Discouraged about the 30D

[Broncobear]

Probably not about the camera but more me. Just some things don't make sense. I got to handle my Rebel XT pretty well so I figured 30D should be pretty accurate....I took more test shots today and tried several lenses, with the 30D I got a lot more soft and under exposed shots..

I decided to treck out to the river to try taking shots of the ducks with the water and sky and the ice...and the camera kept getting confused from tiem to time...and when it showed that my exposure level should be good. It often under exposed certain segments of the picture.

It's gotta be me right? not the camera...

I can adjust the shots in photoshop but I rather not do that after every shoot.

Could the incremental ISO have this much of an affect?

here is an (unedited) sample of what kind of results I was gettign today. There was a light shade on the duck but nothing near the extent that is beign shown in the picture. If I edit it everything looks better ofcourse.

http://x00.xanga.com/80bd011666030101099295/w71239510.jpg

[Tsmith]

If you don't like post processing and learning the camera then you'd be better off with a point and shoot type camera.

If you'd used spot metering on the ducks everything might would have turned out better.

[Skrim17]

I dunno, looks like he's trying to learn the camera.

Sorry you are having these frustrating first attempts Bronco, can you give the exif for the above shot?

[Madweasel]

In a shot like this when you've got sunlit snow as a background and the subject is in the shade, your camera is guessing what result you want and you don't know which the matrix metering is trying for. In this situation you should use spot metering (an option your 30D has that the XT doesn't) and meter off the bird.

It's all part of learning about light.

[Clark]

If you don't like post processing and learning the camera then you'd be better off with a point and shoot type camera.

If you'd used spot metering on the ducks everything might would have turned out better.

A situation like that will need a fill flash or you will blow out the background if you meter for the ducks. It is very hard to get that exposure correct.

[steved110]

The picture you post shows a metering issue, as far as I can see. the ducks are under exposed while the camera has actually exposed the ice-covered rocks in the top / left half of the picture pretty well.

You would probably find that center-weighted or partial metering would give better results in that situation . and doesn't the 30D have a spot meter? I gether they are hard to use but that might be an option - I've never had a camera that had one.

As far as the comment about PP goes, IMO this is an exposure issue. you should get expoosure right in camera rather than expect to have to rescue every shot. You can do 2 RAW conversions and merge the 2 pictures to give an overall picture exposed correctly for both sections of the picture - but what a hassle!

Don't get despondent here - most people shoot an awful lot of indifferent pictures before they get a 'keeper'!

Just keep trying!

PS that comment about fill-flash is correct, that would lift the fore ground while allowing the camera to expose the background correctly - as it has done.

[LindaSgee]

It might also be the lens?

Also, there is a learning curve for me with my 30D. What has helped me fall in love with my camera is reading the manual. Have you tried that. Every time I pick it up I learn more about the features and it makes more sense to me. I read a little, then go out and use the features I read about. (Helps me retain--there's a lot of adjusting you can do!)

[StealthLude]

The 30D is a fine camera, much better than a rebel IMO.

When I first moved from a Rebel XT to a 20D I found the rebel to be sharper, but after learning how to use the 20D, and the level of post processing that may be required after the fact, I then understood its strengths.

[Permagrin]

Also, are you shooting in raw or jpeg? All raw needs some PP in order to look correct...and I agree with the others that it appears to be a metering issue. You could try spot metering, if the evaluative metering isn't giving good results. I use spot all the time (used to use it all the time w/my 30D too)...

[Broncobear]

If you don't like post processing and learning the camera then you'd be better off with a point and shoot type camera.

If you'd used spot metering on the ducks everything might would have turned out better.

No I don't mind PP at all, it's just I don't think anyone should become dependent on it...it's the spot metering that has me stumped. That's why I stated it's not the camera, I'm sure it's me.

With the rebel I would have simply tried a differen't approach and I'm sure that I would have got a good shot out of it.

Basically just me being me, impatient,

EXIF was Manual Mode, /640 shutter (cause I was gettign flight shots), 6.3 AV, 160 ISO, 115MM Focal Length.

[CBirnley]

The Magic Lantern Guides offer additional information. I have one ea for my 20D and 5D.

Best of Luck

[handyhaver]

I have found this article tremendously helpful in learning my 30d.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/30d/users-guide.htm

I am by far no expert, but to me it looks like you should have metered the shaded area.

Good luck

[Broncobear]

The 30D is a fine camera, much better than a rebel IMO.

When I first moved from a Rebel XT to a 20D I found the rebel to be sharper, but after learning how to use the 20D, and the level of post processing that may be required after the fact, I then understood its strengths.

thanks stealth and everyone, I believe you are correct..

I assumed that the learning curve would be small and didn't take that into consideration.

There is no doubt I will keep practicing.

Thanks for your feedback ...I just needed to know for sure.

[Clark]

I have found this article tremendously helpful in learning my 30d.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/30d/users-guide.htm

I am by far no expert, but to me it looks like you should have metered the shaded area.

Good luck
Please, no Ken Rockwell stuff, :D lol

[Steiglitz]

Don't read Ken Rockwell unless you want to learn wrong....get some books, read, and practice....and 9 times out of 10 it is the user and not the equipment. Learn the metering modes, how to read the histogram, learn about depth-of-field and how distance, focal length, and aperture setting effect it. Don't be too quick to blame the camera...an image is often not worth photoshopping if it is not good to start with...PS should be a tool for building on top of an image that is already exposed properly...not so much to fix an image.

[Hellashot]

http://x00.xanga.com/80bd011666030101099295/w71239510.jpg

Horrible lighting. Your eyes have the dynamic range to see the snow/ice that is in bright sunlight and the ducks in the shadows, but current cameras cannot.

This is an extreme lighting case. The snow/ice is well exposed which has to leave the shadows dark. You could have used partial metering on the ducks which would have made the snow/ice very over exposed.

Try getting Understanding Exposure by Brian Peterson.

[Dan-o]

If you had it on spot metering and pointed at the ducks the scale would have indicated to add exposure. Agree with other posters you still would have blown-out the background.

[ScottE]

Auto exposure has done a good job of turning the bright ice into a neutral gray tone. Unfortunately, you want the ice look very bright. As a result the image is under-exposed. When you have large bright portions in the image you are either going to have to meter off something that is neutral tone or set exposure compensation for plus 1 or so. Even then, the contrast range is so great you might have to used curves to lighten the shadows in post processing. With fairly close subjects you can also use fill flash at the time of exposure to lighten shadows close to the camera.

[steveathome]

why not just stick it on manual, fire one off read the histogram and adjust exposre to suit, you will get it spot on then?

Edit: invest i a lightmeter if your preference is landscapes

[Madweasel]

why not just stick it on manual, fire one off read the histogram and adjust exposre to suit, you will get it spot on then?

Edit: invest i a lightmeter if your preference is landscapes
The histogram for this shot would show a full range of levels, with hardly any at either extreme, so I don't believe it would help. Spot metering from different parts of the scene would enable a judgement to be made of the balance between the subject in shadow and the degree to which the brighter background would be over-exposed.

This scene was never going to win any competitions though ;)

[Broncobear]

My camera is always on Manual...

As usual I was just being impatient with the work that goes into learning a new camera....I'm more satisfied with the shots I took last night and today.

Thanks for all the tips.

[Madweasel]

My camera is always on Manual...

As usual I was just being impatient with the work that goes into learning a new camera....I'm more satisfied with the shots I took last night and today.

Thanks for all the tips.
I'm glad you're feeling less discouraged! The 30D is a grand camera, but does need some knowledge to get the best from it. Stick with it and you'll be rewarded!

[steved110]

The main thing is too keep practising! After all, every time you take a picture you will learn somethiong, and that's the whole point of digital, that you can shoot like crazy - you paid for the shots when you bought the camera.

Personally i think there is not that much between the Rebel and the 30D in terms of metering anyway. any camera metering system would struggle with extremes of contrast like that.