Cannon T7i

[Barby64]

Ok so I do not know a thing about this camera other then it is going to be awesome 
but fo those of you who have had one , what are some basics and some tips to know about this camera 
THANK YOU EVERYONE  for your help with picking it out for me 
glad I went from just a T7 to a T7i 
look s like more features for me to play with 

[John_]

Great choice! My first advice to you id download the full manual from the Canon website and begin to read it, also search you tube for videos on the T7i. Learn to shoot in P mode then go from there. There is a lot to discover but that will get you started.

[Barby64]

My biggest question is how dows a person capture Christmas lights when it is dark out 
we have a Christmas Train that comes to our little ND town every year 
what is the best way to capture that 
you guys are awesome 
Thanks 

[Waddizzle]

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@Barby64 wrote:

My biggest question is how dows a person capture Christmas lights when it is dark out 
we have a Christmas Train that comes to our little ND town every year 
what is the best way to capture that 
you guys are awesome 
Thanks 

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No one can give a precise answer to that question for you.  Lighting conditions can vary widely, and the challenge to the photographer is figure out how to caputre the moment.  

In other words, it takes some understanding of basics of photography and DSLR cameras,  It is also going to take some practice with the camera.  It is also going to take lots of practice with the camera.  

Follow John's suggestion and use P mode.  Find material that teaches you about photography and DSLRs.  The two most crucial concepts to understand are " Exposre Triangle " and " Depth of Field ".  Those topics are discussed in the first series of videos at the following link..

https://community.usa.canon.com/t5/General-Camera-Discussion/Canon-YouTube-Video-Series/m-p/269237#M... 

Most people do not figure out their cameras until they hit 10,000 shots.  Most people never hit that mark.  But, most people begin to get the hang of it at around 1000 shots.  The road to 10,000 shots will be a bumpy one, but it will be rewarding if you persist and not give up.  

The 10,000 figure is not as formidable as it might sound.  If you take 100 shots per day for a week, that is 700 shots.  Most photographers find something to shoot to learn on.  It is usually outdoors, simply because it is easier to shoot on a bright sunny day.  Every photographer has had a subject that they used as a training ground, shooting it over and over.

Shooting under difficult low light conditions takes experience, and choosing the best lens for the job.  I would suggest the inexpensive EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM.  Notice the low number after the letter "f".  That is number is the aperture value.  The videos at the link explain what aperture means, and how it works.  It is basically like the iris in your eye.

[Barby64]

[kvbarkley]

Actually, I have found that straight P mode with evaluative metering does a pretty good job.

(The christmas tree shots were with my T3i, and they were all hand held)

[Waddizzle]

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@kvbarkley wrote:

Actually, I have found that straight P mode with evaluative metering does a pretty good job.

(The christmas tree shots were with my T3i, and they were all hand held)

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Nice shots!

Using P mode does work for a large number of shooting scenarios.  It is a semi-automatic mode, and you still need to be smart with making what adjustments that you are allowed to perform.   For example, you did not dial in ISO 100 for those shots, did you? 

[kvbarkley]

Nope, just point and shoot. Maybe I trust my camera too much. 8^). After looking at it, Mater's tree is overexposed a bit, and could have used about -1 of exposure compensation.

[ebiggs1]

Wow, 10,000 shots!  That's ridiculous as usual. Don't buy in to it. In my DSLR 101 classes we did perhaps 50 shots through the whole course and everybody left with a reasonable understanding of how their cameras work. You can learn most of what you need to know in a few minutes. Especially learn P mode.  It is no different than your old camera's P mode.  If it worked well for you with the old camera, the T7i will do better. 

"we have a Christmas Train that comes to our little ND town every year"

Does this train stop or will it be moving?  If it is moving it may be impossible to get a great shot but if it is still, no problem. Get yourself a tripod and just use P mode.  If it never stops you can still capture some creative shots even hand held. 

If the train is stopped (tripod) use a lower ISO number. If it is moving use a higher, perhaps much higher, ISO number. Where you shoot from will enter into the situation, too. The course of action is to shoot a few look at them. Look at the settings, too. Adjust what didn't work and keep what did. Remember even the best photographers never get every shot.

[ebiggs1]

You can get some interesting night shots just hand held.  These were at our annual light show.