5D MK2 Training.

oakfieldphotography.com · June 22, 2011

Is there a book or dvd out there that specialises in the Canon 5DMK2 or even an online training course that anyone can recommend?:scratch Something that dosent get too technical like the manual provided with the camera.

Regards
Patrick:D

Sam · June 23, 2011

Send me a round trip plane, or even a tramp steamer ticket and I will spend a week or two in Ireland and tutor you.

Sam

Sam · June 23, 2011

All cameras at the core are the same. They are designed to allow the photographer to adjust the camera settings to achieve a properly exposed image.

First the photographer needs to understands the concepts of adjusting aperture, shutter speeds, and ISO to achieve proper exposure. Then the camera's manual comes in to play detailing out what the various buttons and menu's do, outlining all the features available and how to achieve the setting necessary.

Sam

pathfinder · June 23, 2011

The 5DMK2 is a complex digital SLR, but like Same said, at its basic level, is it just a black box surrounding a light sensor, that allows you to adjust the aperture, shutter speed, and light sensitivity to capture images. I do not know a book devoted only to the 5DMKII, and if I did, I am not sure I would recommend it highly.

Much better, as Sam said so well, is learning to understand the controls available on most DSLRs to create and capture your imagery.

I can suggest a few books that I think are quite helpful

Tom Ang "Digital Photographers Handbook" which discusses cameras, digital photography in general, and imaging software. Modern photography does not stop once you have pressed the shutter, but now even more work begins to bring that capture to final glory.

Ton Ang "Digital Phootgraphy Master Class" which is a series of exercises that are a little more advanced that the first book. Both have excellent color and great photos to demonstrate what Mr Ang is discussing. He makes great shots look really easy too!!

John Hedgecoe has been writing introductory texts about photography for more than 30 years - I have one of his published in 1977. "John Hedgecoe's Introductory Photography Course" is a worthy addition to anyone interested in taking better photos. His book is a good example of why great shooters say great images come from the mind and the eye of the shooter, not from a fancy, or expensive camera.

If you just want something about Canon DSLRs, Christopher Grey's "Canon DSLR - The Ultimate Photographer's Guide" covers several Canon bodies, including the 5D, but NOT the 5DMKII. It is much more about the menus on the back of the Canon bodies, than on learning to see.

Understanding aperture, shutter speed and ISO are like knowing what the throttle, the brake and the steering wheel do. It is how you apply that knowledge that enables you to capture great images, or win races.

angevin1 · June 23, 2011

I remember answering you Patrick before when you were asking about setting up your 5DMK2 for video and, no offense Patrick, but you told me you never read manuals. The reason you probably never read them is probably because they are written so poorly. However I do have a beneficial suggestion:
Formulate a question and use your manual to find the answer. And do this only when you have a clear cut question that needs answering about the 5DMK2. Of course you can ask anything here, any time. And Folks such as Pathfinder and Sam know lots about Canon and creating photos. But sometimes your in the back-country or whatnot, and finding the answer right then and now can be helpful.

ISO/Shutter Speed/ Aperture: That is at the heart of every camera out there. Some cameras you cannot adjust all of those items, and those have programs within them to adjust for you. But if you'll learn those three items and how they relate, then seek answers about your camera from that manual, you'll be top notch in no time!

All this is Hugely reminiscent of my Garage days. I owned and operated a garage for 14 years. and Weekly it seems I'd have fellow mechanics calling me about cars that were giving them fits. I specialized in computer controls for cars. They always figured whatever was wrong had to be a computer or computer related item. 99 times out of a hundred it was something that had been there, since the days of Henry Ford.
They refused to look down the carburetor, or put a fuel gauge on the car, etc. They got caught up in the latest-greatest-Computer-controlled minutiae. I see your camera and it's manual much the same. Beneath that minutiae that I promise I HAVE NOT read (I have a 5DMk2 also!), lies Shutter Speed/ISO and Aperture.

oakfieldphotography.com · June 23, 2011

Sam wrote: »

Send me a round trip plane, or even a tramp steamer ticket and I will spend a week or two in Ireland and tutor you.

Sam

Hi Sam
Hope all is well with you and if my numbers come up in the Euro Lottery which stands at €120,000,000. at the moment you can be sure i will be looking for your address to send the first class airline tickets to your door.:D

oakfieldphotography.com · June 23, 2011

angevin1 wrote: »

I remember answering you Patrick before when you were asking about setting up your 5DMK2 for video and, no offense Patrick, but you told me you never read manuals. The reason you probably never read them is probably because they are written so poorly. However I do have a beneficial suggestion:
Formulate a question and use your manual to find the answer. And do this only when you have a clear cut question that needs answering about the 5DMK2. Of course you can ask anything here, any time. And Folks such as Pathfinder and Sam know lots about Canon and creating photos. But sometimes your in the back-country or whatnot, and finding the answer right then and now can be helpful.

ISO/Shutter Speed/ Aperture: That is at the heart of every camera out there. Some cameras you cannot adjust all of those items, and those have programs within them to adjust for you. But if you'll learn those three items and how they relate, then seek answers about your camera from that manual, you'll be top notch in no time!

All this is Hugely reminiscent of my Garage days. I owned and operated a garage for 14 years. and Weekly it seems I'd have fellow mechanics calling me about cars that were giving them fits. I specialized in computer controls for cars. They always figured whatever was wrong had to be a computer or computer related item. 99 times out of a hundred it was something that had been there, since the days of Henry Ford.
They refused to look down the carburetor, or put a fuel gauge on the car, etc. They got caught up in the latest-greatest-Computer-controlled minutiae. I see your camera and it's manual much the same. Beneath that minutiae that I promise I HAVE NOT read (I have a 5DMk2 also!), lies Shutter Speed/ISO and Aperture.

You are correct and i will do as you all have said. it might be the hard road but definatly benificial in the long run. I have a 2 day shoot ahead of me this weekend, so with 90 miles of irish countryside in front of 148 vintage and classic cars this learning curve is going to be steep. I am getting fed up of shooting in programme mode with my nifty fifty. Will do some reading tonight from what ever i can find online and show you all what i came up with in the middle of next week. Any of you lads come across a good intutive website that is easy to understand?

Pat:D

angevin1 · June 23, 2011

oakfieldphotography.com wrote: »

You are correct and i will do as you all have said. it might be the hard road but definatly benificial in the long run. I have a 2 day shoot ahead of me this weekend, so with 90 miles of irish countryside in front of 148 vintage and classic cars this learning curve is going to be steep. I am getting fed up of shooting in programme mode with my nifty fifty. Will do some reading tonight from what ever i can find online and show you all what i came up with in the middle of next week. Any of you lads come across a good intutive website that is easy to understand?

Pat:D

Good for you! I found nothing intuitive about ISO/Aperture/Shutter Speed. However I found nothing hard about it...mostly because it is three items versus a book full! yes, please share how this goes for you!

divamum · June 23, 2011

Patrick, have a look at this thread - I think you may find it addresses some of the same questions you have, even though it's not directly about the 5dII. (NB the thread starts off asking a different question, but the replies do veer back towards the basics of shutter speed/aperture/ISO and how those affect the final image). Responses there may help guide you in the right direction, or at least let you formulate the questions specifically relative to your 5dII. HTH!

5D MK2 Training.

Comments