20,99 €
Mehr erfahren.
- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017
Get pro results from your 77D! The Canon EOS 77D puts features from higher-end cameras into a model designed for amateur photographers--and that's good news for you! Even better, Canon EOS 77D For Dummies makes it easier than ever to start producing pro-level photos. You'll start by getting a grasp on the mysterious terms that photographers throw around and then learn how your camera puts you in control of your image's exposure, color, and focus tools. Plus, you can follow some basic photography recipes to create portraits, nature shots, and action photos worth bragging about. If you're just getting your hands on your first DSLR camera, you're in for a photographer's delight! With the help of this friendly guide, you'll walk through all the steps of shooting in automatic, scene, or manual mode. Plus, the book is packed with full-color photos designed to explain and illustrate how the 77D can control the focus and color in an image--ensuring you'll get the perfect shot every time. * Find simple steps for shooting better photos * Learn the tricks the pros use to control exposure settings * Discover how to capture better light and color * Get tips for working with more advanced features Everything you need to take picture-perfect photos with your Canon EOS 77D is inside!
Sie lesen das E-Book in den Legimi-Apps auf:
Seitenzahl: 492
Ähnliche
Canon® EOS® 77D For Dummies®
Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
Trademarks: Wiley, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, Dummies.com, Making Everything Easier, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and may not be used without written permission. Canon and EOS are registered trademarks of Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF A COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THE AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FURTHER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFORMATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ.
For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002. For technical support, please visit https://hub.wiley.com/community/support/dummies.
Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017947399
ISBN 978-1-119-42009-5 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-42012-5 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-42013-2 (ebk)
Canon® EOS® 77D For Dummies®
To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Canon EOS 77D For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.
Table of Contents
Cover
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1: Fast Track to Super Snaps
Chapter 1: Getting Up and Running
Preparing the Camera for Initial Use
Exploring External Camera Features
Changing from Standard to Guided Display Mode
Ordering from Camera Menus
Customizing the Touch Screen
Viewing Shooting Settings
Switching to Live View Mode
Using Quick Control Mode
Familiarizing Yourself with the Lens
Working with Memory Cards
Reviewing Basic Setup Options
Chapter 2: Choosing Basic Picture Settings
Choosing an Exposure Mode
Changing the Drive Mode
Understanding the Image Quality Setting
Setting the Photo Aspect Ratio
Adding Flash
Chapter 3: Taking Great Pictures, Automatically
Using Scene Intelligent Auto Mode
Shooting in Flash Off Mode
Taking Advantage of Scene Modes
Gaining More Control with Creative Auto
Part 2: Taking Creative Control
Chapter 4: Taking Charge of Exposure
Introducing the Exposure Trio: Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO
Stepping Up to Advance Exposure Modes (P, Tv, Av, and M)
Monitoring Exposure Settings
Choosing an Exposure Metering Mode
Setting ISO, Aperture, and Shutter Speed
Sorting Through Your Camera’s Exposure-Correction Tools
Locking Autoexposure Settings
Bracketing Exposures Automatically
Chapter 5: Controlling Focus and Depth of Field
Setting the Lens to Automatic or Manual Focusing Mode
Exploring Viewfinder Focusing Options
Focusing in Live View and Movie Modes
Manipulating Depth of Field
Chapter 6: Mastering Color Controls
Understanding White Balance
Taking a Quick Look at Picture Styles
Changing the Color Space
Chapter 7: Putting It All Together
Recapping Basic Picture Settings
Shooting Still Portraits
Capturing Action
Capturing Scenic Vistas
Capturing Dynamic Close-Ups
Chapter 8: Shooting and Viewing Movies
Recording Movies Using Default Settings
Choosing between NTSC and PAL
Customizing Recording Settings
Using Movie Digital Zoom
Reviewing Other Movie Options
Playing Movies
Part 3: After the Shot
Chapter 9: Picture Playback
Adjusting Automatic Image Review
Viewing Pictures in Playback Mode
Viewing Picture Data
Taking Advantage of Image Search
Viewing Photos and Movies on a TV
Chapter 10: Working with Picture and Movie Files
Deleting Files
Protecting Photos and Movies
Rating Photos and Movies
Cropping Photos
Installing the Canon Software
Sending Pictures to the Computer
Converting Raw Images in Digital Photo Professional 4
Preparing Pictures for Online Sharing
Part 4: The Part of Tens
Chapter 11: Ten More Customization Options
Changing the Furniture Around
Silencing the Camera
Disabling the AF-Assist Beam
Preventing Shutter Release without a Memory Card
Reducing the Number of Exposure Stops
Creating a Custom Menu
Adding Custom Folders
Turning Off the Shooting Settings Screen
Embedding Copyright Notices
Adding Cleaning Instructions to Images
Chapter 12: Ten Features to Explore on a Rainy Day
Shooting a Time-Lapse Movie
Enabling Mirror Lockup
Exploring DPOF Printing
Adding Special Effects to Photos
Adding Effects During Shooting
Tagging Pictures for a Photo Book
Creating Video Snapshots
Trimming Movies
Presenting a Slide Show
Exploring Interval Timer Shooting
Appendix: Exploring Wireless Connections
Preparing the Camera
Connecting to a Computer
Connecting to a Smartphone or Tablet
Decoding the Wireless Symbols
About the Authors
Connect with Dummies
End User License Agreement
Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
Begin Reading
Pages
i
ii
v
vi
vii
viii
ix
1
2
3
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
341
342
Introduction
In 2003, Canon revolutionized the photography world by introducing the first digital SLR (dSLR) camera to sell for less than $1,000, the EOS Digital Rebel/300D. The camera delivered exceptional performance and picture quality, earning it rave reviews and multiple industry awards. No wonder it quickly became a best seller.
That tradition of excellence and value lives on in the EOS 77D. Like its predecessors, this baby offers advanced controls for experienced photographers as well as features to help beginners be successful from the get-go. Adding to the fun, the camera also offers high-definition video recording and built-in Wi-Fi for easy connections to your computer, smartphone, or tablet.
In fact, the 77D is so feature-packed that sorting out everything can be a challenge. For starters, you may not even know what SLR means, let alone have a clue about all the other terms you encounter in your camera manual — resolution, aperture, and ISO, for example. If you’re like many people, you may be so overwhelmed by all the camera controls that you haven’t yet ventured beyond fully automatic picture-taking mode. That’s a shame because it’s sort of like buying a Porsche Turbo and never pushing it past 35 miles per hour.
About This Book
In this book, you discover not only what each bell and whistle on your camera does but also when, where, why, and how to put it to best use. Unlike many photography books, this one doesn’t require any previous knowledge of photography or digital imaging. Everything is explained in easy-to-understand language, with lots of illustrations to help clear up any confusion.
In short, what you have in your hands is the paperback version of a photography workshop tailored specifically to your camera. Whether your interests lie in taking family photos, exploring nature and travel photography, or snapping product shots for your business, you’ll get the help you need to capture the images you envision.
Within this book, you may note that some web addresses break across two lines of text. If you’re reading this book in print and want to visit one of these web pages, simply key in the web address exactly as it’s noted in the text, pretending as though the line break doesn’t exist. If you’re reading this as an e-book, you’ve got it easy — just click the web address to be taken directly to the web page.
Additionally, replicas of some of your camera’s buttons and onscreen graphics appear throughout the book to help you locate the button or setting being discussed.
Foolish Assumptions
We don’t assume much about you, the reader, but we do assume the following:
You either have or are planning to acquire a Canon EOS 77D camera.
You want to learn about the camera’s features and how to use them.
You would like to deepen your knowledge of photography so that you can take better still photos and movies with the 77D.
Icons Used in This Book
If this isn’t your first For Dummies book, you may be familiar with the large round icons that decorate its margins. If not, here’s your very own icon-decoder ring:
A Tip icon flags information that saves you time, effort, money, or another valuable resource, including your sanity.
When you see this icon, look alive. It indicates a potential danger zone that can result in much wailing and teeth-gnashing if it’s ignored.
Lots of information in this book is of a technical nature — digital photography is a technical animal, after all. But if we present a detail that’s useful mainly for impressing your geeky friends, we mark it with this icon.
This icon highlights information that’s especially worth storing in your brain’s long-term memory or to remind you of a fact that may have been displaced from that memory by another pressing fact.
Beyond the Book
In addition to the material in the print or e-book you’re reading right now, this product also comes with some access-anywhere goodies on the web. Check out the free Cheat Sheet for a handy reference to your camera’s buttons, controls, and exposure modes. To get this Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and type Canon EOS 77D For Dummies Cheat Sheet in the Search box.
Where to Go from Here
To wrap up this preamble, we want to stress that if you initially think that digital photography is too confusing or too technical for you, you’re in good company. Everyone finds this stuff mind-boggling at first. Take it slowly, trying just one or two new camera settings or techniques each time you pick up your camera. With time, patience, and practice, you’ll soon wield your camera like a pro, dialing in the necessary settings to capture your creative vision almost instinctively.
So, without further ado, we invite you to grab your camera and a cup of whatever it is you prefer to sip while you read and start exploring the rest of this book. Your EOS 77D is the perfect partner for your photographic journey, and we thank you for allowing us, through this book, to serve as your tour guides.
Part 1
Fast Track to Super Snaps
IN THIS PART …
Familiarize yourself with the basics of using your camera, from attaching lenses to navigating menus.
Select the right exposure mode, shutter-release mode, picture aspect ratio, and image quality.
Discover options available for flash photography.
Enjoy the simplicity of shooting in Basic Zone exposure modes, including Scene Intelligent Auto.
Chapter 1
Getting Up and Running
IN THIS CHAPTER
Preparing the camera for its first outing
Getting acquainted with camera features
Viewing and adjusting camera settings
Setting a few basic preferences
If you’re like many people, shooting for the first time with a single-lens reflex (SLR) camera produces a blend of excitement and anxiety. On the one hand, you can’t wait to start using your new equipment, but on the other, you’re a little intimidated by all its buttons, dials, and menu options.
Well, fear not: This chapter provides the information you need to start getting comfortable with your Canon EOS 77D. The first section walks you through initial camera setup. Following that, you get an overview of camera controls, discover how to view and adjust camera settings, work with lenses and memory cards, and get advice on some basic setup options.
Preparing the Camera for Initial Use
After unpacking your camera, you have to assemble a few parts. In addition to the camera body and the supplied battery (charge it before the first use), you need a lens and a memory card. Later sections in this chapter provide details about lenses and memory cards, but here’s the short story:
Lens:
Your camera accepts Canon EF and EF-S lenses; the 18–55mm or 18–135mm kit lenses sold as a bundle with the camera body falls into the EF-S category. If you want to buy a non-Canon lens, check the lens manufacturer’s website to find out which lenses work with your camera.
SD, SDHC, or SDXC memory card:
The SD stands for
Secure Digital;
the HC and XC stand for
High Capacity
and
eXtended Capacity.
The different labels reflect how many gigabytes (GB) of data the card holds. SD cards hold less than 4GB; SDHC, 4GB to 32GB; and SDXC, more than 32GB.
With camera, lens, battery, and card within reach, take these steps:
Turn the camera off.
Attach a lens.
First, remove the caps that cover the front of the camera and the back of the lens. Then locate the proper mounting index, which is a mark on the camera’s lens mount that indicates how to align the lens with the camera body. Your camera has two of these markers, one red and one white, as shown in Figure 1-1. Which marker you use depends on the lens type:
Canon EF-S lens:
The white square is the mounting index.
Canon EF lens:
The red dot is the mounting index.
Your lens also has a mounting index; align that mark with the matching one on the camera body, as shown in Figure 1-1. Place the lens on the camera mount and rotate the lens toward the side of the camera that sports the white EOS logo (or, to put it another way, away from the shutter-button side of the camera). You should feel a solid click as the lens locks into place.
Insert the battery.
The battery compartment is on the bottom of the camera. When inserting the battery, hold it with the contacts down and the Canon imprint facing out (toward the side of the camera with the memory card cover). Gently push the battery in until the gray lock clicks into place.
Insert a memory card.
Open the memory card door and orient the card so that the notched corner is on top and the label faces the back of the camera, as shown in Figure 1-2. Push the card gently into the slot and close the card door.
The memory-card access light (refer to Figure 1-2) blinks for few seconds to let you know that the camera recognizes the card. (The light appears even when the camera is turned off.)
Rotate the monitor to the desired viewing position.
When you first take the camera out of its box, the monitor is positioned with the screen facing inward, protecting it from scratches and smudges. Gently lift the right side of the monitor up and away from the camera back. You can then rotate the monitor to move it into the traditional position on the camera back, as shown on the left in Figure 1-3, or swing the monitor out to get a different viewing angle, as shown on the right.
Move the On/Off switch to the On position.
Okay, that’s an odd way to say “Turn on the camera,” right? Agreed, but there’s good reason for it: This particular On/Off switch, shown in Figure 1-4, has three positions. When you rotate the switch to On, the camera comes to life and is ready to take still photos. When you move the switch one step further, to the movie camera symbol, the camera turns on and then sets itself to Movie mode. You can’t take a still photograph in Movie mode; it’s only good for recording video.
It’s easy to accidentally move the On/Off switch all the way to the Movie mode setting when you really want to take regular photos, so pay attention when turning the camera on until you get used to this arrangement. (One clue that you’ve rotated the switch too far is that the camera automatically engages Live View, which disables the viewfinder and presents a live preview of your subject on the camera monitor.)
Set the language, time zone, and date.
When you power up the camera for the first time, the monitor displays a screen asking you to set the date, time, and time zone. The easiest way to adjust these settings is to use the touch screen, which is enabled by default. Just tap an option to select it and then tap the up/down arrows at the bottom of the screen to set the value for that option. Finally, tap OK to exit the screen.
You also can adjust settings by using the Set button and the four Quick Control keys surrounding it (these controls live just to the right of the monitor). Press the left/right keys to highlight a setting, press Set to activate the option, press the up/down keys to change the value, and press Set again to finalize the change.
The date/time information is included as metadata (hidden data) in the picture file. You can view metadata in some playback display modes (see Chapter 9) and in certain photo programs, including Canon Digital Photo Professional (see Chapter 10).
Adjust the viewfinder to your eyesight.
This step is critical; if you don’t set the viewfinder to your eyesight, subjects that appear out of focus in the viewfinder might actually be in focus, and vice versa. If you wear glasses while shooting, adjust the viewfinder with your glasses on.
You control viewfinder focus through the dial labeled in Figure 1-5. (In official lingo, it’s called the diopter adjustment dial.) After taking off the lens cap, follow these steps:
Look through the viewfinder, press the shutter button halfway, and then release it.
In dim lighting, the built-in flash may pop up; ignore it for now and concentrate on the lines that appear in the center of the frame and the row of data displayed at the bottom of the frame.
Rotate the adjustment dial until the viewfinder markings and data appear sharpest.
Ignore the scene you see through the lens; that won’t change because you’re not actually focusing the camera. If the markings turn off before you finish making your adjustments, give the shutter button another quick half-press and release to redisplay them.
Can’t get the display sharp enough? You may need an adapter that enables further adjustment of the viewfinder. Look for an E-series dioptric adjustment lens adapter.
If necessary, close the flash unit.
Select an exposure mode by pressing and holding the lock-release button and rotating the Mode dial (refer to Figure1-4).
The exposure mode determines how much control you have over various camera settings, as well as whether any special effects are applied. Chapter 2 explains the various exposure modes. For easiest operation, set the dial to Scene Intelligent Auto, as shown Figure 1-4. Be aware, though, that some camera features are available only in the four advanced shooting modes: P, Tv, Av, and M. The lock-release button is a handy feature that keeps you from accidentally turning the Mode dial when you aren’t intending to.
FIGURE 1-1: Align the mounting index on the lens with the one on the camera body.
FIGURE 1-2: Insert the memory card with the label facing the back of the camera.
FIGURE 1-3: Here are just two possible monitor positions.
FIGURE 1-4: Rotate the switch to On to shoot photographs; move the switch one step further to set the camera to Movie mode.
FIGURE 1-5: Use this dial to adjust the viewfinder focus to your eyesight.
That’s all there is to it — the camera is now ready to go. The rest of this chapter familiarizes you with other major camera features and explains such basics as how to navigate menus, use the touch screen, and view and adjust camera settings.
One more thing before you go: The official name for Canon’s fully automatic exposure mode is Scene Intelligent Auto because, in this mode, the camera’s brain analyzes the light and color information it picks up through the lens, consults an internal database to help it determine what type of scene you’re shooting, and then adjusts picture settings as it deems necessary. In other words, Scene Intelligent Auto mode is intelligent enough to set up the camera to best capture the scene.
Exploring External Camera Features
Scattered across your camera’s exterior are numerous features that you use to change picture-taking settings, review your photos, and perform various other operations. Later chapters explain how and when to use these tools; the following sections provide just a basic “What’s this thing do?” introduction to them. (Don’t worry about memorizing the button names; throughout the book, figures and margin symbols tell you exactly which button or switch to use.)
Topside controls
Your virtual tour begins on the top of the camera, shown in Figure 1-6.
FIGURE 1-6: Here’s a guide to controls found on top of the camera.
Here are the items of note:
On/Off/Movie mode switch: As outlined in the preceding section, setting the switch to the movie-camera icon turns on the camera and sets it to Movie mode. Set the switch to On for still photography.
Even when the switch is in the On position, the camera automatically goes to sleep after a period of inactivity to save battery power. To wake the camera up, press the shutter button halfway and release it. See the section “Setup Menu 2” for help adjusting the timing of the automatic shutoff.
Mode dial with lock-release button:
Press and hold the lock-release button in the center of the Mode dial, and then rotate the dial to select an
exposure mode,
which determines whether the camera operates in fully automatic, semi-automatic, or manual exposure mode when you take still pictures.
Viewfinder adjustment dial:
Use this dial to adjust the viewfinder focus to your eyesight, as outlined in the preceding section.
Main dial: As its name implies, this dial is central to many camera functions, from scrolling through menus to changing certain shooting and playback settings.
On some camera screens, you see a symbol that resembles the top half of a dial that has notches around the edge. That’s designed to remind you that you use the Main dial to adjust the setting.
Red-Eye Reduction/Self-Timer Lamp:
When you set your flash to Red-Eye Reduction mode, this little lamp emits a brief burst of light prior to the real flash — the idea being that your subjects’ pupils will constrict in response to the light, thus lessening the chances of red-eye. If you use the camera’s self-timer feature, the lamp lights during the countdown period before the shutter is released. See
Chapter 2
for more details about Red-Eye Reduction flash mode and the self-timer function.
AF Area Selection button:
Press this button to access the AF Area Selection setting, which is related to autofocusing (see
Chapter 5
).
ISO button:
True to its name, this button displays a screen where you can adjust the ISO setting, which determines how sensitive the camera is to light.
Chapter 4
details this critical setting.
LCD panel illumination button:
This button illuminates the top LCD panel with an amber backlight.
Shutter button:
You no doubt already understand the function of this button, but you may not realize that when you use autofocus and autoexposure, you need to use a two-stage process when taking a picture: Press the shutter button halfway, pause to let the camera set focus and exposure, and then press down the rest of the way to capture the image. You’d be surprised how many people mess up their pictures because they press that button with one quick jab, denying the camera the time it needs to set focus and exposure.
Flash hot shoe:
This is the connection for attaching an external flash and other accessories such as flash adapters, bubble levels, flash brackets, off-camera flash cords, and the GP-E2 GPS Receiver.
Focal plane indicator: Should you need to know the exact distance between your subject and the camera, the focal plane indicator. This mark indicates the plane at which light coming through the lens is focused onto the camera’s image sensor. Basing your measurement on this mark produces a more accurate camera-to-subject distance than using the end of the lens or some other point on the camera body as your reference point.
Back-of-the-body controls
Traveling over the top of the camera to its back, you encounter the smorgasbord of controls shown in Figure 1-7.
FIGURE 1-7: Having lots of external buttons makes accessing the camera’s functions easier.
Some buttons have multiple “official” names because they serve multiple purposes depending on whether you’re taking pictures, reviewing images, recording a movie, or performing some other function. This book refers to these buttons by the first label you see in the following list (and in Figure 1-7) to simplify things. Again, though, the margin icons show you exactly which button you should press.
Starting at the top-right corner of the camera back and working westward (well, assuming that your lens is pointing north, anyway), here’s an introduction to the buttons and other controls on this side of the camera:
AF Point Selection/Magnify button:
In certain shooting modes, you press this button to specify which autofocus points or zones you want the camera to use when establishing focus. You can also use it in Live View or Movie mode to magnify the display to check focus (see
Chapter 5
). In Playback mode (see
Chapter 9
), you use this button to magnify the image display (thus, the plus sign in the button’s magnifying glass icon).
AE Lock/FE Lock/Index/Reduce button: During shooting, press this button to lock autoexposure (AE) settings (see Chapter 4) and to lock flash exposure (FE), a feature detailed in Chapter 2.
This button also serves two image-viewing functions: It switches the display to Index mode, enabling you to see multiple image thumbnails at once. And if you magnify a photo, pressing the button reduces the magnification level.
AF-ON button:
Just like pressing the shutter button halfway, pressing this button initiates autofocus. See
Chapter 5
for more information on focusing.
Live View/Movie button:
Press this button to shift to Live View mode, which enables you to compose your pictures using the monitor instead of the viewfinder. When shooting movies, press the button to start and stop recording. (You must first set the On/Off/Movie switch to the Movie position.)
Q (Quick Control) button:
Press this button to shift to Quick Control mode, which enables you to adjust major shooting settings quickly. See “
Using Quick Control Mode
,” later in this chapter, for help.
Wi-Fi button:
Pressing this button enables certain wireless communication features. See the
appendix
for an explanation of Wi-Fi operations.
Playback button:
Press this button to switch the camera into picture-review mode.
Memory card access light:
This light glows while the camera is recording data to the memory card. Don’t power off the camera while the light is lit, or you may damage the card or camera.
Set button and Quick Control keys: The Set button and the four-way directional pad with buttons, known as Quick Control keys, team up to perform several functions, including choosing options from the camera menus. You use the Quick Control keys to navigate through menus and then press the Set button to select a specific menu setting.
In this book, the instruction “Press the left Quick Control key” means to press the one to the left of the Set button; “press the right Quick Control key” means to press the one to the right of the Set button, and so on.
During viewfinder photography — that is, when you’re using the viewfinder and not the monitor to frame your shots — the Quick Control keys also have individual responsibilities, which are indicated by their labels:
Press the up key to change the White Balance setting.
The White Balance control, explained in
Chapter 6
, enables you to ensure that colors are rendered accurately.
Press the right key to adjust the AF Operation mode.
This option controls one aspect of the camera’s autofocus behavior, as outlined in
Chapter 5
.
Press the left key to change the Drive mode.
The Drive mode settings enable you to switch the camera from single-frame shooting to continuous capture or any of the other drive modes, including remote shooting. See
Chapter 2
for details.
Press the down key to change the Picture Style.
Chapter 6
explains Picture Styles, which you can use to adjust the color, contrast, and sharpness of your pictures.
For Live View and Movie shooting, the Quick Control keys perform different actions. See Chapter 5 for help.
Quick Control dial:
The Quick Control dial surrounds the Set button and the Quick Control keys. Rotating the dial offers a handy way to quickly scroll through options and settings. It’s a timesaver, so we point out when to use it as we provide instructions throughout the book.
Erase button:
Sporting a trash can icon, the universal symbol for delete, this button lets you erase pictures from your memory card during playback.
Chapter 9
has specifics.
Multi Function Lock switch:
You can rotate this switch up, in the direction of the arrow, to lock the Quick Control dial so that you don’t accidentally move the dial and change a camera setting that you aren’t intending to modify. If you want an even larger safety net, you can set things up so that the switch also locks the Main dial and the touch screen (when shooting). The section “
Setup Menu 4
,” toward the end of this chapter, has details.
Display-off sensor:
This handy gizmo senses when you bring your eye up to the viewfinder and turns the LCD monitor off so that the glare from the display doesn’t bother you. When you pull your eye back, the LCD monitor comes back on.
Info button: In Live View, Movie, and Playback modes, pressing this button changes the picture-display style.
During viewfinder photography, you can press the Info button to toggle the display off or cycle between the Quick Control screen and electronic level. (These displays are explained later in this chapter.)
Menu button:
Press this button to display camera menus; press a second time to exit the menus. See the upcoming section “
Ordering from Camera Menus
” for help navigating menus.
And the rest …
The remaining external features of note are shown in Figure 1-8 and described in the following list.
FIGURE 1-8: Other important controls reside on the front and left side of the camera.
Wireless remote-control sensor: This sensor can pick up the signal from the optional Canon wireless remote-control unit. The part number is Canon RC-6, and sells for about $20.
You also have two other wireless remote-control options: If you have a smartphone or tablet that can run the Canon Connect app, you can use that device as a wireless remote. The appendix provides more information. Alternatively, you can buy the Canon Wireless Remote Control BR-E1 (about $50), which connects to your camera via Bluetooth, also detailed in the appendix. We bring them up now because unlike the RC-6 unit, these two tools don’t need to be aimed at the camera’s remote-control sensor to work.
Lens-release button:
Press this button to disengage the lens from the lens mount so that you can remove it from the camera. While pressing the button, rotate the lens toward the shutter-button side of the camera to dismount the lens.
Flash button:
Press this button to raise the built-in flash in the advanced exposure modes (P, Tv, Av, and M).
Microphone:
You can record movie audio via the built-in microphone, which picks up sound from the two clusters of holes, one of which is labeled Microphone in
Figure 1-8
.
Depth-of-Field Preview button:
When you press this button, the image in the viewfinder (or, in Live View mode, on the monitor) offers an approximation of the depth of field that will result from your selected aperture setting, or f-stop.
Depth of field
refers to the distance over which the scene appears to be in focus.
Chapter 5
provides details.
Speaker:
When you play a movie that contains audio, the sound comes wafting through these little holes.
Connection ports: Hidden under two covers on the left side of the camera, you find inputs for connecting the camera to various devices. Open the smaller cover to access the connections for a wired remote control or external microphone. Under the larger door, you find a digital terminal for connecting the camera to your computer via USB and an HDMI out port that sends the signal from your camera to an HDMI TV. To use either feature, you need to purchase a cable to make the connection. For USB downloading, check the Canon website for the cables that will do the trick. For HDMI output, you can use any HD cable that has a Type-C connection on one end (the end that goes into the camera).
See Chapter 8 for help with displaying images on an HD television; Chapter 9 explains how to connect the camera via USB in order to download pictures to your computer. (Spoiler alert: Downloading via USB is probably not your cheapest or easiest option; instead, consider using a memory-card reader or taking advantage of wireless transfer.)
If you turn the camera over, you find a tripod socket, which enables you to mount the camera on a tripod that uses a ¼-inch screw, plus the chamber that holds the battery, as well as a connection port for attaching a Canon power adapter. See the camera manual for specifics on running the camera on AC power.
Changing from Standard to Guided Display Mode
By default, your camera is set to Standard Display Mode. Alternatively, you can set the camera to provide information to you in a Guided Display Mode. In this mode, designed for novices, camera screens are simplified and offer explanations and feedback when you adjust certain settings.
For example, the left side of Figure 1-9 shows the display when Tv exposure mode (shutter-priority auto-exposure) is selected. Likewise, the right side shows the guided menu with the Shooting settings menu selected.
FIGURE 1-9: In Guided Display and Menu modes, the camera offers simplified details about the feature you’re currently using.
Guided mode is fine for users who need more of a helping hand than the standard screens provide. But assuming that you bought this book because you want to learn more about your camera and master the ins and outs of photography, you don’t fall into that category. Standard mode is a better choice, for several reasons:
Although the Guided screens make understanding some options easier, in many cases, they can be just as baffling as the Standard screens.
The Guided screens often focus on one particular aspect of a camera setting without explaining how that setting affects other characteristics of your picture. When you change the shutter speed, for example, the camera has to make adjustments to one or two other critical settings — aperture and/or ISO — in order to properly expose the picture. Those settings, detailed along with shutter speed in
Chapter 4
, have their own impact on the look of your picture.
Standard mode also saves you some steps as you make certain camera adjustments.
The Guided screens limit your access to many shooting settings. In addition, when you use Guided mode, you can’t access the My Menu feature, which enables you to create a custom menu that contains the menu options you use most.
Most other Canon dSLRs don’t offer Guided mode, so if you’re moving to the 77D from a previous Canon model that used standard displays, using Guided mode requires you to do unnecessary retraining. If you step up to a more advanced Canon model in the future, you also likely won’t have the option to use Guided mode.
For these reasons, figures and instructions from this point forward relate to using the camera in the Standard mode instead of Guided mode.
If you want to experiment, navigate to the Display Level menu and play around with different settings. The Shooting screen and Menu display are set to Standard by default, as shown on the left in Figure 1-10. The Mode and Feature guides are enabled by default, as shown in the figure. To change settings, select the setting you want to change, tap OK or press the Set button, and then highlight a new option, as shown on the right in Figure 1-10. Tap OK or press Set to make the change.
FIGURE 1-10: Choose the Display Mode Settings menu tab to turn the Guided mode features on or off.
We leave it up to you whether to disable these features. After you’re familiar with the various exposure modes and camera settings, they simply slow you down, so we keep them off. But if you find them helpful, by all means leave them set to Enable. Just remember that instructions from here on out won’t mention them.
Ordering from Camera Menus
Although you can adjust some settings by using external controls, you access the majority of options via camera menus. The next section provides the basics you need to know to navigate menus and select menu options. Following that, you can find out how to deal with a special category of menu screens, the Custom Functions.
Again, figures from this point forward show menus as they appear in Standard mode. See the preceding section if you need help switching from Guided to Standard menu display.
Mastering menu basics
Here’s how to display menus and adjust the options on those menus:
Opening and closing menus:
Press the Menu button to display the menus; press again to exit the menu system and return to shooting. You also can just press the shutter button halfway and release it to exit to shooting mode.
Understanding menu screens: Which menus and menu screens appear depends on the exposure mode, which you set by rotating the Mode dial on top of the camera. Things also change when you switch from still photography to Movie mode, which you accomplish by rotating the On/Off switch to the movie-camera symbol. Figure 1-11 shows a menu screen as it appears for normal photography in the advanced exposure modes (P, Tv, Av, and M).
However, the following menu elements are common to all exposure modes:
Menu icons:
Along the top of the screen, you see icons representing individual menus. In the advanced exposure modes, you get the five menus labeled in
Figure 1-11
: Shooting, Playback, Setup, Display Level Settings, and My Menu. The My Menu feature, which enables you to build a custom menu, isn’t available in other exposure modes.
Menu page numbers: Some menus are multi-page (sometimes called tabs) affairs. The numbers under the menu icons represent the various pages of the current menu.
This book takes the same approach to page references as the Canon instruction manual: Shooting Menu 1 refers to page one of the Shooting menu, Shooting Menu 2 to page 2, and so on. How many pages appear for each menu depends, again, on the exposure mode and whether the camera is set to still photography or Movie mode.
The highlighted menu icon marks the active menu; options on that menu appear automatically on the main part of the screen. In Figure 1-11, Shooting Menu 1 is active, for example.
Selecting a menu or menu page: You have these options:
Touch screen:
Tap the menu icon to select that menu; tap a page number to display that page.
Quick Control keys or Main dial:
Press the right or left cross keys or rotate the Main dial to scroll through the menu icons. If you use this technique, you have to scroll through all pages of a menu to get to the neighboring menu.
Q button:
Press the Q button to cycle through menu icons.
As you scroll through the menus, notice the color coding: Red for the Shooting menu, blue for the Playback menu; orangey-yellow (ochre?) for the Setup menu, teal for Display Level Settings; and green for My Menu.
Select and adjust a menu setting: Again, you have a choice of techniques:
Touch screen:
Tap the menu item to display options for that setting. The current setting is highlighted; tap another setting to select it. On some screens, you see a Set icon; if it appears, tap that icon to lock in your selection and exit the settings screen.
Quick Control dial, Quick Control keys, and Set button:
Rotate the Quick Control dial or press the up or down Quick Control keys to highlight the menu setting and then press the Set button to display the available options for that setting. In most cases, you then use the Quick Control dial to highlight the desired option and press Set again. If you prefer, use the cross keys to highlight your preferred setting before pressing the Set button.
You can mix and match techniques, by the way: For example, even if you access a menu option via the control keys, you can use the touch-screen techniques to select a setting.
FIGURE 1-11: You can access all menus only when the Mode dial is set to P, Tv, Av, or M.
Instructions from this point forward assume that you don’t need to be told the specifics of how to select menus and menu options at every turn. So instead of stepping you through each button press or touch-screen tap required to adjust a setting, instructions simply say something like “Choose Image Quality from Shooting Menu 1.” If choosing a menu option involves any special steps, however, instructions offer guidance.
Navigating Custom Functions
Custom Functions are a group of advanced settings available only in the P, Tv, Av, and M exposure modes. (Remember: You set the exposure mode via the Mode dial on top of the camera.)
To explore Custom Functions, choose that item from Setup Menu 4, as shown on the left in Figure 1-12. You then see the options screen for a specific Custom Function, as shown on the right in the figure. Here’s a guide to using the Custom Function screens, which work a little differently from other menu screens:
Interpreting the screens:
The Custom Functions screens are a little intimidating until you know what’s what:
Custom Functions are grouped into four categories: Exposure, Image, Autofocus/Drive, and Operation/Others.
The category number and name appear in the upper-left corner of the screen. In
Figure 1-12
, for example, the label indicates that you’re looking at a screen from the Autofocus/Drive category. (C.Fn III refers to Custom Functions group three.)
The number of the selected function appears in the upper-right corner.
Custom Function 9 is shown in
Figure 1-12
.
Settings for the current function appear in the middle of the screen.
Blue text indicates the current setting. The default setting is represented by the number 0. So in
Figure 1-12
, Auto is selected and is the default setting.
Numbers at the bottom of the screen show you the current setting for all Custom Functions. The top row of numbers represents the Custom Functions, with the currently selected function indicated with a tiny horizontal bar over the number (9, in the figure). The lower row shows the number of the current setting for each Custom Function; again, 0 represents the default.
For Custom Function 11, you instead see a dash, which is Canon’s way of letting you know that this menu option controls more than one camera setting (thus, there isn’t one single default setting).
Scrolling from one Custom Function to the next:
Use the Quick Control dial or press the left or right Quick Control keys or tap the left or right scroll arrows at the top of the screen. You can see the arrows in the right screen in
Figure 1-12
.
Changing the setting: You first must activate the menu by pressing the Set button or tapping one of the available setting options. The screen then changes to look similar to the one shown on the left in Figure 1-13, with the currently selected option highlighted. To select a different option, highlight it by tapping it or pressing the up or down cross keys.
To lock in your setting and deactivate the settings screen, tap the Set icon or press the Set button. The screen returns to its inactive state, as shown on the right in Figure 1-13, with the setting you selected appearing in blue and the row of digits at the bottom of the screen reflecting the number for that setting. Again, a blue number indicates that you chose a setting other than the default.
Exiting the Custom Functions submenu:
Tap the Menu icon in the lower-right corner of the screen) or press the Menu button. Press Menu again to exit the menu system entirely and return to shooting.
FIGURE 1-12: Choose Custom Functions from Setup Menu 4 to access additional customization options.
FIGURE 1-13: After you select a setting (left), the initial menu screen updates to reflect your choice (right).
Customizing the Touch Screen
Your camera’s touch screen works much like the ones found on smartphones and other touch-based devices. When the touch screen is enabled, as it is by default, you can simply touch the monitor to choose menu commands, change picture settings, scroll through your pictures, and more.
How you touch the screen depends on the task at hand. Here’s a rundown of the names assigned to various touch-screen moves, or gestures:
Tap:
Tap a finger on the monitor. (Figures and instructions throughout the book indicate exactly where to tap.)
Drag:
Using light pressure, drag your finger across the screen. On some menu screens, for example, you can drag up or down to scroll through a list of options.
Swipe:
Drag one or two fingers quickly across the screen. You use this gesture, known in some circles as a
flick,
to scroll through your pictures in Playback mode, just as you do when showing off your photos on a smartphone.
Pinch in/pinch out:
To pinch in, place your thumb at one edge of the screen and your pointer finger at the other. Then drag both toward the center of the screen. To pinch out, start in the center of the screen and swipe both fingers outward. Pinching is how you zoom in and out on pictures during playback.
You can customize two aspects of touch-screen behavior:
Adjust (or disable) the touch-screen response:
You can choose from three settings, accessed via the Touch Control option, found on Setup Menu 3 and shown in
Figure 1-14
. Standard is the default, setting the screen to respond to a “normal” amount of pressure. Don’t ask how the Powers That Be decided what that pressure level is — just know that if your normal pressure doesn’t evoke a response, you can change the setting from Standard to Sensitive. Choose Disable to make the touch screen totally inactive.
Silence the touch screen:
By default, the touch screen emits a tiny “boop” with every tap. If you find that annoying, choose the Beep option, found just beneath the Touch Control option on Setup Menu 3. The option that keeps the boop silent is Touch to Silence — silence indicated by a little speaker with a slash through it. The Disable setting turns off both touch-screen sounds and the beep the camera emits when focus is achieved.
FIGURE 1-14: Control the touch-screen response through this menu item.
CARING FOR THE CAMERA MONITOR
To keep the monitor in good working order, follow these precautions:
Don’t use force when adjusting the monitor position. Although the monitor assembly is sturdy, treat it with respect as you adjust the screen position. The monitor twists only in certain directions, and it’s easy to forget which way it’s supposed to move. So, if you feel resistance, don’t force things — you could break the monitor. Instead, rely on that feeling of resistance to remind you to turn the screen the other way.Use only your finger to perform touch-screen functions. Use the fleshy part of your fingertip, not the nail or any other sharp object, and be sure that your fingers are dry because the screen may not respond if it gets wet.Don’t apply a screen protector. Canon also advises against putting a protective cover over the monitor, such as the kind people adhere to their smartphones. Doing so can reduce the monitor’s responsiveness to your touch.Watch the crunch factor. Before positioning the monitor back into the camera (whether face in or face out), use a lens brush or soft cloth to clean the back of the camera where the monitor folds in so there’s nothing on it that could damage the monitor.Clean smart. To clean the screen, use only the special cloths and cleaning solutions made for this purpose. (You can find them in any camera store.) Do not use paper products such as paper towels because they can contain wood fibers that can scratch the monitor. And never use a can of compressed air to blow dust off the camera — the air is cold and can crack the monitor.Viewing Shooting Settings
Your camera offers several displays that present the current picture-taking settings. The next sections explain the displays that are available during viewfinder photography. See the later section “Switching to Live View Mode” for information about displaying similar data when you use Live View, the feature that enables you to compose photos on the monitor instead of through the viewfinder.
For still photography, you can use either the viewfinder or the Live View screen to compose your shots. But when you set the camera to Movie mode, you’re limited to Live View.
Displaying the Quick Control screen
Shown in Figure 1-15, the Quick Control screen appears on the monitor when the camera is in shooting mode — that is, when you’re not viewing menus, checking out your pictures in Playback mode, and so on. The screen displays different data depending on your exposure mode and whether features such as flash are enabled. The left side of Figure 1-15 shows the screen as it appears in Scene Intelligent Auto exposure mode; the right side, Tv mode (shutter-priority auto-exposure).
FIGURE 1-15: The data displayed on the Quick Control screen depends on your exposure mode.
Here are the keys to taking advantage of this screen:
Display and hide the Quick Control screen. By default, the screen appears automatically when you turn on the camera and then turns off if no camera operations are performed for 30 seconds. You can turn the display on again by pressing the shutter button halfway and then releasing it. To turn off the display before the automatic shutoff occurs, press the Info button (on the back of the camera, just below the power switch). Press the Info button twice to cycle back to the Quick Control screen.
You can adjust the timing of the automatic shutdown of this screen and others via the Auto Power Off option on Setup Menu 2. We provide the details near the end of this chapter, in the section devoted to that menu.
Keep an eye on the battery symbol and the shots remaining value.
A full battery like the one in the figure means that the battery is charged; as it runs out of power, bars disappear from the symbol. The shots remaining value indicates how many more pictures will fit in the free space available on your memory card. This value depends in large part on the Image Quality setting, which determines the resolution (pixel count) and file type (Raw or JPEG). If those terms are new to you, the next chapter explains them.
You can replace the Quick Control screen with an electronic level by pressing the Info button.
This feature is useful when you use a tripod and want to ensure that the camera is level to the horizon. When the horizontal line appears green, as shown in
Figure 1-16
, you’re good to go. Press Info again to return to the Quick Control screen. You can enable or disable the level and Quick Control screen from Setup Menu 3, as described in the Setup Menu 3 section later in this chapter.
FIGURE 1-16: Press the Info button to toggle between the Quick Control display and an electronic level.
Decoding viewfinder data
A limited assortment of shooting data, such as the shutter speed and f-stop, appears at the bottom of the viewfinder, as shown in Figure 1-17. In the framing area of the viewfinder, you may see marks that indicate the portion of the screen that contains autofocusing points. (The appearance of the autofocus markings depend on your autofocus settings, which you can explore in Chapter 5.) In the first screen in the figure, the four black brackets represent the autofocusing area.
FIGURE 1-17: The default viewfinder display (left) can be customized to include a grid, electronic level, and flicker warning (right).
In the following sections, we walk you through how to display and customize the viewfinder.
Displaying viewfinder data
The markings in the framing area of the viewfinder appear automatically when you first turn on the camera; to display the shooting data, you must press the shutter button halfway. The display remains active for a few seconds after you release the button, and then the viewfinder display data shuts off to save battery power. To wake up the display, press the shutter button halfway and release it.
Adding a level and gridlines to the display
You can display gridlines in the viewfinder, as shown on the right in Figure 1-17, as well as a symbol that represents the electronic level. (When the lines at the sides of the symbol are horizontal, as in the figure, the camera is level.)
To hide or display these features, open Setup Menu 2 and choose Viewfinder Display. On the next screen, change the settings from Hide to Show. As you select each option, a preview appears at the bottom of the screen to remind you how enabling the feature affects the display.
