Reading my manual... (2 for CnC)

[Raizels]

So I 'm loving my 450D. What a change! I've been spending time with the manual as suggested here. Well, it's slow going. With every page I turn I feel I have to take 200 photos.
Anyway, there I was, taking picturs of my baby. I was focusing on focusing since she moved a lot. Well, the pics I took in 2 different occasions were overexposed and flat! gah! why is this happening?? Help!!
I'm posting the edited versions. I'd love to hear what y'all have to say about the focus and exposure. Oh, and ignore the bruise on her cheek in #2 - I didn't know how to clone iot out and so left it alone for fear of ruining the image.

 

[er111a]

cute baby are those real earrings?

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

No, they're fake. She put them on in Photoshop.

 

[Raizels]

No, they're fake. She put them on in Photoshop.

That would indeed be a feat. I bet era11 could pull it off...
Any C&C?

 

[Ryan L]

Just curious, they both show being set to manual white balance. What are you using to set this and how?

 

[Sbuxo]

No, they're fake. She put them on in Photoshop.

:lmao::thumbup:

 

[Raizels]

Just curious, they both show being set to manual white balance. What are you using to set this and how?

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I'm not sure what you mean (new to DSLR). I have a WB button, I can choose AWB or daylight, shade etc. I can also personalize the WB by taking a pic of a white object and focusing manually (MF), then setting my WB. Haven't done that yet, though.

 

[Ryan L]

Just curious, they both show being set to manual white balance. What are you using to set this and how?

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I'm not sure what you mean (new to DSLR). I have a WB button, I can choose AWB or daylight, shade etc. I can also personalize the WB by taking a pic of a white object and focusing manually (MF), then setting my WB. Haven't done that yet, though.

Well you are set to manual WB without knowing it then. Your colors would be closer if you set it to manual using a GREY card (not white) in the lighting conditions at the time or just used auto or the appropriate setting (i.e., shade, tungsten, etc). If you use an old manual white balance you are setting it for a totally different color temp than you are in.

Ahheww get that camera off program mode. I don't use program mode so I am not sure if it sets the ISO, but it's at 1600ISO?? Sure doesnt look it in number 1, but thats what it shows. Number 2 shows noise caused by high ISO. You don't need an aperture of F8 either. Experiment with AV/TV/Manual and you will undertsand much quicker how evberything correlates. Example: (these arent exact just an estimate that should present a better quality photo in the same lighting conditions)

Your shot
ISO 1600
Aperture F8
Shutter Speed 1/200

Same conditions better settings
ISO 400
Aperture F5.6
Shutter Speed 1/250

There's alot going on here. I would read up on the the exposure triangle. Here's a link to an article that may be of help. The Exposure Triangle, I would also recommend the book Bryan Petersons, "Understanding Exposure" (It gets a lot of publicity on here, but for good reason).

Here's your Exif data and towards the bottom you see it was set to manual white balance:

[Camera]
Exposure Time = 1/200"
F Number = F8
Exposure Program = Normal program
ISO Speed Ratings = 1600
Exif Version = Version 2.21
Date Time Original = 2000-01-01 00:10:55
Date Time Digitized = 2000-01-01 00:10:55
Shutter Speed Value = 7.63 TV
Aperture Value = 6 AV
Exposure Bias Value = ±0EV
Metering Mode = Spot
Flash = Flash fired, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length = 37mm
Maker Note = 8044 Byte
User Comment =
Subsec Time = 0.3"
Flashpix Version = Version 1.0
Color Space = sRGB
Exif Image Width = 1801
Exif Image Height = 2702
Custom Rendered = Normal process
Exposure Mode = Auto exposure
White Balance = Manual white balance
Scene Capture Type = Normal

I just saw flash fired as well. Another wrench in the mix! Read up. I think the shots aren't that bad for all the things that could have played a bad part in the shot.

 

[Raizels]

Oh wow. Looks like I did a whole list of things wrong. Well, I used program mode as per the manual - why is that wrong? And how is it different from AV/TV?

Why does high ISO cause noise? And why not to use flash?

BTW thanks for your time :hug::

 

[AdrianC]

Why does high ISO cause noise?

Thats just how camera's work. High ISO helps in low light situations but it degrades image quality. You should always use the lowest true ISO possible.

 

[Ryan L]

Canon XSi Basics : Canon XSi | 450D Guide & FAQ | 50D Guide | Digital SLR Tutorial | Photography Guide heres a great link to provide you with some insight to the different creative modes.

Not that program is wrong, but if you want to learn to use your camera its not what you want. It's just another automatic setting. When you shoot in auto modes, you might as well say its a glorified point and shoot. There are so many features open to you when you learn to use the camera. Explore it all. Open the manual and read it front to back...and do it again.

As for the flash, nothing wrong at all (except the built in flash is pretty harsh lighting, but when using flash there is no need to use 1600 ISO. you are already exposing the subject with enough light and you should be able to use pretty low ISO, 100/200 in the case of the ones you shot, they were plenty close enough to use a low ISO.

Just encourage yourself to go beyond the auto modes and you will learn so much more. I think AV (you set the aperture and the camera sets the shutter speed) and TV (you set the shutter speed and the camera picks the aperture) helps you understand the correlation of the "triangle". If you pay attention to what it picks I think you will start understand how they all work hand in hand.

 

[Raizels]

See, I wasn't aware that P is another auto mode. Here I thought I was advancing! OK then AV/TV from now on.

So now my question is, is it better to use a flash and a low ISO or a higher ISO and no flash?

 

[Raizels]

Mods?

 

[Ryan L]

If you have the available light shoot natural, but I do not like to shoot over ISO400. I would shoot flash and low ISO over high ISO and no flash, but it really depends on the situation. If your subject is stationary and you can leave your shutter open longer and your on a tripod then you wont need the high ISO or flash, if if there is movement or your handholding, then you might want flash to freeze your subject. All just depends on the situation.

 

[Raizels]

OK got it, I think. So in this case (baby pic) I'd use flash, because of both movement and no tripod.

BTW I checked out that link on aperture. Very interesting - I took a bunch of pics of my desk. Thanks again