Newbie - need help with lens setting

Lesley Bray

Hello - I am new to photography and need answers to very basic questions.
I have a new lens - canon EFS 17-85mm.
I understand that when I take a photo I need to set the aperture - I use Aperture Priority.
What setting do I use on my lens?
There is a window on my lens that ranges from Macro to Infinity - and a ring where you zoom in and out - I understand the zooming ring.
I don't understand the window with the measurements in it.
Is this window used to calculate the distance I am from the subject I am focussing on? My last lens didn't have a window on it.
My lens is F4-5.6 - does this mean I can only use the setting 4.0, 4.5, 5.0 & 5.6 with this lens?
I have been to photography class but it went over my head.
Thank you in advance
Lesley

Art Scott

HippiefromOz wrote:

Hello - I am new to photography and need answers to very basic questions.
I have a new lens - canon EFS 17-85mm.
I understand that when I take a photo I need to set the aperture - I use Aperture Priority.
What setting do I use on my lens?

I believe your settings are done in camera, not on the lens




There is a window on my lens that ranges from Macro to Infinity - and a ring where you zoom in and out - I understand the zooming ring.
I don't understand the window with the measurements in it.

I beliieve this is to show the distance you are focused at: nothing more.....my lenses have distnce lines

Is this window used to calculate the distance I am from the subject I am focussing on? My last lens didn't have a window on it.

I think so...........



My lens is F4-5.6 - does this mean I can only use the setting 4.0, 4.5, 5.0 & 5.6 with this lens?

This designates the widest, largest aperture possible with this lens: at 17mm then you can shoot at f4......at 85mm the largest aperture possible is f5.6.......the largest aperture is also the relates to the smallest number......the smallest aperture on your lens is probably either f22 or 32(f22 being the norm)......as the numbers get larger for apertures the opening in the lens gets smaller, as the numbers get smaller the opening gets larger.



I have been to photography class but it went over my head.
Thank you in advance
Lesley

a lot of presenters are not good teachers.......he/she should have a really good idea of what stage of development their students are so everyone gets the best benefit of the class.....Especially if it is a paid for class.

One last tidbit of advice...............spend sometime reading your camera & lens manuals, I have been doing photography for over 20yrs and I still have to read manuals on new equipment to know what it will do for me.

Good Luck

Richard

HippiefromOz wrote:

Hello - I am new to photography and need answers to very basic questions.
I have a new lens - canon EFS 17-85mm.
I understand that when I take a photo I need to set the aperture - I use Aperture Priority.
What setting do I use on my lens?
There is a window on my lens that ranges from Macro to Infinity - and a ring where you zoom in and out - I understand the zooming ring.
I don't understand the window with the measurements in it.
Is this window used to calculate the distance I am from the subject I am focussing on? My last lens didn't have a window on it.
My lens is F4-5.6 - does this mean I can only use the setting 4.0, 4.5, 5.0 & 5.6 with this lens?
I have been to photography class but it went over my head.
Thank you in advance
Lesley

The window you see is the focal distance. Most of the time, you will probably be using the camera's auto-focus, so you can just ignore that for now. When you shoot, the camera will automatically set the lens to the focal distance to the subject.

The f/ stops are the widest apertures (smallest number) that your lens will allow, f/4 when you are zoomed out to 17mm to f/5.6 at 85mm. Your camera will know the maximum aperture, so you don't really have to think about what the current zoom length is. You can always set a narrower aperture if you want by shooting in manual or aperture priority mode.

Hope this helps.

Lesley Bray

Thank you
Thanks - I got it !!

leaforte

This (EF-S 17-85) was my first lens, and I still use it most of the time. Art Scotts advice to 'read the manual' is the best advice I've glommed (SP?) from these forums. I shoot with a 20D, and went to the Canon site, downloaded the PDF for my camera, and set it up in an easy to read binder. Though I don't refer to it as much today (but still do once in awhile), I did open it several times a day after I first put it together. And the large print, bound, edition, made refering to it so much easier for my semi-old eyes, than the little pocket size manual that came in the box. I am sure Canon also has a PDF for this lens. Install it in your camera binder, in the opposite direction, so all you have to do is flip it over and switch back and forth from camera to lens.

Lesley Bray

Thank you - I will take your advice and make a binder - is a great idea - will download from Canon site also.
Lesley