Canon® EOS 50D Digital Field Guide

Canon® EOS 50D Digital Field Guide

Released March 2009
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9780470455593

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Book description

Charlotte Lowrie's indispensable guide to taking the best possible pictures with the Canon EOS 50D!

Go well beyond the basics with this essential guide to getting great shots with the Canon EOS 50D camera. Professional photographer and bestselling author Charlotte Lowrie packs this portable guide with over 290 pages of beautiful full-color photos, proven techniques, and no-fail formulas for tapping all the features this exciting new high-resolution DSLR camera offers.

Get to know your Canon EOS 50D, learn all the tricks, and then take this handy portable guide with you in the field for quick and easy reference.

  • Master your Canon EOS 50D camera with expert guidance from Seattle-area professional photographer and popular author, Charlotte Lowrie

  • Find pages of step-by-step techniques and professional tips that will help you understand all the functions, menus, and dials on your camera

  • Explore topics that many competitive digital SLR books just touch on, including step-by-step instruction on exposure and composition

  • Learn professional composition and lighting tricks

  • Examine full-color examples of breathtaking ways to capture stills, portraits, and action shots

Canon EOS 50D Digital Field Guide is the latest in the bestselling Digital Field Guide series that has taught thousands of photographers and beginners how to get the most out of their digital cameras.

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. About the Author
  3. Credits
  4. Introduction
    1. Making the Most of This Book
  5. I. Navigating and Setting Up the EOS 50D
    1. 1. Roadmap to the EOS 50D
      1. 1.1. Key Technology
      2. 1.2. Camera Features Overview
        1. 1.2.1. Front of the camera
        2. 1.2.2. Top of the camera
        3. 1.2.3. Back of the camera
        4. 1.2.4. Side of the camera
        5. 1.2.5. Bottom of the camera
      3. 1.3. Lens Controls
        1. 1.3.1. Viewfinder display
        2. 1.3.2. Camera menus
    2. 2. Setting Up the EOS 50D
      1. 2.1. Choosing Image Format and Quality
        1. 2.1.1.
          1. 2.1.1.1. JPEG
          2. 2.1.1.2. RAW and sRAW
          3. 2.1.1.3. Getting the best of both JPEG and RAW
      2. 2.2. Working with Folders and File Numbering
        1. 2.2.1. Creating and selecting folders
        2. 2.2.2. Setting file numbering
          1. 2.2.2.1. Continuous file numbering
          2. 2.2.2.2. Auto reset
          3. 2.2.2.3. Manual reset
      3. 2.3. Miscellaneous Setup Options
        1. 2.3.1. General setup options
        2. 2.3.2. Add copyright information
      4. 2.4. Image Playback Options
        1. 2.4.1. Display and move through multiple images
        2. 2.4.2. Displaying images on a TV
        3. 2.4.3. Protecting images
        4. 2.4.4. Erasing images
    3. 3. Controlling Exposure and Focus
      1. 3.1. Working with Exposure
        1. 3.1.1. Defining exposure goals
        2. 3.1.2. Practical exposure considerations
      2. 3.2. Choosing a Shooting Mode
        1. 3.2.1. Creative Zone shooting modes
          1. 3.2.1.1. Program AE (P) shooting mode
          2. 3.2.1.2. Shutter-priority AE (Tv) mode
          3. 3.2.1.3. Aperture-priority AE (Av) mode
          4. 3.2.1.4. Manual (M) mode
          5. 3.2.1.5. Bulb exposures
          6. 3.2.1.6. A-DEP mode
          7. 3.2.1.7. C1 and C2 (Camera User Settings) modes
        2. 3.2.2. Basic Zone shooting modes
          1. 3.2.2.1. Creative Auto mode
          2. 3.2.2.2. Full Auto mode
          3. 3.2.2.3. Portrait mode
          4. 3.2.2.4. Landscape mode
          5. 3.2.2.5. Close-up mode
          6. 3.2.2.6. Sports mode
          7. 3.2.2.7. Night Portrait mode
          8. 3.2.2.8. Flash Off mode
      3. 3.3. Setting the ISO Sensitivity
      4. 3.4. Metering Light and Modifying Exposure
        1. 3.4.1. Using metering modes
        2. 3.4.2. Evaluating exposures
          1. 3.4.2.1. Brightness histogram
          2. 3.4.2.2. RGB histogram
        3. 3.4.3. Modifying and bracketing exposures
          1. 3.4.3.1. Auto Lighting Optimizer
          2. 3.4.3.2. Highlight Tone Priority
          3. 3.4.3.3. Safety Shift
          4. 3.4.3.4. Auto Exposure Lock
          5. 3.4.3.5. Exposure Compensation
          6. 3.4.3.6. Auto Exposure Bracketing
      5. 3.5. Using Autofocus
        1. 3.5.1. Choosing an autofocus mode
        2. 3.5.2. Choosing an autofocus point
      6. 3.6. Selecting a Drive Mode
    4. 4. Getting Great Color
      1. 4.1. Working with Color
        1. 4.1.1. Choosing a color space
        2. 4.1.2. Setting the White Balance
        3. 4.1.3. Setting a custom white balance
        4. 4.1.4. Setting a specific color temperature
        5. 4.1.5. Fine-tuning white balance
          1. 4.1.5.1. Using White Balance Auto Bracketing
          2. 4.1.5.2. Using White Balance Correction
      2. 4.2. Working with Picture Styles
        1. 4.2.1. Choosing and customizing Picture Styles
        2. 4.2.2. Registering a new Picture Style
      3. 4.3. Using the Picture Style Editor
    5. 5. Customizing the EOS 50D
      1. 5.1. Exploring Custom Functions
        1. 5.1.1. Custom Function groupings
        2. 5.1.2. Custom Functions specifics
          1. 5.1.2.1. C.Fn I: Exposure
            1. 5.1.2.1.1. C.Fn I-1: Exposure-level increments
            2. 5.1.2.1.2. C.Fn I-2: ISO speed setting increments
            3. 5.1.2.1.3. C.Fn I-3: ISO expansion
            4. 5.1.2.1.4. C.Fn I-4: Bracketing auto cancel
            5. 5.1.2.1.5. C.Fn I-5: Bracketing sequence
            6. 5.1.2.1.6. C.Fn I-6: Safety shift
            7. 5.1.2.1.7. C.Fn I-7: Flash sync. speed in Av mode
          2. 5.1.2.2. C.Fn II: Image
            1. 5.1.2.2.1. C.Fn II-1: Long-exposure noise reduction
            2. 5.1.2.2.2. C.Fn II-2: High ISO speed noise reduction
            3. 5.1.2.2.3. C.Fn II-3: Highlight Tone Priority
            4. 5.1.2.2.4. C.Fn II-4: Auto Lighting Optimizer
          3. 5.1.2.3. C.Fn III: Autofocus/Drive
            1. 5.1.2.3.1. C.Fn III-1: Lens drive when AF impossible
            2. 5.1.2.3.2. C.Fn III-2: Lens AF Stop button function
            3. 5.1.2.3.3. C.Fn III-3: AF-point selection method
            4. 5.1.2.3.4. C.Fn III-4: Superimposed display
            5. 5.1.2.3.5. C.Fn III-5: AF-assist beam firing
            6. 5.1.2.3.6. C.Fn III-6: Mirror lockup
            7. 5.1.2.3.7. C.Fn III-7: AF Microadjustment
          4. 5.1.2.4. C.Fn IV: Operation/Others
            1. 5.1.2.4.1. C.Fn IV-1: Shutter button/AF-ON button
            2. 5.1.2.4.2. C.Fn IV-2: AF-ON/AE lock button switch
            3. 5.1.2.4.3. C.Fn IV-3: Assign SET button
            4. 5.1.2.4.4. C.Fn IV-4: Dial direction during Tv/Av
            5. 5.1.2.4.5. C.Fn IV-5: Focusing screen
            6. 5.1.2.4.6. C.Fn IV-6: Add original decision data
            7. 5.1.2.4.7. C.Fn IV-7:Assign FUNC. button.
        3. 5.1.3. Setting Custom Functions
      2. 5.2. Registering Camera User Settings
      3. 5.3. Customizing My Menu
  6. II. Doing More with the EOS 50D
    1. 6. Shooting in Live View or Tethered
      1. 6.1. About Live View Shooting
      2. 6.2. Live View Features and Functions
        1. 6.2.1. Live View focus
        2. 6.2.2. Exposure simulation and metering
        3. 6.2.3. Silent shooting modes
        4. 6.2.4. Using a flash
      3. 6.3. Setting up for Live View Shooting
      4. 6.4. Working with Live View
        1. 6.4.1. Shooting in Live View
        2. 6.4.2. Shooting tethered or with a wireless connection
    2. 7. Working with Flash and Studio Lights
      1. 7.1. Flash Technology Basics
      2. 7.2. Shooting with the Built-in Flash
        1. 7.2.1. Working with the built-in flash
        2. 7.2.2. Red-eye Reduction
      3. 7.3. Modifying Flash Exposure
        1. 7.3.1. Flash Exposure Compensation
        2. 7.3.2. Flash Exposure Lock
      4. 7.4. Using Flash Control Options
        1. 7.4.1. Disabling the flash but enabling the flash's autofocus assist beam
        2. 7.4.2. Built-in flash techniques
      5. 7.5. Shooting with Speedlites and Studio Lighting
        1. 7.5.1. Using multiple Speedlites and studio lights
        2. 7.5.2. Exploring flash techniques
          1. 7.5.2.1. Bounce flash
          2. 7.5.2.2. Adding catchlights to the eyes
          3. 7.5.2.3. Using a Speedlite as an auxiliary light
          4. 7.5.2.4. Balancing lighting extremes
    3. 8. Lenses and Accessories
      1. 8.1. Evaluating Lens Choices for the 50D
        1. 8.1.1. Building a lens system
        2. 8.1.2. Understanding the focal-length multiplier
      2. 8.2. Types of Lenses
        1. 8.2.1. About zoom lenses
        2. 8.2.2. About prime lenses
      3. 8.3. Working with Different Types of Lenses
        1. 8.3.1. Using wide-angle lenses
        2. 8.3.2. Using telephoto lenses
        3. 8.3.3. Using normal lenses
        4. 8.3.4. Using macro lenses
        5. 8.3.5. Using tilt-and-shift lenses
        6. 8.3.6. Using Image Stabilized lenses
      4. 8.4. Calibrating and Fine-Tuning Lenses
        1. 8.4.1. Calibrating lenses for focus accuracy
        2. 8.4.2. Setting lens peripheral correction
      5. 8.5. Doing More with Lens Accessories
        1. 8.5.1. Lens extenders
        2. 8.5.2. Extension tubes and close-up lenses
      6. 8.6. Learning Lens Lingo and Technology
    4. 9. Using the EOS 50D in the Field
      1. 9.1. Nature and Landscape Photography
        1. 9.1.1. Packing the camera bag
        2. 9.1.2. Setting up the 50D for outdoor shooting
        3. 9.1.3. Exposing average scenes
          1. 9.1.3.1. Basic exposure technique
          2. 9.1.3.2. Advanced exposure approach
        4. 9.1.4. Exposing nonaverage scenes
        5. 9.1.5. Shooting landscape and nature images
      2. 9.2. Portrait Photography
        1. 9.2.1. Selecting gear
        2. 9.2.2. Setting up the 50D for portrait shooting
        3. 9.2.3. Making natural-light portraits
          1. 9.2.3.1. Outdoor portraits
          2. 9.2.3.2. Window light portraits
          3. 9.2.3.3. Exposure approaches
        4. 9.2.4. Making studio portraits
        5. 9.2.5. Keep it simple
      3. 9.3. Event and Action Photography
        1. 9.3.1. Packing the gear bag
        2. 9.3.2. Setting up the 50D for event and action shooting
        3. 9.3.3. Shooting events and action
          1. 9.3.3.1. Exposure approaches
          2. 9.3.3.2. Shooting action images
  7. III. Appendixes
    1. A. The Fundamentals of Exposure
      1. A.1. The Four Elements of Exposure
        1. A.1.1. Light
        2. A.1.2. Sensitivity: The role of ISO
        3. A.1.3. Intensity: The role of the aperture
          1. A.1.3.1. Wide aperture
          2. A.1.3.2. Narrow aperture
          3. A.1.3.3. Choosing an aperture
          4. A.1.3.4. What is depth of field?
            1. A.1.3.4.1. Shallow depth of field
            2. A.1.3.4.2. Extensive depth of field
        4. A.1.4. Time: The role of shutter speed
      2. A.2. Equivalent Exposures
      3. A.3. Putting It All Together
    2. B. Exploring RAW Capture
      1. B.1. Learning about RAW Capture
      2. B.2. Canon's RAW Conversion Program
      3. B.3. Sample RAW Image Conversion
    3. C. Maintaining the 50D
      1. C.1. Cleaning the Image Sensor
        1. C.1.1. Mapping and removing dust
        2. C.1.2. Cleaning the sensor manually
      2. C.2. Updating Firmware and Software
  8. Glossary

Product information

  • Title: Canon® EOS 50D Digital Field Guide
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: March 2009
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9780470455593