12 Photography Rules Of Thumb

November 1, 2009 By Peter 11 Comments

When I was out shooting the other day, it occurred to me that I still use a bunch of timeless rules of thumb I learned from various sources along the way; many so ingrained I don’t even realize I’m using them. I thought it might be fun to do a review.

A few years ago, I read an article in Popular Photography (that I can no longer find on their site) listing the ones I knew, and some I didn’t. Taken from my notes:

1. Sunny 16:
Bright, sunny day at f/16, shutter speed is 1/ISO. Extrapolated, f/22 at the beach, f/11 on cloudy-bright days.

2. Moony 11, 8, 5.6:
Shutter: 1/ISO
Moon Full: f/11
Moon Half: f/8
Moon Quarter: f/5.6

3. Avoiding Camera Shake:
Shutter: 1/focal length of the lens

4. No 18% Grey Card Handy (if you can’t trust the in-camera light meter):
Hold palm up facing the light, take a reading an open up one stop. (Skin tones vary.)

5. Depth Of Field:
Focus 1/3 of the way to maximize depth of field on a deep subject. The smaller the aperture, the shorter the focal length and the greater the distance, the greater the depth of field.

6. Largest Print With Digital:
Divide the vertical and horizontal pixel counts by 200. For critical applications, use 250.

7. Exposure:
Digital/transparency: expose for highlights and let the shadows take care of themselves.
Negative: overexpose 1 stop

8. Fill-flash:
Set flash’s ISO to twice your ISO, meter the scene, select f-stop, set autoflash to same f-stop. The resulting 2:1 flash-fill ratio will produce filled shadows 1 stop darker than the main subject.

9. Flash Range:
Double the distance, four times the ISO.

10. Megapixel Multiplier:
Increase the megapixels by 4 to double the resolution in a digital camera (to account for both vertical and horizontal).

11. Stopping Action:
Shutter speed 2 stops faster than the action moving toward or away from you, if perpendicular to the lens. For action moving at a 45-degree angle to the lens, use 1 stop faster.

12. Sunset:
Meter the area directly above the sun (without sun in frame). Down 1 f-stop to look like 1/2-hour later.
Did I miss any? What’s your favorite rule of thumb? Let’s see if we can start the “definitive” collection right here.

Source: 12 Photography Rules Of Thumb – Peter Liu

Canon EOS 6D

Digital single-lens reflex camera

Not to be confused with Canon EOS 60D.

Canon EOS 6D

Overview
Type	Digital single-lens reflex camera
Lens
Lens	Interchangeable (EF)
Sensor/Medium
Sensor	35.8 mm × 23.9 mm CMOS
Maximum resolution	5,472 × 3,648[1] (20 megapixels)
ASA/ISO range	100 – 25,600 (expansion to L1 50 / H1 51.200 / H2 102,400)
Storage	SD, SDHC or SDXC card (UHS-I capable)
Focusing
Focus modes	One-shot, AI Servo, AI Focus, Manual
Focus areas	11 autofocus points
Exposure/Metering
Exposure modes	Full auto, programmed, shutter priority, aperture priority, manual
Exposuremetering	TTL, full aperture, 63 zones
Metering modes	Evaluative, Partial, Spot, Center-weighted average
Shutter
Shutter	Electronic focal-plane
Shutter speed range	30 s to 1/4,000 s, bulb, 1/180 s X-sync
Continuous shooting	up to 4.5 fps
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical pentaprism with 97% coverage 0.71×[2] and electronic (Live View)
General
Rear LCD monitor	3.0 in (7.6 cm), 720 × 480 pixels, 288 ppi (approx. 1,040,000 dots)
Battery	Li-Ion LP-E6 Rechargeable (1800 mAh)
Optional battery packs	BG-E13 grip allows use of 6 AA cells, a single LP-E6 or two LP-E6 batteries
Dimensions	144.5 mm × 110.5 mm × 71.2 mm (5.69 in × 4.35 in × 2.80 in)
Weight	680 g (24 oz), body only; 755 g (26.6 oz), CIPA standard
List price	$1899.00[3]
Made in	Japan

The Canon EOS 6D is a 20.2-megapixel full-frame CMOS digital single-lens reflex camera made by Canon.

It was publicly announced on 17 September 2012, one day before the start of the photokina trade show. It was released in late November 2012 with a suggested retail price of US$2,099.00 (body only).^[4][5][6]

The 6D is offered as a body only or in a package with an EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM zoom lens; at introduction, the suggested retail price was US$2,899.00.^[4]

Contents

FeaturesEdit

The EOS 6D is the first Canon DSLR to feature GPS functions and built in Wi-Fi capabilities, which geotag images and allow files to be uploaded directly to Facebook, YouTube, or Canon Image Gateway; transferred to external devices; or sent to be printed on a Wi-Fi-enabled Canon printer. The Wi-Fi capabilities also allow remote control and viewing via many smartphones.^[7]

Weighing 770 grams (27 oz), the 6D is also Canon’s smallest and lightest full-frame DSLR; comparable to the APS-C sensor 60D. The camera also features an ISO setting range from 50 to 102,400 which can be selected automatically or adjusted manually, an 11-point autofocus system, and an anti-glare 3.0 inches (76 mm) LED screen.^[8] The center autofocus point has a sensitivity of −3 EV.

The new BG-E13 battery grip that was made to be used with the 6D allows the use of six AA cells or one to two LP-E6 batteries.^[9] The 6D has a maximum burst frame rate of 4.5 frames per second.^[8] Like all Canon DSLR full-frame cameras, the 6D does not feature a built in flash due to the design of the viewfinder.^[10]

Image featuresEdit

• 20.2 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor.
• DIGIC 5+ Image Processor.
• Fluorine-coated low-pass filter.

Autofocus and meteringEdit

• 11-point autofocus sensors with 1 cross type sensor in center (x-type is sensitive down to −3 EV).
• TTL-CT-SIR AF with CMOS sensor.
• 63-zone Dual Layer-silicon cell.
• AF Micro Adjust (+/− 20 steps).

ISOEdit

• 100 – 25,600 (expansion down to: 50 / up to: 51,200 and 102,400).

ShutterEdit

• 30 s – 1/4,000 s (and bulb) is the shutter speed range.
• 4.5 fps burst rate.

Ergonomics and functionsEdit

• Optical Pentaprism viewfinder with approximately 97% coverage (0,71× enlargement)
• Clear View TFT LCD screen (3 “/77 mm) with 720 × 480 pixels, 288 ppi (approximately 1,040,000 dots), resolution with dual anti-glare coating.
• Wi-Fi functionality.
• Metal alloy housing (Top is made out of high-grade plastic).
• Built-in GPS. However, this remains on when the camera is switched off, and quickly drains the battery if not deactivated via setting.

VideoEdit

^[11]

The EOS 6D allows the movie’s image size preference to be set, as well as the frame rate per second, and compression method.

• Image Size
  • 1920×1080: Full High Definition recording quality
  • 1280×720: High-Definition recording quality
  • 640×480: Standard-definition recording quality
• Frame Rate
  • 30/60 fps
  • 25/50 fps
  • 24 fps

Firmware updateEdit

On 29 September 2016 Canon announced firmware version 1.1.7. Its main improvement was the support for the EF 70–300mm f/4–5.6 IS II USM.^[12]

Source: Canon EOS 6D – Wikipedia

Stopping down

Page issues

In photography, stopping down refers to increasing the numerical f-stop number (for example, going from f/2 to f/4), which decreases the size (diameter) of the aperture of a lens, resulting in reducing the amount of light entering the iris of a lens.^[1][2]:112

Reducing the aperture size increases the depth of field of the image. In the case of film cameras, this allows less light to reach the film plane – to achieve the same exposure after stopping down, it is necessary to compensate for the reduced light by either increasing the exposure time, or using a photographic film with a higher speed. In the case of digital cameras, stopping down the aperture allows less light to reach the image sensor – to achieve the same exposure, it is necessary to compensate for the reduced light by either increasing the exposure time, or increasing the signal gain of the sensor by increasing the camera’s ISO setting. Alternatively, more light can be added to the scene by increasing the amount of light illuminating the scene, such as by using or increasing the strength of electronic flash or other light sources.^[3]

As a lens is stopped down from its maximum (widest) aperture, most lens aberrations (spherical aberration, coma and astigmatism) are decreased, but lens diffraction increases. The effect is that for most lenses, the balance between the decreasing aberrations and the increasing diffraction effects of stopping down the lens means that lenses have an optimum aperture for best results, often about three stops closed down from maximum aperture, so for a lens with a maximum aperture of ƒ/2.8, ƒ/8 would be the optimum aperture.^[2]:180

Source: Stopping down – Wikipedia

Home » Taking Photos » Lighting Techniques » Using a DSLR flash in manual mode

Using a DSLR flash in manual mode

BY CITYLIGHTS

To get the best out of the built-in flash on digital single lens reflex camera such as a Canon Digital Rebel, use Manual mode.

Why manual mode?

The built-in flash on Digital Rebel cameras is for fill only when used in Creative, Aperture Priority (AV) and Shutter Priority (TV) modes.  In those modes, the exposure is set for the background and the flash fires to lighten close shadows and provide fill for close subjects.

AV mode is especially frustrating with flash, because you would be using flash in a dim environment. AV mode will result in a long exposure time that you cannot handhold!

But do not despair. Most DSLR flashes are made to be used in Manual mode, providing more control to balance the flash with ambient light. This produces more natural looking photos.

Using the built-in flash in a small room

In a small room, where the dominant light source is the flash, set the Aperture for the depth of field that you want and the shutter speed for something reasonable that can be hand-held. Then set the ISO for an underexposed picture.

When you take the shot, the flash fires to provide the light needed to bring up the exposure to the middle needle. The middle needle is what the camera thinks is a good exposure.

Let’s say you set f/8, 1/60th, at ISO 400 and the exposure meter reads one stop underexposed. When you take the picture, the flash will increase the light by one stop (to take the exposure from -1 to zero, or middle needle).

Leave all your settings the same but change the ISO to 200. Your exposure meter reads two stops underexposed. When you take the picture the flash will increase the light by two stops (to take the exposure from -2 to zero).

You could also change your aperture and shutter speed as well as ISO to fine tune your under exposure and resulting flash output.

Flash output power

Typically you want one stop underexposed for light fill flash; two stops underexposed for a more normal point-and-shoot looking flash. At three stops or more underexposed, the flash will be powerful and start to take over the exposure from ambient light.

Using the built-in flash in a large room

When taking flash pictures in a large place, the flash generally doesn’t reach the background.  Now you have two exposures to set. The first one is for the background, called ambient light exposure.  The second one, known as flash exposure, is for the foreground.

The key is to recognize that, by camera design or program, these two exposures are related. The relation is that however much the background is underexposed, the camera will assign that light output to the flash for lighting the foreground. The result is that the background is underexposed and fades from importance, while the foreground is properly exposed and stands out.

In Manual mode when you set the aperture, shutter and ISO combination, you are setting the exposure for the background.  If you set that background exposure to be underexposed by one stop, the camera (through its design or program) will know to fire the flash at one stop of output light to bring the foreground exposure up one stop to middle needle, or what the camera meter thinks is good exposure.

Remember, this is for a large space and the flash only reaches the foreground. The flash has no effect on the background.

Alternately, if you set the background exposure to be underexposed by two stops, the camera will know to fire the flash at two stops of output light to bring the foreground exposure up two stops to middle needle. In this case, you get a background underexposed by two stops (that looks great for a sunset) and a good exposure on the foreground (great for a person standing in front of that sunset!).

Tips for using a Digital Rebel flash

• Flash exposure compensation. Remember the example where it was suggested that you set f/8, 1/60th, at ISO 400 and the exposure meter read one stop under exposed?  The background would be one stop under exposed and your foreground subject would receive one stop of extra light from the flash.What if you wanted your background exposure to stay at one stop underexposed but wanted to change your foreground subject to receive two stops of light?  Set the flash exposure compensation to +1. The foreground will get one stop of light from the one stop under exposed and another one stop of light from the flash exposure compensation for a total of two stops.
• When you set the camera for overexposure in manual camera mode, the flash will just fire at minimum output. It will add a little light to the foreground, but not much.
• If you set the underexposure to 16 stops underexposed, your flash will not explode. If the camera calls for more output than the flash is capable, it will just fire at maximum output. You will end up with an under exposed picture because the flash couldn’t add enough light.

A word about external flashes

A hot shoe mounted external flash is much more powerful and versatile than a built-in flash. One of the best things about almost all external flashes is that you can attach a diffuser to the flash head to soften the light. Even better, you can point the flash at the wall or ceiling to bounce the flash for a more diffused even light that makes your subject look great.

Using a DSLR flash effectively, whether built-in or external, takes some practice. But do not discount flash use. It is a powerful photography tool!

Source: Using a DSLR flash in manual mode – Digicamhelp