The next step up...?

[Wilshawlr]

Hello all! I am new to these boards and am starting to get more serious about photography.  I am incredibly stubborn and I try to learn everything on my own, which often leads to disappointment (haha).  I am turning a new leaf and I really want to invest time into learning this craft and not relying on the creative settings (I can't get enough of the monochrome), automode, and sports mode (becasue my nephew is 1 1/2 and can't sit still).  

I love my Canon EOS Rebel T5.  I bought the package deal thing last Christmas that included the 18-55mm lens (that eventually broke) and the 75-300mm lens.  I rarely use the 75-300mm lens unless I am shooting the moon.  I recently bought a  50mm fixed lens and I am absolutely in love with it.

I just have a few questions, if you all don't mind answering them?

My photos seem to look awesome when I play them back on my camera, and then I upload them to my Mac and then... not so awesome.  They are either grainy or just not as sharp as I want them.  I rarely use manual settings, so is there something that I am not doing correctly?  Perhaps a bit shaky?

Also, what camera do you think is the best for a step up from the T5?  I do eventually want to upgrade.  I don't mind staying with Canon, but will definitely be open to other suggestions.  Or should I stick with this one and just buy new lens, etc.?

Thank you for your time!  I uploaded photos to my gallery, but I will post photos here if you need me to.

[kvbarkley]

Are you shooting in L-fine mode?

i.e., the largest JPEG possible?

[Wilshawlr]

Oh god.  Yes.  That is the L with the fin, correct?  My amatuer is showing.  What setting would be best?

[Waddizzle]

Yes, post photos, and be sure to include the exposure settings for the shots, too.

Grainy photos are typically caused by high ISO values. With a T5, I do not recommend using any ISO values over 400.  Use ISO 100 as much as possible, although that is not always possible for most indoor shooting scenarios.  You will most likely need to use the flash for most indoor shots.  The built-in flash has very short "reach", around 10-12 feet or less, is best.

Photos that are evenly blurry throughout the entire photo are typically indicative of too slow a shutter speed and/or camera movement at the moment when the shutter activated.  Subject movement can cause blurriness, but this usually results in the background apparently having a different focus than the subject.

The best way to learn how to use the camera is to set it to "P" mode.  Enable the "Feature Guide" in the menus, which puts the camera into a sort of tutorial mode that explains the different settings as you scroll through them.

The best way to learn photography is learn the basics, starting with the "Exposure Triangle".  The Canon Digitial Learning Center is a good place to start. 

http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/home/home.shtml

http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2016/laura-morita-guide-to-amazing-photos.shtml 

http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/galleries/galleries/tutorials/eos101_cll.shtml

[Wilshawlr]

Here are three of my most recent photos:

(Shot in Sports Mode, ISO 100, 50 mm, f/2.8, 1/500.)

(Shot in Auto Mode without flash, ISO 100, 50 mm,  -1.33 ev, f/3.2, 1/1250.)

(I think I shot this in Creative mode, either that or auto mode without the flash, ISO 100, 50 mm, 1.33 ev, f/2.5, 1/200).

I am going out later today and will definitely play around with the "P" mode.  Thanks for the websites, as well.

[diverhank]

Your 3 pictures look gorgeous...I wouldn't change a thing...

Just out of curiosity - since I never shoot in auto mode I simply don't know - did the camera set the ev (1.33 ev) for you or did you set that yourself?  If you did yourself, you are almost at the pro-level...you don't need to learn from me, that's for sure.

All 3 of your photos were shot at ISO 100, which is the preferred ISO. Low f/value which was good for portrait and even the leaves...the camera did everything right, I guess.

By the way, is your 50mm a f/1.8 or f/1.4?

[ScottyP]

Your skin tones are a little blue in the attached photos. Are you using auto white balance?  You might try setting a balance from the menu ("cloudy" I would guess).  Nice shots though. 

White balance is one one of the main reasons to shoot RAW instead of Jpg; you have infinite latitude to fix it on a RAW, but on a JPG you can only adjust it a limited amount. 

[Wilshawlr]

"Your 3 pictures look gorgeous...I wouldn't change a thing...

Just out of curiosity - since I never shoot in auto mode I simply don't know - did the camera set the ev (1.33 ev) for you or did you set that yourself?  If you did yourself, you are almost at the pro-level...you don't need to learn from me, that's for sure.

All 3 of your photos were shot at ISO 100, which is the preferred ISO. Low f/value which was good for portrait and even the leaves...the camera did everything right, I guess.

By the way, is your 50mm a f/1.8 or f/1.4?"

Oh, thank you! The camera sets everything for me, luckily.  Though I should definitely be paying more attention and remembering the settings and stop relying on it as much.  And my 50mm is an f/1.8.

ScottyP, I was probably using the auto white balance.  I always forget you can go and change that balance in the setting, thank you SO much for that tip!  And thank you for the tip for the RAW vs. JPG.

[ScottyP]

Just remember shooting RAW you need post processing software and some practice using it. The base RAW files are very drab because they're not punched up by the camera like jpg's are. You must apply sharpening, contrast, saturation, etc, to a RAW image yourself in post. 

[kvbarkley]

Not really, iPhoto/Photos on the Mac make using RAW files pretty seamless. Assuming you have reasonable expectations - not a given on this forum - these programs let you use RAWs just like a JPEG except you have more latitude for adjustments.