Quick Start
Okay, so you’ve got your new camera and lens, and you’re champing
at the bit to take a picture. Now, I’m the last guy on Earth who’ll tell
you not to read the instruction manual; today’s cameras have so many
sophisticated controls and systems that you’ll actually be doing yourself
a disfavor if you decide to rely only on what you know about fi lm camera
operation. Still, I remember my own excitement when I opened the box
of my fi rst Canon DSLR, the D60, and how anxious I was to “lock and load”
so I won’t yell at you if you just can’t wait.
So, for those of you who just can’t wait, here are ten simple steps to get
your fi rst pictures:
1. Insert the battery. Canon batteries are shipped with a slight charge,
which may be enough to get you going, but you should charge the
battery to a full charge fi rst. Battery style and type varies between some
models, and you need to consult your manual for the proper procedure
to maintain the battery in peak performance. Some batteries, like the
NP-E3 nickel metal hydride (NiMH), should be charged, refreshed, and
recharged several times before actual camera use. This procedure,
known as “shaping” or “forming,” imprints a kind of behavior pattern on
the battery, allowing it to perform as it was designed and at its best.
When you insert a battery into an EOS-1 camera body, you’ll feel a
slight resistance as you push the battery into the chamber and use
the thumb-turn lock to latch it into place. Canon EOS-1 pro bodies
have been sealed against mild inclement weather and dust. The
resistance you feel is the rubber gasket seal that protects the battery
compartment from the elements
2. Attach the lens. Align the large red dot on the lens with the red
dot on the lens mount of the camera body. Insert the lens and turn
clockwise until the lens locks into place (about 1/8th of a full turn).
If you have an EF-S lens, specifi cally designed for the recent digital
cameras with the APS-C size sensor, you will align the white
square on the lens with the white square on the lens mount
3. Set the Focus Mode switch on the lens to AF (Auto Focus) (FIG 1.25).
4. Insert a Compact Flash (CF) or Secure Digital (SD) card. Most Canon
cameras only accept the CF card format, although a few will accept
one of each. In that case, each card can be used separately or set up
for one card to write Raw fi les while the other writes jpegs (FIG 1.26).
5. Turn the camera’s power switch on (FIG 1.27).
6. Take a moment and Format your CF or SD card(s). Formatting prepares
the card for use in the camera, and you’ll risk image loss or corruption
if you just pop it in and start shooting. See “Common Ground” on
page 65 for more information.
7. Set the Mode Dial to Full Auto (in the Basic Zone) or Program (in the
Creative Zone). Doing so will allow the camera to automatically make
all choices and decisions regarding focus point, exposure, and white
balance.
8. Frame your image by moving into or out of the frame, or by using a
zoom lens to get closer or further away. Depress the shutter halfway
down to engage the AF mechanism (FIGS 1.28 and 1.29).
9. Depress the shutter button the rest of the way to take the picture.
10. Review the image on the camera’s LCD screen. Although it’s not
accurate enough for critical assessment, the camera’s LCD screen
will tell you if you’re “in the ballpark” regarding composition and
exposure. The image has also been written to the CF or SD card, just
waiting for you to download and print (FIG 1.30).
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