Canon Community

cjcampbellphoto · ‎10-19-2019

Hi Canon Community,

I'm an amateur photographer looking to improve my skills and I'm struggling in low light situations. I recently took some photos of my friends using a Canon 7D (the oldest model) and an EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM with the settings of:
ISO250 at 100mm f/4.5 and 1/125 sec. The picture shows up with a TON of grain and I'm confused. The ISO isn't that high at all. I bumped up the exposure by +2 in Lightroom just to show how much grain is in the photo:

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Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Best,

CJ

cjcampbellphoto · ‎10-23-2019

This is very interesting! As a beginner photography, my lens inventory is very limited as I own a few, cheap lenses. I was actually testing out my friend's lens during this shot so I can see how I didn't know which lens would be best, only that I was trying something new I had never used before. I think it will help me to do some more research into lens types and learn which ones are best for certain situations.

ebiggs1 · ‎10-23-2019

"I'm unfamiliar with the terms AEC and ETTL."

Some of the guys here seem to always advise advanced settings for folks that are true beginners. They do them no service. You know it is best to learn to walk before you try to run. You do not need any extras or any special setting to make a snapshot like the one you posted. A better choice of lens and a simple "P" mode on the camera would do a good job.

There are lots of places where you can learn AEC and ETTL like youtube or photo how-to books, photo courses, etc.

What is bracketing??

Is where you take several usually 3 shots all with a slightly different exposure. Then you choose the best exposure or even stack them in post.

EB
EOS 1D, EOS 1D MK IIn, EOS 1D MK III, EOS 1Ds MK III, EOS 1D MK IV and EOS 1DX and many lenses.

jrhoffman75 · ‎10-23-2019

@ebiggs1 wrote:
"I'm unfamiliar with the terms AEC and ETTL."

Some of the guys here seem to always advise advanced settings for folks that are true beginners. They do them no service. You know it is best to learn to walk before you try to run. You do not need any extras or any special setting to make a snapshot like the one you posted. A better choice of lens and a simple "P" mode on the camera would do a good job.

There are lots of places where you can learn AEC and ETTL like youtube or photo how-to books, photo courses, etc.

What is bracketing??

Is where you take several usually 3 shots all with a slightly different exposure. Then you choose the best exposure or even stack them in post.

Agree completely. As stated above -

"To me there is no obvious reason why the camera shouldn't give you a proper exposure in Program AE in that setting."

ETTL is a flash feature - OP never indicated he was using flash.

Not familiar with AEC. There is EC (Exposure Compensation) and AEB (Automatic Exposure Bracketing).

John Hoffman
Conway, NH

1D X Mark III, M200, Many lenses, Pixma PRO-100, Pixma TR8620a, Lr Classic

kvbarkley · ‎10-23-2019

Bracketing is taking multiple exposures at different settings around what you think is correct. That way you are more likely to get a correct exposure.

You don't need a light meter*. The one in the camera should do fine - you can even set it for spot readings.

*Unless you need it for flash photography, but that is a whole nother kettle of fish.

Waddizzle · ‎10-23-2019

"ETTL is a flash feature - OP never indicated he was using flash."

ETTL = Expose To The Left.

I had really meant to say ETTR, Expose To The Right.

It is a description of how the histogram may look for a photo.

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Look at the top left corner.

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"Enjoying photography since 1972."

RobertTheFat · ‎10-23-2019

ould tell you that @Waddizzle wrote:
"ETTL is a flash feature - OP never indicated he was using flash."

ETTL = Expose To The Left.

Huh?? I'm pretty sure that Canon, who I believe invented the terminology, would tell you that it stands for "Enhanced Through-The-Lens" metering.

Bob
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA

Waddizzle · ‎10-24-2019

@RobertTheFat wrote:
ould tell you that @Waddizzle wrote:
"ETTL is a flash feature - OP never indicated he was using flash."

ETTL = Expose To The Left.
Huh?? I'm pretty sure that Canon, who I believe invented the terminology, would tell you that it stands for "Enhanced Through-The-Lens" metering.

I'm pretty sure that Canon uses E-TTL, not ETTL.

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"Enjoying photography since 1972."

cjcampbellphoto · ‎10-26-2019

Forgive me, as being a new photographer, a lot of this is a bit over my head!

I was shooting in manual mode. What is program shift?

cjcampbellphoto · ‎10-26-2019

Thank you so much! I'll definitely utilize YouTube University!

cjcampbellphoto · ‎10-26-2019

There was no flash involved in the taking of this photo

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