1. aa30470c
Cover
A Short CourSe in
CAnon eoS 5D
MArk ii
PhotogrAPhy
DenniS P. Curtin
ShortCourSeS.CoM
h t t P :// w w w . S h o r t C o u r S e S . C o M
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3. shortcourses books and web site
• Digital Photography Workflow covers everything from getting ready to
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• Image Sensors, Pixels and Image Sizes describes key concepts such as
resolutions, aspect ratios and color depths that have a huge impact on your
photographs. Click to visit
• Digital Desktop Lighting is a guide to low-cost tabletop photography
equipment and the techniques used to photograph products and other small
objects for eBay, Web sites, catalogs, ads and the like. Click to visit
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4. preFace
PrefaCe
A
great photograph begins when you recognize a great scene or
subject. But recognizing a great opportunity isn’t enough to capture
it; you also have to be prepared. A large part of being prepared in-
volves understanding your camera well enough to capture what you see. Get-
ting you prepared to see and capture great photographs is what this book is
all about. It doesn’t matter if you are taking pictures for business or pleasure,
there’s a lot here to help you get better results and more satisfaction from
your photography.
The Canon EOS 5D Mark
II is a very high-quality To get better, and possibly even great photographs, you need to understand
21.1 megapixel camera. both concepts and procedures; the “whys” and “hows” of photography.
• Concepts of photography are the underlying principles that apply regardless
of the camera you are using. They include such things as how sharpness and
exposure affect your images and the way they are perceived by viewers. Un-
derstanding concepts answers the “why” kinds of questions you might have
about photography.
• Procedures are those things specific to one kind of camera, and explain
step-by-step how you set your camera’s controls to capture an image just the
way you want to. Understanding procedures gives you the answers to the
“how” kinds of questions you might have.
This book is organized around the concepts of digital photography because
that’s how photographers think. You think about scenes and subjects, high-
The 5D Mark II accepts lights and shadows, softness and sharpness, color and tone. The procedures
the full line of Canon EF you use with the Canon EOS 5D Mark II are integrated throughout the con-
and EF-S lenses.
cepts, appearing in those places where they apply. This integrated approach
lets you first understand the concepts of photography and then see step by
step how to use the 5D Mark II in all kinds of photographic situations.
To get more effective, interesting, and creative photographs, you only need
to understand how and when to use a few simple features on your camera
such as focus, exposure controls, and flash. If you’ve previously avoided
understanding these features and the profound impact they can have on your
images, you’ll be pleased to know that you can learn them on a weekend.
You can then spend the rest of your life marveling at how the infinite variety
of combinations make it possible to convey your own personal view of the
world. You’ll be ready to keep everything in a scene sharp for maximum de-
tail or to blur it all for an impressionistic portrayal. You’ll be able to get dra-
The 5D Mark II can print matic close-ups, freeze fast action, create wonderful panoramas, and capture
directly to a printer
without a computer. the beauty and wonder of rainbows, sunsets, fireworks, and nighttime scenes.
As you explore your camera, be sure to have fun. There are no “rules” or
“best” way to make a picture. Great photographs come from using what you
know to experiment and try new approaches. Digital cameras make this espe-
phOTOgRAphy cially easy because there are no film costs or delays. Every experiment is free
On-linE and you see the results immediately so you can learn step by step.
• To learn more
about digital pho-
This book assumes you’ve mastered the mechanics of your camera. It’s about
tography, visit our getting great pictures, not about connecting your camera to computers and
ShortCourses Web using your software. That information is well presented in the user guide that
site at www.
shortcourses.com.
came with your camera. Be sure to visit our Web site at www.shortcourses.
com for even more digital photography information.
iv For more on digital photography, visit http://www.shortcourses.com
5. contents
ContentS
Cover...i When to Override Automatic Exposure...50
Short Courses Books and Web Site...ii Scenes Lighter than Middle Gray...50
Preface...iv Scenes Darker than Middle Gray...51
Contents...v Subject Against a Very Light Background...51
Subject Against a Very Dark Background...52
Scenes with High Contrast...52
Chapter 1 How Overriding Autoexposure Works...54
Camera Controls and Creativity...7 How to Override Automatic Exposure...55
Exposure Compensation...55
The 5D Mark II Camera...8 Autoexposure (AE) Lock...55
Jump Start—Using Full Auto Mode...9 Autoexposure Bracketing (AEB)...57
Good Things to Know...10 Using Histograms...59
Using the Viewfinder...12 Displaying Histograms...59
Focus Screens...12 Evaluating Histograms ...59
Diopter Adjustment...12 Clipped Pixels...61
AF Points ...12 Sample Histograms...62
Information Display...12
Anatomy of the Camera...13
Top View ...13 Chapter 3
Rear View...14 Controlling sharpness...63
Changing Settings with Buttons and Dials...15
The Main Dial...15 Getting Sharper Pictures...64
The Quick Control Dial...15 Using the Self-timer/Remote Switch...64
The INFO Button...15 Supporting the Camera...64
Changing Settings on the Quick Control Adjusting the ISO...65
Screen...16 Sharpness Isn’t Everything...67
The Quick Control Screen...16 How to Photograph Motion Sharply...68
Dual Function Button Screens...16 Speed of Subject...68
Changing Settings with Menus...17 Direction of Movement...68
Playing Back & Managing Your Images...20 Distance to Subject and Focal Length of
Image Review...20 Lens...69
Image Playback...20 Focus and Depth of Field...70
INFO Display...20 Focus...70
Jumping in Playback...21 Depth of Field...70
Using the Playback Menu...22 Checking Depth of Field...71
Giving Slide Shows...23 Focusing Techniques...72
Selecting Image Quality and Size...24 Autofocus Modes...72
Number of Pixels...24 Selectable Focusing Points...73
How An Image is Captured...26 Displaying AF Points in Playback...74
The Exposure...26 Using Focus Lock...74
It’s All Black and White After All...26 Manual Focus...75
Choosing Image Size and Quality...27 Controlling Depth of Field...76
Using Deep Depth of Field...77
Using Shallow Depth of Field...78
Chapter 2 Conveying the Feeling of Motion...79
Controlling exposure...30
Understanding Exposure...31 Chapter 4
The Shutter Controls Light and Motion...32 Capturing light & Color...80
The Aperture Controls Light and Depth of
Field...34 Where Does Color Come From?...81
Using Shutter Speed and Aperture Together...36 White Balance and Color...82
Exposure—Faucets & Buckets Analogy...37 Using Preset White Balance Settings...82
Exposure—Seesaw Analogy...38 Creating and Using a Custom White Balance
Retaining Highlight and Shadow Details ...39 Setting...83
Choosing Shooting Modes...40 Using a Specific Color Temperature...84
Using Creative Auto (CA) Mode...41 Selecting a Color Space...84
Using Program AE (P) & Program Shift...42 Using White Balance Correction & Bracketing...85
Using Shutter-Priority (Tv) Mode...43 Color and Time of Day...86
Using Aperture-Priority (Av) Mode...44 Sunsets and Sunrises...87
Using Manual (M) Mode...45 Weather...89
How Your Exposure System Works...46 Photographing at Night...91
Meter Averaging and Middle Gray...46 The Direction of Light...93
Types of Metering...48 The Quality of Light...95
When Automatic Exposure Works Well...49
For more on digital photography, visit http://www.shortcourses.com v
6. contents
Chapter 5 Chapter 7
understanding lenses...96 other Features and Commands...136
Canon Lenses...97 Continuous Photography...137
Electronic Lens Mount...97 Remote Control Photography...138
Focusing Technology...97 Shooting Still Images in Live View...139
Ultrasonic Motors...98 Manual Focusing...140
Image Stabilization...98 Live View/Movie Function Settings...140
Information on a Canon Lens...99 Live View Function Settings...140
Lens Peripheral Illumination Correction...100 Screen Settings Type...141
Focal Length...101 Grid Display...141
Zoom Lenses...102 Silent Shooting...141
Normal Lenses...103 Metering Timer...142
Wide-Angle Lenses...104 AF Mode...142
Telephoto Lenses...106 General Tips in Live View...143
Macro Lenses and Accessories...108 Live View Focusing Tips...143
Tilt-Shift Lenses...110 Magnified View for Focusing...144
Lens Accessories...111 Live View Exposure Tips...144
Perspective in a Photograph...112 Shooting Movies in Live View...145
Basic Movie Tips...145
Camera settings...146
Chapter 6 Exposure Tips...147
using Flash and studio lighting...113 Things to Avoid...147
Using a TV As the Monitor...147
How Flash Works...114 Playing Movies...148
Using a Canon Speedlite...115 Using Picture Styles...149
Controlling Flash Exposures...116 Selecting Picture Styles...149
What’s E-TTL II?...116 Adjusting Picture Styles...149
Flash Exposure Compensation...116 Registering a Picture Style...150
Flash Exposure (FE) Lock...117 Registering Your Own Settings...151
External Speedlite Control...118 Using Custom Functions...152
Flash Function Settings...118 C.Fn I: Exposure...153
Custom Functions...118 C. Fn II: Image...154
Flash Exposure Bracketing (FEB)...119 C.Fn III: Auto focus/Drive...155
High-speed Sync (FP)...119 C.Fn IV: Operation Others...156
Wireless Remote Flash...120 Using My Menu...158
Stroboscopic Flash...120 Changing Other Settings...159
Portraits with Flash...121 Shooting Without a CF Card...159
Positioning the Flash and Subjects...121 Setting the Date and Time...159
Red-eye...122 Changing the Review Time...159
Using Fill Flash...123 Reset File Numbers...160
Using Slow Sync Flash...124 Turning the Beep On and Off...160
Using Available Light...126 Adjusting Monitor Brightness...161
Using Flash in Close-ups...127 Traveling Options—Language and Video Set-
Studio Lighting...128 tings...161
Candidates for Studio Lighting...128 Setting the Auto Power Off Time...161
Lighting...128 Formatting CF Cards...161
Backgrounds...130 Turning Auto Rotate On and Off...162
Risers...130 Creating and Selecting Folders...162
Special Bulbs...130 Firmware Version...163
Portrait and Product Photography— Battery Info...163
Introduction...131 Resetting Camera Settings...164
The Main Light...132 Caring for Your Camera...165
The Fill Light...133 Cleaning the Image Sensor...165
The Background Light...134 Cleaning the Camera and Lens...167
The Rim Light...135 Protecting your Camera from the Ele-
ments...167
Protecting when Traveling...168
Storing a Camera...168
Caring for Yourself...168
vi For more on digital photography, visit http://www.shortcourses.com
7. ChaPter 1. Camera ControlS and Creativity
Chapter 1
Camera Controls and Creativity
S
erious digital cameras give you creative control over your images. They
COnTEnTS do so by allowing you to control the light and motion in photographs
• The 5D Mark II as well as what’s sharp and what isn’t. Although most consumer digital
Camera • Jump cameras are fully automatic, some allow you to make minor adjustments that
Start: Using Full affect your images. The best ones such as the Canon 5D Mark II offer inter-
Auto Mode • Good
Things to Know • changeable lenses, external flash connections, and a wide range of controls—
Using the Viewfinder more than you’d find on a 35mm SLR. However, regardless of what controls
• Anatomy of the your camera has, the same basic principles are at work “under the hood.”
Camera • Changing
Settings with Buttons Your automatic exposure and focusing systems are having a profound affect
and Dials • Chang- on your images. Even with your camera set to Full Auto, you can indirectly
ing Settings with the control, or at least take advantage of the effects these systems have on your
Quick Control Screen
• Changing Settings images.
with Menus • Playing
Back & Managing In this chapter, we’ll first explore your camera and how you use it in Full Auto
Your Images • Using mode. We’ll also see how you use menus and buttons to operate the camera,
the Playback Menu • manage your images and control image quality. In the chapters that follow,
Giving Slide Shows
• Selecting Image we’ll explore in greater depth how you take control of these settings, and oth-
Quality and Size ers, to get the effects you want.
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8. ChaPter 1. Camera ControlS and Creativity
the 5d mark ii Camera
Canon’s EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR camera features a full-frame (24 x
36mm) image sensor with 21.1 megapixels that can capture still images up
to 5616 x 3744 in size–large enough for 28 x 18 inch prints. Its high-speed
continuous mode captures up to 78 Large/Fine JPEGs or 13 RAW images at
3.9 frames-per-second (on a UDMA Compact Flash card) making it ideal for
photographing wildlife, sports and other action subjects.
The camera has a large three-inch 920,000-pixel LCD monitor on which you
can review your images. Using Live View, you can also use this monitor to
The Canon 5D Mark compose them, magnifying parts of the scene up to 10x for the precise man-
II is a single-lens
reflex (SLR) camera ual focus required in macro photography. Live View also has silent modes
so when you look in that avoid startling people and wildlife. Using Live View, along with software
the viewfinder you and a cable supplied with the camera, you can use a computer screen as the
are seeing the scene
through the lens. viewfinder to compose and focus images, using menu commands displayed
on the screen to change camera settings. Using an optional wireless transmit-
ter you can even eliminate the cable and work wirelessly over short distances.
Live View also makes it possible for the camera to capture full 16:9 HD video
http://www.photocourse.com/itext/SLR/
clips at 1920 x 1080 resolution and 30 frames per second. Camera settings
Click this button to play you make to adjust image sharpness, contrast, color saturation and white
an animation that shows balance, also apply to movies so you have extensive creative control. You also
how an SLR works when
you compose an image
have access to more than 60 Canon EF lenses from ultra-wide-angle and fish-
and press the shutter eye to macro and supertelephoto.
button.
The camera has a top shutter speed of 1/8000 sec and a 1/200 maximum
flash sync shutter speed setting. ISO settings range from 100–6400 but you
can expand the ISO up to 25,600.
The camera’s 14-bit Analog-to-Digital (A/D) conversion process captures
images with finer and more accurate gradations of tones and colors. High-
light Tone Priority is perfect for wedding and nature photographers trying
to capture details in wedding dresses, clouds, snow or other white subjects.
When you don’t plan on editing your images on a computer, Picture Styles let
you adjust them for printing right from the camera as you capture them, or
later in playback mode.
The camera captures images in the JPEG format but also offers the higher-
quality RAW format. You can select either a full-sized RAW image format, or
one of two smaller and more manageable sRAW formats that are identical to
full-size RAW images except for their pixel dimensions and file sizes.
The focusing system uses nine AF points from which you or the camera can
select the one used to focus. Its 35-zone metering sensor and evaluative me-
tering are linked to all AF points. Also available are centerweighted average
metering, partial metering and spot metering—the last two covering approxi-
mately 8 percent or 3.5 percent of the viewfinder at center, respectively.
The camera has E-TTL II autoflash and 7 shooting modes, plus three custom
The 5D Mark II camera modes you can use to store your own settings. As an added convenience, par-
body comes with an
eyecup and body cap, ticularly for wireless flash operations, you can adjust the flash settings of the
battery pack (LP-E6), Canon Speedlite 580EX II and 430EX II directly from the camera.
battery charger (LC-E6
or LC-E6E, strap (EW- The camera’s integrated sensor cleaning offers a number of ways to prevent
EOS5DMKII) interface dust from affecting your images, or remove it if it does.
cable (IFC-200U),
stereo video cable Finally, the camera has customization features including 25 Custom Func-
(STV-250N), EOS Digital
Solutions Disk, and tions, picture styles you can edit or define from scratch, and the ability to
manuals. create your own menu listing only those settings you use most frequently.
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9. JumP Start—uSing full auto mode
JumP Start—uSing full auto mode
The 5D Mark II’s Full Auto mode sets everything for you. All you have to do
is frame the image and push the shutter button. This is a good mode to use
in most situations because it lets you focus on the subject rather than on the
camera.
• Selecting the mode. Turn the Power Switch on the back of the camera to
ON and set the Mode Dial to Full Auto (the green rectangle icon).
• Framing the image. The viewfinder shows about 98% of the scene you
are going to capture. If the image in the viewfinder is fuzzy, turn the diopter
The Mode Dial with the
green Full Auto icon. adjustment knob at the upper right corner of the viewfinder to adjust it (page
12).
• Autofocus. The nine small rectangles displayed in the viewfinder are AF
points used for focusing. When the focus switch on the lens is set to AF, the
camera focuses on the closest part of the scene covered by one or more of
these points (page 72). When you press the shutter button halfway down, the
The Power Switch set AF point(s) being used to set focus momentarily flashes red, the round focus
to the white line above
ON.
confirmation light in the lowerright corner of the viewfinder glows green, and
the camera beeps. How close you can get to a subject depends on the mini-
mum focus distance of the lens you are using.
• Autoexposure. Evaluative metering divides the scene in the viewfinder
into 35 zones and separately meters each of them to determine the best
exposure for the scene (page 46). The shutter speed and aperture that will be
used to take the picture are displayed in the viewfinder when the display is
This icon is displayed
activated by pressing the shutter button halfway down (page 12).
when you turn the • Automatic white balance. The color cast in a photograph is affected by
camera on and off to
indicate the sensor is the color of the light illuminating the scene. The camera adjusts white bal-
being cleaned. ance so white objects in the scene look white in the photo (page 82).
TAKING A PICTURE IN AUTO MODE
TIPS
• If the camera
1. With the Power Switch on the back of the camera set to ON or the
doesn’t work as white line above it, set the Mode Dial to Full Auto (the green rect-
described here, you angle icon). Set the focus mode switch on the lens to AF (page 72).
may need to clear
previous settings as 2. Compose the image in the viewfinder, making sure the area that you
described on page
164.
want sharpest is covered by one of the nine AF points.
• If you don’t use 3. Press the shutter button halfway down and pause so the camera can
any controls for 60 automatically set focus and exposure. When it’s done so, it beeps, the
seconds, the camera
enters auto power
round green focus confirmation light in the viewfinder glows, and the
off mode (page 161). AF point(s) being used to set focus briefly flashes red.
To wake it up, press
the shutter button 4. Press the shutter button all the way down to take the picture.
halfway down and
release it. ● The shutter sounds, buSY may be briefly displayed in the viewfind-
• If you have at-
er, and the red access lamp on the back of the camera glows while the
tached a dedicated image is being saved. You can take another photo at any time.
Speedlite flash, its
AF-assist beam may ● The image is displayed on the monitor for 2 seconds so you can re-
light to assist focus view it, press Erase to delete it, or press INFO to change the display.
in dim light (page
118). 5. When finished, turn the Power Switch to OFF.
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10. ChaPter 1. Camera ControlS and Creativity
good thingS to knoW
When you first start taking photos with a new camera, it sometimes seems
that there is too much to learn all at once. To simplify your getting started,
here are some of the things you may want to know right off.
• The power switch has two positions, ON and the white line above it. The
only difference is that when set to the white line the Quick Control Dial works
(page 15).
The battery compart- • If your camera is right out of the box, you need to mount a lens (page 97)
ment cover is on the
bottom of the camera and set it to AF (autofocus), insert a charged battery pack, and insert a Com-
and accepts LP-E6 pactFlash (CF) card on which to store your images. No CF card is included
lithium battery packs. with the camera, and there may be no lens as part of the package.
• To insert a CF card, turn off the camera, slide the CF card slot cover on the
right side of the camera toward the back, and swing it open. Insert the CF
card with its front label facing the rear of the camera and the small holes
facing inward. Press the card down until the gray eject button pops out, then
close the cover. To remove a card, open the CF card slot cover and press the
gray eject button to pop up the card so you can grasp it and pull it out.
• The first time you use the camera, select a language (if necessary) and enter
Sections in the battery
icon on the LCD panel
the current date and time (page 159) so your images are accurately dated.
and in the viewfinder
are deleted as the
• One of the camera’s default settings lets you shoot pictures without a CF
battery charge falls. The card in the camera. Images are even displayed on the monitor so you think
last two blink to draw you are capturing them, but they are not saved. To ensure you don’t take
your attention when the
battery is almost dead.
unsaved pictures, turn off the Shoot w/o card setting on the Shooting 1 menu
tab (page 159).
• If you turn off the camera while an image is being saved, the message Re-
cording is displayed and the power remains on until all images are saved.
• Should you inadvertently open the compact flash card door while the cam-
era is writing to the card, a warning is displayed on the monitor and an open
door “alarm” sounds, but the image is saved without interruption as long as
you don’t remove the card.
• To take pictures, hold the camera in your right hand while supporting the
lens with your left. Brace the camera against your face as you look through
The CF card slot cover is the viewfinder and brace your elbows against your body. Press the shutter
on the right side of the button slowly and smoothly as you hold your breath after breathing in deeply
camera as seen from
the shooting position. and exhaling.
• The shutter button has two stages. When you press it halfway down and
briefly pause, the camera sets focus and exposure. When the green confirma-
tion light comes on in the viewfinder and the camera beeps, you press it the
rest of the way to take the picture. If you press the shutter button all of the
Pressing the shutter way down without pausing halfway, the camera pauses to focus before taking
button halfway down
locks focus and the picture.
exposure and pressing it
all the way down takes • If the camera can’t focus, it doesn’t beep when you press the shutter but-
the picture. ton halfway down, the round green focus confirmation light in the viewfinder
blinks, and you can’t take a picture. For help on focusing see page 72.
http://www.photocourse.com/itext/cases/cases.pdf
• In P, Tv, Av, M and B modes pressing the AF-ON button does the same
Click to view a PDF
document on camera thing as pressing the shutter button halfway down.
straps and cases.
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11. good thingS to knoW
• When you don’t use controls for a specified period, the camera shuts down
in two stages. After 4 seconds metering turns off, as do the viewfinder dis-
play and the aperture and/or shutter speed readouts on the LCD panel. After
one minute auto power off takes effect and the LCD panel and monitor turn
off. At this point dials, and many buttons including the three above the LCD
panel, won’t work. To turn on metering, and reactivate the displays and but-
tons, press the shutter button halfway down.
• You can illuminate the LCD panel by pressing the button marked with the
The Mode Dial with light bulb icon on top of the camera.
seven shooting modes
and 3 custom modes. • You can use the camera’s monitor to review images you’ve taken (page 20),
and in Live View (page 139) use it to compose, focus and capture them. You
can adjust the monitor’s brightness to match the light you’re viewing it in
(page 160).
• When you take a picture, it is displayed on the monitor for two seconds but
you can adjust this review time (page 159). While it’s displayed, you can press
the Erase button (page 20) to delete it, or INFO to change the display mode.
If the focus confirmation • While watching the monitor, press the INFO button to cycle through the
light in the viewfinder list-like Camera Settings screen, the grid-like Shooting Functions screen
blinks when you press (page 15), and turning off the monitor. Like the LCD panel, the Shooting
the shutter button
halfway down, the Functions screen reflects setting changes as you or the camera make them.
camera is having
trouble focusing (page • You can reset all camera settings to their factory defaults (page 164). This is
72). useful if you make changes and can’t remember how to undo them.
• When photographing in a studio-like setting, or using the camera to give
a slide show, you can use the optional AC Adapter Kit ACK-E6 to power the
camera instead of the battery pack. Instructions on how to attach the adapter
are included with it.
• Routinely check the shots remaining displayed on the LCD panel and Shoot-
Pressing the LCD Panel ing Functions screen. When the number in brackets gets to zero you can’t
Illumination button
lights the LCD panel take any more photos unless you delete some or change memory cards.
so it’s readable in the
dark. It turns off after • When you charge batteries with the LC-E6 or LC-E6E charger the orange
6 seconds of inactivity. charge lamp blinks more rapidly the more charged the battery is. It blinks
Turning the Mode once per second up to 50%, twice per second up to 75%, three times per sec-
Dial or pressing any
shooting related button ond after 75% and glows green when fully charged. Fully charging a depleted
extends it. battery takes about 2.5 hours.
• A fully charged battery should capture around 800 pictures depending on
the temperature and how often you use flash, the monitor, and Live View.
TIPS
• Recharge batteries immediately before using them because they gradually
• If you press the
INFO button once loose their charge over time.
or twice to display
the Shooting Func- • The battery pack cover can be attached in two directions. Align it so the blue
tions screen on the seal shows through the battery shaped opening to indicate a battery is fully
monitor (it’s grid- charged. Align it in the other direction on a battery that needs charging.
like) and then turn
the Mode Dial, you’ll • If you encounter an error message you can’t resolve, or if the camera con-
see the settings
for each shooting trols “freeze,” you might “reboot” it by turning it off, removing the battery
mode. Those that are for a few seconds, reinserting the battery and turning it back on. Sometimes
grayed out can’t be ensuring that the lens is locked into place also helps.
changed in the cur-
rent shooting mode.
• See the Battery
info command on
page 163.
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12. ChaPter 1. Camera ControlS and Creativity
uSing the vieWfinder
When taking photos with the 5D Mark II, you normally compose them in
the viewfinder. Since this is your center of interest, the camera also displays
focus and exposure information to guide you.
foCuS SCreenS
The camera accepts three interchangeable focus screens. Should you switch
them, you have to set Custom Function IV-5 Focusing screen (page 152) to
tell the camera which one you have installed.
• The Eg-A focus screen comes with your camera. It displays a bright view of
the scene and makes it easy to manually focus.
The Eg-D optional focus
screen. • The Eg-D is the same as Eg-A but displays grid lines that are great for
studio and architectural photography where accurately aligning vertical and
horizontal lines is important.
• The Eg-S is a super-precision matte screen designed for lenses with a maxi-
mum aperture of f/2.8 or larger. This screen makes manual focusing easier
and more precise than the Eg-A, but when used with a lens slower than f/2.8,
the viewfinder image is darker.
dioPter adJuStment
The diopter adjustment
You can adjust the viewfinder display so you can read it without glasses.
knob. To do so, remove the lens cap and look through the viewfinder at an evenly
lit surface or fairly bright light source (not the sun!). If the viewfinder dis-
play isn’t sharp, try to bring the AF points into focus by turning the dioptric
adjustment knob at the upperright corner of the viewfinder. If this doesn’t
work, the camera also accepts the accessory E-series Dioptric Adjustment
Lenses in 10 types ranging from -4 to +3 diopters. These lenses slip into the
viewfinder’s eyepiece holder.
af PointS
When focus is achieved
the AF point or points The viewfinder displays nine small rectangles called AF points (AF stands
being used to set focus for autofocus). When the focus switch on the lens is set to AF (page 72), the
flash red and the green
confirmation light
camera focuses on the closest part of the scene covered by one or more of
glows steady in the these AF points. The one being used to set focus can be selected manually or
viewfinder. automatically (page 73). When you press the shutter button halfway down,
the focusing point or points being used to set focus flash red. The circle in the
center of the viewfinder indicates the spot metering area (page 48).
TIP
• To turn on meter-
ing and display expo-
information diSPlay
sure information on When you press the shutter button halfway down, the viewfinder displays the
the LCD panel and in
the viewfinder, press
current shutter speed and aperture, the ISO, the shots remaining in continu-
the shutter button ous mode, and the focus confirmation indicator. In P, Tv, Av, M and B modes
halfway down. it also displays an exposure level indicator that’s used for setting exposure
compensation (page 55) and Manual (M) exposure (page 45). A number of
other indicators are also displayed during various procedures.
The viewfinder display
stays on for 4 seconds
after you press the
shutter button halfway
down.
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13. anatomy of the Camera
anatomy of the Camera
The 5D Mark II has a number of buttons and dials that quickly change im-
TIPS
portant settings without the time-consuming need to work your way through
• You can quickly menus.
reset all camera set-
tings to their original
factory defaults
(page 164).
• You can connect
the camera to a
computer and use
Live View (page 139)
so you and others
can immediately see
photos as you take
them. This is a great
way to take portraits
and close-ups.
The shutter button (top)
and Main Dial (bottom).
TIP
• Blue icons indi-
cate the function of
buttons in Playback
mode. toP vieW
1. Mode Dial selects any of the camera’s shooting modes (page 40).
2. Shutter button sets exposure and focus and turns on metering, the view-
finder, and LCD panel displays when pressed halfway down, and takes the
photo when pressed all the way.
3. Main Dial is used by itself and with buttons to change camera settings
in shooting modes (page 15). In playback mode, turning the dial jumps you
After pressing a button
that has two functions,
through pictures you’ve taken (page 20).
turning the Main Dial
changes the first setting
4. LCD Panel Illumination button lights the LCD panel.
and turning the Quick
Control Dial changes the
5. Metering/WB button selects the metering mode (page 48) in conjunc-
second. tion with the Main Dial and sets white balance (page 82) in conjunction with
the Quick Control Dial.
6. AF-DRIVE button specifies autofocus modes (page 72) in conjunction
with the Main Dial and cycles the camera among the drive modes single-shot,
continuous (page 137), and self-timer (page 64) in conjunction with the Quick
Control Dial.
7. ISO/Flash Exposure Compensation button, in conjunction with the
Main Dial changes the ISO (page 65), and sets flash exposure compensation
(page 116) in conjunction with the Quick Control Dial.
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14. ChaPter 1. Camera ControlS and Creativity
rear vieW
TIPS
• Throughout this
book when we tell
you to turn the Quick
Control Dial, in many
cases you can also
turn the Main Dial.
• You can quickly
reset camera settings
to their original fac-
tory defaults (page
164).
• In P, Tv, Av, M and
B modes (page 40),
pressing the AF-ON
button performs the
same function as
pressing the shutter
button halfway down.
1. Live View/Print/Share button, when pressed in shooting mode, turns
on Live View when it’s enabled. In playback mode, it lets you print or transfer
images when connected to a printer or computer.
2. MENU button displays and hides the menu on the monitor (page 17).
3. Picture Style selection button changes picture styles (page 149).
4. INFO button cycles you through information about camera settings in
shooting mode (page 15), or images in playback mode (page 20).
5. Playback button displays the last image you captured (page 20).
6. Erase button deletes the image displayed on the monitor (page 20).
7. AF-ON button autofocuses in P, Tv, Av, M and B modes (page 72).
8. AE/FE lock/Index/Reduce button (*) locks exposure (page 55) and
flash exposure (page 117). In playback mode, it unzooms a zoomed image and
Tip switches to index view (page 20).
• You can press 9. AF point selection/Magnify button, in conjunction with the Main or
the Multi-controller Quick Control Dial, manually selects which AF point is used to set focus (page
straight down and in
eight sideways direc-
73). In Playback and Live View modes it zooms images up to 10x (page 20).
tions. You use it to
select the AF point,
10. Multi-controller, a small joy stick, moves in 8 directions plus straight
correct the white down. It selects AF points (page 73), makes white balance corrections (page
balance, scroll the 85) and scrolls around an enlarged image in playback mode (page 20).
playback image dur-
ing magnified view, 11. SET button in the middle of the Quick Control Dial confirms settings
operate the Quick
Control screen, and
and starts and stops movie recording (page 145).
highlight and select
menu options except
12. Quick Control Dial adjusts exposure by itself, and works in conjunc-
Erase images on the tion with buttons to change settings in shooting mode (page 15). In playback
Playback 1 menu and mode it scrolls through images, and in menu mode it highlights menu com-
Format on the Set up
1 menu where you
mands.
have to press SET
instead.
13. Power switch turns the camera on and off, and when set to the white
line, activates the Quick Control Dial in shooting modes.
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15. Changing SettingS With ButtonS and dialS
Changing SettingS With ButtonS and dialS
Buttons and dials are often used together. Pressing a button initiates a proce-
dure by activating metering and the exposure displays, in the viewfinder and
on the LCD panel and monitor, and then turning a dial highlights one of the
available options. Each time you press a button to initiate a procedure, you
only have about 6 seconds to turn the dial or the displays become inactive.
• Many buttons, including the three above the LCD panel, won’t work when
auto power off is in effect (page 161). To wake up the camera, press the shut-
ter button halfway down and release it.
When you press many • After pressing buttons that have two functions, such as AF-DRIVE, turn-
buttons, their function ing the Main Dial changes the setting listed first (AF) and turning the Quick
remains active for only
6 seconds. If you are Control Dial changes the one listed second (DRIVE).
slow, just press the
button again for another
6 seconds. the main dial
The Main Dial is used to change settings in shooting modes, highlight menu
tabs in menu mode (page 17), and jump through pictures in playback mode
(page 21).
• When changing metering, AF mode, ISO or selecting an AF point, you first
The Quick Control Dial press and release a button to select a setting before you turn the dial.
only adjusts exposure
settings when the • When changing shutter speeds and apertures in P, Tv, Av, M and B modes
Power Switch is set to you turn the dial without first pressing a button (pages 41–45).
the white line above
ON. Setting it to ON • After pressing MENU, turn the dial to select menu tabs listing commands
prevents inadvertent (page 17).
shifts in exposure by
turning the dial.
the QuiCk Control dial
The Quick Control Dial works in shooting modes to change settings, in menu
mode to highlight menu commands, and in playback mode to scroll through
images.
• When changing the white balance, drive mode, flash exposure compensa-
tion or AF point selection, you first press and release a button to select a set-
TipS ting before you turn the dial.
• Many buttons won’t • When changing exposure compensation (page 55) or selecting an aperture
work when auto
power off is in effect in Manual (M) mode (page 45), you turn the dial by itself. This only works
so press the shutter when the Power Switch is set past ON to the white line pointing to the Quick
button halfway down Control Dial
and release it to ac-
tivate metering and • After pressing MENU turn the dial to move the highlight up and down the
the camera’s LCD
panel displays. menu.
• If you turn the
camera off while the the info Button
Shooting Functions
screen is displayed, When the camera is ready to shoot, you can press the INFO button to cycle
the screen will be through the list-like Camera Settings, the grid-like Shooting Functions
displayed again the
next time you turn screens, and turning off the monitor. You can use the Set up 3 menu’s INFO
on the camera. To button setting to specify which screens are displayed.
avoid this, press
the INFO button to When the Shooting Functions screen is displayed, you can use it instead of
display a different the LCD panel as a guide when changing settings. It has the advantage of
screen before turning
off the camera. larger type and better illumination. You can also press the Multi-controller
straight down to activate it and change it into the Quick Control screen.
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16. ChaPter 1. Camera ControlS and Creativity
Changing SettingS on the QuiCk Control SCreen
In addition to using menus to change or confirm settings, you can also use
the Quick Control screen and the three dual function buttons above the LCD
panel.
the QuiCk Control SCreen
You can use the Quick Control screen and Multi-controller to change set-
tings on the monitor. This is very convenient when you’re shooting from a
tripod or monopod, with the camera at eye level, where it’s hard to read the
LCD panel on top of the camera. This screen is almost identical to the Shoot-
ing Functions screen (page 15). In fact if you display the Shooting Functions
screen and then press the Multi-controller straight down, it changes into the
Quick Control screen.
The Quick Control
screen (top) and
a settings screen USING THE QUICK CONTROL SCREEN
(bottom).
1. Press the joystick-like Multi-controller straight down to activate the
Quick Control screen displaying the current camera settings on the
monitor. The currently selected setting is highlighted in green and
TipS remains highlighted for only 10 seconds if you don’t use any camera
• You can’t display controls.
the Quick Control
screen when the 2. Press the Multi-controller in any direction to highlight the setting
camera is in auto you want to change and its function is indicated at the bottom of the
power off mode. screen.
Press the shutter
button halfway down 3. Press SET to display a settings screen (this is optional), then turn the
and release it to
wake up the camera. Main or Quick Control Dial to scroll through choices for the selected
setting. If you displayed a setting screen, press SET after selecting
• When Custom
Function III-3: your choice to return to the Quick Control screen.
AF point selection
method is set to
1: Multi-control- dual funCtion Button SCreenS
ler direct, you can’t
display the Quick
The three buttons above the LCD panel each have two functions. When the
Control screen. Shooting Functions or Quick Control screen is displayed, you can press one of
• Settings remain
these buttons to display a two-part setting screen on the monitor.
selected for 10 sec-
onds if you don’t use
• Turning the Main Dial changes the upper setting.
any controls. Press
the Multi-control-
• Turning the Quick Control Dial changes the lower setting.
ler straight down to
reselect it.
The three buttons above
the LCD panel each
have two settings you
change with the Main
and Quick Control Dials.
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17. Changing SettingS With menuS
Changing SettingS With menuS
To change many settings, you press the MENU button to display a series of
menu tabs coded with colors, icons and dots. To charge settings from these
menus you use the Main Dial, the Quick Control Dial and the SET button.
• All of the camera’s menu commands and the pages on which they are
discussed in this book are listed in tables on pages 18–19. On those tables,
shaded menu items are not available in Full or Creative Auto modes (pages 9
and 41).
• Some menus are spread across two or three tabs. In these cases the tab
numbers (1, 2, 3) are indicated on the tabs with dots.
• You can use the Multi-controller as well as the Main and Quick Control
Icons, colors and Dials to change menu settings. To do so, you press it sideways to highlight
dots indicate (from menu items and press it straight down to select them. (To reduce the pos-
top down) Shooting, sibility of mistakes, you can’t use the Multi-controller to select Erase images
Playback, Set up,
Custom Functions and on the Playback 1 menu or Format on the Set up 1 menu.)
My Menu tabs.
• When menus are displayed on the monitor, you can press the shutter button
halfway down at any time to instantly return to shooting mode.
• You can place up to six frequently used menu commands on your own “My
Menu” and even have that menu displayed first when you press the MENU
button (page 158).
• The last menu you viewed is displayed the next time you press MENU.
USING MENUS
• To display the menu, press the MENU button.
Once you press MENU,
the Main Dial, the Quick • To select a tab, turn the Main Dial. Colors, dots, and icons help you
Control Dial (above) and identify which menu tab is displayed.
the SET button in its
center are all you need • To move the colored selection frame up and down the menu to high-
to change settings.
light settings, turn the Quick Control Dial.
• To display the options or settings screen for a highlighted command,
press the SET button in the center of the Quick Control Dial.
• To select a listed option (not all commands list options), turn the
Quick Control Dial to highlight it, then press SET to confirm the change.
• To backup without changing a setting, press MENU or the shutter
button before pressing SET.
The Shooting 1 menu.
• To hide the menu, press the MENU or shutter button.
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18. ChaPter 1. Camera ControlS and Creativity
In the tables on this Shooting 1 (red)
page shaded commands
are not available in Full Command Settings Page
Auto and Creative auto Quality Sets image size, compression and format 27
modes.
Beep Turns camera beep Off/On 160
Shoot w/o card Specifies if the camera takes pictures without 159
a card inserted
Review time Specifies how long an image is displayed im- 159
mediately after capture
Peripheral illumin. Turns on and off for the selected lens. 100
correct.
Shooting 2 (red)
Command Settings Page
Expo.comp./AEB Exposure compensation and autoexposure 55, 57
bracketing
White balance Prevents color casts 82
Custom WB Sets white balance in unique lighting situa- 83
tions
WB SHIFT/BKT Adjusts and brackets white balance 85
Color space Specifies the color space used to capture 84
images
Picture Style Lets you select predefined image settings, or 149
create your own
Dust Delete Data Locates dust on the sensor so its effects can 166
be removed from images using software.
PlayBaCk 1 (Blue)
Command Settings Page
Protect images Protects images from being erased 22
Rotate Rotates images shot in portrait mode 22
Erase images Erases images from the memory card 22
Some settings are only Print order Specifies images to be printed —
displayed when you
are using an optional Transfer order Selects images to be sent to PC —
WFT-E4/E4A wireless External media Used with WFT-E4/E4A wireless transmitter —
transmitter. backup to save images
PlayBaCk 2 (Blue)
Command Settings Page
Highlight alert Highlights overexposed areas in images 59
AF point disp. Specifies if AF points used to focus are dis- 74
played in review or playback modes
Histogram Selects type of histogram displayed 59
Slide show Plays back images automatically 23
Image jump Specifies how you jump in playback mode. 21
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19. Changing SettingS With menuS
In the tables on this Set uP 1 (yelloW)
page shaded commands
are not available in Full Command Settings Page
Auto and Creative auto Auto power off Specifies when camera turns off 161
modes.
Auto rotate Rotates images shot in portrait mode 162
Format Prepares card to store images 161
File numbering Specifies image file numbers 160
Select folder Create and select folders for images 162
WFT settings Used with WFT-E4/E4A wireless —
transmitter
Recording function+media Used with WFT-E4/E4A wireless —
select transmitter
Set uP 2 (yelloW)
Command Settings Page
LCD brightness Adjusts monitor brightness 161
Date/Time Sets camera date and time 159
Language Specifies language used for menus 161
and messages
Video system Specifies PAL or NTSC video 161
Sensor cleaning Cleans dust from the sensor 165
Live View/Movie func. set. Customizes the Live View display 139
Set uP 3 (yelloW)
Command Settings Page
Battery info. Manage your battery packs 163
INFO. button Specifies which INFO screens are 15
displayed
External Speedlite control Sets an external flash 118
Camera user setting Stores your own settings to C1, C2 151
and C3 on the Mode Dial
Clear settings Resets many camera settings to their 164
factory defaults
Firmware ver. Updates the camera’s firmware 163
CuStom funCtionS (orange)
Command Settings Page
C.Fn I: Exposure Exposure, ISO, bracketing, flash sync 153
C.Fn II: Image Noise reduction, highlight tone and 154
auto lighting optimizer
C.Fn III: Autofocus/Drive Autofocus and mirror lockup 155
C.Fn IV: Operation/Others Shutter button, AF-ON, SET dials, 156
focusing screen and Live View
Clear all Custom Func. (C.Fn) Resets Custom Functions to their 152
defaults
my menu (green)
Command Settings Page
My Menu settings Stores frequently used commands 158
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20. ChaPter 1. Camera ControlS and Creativity
Playing BaCk managing your imageS
When taking photos, there are many times when you want to review the im-
TIPS ages you’ve taken, ideally before leaving the scene.
• After zooming an
image or displaying
information about image revieW
it, you can turn
the Main or Quick
When you take a photo, it’s displayed for 2 seconds (counting from when
Control Dials to scroll you release the shutter button) although you can change this with the Re-
through other im- view time command (page 159) on the Shooting 1 menu tab. With an image
ages using the same
settings.
displayed, press the Erase button to delete it, or the INFO button to change
the information display. Pressing either button also keeps the image on the
• To immediately
return to shooting
screen until you press the shutter button halfway down to take another photo
mode, press the or auto power off takes effect.
shutter button half-
way down.
image PlayBaCk
To review some or all of the images you have taken, press the Playback but-
ton to display the last photo you took. You can then scroll through images,
display small thumbnails so you can quickly locate a specific image, erase
the image, or zoom in to examine details. In playback mode, you can press
the shutter button halfway down at any time to instantly return to shooting
mode. You may not be able to playback photos on the card taken with an-
other camera.
Pressing INFO in
playback mode displays
information about the
image. info diSPlay
To display or hide information about images in review or playback modes,
repeatedly press the INFO button to cycle through single image display,
single image display with recording quality, histogram display, and shoot-
ing information display. On two of the screens a small thumbnail and one or
The Playback icon.
more histograms are displayed (page 59). Once information is displayed for
one image in playback (but not review) mode, you can turn the Quick Control
Dial to scroll through other images with the same information displayed.
MANAGING IMAGES—USING BUTTONS
The Index/Reduce
icons. 1. Press the Playback button and use any of the following procedures:
● To display one image after another, turn the Quick Control Dial.
● To display 4 or 9 small thumbnails in index view, press the Index
button once or twice. Turn the Quick Control Dial to scroll the blue
frame to select a specific image. To return to single-image view, press
the Magnify button.
The Magnify icon.
● To jump by the specified method (page 21), turn the Main Dial.
● To magnify an image up to 10x, display it in single-image view and
press or hold down the Magnify button. When an image is magnified,
a small square on the screen indicates which part of the image you
are viewing as you press the Multi-controller to scroll around. To re-
duce the image and return to single-image view, press or hold down
the Index/Reduce button or press the Playback button.
The Erase icon.
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE ...
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21. Playing BaCk managing your imageS
TIP MANAGING IMAGES—USING BUTTONS, CON’T.
• One way to delete ● To erase the image displayed in single-image view or the one high-
all images on a card lighted in index view, press the Erase button (marked with a trash
(and all folders but
the current one), is can icon). To confirm the erasure, turn the Quick Control Dial to
to format the card highlight Erase and press SET.
(page 161).
● To change the information displayed, press INFO.
2. To resume shooting, press the Playback button or press the shutter
button halfway down.
JumPing in PlayBaCk
The Playback icon.
In playback mode, it takes time to navigate through images when there are
many of them on a card. To speed things up you can turn the Main Dial to
jump in single-image, magnified, and index modes. The jump methods from
which you can choose include the following:
• 1 image displays all of the images and movies in the order they were cap-
tured.
• 10 images (the default) jumps you forward and back 10 images at a time.
• 100 images jumps you forward and back 100 images at a time.
• Screen, designed for use in index mode, jumps you forward and back a
screen, or page of thumbnails, at a time.
• Date jumps you forward or back to the first picture taken on the next or
previous date.
• Folder jumps folder by folder.
• Movies jumps you to the first movie and then to other movies.
• Stills jumps you to the first still image, then through other stills.
In all modes other than 1 image, as you turn the Main Dial to jump, a position
bar on the screen indicates where the currently displayed images fall within
the total collection of images on the card. Also turning the Quick Control Dial
continues to scroll through images one at a time.
SELECTING A JUMP METHOD
1. Press MENU and display the Playback 2 menu tab.
2. Turn the Quick Control Dial to highlight Image jump, and press SET
to display a list jump methods.
3. Turn the Quick Control Dial to highlight your choice, and press SET
to select it.
4. When finished, press MENU and turn the Main Dial in playback
mode to jump by the specified method. The current jump method
and location are displayed in the lowerright corner of the monitor.
IMAGE RECOVERY SOFTWARE
• If you delete images by mistake, don’t despair. There is software that will let
you recover them provided you don’t first save other photos on the same card.
One such program is PhotoRescue at (http://www.datarescue.com/photorescue/)
but you can find others by Googling “digital image recovery.”
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22. ChaPter 1. Camera ControlS and Creativity
uSing the PlayBaCk menu
The Playback menu tabs list a variety of commands. Although only Protect
TIPS
images, Rotate, and Erase images from the Playback 1 menu tab are dis-
• When looking for cussed here, the other playback commands are discussed elsewhere in this
pictures to erase,
protect, or rotate, book (page 18).
it’s often faster if
you press the In-
dex/Reduce button MANAGING YOUR IMAGES—USING MENUS
to switch to index
display. 1. Press MENU and display the Playback 1 menu tab.
• You can rotate im- ● To protect selected images so they won’t be inadvertently erased,
ages automatically
with the Set up 1 or to unprotect previously protected images, turn the Quick Control
menu’s Auto rotate Dial to highlight Protect images and press SET. Turn the Quick Con-
command (page trol Dial to scroll through images and press SET to protect or unpro-
162).
tect selected images. (When you select a protected image, the protect
• Print order is used icon is displayed at the top of the screen.)
to specify which
images are to be ● To rotate selected images, turn the Quick Control Dial to highlight
printed.
Rotate, and press SET. Turn the Quick Control Dial to scroll through
• Transfer Order your images and press SET one or more times to rotate an image.
is used to select
which photos are ● To erase selected images, turn the Quick Control Dial to highlight
transferred to your
computer. Erase images and press SET. Turn the Quick Control Dial to high-
light Select and erase images and press SET. Turn the Quick Control
Dial to scroll through images and press SET to check those to be
deleted. (Press Index and Magnify to toggle between 1 or 3 images.)
When finished selecting images, press the Erase button to delete
them and select OK when asked to confirm.
The protect icon.
● To erase all images in a folder, turn the Quick Control Dial to
highlight Erase images and press SET. Turn the Quick Control Dial
Tip to highlight All images in folder, and press SET to display a list of
The best way to de- folders. Turn the Quick Control Dial again to select a folder and press
lete images depends SET, then turn it again to select OK and press SET.
on how many you
are deleting. ● To erase all images on the card, turn the Quick Control Dial to
• When deleting highlight Erase images and press SET. Turn the Quick Control Dial
100% of the images, to highlight All images on card, and press SET, then turn it again to
use the All images on
card choice. select OK and press SET.
• When deleting less 2. When finished, press MENU.
than 50%, use the
Select and erase im-
ages choice.
• When deleting
more than 50%, pro-
tect the images you
want to save, and
then use the All im-
ages on card choice
to delete the rest.
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23. giving Slide ShoWS
giving Slide ShoWS
You can display your images as a slide show on the camera’s monitor or on a
connected TV.
• To show your images on a non-HD TV, turn both the TV and the camera off
while you connect the supplied video cable (don’t use any other) to the A/V
OUT terminal on the camera. On the TV connect the red plug to the audio
right channel, the white to the audio left channel, and the yellow to video in.
Turn on the TV and set it for video input.
• To show your images on a High Definition HD TV connect the camera and
The optional HDMI
TV using the camera’s built-in HDMI OUT terminal and an optional HDMI
Cable HTC-100 used to Cable HTC-100. Output resolution is automatically set to match the model
display images on HD of HDTV you are using and photos are displayed in their original 3:2 aspect
TVs.
ratio.
Once the camera and TV are connected, turn on the camera and set it to Slide
show as described below. Shows can include all of the still images and movies
on the memory card, just movies or still images, or specific photos selected by
their date or folder. For added convenience you can control the playback rate
(from one to five seconds per image) and set the show to end or loop when
finished. Auto power off does not operate in slide show mode so you have
to remember to turn it off. If you are traveling and need to switch between
NTSC and PAL video systems see page 161.
The camera’s HDMI
terminal.
GIVING SLIDE SHOWS
TIPS 1. Press MENU and select the Playback 2 menu tab.
• Canon’s optional 2. Turn the Quick Control Dial to highlight Slide show, and press SET
AC adapter kit (ACK-
E6) lets you give
to display the slide show settings screen.
slide shows without
draining your battery
3. Do one of the following:
pack.
● Turn the Quick Control Dial to highlight All images and press SET.
• When giving a slide Turn it again to select All images, Folder, Date, Movies or Stills and
show, due to differ-
ences in the aspect
press SET. If you select Folder or Date, before pressing SET press
ratio of the screen INFO to display a list of folders or dates from which to choose. Use
and image, im- the Quick Control Dial and SET to select a folder or date and press
ages may not fill the
screen, or if they do,
MENU to return to the slide show screen.
parts may be cut off.
● Turn the Quick Control Dial to highlight Set up and press SET.
• You can’t use the Turn it again to select Play time or Repeat and press SET. Use the
camera’s A/V OUT
and HDMI OUT ter-
Quick Control Dial and SET to select a setting and press MENU to
minals at the same return to the slide show screen.
time.
4. Turn the Quick Control Dial to highlight Start and press SET to begin
the show.
● To pause and restart the show, press SET. When paused, a pause
icon is displayed in the upper left corner of the monitor.
● To manually scroll through images, turn the Main or Quick Control
Dial.
When paused, a pause
icon is displayed in the ● To specify what information is displayed, press INFO.
upper left corner of the
monitor. 5. To stop the show at any point, press the MENU or shutter button.
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24. ChaPter 1. Camera ControlS and Creativity
SeleCting image Quality and Size
http://www.photocourse.com/itext/dots/
Digital photographs are made up of millions of tiny squares called picture el-
ements—or just pixels. Like the impressionists who painted wonderful scenes
Click to see how dots with small dabs of paint, your computer and printer can use these tiny pixels
are used in printing.
to display or print photographs. To do so, the computer divides the screen or
printed page into a grid of pixels. It then uses the values stored in the digital
photograph to specify the brightness and color of each pixel in this grid—a
form of painting by number.
Any image that looks
sharp and has smooth
transitions in tones
(top) is actually made
up of millions of
individual square pixels
(bottom). Each pixel is
a solid, uniform color.
Tip
• The term “resolu-
tion” has two mean-
ings in photography.
Originally it referred
to the ability of a
camera system to
resolve pairs of fine
lines such as those
found on a test
chart. In this usage
it’s an indicator of
sharpness, not im-
age size. With the
introduction of digital
cameras it began be-
ing used to indicate
the number of pixels
a camera could cap-
ture.
numBer of PixelS
http://www.photocourse.com/itext/resolution/
Click to explore the
The quality of a digital image depends in part on the number of pixels used to
original meaning of create the image (sometimes referred to as resolution). At a given size, more
“resolution”. pixels add detail and sharpen edges. However, there are always size limits.
When you enlarge any digital image enough, the pixels begin to show—an
http://www.photocourse.com/itext/pixelzoom/
effect called pixelization. This is not unlike traditional silver-based prints
Click to see the effects where grain begins to show when prints are enlarged past a certain point.
of pixelization as an
image is enlarged.
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25. SeleCting image Quality and Size
When a digital image
is displayed or printed
at the correct size for
the number of pixels it
contains, it looks like
a normal photograph.
When enlarged too
much (as is the eye
here), its square pixels
begin to show. Each
pixel is a small square
made up of a single
color.
http://www.photocourse.com/itext/imagesize/
Click to see how
the output device
determines image sizes.
http://www.photocourse.com/itext/pixelresolution/
Click to explore how
more pixels give
sharper images.
http://www.photocourse.com/itext/excel/math-imagesize.xls in
The size of a photograph is specified in one of two ways—by its dimensions
pixels or by the total number of pixels it contains. For example, the same im-
Click for Excel work
sheet on image sizes.
age can be said to have 5616 × 3744 pixels (where “×” is pronounced “by” as
in “5616 by 3744”), or to contain a little over 21 million pixels or megapixels
(5616 multiplied by 3744).
Image sizes are
expressed as
dimensions in pixels
(5616 × 3744) or by
the total number of
pixels (21 megapixels).
5D MARk ii
iMAgE SizES
• The 5D Mark II
gives you a choice
of three image
sizes: 5616 × 3744
(large), 4080 x 2720
(medium), and 2353
× 1856 (small) plus
small RAW images.
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26. ChaPter 1. Camera ControlS and Creativity
hoW an image iS CaPtured
Digital cameras are very much like the rapidly disappearing 35mm film
cameras. Both types contain a lens, an aperture, and a shutter. The lens
brings light from the scene into focus inside the camera so it can expose an
image. The aperture is a hole that can be made smaller or larger to control
the amount of light entering the camera. The shutter is a device that can be
opened or closed to control the length of time the light is allowed to enter.
The big difference between traditional film cameras and digital cameras
is how they capture the image. Instead of film, digital cameras use a solid-
state device called an image sensor. In the 5D Mark II, the image sensor is a
CMOS chip. On the surface of this full-frame silicon chip is a grid containing
over 21 million photosensitive diodes called photosites, photoelements, or
pixels. Each photosite captures a single pixel in the photograph to be.
the exPoSure
When you press the shutter button of a digital camera, an exposure system
measures the light coming through the lens and sets the aperture and shutter
speed for the correct exposure. When the shutter opens briefly, each pixel on
the image sensor records the brightness of the light that falls on it by accu-
mulating an electrical charge. The more light that hits a pixel, the higher the
charge it records. Pixels capturing light from highlights in the scene will have
high charges. Those capturing light from shadows will have low charges.
An image sensor When the shutter closes to end the exposure, the charge from each pixel is
against a background
enlargement of its measured and converted into a digital number. This series of numbers is then
square pixels, each used to reconstruct the image by setting the color and brightness of matching
capable of capturing pixels on the screen or printed page.
one pixel in the final
image.
it’S all BlaCk and White after all
It may be surprising, but pixels on an image sensor can only capture bright-
ness, not color. They record only the gray scale—a series of 256 increasingly
darker tones ranging from pure white to pure black. How the camera creates
a color image from the brightness recorded by each pixel is an interesting
story.
The gray scale contains
a range of tones from
pure white to pure
black.
When photography was first invented, it could only record black and white
TipS
images. The search for color was a long and arduous process, and a lot of
• You can change hand coloring went on in the interim (causing one photographer to comment
contrast, sharpness, “so you have to know how to paint after all!”). One major breakthrough was
saturation, and color
tone settings using James Clerk Maxwell’s 1860 discovery that color photographs could be cre-
Picture Styles (page ated using black and white film and red, blue, and green filters. He had the
149). photographer Thomas Sutton photograph a tartan ribbon three times, each
• When you change time with a different color filter over the lens. The three black and white im-
image quality, the ages were then projected onto a screen with three different projectors, each
LCD panel always equipped with the same color filter used to take the image being projected.
indicates the number
of new shots that will When brought into alignment, the three images formed a full-color photo-
fit on the current CF graph. Over a century later, image sensors work much the same way.
card.
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