My very first question.

[NEWBOY]

Its probably summing up how little I know but here goes with my first question.
I have just started out by buying my first DSLR Camera which is a Canon EOS 1100D.
I am presently playing around with the camera, and reading the manual over and over again.
So to my first question.
I use the 18-55 lens and manually zoom into the subject matter and take a photograph.
So far so good.
But when I look at the picture on the camera display screen it appears not to be one which was taken with the zoom setting.
My question is why.
I am sorry if this is very basic but its one thing I would like explained.
The shutter was pressed half way in by the way, before the picture was finally taken.
Cheers,
NEWBOY
:blushing:

 

[ShooterJ]

Appears not to be the one taken at zoom? Do you mean you see more in the preview than you did in the viewfinder?

 

[Gavjenks]

The "zoom setting?" Zoom is not what I would call a "setting" per se. It's a physical ring on the lens, and the camera should be optically incapable of registering an image that is not zoomed in if you have zoomed in. The lens would physically not be providing the required photons for it to do such a thing.

Can you explain in more detail what exactly you mean by "it appears not to be one which was taken with the zoom setting?"

 

[NEWBOY]

Thanks for the feed back so far.
I use the cameras view screen ( I believe this is called live view) to look at the subject I am taking and then zoom in with the lens and the view of the subject in the screen increases accordingly.
I am not using the view finder rather the large screen to look at the image,
I then take the picture and then view the taken picture and it appears not to be zoomed as it appeared before pressing the shutter.
I expect it to appear as it did when I zoomed in before actually taking the picture.
Hope this helps explain what I mean.
Cheers.

 

[Buckster]

Thanks for the feed back so far.
I use the cameras view screen ( I believe this is called live view) to look at the subject I am taking and then zoom in with the lens and the view of the subject in the screen increases accordingly.
I am not using the view finder rather the large screen to look at the image,
I then take the picture and then view the taken picture and it appears not to be zoomed as it appeared before pressing the shutter.
I expect it to appear as it did when I zoomed in before actually taking the picture.
Hope this helps explain what I mean.
Cheers.

Are you zooming by turning a ring on the lens, or are you zooming by pressing a button on the back of the camera? If it's the button, you're actually just looking closer at the picture that will be taken.

 

[NEWBOY]

I will check that and get back to this post.
I understand what you are saying and I need to take a photograph to see if that's the problem.
Thanks very much for advice, be back in tow ticks.

 

[NEWBOY]

Buckster, you are a star, and I am an idiot.
Well that's my first question explained and resolved thanks to you.
I hope my next questions are not so basic and aren't down to my own inexperience.
Cheers I really appreciate your help.
Maybe one day soon I will become a photographer.

 

[dbvirago]

The way you were doing it originally is good for checking your focus. As you saw, the zoom button pulls the subject in very tight. You can then check your focus on the screen before taking the shot.

 

[Gavjenks]

You're not an idiot, just a newbie!

I assume that you were using live view to attempt to zoom, because you are used to cell phones or point and shoot cameras where you do almost everything or everything through a digital screen, yes?

Live view on a DSLR is a little different in purpose. It's generally for either video, for situations where you can't get your eye to the viewfinder conveniently, or for checking your focus in extremely difficult to focus manual situations (some other situations too, but those are the main ones I'd say).

Looking through the viewfinder with live view turned off is usually better if possible. It allows the camera to autofocus more quickly and accurately, it is much more responsive (it updates at the speed of light instead of with electronic lag), uses less battery power, etc.

 

[ShaneF]

Dont feel bad i did the exact same thing 2 months ago when i got my first camera..

 

[TCampbell]

I'd encourage you to use the viewfinder and not use the "live view" feature.

When you use "live view" you tend to have to hold out the camera in front of you with your arms... it's VERY bad body posture for photography. When you use the viewfinder and the camera is at your face, you can keep your arms BELOW the camera with elbows tucked in and touching your chest/stomach. This creates a much more stable platform when shooting with slower shutter speeds.

Another advantage is that when using the viewfinder, the camera uses "phase detect" auto-focus. The reflex mirror in the camera bounces light up into the viewfinder, but some semi-transparent parts bounce light down to the floor of the camera where the "phase detect" focus sensors live. They are MUCH faster at focusing. If you use "live view" the reflex mirror has to swing up to allow light through to the sensor. That means no mirrors can bounce light down into the phase-detect AF sensors... so the camera has to rely on "contrast detection" auto-focus -- which takes the camera longer to focus. If you're taking photos of moving subjects you definitely don't want to rely on the contrast-detection AF system of "live view".

 

[NEWBOY]

I am very grateful to all for your comments thus far.
Its off to the local canal tomorrow to try and take some pictures of the ducks which usually gather there.
Knowing my luck though as soon as I walk over the road to the canal they will all scatter.
Did a little bit playing around with ISO speeds etc, learning how that effects the pictures I take.
I have a Flikr account to load my photos to, and thought it might help to see how I am progressing being able to compare over the months or years.
Thanks everyone,
John
NEWBOY

 

[terri]

I am very grateful to all for your comments thus far.
Its off to the local canal tomorrow to try and take some pictures of the ducks which usually gather there.
Knowing my luck though as soon as I walk over the road to the canal they will all scatter.
Did a little bit playing around with ISO speeds etc, learning how that effects the pictures I take.
I have a Flikr account to load my photos to, and thought it might help to see how I am progressing being able to compare over the months or years.
Thanks everyone,
John
NEWBOY

Welcome to TPF! I'm happy you were able to get some of your questions answered so quickly.

Please keep posting, share your pics, and have fun!

 

[TCampbell]

I have a Flikr account to load my photos to, and thought it might help to see how I am progressing being able to compare over the months or years.

By all means, do share some of your images -- particular if/when you're having issues -- either technically with the exposure or compositionally -- and we'll do our best to help.

On Flickr, as you view an image, there's usually a control that looks like a box with an arrow coming out of it -- that's the "Share" box. Tell it you want the "HTML/BBcode" method then choose "BBcode" (ThePhotoForum.com uses BBcode). Then just pick your size and copy EVERYTHING in that box and paste it into your post here on TPF.

If your software gives you an option to include or remove "EXIF" data when you upload to Flickr, leave the EXIF data in the image. This allows us to see what exposure settings you used when you took the shot -- which is immensely valuable when trying to offer advice.