Help! Canon 40D

Location : Coventry Spotter Watch Member : No

I have had a 40D now for just under one year but I am not happy with the picture results that I am getting. They always seem to dark or too light.

I am using it with a 100-400mm IS lens. I have never had these problems with my 10D.

Just wondering what modes/speeds other people generally use for fast movers, helicopters etc

Thanks in anticipation

Chris

Location : N E Jockistan Spotter Watch Member : No

I have the same combination of body lens and have no problems. I tend to set ISO and White Balance to suit the prevailing light conditions rather than leaving both on auto, and use either AV (aperture priority) or TV (shutter priority) depending on light conditions and whether shutter speed or aperture are of more importance. I do my post camera processing in one of two software packages, either PhotoShop Elements 6.0 or ACDSee Pro 2.5, limiting processing under normal circumstances to Unsharp Mask (100%, Radius 5, Threshold 10) and Auto levels or manual levels depending on how much the image needs.

I'm delighted with both the camera body and lens.

Location : Coventry Spotter Watch Member : No

Can you give us any ideas what settings I should be after using?

Example: Perfect summers day at RIAT?

Location : N E Jockistan Spotter Watch Member : No

I'd try and keep my ISO as low as possible, and have White Balance set to sunlight/cloud depending on exact conditions. If the conditions are bright, I'd probably use Aperture Priority (AV) trusting that the light would be sufficient to keep the shutter speed high, but if not use TV.

Perhaps it might be better to say what settings you have been using to help diagnose where you may have been going wrong, or what is causing your problems, plus examples of problematic images.

Location : Oxfordshire

If you're shooting against a sky of any sorts, try centre weighted average metering with overexposure by anything between 2/3 and 1 1/3 of a stop depending on the sky (blue / grey or anything in between).

I'll confess to being one of the lazy ones and use 'P' mode almost exclusively as it gives me fingertips control over aperture and the ability over or underexpose at will. These settings seemed to work with the 20D and hope they will with the 40D I've now had for a week.