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IMDB rating: 6.60 Plot: Capitalizing on his fame as the star of “Hogan’s Heroes,” Bob Crane (Greg Kinnear) dove into the freewheeling spirit of the 60s and 70s with relish, having affairs with numerous women. Eventually, Crane teamed up with video technician John Carpenter to document his exploits, an association that may very well have led to his murder in a Scottsdale, Arizona motel room in 1978, which remains officially unsolved to this day. |
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DivX Version (Normal Quality), DVD (Good Quality), PDA Version
Actors: Dafoe Willem,Kinnear Greg,Leibman Ron,Solomon Bruce,Rodgers Michael E.,Fuller Kurt,Neiman Christopher,Kanouse Lyle,Begley Jr. Ed,McKean Michael,McManus Don,Biography,Drama,
Why am I unhappy with the Canon 500D?
I got a Canon 500D and the "standard" EF-S 18-55 / 3.5-5.6 lens on Thursday and shot about a thousand pictures with it over the weekend, but I’m not exactly fond of the result. Most of the photos were shot in auto mode but I also ventured into the other modes; AV, TV, landscape, portrait, …
A lot of the images are out of focus or with people’s motions blurred. Not too fond of the flash either, esp. at smaller focal lengths. I also think the pictures lack the general crispness I was expecting from an SLR. In my opinion, the quality of most of the pictures is only marginally better than what I am used to of my previous camera, the (miniature) Canon IXUS 65. Another dissapointment is that the live view doesn’t seem to be available in any of the automatic modes… very inconvenient!
I hope someone here is able to offer some advice as to what I’m doing wrong or clues to get better results. Otherwise I’m most likely going to return the camera. In that case I’m in the market for a good replacement, so suggestions for similarly priced models are welcomed too!
A dSLR is nothing at all like a point & shoot, so I think you need to take the time to learn how to use it.
A few things to try…
Don’t rely on Auto. I never use it and many others don’t use it either.
Canon’s in-camera sharpening tends to be a little on the soft side, so you could try ‘Customizing the Picture Style’ starting on page 67 of your Manual…and sharpen your image parameters. You can adjust all picture styles, but I only really use the Standard setting (because I mostly only use Av mode) and have upped the sharpness on that one. So, you should change the parameters to see if that makes a difference to your images.
Don’t bother with Live View…it’s ONLY good to use if you mount the camera on a tripod (not at all pracical for general walk-around use).
When using Av or the other manual modes, use the Centre AF point ONLY…you’ll often get better results. I use this 99% of the time.
You say people’s motions are blurred…well the camera is not smart enough to know they are moving, so you need to take control by using a faster shutter speed (Tv).
Your lens is relatively slow, so in lower light, expect poorer results. Learn to up the ISO when necessary.
Also, you need to look at the AF mode you are using…One-Shot AF is ok for still subjects, but with moving subjects you should try AI Focus AF or AI Servo AF instead (look these up in your Manual).
Even though the kit lens is a plasticky budget lens, many users still get good results from it. All lenses have their ’sweetspot’ (maximum sharpness at a given aperture). The kit lens apparently is sharpest at f/5.6…so experiment using that aperture and other apertures to find it’s particular sweetspot. One review says that when zoomed right in, the kit lens isn’t even really sharp at f/8. That’s a budget lens for you…
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Revie ws/Canon-EF-S-18-55mm-f-3.5-5.6-IS-Lens- Review.aspx
A better lens could easily make a difference to the quality of your images. However, I only recommend you consider one when you have fully mastered the use of the camera (and the lens and it’s various focal lengths first). Because a better lens won’t automatically guarantee better results. That’s often mostly up to the user…
good luck
Petra_au | Nov 15, 2009
You have discovered the expensive way that having a dSLR does not guarantee you will take consistently fabulous pictures all the time, much better than your point-and-shooter. Your camera is a very good piece of photographic equipment. You now have to admit that picture quality is totally dependent on the user which is you. The camera is just a tool.
To be able to maximize your dSLR’s capabilities, you must learn how to use it first. To learn how to use it, you must learn the basic principles of photography. Here. Take a dip now.
http://www.illustratedphotography.com/ph otography-tips/basic
.
keerok | Nov 15, 2009
It sounds as if you are expecting the camera to do all the work. You need to help it along in most conditions. I agree the flash is inadequate,
As for the "out of focus, people’s motions blurred, it sounds like you are in conditions with inadequate light, and shooting without a tripod. The live view is pretty useless with a DSLR except for studio use, trying to use the the Live View, while in the field, without a tripod pretty much guarantees blurry images.
I am not a big fan of "auto mode" it is not always the best option. Try using the AV mode and the TV mode to see what you can do With it.. for action shots outdoors, I favor ISO 200 and f/5.6 in AV mode.. I have no complaint about the crispness of my sports shots when using those settings.
Get the book "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson, this book will help you understand the relationship between ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed, and how to use the three to fully take control of your camera.
Use a tripod when the light is not adequate. Get a speedlight flash.. and learn to use your camera, it is more than just a point & shoot..
Foggy Idea | Nov 15, 2009
The camera is just fine, the operator is a little blurry though.
The camera did exactly what YOU told it to do.
Canon and Nikon live view are basically useless. Sony and Olympus have a live view that can be used just like a point and shoot, if you think shooting a DSLR like that is a good idea. Here’s a hint: It isn’t.
If you are willing to make the effort to actually learn how to use the camera, it will take pictures as good as you can make them. If you aren’t going to bother, take it back and get a point and shoot. You’ll be happier.
Caoedhen | Nov 15, 2009
Answer to your title question: Because you bought a DSLR and expect it to work like a compact camera, but will magically give you a lot better image quality.
Here’s a few steps to get better with your camera:
1. Change your mindset.
DSLR is not compact cameras, they don’t work like one, and you need proper techniques to make it work.
2. Hold your camera properly.
Don’t hold it like a point-and-shoot. Grip your camera with your right hand, index finger on the shutter button. Your left palm at the bottom of your camera and your left thumb and index/middle finger on your lens zoom ring .
And most important of all, put your eyes to the viewfinder, and literally stick your face to the back of the camera. You will be surprise how much it stabilizes your camera, and might solve your crispness problem.
3. Understand the settings.
While the automatic modes are helpful to those who don’t know how to set the settings themselves, you don’t want to be part of that group for too long right?
Honestly speaking, dslr settings are pretty simple, traditionally that is, not counting in all the latest high tech functions. They are:
- Aperture values.
- Shutter speed. (your motions blurred problem might be because of too slow shutter speed).
- ISO values.
- Focal length.
.. and… that’s it! You might want to learn a little about those 4 things, don’t worry about the rest like colors and sharpness yet, those are less important than the 4 I just mentioned. Get the basics first.
Side note: If you really want to return it, there’s no replacement at a similar price range. You can get the Nikon D5000 for a bit less or the D90 for a bit more, but they will still have the same "problem" as your current Canon 500D.
Something within the price range might be the Olympus EP1, they should handles like your Canon IXUS. But be warned, it *DOES NOT* have a flash. No flash, no light. You need to buy external light. Or you could get Panasonic GF1, but the picture taken isn’t as nice as the EP1, and they are both inferior to your 500D in term of image quality. (if used properly).
rollakid | Nov 15, 2009