Where is the best place to buy the Canon XTI?
- Thread starter Maximus
- Start date
No one can recommend a tripod without knowing your height. 
Velbon, Slik, Manfrotto all make good medium range tripods. You want one that is tall enough to get the camera at eye level without having to extend the center column. You also want a ballhead with a quick release plate. Avoid the "grip" type ballheads as they really don't work all that well. Avoid Benro and Induro. Both are imported knock-offs. They're cheap but poorly made.
I use a Gitzo tripod and Really Right Stuff ballhead, quick release and L-bracket but that's probably out of your budget range unless you're thinking about doing this professionally.
Velbon, Slik, Manfrotto all make good medium range tripods. You want one that is tall enough to get the camera at eye level without having to extend the center column. You also want a ballhead with a quick release plate. Avoid the "grip" type ballheads as they really don't work all that well. Avoid Benro and Induro. Both are imported knock-offs. They're cheap but poorly made.
I use a Gitzo tripod and Really Right Stuff ballhead, quick release and L-bracket but that's probably out of your budget range unless you're thinking about doing this professionally.
TitusvileSurfer
New member
An often fatal mistake. Its like saying you don't need a super expensive protine skimmer, a HOB will work just fine. It will work...but...ehhh good luck keeping your SPS healthy. If your in a situation where you need a tripod ESPECIALLY outdoors in any sort of wind, you will need a good one. Good luck with your Xsi, and welcome to the disease! ...hobby
My recommendation (what I use):
Manfrotto 055XPROB legs with a 488RC2 ball head.
$273.95 @ B&H
This is considered a fairly inexpensive tripod. I could suggest many, many more expensive setups, but I wouldn't recommend anything less.
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Maximus
Active member
Good point, Surfer. I'll keep it in mind. Here are a couple pics I took with manual focusing (I think, lol)
<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v285/sanglee24/?action=view¤t=IMG_0055.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v285/sanglee24/IMG_0055.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v285/sanglee24/?action=view¤t=IMG_0055.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v285/sanglee24/IMG_0055.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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Tripods have 3 criteria that are desireable:
stability
light weight
low cost
You can only pick 2. The cheap $100 at BB are lightweight, inexpensive and unstable. If you want a stabile, quality tripod at a reasonably low cost it will be heavy. If you want stabile and lightweight, it will be expensive....etc. A flimsy tripod is like a cheap skimmer.....it's a waste of money.
The Manfrotto 3001 or 3021 are good places to start.
TitusvileSurfer
New member
Not too shabby but I can't see what you did. Your EXIF data has been taken away. I suggest you shoot in RAW mode (only available in the "creative" Av, Tv, and M modes). This is allow you to custom white balance and get your colors just right. Afterwards, you will need to use Digital Photo Professional (which came with your camera) to convert the RAW files to JPEG. I would assume you used Photoshop or a similar program before it was sent to Photobucket? Please post the original and I'll tell you what you did right vs. what you did wrong and show you how to make it better. Without EXIF data, I have no idea exactly you did.
TitusvileSurfer
New member
Excuse me, I didn't see the 2nd picture which does include EXIF. Alright lets see what you got:
Focal Length - 55mm
Shutter Speed - 1/60
Aperture - f/5.6
ISO - 400
The shot looks a little bright to me. The rock is over exposed. In some areas there is no detail at all, only pure white. The rock also appears a little blurry to me, but the subject coral isn't nearly as bad. At f/5.6, I would not expect a blurry rock though, so I'll cry camera shake. If camera shake was involved (and at 1/60, I wouldn't be surprised), a good tripod would put this problem to bed. Since it is so bright, I would suggest turning your shutter speed up a stop. Instead of 1/60, lets try 1/125. Keep your aperture at f/5.6 and ISO at 400. You must have the new 18-55 IS. While I don't own one, it is highly regarded to have much improved optics over the original. This means a sharper image and better colors. Obviously, it also has IS which will help with your camera shake (use mode 1 for your coral, mode 2 for fish darting across the tank). Cheers!
Focal Length - 55mm
Shutter Speed - 1/60
Aperture - f/5.6
ISO - 400
The shot looks a little bright to me. The rock is over exposed. In some areas there is no detail at all, only pure white. The rock also appears a little blurry to me, but the subject coral isn't nearly as bad. At f/5.6, I would not expect a blurry rock though, so I'll cry camera shake. If camera shake was involved (and at 1/60, I wouldn't be surprised), a good tripod would put this problem to bed. Since it is so bright, I would suggest turning your shutter speed up a stop. Instead of 1/60, lets try 1/125. Keep your aperture at f/5.6 and ISO at 400. You must have the new 18-55 IS. While I don't own one, it is highly regarded to have much improved optics over the original. This means a sharper image and better colors. Obviously, it also has IS which will help with your camera shake (use mode 1 for your coral, mode 2 for fish darting across the tank). Cheers!
Yes, I am not using a tripod now so it is probably my hands. Can you tell me what mode 1 and 2 is? Here is another pic of the same coral using your settings.
TitusvileSurfer
New member
Well the rock looks better but it's little too dark for the coral I think. We need to find a happy median. To the users manual!! I want you to look up custom functions. I'm not sure if you are set to 1, 1/2, or 1/3 exposure stop increments, so lets make sure it is on 1/3.
C. Fn 1: Exposure - this should be the ticket. Choose "1/3".
C.Fn 2: Image - find "Highlight tone priority" and enable it. If you take a picture and your rock is all white with no detail, the preview in your LCD will flash the bad areas
Lets try f/5.6, ISO 400, 1/100
On your 18-55, you should see a series of switches. These will read something like AF/MF, Stabilizer On/Off, and Stabilizer Mode 1/2.
Select AF, Stabilizer On, Mode 1.
On your camera you should see a button, the illustration is a white square box with 5 squares in the middle making a cross. Push this and look through the viewfinder. Scroll through all of the red boxes until only the center box is lit up.
Press the shutter button down half way. You should feel the lens click and hear it hum, this is your image Stabilizer. Count two seconds, make sure you light the red box in a spot where 1/3 towards you will be in focus and 2/3 on the other side of what the box is touching will be in focus.
C. Fn 1: Exposure - this should be the ticket. Choose "1/3".
C.Fn 2: Image - find "Highlight tone priority" and enable it. If you take a picture and your rock is all white with no detail, the preview in your LCD will flash the bad areas
Lets try f/5.6, ISO 400, 1/100
On your 18-55, you should see a series of switches. These will read something like AF/MF, Stabilizer On/Off, and Stabilizer Mode 1/2.
Select AF, Stabilizer On, Mode 1.
On your camera you should see a button, the illustration is a white square box with 5 squares in the middle making a cross. Push this and look through the viewfinder. Scroll through all of the red boxes until only the center box is lit up.
Press the shutter button down half way. You should feel the lens click and hear it hum, this is your image Stabilizer. Count two seconds, make sure you light the red box in a spot where 1/3 towards you will be in focus and 2/3 on the other side of what the box is touching will be in focus.
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TitusvileSurfer
New member
The 100 macro will open a whole new world for your photography. Changing a lens is like using a different camera. I have 5 lenses I cart around all over the place, and it like I have 5 different cameras for 5 different purposes. Welcome to DSLR photography. Changing lenses is really the whole point in my opinion.
TitusvileSurfer
New member
Histogram
You need to be able to read a histogram. Look it up online and study them. There are many different types, Red, Green, Blue, and RGB are the 4 most common. I'd imagine you will default to RGB. After you take a picture and are looking at it on your LCD screen, press the "INFO" button a couple of times. You'll see a bar graph. This is your histogram. The left side of the bar graph is dark colors (black). The middle is your mid tones. The right side of the histogram is bright colors (white). If you look at your histogram for the original camera I bet there is a big spike allllll the way to the right. In general (you can get creative with a histogram, but for now) you want to find the exposure that will evenly distribute the bar graph without touching either side. Once you have some experience and develop a respect and understanding for this graph, you'll be well on your way. I don't even look at the preview picture unless I'm looking for a smile or something. To see how bright/dark everything is, use the histogram!
You need to be able to read a histogram. Look it up online and study them. There are many different types, Red, Green, Blue, and RGB are the 4 most common. I'd imagine you will default to RGB. After you take a picture and are looking at it on your LCD screen, press the "INFO" button a couple of times. You'll see a bar graph. This is your histogram. The left side of the bar graph is dark colors (black). The middle is your mid tones. The right side of the histogram is bright colors (white). If you look at your histogram for the original camera I bet there is a big spike allllll the way to the right. In general (you can get creative with a histogram, but for now) you want to find the exposure that will evenly distribute the bar graph without touching either side. Once you have some experience and develop a respect and understanding for this graph, you'll be well on your way. I don't even look at the preview picture unless I'm looking for a smile or something. To see how bright/dark everything is, use the histogram!
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TitusvileSurfer
New member
No do not use Macro mode. That is for wimps, I want you to forget those silly pictures on your dial even exist. Real photographers don't use them. You will use Av, Tv, if your feeling confident M, and if your feeling lazy P from here on out.
I edited that post earlier. I had told you to use f/4 ISO 400, 1/200 but duh you have an 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 so you can't use f/4 at 55mm.
You need to go to your custom functions and select 1/3 stops for exposure. Consult your user manual, this is your personal New York Times best seller from now on. I still carry my manual everywhere I take my camera, and I have a pretty thorough understanding of how it all works.
I edited that post earlier. I had told you to use f/4 ISO 400, 1/200 but duh you have an 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 so you can't use f/4 at 55mm.
You need to go to your custom functions and select 1/3 stops for exposure. Consult your user manual, this is your personal New York Times best seller from now on. I still carry my manual everywhere I take my camera, and I have a pretty thorough understanding of how it all works.
TitusvileSurfer
New member
I don't know I haven't used "macro mode" in years. There are many features which are disabled in those "picture modes". All they do is hold you back. With the picture modes (automatic) your telling the camera to do everything for you, and it will do the best job it can. DSLR photography isn't about automation. We don't want to fully trust a computer to make many photography decisions. The camera will give you some information and you must decide for yourself whether to trust that information or not. DSLRs are all about creativity. You need to understand your tool and its capabilities. Then you can make it do what you want the way you want it done.
