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Canon for Beginners by Papercut Ltd

This guide book is the first and only choice if you are a new adopter and want to learn everything you'll need to get started with your new digital camera. This independent manual is crammed with helpful guides and step-by-step fully illustrated tutorials, written in plain easy to follow English. Over the pages of this new user guide you will clearly learn all you need to know about out of the box set up, getting to grips with the more advanced features and discover a huge array of amazing tips. With this unofficial instruction manual at your side no problem will be unsolvable, no question unanswered as you learn, explore and enhance your user experience.

 
 

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Excerpt

Shooting modes

Getting in the right mode for the right situation

All but the most basic budget compact cameras have a selection of shooting modes, usually chosen by a dial on the top or back of the camera. Easy-to-use, mainly automatic cameras

in the range will only have a few shooting modes, while the more sophisticated cameras such as the EOS DSLRs may have as many as a dozen, including manual exposure options and user-programmable special settings.

As newer models appear in the range or older models are updated, the shooting modes available will be revised and possibly expanded. Shown on this spread are some of the most often used modes selected from the mode dial on the top of the camera.

Auto DOF Mode: As you focus on your subject, the camera will use the other focus points to measure the distance of the other objects in the viewfinder. It will determine what the appropriate aperture setting should be to render everything in focus.

Bulb Mode: Lets you control both shutter speed and lens aperture independently. Instead of a fixed shutter speed, many cameras in the range offer a Bulb shutter, allowing long exposures for as long as you hold the Shutter button down.

Manual Exposure: This mode provides the same range of exposure control as the other shooting modes, but lets you control both shutter speed and lens aperture independently for more creative control.

Aperture-Priority AE: This allows you to set the lens aperture, while the camera is left to select the most appropriate shutter speed. You have control over all the other exposure variables, including the control of exposure compensation.

Shutter-Priority AE: You can manually set the shutter speed you want to work with, while the camera chooses the best corresponding aperture setting. You have control over all other exposure variables, including exposure compensation.

Creative Auto Mode: When set to CA mode, the camera allows the user to adjust picture style, motor drive, and exposure compensation, as well as to use the program shift function.

Program AE: Similar to the Full Automatic mode, but allows more control over the exposure variables. Aperture and shutter speed are automatically selected by the camera, but you can alter exposure to different apertures by turning the Main dial.

Full Automatic Mode: Full Automatic is indicated on the Mode dial by a green rectangular outline. In this mode, the camera makes all exposure decisions with the exception of image quality. Autofocus mode is set to Al Focus.

Flash Off Mode: Flash Off mode disables both the internal flash head and any external flash unit connected. Focus is set to Al Focus mode, the AF assist lamp disabled. ISO and white balance are set automatically as well.

Portrait Mode: This mode uses a large aperture setting to decrease the depth of field, which blurs the background to emphasise the subject. ISO and white balance are set to Auto.

Landscape Mode: Landscape mode combines slower shutter speeds with smaller aperture settings to increase the depth of field when shooting broad panoramas and sweeping landscapes.

Sports Mode: This mode uses a faster shutter speed to capture fast-moving subjects. The autofocus mode is automatically set to Al Servo to predictively track your subject and keep it in focus as it moves.

Night Portrait Mode: This mode is for taking pictures of people at sunset or at night, letting the flash illuminate the subject, while the longer exposure provides a brighter view of the surroundings.

Movie Mode: When Movie mode is selected, the camera's mirror and shutter open, as in Live View mode, but the Live View / Movie button on the camera's back functions as the start/stop button for movie recording.