Professional photographers almost always set their cameras manually.
The Canon Digital Rebel line of digital DSLR cameras is meant for advanced photography, but Rebel cameras still have an automatic exposure mode for newcomers. This mode is convenient for novices because it automatically chooses the optimum settings for each photo. However, the well-trained eye of a photographer is still better at choosing the correct exposure settings, especially in changing conditions. Learn override automatic exposure settings on your Canon Digital Rebel to take better photos and use more advanced techniques.
Instructions
1. Turn the camera on using the switch on the upper right portion of the device. Take off the lens cap if you have not already done so.
2. Turn the dial to the left of the power switch to "M" for manual mode. This allows you to set options such as the aperture, shutter speed and ISO manually.
3. Press the "ISO" button above the dial to select a new ISO. Use the up/down buttons on the back of the Digital Rebel to toggle through the choices. Press "Set" to select a setting. Higher ISO values can help you take pictures in the low light situations at the expense of increased grain and noise. Choose a low ISO if you are outdoors. Indoor and night shots typically require a high ISO.
4. Adjust the dial next to the shutter button to change the shutter speed. Turn it right to increase the shutter speed, which decreases the amount of time the shutter remains open. Turn it left to slow down the shutter. This leaves the shutter open longer and lets more light into the photo. A faster shutter speed is needed for sports photography or to photograph fast action without blur.
5. Press the "Av" button next to the LCD screen while turning the shutter speed dial to change the aperture. Turn it right to increase the aperture and left to decrease it. The aperture controls the size of the lens opening. Higher aperture numbers decrease the size of the lens opening and increase depth of field. Lower numbered settings increase the size, letting in more light and decreasing depth of field.
Use a the aperture number, like 4, to expose a photo properly if you are using a faster shutter speed, but keep in mind the camera will capture a shorter depth of field--- i.e. the range of objects in focus will shrink. Keep the aperture high, 8 or above, if you want a bigger depth of field. You might do this if you wanted to capture a stretch of road in sharper detail. Since high aperture settings decrease the amount of light entering the camera, you must decrease the shutter speed to increase the amount of time the shutter stays open.
6. Flip the switch on the left side of the camera lens from "AF" to "MF" to switch to manual focus. Turn the lens ring left or right to focus manually. Press the shutter to take a picture.
Tags: shutter speed, depth field, Digital Rebel, amount time, amount time shutter, automatic exposure, Canon Digital