Canon SX50 Tips & Tricks

I am a new owner of a Canon SX 50. I sold my Canon T1i and converted to compact as I just don't think I am a DSLR guy.

I purchased an excellent book for my T1i to help me learn how to use it more effectively but there don't seem to be any books out for the SX 50 yet.

So in the absence of any good books yet, perhaps other SX 50 owners could share their tips and tricks here for getting the most out of the SX 50?

I have LOT to learn about photography and I really appreciate your help and advice.

Just get out and take pictures and try different setting.

Don't use auto at all, you will never learn the camera if you use auto.

Once you figure out how different setting work you will be able to start adjusting to get great shots.

It's no different than any other camera.

I am a noob with the SX50 as well. I was outside today. I bought some inexpensive circular polarizer and UV filters from ebay, made by Vivitar. I was quite surprised the camera couldn't focus well when zoomed in using the polarizing filter.

Additionally, I was shocked to find that I could not manual focus in macro mode. I think a couple of tips or tricks would help us noobs to helps us with the both the camera' shortcomings and our accessories.

sbumps wrote in post #16040164
Just get out and take pictures and try different setting.

Don't use auto at all, you will never learn the camera if you use auto.

Once you figure out how different setting work you will be able to start adjusting to get great shots.

It's no different than any other camera.

I agree, get out and shoot. See what works.

I normally shoot in AV mode, switching to TV when I am riding on the back of a motorcycle. Also, I normally set my EC to anywhere from -1/3 to a full stop. Just depends on the lighting. Mostly the -1/3 though.

My best accessory purchase for my SX40, I know you have the 50, is my Speedlite. Not just for darker scenes, but as a filler to help avoid shadows.

Good luck, and most importantly, have fun!!!!

sharod wrote in post #16040516
My best accessory purchase for my SX40, I know you have the 50, is my Speedlite. Not just for darker scenes, but as a filler to help avoid shadows.

I thought about getting a flash myself, but aside from filling in the shadows, I prefer to use very slow shutter speeds and a tripod so I don't need to use any flash. It's too bad Canon's shutter speed is not longer than 15 seconds.

blondee_yvr wrote in post #16040499
I am a noob with the SX50 as well. I was outside today. I bought some inexpensive circular polarizer and UV filters from ebay, made by Vivitar. I was quite surprised the camera couldn't focus well when zoomed in using the polarizing filter.

Additionally, I was shocked to find that I could not manual focus in macro mode. I think a couple of tips or tricks would help us noobs to helps us with the both the camera' shortcomings and our accessories.

Well, cheap glass, whether a lens or a filter, is to be avoided.

I've held forth about digital zoom before, but the best first step you can take in setting up any camera is to turn off the digital zoom. All it does is make one very small pixel into more even smaller ones. If it's not an exact multiple (2x, 4x), it'll be combining 2 or more pixels to try to make even more, so you'll get less detail. Really, you're better off shooting with straight optical zoom and doing any cropping/resizing in post-processing (where you have a second chance if it doesn't come out right at first). That holds for "Digital Teleconverter" as well. Just Say No.

Came across this gem of wisdom on another forum and felt it should be added to the SX 50 tips and tricks discussion here:

Great tip ebusinesstutor, but how do you move the square? I found disabling the continous auto focus helped a lot too in focusing. The camera just keeps on hunting and it became quite frustrating. I also wish I could manually focus the old school way (turning the lens) instead of using an up down menu button which is annoying and frustrating, lol.

Jon, good advice. However, I bought the camera primarily for the high digital zoom ability. Without any filter I must say it zoomed in quite nicely on those times I needed it.

blondee_yvr wrote in post #16040943
but how do you move the square?

Press the button below the record button (with the blue trash can next to it) and the focus square turns orange. Move it with the dial on the back, fine tune with up,down, left, right.
Long press the button to return to centre.

ebusinesstutor wrote in post #16040608
Came across this gem of wisdom on another forum and felt it should be added to the SX 50 tips and tricks discussion here:

thats a tip that can apply to all cameras

I noticed my wife seemed to be getting better macro shots than my SX 50 with her older Panasonic Lumix 5 megapixel camera.

Since it doesn't have the zoom mine does, she was getting really close to the small objects where I was using the big zoom on the SX50 and had trouble focusing.

I tried moving the zoom to about 100 to 135 mm equivalent and my shots seemed better. Am I imaging this or is it better not to use the big zooming on the SX 50 when doing macro shots?

Macro mode in the SX50, like that in most of Canon's other PowerShot cameras, only really works at the widest zoom settings. See also pp. 129 and 276 of your SX50 User Guide. You'll have a focusing range of between 0 and 50 cm there.

Jon wrote in post #16040545
Well, cheap glass, whether a lens or a filter, is to be avoided.

I've held forth about digital zoom before, but the best first step you can take in setting up any camera is to turn off the digital zoom. All it does is make one very small pixel into more even smaller ones. If it's not an exact multiple (2x, 4x), it'll be combining 2 or more pixels to try to make even more, so you'll get less detail. Really, you're better off shooting with straight optical zoom and doing any cropping/resizing in post-processing (where you have a second chance if it doesn't come out right at first). That holds for "Digital Teleconverter" as well. Just Say No.

+1, very nasty look with digital zoom most times.

Jon wrote in post #16072565
Macro mode in the SX50, like that in most of Canon's other PowerShot cameras, only really works at the widest zoom settings. See also pp. 129 and 276 of your SX50 User Guide. You'll have a focusing range of between 0 and 50 cm there.

Thanks Jon. That is a big help.

Here's a useful feature that's hidden away on p.135 of the manual: the ability to reduce the AF frame size. I use this nearly all the time and save it in my "C" settings.