Canon 20D Quirks

Hey everyone,

I recently purchased the Canon 20D.. Overall, I'm pretty happy with
it, but I have a few quirks that someone may be able to offer some
suggestions for:

1) in low light, it appears Canon's solution on this camera is the
fire the internal flash repeatedly to focus. Every person I've ever
taken a picture of with this is like "whoa, what the hell was that?".
It seems like a really poor way to do this, especially if there are
any epileptics in the room. I would think there would be a lamp that
just illuminates in low light. Anyone know why Canon went this route?

2) I'm not really sure how the flash exposure lock works. If I
compose a picture, and shoot it with the flash, close subjects are
usually blown out, and far subjects (more than a few feet) are too
dim.. I find things work better if I compose on the subject, and press
the FE-lock button. Reading the manual, it sort of sounds like this
shoulnt be the case -- you should only have to press the button if you
want to expose on a different area than you would focus. Can someone
clarify this for me please?

Thanks.

In article ,
(Duane Storey) wrote:

1) in low light, it appears Canon's solution on this camera is the
fire the internal flash repeatedly to focus.

That is the red eye reduction function. Turn it off if it is bothersome. I
suspect it has NOTHING to do with AF. It's really not necessary due to the
increased height of the flash as compared to the 10D. I took a whole slew of
photos using the internal flash WITHOUT the red eye reduction feature and only
had to retouch a couple of frames - and even then they were barely red.


JR

Jim Redelfs wrote:

In article ,
(Duane Storey) wrote:

1) in low light, it appears Canon's solution on this camera is the
fire the internal flash repeatedly to focus.

That is the red eye reduction function. Turn it off if it is bothersome. I
suspect it has NOTHING to do with AF. It's really not necessary due to the
increased height of the flash as compared to the 10D. I took a whole slew of
photos using the internal flash WITHOUT the red eye reduction feature and only
had to retouch a couple of frames - and even then they were barely red.


JR

No, it *is* a focus function, and it is the same on my 300D. But, the
built-in flash is a low-power unit, with limitations re internal heat
restrictions, and is not intended as a full-time flash accessory.

A Canon or Sigma flash unit designed for Canon digital cameras - the
Canon EX series - has a red/infra-red illuminator built-in to the flash
unit, which dispenses with the multi-flashes by illuminating the scene
with red light, concentrated where the focus sensors are aiming. If you
do anything more than occasional flash shots, get a flash unit, a 550EX
or 580EX, or the cheaper Sigma equivalent.

Colin

It's just a shame that Canon went with the multi-strobe approach --
why not just include a cheap AF assist lamp like most other cameras
have? I fully agree a 550EX is a good option, but it's another $500
or so in Canada.

Duane Storey wrote:

It's just a shame that Canon went with the multi-strobe approach --
why not just include a cheap AF assist lamp like most other cameras
have? I fully agree a 550EX is a good option, but it's another $500
or so in Canada.

I have an EOS 10 film camera, which does have a red focus lamp built-in,
but it is sizeable, about 3/4 inch square (probably to be able to
provide the required beam characteristics), and I think the smaller
bodies on the digital cameras haven't the room for it. It probably also
sucks more power from the battery than the multi-flash, and they may eb
avoiding that because of the already considerable drain of the rest of
the camera.

Colin

Duane Storey wrote:
Hey everyone,

I recently purchased the Canon 20D.. Overall, I'm pretty happy with
it, but I have a few quirks that someone may be able to offer some
suggestions for:

1) in low light, it appears Canon's solution on this camera is the
fire the internal flash repeatedly to focus. Every person I've ever
taken a picture of with this is like "whoa, what the hell was that?".
It seems like a really poor way to do this, especially if there are
any epileptics in the room. I would think there would be a lamp that
just illuminates in low light. Anyone know why Canon went this route?

2) I'm not really sure how the flash exposure lock works. If I
compose a picture, and shoot it with the flash, close subjects are
usually blown out, and far subjects (more than a few feet) are too
dim.. I find things work better if I compose on the subject, and press
the FE-lock button. Reading the manual, it sort of sounds like this
shoulnt be the case -- you should only have to press the button if you
want to expose on a different area than you would focus. Can someone
clarify this for me please?

Thanks.

The flash fire to focus is different to the flash fire to reduce red
eye. You know that camera can use ISO up to 3200 for low light? I don't
recall ever having the flash behave the way yours is. Maybe if you read
up on the custom functions and stop shooting in the green box mode, the
problem will not be there? Experience is a pain to aquire and a joy to have!

Doug

The canon 20D and the 10D both have exposure problems when shooting
with flash. This is especially true when using the internal flash but
still exists to a lesser extent with the 550 EX flash. The real problem
is that it is also inconsistent and sometimes is good and sometimes
bad. There have been several posts up here about the flash problems
with the canon 20D and 10D. A lot of people have gone to shooting their
flash pictures in manual mode.

Art Salmons
Fleeting Images Photography

That bad concering that the big adds says that the ettl 2 should be better,
even when the 580X cost is so high.

"Fyimo" wrote in message
oups.com...
The canon 20D and the 10D both have exposure problems when shooting
with flash. This is especially true when using the internal flash but
still exists to a lesser extent with the 550 EX flash. The real problem
is that it is also inconsistent and sometimes is good and sometimes
bad. There have been several posts up here about the flash problems
with the canon 20D and 10D. A lot of people have gone to shooting their
flash pictures in manual mode.

Art Salmons
Fleeting Images Photography

"Jim Redelfs" a écrit dans le message de
...
In article ,
(Duane Storey) wrote:

1) in low light, it appears Canon's solution on this camera is the
fire the internal flash repeatedly to focus.

That is the red eye reduction function. Turn it off if it is bothersome.
I
suspect it has NOTHING to do with AF.

your completly wrong on this. It is the AF assist that the camera is using.
The 20D already as a little lamp for redeye btw.

In article , "Chuck"
wrote:

your completly wrong on this. It is the AF assist that the camera is using.
The 20D already as a little lamp for redeye btw.

Oh, fer pete's sake! You're right and I'm sorry. blush

I just got my camera and took some VERY unflattering photos of myself -
staring into the lens and enduring the flash. Sure enough, there's a cute,
little lamp the illuminates for red-eye reduction.

I need to RTFM a bit more before hittin' the keyboard.


JR