Chapter One

Chapter One Getting the Lay of the Land

In This Chapter

* Attaching and using an SLR lens

* Adjusting the viewfinder to your eyesight

* Working with camera memory cards

* Getting acquainted with external camera controls

* Using the camera menus and Camera Settings display

* Deciphering viewfinder data

* Customizing basic camera operations

I still remember the day that I bought my first SLR film camera. I was excited to finally move up from my one-button point-and-shoot camera, but I was a little anxious, too. My new pride and joy sported several unfamiliar buttons and dials, and the explanations in the camera manual clearly were written for someone with an engineering degree. And then there was the whole business of attaching the lens to the camera, an entirely new task for me. I saved up my pennies a long time for that camera - what if my inexperience caused me to damage the thing before I even shot my first pictures?

You may be feeling similarly insecure if your Rebel XSi/450D is your first SLR, although some of the buttons on the camera back may look familiar if you've previously used a digital point-and-shoot camera. If your Canon is both your first SLR and first digital camera, you may be doubly intimidated.

Trust me, though, that your camera isn't nearly as complicated as its exterior makes it appear. With a little practice and the help of this chapter, which introduces you to each external control, you'll quickly become as comfortable with your camera's buttons and dials as you are with the ones on your car's dashboard.

This chapter also guides you through the process of mounting and using an SLR lens, working with digital memory cards, and navigating your camera's internal menus. Finally, the end of the chapter walks you through options that enable you to customize many aspects of your camera's basic operation.

Getting Comfortable with Your Lens

One of the biggest differences between a point-and-shoot camera and an SLR (single-lens reflex) camera is the lens. With an SLR, you can swap out lenses to suit different photographic needs, going from an extreme close-up lens to a super-long telephoto, for example. In addition, an SLR lens has a movable focusing ring that gives you the option of focusing manually instead of relying on the camera's autofocus mechanism.

Of course, those added capabilities mean that you need a little background information to take full advantage of your lens. To that end, the next three sections explain the process of attaching, removing, and using this critical part of your camera.

Attaching a lens

Your camera can accept two categories of Canon lenses: those with a so-called EF-S design and those with a plain-old EF design.

TECHNICAL STUFF

The EF stands for electro focus; the S, for short back focus. And no, you don't really need to remember that little detail - but you do need to make sure that if you buy a Canon lens other than the one sold with the camera, it carries either the EF or EF-S specification. (If you want to buy a non-Canon lens, check the lens manufacturer's Web site to find out which lenses work with the Rebel XSi/450D.)

Whatever lens you choose, follow these steps to attach it to the camera body:

1. Remove the cap that covers the lens mount on the front of the camera.

2. Remove the cap that covers the back of the lens.

3. Locate the proper lens mounting index on the camera body.

A mounting index is simply a marker that tells you where to align the lens with the camera body when connecting the two. Your camera has two of these markers, one red and one white, as shown in Figure 1-1.

Which marker you use to align your lens depends on the lens type:

Canon EF-S lens: Align the lens mounting index with the white square on the camera body.

Canon EF lens: Align the lens mounting index with the red dot instead.

If you buy a non-Canon lens, check the lens manual for help with this step.

4. Align the mounting index on the lens with the correct one on the camera body.

The lens also has a mounting index; Figure 1-2 shows the one that appears on the so-called "kit lens" - the EF-S 18-55mm IS (image stabilizer) zoom lens that Canon sells as a unit with the Rebel XSi/450D. If you buy a different lens, the index marker on the lens may be red or some other color, so again, check the lens instruction manual.

5. Keeping the mounting indexes aligned, position the lens on the camera's lens mount.

When you do so, grip the lens by its back collar as shown in the figure.

6. Turn the lens in a clockwise direction until the lens clicks into place.

In other words, turn the lens toward the lens release button (see Figure 1-1), as indicated by the red arrow in Figure 1-2.

7. On a lens that has an aperture ring, set and lock the ring so the aperture is set at the highest f-number.

Check your lens manual to find out whether your lens sports an aperture ring and how to adjust it. (The Rebel XSi/450D kit lens doesn't.) To find out more about apertures and f-stops, see Chapter 5.

WARNING!

Always attach (or switch) lenses in a clean environment to reduce the risk of getting dust, dirt, and other contaminants inside the camera or lens. Changing lenses on a sandy beach, for example, isn't a good idea. For added safety, point the camera body slightly down when performing this maneuver, as shown in the figure; doing so helps prevent any flotsam in the air from being drawn into the camera by gravity. See Chapter 3 for tips on cleaning your lens.

Removing a lens

To detach a lens from the camera body, take these steps:

1. Locate the lens-release button on the front of the camera.

I labeled the button in Figure 1-1.

2. Grip the rear collar of the lens.

In other words, hold onto the stationary part of the lens that's closest to the camera body.

3. Press the lens-release button while turning the lens away from the lens-release button.

You should feel the lens release from the mount at this point. Just lift the lens off the mount to remove it.

4. Place the rear protective cap onto the back of the lens.

If you aren't putting another lens on the camera, cover the lens mount with the protective cap that came with your camera, too.

Using an IS (image stabilizer) lens

If you purchased the Rebel XSi/450D camera kit - that is, the body-and-lens combination put together by Canon - your lens offers a feature called image stabilization. On Canon lenses, this feature is indicated by the initials IS in the lens name.

Image stabilization attempts to compensate for small amounts of camera shake that are common when photographers handhold their cameras and use a slow shutter speed, a lens with a long focal length, or both. That camera movement during the exposure can produce blurry images. Although image stabilization can't work miracles, it does enable most people to capture sharper handheld shots in many situations than they otherwise could.

WARNING!

However, when you use a tripod, image stabilization can have detrimental effects because the system may try to adjust for movement that isn't actually occurring. Although this problem shouldn't be an issue with most Canon IS lenses, if you do see blurry images while using a tripod, try setting the Stabilizer On/Off switch (shown in Figure 1-3) to Off. You also can save battery power by turning off image stabilization when you use a tripod. (Note that blurry images can result from causes other than camera shake; see Chapter 6 for help.)

If you use a non-Canon lens, the image stabilization feature may go by another name: anti-shake, vibration compensation, and so on. In some cases, the manufacturers may recommend that you leave the system turned on or select a special setting when you use a tripod, so be sure to check the lens manual for information.

Chapter 6 offers more tips on achieving blur-free photos, and it also explains focal length and its impact on your pictures. See Chapter 5 for an explanation of shutter speed.

Focusing and zooming the lens

Like any modern camera, digital or film, yours offers autofocusing capabilities, which you can explore in detail in Chapters 2 and 6. But with some subjects, autofocusing can be slow or impossible, which is why your camera also offers manual focusing. The process is quick and easy: You just turn the focusing ring on the lens until your subject comes into focus. To try it out, take these steps:

1. Locate the AF/MF switch on the side of the lens.

Figure 1-3 shows you the switch as it appears on the Rebel XSi/450D kit lens. The switch should be in a similar location on other Canon lenses; if you use a lens from another manufacturer, check the lens instruction manual.

WARNING!

2. Set the switch to the MF position, as shown in the figure.

Don't try to move the focusing ring with the switch set to the AF (auto-focus) position; with some lenses, doing so can damage the lens.

3. While looking through the viewfinder, twist the focusing ring to adjust focus.

The focusing ring is at the far end of the lens barrel, as indicated in Figure 1-3.

If you have trouble focusing, you may be too close to your subject; every lens has a minimum focusing distance. (See Chapter 6 for more tips on focus issues.) You may also need to adjust the viewfinder to accommodate your eyesight; see the next section for details.

If you bought a zoom lens, a movable zoom barrel lies behind the focusing ring, as shown in Figure 1-3. To zoom in or out, just move that zoom barrel forward and backward.

The numbers on the zoom barrel, by the way, represent focal lengths. I explain focal lengths in Chapter 6. In the meantime, just note that when the lens is mounted on the camera, the number that's aligned with the white focal-length indicator, labeled in Figure 1-3, represents the current focal length. In Figure 1-3, for example, the focal length is 18mm.

Adjusting the Viewfinder Focus

Perched on the top right edge of the viewfinder is a tiny black knob, officially called the dioptric adjustment control. I labeled the knob in Figure 1-4. With this control, you can adjust the magnification of the viewfinder to mesh with your eyesight.

WARNING!

If you don't take this step, scenes that appear out-of-focus through the viewfinder may actually be sharply focused through the lens, and vice versa.

Here's how to make the necessary adjustment:

1. Remove the lens cap from the front of the lens.

2. Look through the viewfinder and concentrate on the focusing screen shown on the right side of Figure 1-4.

The focusing screen is the collective name assigned to the group of nine autofocus points that appear in the viewfinder - the little squares with the dots inside. I labeled one of the little guys in Figure 1-4. (The circle that surrounds the center autofocus point is related to exposure metering, a subject you can explore in Chapter 5.)

3. Rotate the dioptric adjustment knob until the autofocus points appear to be in focus.

Don't worry about focusing the actual picture now; just pay attention to the autofocus points.

TIP

If your eyesight is such that you can't get the autofocus points to appear sharp by using the dioptric adjustment control, you can buy an additional eyepiece adapter. This accessory, which you pop onto the eyepiece, just enables further adjustment of the viewfinder display. Prices range from about $15-30 depending on the magnification you need. Look for an adapter called an E-series dioptric adjustment lens.

One other note about the viewfinder: See that little black window underneath the viewfinder - the one labeled Display Off sensor in Figure 1-4? When you put your eye up to the viewfinder, the sensor tells the camera to turn off the monitor display, saving you the trouble of doing the job yourself. If the monitor doesn't turn off automatically, the upcoming section "Setup Menu 1" tells you how to fix things; see the information related to the LCD Auto Off feature.

REMEMBER

Keep in mind, too, that with the XSi/450D, you can opt to use the monitor instead of the viewfinder to frame and preview your shots.

Because many of the functions connected with Live View shooting are similar to those you use during picture playback, I cover both uses of your monitor together in Chapter 4. Chapters 5 and 6 spell out some additional details of setting exposure and focusing in Live View mode.

Working with Memory Cards

Instead of recording images on film, digital cameras store pictures on memory cards. Your Rebel XSi/450D uses a specific type of memory card called an SD card (for Secure Digital), shown in Figures 1-5 and 1-6. Other card types - CompactFlash, Memory Stick, or any others - aren't compatible with your camera. However, if you use SD cards in your cell phone, portable music player, or other device, you can use the same cards in your camera. Also, your camera can use the new, high-capacity SD cards, which carry the label SDHC, as well as plain old SD cards.

Safeguarding your memory cards - and the images you store on them - requires just a few precautions:

  Inserting a card: First, be sure that the camera is turned off. Then put the card in the card slot with the label facing the back of the camera, as shown in Figure 1-5. Push the card into the slot until it clicks into place.

REMEMBER

  Formatting a card: The first time you use a new memory card, take a few seconds to format it by choosing the Format option on Setup Menu 1. This step simply ensures that the card is properly prepared to record your pictures. See the upcoming section "Setup Menu 1" for details.

  Removing a card: First, check the status of the memory card access light, labeled in Figure 1-5. After making sure that the light is off, indicating that the camera has finished recording your most recent photo, turn the camera off. Open the memory card door, as shown in Figure 1-5. Depress the memory card slightly until you hear a little click and then let go. The card should pop halfway out of the slot, enabling you to grab it by the tail and remove it.

  Handling cards: Don't touch the gold contacts on the back of the card. (See the left card in Figure 1-6.) When cards aren't in use, store them in the protective cases they came in or in a memory card wallet. Keep cards away from extreme heat and cold as well.

  Locking cards: The tiny switch on the left side of the card, labeled lock switch in Figure 1-6, enables you to lock your card, which prevents any data from being erased or recorded to the card. Press the switch toward the bottom of the card to lock the card contents; press it toward the top of the card to unlock the data.

Exploring External Camera Controls

Scattered across your camera's exterior are a number of buttons, dials, and switches that you use to change picture-taking settings, review and edit your photos, and perform various other operations.

In later chapters, I discuss all of your camera's functions in detail and provide the exact steps to follow to access those functions. This section provides just a basic road map to the external controls plus a quick introduction to each. You may want to put a sticky note or other bookmark on this page so that you can find it for easier reference later. (The cheat sheet at the front of the book offers a similar guide, albeit with less detail.)

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Excerpted from "Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi/450D For Dummies" by Julie Adair King. Copyright (C) by Julie Adair King. Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.