NEW 50D USER - NEED FEEDBACK

[KBTEX]

I just picked up my new 50D which I plan to use for nature and grandkids sports. Would appreciate feedback on my first attempt with a camera other than a point and shoot.

[TTk]

Excellent shot nice colour and detail:cool:

[Sisyphus]

Here we have both whites and blacks clipped (255,255,255) and (0,0,0). Very high contrast with these extremes almost next to each other. In both cases, detail is lost. This appears to be caused by the harsh lighting. Half the surface of the fungus is in direct sun and half is in shade. The total black areas of shadow underneath are of less importance than the blown white areas of the main subject. You could do one or more things to help remedy the problem. You could shade the entire area or shoot on an overcast day (or at a different time). Or reduce the exposure. You might try spot metering off one of the brighter areas and see how that works.

[KBTEX]

Thanks - I will try that tomorrow if the fungus is still there.

[gcflora]

If you spot meter off a bright spot I would suggest exposure compensation of +1 to +1.5 stops otherwise the white will be gray

[KBTEX]

This is all new to me so help me understand. If I spot meter off a bright spot and increase the exposure compensation to keep the white from being gray, doesn't this get me back to a setting I would get if I metered off a spot that is not so bright.

[Sisyphus]

If I spot meter off a bright spot and increase the exposure compensation to keep the white from being gray, doesn't this get me back to a setting I would get if I metered off a spot that is not so bright.

It will move the exposure in that direction but I'm guessing not all the way back to the exposure of the original shot. Alternatively, reduce the EV of the original metering until the camera's highlight alert on the histogram display stops blinking.