The differences between Metering Modes Canon 450D

I finally upgraded to an SLR and bought the 450D. However, I am really upset with the results.

First of all, I would expect that using the "everything automatic" settings should produce fantastic shots, but on the whole they are very wishy washy and bland.

So I gave up with the auto settings and tried the manual settings.

I have spent a lot of time taking photos with all the various settings but particularly AV, P and A-Dep with mixed results.

Over time, I realised that the focus points were inaccurate so I have corrected this. But even changing the AP Point Selectors to all, when I semi press the focus button, quite often only one or two points are red, and the whole photo isnt in focus.

I have changed the One Spot and Al Servo to compare
I have changed the Metering Modes to compare.

The only good shots I get are when taking portrait photos, whether using the auto portrait or A-Dep.

Would any of you kind people explain the differences of the various settings because I am still obviously not working the camera correctly.

As an basic setting for general views, what settings would you start from as a general default.

Thank you

did a manual come with your camera?

For focusing I use the center point only (manual selection) and one-shot focus. I don't want the camera choosing where it's focusing. (Note that I don't do much action photography.) I usually use Av mode because I want to control the depth of field. Of course if shutter speed is more important in a situation I use Tv. If I don't like the resulting exposure I'll switch to Manual and set it myself based on the last shot and changed as I think will work. Manual exposure prevents the camera from using different exposures of the same general scene but with different composition.

I recently got the 450D as well and have been having what I consider to be rather soft pictures. I've gotten a few that are really nice so I don't think it's the camera.

I would love to get this thing figured out, it's my first dslr and I love trying to get nice pics, I just wish I could get them right off the bat.

I'm certainly not qualified to give any instructions so I will be watching this thread hoping that some good info comes from it.

Just keep on shooting and it'll come.

I think the section on aperture and depth of field will answer some of your questions.

lewynn said:

I recently got the 450D as well... I've gotten a few that are really nice so I don't think it's the camera.

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That way of thinking is a good starting point -it will force you to learn.

lewynn said:

... so I will be watching this thread hoping that some good info comes from it.

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Dlsr camera must be learned! Because any mistake in settings is much less forgiving than when using p&s camera. That is, as long one doesn't clearly understand how particular settings affect resulting photo, there will be "hit & miss". By just trying settings randomly, isn't the best way to learn, though. And after having the knowledge (how dslr works) then, if/when result isn't as you've expected, it's easy to findout why's that -which is important.

If someone isn't ready to go further than using Auto mode (and not willing to spend time for learning), then (s)he is better with p&s.

Good starting point (IMO) is: use central AF point only, set camera in Av mode, choose aperture between 5.6 and 8.0 and... take a shot. Of course, it depends on shooting conditions (sun position, etc.) and scene as well. Meaning: look at the scene, decide what you wish to accomplish and prepare -don't just "point and shoot".

If you use JPG mode and don't plan to postprocess photos, then don't be afraid to apply a bit more saturation (ans sharpness perhaps) in camera.

Finally, to get photos sharp, keep camera steady! Many say they do, but I've seen many "not sharp enough" photos due camera shake. Remember: when taking photo, only finger on shutter button moves -because image stabilizer is of little use if you take photo while dancing flamenco.

Speaking for me, I'm not some great photographer. But I enjoy my hobby and I continuosly spend some amount of time to learn photo stuff (web is a great source). And I've learned one more thing: one can't learn everything at once. Over the time, my photos just got better and better.. and I realized, it's because I've collected some knowledge and experience... I've been rewarded, so to speak.

Greetings,
Bogdan

hbx2004 said:

lewynn said:

I recently got the 450D as well... I've gotten a few that are really nice so I don't think it's the camera.

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That way of thinking is a good starting point -it will force you to learn.

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No - it's a well known fact that DSLRs take time to settle in and take good photos. My 450D took over 6 months before everything started to work properly and was able to be regularly in focus with good exposure.

Thanks for all your feedback, I do appreciate it.

I have spent all day taking lots and lots of photos in a variety of settings, and am now trawling through the photos to analyse the data to see what works and what doesnt.

Just had a quick look through my favourite shots and they are all on Evaluative Metering, but the Shooting Mode is variable.

I did find today that the red AF boxes wouldnt always focus on all 9 points and as a result some of the photos are blurred.

For some of the photos I used Portrait, all 9 red dots are red and focussed on the face, but the face is blurred, but the background is in focus.

It has been a huge learning curve and whilst frustrating, I have been pleased with the results I got today.

I do accept that its not a point and shoot camera, and yes I have read and reread and reread the manual, but I find with all manuals that they are only useful once you understand what they are trying to explain! After my serious practice today some of the manual now makes sense.

Thanks again

My goodness!!!!!!!!!!
re:

"No - it's a well known fact that DSLRs take time to settle in and take good photos. My 450D took over 6 months before everything started to work properly and was able to be regularly in focus with good exposure."

By extrapolation here, the camera user knows it all right from the start, it just takes the camera half a year to 'learn' the photographer. Why didn't I figure that out?

Ilovemyphotos said:

For some of the photos I used Portrait, all 9 red dots are red and focussed on the face, but the face is blurred, but the background is in focus.

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Found my mistake on this one. I was using A-DEP, The ISO defaulted to 800, the flash wasnt on, and the sun was going down, so I had incorrect settings.

Thank you also for the link to the training website.

Good for you for persevering on this one.

Canon introduced the A-dep setting with their original EOS cameras way back in the film days! In my opinion it should not reside up there with the other more common (and useful) settings as it is seldom employed successfully as its use it often misunderstood, or by mistake as in this case.

AnthonyL said:

No - it's a well known fact that DSLRs take time to settle in and take good photos.

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Oh my... Just don't spread such "facts", ok?

Well the strange thing is the better my camera gets the more I realise really how little I actually understand about photography. Does that help?

Here's what worked for me - I had the same problem in the beginning. Try this and re-evaluate:

1. stop using the fully automatic mode. The settings for full auto are very soft and bland, particularly sharpness - it is set incredibly low and you cannot change it (for full auto) because it is locked.
2. Start taking all non-close-up pictures in P mode.

3. Use only the center focus point - nothing else. For asymmetrical pictures, use the focus and recompose technique.

4. Go into menu - settings and increase the sharpness of the standard mode to the second highest setting.

For how to do some of these things go through the manual, it's not very complicated.

Good luck ...

Its been a good exercise going through every single photo, I have found a lot of my mistakes.

• Spot metering mode when I was taking views - everything outside the centre was over exposed.

• Red points in the wrong places

• Not concentrating on the details in the camera at time of taking photos - still got my point and shoot mentality head on!

I havent used any of the automatic settings because I want to understand how the camera works.

On some photos its quite hard to decide which picture quality I like best, because they are so different.

Have attached some photos of flowers.

I have a number of cameras, including 2 Canon 1D series, and generally rely on the center focus point. But with the 450, I get more reliable results with the auto focus point setting. I generally shoot in P or AV modes, and always with center-weighted metering.

My experience with metering is that learning a single setting and its behavior feels the most comfortable. I always use center-weighted average. If the center of the image is on the bright side compared to the rest of the image I apply some +EV and if the center is on the dark side I apply some -EV. This way I generally have no problems with exposure at all.

Focusing is a bit more tricky because you need to understand what the camera does, and it's counter-intuitive. The easiest way to achieve reliable predictable focus is to use a single focus point. This does not need to be the center point. Just choose what you want to have in focus and use the focus point at that position. (Otherwise you need to first aim the center at that point and then recompose, which is not the best technique, especially not with an IS lens.)
The problems with multiple focus points are the following:

• In any mode other than A-DEP using all focus points causes the camera to focus on whichever part of the picture is closest to the camera. That focus point is brought into focus and the red lights light up of all focus points which are then also reasonably in focus. The ones that do not light up are out of focus (or have nothing to focus on).
• In A-DEP the camera again looks for whichever point is closest. That focus point is brought into focus and then settings are applied to bring as many other focus points into focus as possible. The camera will try to stop down the lens to increase the depth of focus, resulting in lower shutter speeds and if auto-iso is enabled also resulting in choosing a higher iso. In my opinion A-DEP is broken. It should try to bring as much of the scene into focus by focusing on the "average" distance and bringing more in focus by stopping down. Starting by focusing on the closest distance is simply wrong.

My main reason for always avoiding the multiple focus points is that very often one of the focus points is over some non-essential part of foreground (like the ground way in front of the subject) and that is inevitably the point the camera will focus on as it is the closest point).

I used these settings from day one on my 450D (carried over from my old 300D that had fewer options) and have been getting correctly exposed and focused shots from day one as well.

--
Slowly learning to use the 450D, the Canon G6 and the Fuji F200.
Public pictures at http://debra.zenfolio.com/ .