bulb (B) view (minimise this if it gets in the way).
A shutter speed setting that
keeps the shutter open for as
long as the shutter release
button is held down. Can be
used for very long exposures.
Use Remote Live View Time-lapse made easy

Your camera is much easier to use remotely if you EOS Utility also has an intervalometer function
own a recent EOS with a Live View option. Click on (see left), which enables you to take time-lapse
the Remote Live View Shooting button, and sequences. This is ideal for monitoring a scene over
a new window appears showing you exactly what a period of time, or to record a sequence of a slow-
the camera is seeing – and provides an exposure changing events, such as a flower opening. Click on
histogram (if this is enabled in your SLR’s Custom the clock icon in the Camera Settings toolbar. You can
Functions) – so you can alter settings more accurately. enter the interval between shots in seconds (up to 99
minutes 59 seconds), and the sequence length.
Expert Tip
To use your EOS further
away from your computer
you’ll need a longer lead. Maplin
(www.maplin.co.uk) sells a
5-metre A-to-Mini-B USB lead for
£13.99. USB extension leads are Focus with pinpoint accuracy
also available and can be used with As long as your lens is set to AF, you can use the Extra-long Bulb exposures
your existing short lead. There’s a Remote Live View window to precisely focus the The clock icon also enables you to set a precise
wireless option, which uses Wi-Fi, picture. A row of six focus arrows enable you to focus exposure length when using your camera’s B
but for this you need a special the lens in both directions in three different-sized steps. (or Bulb) mode, and will control the start and the end of
wireless grip for your SLR, which is Use the magnifying glass icon to get the Zoom View, so the exposure for you without the need for a cable
only made for certain you can focus precisely on a spot, then turn the release. Exposures can be set in seconds up to a
models and isn’t cheap. Depth-of-Field Preview option on, so you can see how maximum length of 99 minutes 59 seconds, which is
much of the scene is sharp. great for star-trail shots on a clear winter’s night.

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Organise your photos

Use your free Image Browser EX software to organise your photos
Checklist
W
ith your computer crammed full of photos, of effort. In the steps below we’ll show you how to rate your
finding a specific image can be a tediously shots as you import them, so you can find your favourite
What you’ll need time-consuming task. Although your computer photos with ease at a later date. You’ll also learn how to
Image Browser EX
stores photos in chronological order, it can still be like add keywords to images, so you can filter out irrelevant
5 minutes
looking for a needle in a haystack if you can’t remember shots and find exactly what you’re looking for. Thanks to
exactly when a specific shot was taken. Fortunately, Image Browser’s effective image organising filters, you
The skills you’ll learn
How to organise your photos Canon’s free Image Browser EX software offers several can spend far less time wading through thousands of
How to add ratings to individual ways to find individual images with the minimum amount shots and have much more time taking them!
images
How to add keywords to make the
search process easier
Import images Assign tags and ratings

Open Image Browser EX and insert your memory Click on the Preview mode and click on the
card to your computer or connect your EOS Additional Info tab next to the Shooting Info on the
camera. Click on Import/Camera Settings in the right-hand side. You can rate your images with stars, for
top-left-hand corner and select the option you wish to this tutorial we’re going to give our favourite shots five
import from. A dialog box will appear with the option of stars. You can also assign tags, also known as keywords
downloading all the images available or selecting a few, to help you organise your photos. Select Tag and click on
Ctrl-click to select the images you want to download. Add tag and type in your keyword; for this example we’ll
tag this one ‘Bella on wall’.
Expert Tip
By spending a few minutes
rating a photograph or
adding tags to it, you won’t spend
valuable hours hunting through
your computer for it later. Get Start downloading Fabulous filters
into the habit of organising Use the slider at the top if you want to make image To search through your image library quickly,
your valuable digital assets as thumbnails bigger or smaller. By default, images simply use the filters along the top-right-hand side
soon as you import them from will be downloaded to your Pictures folder; if you want to to find what you’re after. You can filter by file category,
your camera’s memory card. change this, click Change Settings and select a different ratings or tags. Click on the stars icon to search for
Your future self will thank you destination and then click Start Download. There are images with five stars to preview your favourites or to
for your efficient digital three view options at the bottom-right of the interface. display all shots with a specific tag, click on the search
housekeeping! The best option for viewing images is the Preview mode, icon in the top toolbar and enter in your tag and hit
which displays both your images and the image data. return to search.
Watch the video http://bit.ly/PMZ36_video6

MASTER PHOTOSHOP!
Our bookazines will make you a better photographer!
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Download it for your iPhone or iPad via iTunes at http://goo.gl/FUVam
Essential kit
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Page 168 Page 180
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Essential kit
Page 214
Essential
kit 4
Budget telephoto zooms............................ 168
Teleconverters...............................................177
Ultra-wide lenses ......................................... 180
Battery grips ................................................. 189
Macro lenses................................................. 190
Superzoom lenses........................................ 204
Remote releases ...........................................213
Flashguns........................................................214
Page 204

Essential kit

Essential kit
Go-faster
telephoto lenses
To keep up with fast-paced sporting action you’ll OUR TEN ON TEST
1 Canon EF 70-200mm £500
need a lens with a wide aperture and long telephoto f/4L USM $710
2 Tamron SP AF 70-200mm £600
reach. We put the leading contenders to the test f/2.8 Di LD (IF) Macro $770
3 Canon EF 200mm £650
I
t’s the need for speed. Sports and action in this group test cost up to ten times as much,
f/2.8L II USM $820
photography demands quick responses on so what are you getting for the extra outlay?
4 Sigma 70-200mm £800
the part of both photographers and their kit, All of the Canon lenses in our test group come
f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM $1,200
so you need a lens that enables you to maximise with the ‘L’ for Luxury tag, so you can expect
5 Canon EF 70-200mm £900
shutter speeds. You also need telephoto power professional build quality and optical prowess
f/4L IS USM $1,350
to get close to the action, especially if you’re to match. Even so, they’re not all created equal;
6 Canon EF 70-200mm £1,000
shooting from spectator areas at big venues. more on that over the page. You can often make
f/2.8L USM $1,450
Perennial attractions include everything from considerable savings by choosing a lens from
7 Canon EF 400mm £1,125
football, rugby and cricket to sailing and surfing, an independent manufacturer, like Sigma or
f/5.6L USM $1,340
as well as motorsports. And let’s not forget Tamron. For example, the Sigma 70-200mm
8 Canon EF 300mm £1,170
indoor sports, like swimming, or even darts. lens is less than half the price of the Canon f/4L IS USM $1,450
You can pick up a budget telephoto lens such equivalent, yet offers most of the same features
9 Canon EF 70-200mm £1,950
as the Canon EF 55-250mm IS for as little as and very similar specifications. Let’s take a f/2.8L IS II USM $2,500
£180 if you shop around, but some of the lenses closer look at what’s on offer…
10 Sigma 120-300mm £2,800
f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM $2,700

Essential kit
How we Get a piece of the action

tested… What to look for when choosing a telephoto lens
C
Each of the lenses was tested in a ompared with most budget telephoto lenses, depth of field, thanks to their longer focal lengths.
variety of indoor and outdoor the ones we’re featuring here are faster in two All but the Tamron 70-200mm lens on test feature
lighting conditions, where the speed crucial areas: aperture and autofocus. Unlike ring-type ultrasonic (USM) autofocus, although Sigma
and accuracy of the autofocus relatively low-cost telephoto zooms with variable calls it hypersonic (HSM). They’re typically much
systems were checked. We apertures throughout their zoom ranges, many lenses faster than basic micro-motor and even ultrasonic
also tested the effectiveness of in this group have a maximum aperture of f/2.8, which motor-driven autofocus systems, and therefore better
image stabilisation, where fitted, by remains constant throughout the zoom range. That able to snap onto a moving target quickly, before a
reducing shutter speeds until makes the aperture two f/stops larger at the telephoto fleeting moment is lost. They’re also more able to keep
consistently sharp shots became end, enabling a shutter speed that’s four times as fast. pace with fast-moving targets in AI-Servo (continuous)
unobtainable. To check image Fast shutter speeds are essential for freezing action autofocus mode. Other bonuses include practically
quality, we shot series of test images in fast-paced sports, and lenses with larger apertures silent operation and full-time manual focus override;
throughout the aperture ranges and, enable this when lighting conditions are anything other the latter only works in One Shot autofocus mode but
for zoom lenses, throughout the than bright and sunny. It’s even more important for is still worthwhile, as you can manually tweak the focus
entire focal lengths. The test shots indoor venues; you’ll be able to get sharp shots without setting if needed, after the autofocus has locked on.
shown on the following pages were the need to ramp up your camera’s ISO setting, which
all taken handheld, at the 2012 ICF can degrade picture quality. Another bonus of a larger Sealing the deal
Canoe Slalom World Cup in Cardiff. aperture is that it reduces the depth of field. This is Build quality is another key factor. All the lenses on test
useful when you’re not panning, as it enables you to offer a big step up compared with budget lenses, but
blur backgrounds and isolate the main area of interest. some go further than others. Weather seals are good to
Naturally, a zoom lens isn’t the only choice, and have, especially if you’re at an outdoor event and don’t
there’s something to be said for the pure optical quality want your shooting to be hampered because it’s
of a prime lens. You can typically expect less distortion, raining. It’s a common misconception that all Canon
while sharpness should be exceptional. However, with L-series lenses feature weather seals, but only the two
the fixed focal lengths of the Canon 200mm, 300mm 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses and the 70-200mm f/4 IS lens
and 400mm lenses in the group, you can find that your in this group have dust and moisture seals. Even then,
options are limited, as you won’t be able to zoom in and the non-IS 70-200mm f/2.8 lacks a rubber ring in its
out to adjust the composition. The longer 300mm and mounting plate, to stop moisture leaking through the
400mm lenses have smaller maximum apertures of joint between the lens and camera body. Seals aren’t
f/4 and f/5.6, although you can still get a fairly tight fitted to either of the Sigma lenses or the Tamron lens.
Dual-mode stabilisation
How you can get sharper shots at slower shutter speeds
The rule of thumb is that you instead of needing to shoot at
need a shutter speed that’s at 1/320 sec with a 200mm lens
least the reciprocal of the lens’s on, for example, a 60D, you can
focal length to enable get away with shooting at just
consistently sharp shots 1/20 sec. It’s important to bear
without camera-shake. On a in mind, however, that
full-frame camera like the 5D, stabilisation can only
you’d therefore need a shutter counteract camera-shake, and
speed of at least 1/200 sec can’t do anything to avoid
when shooting with a 200mm motion blur if the subject is
lens. On a camera with an moving. You’d then still need a
APS-C sensor, like the 600D, faster shutter speed to freeze
60D and 7D, the 1.6x crop the action.
factor would give an effective All stabilised lenses in the
focal length of 320mm, so group have two operating
you’d need a minimum shutter modes. Mode 1 is for static
speed of 1/320 sec. shooting and mode 2 is for
Most of the lenses in this panning. In the latter case,
group that feature image stabilisation is only applied in
stabilisation claim a four-stop the vertical plane while you’re Mode 2 stabilisation is ideal for panning, as it only applies correction in the
benefit. This means that, panning horizontally. opposite plane to which the camera is moving

Essential kit
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

Price £1,000/$1,450 Web www.canon.co.uk
This is one of the oldest lenses in Canon’s also a focus-limit switch, which cuts out
current line-up but it still has lots to offer. the 1.5-3m focus region at the close end.
Dust and moisture seals testify to the Optically, the lens is super-sharp with
professional build quality, although the minimal distortions and negligible
lens lacks the rubber ring fitted on the chromatic aberrations (colour fringing),
mounting plate that’s featured on the practically matching top prime lenses.
f/2.8 IS and f/4 IS versions of Canon’s The only downside is the lack of image
70-200mm lenses. In keeping with all the stabilisation, so in low light getting sharp
other L-series lenses on test, apart from shots is a challenge, especially at the
the EF 200mm, it also features Canon’s telephoto end of the zoom range.
trademark cream finish, which not only
looks the business but helps to minimise
the build-up of heat in the lens during
prolonged shooting on hot, sunny days.
The ring-type USM autofocus is
blazingly fast, and there’s a silky-smooth
feel to the zoom and focus rings. There’s
Superb image quality and fully

professional build quality
Lacks image stabilisation, so
camera shake can be an issue
88 %
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM

With no hint of compromise, it seems between very close and distant objects.
Canon has simply set out to build the The risk of missing a shot while waiting
most excellent zoom lens possible. for the autofocus to lock on is negligible.
Top-quality fluorite and UD (Ultra-low Image quality is simply stunning, with
Dispersion) elements aim to deliver spectacular sharpness and contrast even
superb sharpness and contrast with at the largest aperture of f/2.8, all the
minimal fringing. Build quality is way through the zoom range. This lens is
rock-solid, with full weather seals and as close to perfection as you could wish
wonderfully precise and smooth-acting for; it’s just a shame it’s so expensive.
zoom and focus rings.
The stabiliser is brilliantly effective,
in both static and panning modes, the
latter of which automatically senses
horizontal or upright camera orientation.
Even more impressive, autofocus is so
fast that it simply snaps into focus with
unerring accuracy, even when switching
From build to image quality,

this is almost the perfect lens
Even though street prices have
fallen, it’s still very expensive
97 %

Essential kit
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM

Price £500/$710 Web www.canon.co.uk
Compared with most budget 70-300mm point. For use with a tripod it’s light
zooms, which offer a maximum aperture enough not to need a tripod collar.
of f/5 at the 200mm mark, this lens is Autofocus performance is very fast
only two-thirds of a stop faster. However, in most lighting conditions, but can’t
it’s also not much more to buy, yet comes quite match the f/2.8 lenses under very
with some L-series trimmings including dull lighting; most Canon D-SLRs have a
top-quality glass and a sturdy metal high-sensitivity AF point at the centre,
body, although without weather seals. which can take full advantage of f/2.8
A bonus for prolonged handheld lenses. Even so, sharpness, contrast
shooting is that it’s only about half the and all other aspects of image quality
weight, and noticeably smaller, than the are excellent at the price.
70-200mm f/2.8 lenses. This is reflected
by the filter size, which is 67mm rather
than 77mm. However, being a stop slower
than the f/2.8 lenses shake-free shooting
is more of a challenge, so the lack of an
image stabiliser is a significant minus
Excellent build and image

quality at a very good price
A full stop slower than some
competitors; lacks a stabiliser
82 %
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM

Price £900/$1,350 Web www.canon.co.uk
Despite being the same size and only non-stabilised 70-200mm f/4, it can’t
50g heavier than Canon’s cheaper 70- take advantage of the high-sensitivity
200mm f/4, this lens offers a four-stop central AF point in most EOS cameras.
image stabiliser and full weather seals, There’s little to choose between this
more worthy of an L-series lens. As lens and the non-stabilised version in
featured in the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS, it’s terms of image quality. Both deliver
a new-generation stabiliser that boasts excellent sharpness and contrast, with
automatic tripod detection and a impressively low distortions and colour
secondary mode for panning in either fringing. For handheld shooting though,
horizontal or upright orientation. the addition of the stabiliser makes this
In many ways, the lens looks and feels lens a much stronger contender.
like a downsized, lightweight version of
the Canon 70-200mm IS, and the relative
lack of weight is nice for long periods of
handheld shooting. Build quality is good
and the autofocus performance is very
fast, even in low light. However, like the
Effective stabiliser; high build

quality and optical performance
Much pricier than non-stabilised
version; not that ‘fast’ at f/4
86 %

Essential kit
Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM

One way to get a faster f/2.8 maximum very gloomy lighting, and it’s well able
aperture at 200mm, while keeping costs to track sporting action indoors or out.
down, is to forego any zooming potential Image quality is very good although,
and stick with a prime lens. This L-series despite this being a prime lens, it isn’t
lens aims to fit the bill. It’s much smaller quite as sharp as Canon’s 70-200mm IS
and lighter in weight than the 70-200mm zoom, which is a testament to the latter’s
f/2.8 zoom lenses, so it’s very stunning performance. Ultimately, the
comfortable for handheld shooting. At lack of a zoom facility can be limiting
770g it’s actually slightly heavier than the and the lack of stabilisation can cause
70-200mm f/4 lenses, but can still be problems in handheld shooting, but this
used on a tripod or monopod without a lens is still well worth the money.
tripod collar (it doesn’t come with one).
The construction feels tough, with
lots of metal rather than plastic in the
body, as you’d expect from an L-series
lens; however, it lacks weather-seals.
Autofocus is fast and accurate, even in
No shortage of optical quality,

and it’s well built too
Lacks stabilisation and a zoom
facility, which can be limiting
80 %
Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM

One of the letdowns of upgrading from lens; there’s a marked delay when
a budget 70-300mm telephoto zoom to switching from a close-up subject to one in
a fast 70-200mm lens is you lose 100mm the background, and vice versa.
in telephoto reach. The EF 300mm The lens is super-sharp and virtually
gives you exactly the same reach, albeit distortion-free, but overall image quality
without a zoom facility, as well as being a isn’t any better than from the Canon
stop faster at f/4 compared with f/5.6. 70-200mm lenses. If you don’t really need
Luxuries in this L-series lens are few the extra telephoto reach, then the added
and far between. It’s not weather-sealed, versatility of a 70-200mm zoom lens is a
and the stabiliser is an old generation bigger attraction.
that only offers a two-stop advantage.
All other stabilised lenses on test give a
four-stop bonus. At least the ring-type
ultrasonic autofocus is very quiet, but it’s
noticeably slower than on any of the
Canon 70-200mm lenses in the group,
or Canon’s 200mm prime telephoto
Image quality is sharp and

practically free of distortions
Second-rate stabilisation;
autofocus could be faster
82 %

Essential kit
Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM

With its focal length of 400mm on a Autofocus speed is quite pedestrian,
full-frame camera, and 640mm effective even though the lens features a ring-type
reach on an APS-C body, this is a great USM system. It’s slower than on the
lens if you need serious telephoto power. Canon 300mm lens, and very sluggish
At 1.25kg, it also weighs less than the compared with the other Canon lenses
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses, so is in the group. Image quality is impressive,
light enough for prolonged handheld use. but as it’s a prime lens you simply can’t
The maximum aperture of f/5.6 isn’t zoom to follow the action. A 70-200mm
massively fast for a 400mm lens; Sigma f/2.8 lens with a 2x teleconverter is a
makes a 120-400mm optically stabilised more attractive proposition.
lens that has a variable aperture of
f/4.5-5.6. Unlike the Sigma, this lens
has no stabiliser, and getting sharp
handheld shots at such a long
focal length is a major challenge
in anything other than the
sunniest conditions.
Reasonably light for a 400mm

lens; good image quality
Sluggish autofocus; relatively
slow f/5.6 maximum aperture
78 %
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM

Price £800/$1,200 Web www.sigma-imaging-uk.com
There are plenty of similarities between Contrast is also generally good, but not
this lens and the Canon 70-200mm IS on quite a match for the superlative Canon
test. They’re pretty much the same size lens at the maximum aperture of f/2.8.
and weight, and both have a dual-mode, Handling is refined, with very smooth
four-stop stabiliser, great quality glass action of both the zoom and focus rings,
and sturdy build quality, and super-fast while the switches for auto/manual focus
ring-type ultrasonic autofocus. One and stabiliser modes have a precise feel.
notable difference, however, is that the The Sigma is a great lens that gives the
Sigma lacks weather-seals. Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 IS a close run for
Autofocus is virtually silent and only its money, and at less than half the price.
marginally slower than on the blistering
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 IS. Stabilisation
lives up to its four-stop claims, and
delivers shake-free handheld shots at
slow shutter speeds. Image quality is
excellent, with great sharpness and
very little distortion or fringing.
Great image quality, autofocus

performance and stabilisation
Lacks weather-seals; not quite
as good as the Canon equivalent
90 %

Essential kit
Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM

Price £2,800/$2,700 Web www.sigma-imaging-uk.com
Couple a big zoom range of 120-300mm Other finery includes a four-stop optical
with a big maximum aperture of f/2.8 stabiliser with dual modes, ring-type
and you inevitably end up with a big lens, ultrasonic autofocus and very sturdy
but the Sigma 120-300mm is something build quality. Autofocus is a bit slow,
of a monster. It’s twice as heavy as the although slightly quicker than on the
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, much Canon 400mm prime lens. Image quality
longer and fatter, and has an outsized is impressive, but sharpness could be
105mm filter thread. Unless your other better towards the edges of the frame.
hobby is weightlifting, you won’t want
to use this 3kg lens for long stretches
without a monopod or tripod. It’s also
the heaviest lens on test in terms
of outlay, at around £2,800.
What it does give you is the
holy grail of long telephoto
reach combined with a fast
maximum aperture of f/2.8.
Class-leading f/2.8 aperture at

its long 300mm focal length
Big and heavy; sharpness falls
off towards corners of frame
88 %
Tamron SP AF 70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD (IF) Macro

Price £600/$770 Web www.tamron.eu
This is the cheapest 70-200mm f/2.8 ring has a push-pull mechanism that
lens in the group by quite a margin. As enables you to quickly and easily swap
such, build quality is no match for Canon between auto and manual focus modes.
L-series lenses, but it’s still a reasonably Distortions are fairly pronounced,
rugged item that should withstand a few with some noticeable barrel distortion
knocks. It lacks weather-seals, ultrasonic at 70mm and pincushion at 200mm.
autofocus and optical stabilisation, so Sharpness is very respectable, even at
the specifications look a little low-tech. large apertures, especially in the central
The autofocus system may be of the portion of the frame, but there’s a slight
basic micro-motor variety, but the motor lack of contrast when shooting at f/2.8.
itself is pretty beefy, though quite noisy
as well. Autofocus is only a little slower
than with most of the lenses on test, and
fractionally faster than on the Canon
400mm and Sigma 120-300mm
lenses. And while there’s no full-time
manual override, at least the focus
Decent image quality and a fast

max aperture at a budget price
Lacks optical stabilisation and
ultrasonic autofocus
79 %

Essential kit
Go-faster telephoto lenses at a glance
Name Canon EF Canon EF 70- Canon EF Canon EF 70- Canon Canon Canon Sigma 70- Sigma Tamron SP AF
70-200mm 200mm f/2.8L 70-200mm 200mm f/4L EF 200mm EF 300mm EF 400mm 200mm f/2.8 120-300mm 70-200mm
f/2.8L USM IS II USM f/4L USM IS USM f/2.8L II USM f/4L IS USM f/5.6L USM EX DG OS f/2.8 EX DG f/2.8 Di LD (IF)
HSM OS HSM Macro
Aperture range f/2.8 to f/32 f/2.8 to f/32 f/4 to f/32 f/4 to f/32 f/2.8 to f/32 f/4 to f/32 f/5.6 to f/32 f/2.8 to f/22 f/2.8 to f/22 f/2.8 to f/32
EFL (APS-C) 112-320mm 112-320mm 112-320mm 112-320mm 320mm 480mm 640mm 112-320mm 192-480mm 112-320mm
Magnification 0.16x 0.21x 0.21x 0.21x 0.16x 0.24x 0.12x 0.125x 0.125x 0.32x
factor (Max)
Minimum focus 1.5m 1.2m 1.2m 1.2m 1.5m 1.5m 3.5m 1.4m 1.5-2.5m 0.95m
distance
Autofocus Ring-type USM Ring-type USM Ring-type USM Ring-type USM Ring-type USM Ring-type USM Ring-type USM Ring-type HSM Ring-type HSM Micro-motor
Internal zoom Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A N/A Yes Yes Yes
Internal focusing Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
AF override Full-time Full-time Full-time Full-time Full-time Full-time Full-time Full-time Full-time Push-pull
Image stabiliser None 4-stops None 4-stops None 4-stops 4-stops 4-stops 4-stops None
Weather-seals No Yes No Yes No No No No No No
Filter size 77mm 77mm 67mm 67mm 72mm 77mm 77mm 77mm 105mm 77mm
Included Hood, tripod Hood, tripod Hood, pouch Hood, pouch Hood, pouch Built-in hood, Built-in hood, Hood, tripod Hood, tripod Hood, tripod
accessories collar, pouch collar, pouch tripod collar tripod collar collar, pouch collar, pouch collar, pouch
Optional 1.4x & 2x 1.4x & 2x 1.4x & 2x* 1.4x & 2x* 1.4x & 2x 1.4x & 2x* 1.4x* & 2x* 1.4x & 2x 1.4x & 2x None
teleconverters *AF disabled *AF disabled *AF disabled *AF disabled
Dimensions 85x194mm 89x199mm 76x172mm 76x172mm 83x162mm 90x221mm 90x256mm 86x197mm 114x289mm 90x194mm
(Dia x Length)
Weight 1.31kg 1.49kg 0.71kg 0.76kg 0.77kg 1.19kg 1.25kg 1.43kg 2.95kg 1.15kg
RRP £1540 £2800 £790 £1450 £960 £1740 £1660 £1540 £2500 £800
Target price £1000/$1450 £1950/$2500 £500/$710 £900/$1350 £650/$820 £1170/$1450 £1125/$1340 £800/$1200 £2800/$2700 £600/$770
Verdict
88% 97% 82% 86% 80% 82% 78% 90% 88% 79%
Our Verdict
Fast telephoto lenses have long been one of massively heavyweight Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8.
Five things we
learnt in this test
Canon’s strongest suits, a fact that’s reinforced If you can live without image stabilisation, the
A 200mm focal length is adequate for most
by the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM. Everything Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 and f/4 lenses are 1 sporting action when used on a camera
works flawlessly, and the lens delivers such also definitely worth considering. with an APS-C sensor, which gives it an effective
sublime image quality that it’s destined to reach of 320mm.
become a classic amongst pro users. The only
Not all ultrasonic autofocus systems perform
reason not to buy it is the price – you won’t get 2 equally. There can be a noticeable difference in
very much change out of £1,000. speed between competing ring-type USM lenses.
If your budget is more modest, then the Sigma
Image stabilisation is well worth having,
70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM does everything 3 especially when lighting is dull, or if you need
almost as well as the Canon. The autofocus speed a slow shutter speed for creating motion blur
is fractionally slower and the Sigma doesn’t when panning.
deliver quite such outstanding contrast at large
Shooting a burst of shots in Continuous drive
apertures, and it also lacks weather-seals. 4 mode can be really helpful when you’re trying to
However, with an excellent four-stop stabilisation capture a defining moment in sports photography.
system, it’s unbeatable value at £800, and well
A monopod can help give sharper shots, as
worth the extra outlay compared with the 5 well as easing the load on your back when
non-stabilised Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8. For our The only reason not to buy the EF 70-200mm shooting with heavy lenses (with or without
money, it’s also a more viable proposition than the f/2.8L IS II USM is its hefty price image stabilisation).

Essential kit
Things to look
TELECONVERTERS
If the price of a new telephoto lens is beyond reach, consider
out for…
1 One downside of
teleconverters is that they
increasing the reach of your existing lenses instead… reduce the effective aperture
of lenses. A 1.4x teleconverter
Canon Extender EF 1.4x II Sigma 2x EX DGTeleconverter generally reduces the aperture
Price £400/$500 Web www.canon.co.uk Price £200/$250 Web www.sigma-imaging-uk.com by one stop, a 2x teleconverter
reduces it by two stops, and a
The Mark II Canon Extender EF 1.4x has all the same If you’re a fan of Sigma lenses, then you’re going to enjoy 3x by three stops. So a Canon
premium optics as its predecessor, but it now has enhanced using the Sigma 2x EX DG Teleconverter. Made up of six EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM lens
weather-resistant construction and improved anti-reflective elements in five groups, it has great optical quality, but it with a 2x teleconverter
internal surfaces. Because of these improvements, both the is surprisingly lightweight, making it ideal for use with effectively becomes a 600mm
weight and price has increased, making it an expensive longer and heavier lenses. Sigma teleconverters lens with a maximum aperture
accessory to your L-series lenses (it only works with Canon’s are only compatible with of f/5.6.
L-series lenses). Sigma APO lenses,
The contrast of images taken with the Extender and many of which 2 Teleconverters work best
was a little muted, but will only work when with long-length prime lenses
sharpness was focused manually, because of their superior
excellent across the like the Sigma APO optical quality. As zoom lenses
frame. As only a 150-500mm f/5-6.3 tend to suffer more with lens
single stop was DG OS HSM that we distortion or aberrations, these
added to the effective tried. Having double problems will be magnified.
aperture of the lens, the focal length to
our fast glass work with is a great 3 Autofocus speed is
remained fast and the bonus however, dramatically reduced with
1.4x increase in focal particularly when teleconverters. In fact, if the
length filled the frame photographing wildlife. widest aperture of your lens
before attaching a
Our Verdict 90 Our Verdict

% 87 %
teleconverter is f/5.6 or above,
then autofocus is unlikely to
Excellent sharpness; weather-resistant construction Great optical quality; lightweight; perfect for wildlife work at all.
Expensive; heavy; muted contrast Only compatible with Sigma APO lenses; loss of sharpness
4 Check which lenses your
teleconverter is compatible
Kenko Teleplus Pro 300 1.4x Kenko Teleplus Pro 300 3x with before you buy. Canon
MC DGX Teleconverter DG Teleconverter extenders only work with
Price £120/$190 Web www.intro2020.co.uk Price £220/$260 Web www.intro2020.co.uk specific Canon L-series lenses,
while Sigma teleconverters
Lightweight and compact, the four-element design of the This extra-long teleconverter triples focal length – but also only work with selected Sigma
Kenko Teleplus Pro 300 1.4x DG Teleconverter is simple add three stops to your aperture! The Canon EF 135mm APO lenses. Kenko’s
but incredibly effective. When used with a Canon EF f/2L USM therefore becomes a teleconverters worked with
100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro lens, the macro capabilities 405mm f/5.6 lens. Although every full-frame-compatible
are enhanced beyond the normal 1:1 ratio, to larger-than- it autofocuses with lenses lenses we tried them with, but
life-size. However, when used to increase the focal length of that have a maximum not with Canon EF-S (or other
a telephoto lens, we experienced an obvious loss of clarity aperture of f/2.8 or wider, third-party manufacturers’)
and definition, particularly in it is very sluggish, making lenses designed for use with
the corners of the frame. it difficult to capture the crop-factor sensors.
Manual focusing high-speed sports that it
became necessary on brings you so close to. It
lenses with a maximum also creates problems with
aperture of f/4 or contrast and exposure,
narrower, which is a full leaving photos looking grey
stop less than Canon’s and dull, unless properly
Extender EF 1.4x II. compensated for.

% 71 %
Lightweight; compact; great macro capabilities Extra-long 3x focal length; good build quality
Poor autofocusing beyond f/4.5; loss of clarity and definition Slow autofocusing; poor contrast and exposure

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Essential kit
Ultra-wide
lenses Is your standard zoom lens stopping
you from seeing the bigger picture?
We search out the best buys at the
ultra-wide end of the spectrum

Essential kit
S
tandard zoom lenses with a typical focal length of 16mm, and the difference is THE EIGHT ON TEST
range of around 18-55mm give you a truly staggering – it’s almost like you’re 1 Tamron SP AF 10-24mm £370
somewhat blinkered outlook on life. suddenly viewing the scene with both eyes f/3.5-4.5 Di II $500
When you take into account the 1.6x crop open instead of just one. 2 Sigma 10mm f/2.8 £490
factor of most Canon D-SLRs, such as the The same holds true for landscape EX DC HSM Diagonal Fisheye $650
1100D, 650D, 60D and 7D, the effective focal photography, when you want to take in a grand 3 Sigma 10-20mm £400
length of these lenses stretches from 29mm vista. An ultra-wide lens really does cover all f/3.5 EX DC HSM $650
to 88mm. That’s fine for general photography, the angles, as well as giving your creativity a 4 Tokina AF 10-17mm £530
but there are times when you simply won’t be boost. You can massively exaggerate f/3.5-4.5 AT-X107 DX Fisheye $560
able to squeeze everything you want to perspective in shots, making foreground 5 Sigma 8-16mm £540
photograph into the frame. You’re likely to feel objects really stand out against rapidly f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM $650
the pinch most acutely when you’re shooting shrinking backgrounds. 6 Tokina 12-24mm £440
interiors of buildings. Even when your back is For most of us, a telephoto zoom lens will be f/4 AT-X 124 PRO DX II $400
literally up against the wall, you simply can’t the first purchase after buying a D-SLR with a 7 Canon EF 17-40mm £630
zoom out far enough to get the shot you want. standard zoom lens. But an ultra-wide lens is a f/4L USM $840
But fit an ultra-wide lens like the Canon worthy contender for being next on the list. So 8 Canon EF-S 10-22mm £475
10-22mm, which has an effective wide-angle let’s take an in-depth look at the choices… f/3.5-4.5 USM $600

Essential kit
How we Cover all the angles

tested… Get more into your pictures with an optical shoehorn
F
All the lenses in the group were ull-frame digital photography is very much the degrees on APS-C bodies. Sticking with APS-C, the
tested on APS-C camera bodies, but road less travelled, and the vast majority of us Tokina 12-24mm gives a narrower 99 degrees
we also used the full-frame Canon use D-SLRs with smaller APS-C (Advanced maximum angle of view and the Sigma 8-16mm goes
EF 17-40mm lens on a 5D Mark II. We Photo System-Classic) sensors. In a nutshell, this wider at 114 degrees. But that’s not the whole story.
were keen to include this lens, means that when you’re using a full-frame camera like
despite it not giving a wide angle of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, the zoom range that’s How wide?
view on APS-C cameras, as it’s printed on the lens is the zoom range you’ll actually Most of the lenses in this test group are ‘rectilinear’.
especially good value for a Canon get. However, with cameras ranging from the 1100D That means that straight lines of objects in a scene
L-series (Luxury) lens and therefore to the 7D, you need to apply a focal length multiplier remain straight in the resulting image, at least as far as
a tempting proposition if you have a (or crop factor) of 1.6x, regardless of whether the lens possible. You’re still likely to see some bowing from
full-frame body or are thinking of is designed for full-frame or APS-C bodies. barrel distortion, especially at the shortest end of the
trading up. All lenses were checked The upshot is that if you want an ultra-wide lens for zoom range. And exaggerated perspective effects can
for handling, autofocus speed and your APS-C camera, you really need to buy one that’s also make straight lines appear to curve. These
accuracy, and all aspects of image designed exclusively for this type of body. It’s easy to distortions are massively more pronounced on
quality throughout their aperture tell the difference. Full-frame lenses have designations fisheye, or ‘curvilinear’ lenses, like the Sigma 10mm
ranges and zoom ranges (where that include Canon EF, Sigma DG, Tamron Di and prime lens and Tokina 10-17mm fisheye zoom.
applicable). Tokina D. Those made specifically for APS-C bodies Even though the two fisheye lenses in the group
are Canon EF-S, Sigma DC, Tamron Di II and Tokina have a minimum or fixed focal length of 10mm, similar
DX. Full-frame lenses are fully compatible with both to many of the rectilinear lenses on test, they have a
full-frame and APS-C bodies, but you can’t use APS-C much larger angle of view, at 180 degrees on the
lenses on a full-frame body as lens optics are too small. diagonal. There are actually two different types of
It’s only natural to think that shorter focal lengths fisheye: circular and diagonal. A circular fisheye lens
give wider angles of view. That’s true to a large extent. produces a circular image at the central region of the
For example, the Canon EF 17-40mm on test gives a image sensor. Both fisheye lenses on test are of the
maximum angle of view of 104 degrees on a full-frame diagonal fisheye type, which cover the whole frame,
body. The Canon EF-S 10-22mm gives a similar 107 so you get a regular-sized, rectangular image.
Ultra-wide lenses in focus

Which lenses deliver the best autofocus performance?
T
here are times when fast, highly efficient
autofocus is a bonus, even with an ultra-wide
lens. Sure, much of the time you’ll be using this
type of lens for landscape and interior shooting, where
autofocus speed isn’t an issue. However, ultra-wide
lenses are also great for action shots – when you’re right
up close to skateboard stunts, for example.
The autofocus systems in the Tamron and both
Tokina lenses on test are based on a ‘micro-motor’.
These are small electric motors that drive gearwheels to
operate the focusing actuator, and they’re often slow and
Expert Tip fairly noisy. The next step up is an ultrasonic motor,
which is small and relatively quiet, but still operates
For sunny day shots when
the sun is behind you, it’s all through gearwheels and isn’t super-speedy.
too easy to end up with your shadow Both of the Canon lenses and all three Sigma models
stretching into the foreground of the in the group feature advanced, ‘ring-type’ ultrasonic
image. To minimise this, use a tripod autofocus. Instead of using a motor, the system is based
and a remote controller, or set the on two large circular rings that are mounted inside the
camera’s drive mode to a self-timer
lens, but which have a sufficiently large diameter so that
delay, then crouch down out of the
the optical image passes through their middle. This type
way while the shot is taken. The
camera and tripod may still cast a of autofocus is generally very fast and practically silent. Fast, ring-type ultrasonic autofocus helps
shadow, but this will be relatively An extra bonus is that, in One Shot AF mode, you get to nail the action when you’re shooting up
easy to clone out at the full-time manual override of autofocus, without the need close and personal with a wide lens
editing stage. to switch between AF/M on the lens barrel.

Essential kit
Lenses, apertures and depth of field Phrase Book

Ultra-wide lenses enable you to get more of a scene in focus Angle of view
A len’s angle of view is often quoted in
Telephoto lenses – and even distant backdrops and the rear of the camera body, three different ways: as the angles of
lenses with a standard focal foreground subjects sharp in rather than from the front of view on the horizontal and vertical
length that have a large an image. For example, if you the lens. planes, as well as on the diagonal,
between opposing image corners.
maximum aperture – can give select a focal length of 10mm A handy trick for landscape
The figures shown in our comparison
you a very shallow depth of on a lens on an APS-C camera, shots is to use the focus
table at the end of this group test are
field. They’re ideal for blurring and focus on an object 30cm distance scale printed on all for the diagonal angle of view.
the background, for example in away (about a foot) using an the lenses in this group. You
portraiture. Ultra-wide lenses aperture of f/16, the large can then set the ‘hyperfocal Depth of field
This is a measurement of how much
deliver the opposite effect, depth of field will ensure distance’ manually. At this
of the scene, in front of and behind
enabling a much greater depth everything is sharp from a focus distance everything in
the focus point, is retained sharp in an
of field, especially when you distance of just 16cm to 2.5m. the frame will appear sharp
image. It’s dependent on both the
use a fairly small aperture. Bear in mind that the from half the hyperfocal focal length and the aperture setting
A big depth of field is great distances are measured from distance to infinity, as shown in of the lens. Shorter focal lengths and
if you want to keep both the focal plane mark towards the chart below. smaller apertures both increase
depth of field.
Hyperfocal distances for ultra-wide lenses Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic autofocus systems (Sigma
Focal length Aperture Hyperfocal distance
calls them ‘hypersonic’) are driven at
10mm f/8 67cm a frequency that’s above the upper
limit of what’s audible to humans. It’s
10mm f/11 48cm typically around 30kHz (kilohertz).
10mm f/16 34cm
10mm f/22 17cm
15mm f/8 150cm
15mm f/11 106cm
15mm f/16 76cm
15mm f/22 54cm
20mm f/8 265cm
20mm f/11 188cm
20mm f/16 134cm Set the hyperfocal distance to ensure

that everything is sharp from as close
20mm f/22 95cm
as possible to infinity within a scene
STEP BY STEP Mind your feet – and your tripod’s
In-betweener Boom boom Keep a balance

With a large angle of view, it’s easy to end up Some tripods feature a pivoting centre When you extend the horizontal boom,
with tripod feet – or even your own feet – in column that can extend as a horizontal there’s a danger the tripod may topple over.
the shot. Position the camera between two tripod boom. This keeps feet at bay even at the widest- Hang a weight on the back of the column to
legs to reduce the risk. angle settings. ensure everything’s balanced.

Essential kit
Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

Once the most expensive lens in the group by some margin, the
EF-S 10-22mm used to cost even more than Canon’s L-series
(Luxury) EF 17-40mm full-frame offering. Build quality feels
pretty solid and robust, but it lacks the usual L-series
refinements, like weather-seals and a lens hood. The latter
shouldn’t be a deal-breaker though, as while Canon’s official
EW-83E hood costs around £30, you can buy independently
made, compatible petal-shaped hoods for as little as £5 online.
Handling is very refined, and both zooming and focusing are
completely internal, so the lens doesn’t stretch in length during
either adjustment. The ring-type USM autofocus proved
super-fast and completely accurate in our tests, as well as being
whisper-quiet. Despite this, images were generally slightly
lacking in sharpness towards either end of the zoom range, 22mm
especially at apertures larger than f/8.
At the largest apertures there’s noticeable vignetting but, as
it’s a genuine Canon lens, in-camera ‘peripheral illumination
correction’ is available on current D-SLRs, as well as in Digital
Photo Professional when you’re editing RAW files.
10mm
Good build quality and handling with

super-fast autofocus
Optical quality could be better and it’s not
great value at the price
83 %
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

This is the only lens in the group that’s compatible with full-frame
cameras like the 5D Mark II. We’ve included it because it is
supremely good value, particularly for an L-series lens. Its optical
prowess is only narrowly beaten by the Zeiss Distagon T* 18mm
f/3.5 ZE prime lens, which costs twice the price and has no
autofocus facility.
Despite the modest asking price for a luxury L-series lens, the
build quality is professional, complete with dust and moisture
seals. As with most L-series lenses, a lens hood is supplied as
standard kit. Surprisingly compact for a full-frame ultra-wide
lens, the 17-40mm is only slightly larger than the EF-S 10-22mm,
and weighs less than some of the APS-C lenses in the group.
Image quality proved very impressive in our tests, with the
lens delivering great sharpness and contrast throughout the 40mm
zoom and aperture ranges. Vignetting is well controlled on
full-frame cameras and a non-issue on APS-C bodies. The only
problem is on APS-C EOS cameras the effective 27-64mm focal
length range is more like a standard zoom than an ultra-wide
lens, as demonstrated in the adjacent test shots.
17mm
Great image quality and great build quality,

including dust and moisture seals
Lacks wide-angle coverage on an
APS-C body
88 %

Essential kit
Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM

Price £540/$650 Web www.sigma-imaging-uk.com
Rewriting the rule book on rectilinear ultra-wide lenses for APS-C

cameras, the Sigma 8-16mm reigns supreme when it comes to
sheer angle of view. At its shortest 8mm focal length this is 114
degrees compared with the 107 degrees of the Canon EF-S
10-22mm lens. But with the extra comes compromise.
The lens cap is a two-stage affair, combining a regular clip-on
cap with a sleeve which also has to be removed. You can actually
leave the sleeve on when shooting at the 16mm end of the zoom
range, which also enables the fitting of 72mm screw-in filters or a
square filter adaptor. However, at shorter settings, the sleeve
causes extreme vignetting; essentially, you can’t use popular
filters like ND grads at anything other than the longest setting.
Sharpness proved respectable rather than spectacular but
remains good throughout the whole zoom range, even when 16mm
shooting with the largest available apertures. Distortion and
colour fringing are fairly well contained, and vignetting is only
noticeable when shooting at 8mm with the largest aperture of
f/4.5. Overall, it’s a good choice if you want to maximise your
viewing angle at the expense of using filters.
8mm
Unbeatably wide angle of view for a

non-fisheye lens
Filters can only be used at the 16mm end of
the zoom range
86 %
Sigma 10mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM

Quite chunky for a fisheye prime lens, the Sigma 10mm delivers
a full rectangular image, rather than a small circular picture. It’s
designed exclusively for APS-C cameras so, like all but the Canon
EF 17-40mm lens in this group, it’s incompatible with full-frame
bodies. Sigma states a full 180-degree diagonal field of view but,
on Canon APS-C cameras which have a 1.6x crop factor rather
than the more common 1.5x as other D-SLRs, it’s closer to 170
degrees. This still puts it a long way ahead of rectilinear lenses of
the same focal length, squeezing much more into the frame.
As with any fisheye lens, the trade-off of a larger angle of view
is that barrel distortion is very extreme; it’s this that gives fisheye
images their distinctive look. In practice, the lens works well for
giving a really funky effect in architectural photography, while
shooting interiors is aided by the fast f/2.8 maximum aperture.
This makes sharp handheld shots a real possibility, especially as
the depth of field is considerable even at this large aperture.
Image quality proved sharp right into the corners and colour
fringing was well controlled, while vignetting was only slightly
noticeable at the maximum f/2.8 aperture.
10mm
Fast maximum aperture of f/2.8; good

optical and build qualities
Fisheye effect can wear a little thin, lacking
the lasting attraction of a rectilinear lens
80 %

Essential kit
Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM

This updated version of Sigma’s perennially popular 10-20mm

f/4.5-5.6 lens has the advantage of being a ‘constant aperture’
model. The largest aperture of f/3.5 therefore remains available
throughout the entire zoom range and, indeed, it’s a third of a
stop faster than both the Canon EF 17-40mm and Tokina
12-24mm constant-aperture zoom lenses in the group. It’s also a
considerable one-and-a-third stops faster than the older Sigma
f/4.5-5.6 lens at the 20mm end of the zoom range.
Build quality feels very robust, and definitely a match for the
Canon EF-S 10-22mm. However, like all Sigma lenses, it lacks
dust and moisture seals. The ring-type HSM autofocus is quicker
than that fitted to the Sigma 8-16mm lens and practically silent,
matching the Canon lenses for performance.
Sharpness is good throughout the zoom range, although we 20mm
found it best to reduce the aperture to f/8 for good results at the
long end of the range. There’s very little vignetting or colour
fringing, and distortions are well controlled. The Sigma also
proved particularly resistant to ghosting and flare when shooting
outdoors and into the light. A cracking lens at a very good price.
10mm
Fast, constant aperture of f/3.5; very well

built with optical performance to match
Sharpness can be lacking at the 20mm end of
the zoom range when using large apertures
90 %
Tamron SP AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II

Price £370/$500 Web www.tamron.eu/uk
Tamron seems to have upped its game over the past couple of
years, with some excellent new launches like the 18-270mm VC
PZD and 70-300mm VC USD. Meanwhile, review samples of
older lenses now also seem to have taken a step up the quality
ladder. The 10-24mm is a case in point. Once this lens was
noticable for a disappointing lack of sharpness at every focal
length and aperture setting. The review sample we received this
time around proved very much better.
Some drawbacks remain the same though. The basic
micro-motor autofocus is very sluggish, but is at least quiet for a
conventional motor-driven system. The lack of AF speed is only
likely to be an issue if you’re shooting sports or other action, and
is largely immaterial for landscapes or portrait shots.
Colour fringing can be noticeable around high-contrast edges
– especially towards the corners of the frame – and the fringing
24mm
can’t be tuned out by shooting in RAW and editing images in
Digital Photo Professional. Even so, the Tamron can deliver
excellent results and, considering it’s little more than half the
price of the competing Canon EF-S 10-22mm, it’s a top-value buy.
10mm
Image quality is very good overall, for a lens
that’s relatively cheap inexpensive
Autofocus is very sluggish compared with
most lenses in the group
84 %

Essential kit
Tokina AF 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 AT-X 107 DX

Price £530/$560 Web www.kenro.co.uk
Think ‘fisheye zoom’ and you’re probably thinking of the much-

vaunted Canon EF 8-15mm. However, the Canon and this
lesser-known Tokina are very different. The big idea of the Canon
lens is that, on a full-frame body at least, you get a circular
fisheye effect at 8mm, zooming to a diagonal fisheye at 15mm,
the latter of which gives a frame-filling rectangular image.
However, the advantage is completely lost on an APS-C camera,
where you get an almost rectangular image with extreme
vignetting at 8mm, and a slightly insipid fisheye effect at 16mm.
By contrast, the Tokina 10-17mm is designed exclusively for
APS-C cameras, on which it gives full-sized rectangular fisheye
images throughout its whole zoom range. Even so, the fisheye
effect is more pronounced at 10mm, and the distortion doesn’t
look so extreme towards the 17mm end of the zoom range. 17mm
Optical performance is impressive, with plenty of sharpness
and contrast, although colour fringing can be quite noticeable
around very high-contrast edges, such as tree branches against
a bright sky. Ghosting and flare are well contained, which is good
news, as fisheyes tend to take in a lot of sky in outdoor shooting.
10mm
Unique as an APS-C fisheye zoom;

impressive image quality
The exaggerated fisheye effect loses some
strength at the 17mm end of the zoom range
82 %
Tokina 12-24mm f/4 AT-X 124 PRO DX II

A heavyweight amongst the ultra-wides, the Tokina 12-24mm is a

chunky, solidly built lens. It lacks ultrasonic autofocus and there’s
no full-time manual focus override, but it partially redeems itself
with a push-pull focus ring: the idea is that you push the ring
away from you to facilitate autofocus and pull it towards you to
switch to manual focusing. It works quite well in practice and is
more intuitive than fumbling around for an AF/M focus switch.
Built for APS-C bodies, the main drawback of this lens is its
zoom range of 12-24mm. Once you take the 1.6x crop factor into
account, the shortest effective focal length is 19.2mm, compared
with 16mm on most of the competition. The maximum angle of
view is therefore rather reduced.
Sharpness proved pretty good between f/8 and f/16, but was
rather disappointing at the largest aperture of f/4, which remains
constant throughout the zoom range. Barrel distortion is also
24mm
very pronounced at the 12mm zoom setting, while colour fringing
tends to be very noticeable towards the edges and corners of
images. Considering its high price, the Tokina 12-24mm doesn’t
offer very good value for money.
12mm
Sturdy, solid build quality; the push-pull
focus ring works quite well
Maximum angle of view is disappointing and
overall image quality could be better
78 %

Essential kit
Ultra-wide lenses at a glance
Name Canon EF-S 10- Canon EF Sigma 8-16mm Sigma 10mm Sigma 10-20mm Tamron SP AF Tokina AF 10- Tokina 12-24mm
22mm f/3.5-4.5 17-40mm f/4L f/4.5-5.6 DC f/2.8 EX DC f/3.5 EX DC HSM 10-24mm f/3.5- 17mm f/3.5-4.5 f/4 AT-X 124 Pro
USM USM HSM HSM 4.5 Di II AT-X 107 DX DX II
Lens type Rectilinear Rectilinear Rectilinear Diagonal Rectilinear Rectilinear Diagonal Rectilinear
Fisheye Fisheye
Full-frame No Yes No No No No No No
compatible
Aperture range f/3.5 to f/22 f/4 to f/22 f/4.5 to f/22 f/2.8 to f/22 f/3.5 to f/22 f/3.5 to f/22 f/3.5 to f/22 f/4 to f/22
Effective focal 16-35mm 27-64mm 13-26mm 16mm 16-32mm 16-38mm 16-27mm 19-38mm
length (APS-C)
Minimum focus 24cm 28cm 24cm 13.5cm 24cm 24cm 14cm 30cm
distance
Angle of view 107 to 63 104 to 57 114 to 75 180 degrees 102 to 64 106 to 58 180 to 100 99 to 61
(diagonal) degrees degrees degrees degrees degrees degrees degrees
Autofocus Ultrasonic, Ultrasonic, Ultrasonic, Ultrasonic, Ultrasonic, Micro-motor Micro-motor Micro-motor

motor type ring type ring type ring type ring type ring type
Lens tuning in DPP Yes Yes No No No No No No
Screw-in filter size 77mm 77mm 72mm None 82mm 77mm None 77mm
Lens hood EW-83E (£30) Included Built-in Built-in Included Included Built-in Included
Dimensions 84 x 90mm 84 x 97mm 75 x 106mm 76 x 83mm 87 x 88mm 83 x 87mm 70 x 71mm 84 x 89mm

(Dia x Length)
Weight 385g 500g 555g 475g 520g 406g 350g 540g
RRP £990 £940 £800 £600 £650 £510 £736 £756
Target price £475/$600 £630/$840 £540/$650 £490/$650 £400/$650 £370/$500 £530/$560 £440/$400
Our Verdict
A few less millimetres in focal length can make a big
Five things we
learnt in this test
difference in the angle of view, especially in ultra-wide
Full-frame ultra-wide lenses really fail to
lenses on APS-C cameras. The Sigma 8-16mm might 1 deliver a sufficiently wide angle of view
therefore look an obvious winner, with its class-leading on APS-C bodies.
8mm focal length at the wide-angle end of its zoom
range. It certainly puts the ‘ultra’ into ultra-wide but Fisheye lenses give a funky, unusual effect, but
image quality isn’t the best in the group, and it’s 2 aren’t suitable for most scenarios and lack
frustrating that you can’t use the lens with filters, apart lasting appeal.
from at the 16mm end of the zoom range.
Both Canon lenses are of high quality, and the EF Genuine Canon lenses have the advantage that
17-40mm is excellent value for an L-series lens, making
3 you can apply Peripheral Illumination Correction
it a great choice for full-frame bodies like the 5D Mark in-camera, and lens tuning for RAW files
in Digital Photo Professional software.
II. For the rest of us with APS-C cameras, the Sigma
10-20mm f/3.5 offers an unbeatable combination of
The Sigma 8-16mm and the fisheye lenses in the
high image quality, autofocus speed and value for 4 group can’t be fitted with screw-in filters.
money; it’s the one we’d go for. On a tight budget,
however, the Tamron 10-24mm delivers good image When used at focal lengths of around 18mm, the
quality at a rock-bottom price, if you can live with 5 rectilinear ultra-wide lenses in the group produce
sluggish autofocus. Q much less distortion than most standard zooms.

Essential kit
Things to look
BATTERY GRIPS
Invest in a battery grip to give your Canon some extra juice
out for…
1 All the battery grips we
tested had the option of using
when you’re out and about, and improve its ergonomics two Li-ion camera batteries or
six AA batteries instead. This
Opteka Battery Pack Grip Canon BG-E7 means that, even if you’re
Price £45/$50 Web www.opteka.com Price £150/$160 Web www.canon.co.uk shooting in remote locations,
you can find replacement
This plastic-and-rubber battery grip is a good budget choice. Mimicking the look and feel of the 7D, this Canon grip fits AA batteries easily.
Fitting it to the 7D is easy and secure, as the tripod pin like a dream. It’s a little bulkier and heavier than some, but
attaches smoothly to the base of the camera. All the the rubber detailing gives a strong hold in all weather 2 With the long nights, it’s the
buttons, including the vertical shutter conditions. Fitting two Li-ion batteries perfect time for taking
release, are well-placed but are a little is easy and the holder for six AAs long-exposure photographs.
awkward. The AA battery holder didn’t slides in smoothly. As with all battery You’ll quickly discover your
feel flimsy when removing batteries, grips on test, there’s space to fit your battery is thoroughly drained
but the compartment was hard to SLR’s removed battery door next to after an hour or so of long
open due to the lack of spring-loading. the connection pins for safe keeping. exposures, but a battery grip
doubles your shooting time.
3 Each battery grip is created

to fit the internal workings of
different EOS models; we
tested grips for the 7D, but
they’re all available in a range
of fittings. Some Canon
cameras share the basic shape
and battery type, so a grip built
for the 450D will also fit the

% 79 %
500D, for example.
Rubber/plastic body; easy to fit; good battery holder; cheap Canon feel; easy-to-store battery door; smooth battery fitting 4 Adding a grip to your
Stiff buttons; awkward to use; hard-to-open compartment Expensive; bulky and heavy; difficult for smaller hands camera will give you similar
ergonomics to the Canon
Hähnel HC-7D Pro Ansmann Battery Grip C-7 Pro EOS-1D pro range. Not only
Price £100/$125 Web www.hahnel.ie Price £62/$100 Web www.ansmann.de does it make it easier to shoot
in portrait format, with the
Hähnel’s grip also comes with an infrared controller for This grip’s rugged rubber-and-plastic build gives a firm hold, addition of a second shutter
remote shooting. This grip is the lightest on test, due to its and ergonomic features – such as a raised bump on the button, but your focus and
plastic-only body, but the smooth plastic doesn’t feel as front to help spread and fit your fingers to the grip – make it exposure buttons are within
secure in the hand as the other comfortable. The shutter and function easy reach, too.
rubber/plastic combo grips. The buttons are easy to find, even with
shutter and function buttons are easy your eye to the viewfinder. Fitting two 5 Your flashgun also eats
to use, and fitting two Li-ion batteries Li-ion batteries is effortless, but its AA through batteries. Instead of
or six AAs is simple. The battery battery magazine tends to catch on the carrying spares, consider a
connections are good and strong. internal pegs of the grip. Quantum Turbo SC (www.
flaghead.co.uk, £450). This will
power your flash for 400 full-
power shots or thousands in
TTL/automatic mode.

% 90 %
Infrared controller; lightweight; good battery connections Ergonomic; comfortable; good build quality; excellent power
Plastic only; doesn’t feel as secure as other grips AA battery magazine catches internally; quite expensive

Essential kit
Our 16 contenders
1 Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro £240/$300
2 Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro £270/$350
3 Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM £370/$470
4 Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro £370/$500
6 Tamron SP AF 60mm f/2 Di II Macro £350/$525
7 Tokina AF 100mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro D Macro £370/$400
8 Tokina AF 35mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX Macro £380/$550
10 Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM £390/$600
11 Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM Macro £600/$1,100
12 Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM £720/$1,050
13 Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di Macro £700/$740
14 Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro £855/$1,050
15 Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM £1,210/$1,580
16 Zeiss 100mm f/2 Makro Planar T* ZE £1,460/$1,845

Essential kit
Macro lenses
With the ability
to reveal intricate T
rue macro lenses offer a magnification
factor of 1.0x or 1:1 at its closest focus
setting. Fit one of these lenses to a
slightly different distance towards the corners
of the frame compared to the centre. For
example, the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L-series
camera such as the EOS 60D or 600D, and a zoom lens is quite notorious for this. In macro
detail in tiny objects, standard UK postage stamp will fill the whole lenses, field curvature must be minimised as
frame. That might not sound particularly much as possible, so if you photograph a small
macro lenses bring a impressive, but when you consider that the flat object square on, such as the postage
new world of photo 18Mp sensors in these cameras enable very stamp we mentioned, the centre and corners of
large format prints, the potential for creating the stamp should all be sharp and in focus.
opportunities. Here massive enlargements from shots of tiny With a broad range of focal lengths available,
are your choices objects is really quite astonishing.

One feature that’s shared by all macro lenses
from 35mm right up to 180mm, you can also
use macro lenses to double up as high-quality
is that they’re ‘flat field’ lenses. General- prime lenses for other types of shooting. But
purpose lenses typically suffer from field there are a couple of factors to bear in mind
curvature, so the point of focus will be at a with this, which we’ll come to over the page.

Essential kit
How we
tested… Getting in close
All features of the lenses were Macro lenses are often called ‘close-up’ lenses, as that’s
tested, including the accuracy
and speed of autofocus and what they do best. But there are still choices to be made
any extra facilities such as
W
image stabilisation. We hen you’re choosing a macro lens it’s It’s also tempting to consider using a long macro lens as a
concentrated most on macro important to consider the 1.6x crop factor telephoto for sports and wildlife photography, but this is
performance, however, of most Canon D-SLRs – a focal length of less than ideal, because the low gearing and long travel
starting with the smoothness 100mm is a long-standing favourite for macro lenses, but of the focus range often results in slow autofocus
and precision of manual focus one that stems from full-frame film cameras. Canon’s performance. Some lenses feature a focus limit switch
rings. Even the slightest EF-S 60mm is designed specifically for cameras with but, even so, autofocus can still be sluggish.
camera movement can result smaller APS-C sensors – the effective focal length works
in blurred macro images, so we out to 96mm, which is almost exactly the same as the A question of distance
mounted cameras on sturdy classic 100mm length. The same goes for the Tamron The minimum focus distance of macro lenses with
tripods and used a 2-sec 60mm Di-II macro lens that’s also incompatible with the same magnification factor of 1.0x increases with
self-timer delay with the mirror full-frame cameras, as is the Tokina 35mm DX macro. longer focal lengths. For example, it’s around 20cm for
lockup function. The test shots At the other end of the scale, some macro lenses, such a 60mm lens, and as much as 48cm for a 180mm lens.
shown on the following pages as the Canon and Tamron 180mm models, offer a long These distances aren’t measured between the object
were all taken with an aperture telephoto reach of 288mm on APS-C cameras, once being photographed and the front of the lens, but
of f/11, where most lenses you’ve taken the crop factor into account. So which focal rather between the object and the focal plane; this
were at their sharpest. length is best? A relatively short focal length of 35mm is marked on the camera body towards its rear, in line
means a macro lens can potentially double up as a with the image sensor.
standard prime lens; slightly longer 50-60mm lenses, on Some macro lenses also have internal focusing, which
the other hand, are best for portraiture. can be a bonus as the front element doesn’t extend when
Getting back to macro shooting, 50-60mm is ideal on you shorten the focus distance. In other lenses, the overall
an APS-C camera for small inanimate objects; longer length can almost double at the shortest focus setting. For
lenses of 100-180mm are great for photographing moving macro lenses that have shorter focal lengths, this
subjects such as bugs, as there’s less chance of scaring movement can put the front element of the lens
them away – you can keep more distance between you uncomfortably close to the object that’s being
and the insect, while still getting extreme close-up shots. photographed.
Coping with shallow depth of field

Don’t expect to get everything sharp when using a macro lens!
W
hen you’re shooting at the
minimum focus distance,
depth of field is extremely
small. For example, with a 100mm lens
Expert Tip on an APS-C camera, it’s just 0.6mm

at an aperture of f/2.8, so only areas
Just like using telephoto that are within 0.3mm in front of or
lenses, macro lenses behind the focus point will be rendered
are extremely prone to camera sharply. Even at f/11, the depth of field
shake. To make matters worse, is only 2.6mm.
you will often want to use Shallow depths of field aren’t too
narrow apertures, to ensure much of a problem when shooting flat
you can get as much depth of two-dimensional objects, but things
field as you can (see right). The get tricky in 3D. Because focusing is so
effects of shake also become critical, you’re usually best off
more noticeable the closer you switching to manual focus, so you can
focus. For pin-sharp macro focus on exactly the part of the object
pictures you’ll almost always you want to be sharp. Fixing the
need a tripod, particularly if you camera in place and using Live View is
don’t have image stabilisation. helpful, as you can select a magnified
And the subject needs to When you’re photographing three-dimensional objects, the view on the camera’s LCD for
keep still too! shallow depth of field from a macro lens can cause problems high-precision focusing.

Essential kit
Have you got the right X-factor?

How much magnification do you really need from your lens?
0.2x 1:5
T
he official definition of a macro lens
is that it should be able to reproduce At the bottom end, some zoom
a life-sized image of an object on the lenses only give an image on the
recording medium – in this case the image sensor that is a fifth of life-size,
sensor. The great majority of lenses in this group when focused as close
can achieve this requirement, delivering a 1.0x or as possible.
1:1 magnification ratio at their closest possible
focus distances.
You can get still get very impressive
enlargements of small objects, however, using a
macro lens that only offers 0.5x (or 1:2)
maximum magnification. Among the lenses on
test here, the Canon 50mm f/2.5 and Zeiss 0.34x 1:3
100mm f/2 are both 0.5x macro lenses. Some Some kit lenses do rather better,
telephoto zoom lenses, such as the Sigma and can produce an image that’s
70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro, also offer a one-third of life-size of the object
0.5x magnification ratio, whereas standard shot at the minimum
zooms, such as the Canon EF-S 18-55mm IS and focus level.
EF-S 17-85mm IS lenses, only deliver 0.34x
(approximately 1:3) and a more disappointing
0.2x (1:5) magnification respectively.
For a real boost in magnification, the Canon
MP-E 65mm f/2.8 lens offers an incredible 5.0x
or 5:1, revealing near-microscopic levels of detail. 0.5x 1:2
The relative magnifications at each ratio are In this group, the Canon 50mm
shown in this sequence of pictures, and the table f/2.5 and Zeiss 100mm f/2 are both
below explains the working distances. 0.5x macro lenses, for a
half-size image.
How close?
The focal length of macro lens
affects your working distance
Macro Typical Camera Some 1.0x 1:1
lens type focal length distance at 1:1 typical uses
The vast majority of macro lenses
magnification
produce a life-size image on the
sensor when focused
Standard 50mm Around Stamps,
20cm jewellery, as close as possible.
copying
flat
artwork
Short 90 or Around Flowers,

telephoto 100mm 30cm bees,
butterflies,
frogs. Also 5.0x 5:1
good for Canon’s unique MP-E 65mm gives a
portraits bellows-like magnification, giving
images on the sensor that are up to
Long 150 or Around Snakes, five times life-size.
telephoto 180mm 50cm spiders,
damsel
flies,
dragon
flies

Essential kit
Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro

H
alfway between a regular 50mm with markings along its length to show
prime and a true macro lens, the magnification factors, but these can be
‘Compact Macro’ delivers a misleading as they’re calibrated for when
maximum magnification of 0.5x. You can the optional Life-Size Converter is fitted.
boost this to a full 1.0x by fitting the There’s no need for a hood as the
Canon Life-Size Converter, which looks a front element is deeply recessed, and
bit like an extension tube but with built-in Canon doesn’t actually make a hood for
optics. The converter is even more the lens anyway. Autofocus is quite noisy
expensive than the lens itself, however, at and slow, and there’s no focus limit
around £250. The lens’s inner barrel switch. Manual focusing is pretty precise,
extends with closer focusing, complete but the focus ring is a bit on the small
side. There’s also a
distance scale with
depth of field markings
for f/16 and f/32, which
is quite useful at the
longer end of the focus
range. The lens is
impressively sharp
even at its maximum
aperture of f/2.5 and
Our Verdict
78
optical performance
is very good, right
Compact, with good optical
through to the performance across the range
smallest aperture Max magnification is only 0.5x
%
of f/32. without the optional converter
Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM

O
ne of only three lenses here there’s no focus limit switch. The trade-off
specifically designed for is the manual focus ring is relatively
cameras with APS-C sensors, high-geared, so precise focusing for macro
the EF-S 60mm has an equivalent focal shooting is a bit fiddly.
length of 96mm on cameras from the The focusing mechanism is completely
1100D to the 7D. Build quality is solid, internal, so the front element neither
and luxuries include ring-type USM rotates nor extends in the focusing range.
(Ultrasonic Motor) autofocus with The latter is a bonus considering the
full-time manual override. Autofocus is relatively short focal length, reducing the
whisper-quiet and surprisingly agile for risk of casting a shadow over subjects when
a macro lens, especially considering shooting extreme close-ups.
Working through the
aperture range, it was pretty
sharp at f/2.8 with a little
vignetting, increasing
to extremely sharp with
barely any vignetting at
f/5.6. Sharpness only really
dropped off at the minimum
aperture of f/32. With its
compact, lightweight build,
Our Verdict
90
the EF-S 60mm macro lens
really does double up as a
Fast autofocus for a macro,
useful prime lens for excellent optical performance
general shooting, and it’s Quite high-geared focus ring so
%
great for portraiture. manual focusing is a bit tricky

Essential kit
Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro

T
his high-cost option truly is a focus ring works more like a magnifying
specialist close-up lens and, in fact, ring. Magnification factors are marked on
can’t be used for anything else. It the inner lens barrel, which extends as the
takes up where most macro lenses finish magnification increases. When focused,
off, with a magnification range starting at the front of the lens moves from 101mm
1.0x and rising all the way to 5.0x. The to just 41mm away from the target, as you
good news is that this enables immense increase magnification through the
magnifying power; the downside being available range.
that you can’t focus on anything further The easiest way to use the lens is to set
away than 24cm. On this there’s no the approximate magnification you require,
autofocus mechanism, and the manual then move the camera backwards and
forwards until focus is
achieved and finally adjust
the focus/magnification
ring for precise focusing.
Lighting can be tricky at
higher magnifications
because the lens extends
to 23cm long and, with its
front edge only 41mm from
the target, light from a
Our Verdict
82
regular flashgun is
obscured. These
Reveals levels of detail that are
difficulties aside, optical invisible to the naked eye
and build quality are Only for extreme magnification,
%
both excellent. requires specialist lighting
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

N
early twice the size and weight of manual override. Autofocus speed in the
the Canon EF-S 60mm Macro on EF 100mm is a little slower (probably why
test, this is the equivalent lens for Canon has fitted a focus limit switch).
full-frame cameras, although it’s equally Frustratingly, the switch merely limits the
suitable for use on APS-C bodies. Indeed, focus range to between 48cm and infinity,
one advantage is that you don’t get as rather than the full range of 31cm to
much vignetting on cameras with smaller infinity, so you can’t lock focusing to just
sensors when shooting at the maximum the short end of the range for macro work.
aperture of f/2.8. Optically, the EF 100mm proved
Like the EF-S 60mm, this has internal extremely sharp at its maximum aperture,
focusing with ring-type USM autofocus, and maintained excellent performance
with full-time through to f/16. At f/22
there was an obvious
fall-off in sharpness, but
this only really set in at the
smallest aperture of f/32.
This is a common
phenomenon, due to
diffraction of light at very
small apertures.
Overall, the EF 100mm
Our Verdict
86
is a great performing lens,
even if it does lack the
Superb optical quality, internal
image stabilisation focusing and USM autofocus
refinement of Canon’s Focus limit switch can’t lock
%
100mm L-series macro. focus range to the short end

Essential kit
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM

L
ess a revamp of Canon’s older EF Image stabilisation is good for 4 stops
100mm f/2.8 lens (on the previous in general shooting, and reduces to 3
page), this is a new design with the stops for 0.5x close-up shooting and 2
‘L’ Luxury badge, boasting top-notch build stops in full 1.0x macro mode. At around
quality and weather seals. The standout the 0.5x mark, we consistently got
feature is a unique ‘hybrid’ image sharp handheld macro shots from this
stabiliser: whereas most IS lenses lens in conditions where it was
compensate for regular camera shake or impossible with any of the other
vibration, the system fitted to this lens lenses in the group.
also counteracts camera shift in both Another improvement compared
vertical and horizontal planes. with the non-stabilised Canon EF
100mm is that the
focus limiter is a
three-way switch; this
means you can lock the
focus range to the shorter
end of its travel or to the
longer end, as well as
enabling full focus travel.
Optically, the EF 100mm IS
works brilliantly, giving
Our Verdict
95
outstanding sharpness
and negligible distortion or
Top optical performance and
chromatic aberrations. For hybrid stabilisation system
macro shooting, this lens Expensive, even though it’s
%
is set to become a classic. much cheaper than at launch
Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM

C
anon’s longest macro lens, this still such, it comes with a tripod collar for
manages a reasonably`large better balance; this is just as well, since the
maximum aperture of f/3.5, with combination of its long 180mm focal
good build quality, and comes with a lens length with the lack of image
hood. However, it lacks the weather stabilisation makes a tripod an
sealing rubber O-ring on its metal absolute necessity for macro
mounting plate featured on the 100mm IS shooting.
L-series macro. Like the non-stabilised EF
Due to its macro design, with full 1.0x 100mm, you get USM autofocus
magnification, it’s bigger and heavier than with full-time manual override
most 180mm telephoto prime lenses. As and a focus limit switch –
although, again, you
can’t use this to lock
the lens to the shorter
end of its travel.
Autofocus itself can be quite
fast, but we found the
autofocus mechanism often
seemed to hunt aimlessly
or stall completely while
trying to lock onto targets.
Our Verdict
76
Optical quality is very good
overall, apart from at the
Long focal length enables
smallest aperture of f/32, macro shots of distant subjects
where diffraction makes Blundering autofocus often
%
for very soft images. failed to lock, heavy to carry

Essential kit
Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro

A
bout the same size and weight magnification scale on its extending inner
as the diminutive Canon EF barrel. Here the display is accurate,
50mm ‘Compact Macro’, this however, whereas the Canon’s scale
Sigma is similarly ideal as a lightweight doubles up magnification factors.
prime lens for general purpose The basic micro-motor autofocus
shooting. For macro work, it has more mechanism is a little shrill and sluggish but,
potential than the Canon, as it delivers a unlike many macro lenses of around this
full 1.0x maximum magnification focal length, there’s a focus limit switch that
compared with the Canon’s 0.5x. It’s not works either side of 25cm. This really
an internal focus lens and, like the speeds up autofocus performance in tricky
Canon 50mm, it features a conditions, where the lens might otherwise
hunt between infinity and its
closest focus distance.
We were very impressed
with the levels of sharpness,
all the way from its
maximum aperture of f/2.8
to f/32. You can go even
smaller, to a tiny f/45
aperture, but in this case
image quality drops off
Our Verdict
87
very noticeably. For the
price, this Sigma really is
Small, light and versatile, with
an over-achiever that’s a reassuring build quality
equally useful as No internal focusing means
%
a standard prime lens. an extending front element

T
he design of the Sigma 70mm this time it locks focusing either side of
looks very similar to the smaller 45cm instead of 25cm. That’s fair
50mm version, although this enough, as the longer focal length of the
lens lacks the antiquated aperture ring 70mm lens means its closest focus
sported by its smaller sibling. That’s no distance is 25cm anyway. There’s very
great loss anyway – lens-based much more travel at the short end,
aperture rings are redundant when however, when the focus range is locked.
using Canon D-SLRs, as apertures are Manual focusing is smooth and precise,
set via the camera instead. although there’s no full-time manual
The focus limit switch works the override. The autofocus is quite sluggish,
same way as on the Sigma 50mm, but and our review sample suffered from
some nasty vibrations
towards the closer end of
the focus range.
Optical quality proved
very good, with plenty of
resolving power even at the
largest aperture of f/2.8.
This is also true at the
smallest aperture of f/22,
although it’s worth bearing
Our Verdict
79
in mind that most macro
lenses stop down to f/32,
Good optical performance,
and the Sigma 50mm and precise manual focus ring
105mm lenses close all Slow noisy autofocus, nasty
%
the way down to f/45. vibrations at the short end

Essential kit

M
uch nearer the ‘classic’ 100mm lenses. Again, there’s a focus limit switch,
macro focal length than Sigma’s and the cut-off point of 40cm enables a
70mm lens, this one also feels good range of travel in either the shorter
rather more refined. For example, while or longer direction.
both have a high standard of finish, the One curiosity is that Sigma has added
105mm lens’s focus distance scale is a push-pull focus ring mechanism to this
neatly tucked away behind a viewing lens, as featured on the Tamron 90mm
window, and the manual focus ring is and both Tokina macro lenses. The idea
much larger and more comfortable to use. is that you can push the focus ring
The action of the focus ring is similarly forward to engage autofocus, or pull it
smooth and precise, as with the Sigma backwards to switch over to manual
50mm and 70mm focus. The Canon-fit
version of this Sigma lens
also has a separate AF/M
switch on the barrel that
needs to be operated in
addition, however, making
the system counter-
intuitive and more
long-winded.
The lens redeems itself
Our Verdict
83
in optical quality though,
which is very good in the
Good build and optical quality,
f/2.8-22 range, but drops great manual focus precision
sharply at f/32 and Switching from autofocus to
%
plummets at f/45. manual is a fiddly two-step task
Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM Macro

Price £600/$1,100 Web www.sigma-imaging-uk.com
S
igma really ups its game with this lens in this group, it also has full-time
150mm macro lens. Unlike the manual override.
other Sigma lenses in the group, The large focus ring has a smooth
focusing is fully internal so the overall and highly precise action, without the
length of the lens doesn’t extend as you confusing two-stage auto/manual
focus from infinity down to the shortest focus switching of the Sigma 105mm
distance of 38cm. Autofocus is lens. There’s also a 3-position focus
practically silent and surprisingly fast, limit switch that’s more refined
thanks to Sigma’s HSM (Hypersonic than that on the other Sigma
Motor) actuator. Like the Canon USM macros tested here, labelled Full,
system featured in all but the EF 50mm 0.52m- infinity and 0.38-0.52m.
With a maximum
aperture of f/2.8, the
Sigma 150mm is a little
faster than Canon’s or
Tamron’s 180mm f/3.5
lenses. The Sigma’s widest
aperture is great too, with
excellent sharpness in the
corners of the frame.
There’s superb optical
Our Verdict
92
quality through the whole
range to its minimum of
Top image quality and handling,
f/22, and it’s ideal for extra with smart HSM autofocus
telephoto reach plus full 1.0x Quite pricey but it’s definitely
%
macro potential. worth the money

Essential kit
Tamron SP AF 60mm f/2 Di II Macro

U
nlike the other Tamron lenses in focus override, but the autofocus
the group, the 60mm macro is actuator is a more basic, noisy and
only compatible with APS-C sluggish micro-motor.
cameras (shown by its Di II classification) In manual focus mode, as well as in
so it can’t be used on full-frame bodies autofocus override, the focus ring is
such as the 5D Mark II. It’s therefore in unpleasantly jerky and lacks
direct competition with Canon’s EF-S smoothness, making accurate focusing
60mm macro lens. Like the Canon for macro shooting quite a chore. Overall
equivalent, it features fully internal build quality feels a bit cheap and
focusing so the front element neither plasticky, despite the relatively steep
rotates nor extends throughout focus asking price.
travel. It also features full-time manual One thing in the Tamron’s favour is that it
has a large maximum
aperture of f/2. There’s quite
a soft and dreamy look to
images at f/2 and for truly
impressive sharpness in
macro shots, we had to
reduce the aperture to at
least f/5.6. Between f/5.6
and the minimum aperture
Our Verdict
77
of f/22, optical quality
is very impressive. On
Large f/2 max aperture, good
balance, we much prefer the image quality, internal focusing
Canon EF-S 60mm lens, Slow autofocus, no focus limit
%
which is similarly priced. switch, jerky manual focus ring
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro

T
he Tamron 90mm macro lens autofocus actuator, unlike the USD
has made quite a name for itself (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) system fitted to
over the years, delivering some Tamron lenses, and full-time manual
excellent image quality at a competitive focus override is also lacking.
price. The flipside is that its older design On the plus side, the focus ring’s push-
lacks novelty value. For example, there’s pull design to switch between autofocus and
no internal focusing and the overall manual focus is easy to use, and manual
length of the lens extends by nearly focusing is very smooth and precise – much
double as you focus down to the better than on Tamron’s 60mm lens.
shortest available distance of 29cm. The front element is also deeply recessed
There’s only a basic micro-motor so there’s no need to use a lens hood,
although Tamron does include
one with the lens.
There’s no faulting the
optical quality. Sharpness is
excellent, even at the widest
aperture of f/2.8, and
remains razor-sharp through
mid-range apertures, only
really dropping off at the
smallest aperture of f/32.
Our Verdict
90
It may not be the newest
macro lens on the block,
Premium image quality sold
but it’s still one of the best at a reasonable price
and it’s very good value Lacks some of the fancy frills
%
for money. of newer lenses

Essential kit
Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di Macro

T
he big gun in Tamron’s macro to use the hood supplied with the lens.
stable, this 180mm f/3.5 is A neat feature is that the lens includes a
nevertheless a little smaller and Filter Effect Control, so you can easily
lighter in weight than Canon’s equivalent twist rotational filters such as a circular
180mm lens. Unlike Tamron’s 90mm polariser, even with the hood fitted.
macro lens, the 180mm features internal Where the Canon 180mm has
focusing so its length doesn’t increase whisper-quiet USM autofocus, the
as you focus down towards the shortest Tamron has a more basic micro-
distance of 47cm. Another difference is motor that’s loud and ponderous.
that the front element is pretty much right We found autofocus to be slow,
at the front of the lens assembly, so you’ll and it was further hampered by a
often need lot of hunting back
and forth when
trying to lock onto a
target. The situation is
made worse by the
absence of a focus limit
switch, and there’s also no
full-time manual override.
Optical quality is very
impressive, almost on a
Our Verdict
78
par with the Canon
180mm, but the Tamron’s
High optical performance
poor autofocus through the aperture range
performance really lets Very slow autofocus that often
%
it down. hunts about, no limit switch
Tokina AF 35mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX Macro

T
he Tokina 35mm gives a short from the focal plane). At this point, the
effective focal length of 56mm on an front edge of the lens barrel is a mere
APS-C camera – very close to a 15mm from the target. And that’s after
‘standard’ 50mm prime lens on a full-frame you’ve removed the spacer ring from the
body – and offers true 1.0x macro filter thread, without which only the
magnification at its shortest focus setting. shorter end of focus travel is available
These benefits are not without some when a filter is fitted.
considerable compromises, however. The Being one of Tokina’s ‘DX’ lenses it’s
inner barrel of the lens extends during not compatible with full-frame cameras,
focusing from infinity to its closest but it’s compact and well-suited to APS-C
focusing distance of 14cm (measured cameras such as the 60D. What’s not so
nice is that the autofocus
motor is noisy and very
slow, sounding a bit like an
electric winch that’s
about to stall at any
moment. There’s a focus
limit switch that works
either side of about 16cm
but, even so, the
autofocus could do with
Our Verdict
72
a big increase in speed.
The optical prowess
Small design with very good
is very impressive but, quality optical performance
overall, the Tokina is Impractical for serious macro
%
a compromise too far. shooting, slow autofocus

Essential kit
Tokina AF 100mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro D Macro

A
part from an extra 10mm in focal rather more robust, in keeping with
length, the Tokina 100mm’s design Tokina’s ‘Pro’ label.
looks extremely similar to that of Unlike Tokina’s 35mm ‘DX’ lens, the
the Tamron 90mm, also on test here. 100mm is fully compatible with full-frame
They’re almost the same size, have the cameras such as the 5D Mark II, while
same push-pull focus ring to switch giving a generous equivalent focal length
between autofocus and manual, a of 160mm on Canon’s APS-C bodies.
practically identical focus limit switch and Sharpness, contrast and other optical
similar lettering. That aside, the Tokina is attributes proved very good in our tests,
significantly heavier at 540g compared to but there were question marks over
the Tamron’s 405g, and build quality feels autofocus accuracy – sometimes the
Tokina’s AF system was
very precise, but on several
occasions it focused
slightly in front of or behind
the target. These
inconsistencies were
particularly noticeable
when shooting macro
subjects with moderate to
large apertures, due to the
Our Verdict
80
very tight depth of field.
Autofocus errors aside,
Solid-feeling build quality and
the Tokina is a good lens. impressive optical quality
But the Tamron 90mm is Autofocus inaccuracies – some
%
a better buy at the price. focusing at the wrong distance
Zeiss 100mm f/2 Makro Planar T* ZE

Price £1,460/$1,845 Web www.robertwhite.co.uk
T
he Zeiss 100mm feels like a work of ultra-low gearing – the ring itself turns
true craftsmanship with its through almost 360 degrees as you go
all-metal body. Even the handgrip from infinity down to the closest focus
on the focus ring is knurled metal rather distance setting of 44cm. That precision
than being rubberised, although there’s a comes in very useful, as there’s no
downside in that the lens feels quite autofocus mechanism so focusing is a
slippery if your hands are cold or damp, purely manual affair – although focus
increasing the risk of dropping it. confirmation dots light up in the
There’s a wonderfully smooth, almost viewfinder. The lack of autofocus isn’t
fluid feel to the manual focus ring, which really an issue for macro shots but it’s a
offers perfect precision thanks to its pain in general photography.
The macro facilities of
the Zeiss are a little limited,
as it only offers a maximum
magnification of 0.5x at the
closest focus distance.
Optical quality is simply
stunning throughout the
entire f/2-22 aperture
range. But, with reduced
macro magnification and
Our Verdict
85
no autofocus, there’s little
else to justify the high
Optical quality is stunning,
price. It’s unlikely the it’s extremely well built
Zeiss will ever appeal No autofocus, limited 0.5x
%
to the masses. magnification, expensive

Essential kit
Macro lenses at a glance

Manufacturer & Canon EF 50mm Canon EF-S Canon MP-E Canon EF 100mm Canon EF 100mm Canon EF 180mm Sigma 50mm
model name f/2.5 Compact 60mm f/2.8 65mm Canon f/2.8 Macro USM f/2.8 L Macro IS f/3.5 L Macro f/2.8 EX DG
Macro Macro USM MP-E 65mm USM USM Macro
Aperture range f/2.5 Compact f/2.8-32 f/2.8-16 f/2.8-32 f/2.8-32 f/3.5-32 f/2.8-45
Macro
Full-frame compatible Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Effective focal length (APS-C) 80mm 96mm 104mm 160mm 160mm 288mm 80mm
Max magnification factor 0.5x 1.0x 5.0x 1.0x 1.0x 1.0x 1.0x
Min focus distance 23cm 20cm 24cm 31cm 30cm 48cm 19cm
AF motor type Micro-motor Ultrasonic None Ultrasonic Ultrasonic Ultrasonic Micro-motor
Internal focusing No Yes No Yes Yes Yes No
Manual autofocus override No Full-time N/A Full-time Full-time Full-time None
Focus limit switch No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Image stabiliser No No No No 4-stop hybrid IS No No
Filter size 52mm 52mm 58mm 58mm 67mm 72mm 55mm
Lens hood None ET-67B, £32 N/A ET-67, £25 ET-73, included ET-78II, included Included
Dimensions (Dia x Length) 68x63mm 73x70mm 81x98mm 79x119mm 78x123mm 83x187mm 71x67mm
Weight 280g 335g 710g 600g 625g 1,090g 320g
RRP £350 £540 £1250 £650 £1060 £1,870 £300
Target price £240/$300 £370/$470 £855/$1,050 £390/$600 £720/$1,050 £1,210/$1,580 £270/$350
Verdict
78% 90% 82% 86% 95% 76% 87%
Five things we
learnt in this test
A focus limit switch can speed up the performance of autofocus systems
1 considerably, especially in tricky conditions when autofocus is prone
to hunting throughout the available range.
Internal focusing is a big bonus. Without this, the overall length

2 of a macro lens can nearly double at its shortest focus distance
Full-time manual focus override is useful, as it enables you to

3 easily tweak the autofocus setting to fine-tune focus distance.
A tripod with a centre column that rotates to become a horizontal

4 boom can make macro photography much easier.
Live View with maximum magnification set up is great for really nailing
5 the focus in macro shots quickly, using your D-SLR’s display screen.

Essential kit
Sigma 70mm Sigma 105mm Sigma 150mm Tamron SP AF Tamron SP AF Tamron SP AF Tokina AF 35mm Tokina AF 100mm Zeiss 100mm
f/2.8 EX DG f/2.8 EX DG f/2.8 EX DG HSM 60mm f/2 Di II 90mm f/2.8 Di 180mm f/3.5 Di f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX f/2.8 AT-X Pro D f/2 Makro Planar
Macro Macro Macro Macro Macro Macro Macro Macro T* ZE
f/2.8-22 f/2.8-45 f/2.8-22 f/2-22 f/2.8-32 f/3.5-32 f/2.8-22 f/2.8-32 f/2-22
Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes
112mm 168mm 240mm 96mm 144mm 288mm 56mm 160mm 160mm
1.0x 1.0x 1.0x 1.0x 1.0x 1.0x 1.0x 1.0x 0.5x
25cm 31cm 38cm 23cm 29cm 47cm 14cm 30cm 44cm
Micro-motor Micro-motor Hypersonic Micro-motor Micro-motor Micro-motor Micro-motor Micro-motor None
No No Yes Yes No Yes No No No
None None Full-time Full-time Push-pull Push-pull Push-pull Push-pull N/A
Yes Yes Yes No Yes No Yes Yes No
No No No No No No No No No
62mm 58mm 72mm 55mm 55mm 72mm 52mm 55mm 67mm
Included Included Included Included Included Included Included Included Included
76x95mm 74x98mm 80x137mm 73x80mm 72x97mm 85x166mm 73x60mm 73x95mm 76x113mm
527g 460g 895g 400g 405g 920g 340g 540g 680g
£450 £500 £730 £565 £480 £915 £544 £532 £1582
£360/$470 £400/$670 £600/$1,100 £350/$525 £370/$500 £700/$740 £380/$550 £370/$400 £1,460/$1,845
79% 83% 92% 77% 90% 78% 72% 80% 85%
Our Verdict There’s plenty of choice in macro
S
tarting with the smallest options we tested
here, the Canon and Sigma 50mm lenses camera lenses with focal lengths
both make handy general purpose prime around 100mm, but the Canon
lenses. The Sigma 50mm has the edge for macro 100mm IS is our pick of the crop.
shooting, however, as the Canon lens only has a Along with exceptional optical
maximum magnification of 0.5x, capturing objects quality, its hybrid image stabiliser
at half their real size. works amazingly well, enabling
Moving up a notch, the Canon and Tamron consistently sharp handheld shots.
60mm lenses are both specifically designed for The relatively retro Tamron
cameras such as the 60D and 600D, with APS-C 90mm is much cheaper, at almost
sized sensors. The Canon’s USM (Ultrasonic Motor) half the price, but still rivals the Canon
autofocus is much quieter and faster than the 100mm IS for image quality. Finally, for
Tamron’s and its optical quality is excellent, making a macro lens with a longer focal length,
it a top budget buy. the Sigma 150mm is simply sublime.

Essential kit
Superzoom
lenses The ideal travelling companion, a superzoom
lens covers all the angles, from wide to
telephoto, in one convenient package

Essential kit
F
or convenience and versatility, a landscape vista, but still be able to snap THE EIGHT ON TEST
good superzoom lens comes up some passing wildlife. Superzoom lenses 1 Sigma 18-125mm £240
trumps. It enables everything from also reign supreme when you’re on your f/3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM $360
wide-angle shooting to telephoto reach travels: whether you’re flying to the other 2 Canon EF-S 18-135mm £335
with a quick twist of the zoom ring, saving side of the world, exploring a city or taking f/3.5-5.6 IS $550
you the chore of changing lenses – and a trek through the countryside, it’s nice not 3 Sigma 18-200mm £240
that can be a big bonus when you’re out in to be weighed down by a bag full of lenses. f/3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM $300
dusty conditions and don’t want the inside You may be thinking at this point that a 4 Canon EF 28-135mm £360
of your D-SLR getting plastered with grit. superzoom is the only lens you’ll ever need, f/3.5-5.6 IS USM $480
Another key advantage of superzooms so where’s the catch? Well, a big zoom 5 Sigma 18-250mm £300
is that you can react quickly to different range inevitably means some compromise f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM $350
photo opportunities. Take weddings, for in terms of image quality. Compared with 6 Canon EF-S 18-200mm £410
example: you can be pulling back to get prime lenses or a lens with a modest zoom f/3.5-5.6 IS $700
everyone in a group shot one minute, then range, you’re likely to notice an increase in 7 Tamron 18-270mm £350
zooming in for a candid portrait the next, distortions, and perhaps a drop in outright f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD $450
while keeping a discrete distance. Similarly, sharpness. Even so, the latest designs have 8 Tamron 28-300mm £530
you might be all set up to shoot a grand a great deal to offer, as we’ll see… f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC $430

Essential kit
How we Expand your range

tested… What to consider when choosing a superzoom lens
T
We tested the lenses under a wide he starting point for choosing any type of lens is wide-angle potential of 18mm, equivalent to 29mm
range of indoor and outdoor lighting what camera body you use, and it’s especially taking the crop factor into account. Telephoto reach is
conditions, at all aperture settings true for superzooms. There are two main types a different story. The Sigma 18-125mm and Canon
and throughout their zoom ranges. of Canon D-SLR, those like the 5D (in all of its three 18-135mm offer the least zoom range, with effective
To check optical quality, we incarnations) which have full-frame sensors, and those telephoto lengths of 200mm and 216mm respectively.
mounted cameras on tripods and like the 650D, 60D and 7D that have APS-C (Advanced At the other end of the scale, the Sigma 18-250mm
took test shots using the mirror Photo System-Classic) sensors. and Tamron 18-270mm superzooms lead the
lockup custom function and a two- Cameras with APS-C sensors have a crop factor of long-distance stakes with effective telephoto lengths
second timer delay to avoid camera 1.6x, effectively extending the focal range. So while you of 400mm and 480mm.
shake. The resulting images were can use a lens designed for a full-frame camera on
tested for sharpness and contrast, these bodies, a superzoom like Canon’s EF 28-135mm Range vs quality
and for unwanted artefacts will have an effective zoom range of 45-216mm, giving Extra zoom range is attractive in any superzoom, but
including distortions, chromatic you practically no potential for wide-angle shooting. there can be trade-offs in image quality. You’re pushing
aberrations and vignetting. To test Putting a lens that’s designed for APS-C cameras on a the limits of what’s technically possible, and side-
the image stabilisers we took full-frame body is even less of an option, as they’re effects can include increased barrel distortion at the
multiple shots handheld, reducing basically incompatible. wide-angle end, and pincushion distortion at telephoto
the shutter speed until we were no It’s a sign of the dominance of APS-C cameras that settings. You may also see increased vignetting
longer able to capture consistently there are now only two sensibly priced superzooms (corner darkening), especially at larger apertures.
sharp images. available for full-frame bodies: Canon’s EF 28-135mm Reducing the aperture by a stop or two from its
f/3.5-5.6 IS USM and Tamron’s 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 largest setting is a good way to improve a lens’s optical
XR Di VC. They’re comparatively old designs, but we’re quality. However, when you’re shooting at the
featuring both here. We’re not including the Canon EF telephoto end with a superzoom, the largest available
28-300mm, as it’s much more expensive at about aperture is quite small, typically f/5.6 or f/6.3. This
£2,200, and at 1.7kg is too heavy for a ‘walkabout’ lens. means you might need to shoot ‘wide open’ to enable
The competition is a lot fiercer when it comes to sufficiently fast shutter speeds to freeze motion or
superzooms for APS-C bodies, with plenty of factors to avoid camera-shake – although with the advent of
consider, starting with the outright zoom range. All of image stabilisation camera-shake is less of a problem
the featured superzooms for APS-C cameras have a than it used to be.
Autofocus finery
How different autofocus systems compare, and which is best
C
anon’s EF lens mount dates all the way Canon’s film-based and digital EOS SLRs have
back to 1987, when it was launched for only electrical contacts – so without an internal
EOS 35mm film cameras. So-called actuator, autofocus is unavailable.
‘Electro-Focus’ lenses all have a built-in electronic The most basic type of autofocus system is
autofocus actuator. Indeed, whereas some other based on an electric micro-motor, as featured in
makes of D-SLR have a mechanical link to the the Canon EF-S 18-135mm and 18-200mm lenses
lens which can drive autofocus via a screw-drive, in this test group. They don’t tend to be very fast,
and are clearly audible in operation. The next
step up is an ultrasonic motor (USM). Operating
at a frequency of around 30kHz, the motor itself
Expert Tip is practically silent, but it still requires gear
wheels to adjust focusing, which make a little
All superzoom lenses increase
dramatically in physical length noise in operation. USMs are seldom faster than
as you zoom from wide-angle to regular micro-motors.
telephoto settings. There’s usually The most advanced autofocus system is
some degree of ‘zoom creep’, where ring-type ultrasonic. This is based on two large
the lens lengthens or shortens (along rings fitted just inside the overall circumference
with the zoom setting) under gravity
of the lens. The system is generally very fast and
when the camera is pointed up or
practically silent, and has the added benefit of
down. To avoid zoom creep when
your camera’s mounted on a tripod, full-time manual focus override in One Shot
use a strip of tape to keep the Ring-type ultrasonic autofocus is generally the autofocus mode. Only the Canon EF 28-135mm
zoom ring in place. most capable at keeping up with moving targets lens in this group features this system.

Essential kit
Stable mates Phrase Book

Image stabiliser
Get a steadying hand with an image stabiliser for sharper shots Canon labels its optically stabilised
lenses as IS (Image Stabilizer). Sigma
T
he rule of thumb for handheld
uses the term OS (Optical Stabilizer,
shooting is that, to avoid camera while Tamron’s designation is VC
shake, you need a shutter speed (Vibration Correction). The latest
that’s at least as fast as the reciprocal of versions of each system claim a
the focal length. However, you also need four-stop benefit.
to take the crop factor into account
Crop factor
when shooting with cameras that have This is also referred to as the ‘focal
APS-C image sensors. For example, an length multiplier’. The figure quoted is
18-250mm lens has an effective focal the magnification factor that gives
length of 400mm at the telephoto end, the effective focal length of a lens on
so you’d need a shutter speed of at least cameras with smaller than full-frame
1/400 sec in this case. sensors. It’s 1.6x for all Canon D-SLRs
When you use a superzoom lens, fast with APS-C sensors.
shutter speeds can be hard to achieve in Maximum aperture
anything other than bright lighting, when For all the lenses in our test group, the
you consider that the largest available largest available aperture is narrower
aperture of these lenses is f/5.6 or f/6.3 at the telephoto end of the zoom
at their maximum telephoto reach. All range than at the widest-angle
the lenses in our group feature optical setting, for example, f/3.5-5.6. For
image stabilisation. Unlike sensor-shift so-called ‘constant aperture’ zoom
lenses, the largest aperture remains
stabilisation systems built into some
fixed throughout the zoom range.
other makes of camera, optical
stabilisation is generally more effective,
especially at longer focal lengths.
Optical image stabilisation is based
on an extra group of elements built in to
the lens, and these are microprocessor
controlled to counteract any physical
vibration while shooting. In most cases,
it gives a four-stop benefit when
shooting. For example, if you would
normally need a shutter speed of 1/400
Image stabilisation can
sec to avoid camera-shake, a four-stop
make the difference
stabiliser should enable you to get sharp between sharp and blurry
shots at shutter speeds as slow as shots, especially under dull
1/25 sec. lighting and indoors
STEP BY STEP Look after your walkabout lens
Fit a filter Keep it hooded Zoom lock

It’s bad news if your lens’s front element A hood not only cuts down extraneous light A zoom lock is featured on all the lenses on
picks up scratches and scrapes, but it can that can cause ghosting and flare, but offers test except Canon’s 18-135mm and
easily happen. Fitting a screw-in UV filter offers an extra safety guard against the front element or 28-135mm. Use it to prevent ‘zoom creep’ when
great protection and peace of mind. screw-in filter taking knocks. the lens is pointed up or down.

Essential kit
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

Price £335/$550 Web www.canon.co.uk 18mm
This lens is refreshingly light in weight and features Canon’s
latest edition of Image Stabilizer, which lives up to its four-stop 135mm
claims as well as having automatic panning and tripod detection.
Build quality is a small step up from the 18-55mm IS kit lens, as it
features a metal rather than plastic mounting plate. Other
finery includes a UD (Ultra-low Dispersion) element to help
control chromatic aberrations.
Less impressively, the lens is large considering its
relatively meagre 7.5x zoom range. Zoom creep is quite
pronounced, and there’s no zoom lock switch. The
autofocus is micro-motor rather than USM, but it’s
fairly fast and not overly noisy. The manual focus
ring rotates during autofocus but it’s positioned
right at the front end of the lens barrel, so there’s
minimal risk of fouling its action with your fingers.
A plus point of the modest zoom range is that
distortions are minimal, and the lens is pretty sharp
at all focal lengths. Colour fringing can be noticeable
towards corners, but overall image quality is good.
Good overall image quality with minimal

distortions; quite light in weight
Limited zoom range; no USM autofocus;
lens hood costs £25 extra
84 %
Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

Not exactly a big brother to the Canon EF-S 18-135mm, this lens 200mm
has virtually the same physical dimensions, although it’s 140g
heavier, and the filter thread is resized from 67mm to 72mm.
Similarities between the lenses include the same new-generation
Image Stabilizer system, a UD element and Super Spectra
coatings, plus reasonably quick micro-motor autofocus.
The major plus point of this lens, compared with EF-S
18-135mm, is its more generous 11.1x zoom range. Both
have an effective focal length of 29mm at the wide-
angle end, but telephoto reach for the 18-200mm is
boosted from 216mm to 320mm, which makes a big
difference. With heavier glass, zoom creep is an
issue, but at least this lens has a lock switch.
Image quality is a little more compromised
than with the EF-S 18-135mm lens. Sharpness
drops off more noticeably at the telephoto end
of the zoom range, while barrel distortion is more
pronounced in wide-angle shooting and chromatic
aberrations are also more noticeable.
Offers the biggest zoom range of any

genuine Canon lens for APS-C cameras
Fairly basic feature set, considering it’s one
of the most expensive lenses in the group
85 %

Essential kit
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

The meagre 4.8x zoom range barely qualifies this lens as a
superzoom, but if you have a full-frame camera, you can’t be
too choosy. Mount the lens on an APS-C body and you get an 135mm
effective zoom range of 45-216mm, losing any wide-angle
potential but gaining useful telephoto reach.
In terms of build quality, this lens feels more upmarket
than the other two Canon lenses on test. The ring-type USM
autofocus is fast and practically silent, with the bonus
that the focus ring doesn’t rotate during autofocus, while
still being available for full-time manual override. In
other respects, the design is a bit long in the tooth.
The 28-135mm is over 14 years old and was Canon’s
first ‘standard’ zoom to feature an Image Stabilizer;
it’s an old generation that lacks a panning mode
and only has a claimed three-stop effectiveness. In
our tests, it only really managed a two-stop benefit.
Image quality is very good in all respects, with
impressive sharpness and minimal distortions,
vignetting or chromatic aberrations.
Very good image quality and solid build

quality at a reasonable price
Zoom range is the poorest in the group, and
the Image Stabilizer is the least effective
80 %
Sigma 18-125mm f/3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM

Price £240/$360 Web www.sigma-imaging-uk.com 18mm
The joint cheapest lens in the group, this Sigma also has the
most disappointing zoom range of any APS-C format lens,
125mm
equivalent to 29-200mm. Nevertheless, build quality feels
robust and there are some upmarket features including a four-
stop Optical Stabilizer, plus HSM (Hypersonic Motor) autofocus.
It’s a motor-based system rather than Sigma’s more advanced
ring-type HSM, so the focus ring rotates during autofocus, and
it’s only slightly quicker and quieter than the micro-motors
fitted to the Canon EF-S 18-135mm and 18-200mm lenses.
There’s no hint of zoom creep, which makes for easy use
with a tripod. A bigger advantage is that, with its relatively
small zoom range, distortions are particularly well
controlled. The Sigma also performs very well in terms of
sharpness and contrast, and it does a good job of
keeping vignetting and chromatic aberrations at bay.
Ultimately, if you don’t need to push telephoto reach
beyond an effective 200mm focal length, this Sigma
offers an excellent combination of image quality and
solid build at an unbeatable price.
Excellent value considering its high standard

of build and image quality
Telephoto reach is lacking compared with
most lenses in the group
86 %

Essential kit
Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM

We weren’t overly impressed by the original version of this lens,
200mm
but the Mark II edition has a lot more going for it. For starters it’s
smaller and lighter; in fact, it’s a practically identical in size and
weight to the Sigma 18-125mm, despite offering a much more
generous zoom range. Other similarities include an effective
four-stop Optical Stabilizer and HSM-driven autofocus.
Another addition to the Mark II lens is an FLD (Fluorite Low
Dispersion) element, which has very high light transmission
and exceptionally low dispersion, designed to match the
performance of the fluorite glass found in some of Canon’s
top-spec L-series lenses. Even so, colour fringing reduction
is merely average and the largest available aperture at the
telephoto end is still only f/6.3.
The focus ring rotates during autofocus, so you need
to be careful not to foul its action with your fingers when
holding the lens; apart from this, handling is good.
Distortions are well controlled and sharpness remains
good, even when combining the longest telephoto zoom
setting with the largest available aperture.
Good image quality and zoom range with

a small, lightweight but solid build
The zoom range is pretty generous, but not
a match for the class leaders
88 %
Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM

250mm
Compared with the new Sigma 18-200mm, this lens is a weighty
beast – tipping the scales at 630g, it’s the heaviest lens on test.
The extra zoom range makes it worthwhile though, extending to
an effective 400mm. The lens is also physically 13mm longer
than the Sigma 18-200mm, and while that might sound like
bad thing from a stowage point of view it makes for better
handling because the focus ring, which rotates during
autofocus, is further out of reach for handheld shots.
Like the other Sigma lenses on test, the HSM
autofocus system is only slightly faster and quieter
than the Canon micro-motor system. The four-stop
Optical Stabilizer is highly effective, coming into its
own at the longer end of the zoom range, where the
largest available aperture is a mere f/6.3.
Despite lacking the FLD element fitted in the
Sigma 18-200mm lens, colour fringing is no worse.
However, distortions are even better controlled
than with the 18-200mm at all focal lengths, which is
no mean feat considering the extra zoom range.
Monster zoom range with excellent image

quality throughout; handles well
It’s the heaviest lens in the group; physical
length may make stowage a consideration
90 %

Essential kit
Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD

Price £350/$450 Web www.tamron.eu/uk 18mm
There’s a lot to love about this Tamron lens. A complete redesign 270mm
of the original 18-270mm, this edition is smaller and lighter in
weight, making it remarkably compact for a lens with such a
powerful and class-leading 15x zoom range. Part of the
downsizing comes courtesy of a VC (Vibration Correction)
system which still manages to live up to its four-stop claims.
There’s also a PZD (Piezo Drive) autofocus system, similar to
the HSM systems used in the Sigma superzoom lenses.
Further evidence of the compact nature of this newer lens is
that, compared with Tamron’s previous model, the filter
thread has shrunk from 72mm to 62mm.
There’s plenty of contrast on tap and sharpness is
very good, even towards the extreme edges and corners
of the frame. It does drop off a bit when combining the
longest telephoto setting and largest available
aperture, but stopping down from f/6.3 to f/8 enables
great results. At the wide-angle end, barrel distortion is
very slightly more noticeable than with the Sigma
18-250mm but, overall, the Tamron has the edge.
Class-leading 15x zoom range and features

in a remarkably small and lightweight design
Barrel distortion can be noticeable at the
extreme wide-angle end of the zoom range
92 %
Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC

Price £530/$430 Web www.tamron.eu/uk 28mm
At just a quarter of the price and a third of the weight of Canon’s 300mm
whopping EF 28-300mm, this is the most attractive proposition
for full-frame camera users who want a walkabout lens with
serious superzoom versatility. On an APS-C camera, the zoom
range effectively stretches from a ‘standard’ 45mm to a
massively telephoto 480mm. It’s therefore also worth
considering as a telephoto zoom on cameras like the
600D and 7D, where you still want to be able to shoot
at standard focal lengths without swapping lenses.
Autofocus is of the micro-motor variety and it’s
quite sluggish compared with the similar systems
fitted to the Canon 18-135mm and 18-200mm
lenses, particularly at the telephoto end of the
range, which isn’t ideal for action shooting.
Sharpness is excellent at wide-angle and
mid-range zoom settings, and still very good at the
telephoto end. Colour fringing is evident towards
corners at longer focal lengths, but distortions are
well controlled throughout the entire zoom range.
Useful zoom range for full-frame cameras;

good sharpness with minimal distortions
Autofocus is sluggish; chromatic aberrations
are quite noticeable at longer focal lengths
85 %

Essential kit
Superzoom lenses at a glance
Name Canon EF-S Canon EF-S Canon EF 28- Sigma 18- Sigma Sigma 18- Tamron Tamron 28-
18-135mm f/3.5- 18-200mm 135mm f/3.5-5.6 125mm f/3.8-5.6 18-200mm 250mm f/3.5-6.3 18-270mm 300mm f/3.5-
5.6 IS f/3.5-5.6 IS IS USM DC OS HSM f/3.5-6.3 II DC DC OS HSM f/3.5-6.3 Di II 6.3 XR Di VC
OS HSM VC PZD
Effective APS-C 29-216mm 29-320mm 45-216mm 29-200mm 29-320mm 29-400mm 29-432mm 45-480mm
zoom range
Full-frame No No Yes No No No No Yes

compatible
Image stabiliser 4 stops 4 stops 3 stops 4 stops 4 stops 4 stops 4 stops 4 stops
Max 0.21x 0.24x 0.19x 0.26x 0.26x 0.29x 0.26x 0.33x

magnification
factor
Minimum 45cm 45cm 50cm 35cm 45cm 45cm 49cm 49cm

focus
Autofocus Micro-motor Micro-motor Ultrasonic Ultrasonic Ultrasonic Ultrasonic Ultrasonic Micro-motor

motor type (ring) (motor) (motor) (motor) (motor)
Zoom lock No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

switch
Focus distance No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

scale
Filter size 67mm 72mm 72mm 67mm 62mm 72mm 62mm 67mm
Lens hood EW-73B, £25 EW-78D, £30 EW-78BII, £25 Included Included Included Included Included
Weight 455g 595g 540g 490g 490g 630g 450g 555g
RRP £500 £630 £560 £340 £500 £550 £660 £650
Target price £335/$550 £410/$700 £360/$480 £240/$360 £240/$300 £300/$350 £350/$450 £530/$430
Verdict
84% 85% 80% 86% 88% 90% 92% 85%
Our Verdict
There’s a bit of a ‘kit lens’ feel to both the Canon weight but offers much greater versatility.
Five things we
learnt in this test
superzoom lenses on test, and indeed, the EF-S However, the Tamron 18-270mm takes top
honours with its impressive image quality and Full-frame-compatible superzooms lack
18-135mm is a kit lens option with the 60D and 1 any wide-angle potential on cameras with
7D cameras. When bought separately, their lack class-leading 15x zoom range, all packed into a
APS-C sensors.
of USM autofocus and even a focus distance remarkably compact and lightweight
scale makes them seem less than great build that makes it a great Couple long telephoto reach with the fairly small
2 maximum apertures of superzooms, and image
value for money. By contrast, the build choice for a travel and
stabilisation is all but essential for handheld shooting.
quality of all the Sigma lenses in the walkabout lens.
group feels solid and robust, and they all A compact and lightweight design is preferable
3 for a superzoom that you want to take on your
feature hypersonic motor-based
travels or carry around all day.
autofocus systems, plus four-stop
image stabilisers that match the Image quality can be very good in the latest
4 superzooms, but there’s an inevitable trade-off,
performance of the Canon lenses.
and it’s not quite a match for using high-quality zoom
The Sigma 18-125mm lens is lenses with a more modest range.
outstanding value at just £240, but
It’s usually worth reducing the aperture from its
lacks outright zoom range. The 5 largest value by a stop or two to improve
Mark II edition of the Sigma 18- sharpness and contrast, even if this means that you
200mm is practically the same size and need to bump up your ISO setting to maintain a
sufficiently fast shutter speed.

Remote releases
Things to look
REMOTE RELEASES
Discreetly capture wildlife, get shake-free scenic shots and
out for…
1 Using a tripod
and remote shutter release
take perfect self-portraits using a remote shutter release helps to reduce camera shake
from your hand touching your
Hama CA-1 Wireless Remote Seculine Twin-1 ISR iC EOS. To lessen vibration
Control Release Price £34/$50 Web www.intro2020.co.uk further, set Mirror Lock Up on
Price £45/UK only Web www.hama.co.uk your Canon by accessing it in
If there’s a remote shutter release designed to cover all the menu options.
The Hama CA-1’s lightweight plastic casing doesn’t seem photographic eventualities, then the Seculine Twin-1 is it.
particularly impressive, but looks can be deceiving. With Marketed as an interval shutter release, it also has 2 A remote release
four 433MHz signal channels and a working distance of self-timer, exposure counter and long exposure options. is also a great way to shoot
over 30 metres, this shutter release can be used The buttons are clearly labelled and easy to use, although birds. Set your EOS on a tripod
anywhere – even through walls! The the lock feature is stiff to begin with. The supplied 100cm and manually focus on a
button on the remote enables you to cables come branch, attach the shutter
focus, fire the with both N3 release cable, then lie on the
shutter, and and 2.5mm floor with the controller in
begin and end jack sockets, hand. Use binoculars to watch
long exposures which means it your subject come into frame,
in Bulb mode. will fit any Canon. and fire in Continuous
The receiver plugs The extra length Shooting mode.
into the shutter and quiet
release socket on operation 3 An average wired release
your EOS, but its makes it ideal gives under a metre of distance
bulky size makes it easy to for landscapes, between you and the camera,
pull out or damage during wildlife, and while a wireless release
shooting. even self-portraits. enables you to roam around up
to 100 metres away. This is

% 93 %
ideal for sprawling landscapes,
but a waste for studio use.
Multiple signal channels; great distance; multiple modes Easy to use; lots of options; long cable; multiple uses
Expensive; easy to damage; limited exposure controls LCD is horizontal rather than vertical; stiff lock button 4 Some remote releases need
batteries, so be sure to pack
some spares! CR2032 cells are
Canon Remote Hähnel Giga T Pro Wireless the most popular, and they’re
Switch RS-60E3 Timer Remote sold in electronics and
Price £15/$22 Web www.canon.co.uk Price £80/$95 Web www.hahnel.ie hardware stores.
Canon’s RS-60E3 looks fairly nondescript, but it comes This wireless remote control gives you access to multiple 5 In newer camera models
with clever features that make it intuitive to use. The features on your EOS from up to 100m away. The digital you select Bulb mode by
shutter button is small, but the firmness of the spring receiver and transmitter are small and sleek, yet the simply switching the function
beneath means there’s no functions are comprehensive – you can dial to ‘B’. In older models Bulb
chance of autofocus, trigger the shutter, achieve mode is found by switching to
accidentally excellent long exposures, Manual, then turning the
triggering it. The set the interval timer or selection wheel until the
cable measures just a delay, and even shutter speed reads ‘Bulb’.
60cm in length, which use self timer. It
makes it better suited for may be overkill
studio or still life shooting. in a studio, but
When not in use the cable for nature and
can be wound around the astral shots you’ll
body of the shutter release, appreciate the vast
catching in the specially designed amount of options
ridges and pinning into the base. available.

% 87 %
Inexpensive; firm shutter button; good trigger lock Small and sleek; lots of shooting controls; 100-metre range
Short cable; limited camera control; small button size Complex options; costly; display is hard to read in sunlight

Essential kit
Flashguns
An add-on flash can give an extra dimension to your photography,
without the harsh, red-eye look that plagues pop-up flash.
We shine the spotlight on eight flashguns costing £200 or less
Essential kit
F
irst, the bad news. Flashguns have huge flexibility and creativity. For starters, all the OUR EIGHT ON TEST
potential for producing ghastly images. flashguns in this group test feature bounce
1 Sunpak PZ42X £120/$140
Flash photography is fraught with issues, heads, so you can bounce the flash off ceilings
2 Nissin Speedlite Di622 Mk II £120/$200
such as the dreaded red-eye and harsh lighting and walls to produce softer, kinder and more
that gives portraits a washed-out, haggard look. flattering lighting for portraits. All but one offer 3 Canon Speedlite 270EX II £140/$150
And how do you fancy hopeless mismatches swivel as well as bounce, so you can bounce 4 Metz Mecablitz 50 AF-1 £180/$210
between different areas of a scene that are lit the light off a ceiling even when you’re shooting 5 Canon Speedlite 320EX £190/$200
by ambient lighting and flash? In short, flash in portrait (upright) orientation; this also gives 6 Sigma EF-610 DG Super £160/$225
can make images shot on even a top D-SLR look you greater freedom for bouncing the flash off 7 Nissin Speedlite Di866 Mk II Pro £200/$350
like snapshots from a cheap compact camera. walls, or just about anything else. 8 Canon Speedlite 430EX II £205/$260
And yet, flashguns can still be a wonderfully Better still, all the flashguns in this group are
versatile tool for any photographer, and are fully ‘dedicated’ to Canon cameras, so you can
often an essential requirement for decent shots. expect them to work in harmony to produce the
Most Canon D-SLRs have a small pop-up best possible results. As we’ll see, however,
flash, but a proper flashgun enables far greater some are more dedicated than others…

Essential kit
How we Let there be light

tested… There’s more to a good flashgun than its power rating
T
We tested the features and functions he single most useful aspect of on test enable you to adjust flash modes
of each flashgun to check dedicated flashguns is that they direct from the Flash Control menu on
compatibility with Canon cameras. offer E-TTL (Electronic – Through your EOS. These can include E-TTL and
To check the accuracy and The Lens) flash metering. A pre-flash manual flash modes, as well as sync
consistency of E-TTL flash metering, pulse of light is fired, reflected back from options for regular, high-speed sync and
we took a series of shots with each the scene and measured by the camera’s rear curtain. The same often can’t be
flashgun, filling the frame with a grey metering system, and the strength of the said for other manufacturer’s flashguns,
card. Theoretically this should put a flash is set accordingly. This means that, for making the ease of use of onboard controls
peak at the centre of the histogram, example, you can zoom in on a subject to fill all the more important.
so we were able to measure any the central region of the frame with their face, While E-TTL is ideal for general shooting,
underexposure or overexposure in then press the Flash Exposure Lock button sometimes it pays to go manual to fine-tune
the results. The grey card also on the camera to set and lock the flash power. the balance between the ambient light and the
enabled us to measure colour You can now zoom out and recompose, and power of the flash. In manual shooting mode,
temperature accuracy when the flash power will still be correct. you can set the aperture and shutter speed to
shooting with a Flash white balance At least, that’s the theory. In practice, some give you the exposure setting you want for
setting. The recycling speed after a flashguns can produce slightly the ambient lighting, and then dial in flash
full-power flash was also tested. underexposed or overexposed power manually for the best results.
results; if so you’ll need to Flashguns can also be used to create
dial in some flash exposure fill-in flash on sunny days, for example
compensation and re-shoot. to avoid facial shadows in portraits. But
Again, thanks to dedication, when you use flash a limiting factor is the
you can apply flash exposure maximum shutter sync speed of the
compensation directly from camera, which is often 1/200 sec, but
the camera’s Flash Control the HSS (high-speed sync) mode on
menu or Quick menu. When it most flashguns enables you to use flash
comes to camera menus, however, some at any shutter speed; the only proviso is
flashguns are more dedicated than that, at very fast speeds, the maximum
others. For example, all the Canon models power of the flash will be limited.
Masters and slaves

We expect almost any gadget to
be wireless nowadays, and that
includes flashguns
N
ew and recent cameras, including the 7D,
60D, 600D and 650D, enable you to use
the pop-up flash as a wireless controller
for flashguns that have a wireless slave mode.
This means you can easily use the flashgun
off-camera, to give a more three-dimensional,
natural lighting effect. Check out our step-by-
step guide on the facing page to see how to set
Expert Tip up wireless slave operation.
Apart from the Sunpak PZ42X, all the
Because of their small size and
relatively close proximity to flashguns in our test group can be used in
subjects, flashguns produce very wireless slave mode. This means you can trigger
hard lighting, which is the last thing them direct from a compatible camera, or from
you need for portraits. By angling the another flashgun that features a wireless master
head at between 45 and 60 degrees mode (only the Nissin Di866 Mk II Pro and
and fitting a diffuser, such as a Sto-
Sigma EF-610 DG Super in this group offer this).
Fen Omni-Bounce, you can create
In most cases, you can choose one of four
softer and more flattering light.
Diffusers cost around £20, with wireless channels, to avoid interference from Holding the flashgun high and to one side of the
options to fit different flashgun other equipment or when shooting close to other subject produces better modelling of highlights
makes and models. photographers who are also using wireless flash. and shadows for a more three-dimensional look

Essential kit
High-end options Phrase Book

Gn (Guide number)
What extra features do you get if This is a measure of a flashgun’s
you pay top dollar for a flashgun? maximum power. For practical
purposes, it’s divided by the aperture
O
n the face of it, £200 or step with you’re using. For example, a Gn of 43
less can buy you a very zoom lenses; divided by f/5.6 equates to a
smart and sophisticated typically, the maximum range of 7.7 metres,
flashgun. For example, most of range is about shrinking to 5.4 metres at f/8.
the models in this group feature 24-105mm.
Rear-curtain
motorised zoom heads, which Most offer high-speed sync In this mode (also called ‘2nd curtain’)
can automatically adjust to the and rear curtain sync the flash fires at the end of the
focal length of the lens, or keep options (the latter being exposure, just before the shutter
good for shooting vehicles closes again. In the more usual 1st
with light trails at night), and curtain mode, the flash fires
as we’ve mentioned, some immediately after the shutter opens.
even offer wireless master as Zoom head
well as slave modes. So why The advantage of a zoom head is that
would you want to pay more? flash power isn’t wasted by
Top-flight flashguns like the illuminating a wide angle of coverage
Canon 600EX-RT, which costs when using longer focal length lenses.
the best part of £600, and its Compared with its widest-angle zoom
predecessor the 580EX II are setting, the effective reach of a
fully professional devices with flashgun can often be approximately
doubled at its longest zoom setting.
build quality to match, including
environmental seals to keep out One really neat new feature of
moisture and dust. They also the Canon 600EX-RT that none
often have a higher maximum of the flashguns in our test can
power output, and feature PC match is built-in wireless radio
sync terminals and sockets for control. This works on RF (Radio
powering them from external, Frequency) transmission so,
high-capacity battery packs, so unlike more basic master/slave
you can keep shooting for longer. arrangements, it doesn’t require
That said, the Nissin Di866 Mk II line of sight between the
Pro, on test here, also has PC transmitter and receiver. Remote
The Speedlite 600EX-RT is
Canon’s flagship flashgun, but it’s sync and external power supply triggering works over distances
three times the price of the most connections, plus a USB port of up to 30m when using the
expensive models in our group for applying firmware updates. flashgun on or off the camera.
STEP BY STEP Go wireless for off-camera flash
Flash function Power ratios Slave mode

In the Flash Control section of a compatible Here we’ve selected firing for both To enable wireless off-camera firing of the
camera’s shooting menu, select ‘Built-in the pop-up flash and remote flashgun flashgun, set it to slave mode. For the Canon
flash func. setting’. You can choose whether only in wireless slave mode. You can then go on 430EX II, press and hold the Zoom/Wireless
the main flashgun fires, or both the pop-up flash to define the relative power ratio between button – you can then select the wireless channel
and flashgun fire (as here), or firing for multiple the external flashgun and the pop-up flash; and, if using multiple groups of flashguns, the
flashgun setups. in this case it’s set to 2:1. relevant group.

Essential kit
Canon Speedlite 270EX II Canon Speedlite 320EX

Price £140/$150 Web www.canon.co.uk Price £190/$200 Web www.canon.co.uk
Flashguns tend to be quite flash at the ceiling when A step up from the 270EX II, the continuous lighting for shooting
bulky, but the pocket-sized shooting in portrait orientation 320EX is slightly more video; however, illumination is
270EX II is remarkably compact with the flashgun mounted in powerful, runs from four rather limited and it’s only of any use
and lightweight. Factors the hotshoe; the wireless slave than two batteries, and has a for very short-range work. Also
contributing to this downsizing mode comes in handy for this. head that swivels as well as like the 270EX II, but unlike all
include the absence of an LCD The lack of control buttons bounces. The zoom function is the other flashguns in the
display for flash information or an LCD screen means that all still manual rather than group, there’s no red lamp for
and a lack of any control adjustments have to be made motorised and, also like the AF assist, so it emits an
buttons except for the off/ from the camera’s Flash Control 270EX II, it has no info LCD for annoying rapid-fire burst of
slave/on switch, while it runs menu. That’s not as painful or displaying flash settings. bright pulses from the flash
on two AA batteries instead of long-winded as it might sound, Wireless slave functions are tube in low lighting to help the
the usual four. however, as camera-driven more refined, with onboard camera autofocus. The
With a Gn (Guide number) of operation is seamless and switches for setting the channel flashgun is prone to slight
27, maximum flash power is the flawless, and a neat extra is that number and any of three overexposure in E-TTL mode,
lowest of any flashgun on test, you can fire the camera flashgun groups, but there’s but recycling is fast at three
but it does include a bounce remotely from a button on the still heavy reliance on using the seconds after a full-power
head, and there’s sufficient flashgun. E-TTL metering is very camera’s Flash Control menu discharge. Considering that it’s
power for bouncing the flash off accurate, but recycle speed is a for making most adjustments. almost as expensive as the
ceilings that aren’t massively bit sluggish, taking about twice Uniquely in this group, the Canon 430EX II, the 320EX
high. There’s no swivel function, as long as for the other two 320EX features a secondary doesn’t really do enough to
however, so you can’t direct Canon flashguns in the group. LED lamp, which gives justify its price tag.
Amazingly compact and lightweight, but still

features a bounce and manual zoom head
Maximum power is relatively low compared
with most flashguns; no LCD info panel
88 %
Secondary LED lamp for video shooting;
remote camera firing button
Fairly low in power; lacking in onboard
control buttons; no LCD info display
82 %

Essential kit
Canon Speedlite 430EX II Metz Mecablitz 50 AF-1

Price £205/$260 Web www.canon.co.uk Price £180/$210 Web www.metzflash.co.uk
Much more of a serious whether the host camera has a The Metz has robust build speed sync and rear curtain
photographer’s flashgun full-frame or APS-C sensor, and quality and luxuries that include modes. Better still, the high level
than either of the other adjusts the zoom setting and info a bounce and swivel head that of dedication enables custom
Canon models on test, the display accordingly. can be angled down to -7 functions and settings to be
430EX II is well equipped, with In wireless slave mode the degrees, as well as all the way up adjusted via the camera’s Flash
direct-access buttons for 430EX II works as flawlessly as to 90 degrees; it can also swivel Control menu – which is just as
switching between E-TTL and you’d expect of a genuine Canon though 180 degrees to the left well, as the onboard controls
manual flash modes, high-speed flashgun, and custom function or 120 degrees to the right. aren’t very intuitive.
sync and rear curtain functions, adjustments are easy to make, There’s a motorised zoom from Unfortunately, the Metz tends to
flash exposure compensation either using the controls on the 24-105mm, and the head underexpose shots by about
and more. You always know flashgun itself or via the camera features both a flip-down two-thirds of a stop in E-TTL
exactly what’s going on as well, menu; the latter option is wide-angle diffuser and pull-out mode, so you’re likely to have to
thanks to a backlit LCD info actually better, as it offers reflector card, the latter of apply positive flash exposure
display on the back. supplementary information which is omitted on the Canon compensation. The recycling
Compared with the other about each setting. E-TTL flash 430EX II and is good for giving a time from a full-power flash is
Canon guns there’s more power metering is spot-on and recycling catch-light in bounce mode. pretty average, at 5.3 seconds.
on tap, with a rating of Gn 43. is both fast and silent; the lack of Wireless slave operation To ensure compatibility with
Other refinements include a annoying whistling used to be a works in all four channels and future Canon cameras, the Metz
motorised zoom head and selling point of the 430EX II, but three groups. features a USB port which you
wide-angle diffuser; another neat most competing flashguns have Like the Canon flashguns on can use to apply firmware
touch is that the flashgun senses caught up. test, the Metz has high- updates.
Advanced settings are intuitive and easy

to use; seamless integration with camera
Despite being the most expensive flashgun
on test it doesn’t work as a wireless master
90 %
Good feature set; very good integration
with camera; beefy Gn 50 power rating
Onboard controls can be confusing;
consistent underexposure in E-TTL mode
86 %

Essential kit
Nissin Speedlite Nissin Speedlite

Di622 Mk II Di866 Mk II Pro
Price £120/$200 Web www.nissindigital.com Price £200/$350 Web www.nissindigital.com
Despite being the joint is also quite noisy. The wireless Like its smaller sibling on test, There’s even an orientation
cheapest flashgun in the group, slave mode only works in the Di866 used to be a noisy sensor, so the display will be
along with the Sunpak PZ42X, channel 1, group A beast, with a loud zoom motor the right way up during both
the Nissin Di622 Mk II boasts configuration and the flashgun and recycling circuitry, but the landscape and portrait
a surprisingly full set of lacks a high-speed sync mode. Mk II model is more refined. It orientation shooting. Full
features, along with a There’s also no info LCD, but at really earns its ‘Pro’ moniker wireless master and slave
marginally higher maximum least you can apply flash too, with advanced features functions are on hand and,
power rating than the more exposure compensation via including a quick-loading uniquely in the group, there’s
expensive Canon 430EX II. Plus switches on the flashgun, albeit battery magazine, an external a secondary sub-flash module,
points include a motorised only within +/-1.5EV in 0.5EV power input for use with a useful for delivering direct
zoom head with bounce and increments. Alternatively, high-capacity battery pack, a fill-flash in bounce mode.
swivel functions, a wide-angle you can apply flash exposure USB port for applying firmware Exposure is consistent in
diffuser and reflector card, and compensation through the updates and a PC sync socket E-TTL mode but proved very
wireless slave compatibility. camera’s Flash Control menu. to enable triggering via a cable. slightly underexposed at -0.2
Dig a little deeper, though, Exposure accuracy isn’t too The Nissin boasts a EV in our tests. Recycling is
and a few minus points come to far off in E-TTL mode, with a stroboscopic multi-flash mode quite pedestrian too, at 5.9
light. In common with only the tendency to underexpose as well as high-speed sync and seconds. We can forgive it that,
Sunpak in this group, recycling by about one-third of a stop. rear curtain modes. Everything however, as the Gn rating of 60
is anything but silent, The recycling time after a is wonderfully easy to get at too, makes it the most powerful
producing a clearly audible full-power flash is pretty nippy thanks to a colour LCD screen flashgun in the group, along
whining noise. The zoom motor at 4.1 seconds. and four-way control buttons. with the Sigma.
Useful power and plentiful features

considering the low price
Noisy in operation; lacks a high-speed
sync mode; no info LCD panel
80 %
A feast of advanced features that you’d only
expect in a much more expensive flashgun
Slight underexposure in E-TTL mode but at
least it’s very consistent
92 %

Essential kit
Sigma EF-610 DG Super Sunpak PZ42X

Price £160/$225 Web www.sigma-imaging-uk.com Price £120/$140 Web www.sunpak.jp/english
The ‘super’ Sigma serves up rather than metal. And the Not so long ag, this Sunpak manual flash, with +/-1.5EV bias
many of the same features as Sigma’s wide-ranging onboard flashgun would have been a or manual levels between full
the exotic Nissin Di866 Mk II menu system is a little arcane contender for a best value power and 1/64th respectively.
Pro, including a full set of and long-winded, a flaw that’s award, and it’s a sign of how far You can also switch the
strobe, high-speed sync and made worse by the fact that, things have moved on in the motorised zoom head between
rear curtain modes, delivered unlike most flashguns in this past couple of years that it’s no full-frame and APS-C focal
through a high-power head group, hardly any of the settings longer in the running. By current lengths, as well as applying
boasting a Gn rating of 61. can be changed via the host standards, the PZ42X is a very manual zoom settings. The
Likewise, both of these camera’s Flash Control menu; basic affair. It has no high-speed head features a wide-angle
flashguns offer full wireless you’re limited to being able sync or even a rear curtain diffuser, but there’s no
master/slave operation, in all to dial in flash exposure mode, and it’s the only flashgun reflector card.
four transmission channels and compensation via the camera. in the group that can’t function Maximum flash power is
with three alternative groups The Sigma has a tendency to as a wireless slave. pretty respectable at Gn 42,
available for more complex underexpose by about a third of Apart from flash exposure practically equalling the Canon
multi-flash setups. a stop in E-TTL mode. Recycling compensation, flashgun 430EX II, but recycling takes
It’s not all good news, speed is also disappointing, settings can’t be altered from more than twice as long at 7.1
though. Build quality isn’t all taking almost eight seconds to the camera’s Flash Control seconds. The Sunpak’s flash
that great – for example, as with recover from a full-power flash. menu. The flashgun’s menu exposure accuracy is also
only the cheaper Nissin Di622 All in all, for a high-spec system itself is quite basic, disappointing; in E-TTL mode it
and the Sunpak PZ42X on test, flashgun, the Nissin Di866 Mk II although it does at least allow consistently overexposes
the mounting plate is plastic has a lot more going for it. you to cycle through E-TTL or by half a stop.
Includes advanced flash modes and

master/slave wireless operation
Awkward menu system, and adjustments
can’t be made from host camera’s menu
85 %
Very simple to use, and has a respectable
maximum flash power
Lacks most of the features that are taken
for granted in the latest flashguns
75 %

Essential kit
Flashguns at a glance
Name Canon Speedlite Canon Canon Speedlite Metz Nissin Nissin Sigma Sunpak
270EX II Speedlite 430EX II Mecablitz Speedlite Speedlite Di866 EF-610 PZ42X
320EX 50 AF-1 Di622 Mk II Mk II Pro DG Super
Guide number Gn 27 Gn 32 Gn 43 Gn 50 Gn 44 Gn 60 Gn 61 Gn 42
(ISO 100, 105mm)
Bounce (degrees) 0, 60, 75, 90 0, 45, 60, 75, 90 0, 45, 60, 75, 90 -7, 0, 45, 60, 75, 90 0, 45, 60, 75, 90 0, 45, 60, 75, 90 0, 60, 75, 90 0, 45, 60, 75, 90
Swivel (left/right) No 180 / 90 180 / 90 180 / 120 90 / 180 90 / 180 180 / 90 180 / 120
Zoom range 28-50mm 24-50mm 24-105mm (auto) 24-105mm (auto) 24-105mm (auto) 24-105mm (auto) 28-105mm (auto) 24-105mm (auto)
(manual) (manual)
Wide-angle diffuser No No 14mm 12mm 16mm 18mm 17mm 20mm
Fill-in reflector No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Auto metering E-TTL / E-TTL II E-TTL / E-TTL II E-TTL / E-TTL II E-TTL / E-TTL II E-TTL / E-TTL II E-TTL / E-TTL II E-TTL / E-TTL II E-TTL / E-TTL II
Flash exp comp Via camera Via camera +/-3EV +/-3EV +/-1.5EV +/-3EV +/-3EV +/-1.5EV
Manual power Via camera Via camera 1/1 to 1/64 1/1 to 1/128 1/1 to 1/32 1/1 to 1/128 1/1 to 1/128 1/1 to 1/64
settings
AF-assist beam Flash strobe Flash strobe Red lamp Red lamp Red lamp Red lamp Red lamp Red lamp
Secondary lamp No Video lamp No No No Sub-flash No No
Wireless Slave only Slave only Slave only Slave only Slave only Master/Slave Master/Slave No
Additional modes HSS, RC HSS, RC HSS, RC HSS, RC RC HSS, RC, Strobe HSS, RC, Strobe No
TTL flash exp error 0EV +0.2EV 0EV -0.67EV -0.33EV -0.2EV -0.33EV +0.5EV
Full power recycle 5.8 seconds 3 seconds 3 seconds 5.3 seconds 4.1 seconds 5.9 seconds 7.9 seconds 7.1 seconds
time (NiMH)
Silent recycling Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No
Flash info LCD No No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Dimensions (w,h,d) 66 x 65 x 77mm 70 x 115 x 78mm 72 x 122 x 101mm 71 x 137 x 99mm 74 x 134 x 103mm 74 x 139 x 113mm 77 x 139 x 117mm 64 x 116 x 102mm
Weight (excl batts) 155g 275g 320g 350g 315g 380g 330g 260g
Target price £140/$150 £190/$200 £205/$260 £180/$210 £120/$200 £200/$350 £160/$225 £120/$140
Verdict
88% 82% 90% 86% 80% 92% 85% 75%
Our Verdict
There’s a lot to like in the Canon At the cheaper end of the scale, the
Five things we
learnt in this test
430EX II, Metz 50 AF-1 and Sigma Canon 270EX II is an attractive For comfortably holding a camera in one hand
EF-610 DG Super flashguns. option when space, or lack of it, is a 1 for portrait orientation shooting, and using the
They’re all similarly priced but, consideration – there’s less other hand for holding an off-camera flashgun, it’s
while the Sigma leads the way with chance of leaving it at home worth investing in a battery grip.
its higher maximum flash power because you don’t want to carry a NiMH batteries, like Sanyo Eneloop and
and wireless master function, we chunky flashgun around. Even so,
2 Panasonic Infinium, are ideal for flashguns as
it’s very basic and doesn’t even they hold their charge for a long time when unused.
actually prefer the Canon. The
430EX II works so seamlessly with feature onboard controls. For Wireless slave flash isn’t the only way to
Canon D-SLRs it feels like an useful features, Nissin wins again
3 go. Flash cords are useful, and independent
makes won’t break the bank at around £30.
entirely natural extension of the with the Di622 Mk II. Along with the
camera. However, for sheer Sunpak PZ42X, it’s the cheapest in LCD info panels are good to have as they give
sophistication, pro-level features the group, but it has more to offer.
4 you an instant indication of your settings.
and advanced functions, the Nissin Greater maximum flash power is
Di866 Mark II is the outright winner The Nissin Di866 offers a host of 5 especially useful for when you need to
by a clear margin. pro-level features and functions bounce the flash off walls and ceilings.

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2 GREAT WAYS TO LEARN!

READ OUR GUIDES • WATCH THE VIDEOS FOLLOW ALL OUR

Take better shots

Includes pop-up video guides to using the

Double click When zoomed

Click the links to Click the page

Chris George, Series editor

2014 The Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook 3

Series Editor Chris George chris.george@futurenet.com

FUTURE PUBLISHING LIMITED

CIRCULATION & MARKETING

PRINT & PRODUCTION

Future produces carefully targeted magazines,

Chief executive Mark Wood

All information contained in this magazine is for informational

© Future Publishing Limited 2014. All rights reserved. No

4 The Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook 2014

6 The Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook 2014

2014 The Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook 7

YOUR SLR! -and-dirty reference guide

and the endless, producing some of the most

nonsense guide to features. This is great news for

take great shots with achieve your goal.

2014 The Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook 9

White balance AUTO WB Your Canon D-SLR’s Auto

If you’re shooting JPEG ﬁles, then

Using a Cloudy white balance setting at

If you’re shooting in mixed lighting

shot to create a custom white balance for

Picture Styles STANDARD TOP TIPS

The Landscape style is great for adding PORTRAIT

You don’t have to stick to the default Picture

The wider the aperture you use

If you’re photographing a scene that is either Partial metering will

2014 The Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook 13

When you half-press the shutter

14 The Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook 2014

ALO OFF Useful menu options TOP TIPS

With fill flash

As soon as you press Check the exposure by

2014 The Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook 15

WIDE-ANGLE Shot at 10mm: Wide-angle

Lenses, focal lengths and IS

16 The Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook 2014

Telephoto focal lengths TOP TIPS

Sigma 105mm f/2.8

Adam Waring, Chris George and Peter Travers

Canon EF-S 55-

Manual focus Focus points OUT OF FOCUS

While the central AF point is all you need

2014 The Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook 17

Want to learn how to master shutter speed, aperture,

What you’ll learn here...

Apertures and Shutter speeds Focusing and Composition

18 The Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook 2014

2014 The Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook 19

WIDE APERTURE When taking portraits,

A mid-range focal length

Using a wide aperture

Using exposure compensation

20 The Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook 2014

Anatomy of the viewﬁnder

By dialling in +1 stop of positive exposure

2014 The Ultimate Canon SLR Handbook 21