Questions about taking pics in manual mode

**jsh139** · 03-29-2006, 09:40 AM

I have a Canon S400. It's a great little camera. However, it has a manual mode that I seem to have some trouble figuring out. I can set the ISO level, white balance, and a few other things.

Does anyone have any tips on how to set these settings? Is the ISO level like it is for 35mm film? i.e., use 100 for bright light, 200 for medium, 400 for low light, etc? Ideally, I'd like to try taking some pictures without using the flash. I realize that without a tripod, picures may be a little shaky, but I'm mainly trying to get the lighting correct. Also, how important is the white balance? I always leave it in auto mode. Should I be setting this based upon the light source? My camera also has a flower/mountain button, and I think a spot photometry button. Any tips on what to do with these?

Here's a pic I took in manual mode. I was in my garage and the flash was washing out the face, so I decided to try a manual mode pic. Any tips on how to make it a little better? I had the ISO set to 400, and the white balance in auto.

http://www.ameth.org/~tool/STi/Gauges-3.jpg

Edit: Oops, just realized that I changed around the order of the pics in the directory. This is the pic I was asking about.

redheat86 · 03-29-2006, 12:42 PM

Huge word of advice. Size your pictures down before posting. it makes it much easier for people to view.

#1. ISO will be a factor of your lighting conditions just the same as with film.

If your doing londer shutter exposures, even at night, stick with ISO 100. it will be the least grainy.

Your apterure and shutter speed will be a determination of what your trying to achieve.

I suggest you do a search and see how they function together and how a wider apterure I.E. 2.8,3.5 etc.. will give you less depth of field, or a small area of the pictue will be in focus.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_of_field

Your shutter will then corespond to the aperture.

You should have a light meter that reads -2 to +2 which is the exposure level. you want to keep it right in the midle.

post back if you have more specific questions from here, as there is just to much info to cover.

OH and for your white balance, just leave it in auto, it should be pretty good over all, if you need to take a test picture and adjust to your liking becuase sometimes auto will yellow the picture a bit becuase of the tungsten bulbs/lighting.

**jsh139** · 03-30-2006, 05:05 AM

Thanks, I will try to play around with some of the settings and see what happens. I normally resize photos, I just wanted to leave that one fullsize so you could see how it turned out, untouched.

klaymon · 03-30-2006, 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsh139

I have a Canon S400. It's a great little camera. However, it has a manual mode that I seem to have some trouble figuring out. I can set the ISO level, white balance, and a few other things.

Does anyone have any tips on how to set these settings? Is the ISO level like it is for 35mm film? i.e., use 100 for bright light, 200 for medium, 400 for low light, etc? Ideally, I'd like to try taking some pictures without using the flash. I realize that without a tripod, picures may be a little shaky, but I'm mainly trying to get the lighting correct. Also, how important is the white balance? I always leave it in auto mode. Should I be setting this based upon the light source? My camera also has a flower/mountain button, and I think a spot photometry button. Any tips on what to do with these?

Here's a pic I took in manual mode. I was in my garage and the flash was washing out the face, so I decided to try a manual mode pic. Any tips on how to make it a little better? I had the ISO set to 400, and the white balance in auto.

http://www.ameth.org/~tool/STi/Gauges-1.jpg

Your ISO settings are just like film (100 for bright light, etc.). White balance is very important for getting the correct color in your photo. If you are under regular light bulbs for example, there is a setting for Tungsten lights. There is a setting for flash, bright sun, shade, flourescent, etc. Try to pick the one that most closely matches the light your subject will be lit by.

The flower/mountain setting is landscape mode. It is used to get maximum depth of field (see the wiki link posted). One example of using this setting would be if you were taking a picture of a mountain. You would want as much of the landscape in focus as you could get. However, this setting is an auto mode, not manual.

If the flash is washing out, you can try a couple of different things. When your flash fires, it will typically set the exsposure to 1/60 of a second. If you are running too high an ISO (high number) or too large of an aperature (small number), you are going to overexpose the shot. Try adjusting the aperature to a higher number (smaller opening) or set the ISO to a lower number. Now if you're in auto mode, these tips may not work. You would have to go to manual and tweak the above settings.

trnkmnky · 04-05-2006, 04:34 PM

You should play around with white balance it is a useful tool. I’m not sure how you have to set it on your camera. Usually what you have to do is get a white piece of paper and focus on it so it takes up the whole frame and then set the white balance. It should automatically adjust the color to make the page look white in whatever lighting condition you are in. If you do use the manual white balance you will need to re balance if the lighting condition changes. For example if you move from indoors to outdoors, or from fluorescent to incandescent light, or if your outside and its getting darker. But play around with it you will notice the colors come out much better. This goes the same with people with video cameras. Always use the manual white balance, your video will look so much better, almost all consumer video cameras have a manual white balance setting. I usually carry a small white piece of paper with me to do on my video camera.

If you have any camera, video, or final cut questions you can pm me, Ill try to help

**Parker** · 04-05-2006, 10:34 PM

i normally don't suggest changing the WB settings most of the time because in auto mode, the camera does a pretty good job of setting it correctly. even if its off a little, you can always use photoshop to clean it up a bit.

Manual mode isn't something you're going to pick up in a couple days. it takes some know how and time to get it down right. I've been shooting for almost 2 years now and I still don't have a great handle on manual. I mostly use Shutter or Aperture priority modes for everything. I never use Auto mode. For everyday shooting, I suggest using program mode or priority modes.

and if you want to redo the shot you have above, set camera on tripod, set your settings (.5 - 2 second shutter), frame your picture, turn off the garage lights, turn on dash lights and take picture. also, to minimize any shaking I suggest putting the camera on a timer.

BobX · 06-14-2007, 12:08 PM

To really understand exposure, you need to grasp the concept of "stops of light". You can add or subtract stops with aperture, shutter speed, and film speed.

Have a look at this page for more detailed info:

Shutter and Aperture Guide

Mitch

fullerton · 06-14-2007, 12:28 PM

I'd get an old book on 35mm cameras. most of the info is still valid today.

06-14-2007, 12:08 PM	#7
BobX Junior STI Driver Car: 07 STi SWP Fav Mod: MadDad TBE Location: West Chester, OH Posts: 63 Join Date: Sep 2004 Trader Rating: (1)	Re: Questions about taking pics in manual mode To really understand exposure, you need to grasp the concept of "stops of light". You can add or subtract stops with aperture, shutter speed, and film speed. Have a look at this page for more detailed info: Shutter and Aperture Guide Mitch

06-14-2007, 12:28 PM	#8
fullerton abracious Car: AW GDF-D Fav Mod: Track time Location: Near a 100oct pump Posts: 16,330 Join Date: Oct 2005 Trader Rating: (10)	Re: Questions about taking pics in manual mode I'd get an old book on 35mm cameras. most of the info is still valid today. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

03-29-2006, 09:40 AM	#1
jsh139 How YOU Doin? Car: 2006 Audi S4 Fav Mod: OMGHI2U! Location: Philly 'burbs Posts: 7,719 Join Date: Apr 2004 Trader Rating: (8)	Questions about taking pics in manual mode I have a Canon S400. It's a great little camera. However, it has a manual mode that I seem to have some trouble figuring out. I can set the ISO level, white balance, and a few other things. Does anyone have any tips on how to set these settings? Is the ISO level like it is for 35mm film? i.e., use 100 for bright light, 200 for medium, 400 for low light, etc? Ideally, I'd like to try taking some pictures without using the flash. I realize that without a tripod, picures may be a little shaky, but I'm mainly trying to get the lighting correct. Also, how important is the white balance? I always leave it in auto mode. Should I be setting this based upon the light source? My camera also has a flower/mountain button, and I think a spot photometry button. Any tips on what to do with these? Here's a pic I took in manual mode. I was in my garage and the flash was washing out the face, so I decided to try a manual mode pic. Any tips on how to make it a little better? I had the ISO set to 400, and the white balance in auto. http://www.ameth.org/~tool/STi/Gauges-3.jpg Edit: Oops, just realized that I changed around the order of the pics in the directory. This is the pic I was asking about. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad. Last edited by jsh139 : 04-06-2006 at 04:37 AM.

03-29-2006, 12:42 PM	#2
redheat86 Junior STI Driver Car: 2006 STi Fav Mod: real tits Location: MPLS,MN Posts: 84 Join Date: Mar 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	Huge word of advice. Size your pictures down before posting. it makes it much easier for people to view. #1. ISO will be a factor of your lighting conditions just the same as with film. If your doing londer shutter exposures, even at night, stick with ISO 100. it will be the least grainy. Your apterure and shutter speed will be a determination of what your trying to achieve. I suggest you do a search and see how they function together and how a wider apterure I.E. 2.8,3.5 etc.. will give you less depth of field, or a small area of the pictue will be in focus. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_of_field Your shutter will then corespond to the aperture. You should have a light meter that reads -2 to +2 which is the exposure level. you want to keep it right in the midle. post back if you have more specific questions from here, as there is just to much info to cover. OH and for your white balance, just leave it in auto, it should be pretty good over all, if you need to take a test picture and adjust to your liking becuase sometimes auto will yellow the picture a bit becuase of the tungsten bulbs/lighting.

03-30-2006, 05:05 AM	#3
jsh139 How YOU Doin? Car: 2006 Audi S4 Fav Mod: OMGHI2U! Location: Philly 'burbs Posts: 7,719 Join Date: Apr 2004 Trader Rating: (8)	Thanks, I will try to play around with some of the settings and see what happens. I normally resize photos, I just wanted to leave that one fullsize so you could see how it turned out, untouched.

04-05-2006, 04:34 PM	#5
trnkmnky The Next Petter Solberg Car: 06 Subaru WRX Fav Mod: winshield washer fluid Location: jersey Posts: 909 Join Date: Apr 2006 Trader Rating: (4)	You should play around with white balance it is a useful tool. I’m not sure how you have to set it on your camera. Usually what you have to do is get a white piece of paper and focus on it so it takes up the whole frame and then set the white balance. It should automatically adjust the color to make the page look white in whatever lighting condition you are in. If you do use the manual white balance you will need to re balance if the lighting condition changes. For example if you move from indoors to outdoors, or from fluorescent to incandescent light, or if your outside and its getting darker. But play around with it you will notice the colors come out much better. This goes the same with people with video cameras. Always use the manual white balance, your video will look so much better, almost all consumer video cameras have a manual white balance setting. I usually carry a small white piece of paper with me to do on my video camera. If you have any camera, video, or final cut questions you can pm me, Ill try to help

04-05-2006, 10:34 PM	#6
Parker Photography Mod Car: 06 SGM STI Location: San Diego Posts: 3,015 Join Date: Mar 2006 Trader Rating: (7)	i normally don't suggest changing the WB settings most of the time because in auto mode, the camera does a pretty good job of setting it correctly. even if its off a little, you can always use photoshop to clean it up a bit. Manual mode isn't something you're going to pick up in a couple days. it takes some know how and time to get it down right. I've been shooting for almost 2 years now and I still don't have a great handle on manual. I mostly use Shutter or Aperture priority modes for everything. I never use Auto mode. For everyday shooting, I suggest using program mode or priority modes. and if you want to redo the shot you have above, set camera on tripod, set your settings (.5 - 2 second shutter), frame your picture, turn off the garage lights, turn on dash lights and take picture. also, to minimize any shaking I suggest putting the camera on a timer.