Canon 7D Experience

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Canon 7D Experience

The Still Photographers Guide to Operation and Image Creation

With the Canon EOS 7D

updated for version 2 firmware

by Douglas J. Klostermann

Full Stop. good writing for better photography

Canon 7D Experience

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All rights reserved. This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only and may not be re-sold, file-shared, or given away. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or in print, without expressed permission from the author. Every effort has been made to make this e-book as accurate as possible, but no warranty of fitness is implied. The information is provided on an as-is basis. The author shall have no liability or responsibility with respect to any loss or damages arising from the information provided in this e-book including but not limited to the use of any of the materials or methods described, the products, retailers, Internet web sites, or links provided.

All contents including cover design, text, and photographs, with the exception of products, brands, contents of menus and screenshots, and logos, are copyright by the author. All products, brands, contents of menus and screenshots, and logos are property of the respective companies and websites. Terms which are trademarks or service marks in this e-book are used in an editorial and educational manner, and should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.

Douglas Klostermann is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Copyright 2012 Douglas J. Klostermann Cover design and photograph by the author.

Canon 7D Experience The Still Photographers Guide to Operation and Image Creation with the Canon EOS 7D by: Douglas J. Klostermann ISBN: 978-1-4524-6479-4 Version 3.0 (updated for 7D firmware v.2) August 2012

Authors website: www.dojoklo.com Authors blog: http://blog.dojoklo.com/

Published by Full Stop. good writing for better photography A division of Douglas J. Klostermann Photography Cambridge, MA 02138 USA http://www.dojoklo.com/Full_Stop/

http://www.dojoklo.com/http://blog.dojoklo.com/http://www.dojoklo.com/Full_Stop/

Canon 7D Experience

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CONTENTS

PREFACE ......................................................................................................................... 5 1. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... 8

1.1 Take Control of Your Camera .................................................................................9 1.2 Using This Guide ...................................................................................................10 1.3 Getting Started.......................................................................................................12

2. MENUS and CUSTOM FUNCTIONS .........................................................................14 2.1 Menu Settings........................................................................................................15 2.2 Custom Functions Menus......................................................................................41 2.3 My Menu ................................................................................................................60 2.4 Movie Shooting Menu............................................................................................ 61

3. CAMERA CONTROLS AND IMAGE FILE FORMATS..............................................64 3.1 Camera Controls ................................................................................................... 64 3.2 Quick Control Screen ............................................................................................ 72 3.3 Image File Formats - JPEG vs. RAW....................................................................74

4. THE AUTOFOCUS SYSTEM .....................................................................................77 4.1 Using Autofocus ....................................................................................................77 4.2 Autofocus - AF Modes ...........................................................................................78 4.3 Autofocus - AF Area Selection Modes ..................................................................81 4.4 Back Button Focusing............................................................................................ 91 4.5 Live View and Movie Focusing..............................................................................92

5. DRIVE MODES ...........................................................................................................95 6. EXPOSURE Part 1 ..................................................................................................... 96

6.1 Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO .........................................................................96 6.2 Aperture Priority AE Mode (Av) and Shutter Priority AE Mode (Tv) .....................99 6.3 Full Stops.............................................................................................................102 6.4 Manual Exposure Mode (M) ................................................................................104

7. METERING MODES .................................................................................................106 7.1 Evaluative Metering .............................................................................................106 7.2 Partial Metering....................................................................................................106 7.3 Spot Metering ......................................................................................................108 7.4 Center-Weighted Average Metering....................................................................109 7.5 Manual Metering..................................................................................................111 7.6 Metering Modes and Exposure ...........................................................................112

8. EXPOSURE Part 2 ...................................................................................................115 8.1 Exposure Lock .....................................................................................................115 8.2 Histograms...........................................................................................................116 8.3 Exposure Compensation .....................................................................................118 8.4 Auto Exposure Bracketing ...................................................................................119

9. ADDITIONAL CAMERA FUNCTIONS .....................................................................122 9.1 Highlight Tone Priority and Auto Lighting Optimizer ...........................................122 9.2 White Balance......................................................................................................123 9.3 Picture Styles.......................................................................................................126 9.4 Flash ....................................................................................................................129

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9.5 Sensor Cleaning ..................................................................................................134 9.6 Putting it all into Practice .....................................................................................134

10. THE IMAGE TAKING PROCESS...........................................................................136 10.1 Still Subjects ......................................................................................................136 10.2 Moving Subjects ................................................................................................138

11. LENSES ..................................................................................................................140 11.1 Lens Notations...................................................................................................140 11.2 Fixed Maximum Aperture vs. Variable Maximum Aperture...............................142 11.3 Which Lens to Buy Next ....................................................................................143

12. VIDEO - AN INTRODUCTION................................................................................147 13. COMPOSITION.......................................................................................................151 14. PHOTOGRAPHY ACCESSORIES.........................................................................158

14.1 Digital SRL Photography Accessories ..............................................................158 14.2 Canon 7D Accessories ......................................................................................161 14.3 Photography Books ...........................................................................................162

15. CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................163 Future Updates to the Text........................................................................................163 About the Author........................................................................................................164

Canon 7D Experience

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PREFACE

to the revised text, incorporating the Canon EOS 7D version 2 firmware update:

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