Creative Modes - Canon

[kzn_guy]

Hi there...

I am a newbie at this camera stuff. I recently got a Canon EOS 30D with a 15-55mm lens. I have read the manual up until the discussion on the creative modes...and then I just get hopelessly lost.

Are there any good websites or video tutorials that you can suggest?

I live in the Durban area - I dont mind meeting someone for a quick tutorial as well...

Thanks,

[Andrew Roos]

I don't use Canon but my understanding is that Canon uses "creative modes" to mean manual (M), aperture priority automatic (Av) and shutter priority automatic (Tv) as opposed to the program auto and scene modes.

Obtaining the correct exposure depends on getting a combination of shutter speed, aperture and ISO (sensitivity) that is appropriate to the lighting of the scene you want to photograph. There are many combinations of aperture, shutter speed and ISO that will give you a correct exposure. The choice of which combination of settings to use depends on your creative intent:

Shutter speed determines the amount of blur you will get from camera or subject movement: a fast shutter speed like 1/500 second will give little motion blur with most normal-speed subjects, while a slow shutter speed like 1/10 second may show motion blur with even slow moving subjects, as well as blur due to camera shake.

Aperture affects depth of field so you will find that with large apertures, such as f/4, you get fairly shallow depth of field while with small apertures like f/11 you get much larger depth of field. Note that a large aperture has a small "F-number" and a small aperture has a large "F-number".

High ISO settings generate more unwanted noise in the image than low ISO settings. However it is easier to remove noise than motion blur or blur caused by insufficient depth of field, so rather compromise ISO than shutter speed or aperture.

In aperture priority mode (Av) you set the aperture and the camera determines the shutter speed based on the light meter reading. This is useful when you want a specific depth of field - which is determined by the aperture.

In shutter priority mode (Tv) you set the shutter speed and the camera determines the aperture based on the light meeter reading. This is useful when you want a specific amount of (or absence of) motion blur, which is determined by shutter speed.

In full manual mode, you set both the shutter speed and the aperture. The camera does not determine either, it just blindly uses whather settings you have chosen (which may of course result in under- or over-exposure if you don't choose wisely).

In all modes, ISO is usually set independantly.

If you are interested in photography you would be welcome to come along to the next meeting of the Hillcrest Camera Club which is on 18 Jan - see www.hillcrestcameraclub.com for more info. Hang out with us in the bar afterwards and ask as many questions as you want!

Regards
Andrew

[Arne]

The creative modes are all the auto settings. Not the advanced settings. You can create your own auto settings using the Picture Style Editor. Just use google for plenty video tutorials.

[Faraway]

Hi. Try having a browse through some of these -

http://www.usa.canon.com/dlc/control...ipsAndTechsAct
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/
http://www.digital-photography-school.com/

Enjoy your photography and feel free to keep asking questions.

[Ken]

Hi there... I am a newbie at this camera stuff. I recently got a Canon EOS 30D with a 15-55mm lens......

Here's a good basic starting point:
http://web.canon.jp/imaging/enjoydslr/part1/1B.html

[Anonymous]

The creative modes are all the auto settings. Not the advanced settings. You can create your own auto settings using the Picture Style Editor. Just use google for plenty video tutorials.

The Creative Zone consists of P, TV, AV, M, and A-DEP.

The Basic Zone on the other hand consists of the more automated modes such as Portrait, Landscape, Sports, etc.

[kzn_guy]

Hi guys

Thank you very much for the information and the links. It makes alot more sense than the manual! I will start working through them later this evening.

I really appreciate it.

Regards,