figuring out "rough guess" at exposure without "live view"

It is possible to estimate exposure on the 40D with the histogram or, if it is swiched on, by exposure simulation.

dipps wrote in post #7691522
and no, i hadn't been using the meter. i found the "live view" and, being new, immediately began using that as a way to try and "rough guess" proper "exposure" prior to pulling the trigger. as it was working (for me anyways), i never thought to try and figure out a different way of going about doing what i needed to do. like i said, i had a method, and it was working. the bright side of posting my "erroneous" question is learning that what i was doing was NOT the best way to go about things, and i currently have my nose in the XSI manual (pdf file i have here at work) studying up on the proper way.

crumbcakes. but rightly so (as a moderator on another forum, i can completely understand).

It's all in fun. No malice intended, and it could turn out to be a great learning experience.

By the way, why are you considering a different body?

Dipps, you make me chuckle a bit - being an engineer and into efficiency I thought you'd be into the whole metering thing

runninmann wrote in post #7691562
It's all in fun. No malice intended, and it could turn out to be a great learning experience.

understood.

runninmann wrote in post #7691562
By the way, why are you considering a different body?

number of reasons. i've got an opportunity here at work where a co-worker is looking to get into photography a bit more, so he might be interested in my XSI if i decide to go that route. when i read up on the comparisons between the XSI and the 40D, i like what i see as far as the benefits/upgraded capabilities in moving to a 40D...... except for that CF card thing (assuming the table is accurate, lol). additionally, i'd been considering moving away from my kit 18-55mm lens to a tameron 17-50mm f/2.8, but if i go with the 40D kit, i'd get the really nice 28-135mm canon lens (no f/2.8 though ) which, at least for now, would offset my "want" for the tameron lens (despite the 28-135mm being a completely different lens than the 17-50mm, i know).

sapearl wrote in post #7691603
Dipps, you make me chuckle a bit - being an engineer and into efficiency I thought you'd be into the whole metering thing

yeah, i know. i'm a tad ashamed at the moment..... but i'm sure there's plenty i don't know yet (been at this for about 6 months, but wisconsin winters don't leave me a whole lot of time to get outside and practice/learn, and right now with the snow being gone, everything's so drab and unphotogenic, lol.... waiting for some flowers to bud or the lawn to "green up" some)..... which is partially why i'm afraid to answer Yohan Pamudji's question and further the "beatings".

dipps wrote in post #7691653
yeah, i know. i'm a tad ashamed at the moment..... but i'm sure there's plenty i don't know yet (been at this for about 6 months, but wisconsin winters don't leave me a whole lot of time to get outside and practice/learn, and right now with the snow being gone, everything's so drab and unphotogenic, lol.... waiting for some flowers to bud or the lawn to "green up" some)..... which is partially why i'm afraid to answer Yohan Pamudji's question and further the "beatings".

What, winter can be the best time to get out there! And you're not a real Wisconsin photographer unless you've taken your camera out in -20F temperatures!

gymell wrote in post #7691899
What, winter can be the best time to get out there! And you're not a real Wisconsin photographer unless you've taken your camera out in -20F temperatures!

see, playing out in -20F (or icefishing or hunting in -20F), not an issue...... but taking my expensive sensitive camera gear out in -20F..... that's when i start to get a bit nervous. lol i tend to take the A610 out in crummy winter conditions. maybe after the "new camera smell" has finally worn off the xsi....

dipps wrote in post #7691653
yeah, i know. i'm a tad ashamed at the moment..... but i'm sure there's plenty i don't know yet (been at this for about 6 months, but wisconsin winters don't leave me a whole lot of time to get outside and practice/learn, and right now with the snow being gone, everything's so drab and unphotogenic, lol.... waiting for some flowers to bud or the lawn to "green up" some)..... which is partially why i'm afraid to answer Yohan Pamudji's question and further the "beatings".

There's always something to shoot! You just have to find it We're all still learning and it's ok to ask stupid questions. Important thing is to have fun and enjoy it.

I recommend sticking with the XSi and getting some better lenses first before going for a 40D.

dipps wrote in post #7691934
see, playing out in -20F (or icefishing or hunting in -20F), not an issue...... but taking my expensive sensitive camera gear out in -20F..... that's when i start to get a bit nervous. lol i tend to take the A610 out in crummy winter conditions. maybe after the "new camera smell" has finally worn off the xsi....

Your camera gear will be fine in the cold. Unless you're worried about your hands freezing and dropping it, or slipping on ice, etc. The only allowance you have to make is when bringing it back inside, you want your gear to warm up slowly so that condensation doesn't build up. All you have to do is put it in your bag and keep it tightly closed for a few hours to gradually warm. But the cold itself doesn't hurt the camera at all.

Out of curiosity, where in WI are you?

Sadly, I can also relate to not understanding the exposure meter at first and messed up a bunch of pictures the first day. Then I figured it out and felt like an idiot.

bsaber wrote in post #7691940
There's always something to shoot! You just have to find it

yeah, well..... that's where the "engineer" thing tends to get in the way. need to work on my creativity. lol whenever i'm driving around on the back country roads lately, i'm always looking for spots to go, or nature areas to hike, but not finding much (at least in terms of photo oppurtunities). the leafless trees, brown grass, and overcast skies..... just bleh. hoping to get out on a nature hike with the kids this saturday regardless, and find something.

cool. i guess i was mostly concerned with condensation issues on my lenses, moving from the cold to indoors, as i had experienced such issues in the past with scopes. i always shoot with a neckstrap so, unless it got so cold that the neckstrap connection points plastic became brittle and broke, dropping the camera shouldn't be an issue.

Didn't you read the manual? Typical engineer.

dipps -- The 40D is excellent camera. I upgraded from a rebel XT to the 40D and I couldn't believe the difference. The rebel series felt like a toy after that.

Furthurmore, the 40D and Tamron 17-50 make a stellar combo!!! I love using them together. The Tamron 17-50 will be leaps and bounds better than the 28-135, unless you just need that extra reach.

Good luck, and go for it. You'll be glad you did.

Bendel wrote in post #7692020
Out of curiosity, where in WI are you?

Sadly, I can also relate to not understanding the exposure meter at first and messed up a bunch of pictures the first day. Then I figured it out and felt like an idiot.

near saukville.

my first time out using the xsi was at an animal farm with the wife and kids near the jellystone park campground here in wisconsin last fall. i got a bunch of pretty good shots, but blew a pic or two with my noobness (i think i was using aperture priority at the time)..... one of which would have been a REALLY great pic of my then 8yo daughter petting a baby goat. since then, i've given up on the xsi auto mode and av/tv priority modes, and started trying to learn how to use the camera strictly in manual mode.

as mentioned, being self-taught for the most part obviously has it's drawbacks, as evident in my using the live view mode for trying to figure out the best shutter speed and aperture settings to get the proper lighting in the pic (i'm trying to stop using the term "exposure" incorrectly, lol). my basic methodology is to try and shoot as much as possible at ISO200 or 400 (max ISO..... 100 if it's really bright with not much action), while still using a fast enough shutter speed for the "action" and an open enough aperture for lighting. i don't mess around much with exposure settings (yet) and am still trying to figure out what metering mode works best for me (i tend to use spot metering the most, for now, though somewhat dependent on the "scene" before me). i also (admittedly) have a good bit of studying up to do with regards to my flash unit, but that's another story.

gonna have to find some alternative means (other than my xsi manual) to study up on the viewfinder use, as i've borrowed my "understanding exposures" book to a co-worker for a few days. in the meantime, i'm reading up a bit more on proper use of live view here......

http://www.usa.canon.c​om …ArticleAct&arti​cleID=1766

Brett wrote in post #7692065
Didn't you read the manual? Typical engineer.

yes, i did, just not cover to cover (yet). :P

photomatt, thanks. the more i think about it, the more i think the tamron 17-50mm would be a better fit, as i eventually want to get my hands on a 70-200mm L (the 135mm would be quite a bit of overlap).