Please help with my EOS 40D

JohnK

I got an EOS 40D a few weeks back and while in most cases I'm getting on OK with it I do have two issues.

First the flash. With the flash turned on some pictures are turning out with peoples skin looking so white its like the ultimate albino & Goth combined and its even been so bad that in some cases you struggle make out facial features in a picture that was taken at a distance of about 5 feet. Its not a fancy type flash or anything just the one that pops out from the top.

Second the pictures tend to be very soft on detail which is quite surprising given its supposed to be a high quality camera. My old point-and-click seemed to have better clarity & detail when the image is viewed at 100% on my laptop.

If it makes any difference its just the (enthusiast) kit lens, 17-85mm, and whatever about it happening when its on the different creative modes where I'm mucking about with the settings is also happening with the full auto which I would assume to be the idiot-proof mode.

Its my first SLR and I have no idea what I'm actually doing so any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Monasette

JohnK wrote: »

I got an EOS 40D a few weeks back and while in most cases I'm getting on OK with it I do have two issues.

First the flash. With the flash turned on some pictures are turning out with peoples skin looking so white its like the ultimate albino & Goth combined and its even been so bad that in some cases you struggle make out facial features in a picture that was taken at a distance of about 5 feet. Its not a fancy type flash or anything just the one that pops out from the top.

Second the pictures tend to be very soft on detail which is quite surprising given its supposed to be a high quality camera. My old point-and-click seemed to have better clarity & detail when the image is viewed at 100% on my laptop.

Re: the soft detail, 2 things could be happening:- 1) The Auto mode is setting a slow shutter-speed for certain pictures (in dull light) and the result is some blurring due to camera shake (the 40D is much heavier than a point-and-shoot, and even a slight amount of movement will cause an image to blur if the shutter speed is less than around 1/60 sec). (2) the Auto mode is setting a 'fast' aperture (i.e. f4, f5.6 rath than f11) which is causing some of the image to be out-of focus. f4 means that less of the image is in focus than at f11(ironically, the camera does this to give a better shutter speed).

The answer to this is to get used to using the other modes on the camera. Using Tv mode means that you set the shutter speed and the camera decides the aperture. If people are moving (even walking), set Tv to at least 1/60 or 1/125.

For landscapes, use Av mode, and see how the different Av settings affect the area in focus.

Take a day or two just using each mode, and see how the camera reacts in different lighting conditions.

Not so sure about the flash problem - if it was in P or Auto, it may have been that you were very close to the subject.


Hope this helps

BR,
John

ladgie353

For the flash, this tends to happen a lot with integrated units.
On the 40D, you can reduce the power of the flash to reduce the problem.
In P mode (or AV or TV but not in one of the Auto programs), press the ISO button and use the back wheel to choose the compensation (- 1/3 or 2/3 seems to work for me).
The ammount of compensation you dial in should be defined by the ambient light, the darker the place, the more power the camera will give to the flash.
Note also that reducing the flash power will increase the exposure time.
Hope this makes sense/helps.

Freddie59

JohnK wrote: »

I got an EOS 40D a few weeks back and while in most cases I'm getting on OK with it I do have two issues.

First the flash. With the flash turned on some pictures are turning out with peoples skin looking so white its like the ultimate albino & Goth combined and its even been so bad that in some cases you struggle make out facial features in a picture that was taken at a distance of about 5 feet. Its not a fancy type flash or anything just the one that pops out from the top.

Second the pictures tend to be very soft on detail which is quite surprising given its supposed to be a high quality camera. My old point-and-click seemed to have better clarity & detail when the image is viewed at 100% on my laptop.

If it makes any difference its just the (enthusiast) kit lens, 17-85mm, and whatever about it happening when its on the different creative modes where I'm mucking about with the settings is also happening with the full auto which I would assume to be the idiot-proof mode.

Its my first SLR and I have no idea what I'm actually doing so any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

I had the same problems when I purchased a 450D some weeks ago. I was fit to take a hammer to it.:D Coming from a fully-auto Fuji s5000 which always delivered, the quality in auto on the Eos was woeful in comparison.

I was advised by other boards.ie members to buy a book called 'Understanding Exposure' by Bryan Peterson.

It will open your eyes to what DSLRs can do in manual mode. There is no comparison. I know only a little bit more than I did some weeks ago, but it has made a huge difference to me. You really need to understand the basic principles of photography to get the best out of a DSLR - and this book will do it for you.

Have a look at my Flickr page and you'll see what shooting in manual will do for you. Don't give up on it. I nearly did, and I'm glad I didn't. Best of luck with it.:)

ThOnda

Burn-out faces are normal. The camera is trying to get correct exposure from the whole picture, so if there are "empty" spaces, it is trying to compensate amount of reflected light where possible - the faces in the most cases. Decrease amount of the light from the flash by means offered by your camera.

About soft images. Clean your lens :-) And check the settings of the camera, if there is possibility to set the image quality and sharpness.

But what should I know, I am not CANIKON compatible... :pac:

Anouilh

Digital is such a technical experience. I started a new blog last year to try to make sense of it all and some of the ideas might be of use. If you look at the comments, you will find some very good tips from people who are more advanced.

If you find your images are soft, a tripod is one way of being sure you are in control, as you learn to use all the new features.

Some kit lenses have been given poor reviews and are considered to be too soft by experienced photographers.

Six months after getting a new digital rebel, I'm really enjoying all the experimentation.

As for skin tones, the graphics software that comes with the camera is very quick and useful. I find that if you save a nicely toned "recipe" from a photo of nicely toned pink flowers, it applies very well to skin.

Best of luck with it.http://shortsights.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2007-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2008-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=37

PixelTrawler

I have a nikon compact and when I first got a dslr I couldnt understand why the pictures were worse.

Took me ages to realise it wasnt the camera! The problem existed behind it;)

My landscapes were so soft at the far distance I thought it was rubbish but I was setting my apeture completely wrong.

re: the flash - a flash into someones face at 5 feet is going to be difficult to control. Thats why most add on flashes have a bounce facility.

In your case with the built in one your just going to have to play with settings til you get it the way you want. Factors such as shot setting and white balance can have an impact too.

JohnK

Thanks for the replies

I was getting worried that maybe there was something wrong with it but from the sounds of what you lot are saying I just need to play with it some more and bannish the full auto mode.

As for the flash well its just a shame that I cant really use it though but I think I'll look into getting one of those add on ones. A friend that I met over the weekend had one (speed light 300?) and I gave it a go on my camera but it was during the day so didnt actually take any shots with it. The ones he took that night were much better looking than mine and didnt have the albino/goth look about them.

PixelTrawler

JohnK wrote: »

bannish the full auto mode.

Step 1!

mervifwdc

If you got it just a few weeks ago, you probably qualify for the free trainning in Digital Beginners. Even if you dont, get over to them for a 1/2 day, and bring a few copies of "problem" images.

Merv.


P.S. No, I dont work there :-)

JohnK

I'm on the wrong side of the world for that I'm afriad