C H A P T E R ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ AL Exploring and Setting Up the Rebel XSi/450D In This Chapter TE RI Anatomy of the Rebel XSi/450D P TE D MA rofessional photographers know that an important first step in photography is learning the camera so thoroughly that they can operate the camera without hesitating or hunting for controls. By knowing the camera and lens controls well, you can make adjustments instinctively and confidently without missing a shot.
4 Part I ✦ Using the Rebel XSi/450D The front camera controls, from left to right, include the following: Front camera controls The front of the camera is a view photographers seldom see. But there are controls and connections on the front of the camera that you’ll use often, such as the Lens release button and the Depth of field preview button. If you use EF-S lenses, you should note the location of the white EF-S lens mount index mark.
Chapter 1 ✦ Exploring and Setting Up the Rebel XSi/450D ✦ Red-eye reduction/Self-timer lamp. This red lamp flashes to count down the seconds to shutter release when the camera is set to one of the Self-timer modes. ✦ EF and EF-S lens mount index markers. Use these markers on the lens mount to line up the lens when you mount it on the camera. Use the EF lens mount index for all EF lenses that have a red marker on the lens, and the EF-S lens mount index for EF-S lenses that have a white marker on the lens.
6 Part I ✦ Using the Rebel XSi/450D ISO speed button Main dial Shutter button Mode dial Power switch 1.2 Rebel XSi/450D top camera controls ✦ Main dial. This dial selects a variety of settings and options. Turn the Main dial to manually select an AF (autofocus) point after pressing the AF-point selection/Magnify button, and to set the aperture in Av mode, the shutter speed in Tv and Manual modes, and to shift the exposure program in P mode.
Chapter 1 ✦ Exploring and Setting Up the Rebel XSi/450D Rear camera controls The rear camera controls are handy for making quick adjustments while you’re shooting. In particular, you’ll likely use the WB (white balance), Menu, Playback, and AF-point selection/Magnify (Autofocus) buttons often. Your ability to use some of the rear camera controls depends on the shooting mode you’re using.
8 Part I ✦ Using the Rebel XSi/450D Aperture/Exposure compensation button Focal plane mark Display button (camera setting/display on/off) Dioptric adjustment AE Lock/FE Lock/ Index/Reduce button Display off sensor Menu button LCD display AF-point selection/ Magnify button Viewfinder Print share/WB (White Balance) button AF (Autofocus) mode selection button Metering mode selection button Drive mode selection button Set button Erase button Picture style button Playback button 1.
Chapter 1 ✦ Exploring and Setting Up the Rebel XSi/450D ✦ Erase button. Press this button to delete the current image during image playback. Within the circle at the back right of the Rebel XSi/450D are four buttons, collectively referred to as cross keys. The cross key functions change depending on whether you’re playing back images, navigating camera menus, or changing exposure settings.
10 Part I ✦ Using the Rebel XSi/450D ✦ AF-point selection/Magnify but- ✦ Remote control terminal. Use the ton. Press this button to activate the AF points in the viewfinder to select an AF point manually or to select automatic AF-point selection. Press and hold the button and turn the Main dial to select one AF point or all AF points. During image playback, you can press this button to enlarge the displayed image to check focus.
Chapter 1 ✦ Exploring and Setting Up the Rebel XSi/450D Viewfinder display On the Rebel XSi/450D, the optical, high magnification viewfinder displays approximately 95 percent of the scene that the sensor captures.
12 Part I ✦ Using the Rebel XSi/450D To ensure that the viewfinder image and focusing screen elements are adjusted for your vision, you can adjust the diopter setting from –3 to +1 dpt. Simply turn the diopter switch — located to the right of the viewfinder eyecup — up or down until the image in the viewfinder is sharp. If you wear eyeglasses during shooting, be sure to wear them as you set the dioptric adjustment.
Chapter 1 ✦ Exploring and Setting Up the Rebel XSi/450D ✦ Focusing distance range selection switch. This switch determines and limits the range that the lens uses when seeking focus to speed up autofocusing. The focusing distance range options vary by lens. ✦ Image stabilizer switch. This switch turns optical image stabilization on or off. Optical Image Stabilization (IS) corrects vibrations at any angle when handholding the camera and lens.
14 Part I ✦ Using the Rebel XSi/450D You may have already completed some of the setup tasks. If you have, then you can skim through the chapter and look for tips that you may have missed in your initial setup. Formatting an SD/SDHC card The Rebel XSi/450D accepts SD and SDHC, or Secure Digital High Capacity, media cards.
Chapter 1 ✦ Exploring and Setting Up the Rebel XSi/450D Note It is possible to take pictures when no memory card is in the camera, which is useful when you’re capturing Dust Delete Data. Otherwise, this option can cause you to lose images when you mistakenly think that an SD/SDHC card is in the camera. You can turn off the option to shoot without a card. Just press the Menu button, turn the Main dial to select the Shooting 1 (red) menu, and then press the down cross key to select Shoot w/o card.
16 Part I ✦ Using the Rebel XSi/450D Choosing the file format and quality The file format and quality level that you use to take your pictures are two of the most important decisions that you make. These settings determine not only the number of images that you can store on the media card, but also the sizes at which you can later enlarge and print images from the Rebel XSi/450D. Table 1.1 explains the options that you can choose from.
Chapter 1 ✦ Exploring and Setting Up the Rebel XSi/450D JPEG format JPEG, which stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group, is a popular file format that enjoys not only smaller file sizes than the RAW format, but also offers the advantage of being able to display your images straight from the camera on any computer, on the Web, and in e-mail messages. To achieve the small file size, JPEG discards some data from the image — usually data that you would not easily see anyway.
18 Part I ✦ Using the Rebel XSi/450D XSi/450D applies to RAW files are aperture, ISO, and shutter speed. Other settings such as White Balance, Picture Style, and so on are “noted,” but not applied to the file. As a result, you have control over how image data is rendered during image conversion. The RAW conversion process takes only a few additional minutes, and then you can save the image in a lossless file format. RAW files are denoted with a .CR2 filename extension.
Chapter 1 ✦ Exploring and Setting Up the Rebel XSi/450D Changing file numbering With the Rebel XSi/450D, you can set the camera to number images using one of three options: Continuous, Auto reset, and Manual reset. These options allow you to number your images sequentially, to restart numbering each time you change the media card, or to choose to manually reset numbering. Here is how the options work: ✦ Continuous file numbering.
20 Part I ✦ Using the Rebel XSi/450D On the XSi/450D, up to 999 folders can be created with up to 9,999 images stored in each folder. If you reach these capacities, a message appears telling you to change the SD/SDHC card even if there is room remaining on the card. Until you change the SD/SDHC card, you can’t continue shooting. To change the file-numbering method on the XSi/450D, follow these steps: 1. Press the Menu button, and then turn the Main dial to select the Setup 1 (yellow) menu. 2.
