Canon XSi Quick Start Guide

In response to recent questions I’m authoring this quick start guide.

If this is your first SLR or if you are new to the XSi, dont be overwhelmed.  This is an extremely concise QuickStart guide which will help get better images quickly, easily, and without much reading!  I do hope you will step beyond this cheat sheet and look into the more substantial lessons.

1)  I recommend starting with Av mode – aperture priority mode.  This will allow you to choose the depth of field your images contain, but at the same time permit the user to see what shutter speeds are chosen by the camera.  This will help establish an initial foundation for your understanding of both aperture and shutter speeds.

2)  Turn off auto iso.  As a general rule of thumb, if you are out in daylight  use ISO 100 or 200   and 400 at the most, if you are inside try  ISO 400 and 800, and only use ISO 1600 if absolutely necessary.

3) Use 1 focus point, I recommend the center focus point.  Its the most accurate, and you know what your targeting as your subject.  Later on you can adapt more advanced functions which will permit you to take control of the focus system.

4) Use continuous shooting for action,  use one shot for landscapes or portraits, and use  the timer for night shots or long exposures. 

5) Use  evaluative or center weighted metering for landscape shots,  for  difficult shots use the spot meter to meter on the subject you want to be exposed “properly”.

6) JPG shooters: In the menu for your camera, go to picture styles and hit display button,  whatever style you are going to use, increase the sharpness (1-3 bumps).  While your at it give contrast a kick in the pants too. 

7)  Use auto white balance if shooting indoors or outdoors, if you know you are in fluorescent light   set it to fluorescent. 

8)  make sure highlight tone priority is OFF, this is in the custom function menu.

9)  You are on this site because you want to get better results, so I recommend shooting in RAW format.  Its more work, but the results are far superior to the JPG output.  My more in depth tutorials will teach how to handle RAW files.

10) Pay attention to your horizons, keep them level.

11) Important for hand held shots: when shooting hand held you need to keep your shutter speed over 1/(focal length x 1.6) for example if using 200mm lens 1/(200×1.6) = 1/320 minimum shutter speed. Try to keep it faster, if hand holding and using below 1/320 your shots will likely have camera shake blur.