ozzy13 0 #1 December 14, 2008 Ok asked about what lens to use Now I am asking about settings There are 12 settings on the dial. then there is the screen setting Quality ( This has 8 choices of different pictures) red eye (on/off) AF mode ( one shot, AI focus, AI servo) metering mode ( this has three choices) iso speed ( 100,200,400,800,1600) I'm looking for settings for skydiving. Yes I have the manual but its like reading Chinese to meNever give the gates up and always trust your rears! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BMFin 0 #2 December 14, 2008 You just need to learn photography. No shortcuts here. There are no magical right settings in any kind of photograpy. And about the manual, Im sure youll be able to get an english version of the manual also. (google it) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ozzy13 0 #3 December 14, 2008 Quote And about the manual, Im sure youll be able to get an english version of the manual also. (google it) LMAO it is in engilsh. It just sounds like chinese.Never give the gates up and always trust your rears! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ozzy13 0 #4 December 14, 2008 The problem I am having is their are so many different ways to set the camera. From the dail on top. To the lcd screen. I dont know where to start. I have read the manual and it just confuses me more. Thought I could get a jump start here and go from there.Never give the gates up and always trust your rears! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #5 December 14, 2008 Just put it in the Green Auto mode and leave it, that's all you are really looking for anyways right? Go read Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. It will help you understand the top dial settings, everything else comes with practice and understanding photography. Here is a hint - Red eye is only needed if you are using the on board flash and its not used in skydiving but it is used a lot on the ground. Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ozzy13 0 #6 December 14, 2008 Quote Just put it in the Green Auto mode and leave it, that's all you are really looking for anyways right? Go read Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. It will help you understand the top dial settings, everything else comes with practice and understanding photography. Here is a hint - Red eye is only needed if you are using the on board flash and its not used in skydiving but it is used a lot on the ground. I primarily use the camera for skydiving. I would like to learn what the settings do and why. ( Im that type of person) I have been using AV with stock lens. Using AF to set camera up and then witching to MF for the jump. Im not liking the way pictures are coming out. Hens why I am asking here. To be honest I would love to just witch it to green and like if every shot was perfectNever give the gates up and always trust your rears! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BirdWoman 0 #7 December 15, 2008 This book will help. You can find it at just about any major bookstore or camera shop, like Wolf Photo. http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Canon-EOS-Digital-Rebel-Digital-Field-Guide/Charlotte-K-Lowrie/e/9780764588136/?itm=16 Can someone make a clicky for me? "I don't know where it is that I'm going, but wherever it is there I'll be!" --quoted by me Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #8 December 15, 2008 Sport mode and autofocus will work fine. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cashmanimal 0 #9 December 15, 2008 Like everybody said, there are ~9 million different ways to do it. But if I had to offer my own advice on a general setting that will work the better majority of the time: -ISO at 400 -AV mode, set to 4.5 ish (Higher if the middle of the day) -Large jpg if you are trying to sell them, medium, if you want okay shots and lots of them for practice' sake (camera will work faster, not get backed up writing the images to the card) AF is a roll of the dice. I jump my 40D and Sigma 15mm on AF, but the two together work relative quick. If you are jumping the kit lens on an original XT, it is probably not going to be quick enough to do what you want... MF, set your focal length and tape it in place with some gaffers. Read/watch a couple brief tutorials on photography, then in your free time go take some photos, it will teach you a lot. Fill up your memory card a few times.... It's digital, it's free, why not? Better to fu*k it up on your own time then to miss something on a skydive. What an empty feeling It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #10 December 15, 2008 QuoteIf you are jumping the kit lens on an original XT, it is probably not going to be quick enough to do what you want I can't figure out how that rumor started. Have you tried it? It works fine. Really! Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #11 December 15, 2008 Typically I'd void AV mode like the plague since I could care less about controlling the DOF in the photo and while locking in on such a low F stop will force the camera to use faster shutter speeds (1000+ potentially) I would rather have have control over the shutter speed to make sure I don't have any motion blurred photos since the camera decided to pick 1/30 since it metered off the black container or something. I've been shooting a lot more on full manual or TV and adjusting it +/- a third or two stops as needed to dial in the photos.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cashmanimal 0 #12 December 15, 2008 QuoteQuoteIf you are jumping the kit lens on an original XT, it is probably not going to be quick enough to do what you want I can't figure out how that rumor started. Have you tried it? It works fine. Really! Dave In my experience, I have landed with a handful fewer photos than in MF (which makes sense-- but it seems exaggerated on the original XT) than in AF. The my primary concern lies in the exit (primarily referring to tandems) since the distance shift is so fast... going from 3-4 feet from their face as they climb out and I snap a few to a greater distance coming down the hill, I found that I was about 50/50 on whether or not it focused down the hill, where the "money shot" is. On a (sort of) related note, our other camera girl and i made a sunset jump filming a couple's tandems, her filming the guy and me filming the girl. She flipped a Sigma 15mm on her XT, and I had mine on my 40D. After much discussion, she decided to shoot in AF, and in turn ended up missing many amazing photo ops... she ended up with 4-5 freefall shots, and I had around 30 (also in AF). I hadn't considered it, but is this because the Sigma wasn't scripted for the XT? Either way, she was pissed and blamed it on me (which I don't REALLY blame her) because of my "neer had a proble with AF" statement prior to boarding the plane.It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #13 December 15, 2008 I agree with you, but holding the aperture fixed is necessary if you're shooting manual focus. I use Tv mode with autofocus, but if I was manually focusing I'd use Av so the DOF stays constant. I also use Av for sunset loads so I don't underexpose by choosing too fast a shutter speed. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ozzy13 0 #14 December 15, 2008 I just ordered the Canon 15mm . So that will change things a bit. I was looking threw the Manual again last night and taking differ shots in different modes. Trying things out. Like everyone is saying their are sooooo many different ways to set the camera it makes my head hurt Video is so much easier then photo when it comes to the settings. Thanks for the help guys. Never give the gates up and always trust your rears! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChangoLanzao 0 #15 December 15, 2008 QuoteThe problem I am having is their are so many different ways to set the camera. From the dail on top. To the lcd screen. I dont know where to start. I have read the manual and it just confuses me more. Thought I could get a jump start here and go from there. The best place to start is on the ground. Take the camera everywhere you go. Take pictures of everything you see. Try all the settings. Learn Photography. The luxury of digital photography is that you can experiment at no cost! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BMFin 0 #16 December 15, 2008 Quote The luxury of digital photography is that you can experiment at no cost! IMO this is the funniest misconception ever. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnealtx 0 #17 December 15, 2008 Quote Quote The luxury of digital photography is that you can experiment at no cost! IMO this is the funniest misconception ever. Hardly - by the time you shoot/process/print 100 rolls of 36 exposure film, you've made up the difference in price between the film camera and the digital - the digital pulls aways after that point.Mike I love you, Shannon and Jim. POPS 9708 , SCR 14706 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icon134 0 #18 December 15, 2008 QuoteI agree with you, but holding the aperture fixed is necessary if you're shooting manual focus. I use Tv mode with autofocus, but if I was manually focusing I'd use Av so the DOF stays constant. I also use Av for sunset loads so I don't underexpose by choosing too fast a shutter speed.I'm not sure I agree completely agree... I also primarily use Tv but I will adjust the shutter speed based on how bright the day is and have a targeted apeture such that I have sufficient depth of field for the conditions I'm shooting in... ultimately it isn't a good idea to blindly choose shooting conditions. which is why (as people pointed out) it is important to learn how to take photographs on the ground then translate those skills to the air.Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChangoLanzao 0 #19 December 15, 2008 Quote Quote The luxury of digital photography is that you can experiment at no cost! IMO this is the funniest misconception ever. How so? What does it cost to take a picture, look at it and then delete it? Have you ever shot with film? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BMFin 0 #20 December 15, 2008 Quote Quote Quote The luxury of digital photography is that you can experiment at no cost! IMO this is the funniest misconception ever. Hardly - by the time you shoot/process/print 100 rolls of 36 exposure film, you've made up the difference in price between the film camera and the digital - the digital pulls aways after that point. Oh I wasnt saying which is more expensive film or digital. I was just saying digital doesnt seem so free to me.. By the time you have spent 20.000 $ for your camera equipment, editing software, computer, monitor... you most likely will not consider that shooting digital is free. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChangoLanzao 0 #21 December 15, 2008 Quote Quote Quote Quote The luxury of digital photography is that you can experiment at no cost! IMO this is the funniest misconception ever. Hardly - by the time you shoot/process/print 100 rolls of 36 exposure film, you've made up the difference in price between the film camera and the digital - the digital pulls aways after that point. Oh I wasnt saying which is more expensive film or digital. I was just saying digital doesnt seem so free to me.. By the time you have spent 20.000 $ for your camera equipment, editing software, computer, monitor... you most likely will not consider that shooting digital is free. I see your point; however, I'm not so sure I agree. I used to have a darkroom and develop my own color slides and B&W as well as color prints. That was expensive! Also, you don't have to purchase a 5DMII in order to experiment with the basics of photography Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icon134 0 #22 December 15, 2008 Quote Quote Quote The luxury of digital photography is that you can experiment at no cost! IMO this is the funniest misconception ever. Have you ever shot with film? I have and must agree with you and mealnx that there is much less cost involved (in the long term) with shooting in digital. When I was learning photography (full manual 35mm Pentax cameras) I would generally expect 5-10 at most good frames in a roll of 36 exposures... but I still had to purchase the film ($2-5), process the roll and create a contact sheet ($5-10)... and that's every 36 exposures... I'm not including printing of exposures because that's likely the same regardless of method Besides you don't get the instant gratification/feedback of digital... example: with digital I can take a picture of a flower using my macro, copy it off of the camera onto the computer, examine the exposure, composition, etc then turn around and easly adjust the shooting conditions to get something different.Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChangoLanzao 0 #23 December 15, 2008 Quote with digital I can take a picture of a flower using my macro, copy it off of the camera onto the computer, examine the exposure, composition, etc then turn around and easly adjust the shooting conditions to get something different. Yup! What's really cool is when you are familiar enough with your process that you can take a picture of a flower using your macro, look at the histogram on your LCD, zoom in to check focus and you know if you need to take another shot! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icon134 0 #24 December 15, 2008 Quote Quote with digital I can take a picture of a flower using my macro, copy it off of the camera onto the computer, examine the exposure, composition, etc then turn around and easly adjust the shooting conditions to get something different. Yup! What's really cool is when you are familiar enough with your process that you can take a picture of a flower using your macro, look at the histogram on your LCD, zoom in to check focus and you know if you need to take another shot! Yee... I just need to practice more... Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChangoLanzao 0 #25 December 15, 2008 Quote Quote Quote with digital I can take a picture of a flower using my macro, copy it off of the camera onto the computer, examine the exposure, composition, etc then turn around and easly adjust the shooting conditions to get something different. Yup! What's really cool is when you are familiar enough with your process that you can take a picture of a flower using your macro, look at the histogram on your LCD, zoom in to check focus and you know if you need to take another shot! Yee... I just need to practice more... So sorry. That did come out sounding condescending. My apologies. Actually, I'm just lazy and like more instant answers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
