The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS/1000D Companion

Chapter 9. Specialty Shooting

USING SPECIAL FEATURES FOR SHOOTING IN SPECIFIC CONDITIONS

As you've already seen, different photographic conditions require different approaches. In this chapter, we're going to look at special features and techniques you can use for shooting concerts, panoramas, low-light shots, and more. The XS provides all of the features you need for just about any type of shooting, even complex shots involving multiple exposures and special processing.

Live View

Though not a feature you'll use every day, Live View can be a lifesaver in certain tricky situations such as concerts, macro shots, or occasions when you need an angle that you can't get by holding the camera normally.

By this point in the book, you should be the type of person who can bandy about terms like SLR and reciprocity with ease. With your understanding of SLR mechanics, you should now be able to see why digital SLRs traditionally have not let you use the LCD screen as a viewfinder, the way you can do with a point-and-shoot camera.

To create an image to show on the LCD screen, the image sensor needs to be able to see out the lens. But in an SLR, there's a shutter and mirror between the sensor and lens, so the sensor is, effectively, blind. This means there's no way for it to see to be able to show you an image on the LCD screen. The XS, though, provides a special feature called Live View that does let ...