Chapter 3: Getting Great Exposures and Focus

With the EOS 60D, you are perfectly poised to take great quick-grab shots by letting the camera set the exposure and focus automatically, to take slightly more control using Creative Auto mode, or to take full creative control using the semiautomatic and manual modes. If you’re just learning about photography, the 60D has everything you need now and as you gain experience.

In this chapter, you learn about the 60D’s shooting modes and how to get tack-sharp focus. You also learn techniques to modify exposures when you encounter challenging scenes and subjects. In addition, this chapter details how to select a drive mode that determines the number of photos you can get while shooting. All these controls are tools for realizing your creative vision with the 60D.

Working with Exposure

As you begin using the 60D, remember to set this goal for yourself: Get it right in the camera. It is too easy to see a problem with an image and think: “I’ll fix it in Photoshop.” But getting the best-possible exposure in the camera should be your first objective. Certainly you can polish many photos during editing, but seasoned photographers know that no amount of Photoshop editing can rival the beauty of a spot-on in-camera exposure.

Defining exposure goals

But what is a good exposure, and what does it look like? There are a couple of answers to the first question. Aesthetically, a good exposure captures and expresses the scene as you saw and envisioned it. Technically, a good exposure maintains image detail through the bright highlights (or the most important highlights) and in the shadows; displays a full and rich range of tones with smooth transitions; has visually inviting color; pleasing contrast; and, of course, tack-sharp focus.

Getting good exposures can be a challenge, but the fundamental goal of every release of the shutter button is to capture the best exposure possible given the light and the subject.

3.1 In this image, the exposure is excellent; it has great highlight detail and good shadow detail, and it has pleasing contrast. Exposure: ISO 100, f/8, 1/30 second.

Practical exposure considerations

Does that mean that every exposure will meet all the criteria of a good exposure? Not necessarily. Rather, the exposure ideally meets the photographer’s creative vision or purpose for it. A classic example of an intentionally imperfect exposure is when a photographer overexposes a portrait of a mature woman to minimize facial lines and wrinkles. Although the exposure is intentionally imperfect, it flatters the subject and creates a pleasing image. Other examples of imperfect but acceptable exposures are photos of scenes where the range from highlight to shadow is so great that you can properly expose only the most important part of the scene (within a single frame).

In technical terms, exposure is a mathematical expression of a balance among light, intensity of light reaching the image sensor (aperture), sensitivity of the image sensor (ISO), and length of time the shutter is open (shutter speed). When you change one element, such as aperture (f-stop) or shutter speed, it represents a doubling (increase in a setting) or halving (decrease in a setting) of the light that reaches the image sensor or, in the case of ISO, of the sensor’s sensitivity to light.

For example, changing the aperture from f/8 to f/5.6 doubles the amount of light reaching the sensor, while changing it from f/5.6 to f/8 halves the amount of light. Assuming that the ISO setting doesn’t change, when you change the aperture, you have to make a proportional change in the shutter speed to achieve a proper exposure.

The starting point for calculating any exposure is metering, or measuring, the light in the scene, and the onboard light meter in the 60D takes this reading. From the reading, you or the camera can determine the exposure that’s necessary for the amount of light in the scene. Depending on the shooting mode you choose on the 60D, you can control some or all of the exposure settings.

Choosing a Shooting Mode

Creative control begins when you choose a shooting mode, and the 60D offers modes ranging from full manual control to fully automatic shooting. As you encounter different scenes and subjects, choose the shooting mode that gives you control over the exposure element or elements that are most important to you. For example, if you are shooting a portrait in all but low light, the most important exposure element to control is the aperture so you can control the depth of field. And by controlling the aperture, you can soften distracting background elements that pull the viewer’s eye away from the subject. Thus Aperture-priority AE (Av) mode gives you that control. But if you are shooting a soccer match, you want control over the shutter speed to freeze the motion of players; that makes Shutter-priority AE (Tv) mode the best choice. For quick snapshots, you may want to let the camera control everything, so Full Auto mode is a good choice.

The 60D Mode dial segregates shooting modes by the amount of control or lack of control over exposure they offer you. Figure 3.2 shows shooting modes on the 60D Mode dial.

Semiautomatic, Manual, and Bulb shooting modes

The semiautomatic and Manual shooting modes, designated as the Creative Zone modes, give you the greatest degree of and creative exposure control in your images, whether your objective is manipulating the depth of field or controlling how subject motion is rendered in action shots.

It is also important to know that in these shooting modes, you have control over all the camera features and functions. For example, you can select the Autofocus (AF) mode and AF point. You can also set the drive mode, adjust the white balance, set the ISO, and modify the exposure using Exposure Compensation, Exposure Bracketing, and Auto Exposure Lock (AE Lock), or use Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB). By contrast, Full Auto, Creative Auto (CA), and other automatic shooting modes allow little or no control over these camera settings.

The following sections summarize the semiautomatic, Manual, and Bulb shooting modes.

Program AE (P) mode

In P, or Program AE (Auto Exposure) mode, when you press the shutter button halfway, the 60D gives you its suggested exposure settings. If you want a different, but equivalent exposure using a different aperture and shutter speed, then you can temporarily change, or shift, the camera’s suggested settings by turning the Main dial. For example, if the camera initially sets the exposure at f/4 at 1/125 second, and you turn the Main dial one click to the left, the exposure shifts to f/3.5 at 1/200 second, which is equivalent to the initial exposure. Turning the Main dial to the right results in a shift to f/5 at 1/100 second, and so on.

An advantage of using P mode is that with a single adjustment, you can change the aperture to increase or decrease the depth of field, change the shutter speed to freeze or blur subject motion, or set a fast-enough shutter speed to handhold the camera. Exposure shifts are made in 1/3-stop increments by default. However, exposure shifts are temporary in P shooting mode. If you shift the exposure, and then release the shutter button without taking the picture within a few seconds, the camera returns to its original exposure. So the changes you make to exposure settings are used for only one image.

To use P mode, set the Mode dial to P, and then half-press the shutter button. The camera focuses on the subject, meters the light, and calculates the exposure. If you want to change the camera’s suggested aperture or shutter speed, turn the Main dial to the left to make the aperture larger and the shutter speed faster, or to the right to make the aperture smaller and the shutter speed longer.

To change the shooting mode, be sure to hold down the Mode Dial lock button in the center of the Mode dial as you turn the dial.

Of course, exposure shifts are limited by the amount of light in the scene. If the shutter speed 30 and the maximum aperture are blinking in the viewfinder, the image will be underexposed. You can change the ISO to a higher sensitivity setting or use the built-in or an accessory flash. However, if you opt to use the flash, you cannot shift the exposure. Conversely, if the shutter speed shows 8000 and it, along with the lens’s minimum aperture, blinks, the image will be overexposed. In this case, lower the ISO sensitivity setting or use a neutral density filter to decrease the amount of light coming into the lens.

Along with the ability to quickly change to an equivalent exposure, P mode gives you full control over all aspects of the camera, including setting the autofocus mode and AF point, setting the metering and drive modes, selecting a Picture Style, and modifying exposure using Exposure Compensation and AE Lock.

At first glance, Full Auto and P mode may seem to be the virtually the same. However, P mode gives you full control over the AF point, white balance, metering mode, and so on. In Full Auto mode, you cannot change camera settings.

Shutter-priority AE (Tv) mode

In shooting situations where your primary concern is controlling the shutter speed, use Shutter-priority AE (Tv) mode. In this semiautomatic shooting mode, you set the shutter speed and the camera automatically calculates the appropriate aperture based on the current ISO setting and the light-meter reading.

Tv stands for Time Value, also referred to as Shutter-priority AE mode.

In everyday shooting, controlling the shutter speed determines how subject motion is rendered. By choosing a fast shutter speed, you can freeze a subject in midmotion. By choosing a slow shutter speed, you can show the subject motion as a blur. Thus, Tv is the mode of choice for shooting sports and action shooting, for rendering the motion of a waterfall as a silky blur, for moving the camera with the motion of the subject to create a streaked and blurred background, and for night shooting.

In addition, you can use Tv mode to lock in a shutter speed that is fast enough to handhold the camera and get sharp images — provided, of course, that that there is enough light in the scene to get a fast-enough shutter speed. For example, if you are shooting in moderate to low light with a non-Image Stabilized (IS) lens at a focal length of 150mm, then you can set the shutter speed to 1/150 second — a shutter speed that is fast enough to handhold the camera and get sharp images at this focal length. And in Tv mode, you are assured that the shutter speed remains constant as you continue shooting.

If you cannot get the shutter speed you need to handhold the camera, increase the ISO incrementally until you get a fast-enough shutter speed.

On the 60D, you can select shutter speeds from 1/8000 second to 30 seconds or switch to Bulb shooting mode. (Bulb mode is detailed in a later section.) To use Tv mode, set the Mode dial to Tv, half-press the shutter button, and then turn the Main dial to change the shutter speed. The camera automatically sets the aperture based on the current ISO and the light-meter reading.

For shooting sports or action, photographers often use Tv mode combined with AI Servo AF mode (the autofocus mode that tracks focus on a moving subject) and High-speed Continuous drive mode to capture the maximum number of images in a burst. Autofocus and drive modes are detailed later in this chapter.

© Peter Burian

3.5 Peter used a fast 1/800 second shutter speed to freeze the motion of the racers in this scene, and he created a visually powerful image by having the racers coming directly toward the viewer. Exposure: ISO 800, f/7.1, 1/800 second using +2/3 stop Exposure Compensation.

To show fractional shutter speeds, the 60D shows only the denominator of the fraction in the viewfinder. For example, 1/8000 second is displayed as 8000 and 1/4 second is displayed as 4. Shutter speeds longer than 1/4 second are indicated with a double quotation mark that represents a decimal point between two numbers or following a single number. For example, 1"5 is 1.5 seconds while 4" is 4 seconds (4.0).

The 60D alerts you if the exposure is outside the acceptable range in Tv shooting mode. If you see the maximum aperture blinking in the viewfinder, it is a warning that the image will be underexposed. You need to set a slower shutter speed or set a higher ISO sensitivity setting. On the other hand, if the lens’s minimum aperture blinks, it is an overexposure warning. You need to set a faster shutter speed or a lower ISO sensitivity setting.

If you want to ensure that the exposure is correct in scenes where light changes quickly, you can enable Custom Function (C.Fn) I-6, Exposure Safety Shift. This function is useful in both Tv and Av shooting modes. Custom Functions are detailed in Chapter 5.

In the default 1/3-stop increments, the following shutter speeds are available (in seconds):

1/8000, 1/6400, 1/5000, 1/4000, 1/3200, 1/2500, 1/2000, 1/1600, 1/1250, 1/1000, 1/800, 1/640, 1/500, 1/400, 1/320, 1/250, 1/200, 1/160, 1/125, 1/100, 1/80, 1/60, 1/50, 1/40, 1/30, 1/25, 1/20, 1/15, 1/13, 1/10, 1/8, 1/6, 1/5, 1/4, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8, 1, 1.3, 1.6, 2, 2.5, 3.2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 20, 25, 30

Shutter speed increments can be changed from the default 1/3-stop to 1/2-stop increments using C.Fn I-1.

Also in regard to shutter speeds, the 60D flash sync speed is 1/250 second or slower for Canon flash units.

In Tv mode, you have full control over camera controls such as autofocus and drive modes, AF point, Picture Style, and flash settings.

Aperture-priority AE (Av) mode

If you want to control the depth of field, whether the background details are shown as sharp or as a soft blur, then use Aperture-priority AE (Av) mode. In Av mode, you select the aperture (f-stop) that you want, and the 60D automatically sets the shutter speed based on the current ISO and the light meter reading. The aperture, or f-stop, you select is one of the factors that control the depth of field. When you choose a wide aperture from f/5.6 to f/2.8 or wider, the resulting shallow depth of field renders background details as blurred. When you set a narrow aperture from f/8 to f/32, the resulting extensive depth of field renders the background details with acceptably sharp detail.

The range of apertures available to you depends on the lens that you are using. Each lens has a minimum and maximum aperture. And on zoom lenses, the minimum aperture may vary by focal length. For example, the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens has a minimum aperture of f/22 at 24mm, and f/27 at 105mm. The maximum aperture is f/4 at all focal lengths. On other lenses, the maximum aperture is variable, based on the focal length at which you set the lens.

To use Av mode, set the Mode dial to Av, turn the Main dial to set the aperture you want, and then half-press the shutter button to meter and focus. Turn the Main dial to the left to set a narrower aperture (f-stop) or to the right to set a wider aperture. The camera automatically calculates the appropriate shutter speed based on the light meter reading and the selected ISO.

3.6 I wanted extensive sharpness from front to back in this scene to show both the hay and the red barn, so I chose a narrow f/16 aperture in Av shooting mode. Exposure: ISO 200, f/16, 1/400 second using –1 2/3-stops of Exposure Compensation.

Practically speaking, you can also control the shutter speed using Av mode, just as you can control aperture in Tv mode. For example, if I am shooting outdoors in Av mode and see a flock of birds coming into the scene, I can turn the main dial to switch to progressively wider apertures also while watching in the viewfinder until the shutter speed is fast enough to stop the motion of the birds in flight. The principle is simple: When I choose a wide aperture, the camera sets a faster shutter speed, and I can quickly get to motion-stopping shutter speeds by changing the aperture. The same is true for Tv mode, albeit by adjusting the shutter speed to get to the aperture you want.

In 1/3-stop increments, and depending on the lens you use, the apertures are

f/1.2, f/1.4, f/1.6, f/1.8, f/2.0, f/2.2, f/2.5, f/2.8, f/3.2, f/3.5, f/4.0, f/4.5, f/5.0, f/5.6, f/6.3, f/7.1, f/8.0, f/9.0, f/10, f/11, f/13, f/14, f/16, f/18, f/20, f/22, f/25, f/29, f/32, f/36, f/40, f/45

In Av mode, you have full control over all the camera settings, Picture Style, white balance, flash settings, and so on.

If you select an aperture and the exposure is outside the camera’s exposure range, the shutter speed value blinks in the viewfinder and on the LCD panel. If 8000 blinks, the image will be overexposed. If 30 blinks, the image will be underexposed. If this happens, adjust to a smaller or larger aperture, respectively, or set a lower or higher ISO setting. If no lens is attached to the camera, 00 is displayed for the aperture setting.

You can preview the depth of field by pressing the Depth-of-Field Preview button on the front of the camera, located on the front right side of the camera near the lens. When you press the Depth-of-Field Preview button, the lens diaphragm stops down to the current aperture so that you can preview the range of acceptable focus. The more extensive the depth of field, the more of the foreground and background that will be in acceptably sharp focus and the larger the area of darkness in the viewfinder.

Manual (M) mode

As the name implies, Manual (M) mode enables you to set the aperture and shutter speed (and ISO). M mode is commonly used when you want to set the exposure by metering on a middle-gray area in the scene or by metering off a photographic gray card (a gray card is included in the back of this book).

In addition, Manual mode is best to use when you are using a predetermined exposure, such as when you are shooting fireworks or stars. It is also useful when you want a consistent exposure across a series of photos, such as for a panoramic series.

For all step-by-step instructions in this chapter, you can access the 60D camera menus by pressing the Menu button. Then press left or right on the Multi-controller or turn the Main dial to highlight the menu tab, and then press up or down on the Multi-controller to highlight a menu option or turn the Quick Control dial.

3.7 This image is a composite of two images: One moon shot using Manual (M) mode, and one star trails shot using Bulb (B) mode. The exposure for the moon image was ISO 100, f/11, 1 second. The exposure for the star trails was ISO 100, f/7.1, 2 seconds.

To use M mode, set the ISO that you want, and then follow these steps:

1. Set the Mode dial to M and verify that the Quick Control dial on the back of the camera is unlocked. Simply press the Unlock button below the Quick Control dial, or unlock it permanently by setting Lock (Quick Control dial icon) to Disable on the Setup 2 camera menu.

2. Press the shutter button halfway to meter and focus on the subject. Watch the exposure level meter at the bottom of the viewfinder as you change the aperture and shutter speed and note how far the tick mark is from the center point of the meter.

3. Turn the Main dial to adjust the shutter speed, and turn the Quick Control dial to adjust aperture. If you want to use the camera’s recommended exposure, which is based on the light meter reading, adjust the aperture and shutter speed until the tick mark is at the center of the Exposure Level meter. Alternatively, you can set the aperture or shutter speed to the exposure indicated by metering on a middle-gray card; or, if you have a predetermined exposure for fireworks or astral subjects, just adjust the shutter speed, and aperture to that exposure.

If Auto Lighting Optimizer, a feature that automatically adjusts exposures that are too dark or that have flat contrast, is turned on, the image may not reflect the actual exposure settings. I recommend turning off Auto Lighting Optimizer on the Shooting 2 menu.

The aperture and shutter speed values detailed in the preceding sections are also available in M mode, and you have full control over all the camera controls, Picture Style, and flash settings.

Bulb (B) mode

Bulb on the Mode dial enables you to keep the shutter open as long as the shutter button is fully depressed. Bulb mode is handy for some night shooting, fireworks, celestial shots, and other long exposures.

3.8 This Bulb mode image shows the movement of clouds and stars during a 45-minute exposure. I used the Canon Remote Switch RS-60E3 to keep the shutter open. Exposure: ISO 100, f/8, 45 minutes.

Bulb exposure times can be as long as 1 to 2 hours, so be sure that you have a fully charged battery before you begin an extended exposure. To ensure rock-solid stability during Bulb exposures, you can use the RS-60E3 Remote Switch to hold the shutter open. You can also enable Mirror lockup to reduce the chance of blur caused by the reflex mirror action. Mirror lockup can be chosen by setting C.Fn III-5 to Option 1: Enable.

To make a Bulb exposure, turn the Mode dial to B (Bulb). With the camera on a tripod, select the aperture you want by turning the Main or Quick Control dial, and then use a remote release to hold the shutter open or press and hold the shutter button for the length of time you want. The elapsed exposure time is shown in seconds on the LCD panel.

Because long exposures introduce digital noise and increase the appearance of grain, consider setting C.Fn II-1, Long exposure noise reduction, to Option 2: On.

Camera User Settings (C) mode

One of the handiest options the 60D offers is the option to program a shooting mode with your favorite shooting settings and preferences. The C mode on the Mode dial enables you to set up the camera with your most commonly used settings — including a shooting mode, White Balance setting, Color Space, Picture Style, Custom Function, and more — and then register those settings. Then, when you want to use those specific settings again, you simply turn the Mode dial to C.

Because C mode is customizable, it is detailed in Chapter 5.

Automatic shooting modes

The automatic modes, from Full Auto and Creative Auto (CA) to Night Portrait, enable quick shooting with few to no changes to the camera settings. Full Auto, denoted by a green rectangle icon on the Mode dial, provides point-and-shoot functionality while Creative Auto (CA) is designed to help photographers transitioning from using fully automatic cameras to dSLR cameras by providing simple descriptions and controls for traditional photographic functions. The other automatic or Basic Zone modes are based on the type of scene you’re shooting and are denoted by descriptive icons indicating types of scenes. They are often referred to as Scene modes.

In Basic Zone modes except Creative Auto (CA) mode, the camera automatically sets the exposure settings, ISO, aperture, and shutter speed, as well other camera settings. You can, however, apply Creative Filters, shoot by lighting type in some modes, resize images, and rate images.

Basic Zone modes are a good choice for quick shots. In all except Creative Auto (CA) mode, the 60D automatically sets the ISO, f-stop, and shutter speed, as well as the following:

Auto ISO ranging from ISO 100 to 3200.

Auto selection of the Standard Picture Style except in Landscape and Portrait modes where Landscape and Portrait Picture Styles are used, respectively.

Auto white balance (AWB).

Auto Lighting Optimizer, an automatic adjustment that lightens images that are too dark and increases the contrast in low-contrast images.

The sRGB color space. Color spaces are detailed in Chapter 4.

Evaluative metering mode.

Drive mode is set to Single shooting mode except in Portrait mode, where Low-speed continuous drive mode is selected. You can optionally choose the 10-sec. Self-timer/Remote control drive mode.

The AF point or points.

Use of the built-in flash for some Basic Zone modes, detailed later.

In Basic Zone modes, you can set the Lighting or Scene Type, and, in all except Full Auto and Flash Off shooting modes, you can also select Ambience filters in all except Full Auto and Flash Off shooting modes. Lighting type and Ambience effects are detailed in Chapter 4.

In most Basic Zone modes, you cannot change the camera settings that the camera chooses. The following sections explain the automatic Basic Zone modes.

Full Auto mode

The Full Auto mode name describes its functionality — full automation leaving little for you to do except to point and shoot.

To change the shooting mode, be sure to press the Mode dial lock button in the center of the Mode dial as you turn the dial.

In Full Auto mode, the camera sets the following in addition to the settings listed in the previous section:

AI Focus AF, which means that if the subject begins to move, the camera automatically switches to AI Servo AF to maintain focus on the subject as it moves.

Automatic AF point selection.

Single shooting drive mode, but you can choose to use the 10-sec. Self-timer/Remote control mode.

Automatic flash use, but you can choose to turn on Red-eye reduction.

You can choose to shoot in Live View or to shoot movies in Full Auto shooting mode as well. If you display the Quick Control screen by pressing the Q button on the back of the camera, you can select either Single shooting or the 10-sec. Self-timer/Remote control mode from the screen.

Shooting movies is detailed in Chapter 7.

Flash Off mode

In Flash Off mode, the 60D does not fire the built-in flash or an external Canon Speedlite, regardless of how low the scene light is. This is a good mode to use if you’re shooting in a museum or gallery where flash photography is prohibited and any time you do not want the flash to fire. In low-light scenes using Flash Off mode, be sure to use a tripod.

In Flash Off mode, the camera automatically sets

AI Focus AF autofocus mode with automatic AF-point selection. This means that the camera uses One-shot AF mode, designed for still subjects, but automatically switches to the focus tracking mode AI Servo AF if the subject begins to move. The camera automatically selects the AF point.

Single shooting drive mode.

You can easily switch to any of the Basic Zone modes. Press the lock-release button on the Mode dial and turn it so that one of the Basic Zone modes lines up with the white mark on the camera; then press the shutter button halfway down to focus, and press it completely to make the picture.

Creative Auto (CA) mode

Creative Auto (CA) mode displays visuals and text on the LCD to help you understand the results that you get from making various adjustments. This shooting mode offers more control than Full Auto shooting mode, but less control than P, Tv, Av, and M shooting modes.

To use CA mode, press and hold the Mode dial lock-release button as you turn the Mode dial to CA and press the Q button. Press up or down on the Multi-controller to highlight an option on the Quick Control screen, and then turn the Quick Control or Main dial to adjust the setting unless otherwise noted in the following sections.

To see the current exposure settings, press the INFO. button one or more times to display the Shooting settings screen.

You can change the following settings:

Select Ambience setting. You can choose one of nine Ambience options from Standard to Monochrome. Ambience options are detailed in Chapter 4.

Background blur. You can use this control to determine whether the background is softly blurred or rendered with more distinct detail by adjusting the slide control to the left or right, respectively; in other words, it changes the aperture (f-stop) to change the depth of field. The aperture is shown on the Camera settings screen by pressing the INFO. button. You can’t adjust the Background blur setting when the flash is raised.

Drive mode/Flash firing. The Drive mode determines the speed at which the camera captures images. You can choose Single shooting mode, where each press of the shutter button makes one image; Low-speed Continuous drive mode, where pressing and holding the shutter button shoots at 3 frames per second (fps); the 10-sec. Self-timer/Remote control mode, where shooting is delayed by 10 seconds so that you can be in the picture; or you can avoid shake by pressing the shutter button when you are shooting long exposures, macro images, or using a long telephoto lens.

With the Flash control, you can choose to have the built-in flash fire automatically when the light is too low to get a sharp handheld image; have the flash fire for every image; or turn off the flash completely. If you choose to turn off the flash and the light is low, be sure to stabilize the camera on a tripod or a solid surface before shooting. Also even if you turn off the flash, the flash may pop up so the camera can use the flash’s AF-assist beam to help the camera focus in low light. Even if this happens, the flash will not fire during the exposure.

To display the Drive mode/Flash firing screen, select the Drive mode/Flash firing option, and then press the SET button. Turn the Main dial to set the drive mode, and press left or right on the Multi-controller or turn the Quick Control dial to set the Flash option.

Certainly the automatic Basic Zone modes are handy, and they produce nice exposures. But if you recall, one of the characteristics of a good image is sharp focus in the right place. In the automatic modes, the camera always sets the autofocus point automatically, and often the sharp focus is not at the point in the subject or scene where it should be. That is one of the drawbacks to using the Basic Zone modes. If you’re anxious to move out of the automatic modes, I encourage you to begin using semiautomatic modes such as P, Tv, and Av; or use M mode so you can control the focus as well as the exposure and all other functions on the 60D.

Focusing is discussed in more detail later in this chapter.

Portrait mode

In Portrait mode, the 60D sets a wide aperture (small f-stop number) to create a shallow depth of field that blurs background details and prevents them from distracting the viewer’s eye from the subject. The 60D also uses the Portrait Picture Style, which is designed to enhance the skin tones. Obviously, Portrait mode is great for people portraits, but it’s also good for taking pet portraits and indoor and outdoor still-life shots.

In Portrait mode, the camera automatically sets

One-shot AF mode and automatic AF point selection.

Low-speed Continuous drive mode so that you can shoot at 3 fps. Alternately, you can choose to use the 10-sec. Self-timer/Remote control mode.

Automatic flash with the option to turn on Red-eye reduction.

To enhance the Portrait mode effect of blurring the background, use a telephoto lens or move the subject farther from the background.

In Portrait mode, the camera automatically selects the AF point or points. When the camera chooses the AF point, it looks for points in the scene where lines are well defined for the object that is closest to the lens and/or for points of strong contrast. In a portrait, the point of sharpest focus should be on the subject’s eyes. However, the eyes seldom meet the camera’s criteria for setting focus, and the camera often focuses on the subject’s nose, mouth, or clothing instead. As you shoot, watch in the viewfinder to see which AF points the camera chooses when you half-press the shutter button. If the AF point or points aren’t on the eyes, then shift your shooting position slightly to try to force the camera to reset the AF point to the eyes. If you can’t force the camera to refocus on the eyes, then switch to Aperture-priority AE (Av) mode, set a wide aperture such as f/5.6, and then manually select the AF point that is over the subject’s eyes. Manually selecting an AF point is detailed later in this chapter.

Landscape mode

In Landscape mode, the 60D chooses a narrow aperture to keep both background and foreground details in acceptably sharp focus, creating an extensive depth of field. The camera gives you the fastest shutter speed possible given the amount of light in the scene to help ensure sharp handheld images, and to do this, it may increase the ISO to a high setting.

Therefore, as the light fades, be sure to monitor the shutter speed in the viewfinder. If the shutter speed is 1/60 or 1/30 second or slower, or if you’re using a telephoto lens, then steady the camera on a solid surface or use a tripod for shooting. This mode works well not only for landscapes but also for cityscapes and portraits of large groups of people where a flash is not needed. The flash never fires in Landscape shooting mode.

In Landscape mode, the camera automatically sets

One-shot AF mode and automatic AF point selection.

Single shooting mode with the option to set 10-sec. Self-timer/Remote control mode.

Close-up mode

In Close-up mode, the 60D allows a close focusing distance. As in Portrait mode, the camera sets a wide aperture to create a shallow depth of field. It also sets as fast a shutter speed as possible given the light. In Close-up shooting mode, the camera uses the Standard Picture Style. You can further enhance the close-up effect by using a macro lens. If you’re using a zoom lens, zoom to the telephoto end of the lens.

All lenses have a minimum focusing distance and it varies by lens. This means that you can’t get sharp focus at distances closer than the minimum focusing distance of the lens. Listen for the beep that confirms that the camera has achieved sharp focus. If you don’t hear it, move back a little, focus, and listen for the beep or look for the focus confirmation light to burn continuously in the viewfinder.

In Close-up mode, the camera automatically sets

One-shot AF mode with automatic AF point selection.

Single shooting drive mode with the option to set 10-sec. Self-timer/Remote control mode.

Automatic flash with the option to turn on Red-eye reduction.

Sports mode

In Sports mode, the 60D sets a fast shutter speed to freeze subject motion. This mode is good for capturing athletes in midaction or the antics of pets and children.

To give you a fast shutter speed, the 60D increases the ISO setting, sometimes to very high levels. High ISO settings increase the digital noise in the image as well. For high-ISO images, you may want to apply noise reduction during image editing on the computer.

In this mode, you half-press the shutter button, the camera focuses on the subject, and then it automatically tracks focus as the subject moves. The focus is set the moment you fully press the shutter button. And if you’re shooting a burst of images, you can continue to hold the shutter button down and the camera maintains focus. In Sports mode, the camera automatically sets

AI Servo AF mode with automatic AF point selection.

High-speed Continuous drive mode. This drive mode enables you to shoot at 5.3 fps for a maximum burst rate of 58 Large/Fine JPEG images. You also have the option to use the 10-sec. Self-timer/Remote control mode.

The flash does not fire.

Night Portrait mode

In Night Portrait mode, the 60D combines flash with a slow speed. The flash provides proper exposure for the subject, and the long shutter speed provides proper exposure for the background. However, because this mode uses a longer exposure, it’s important that the subject remain stock-still during the exposure to avoid motion blur. Be sure to use a tripod or set the camera on a solid surface to take night portraits. Also the subject should be positioned within the range of the built-in flash.

You should use this mode when people are in the picture, rather than for general night shots, because the camera blurs the background similar to the way it does in Portrait mode. For night scenes without people, use Landscape mode or a Creative Zone mode and a tripod.

In Night Portrait mode, the camera automatically sets

One-shot AF mode with automatic AF point selection.

Single shooting drive mode with the option to set 10-sec. Self-timer/Remote control mode.

Setting the ISO Sensitivity

When you’re shooting in P, Tv, Av, M, or B shooting modes, you can control not only the aperture and shutter speed, but also the ISO, which is the third element of exposure. In simple terms, the ISO determines the image sensor’s sensitivity to light; more specifically, increasing the ISO amplifies the output of the image sensor.

Most often, photographers increase the ISO sensitivity to get faster shutter speeds that are needed to shoot in low-light scenes. There is a tradeoff when the amplification is increased, so is the digital noise in the image. The higher the amplification, the higher the ISO setting, the higher the level of digital noise in the image. Digital noise appears as unwanted colorful flecks, particularly in shadow areas of the image, and as a grain. Certainly the 60D improves performance by reducing digital noise at higher ISO sensitivity settings, but you should be aware of the effects of digital noise in your images.

Photographers have different levels of tolerance for the amount of digital noise in images. But the general standard is that if digital noise is visible and aesthetically objectionable in an 8×10- or 11×14-inch print when viewed at a distance of 1 foot or more, then the digital noise has degraded the image quality to an unacceptable level. This standard emphasizes the need to test the 60D at each of the higher ISO sensitivity settings, and then process and print images at the size you typically use. Evaluate the prints to see how far you want to take the 60D’s ISO settings.

In P, Tv, Av, M, and B shooting modes, you can set the ISO sensitivity in 1/3-stop increments, or in 1-stop increments by setting C.Fn I-2 to Option 1. The 60D’s standard range is ISO 100 to 6400, but you can expand the range to include ISO 12800 by setting C. Fn I-3 to Option 1: On; then ISO 12800 appears as H on camera displays.

The 60D also has an Auto ISO option that can be used in all shooting modes. In the Basic Zone modes except Portrait, the ISO is set between 100 and 3200. In P, Tv, Av, and M shooting modes, Auto ISO ranges from 100 to 6400. However, you can you set a lower maximum ISO, as detailed later in this section. With flash use, the ISO is fixed at 400 unless the image will be overexposed, and then ISO 100 or higher is set.

There are some exceptions to the Auto ISO range. In Portrait mode, Auto ISO is fixed at 100, and in Bulb (B) mode, it’s fixed at 400. If you use bounce flash with an accessory Speedlite, and if you’re shooting in Program AE (P) or Basic Zone modes except Night Portrait, then the ISO is automatically set between 400 and 1600. Alternatively, if you set the maximum setting for Auto ISO to 400 or 800, then the limit you set is used for bounce flash.

If you are concerned about controlling digital noise in images, and if you use Auto ISO, be sure to check the ISO setting in the viewfinder to ensure that it is acceptable based on the shooting circumstances and your tolerance for digital noise. If it is not, turn off Auto ISO and set the ISO manually. You can also turn on Standard, Low, or Strong noise reduction at high ISO settings by using C.Fn II-2.

To change the ISO on the 60D, follow these steps.

1. Set the Mode dial to P, Tv, Av, or M shooting mode, and then press the ISO speed setting button above the LCD panel.

2. Turn the Main dial to the ISO sensitivity setting that you want. If you select A for Auto, the 60D sets the ISO as described previously.

The 60D gives you the ability to set the upper ISO limit that’s used with the Auto ISO setting. This is important because you get the advantage of letting the camera increase the ISO when necessary, while still retaining control over the highest ISO that it can use. Thus, you have control over the amount of digital noise in your images.

To set the maximum ISO used for Auto ISO, follow these steps.

1. On the Shooting 3 camera menu tab, highlight ISO Auto, and then press the SET button. The maximum ISO options appear.

2. Press up or down on the Multi-controller to select the maximum ISO setting. I recommend testing the camera at the higher ISO settings so you know how high to set the maximum. For my work, I set ISO 800 as the maximum.

My camera is set to ISO 100 as a matter of course, and I only use Auto ISO for shooting action scenes. Also I increase the ISO only when the light conditions force me to, and then I increase it just enough to get the shutter speed that I need to either handhold the camera with the lens I am using, or to freeze subject motion in action shooting.

Here are general recommendations for setting the ISO:

In bright to moderate daylight, set the ISO to 100 unless you need a faster shutter speed to handhold the camera with a telephoto lens.

At sunset, dusk, and in overcast light, set the ISO from 100 to 400. At this time of day, shadows are deep and keeping the ISO low helps minimize digital noise that is inherent in shadow areas while still providing faster shutter speeds.

Indoors (including gymnasiums, recital halls, and night music concerts), and for night shooting, set the ISO from 400 to 1600. From ISO 3200 to 6400 and with the expanded 12800 setting, digital noise is evident in images. I recommend using 6400 and 12800 only when the light is dismally dark and there is no other way to get the image. Also use C.Fn II-2 to set high ISO digital noise reduction. Scene light can vary dramatically, so keep an eye on the shutter speed and raise the ISO only enough to give you the shutter speed you need to achieve your shooting needs.

Metering Light and Modifying Exposure

The starting point of all exposures, of course, is the light in the scene. To measure, or meter the light, the 60D uses Canon’s latest onboard light meter that measures the light reflected from the subject or scene back to the camera. The camera uses the light meter reading to determine its ideal recommended exposure.

Camera light meters are typically color blind — they see only in black-and-white brightness levels or luminosity. But the 60D’s meter is no longer colorblind. The dual-layer meter measures the full spectrum of Red, Green, and Blue (RGB). As a result, the meter makes more informed decisions about metering. The metering sensor evaluates the light and color throughout 63 zones within the viewfinder. Canon has dubbed the latest autoexposure (AE) system Intelligent Focus Color Luminosity metering, or, IFCL. With IFCL, you can expect precise and consistent exposures particularly in Evaluative metering mode.

In general, when the camera meters the light in a scene, it measures the light reflected from the subject back to the camera, and it assumes that all tones average to 18 percent, or a middle gray tone. This assumes an average scene has a fairly even distribution of light, medium, and dark tones. And with the 60D metering system, the meter also takes into account the subject colors. But not all scenes are average because some objects reflect more or less light than others. For example, a white wedding gown reflects more light than a medium-gray dress, and a black tuxedo reflects less light. So if the camera meters a subject that reflects more or less light than average, the result can be either underexposure or overexposure, respectively.

While the metering system helps to overcome some metering challenges such as this, the meter can still be fooled by very light and very dark subjects. In those scenes, you can choose among the four metering modes to get more precise metering results, or you can opt to use any of several exposure-modification techniques, all of which are explained in the following sections.

Using metering modes

The 60D provides four metering options that you can choose from when you are shooting in P, Tv, Av, M, and B shooting modes. Here is a look at each of the four metering modes:

Evaluative metering. This is Canon’s venerable metering system that partitions the viewfinder into 63 zones. This mode evaluates each zone and considers distance, light intensity, and color. It also biases metering toward the subject position as indicated by the active AF point or points, and it takes into account back- or front-lighting. As a result of extensive evaluations, Evaluative metering mode works well in scenes with an average distribution of light, medium, and dark tones, and it functions well in backlit scenes and scenes with reflective surfaces.

Partial metering. This metering mode hones in on a metering area that is approximately 6.5 percent of the viewfinder at the center. By limiting the meter reading to a small area, the exposure can be concentrated on a small area of the subject, something that is useful for metering backlit and high-contrast subjects and when the background is much darker than the subject.

Spot metering. In this metering mode, the 60D meters from only 2.8 percent of the viewfinder at the center — the circle displayed in the center of the viewfinder. This mode is ideal for metering a middle gray area in the scene or a metering from a photographic gray card to calculate exposure, as described in the sidebar in Chapter 11.

Center-weighted Average metering. This is an older metering mode that weights exposure calculation for the light read at the center of the frame, and then evaluates light from the rest of the viewfinder to get an average for the entire scene. The center area encompasses an area larger than the Partial metering area. As the name implies, the camera expects the subject to be in the center of the frame.

In the automatic Basic Zone shooting modes, the camera uses Evaluative metering mode, and you cannot change it.

Partial, Spot, and Center-weighted Average metering all use the center AF point for metering. To meter with these modes, move the camera so that the center AF point is over the area you want to meter, such as a middle-gray photographic card or tonal value in the scene, and then use AE Lock (described later) to lock the exposure or use Manual shooting mode to dial in the exposure.

Evaluating exposures

After you make a picture, the next step is to evaluate the exposure, and the 60D’s Brightness and RGB histograms are good tools for this task especially with JPEG images. With a histogram, you can immediately see if the highlights retain image detail or are blown out and whether the shadows retain detail or are blocked (go completely black with no detail). With a quick look at the histogram, you know immediately if you need to reshoot with modified exposure settings, or if you can move onto the next shot.

A histogram is a bar graph that shows the distribution and number of pixels captured at each brightness level. The horizontal axis shows the range of values, and the vertical axis displays the number of pixels at each location.

You can see the image with a histogram by switching to the Shooting Information display when you play back images. Simply press the INFO. button until the display shows one or more histograms.

Brightness histogram

The Brightness histogram is a snapshot of the exposure bias and the overall tonal distribution within the image. The brightness values are shown along the horizontal axis of the histogram. Values range from black (level 0 on the left side of the histogram) to white (level 255 on the right side of the histogram). Note that although the 60D captures 14-bit RAW images, the image preview and histogram are based on an 8-bit JPEG rendering of the RAW file.

The Brightness histogram shows at a glance whether the image has blown highlights or blocked-up shadows. Blown highlights are indicated by a spike of pixels against the right side of the histogram. Once the highlight detail is blown, it is gone for good. Blocked-up shadows are indicated by a spike of pixels against the left side of the histogram. If the shadows are blocked up, you can, of course, lighten them in an editing program. However, digital noise is virtually always present in the shadows, and lightening the shadows reveals the digital noise.

The 60D’s Highlight alert causes blown highlights to appear as blinking areas on the image preview during playback — a quick alert to reshoot using exposure modification. You can turn on Highlight alert in the Playback 2 menu.

3.11 This histogram shows an excellent exposure. A spike does not appear on the right side of the histogram, which indicates that the highlights have retained good detail. No spike appears on the shadow (left) side, indicating that the shadows are open. Exposure: ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/500 second using –1/3 stop of Exposure Compensation.

Overall underexposure is shown when there is a large gap between the end of the highlight pixels and the right edge of the graph. Overexposure is indicated by a spike of pixels on the right side of the graph. If any of these exposure problems are indicated, you can reshoot using an exposure modification technique described later in this section.

The Brightness histogram simply reflects the tones in the image. In an average scene, the pixels are distributed fairly evenly across the histogram. In a scene with predominately light tones, such as a high-key image of a child in a white dress against a white background, the majority of the image pixels are concentrated to the right side of the histogram. Likewise in an image with predominately dark tones, or a low-key image, the pixels are concentrated toward the left side of the graph.

RGB histogram

RGB histograms show the distribution of brightness levels for the Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) color channels. Each color channel is shown separately so that you can evaluate the color channel’s saturation, gradation, and bias. As with the Brightness histogram, the horizontal axis shows how many pixels exist for each color brightness level and the vertical axis shows how many pixels exist at that level.

More pixels to the left indicate that the color is darker and less prominent, while more pixels to the right indicate that the color is brighter and denser. If pixels spike on the left or right side, then color information is either lacking or oversaturated with no detail, respectively.

3.13 The spike on the right side of the histogram shows overexposure, reflecting the much brighter sky portion of the image. Even with the ability to recover highlight detail during RAW conversion, the overexposure here is too extensive to recover. Exposure: ISO 100, f/8, 1/100 second.

Both types of histograms are accurate for evaluating JPEG images because the histograms are based on the JPEG format. However, if you shoot RAW images, the histogram is based on a less-robust JPEG version of the RAW image. The nature of the RAW image data does not make it feasible to display a histogram, so a JPEG version of the image is used for preview histograms. Therefore, if you shoot RAW, just know that the RAW image is richer than the data you see on the histogram. Despite the JPEG rendering, the histogram is still an invaluable tool for evaluating RAW exposures in the field.

Depending on your needs, you can choose to display only the Brightness histogram during image playback, or you can display the RGB and Brightness histograms simultaneously to get a complete view of the tonal and color distribution in the image.

To choose the type of histogram you want displayed, follow these steps.

1. On the Playback 2 menu, select Histogram, and then press the SET button. Two options appear.

2. Press up or down on the Multi-controller to select Brightness or RGB, and then press the SET button.

Modifying and bracketing exposures

Given that you can immediately review the image histogram, you know immediately whether the image exposure is correct or whether you need to modify the exposure to prevent blown highlights or to open the shadows.

The 60D offers several options to either manually or automatically modify exposure, including Auto Lighting Optimizer, Highlight Tone Priority, Auto Exposure Lock (AE Lock), and Exposure Compensation. In addition, you can use Safety Shift to help prevent exposure problems caused by sudden shifts in light, or use Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) to get several images at varying exposures.

Auto Lighting Optimizer

One of the 60D’s automatic exposure adjustments is Auto Lighting Optimizer, which brightens images that are too dark and/or that have low contrast. Auto Lighting Optimizer is applied at the Standard level to all JPEG images shot in Basic Zone shooting modes such as Portrait, Landscape, and so on. In P, Tv, Av, M, and Bulb shooting modes, you can adjust the level of optimization or turn it off. The automatic correction is not applied to RAW images, although you can apply it in Canon’s Digital Photo Professional program.

If you most often print images directly from the SD/SDHC card, then Auto Lighting Optimizer can help you get better prints. However, if you prefer to control exposure yourself, then turn off Auto Lighting Optimizer because it can mask the effects of exposure modifications, including Exposure Compensation, Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB), and Auto Exposure Lock (AE Lock).

One downside of using Auto Lighting Optimizer is that as it brightens the shadow areas in the image, digital noise becomes visible, just as it does when shadows are lightened in an image-editing program. If your shooting involves long exposures and/or using high ISO settings, you can help avoid digital noise by setting C.Fn II-1, Long exposure noise reduction, to Option: 1: Auto or 2: On, and C.Fn II-2, High ISO speed noise reduction, to Option 1: Low or Option 2: Strong.

You can adjust the level of Auto Lighting Optimizer on the Shooting 2 menu. Just choose Auto Lighting Optimizer, press the SET button, and then to change the setting or disable it. Auto Lighting Optimizer is automatically disabled if you use Highlight Tone Priority, C. Fn II-3.

Highlight Tone Priority

Highlight Tone Priority is a Custom Function designed to improve and maintain highlight detail in bright elements in the scene. When you enable this Custom Function, highlight detail is improved by extending the range between 18 percent middle gray and the maximum highlight tones in the image, thus effectively increasing the dynamic range. Using Highlight Tone Priority also makes the gradations between gray tones and highlights smoother.

This option is especially useful when you are shooting very light objects, such as a wedding dress or white tuxedo, bright white sand on a beach, or shots of light-colored products. Using Highlight Tone Priority automatically limits the ISO range so that the lowest setting you can choose is ISO 200.

Highlight Tone Priority takes advantage of the higher ISO baseline so that the image sensor pixel wells do not fill, or saturate. Also, with the 60D’s 14-bit analog/digital conversion, the camera sets a tonal curve that is relatively flat at the top in the highlight area to compress highlight data. The result is almost a full f-stop increase in dynamic range (the range from highlight to shadow tones in a scene as measured in f-stops). The tradeoff, however, is a more abrupt move from deep shadows to black — a reduced range of shadow tones that also increases the potential for digital noise in the shadows.

If you enable Highlight Tone Priority, it is denoted in the viewfinder and on the LCD panel as D+, with the D indicating dynamic range. Highlight Tone Priority is disabled by default.

To turn on Highlight Tone Priority, follow these steps.

1. With the camera set to P, Tv Av, M, or B shooting mode, select C.Fn II: Image on the Custom Functions menu, and then press the SET button. The last Custom Function you chose in this group is displayed.

2. Press left or right on the Multi-controller until the number 3 appears in the Custom Function number control in the upper-right corner of the screen, and then press the SET button. The C.Fn II: Highlight tone priority screen appears with two options.

3. Turn the Quick Control dial to select Option: 1 Enable. Or to turn it off, select Option: 0 Disable. With the function enabled, the lowest ISO setting is 200. The setting remains in effect until you change it.

Safety Shift

Safety Shift also falls loosely into the category of automatic exposure modifications. Although this function is turned off by default, you can enable Safety Shift so that the camera automatically changes the exposure settings if the light changes enough to make your current exposure setting in Av or Tv shooting modes inaccurate.

Safety Shift may be annoying to photographers who have carefully set up the depth of field and/or the shutter speed they want for a shot, and having the camera change the exposure settings automatically may seem intrusive.

But there is virtue in this function in some scenarios, such as during action shooting. Sports and action shooting requires almost single-minded concentration on capturing the peak moments, and having the 60D automatically shift the exposure if a break in the clouds suddenly sheds more light on the athlete can be welcome assistance.

If you want to use Safety Shift in Tv and Av shooting modes, follow these steps:

1. With the camera set to P, Tv Av, M, or B shooting mode, select C.Fn I: Exposure on the Custom Function menu, and then press the SET button. The last accessed Custom Function screen appears.

2. Press left or right on the Multi-controller until the number 6 appears in the Custom Function number control in the upper-right corner of the screen, and then press the SET button. The first option is activated.

3. Turn the Quick Control dial to highlight either Disable or Enable (Tv/Av), and then press the SET button. The option you select remains in effect until you change it.

Auto Exposure Lock (AE Lock)

Normally, when you’re shooting in Evaluative metering mode and you half-press the shutter button, the 60D meters the scene with a bias toward the active Autofocus (AF) point — the AF point that’s lit in red in the viewfinder. This is also, of course, where the sharp focus is set. But what if you want to meter one area but focus on a different area? This is the time to use Auto Exposure Lock (AE Lock) to meter on an area while focusing on another area. For example, you can meter on a middle-gray tone in the scene, press the AE Lock button to retain the metered exposure settings, and then move the camera to recompose and focus on another area of the scene. Because the camera retains the metered exposure settings for a few seconds, you can continue using the same locked exposure settings as long as the asterisk appears at the bottom left of the viewfinder.

AE Lock works differently with different metering modes. In Evaluative metering mode, if you manually select the AF point, the 60D biases the metering toward that AF point. And if you use automatic AF point selection where the camera automatically selects the AF point(s), AE Lock is applied at the AF point that achieves focus.

However, Spot, Partial, and Center-weighted Average metering modes use the center AF point to meter. To use AE Lock in these metering modes, point the center AF point over the part of the scene or subject where you want the camera to take the meter reading, and then press the AE Lock button on the back-right top of the camera. The camera stores the meter reading for a few seconds while you move the camera to recompose the image; then you focus on the subject using the center or another AF point, and make the picture.

You cannot use AE Lock in Basic Zone modes such as Creative Auto (CA), Portrait, Landscape, and so on.

Exposure Compensation

Another way to modify the camera’s metered exposure is by increasing or decreasing the exposure by a specific amount to lighten or darken the image respectively. With Exposure Compensation, you can modify the exposure up to +/–5 stops in 1/3-stop increments.

Although the 60D offers an impressive 5 stops of compensation, the LCD panel and viewfinder can only display 3 stops of compensation. To set the full 5 stops, press the Q button on the back of the camera to display the Quick Control screen, press the Multi-controller to select the Exposure Compensation control, and then press the SET button. Then turn the Quick Control dial to set up to the full 5 stops of compensation. You can also set Exposure Compensation on the Shooting 2 menu.

A classic use of Exposure Compensation is to override the camera’s meter so that whites and blacks in the image are truly white and black rather than gray. In scenes with large expanses of white or dark tones, the camera’s onboard meter averages the tones to 18 percent gray so that both white and black objects are rendered as middle gray. To get true whites and blacks, you can use Exposure Compensation to brighten or darken the image from the camera’s recommended exposure. For example, for a snow scene, a +1 or +2 stop of compensation renders snow as white. For a black train engine, a –1 or –2 stop compensation renders it as true black.

Here are some points to know about Exposure Compensation:

Exposure Compensation can be used in P, Tv, Av, and C shooting modes.

In Tv mode, setting Exposure Compensation changes the aperture by the specified amount of compensation. In Av mode, it changes the shutter speed. In P mode, compensation changes both the shutter speed and aperture by the exposure amount you set.

The amount of Exposure Compensation you set remains in effect until you change it, regardless of whether you turn the camera off, change the lens, or replace the battery.

Automatic exposure correction features such as Auto Lighting Optimizer can mask the effect of compensation. I recommend turning off Auto Lighting Optimizer before setting Exposure Compensation.

You can set Exposure Compensation by following these steps:

1. With the camera set to P, Tv, or Av shooting mode, highlight Expo. comp./AEB on the Shooting 2 menu, and then press the SET button. The Exposure comp./AEB setting screen appears.

2. Turn the Quick Control dial to the left to set negative compensation or to the right to set positive compensation, and then press the SET button. As you adjust the amount, the tick mark on the Exposure Compensation control moves in 1/3-stop increments up to +/–5 stops.

To cancel Exposure Compensation, repeat these steps, but move the tick mark back to the center position of the Exposure Compensation control.

Auto Exposure Bracketing

Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) enables you to capture a series of three images at different exposures. Traditionally, the bracketing sequence is one image at the camera’s standard metered exposure, one 1/3-stop above the standard exposure, and one 1/3-stop below the standard exposure up to +/–3 stops. Thus, if the scene has high contrast, highlight detail is better preserved in the darker exposure than in either the standard or lighter exposure. Conversely, the shadows may be more open in the brighter exposure than in either of the other two.

But the 60D adds flexibility to AEB by enabling you to shift the entire bracketing range to below or above zero on the Exposure Level meter. As a result, you can set all three bracketed exposures to be brighter or darker than the camera’s recommended exposure and skip capturing the camera’s standard exposure.

Exposure bracketing provides a way to cover the bases — to get at least one printable exposure in scenes with challenging lighting, scenes that are difficult to set up again, or scenes where there is only one opportunity to capture an elusive subject. Today, exposure bracketing is also very often used for High-Dynamic Range imaging.

High-Dynamic Range imaging (HDR) captures bracketed frames of the same scene, with one exposure set for the highlights, one for the midtones, and one for shadow detail. In some cases, five to seven bracketed frames merge into the final composite image. The images are bracketed by shutter speed rather than by aperture to avoid shifts in focal length. The final images are composited in Photoshop or another HDR program to create a single image that has a dynamic range far beyond what the camera can capture in a single frame.

With the 60D, you can combine both Exposure Compensation and AEB to set exposure values of up to 8 stops from the metered exposure. And in practical application, this range is adequate for most HDR work.

Regardless of how you use the bracketed exposures, here are some points to keep in mind when using AEB:

AEB is only available in P, Tv, and Av shooting modes.

AEB cannot be used with the built-in or any accessory flash unit or with Bulb mode.

Settings for AEB are retained only for the current shooting session. If you turn off the camera, attach a flash, pop up the built-in flash, or switch to Movie mode, AEB is cancelled. If you want to retain the AEB settings even after turning off the camera, you can set C.Fn I-4: Bracketing auto cancel to Option 1 to retain the settings. However, the settings are temporarily cancelled if you use a flash.

In High-speed and Low-speed Continuous drive modes, pressing the shutter button once takes all three bracketed exposures. Likewise, in 10- or 2-sec. Self-timer/Remote control modes, the bracketed shots are taken in succession after the timer interval elapses.

In Single shot Drive mode, you must press the shutter button three separate times to get the bracketed sequence.

The order of bracketed exposures begins with the standard exposure, followed by the decreased and increased exposures. You can change the order of bracketing using C.Fn I-5: Bracketing sequence.

You can change the default 1/3-stop exposure increment to 1/2 stop using C.Fn I-1: Exposure level increments.

You can combine AEB with Exposure Compensation. If you combine them, the bracketed exposures are based on the amount of Exposure Compensation that you set.

To set AEB, follow these steps:

1. With the camera in P, Tv, or Av shooting mode, highlight Expo. comp./AEB on the Shooting 2 menu, and then press the SET button. The Exposure comp./AEB setting screen appears.

2. Turn the Main dial clockwise to set the bracketing amount that you want, and then press the SET button. As you turn the Main dial, two additional tick marks appear and move outward from the center in 1/3 stop increments. If you want to shift the bracketing sequence above or below zero, turn the Quick Control dial, and then press the SET button.

Using the 60D Autofocus System

Whether you are shooting one image at a time, or you are blasting out the maximum burst of images as players move across a soccer field, the 60D’s autofocus is quick and accurate. You can choose among three autofocus modes.

The following sections help you get the best performance from the 60D’s autofocus system.

Choosing an autofocus mode

The 60D’s three autofocus modes are designed to help you achieve sharp focus based on the type of subject you are photographing. Here is a summary of the autofocus modes and when to use them.

One-shot AF. This mode is designed for photographing stationary subjects that are still and will remain still. This mode is a good choice for photographing landscapes, macro, portraits, architecture, and interiors. Unless you are shooting sports or action, One-shot AF is the mode of choice for everyday shooting. In this autofocus mode, the camera does not allow you to make the image until focus is achieved.

AI Servo AF. This mode is designed for photographing action subjects. The camera tracks focus on the subject regardless of changes in subject distance from side to side or approaching or moving away from the camera as long as the shutter button is half-pressed. The camera begins focus tracking with the center AF point, and follows focus as long as the subject is within any of the AF points. The focus and the exposure are set at the moment the image is made.

AI Focus AF. This mode is designed for photographing stationary subjects that may begin moving. This mode starts out in One-shot AF mode, but then automatically switches to AI Servo AF if the subject begins moving. Then the camera maintains focus on the moving subject as described in AI Servo AF. When the switch from One-Shot AF to AI Servo AF happens, a soft beep sounds and the focus confirmation light in the viewfinder is no longer lit. (The beeper sounds only if you have turned on the beeper on the Shooting 1 menu.) This is a good choice for photographing wildlife, children, or athletes who alternate between stationary positions and motion. In this mode, focus tracking is activated by pressing the shutter button halfway.

If you routinely set focus and then keep the shutter button pressed halfway, it shortens battery life. To maximize battery power, anticipate the shot and press the shutter button halfway just before making the picture.

To choose an Autofocus mode, set the lens switch to AF, and then follow these steps:

1. Set the Mode dial to P, Tv, Av, M, or B.

2. Press the AF button above the LCD panel, and then turn the Main dial to select the autofocus mode you want. Each mode is represented by text displayed on the LCD panel and on the LCD. The selected autofocus mode remains in effect until you change it.

Manually choosing an AF point

A key ingredient to creating a successful image is getting tack-sharp focus with the focus placed precisely where it should be. And the best way to ensure this is by manually choosing a single AF point yourself. It’s that simple.

Granted it’s faster to let the 60D automatically select the AF point or points, but if you’ve used the automatic shooting modes such as Portrait or Landscape, then you know that automatic AF point selection can range from getting sharp focus where it should be to the camera incorrectly identifying the subject entirely. For my work, I have neither the time nor inclination to hope that the camera correctly identifies the subject and focuses on the right place, so I always set the AF point manually. However, automatic AF point selection is a good choice when you’re shooting action.

If the camera has trouble focusing in low light, you can use the built-in flash’s focus assist beam to help establish focus without firing the flash. This technique is detailed in Chapter 8.

Finally, it’s helpful to know that the AF points have different sensitivities to vertical and horizontal lines in the scene or subject. This is important because it speeds up the camera’s ability to focus. The center AF point is sensitive to lenses with a maximum (widest) aperture of f/2.8. And because it’s sensitive to both horizontal and vertical lines, it’s called a cross-type AF point. The other AF points are cross type as well, and they are sensitive to lenses with maximum apertures of f/5.6 or faster. Canon notes that the center AF point is approximately twice as sensitive as the other eight AF points. Therefore, for fast focusing with lenses with an f/2.8 maximum aperture, the center AF point is a good technical choice, although it may not be the best choice depending on the image composition.

In addition to using autofocus, you can also manually focus if the lens has a Manual Focus (MF) switch on the side of the lens. Set the switch to MF, and then turn the focusing ring on the lens until the subject appears sharp in the viewfinder. Just watch for the focus confirmation light in the viewfinder to burn steadily to confirm that sharp focus is achieved.

Be sure that you’ve set the Diopter switch for your vision. If you wear glasses for shooting, wear them as you adjust the dioptric knob until the AF points in the viewfinder are clear and sharp to your eye.

To manually select an AF point, follow these steps:

1. In P, Tv, Av, M, or B shooting mode, press the AF-point Selection/Magnify button on the back top right side of the camera.

2. As you look in the viewfinder, turn the Main dial to move through AF points. You can also press the Multi-controller in the direction of the AF point you want to select or turn the Quick Control dial. Select only one AF point — the AF point that is on top of the place in the scene or subject that should have sharp focus. If you choose the option where all the AF points light in red, the camera automatically selects the AF points for you.

3. Press the shutter button halfway to focus using the selected AF point, and then press the shutter button completely to make the picture without moving the camera. The camera beeps when focus is achieved, and the autofocus light in the viewfinder is lit continuously.

The best way to verify tack-sharp focus is to press the Playback button, and then press the Magnify button on the back of the camera to zoom in on the image. If the focus isn’t sharp, or if it isn’t in the place where it should be, reshoot.

Selecting a Drive Mode

One of the nice aspects of the 60D is its speed and drive mode options. The EOS 60D offers drive modes for everything from capturing action shots to avoiding blur when pressing the shutter button with your finger. Just choose the appropriate drive mode: Single shooting, High-speed or Low-speed Continuous shooting, or one of the two Self-timer/Remote control modes. You can choose these drive modes when you are shooting in P, Tv, Av, M, or B shooting mode.

In automatic shooting modes, the camera automatically chooses the drive mode, but you can optionally choose the 10-sec. Self-timer/Remote control mode.

Here is a summary of each mode:

Single shooting. In this mode, one image is captured with each press of the shutter button. This is a good choice for still subjects.

High-speed Continuous shooting. In this mode, you can keep the shutter button depressed to shoot at 5.3 fps to capture approximately 58 Large/Fine JPEGs or 16 RAW, or 7 RAW+JPEG [Large/Fine] images. The actual number of frames in a burst depends on the shutter speed, Picture Style, ISO speed, brand and type of SD/SDHC card, battery level, lens, and light.

Low-speed Continuous shooting. This mode delivers a maximum of 3 fps when you keep the shutter button completely depressed.

Self-timer/Remote control modes (10- and 2-sec.). In Self-timer/Remote control modes, the camera delays taking the picture for 2 or 10 seconds after the shutter button is fully depressed. The 10-sec. mode is effective when you want to include yourself in a picture. The 2-sec. mode is useful in nature, landscape, and close-up shooting, and can be combined with Mirror lockup (C.Fn III-5) to prevent vibration from the reflex mirror action and from pressing the shutter button. You have to press the shutter button once to lock the mirror, and again to make the exposure.

If you do not have the camera to your eye while using Self-timer/Remote control modes, slip the eyepiece cover over the viewfinder to prevent stray light from entering the viewfinder, which can alter the exposure.

When you are shooting a burst of images in High-speed Continuous mode, Canon uses smart buffering to enable large bursts of images. The images are first delivered to the camera’s internal buffer. Then the camera immediately begins writing and offloading images to the SD/SDHC card.

The time required to empty the buffer depends on the speed of the card, the complexity of the image, and the ISO setting. JPEG images that have a lot of fine detail and digital noise tend to take more time to compress than images with less detail and low-frequency content.

Thanks to smart buffering, you can continue shooting in one-, two-, or three-image bursts almost immediately after the buffer is filled, as the camera offloads images and frees up buffer space. In the Continuous drive modes, the viewfinder displays a Busy message when the buffer is full, and the number of remaining images shown on the LCD panel blinks. You can press the shutter button halfway and look at the bottom-right area of the viewfinder to see the current number of available shots in the maximum burst.

The 60D is set to Single shooting drive mode by default in P, Tv, Av, M and B shooting modes. In automatic shooting modes such as Portrait and Landscape, the camera automatically sets the drive mode, and you can only select the 10-sec. drive mode. In Creative Auto (CA) shooting mode, you can choose Single shooting, Low-speed Continuous, or the 10-sec. Self-timer/Remote control mode.

To switch to a different drive mode, follow these steps:

1. With the camera in P, Tv, Av, M and B shooting mode, press the Drive button above the LCD panel. The camera activates drive mode selection in the LCD panel.

2. Turn the Main dial to select a drive mode. When you turn the Main dial clockwise, the mode sequence begins with Single shooting and progresses through High-speed Continuous shooting, Low-speed Continuous shooting, 10-sec. Self-timer/Remote control mode, and 2-sec. Self-timer/Remote control mode. The drive mode remains in effect until you change it. If you want to cancel a Self-timer exposure, press the Drive button above the LCD panel.