On second thought.....

I honestly think all top 5 entries deserve a little something for their amazing input!
We are giving away a Canon EF travel mug to all top 5 entrants!
Steven Vella, Claudia Portelli, Jonathan Busuttil and Angie Borda - please get in touch on 2148 8800 or fb@canonmalta.com to claim your prize :-)

FOOD glorious food!

I must say I am well impressed with the interest our latest facebook competition, themed 'FOOD', has caused!

With 104 fantastic and tantalisingly delicious entries, and over 8100 global 'likes' - we think everyone deserves a big well done!

Here are our top 5 most 'liked' entries:

Ranking 5th is Angie Borda's contrasting array of veggies, 223 likes



4th place - Jonathan Busuttil's 'Floating Strawberry, 269 likes



Claudia Portelli's retro cake ranks 3rd, with 476 likes



Ranking 2nd is Steven Vella's slice of orange - 647 likes!



And first place is Daniela Agius's olives - 659 likes in total!




What can I say? I'm lucky I did not have to judge this one! :-)

Daniela Agius wins a €100 voucher to spend on any Canon photo-video product her heart desires; whilst we also gave one lucky voter a chance to win a Powershot A495 - which goes to Joseph Masini.

A big well done to everyone! Make sure you check back into our facebook page on a regular basis; don't miss out on our next competition, exclusive special offers - and more!

Have a great Monday!

Tutorial: Night Photography Tips

Night time changes even the most familiar scenes. This creates an opportunity for a whole new range of photos. So put your coat on, take your camera and investigate the exciting world of night photography with our tutorial.



To help you capture the best of night light, this tutorial will cover:

• How to overcome lower light levels
• Getting the exposure correct
• When to take shots
• Suggestions for photographic subjects

Night vision
The digital sensor in your camera has some similarities to the human eye. As light levels drop, you need to get more light to the sensor. This is done by setting a wider lens aperture. The sensor is made up of millions of photo receptors, or pixels (short for picture elements). The sensor can be made more sensitive to light by increasing the camera’s ISO setting. This amplifies the light signals after they have been received by the pixels.

Unfortunately, amplification of the light signals can have a disadvantage. Unwanted background signals are also amplified and above certain levels these show up as ‘noise’ – coloured speckles across the image. The latest Canon compact digital cameras feature the HS System which lowers noise levels by up to 60%. Discover more about the HS System.

Even with the higher ISO settings available with HS System, you will still find that shutter speeds will be significantly slower at night. A tripod or camera clamp are the best options to keep your camera steady during the exposure. But if you do not own either of these, then make sure that you rest you camera on a flat and stable surface such as a low wall, a seat or the roof of your car.

Flash control
One obvious way to cope with low levels of light is to add more. Electronic flash is built in to most cameras for this purpose. It is useful when photographing people indoors and out, but less effective for general night photography. First, the power of the flash is too low to illuminate street scenes or general views. Second, the attraction of many night scenes is their existing illumination – adding further light will often ruin the atmosphere.



Many cameras automatically fire the flash by default in low light. If you are serious about night photography you should switch the flash off. Compact digital cameras usually have an ‘Off’ setting for the built-in flash – check your user manual for details on your camera. EOS cameras only activate the flash automatically in the Full Auto (green square), portrait and macro shooting modes – avoid these for night photography.

Exposure time
Night exposure can be a tricky business.
There are often large dark areas in the scene, with a few bright areas. The auto exposure metering system of your camera can get confused and give an image that is too light or too dark. This is not really a problem with digital cameras. You can take the picture using auto exposure and view the image on the LCD. If the exposure is not correct, simply apply exposure compensation and shoot again.
Most cameras offer exposure compensation in the range of +2 to -2 stops. If the first image looks too dark, apply +1 or +2 stops of compensation. Use -1 or -2 stops of compensation if the image is too light. You can experiment with different settings until the image you take appears to have the correct exposure.

Twilight zone
One of the best times for night photography is just after sunset. Although the sun is below the horizon, it still provides some light. Whilst the sky might look quite dark to your eyes, your camera will pick up this light during a long exposure to give a deep blue background to your main subject. Once you are passed the twilight period, the sky in these photographs will be black.

Sunset sequence
One way to appreciate the power of twilight is to shoot a sequence of pictures from an hour or so before sunset to an hour or so after. This needs a couple of hours of your time, but the results will demonstrate how the sky changes.

Try to find a scene with an interesting subject in the foreground or middle distance. A building, statue or rock formation is ideal. Have your camera on a tripod so that it does not move between shots. However, this is not essential, providing you shoot from about the same position for each exposure.

You need an evening with a fairly cloudless sky. Take the first picture about an hour before sunset, then shoot at 10 or 15 minute intervals. Keep shooting until an hour or so after sunset. When you view the images in sequence you should see the sky change from blue to red to dark blue to black.

Firework bursts
Taking good photographs of fireworks can be difficult so consider the following points:
- PowerShot and IXUS cameras have a Fireworks setting. Check your user manual for details
- Set the camera focusing to manual, if available, and focus on infinity
- Select manual shooting mode and set an aperture of f/8. The shutter speed can be around 1/60 second (for a handheld camera) to 5 or 10 seconds (for a camera on a tripod) at ISO 400
- Switch your camera to movie mode and capture the action as it happens.



City streets
City streets take on a completely different appearance at night. Shop windows glow, neon signs add colour and even ordinary street lighting can make buildings look romantic. If you are able to shoot after a rain shower all the lights will be reflected from the roads and pavements, adding impact to your images.

Magic movement
You can keep your camera steady during long exposures, but what about your subject? Most of the subject is likely to be static – buildings and foreground, for example. The parts that move will mostly be vehicles and people. At night, vehicles will have their lights on – these will leave attractive light trails across the image during an exposure of several seconds.
People who move across the scene at night will often appear as elongated ghosts – you will be able to see through them because the background behind them will have been exposed for some of the exposure.

Enter the Gallery
So just because there is less light, do not think there are less photographic opportunities. Take your camera out and try some night photography using the advice in this tutorial. Then enter your favourite shots on our Facebook page and next month your photo could be displayed as one of the best!

Find our facebook page here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/CanonMaltacom/139581842750367

Canon's HS system for great night shots - we're blown away!!

It's as easy as abc to get a great shot during daylight - the sun gives the perfect lighting. Night shots and low light situations are a completely different matter. Don't you hate it when your photos turn out to be blown out by the flash, or blurred?

The Canon HS SYSTEM combines the DIGIC 4 Image Processor with a High-Sensitivity sensor. The HS SYSTEM helps to reduce noise at high ISO levels and expand the camera's dynamic range, ultimately capturing greater detail and color in images in low-light situations.
By boosting the camera's dynamic range, consumers are able to capture clearer images with less noise and blur than older camera systems. Due to the Canon HS SYSTEM's higher light sensitivity, it helps deliver brilliant, sharp images without the use of the flash, for a more natural look in photographs.

Canon's HS system is currently present in the Powershot G12 and IXUS 1000 HS.

For more info......leave your comments below or should you like to call us please do so on 2148 8800, or email us on fb@canonmalta.com.

Don't let your moments get lost in the dark!

Choosing your first SLR

Following my last post on a compact vs. an SLR; this post will help you choose your first - that is - if you have decided an SLR is right for you.

I will follow up with another post for all those who have opted for a point and shoot camera, with some tips on how to choose which model suits your needs.

So you've decided you want to buy yourself an SLR. Before your excitement and fervor explodes through the roof, and you run out and buy the first SLR you can get your hands on, sit down and have a good long think. Unlike a simple compact camera, SLRs are a different breed, so before you commit yourself and splash out the cash do your homework!

Price
SLRs come with a price tag, and how much you would like to spend is the first question you should ask yourself. Also keep in mind that after a couple of months you will also be looking into upgrading the kit lens that comes with your camera, and you need a variety of accessories such as filters, a camera bag, lens hoods, a spare battery etc.
Canon's entry level SLRs start from 460 Euros including a standard 18-55mm kit lens, whilst the semi-pro models start from 1,100 Euros including the standard 18-55mm kit lens.

What do you need your camera for?
The next step is to narrow down your options by thinking about what you will be using your camera for. If you will be using it for general shooting, such as the outdoors, family events and outings, and travel memoirs, an entry-level model such as the EOS 1000D or the EOS 550D is sufficient.
Shooting subjects at high speed, such as sports or action photography will require a very fast camera with a high frame rate, whilst if you will be shooting in low light you will need a camera with the best possible high ISO performance.

Canon EOS 60D - 5.3 fps (frames per second); maximum ISO 12800
Canon EOS 7D - 8 fps; maximum ISO 12800
Canon EOS 5D II - 3.9fps; maximum ISO 25600
Canon EOS 1D IV - 10fps; maximum ISO 25600



Size and weight
SLRs are bulkier and heavier than their compact counterparts, however there is a difference between the different SLR models too. If you want a light SLR, I suggest you go for the entry level models.

Sensor size
Something else to consider is the size of the sensor. The terms 'crop sensor' and 'full frame' come up when one talks about image sensor size - I will elaborate on this in another post as it is a bit too complicated for the scope of this one. In general, full frame sensors really shine when it comes to image quality and high ISO performance, however their downside is they cost quite a bit.

Upgrades
Whilst entry-level models are much easier on the pocket, they do tend to date quicker than the more expensive pro models. Do you see yourself grasping photography and wanting to upgrade to a better model with more features? This may be hard to answer, but it does pay better in the long run to invest in a little more into a model you can grow into.

Other features you might like
Vari-angle LCD: easy shooting from high or low angles, available in the EOS 60D
Auto mode & scene modes: if you enjoy your easy and lazy 'auto' button on your compact and/or want an array of shooting modes, such as portrait, sports, night, macro etc, aim for a 1000D, 550D, or 60D, as the higher end models do not have them.

With so many points to consider, the most important thing is that you decide what you want from your camera. Make a list of all the features which are important to you and gradually start pinpointing at the models which interest you. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to post them here, we will be more than happy to help!

What should I buy - a DSLR camera or a point and shoot?

Rightly so, this question is a regular, mostly due to the fact that DSLR prices have dropped and are within reach of an average person's budget.


I'm going to try and keep this as simple and 'un-technical' as possible.

Here are a few pointers to help you make your decision...

1. Size
If you are looking for a camera that fits in your pocket then obviously a DSLR is not for you. Besides having a much larger body, be prepared to carry around a couple of lenses and/or accessories.

2. Camera response time
Are you into action or sports photography? If you are irritated by any delay between pressing the button and the photo being taken, then I suggest you seriously consider a DSLR.

3. Night/low light shots
DSLRs have bigger sensors than compact cameras and therefore are more sensitive to light, giving you much better image quality at high ISO levels. Due to the flexibility of manual settings you can also play around with slow shutter speeds to capture the night ambiance and lights without 'spoiling' the image with a flash to obtain more light.

4. Adaptibility
DSLRs open up a world of possibilities with their ability to change lenses. From wide angle lenses to superzooms, to macro lenses to photograph subjects unseen to the naked eye - every lens tells a different story. Add to this a large range of other accessories, such as flashes or different filters, and your DSLR can produce a variety of different images and adapted to a thousand and one situations.

5. Maintenance
Whilst a point and shoot camera requires no maintenance at all (that is, unless you are careless with it!), a DSLR requires a bit more care. One has to take into consideration that each time you change a lens you run the risk of letting dust into your camera; meaning that your DLSRs image sensor would need to get a professional cleaning every once in a while.

So what should you buy?

Even though I've mentioned a few differences between the two you might still be unsure. Here are a few questions to help you conclude:

Do you want to take more professional looking photos?
Do you want to be able to change the lens attached to your camera?
Are you looking to have more control over the images you are taking?
Do you want to take better photos in low light?
Do you need a camera which responds very quickly?

If you answered 'YES' to all the above questions - then a DSLR is the camera for you.

Buying a DLSR needn't break the bank. Canon's entry level DSLRs start from under €500 including a standard kit lens to get you going.

Having said all this, I own both a point and shoot camera and a DLSR. I like having both as I believe they compliment each other and whilst a DLSR is super flexible and produces amazing top quality photos, my compact comes in handy as it is so convenient and quick to reach for and snap away!

Any questions, please comment below!

Christmas portrait photography

Christmas and New Year involve lots of family and friends getting together; the ideal time to practice your portrait photography and capture some memorable photos.

What makes a great portrait? There are no hard and fast rules but there are some useful tips. This tutorial will cover:

• Candid camera shots
• Formal families portraits
• Using the self timer and remote controls
• Flash photography
• Using ambient light
• Composition

Candid camera
A simple way to get started is to take candids. You can get natural expressions of people when their interest is elsewhere. You don’t need to hide the fact that you are taking photographs. In fact, it is much better to have the camera in the open and let everyone know that you are shooting. After a while they will be at ease with this and continue as normal.

At Christmas, for example, you can photograph people opening their presents, playing games, preparing a meal, or even washing up.

Formal families
Don’t miss the opportunity for a family group shot. The resulting photograph will be one for the family album to be treasured in later years.

If you want an older style shot, set chairs in the centre for the grandparents, with their children standing behind. Grandchildren can stand on either side, or sit in front. If you have any old family group pictures, it can be fun to try and copy the arrangements and poses. You can print them out there and then.


Self-timer
Many family groups have one person missing – the photographer. There is no need for this. Canon cameras are fitted with a self-timer. When set, pressing the shutter button delays the exposure by 10 seconds. This gives you time to join the group in front of the camera. The latest PowerShot and IXUS cameras, such as IXUS 1000HS, makes this even easier as have a Wink self-timer which captures a shot 2 seconds after a wink is detected!



Ideally, the camera should be fixed to a tripod but any solid surface will do. You can zoom the lens and compose the image, remember to allow space if you plan to join one end of the group. Most of the time the camera will autofocus and give the correct exposure. Sometimes it is better to switch to manual focus (if available) and adjust the lens before you press the shutter button – this makes sure that the focus is on the most important part of the scene.

Remote control
The problem with using the self-timer for group shots is that you can’t control when the picture is taken. People either anticipate the exposure and have fixed smiles, or they are taken by surprise.

Some Canon EOS cameras have a built-in infrared receiver that operates with the Canon remote control unit RC-6. You can aim the unit at the front of the camera and press the button to fire the shutter. Aim and press the button, then move your hand down to hide the unit before the picture is taken. Two seconds later a photo is taken.

The short delay givers people less time for a fixed smile and you can fire when everyone is ready.

Flash photography
Many of your festive family pictures will be taken indoors. In the relatively low light most Canon cameras will automatically fire the built-in flash. Sometimes the built-in flash can give harsh background shadows. To avoid this you should keep your subject well away from light coloured walls or curtains.





If you use a Canon EOS (or selected Powershots) and a Canon Speedlite flashgun you can attach a Canon Off Camera Shoe Cord. This allows the flashgun to be used at arm’s length from the camera. If you hold it up and to the side of the camera you can obtain better portrait lighting. With autofocus, it is relatively easy to hold and fire the camera with your right hand while holding your left hand out with the Speedlite.

Ambient light 
You might not need flash. Digital cameras are quite good at shooting in low-level ambient light, either daylight from a window or artificial light. You can change the ISO setting to increase the sensitivity of the camera to light. All Canon digital cameras offer ISO 1600; the top of the range EOS-1D Mark IV offers up to 102400!

The downside of high ISO speeds can be increased ‘noise’. Canon cameras use advanced noise reduction technology to minimize the effect. Take a few test shots at high ISO speeds to see if the results are acceptable.

In ambient light, the camera might set quite a slow shutter speed. Keep an eye on this. If the shutter speed drops below about 1/60 second you might need to use a tripod or support the camera on a table or chair back. You will also need to ask your subject to stay still for a moment as you take the picture.

Composition
When photographing a single person there is a temptation to place them in the middle of the frame. Better results are often obtained by moving them off-centre – this gives a more dynamic image. Take a look at how characters are shown in television dramas to pick up tips on portrait composition.




A portrait does not have to show the head-and-shoulders. Try moving back to locate the person in their environment. A study, workroom or kitchen can say as much about a person as their face. Or move in as close as your camera will allow to concentrate on the eyes and mouth.

Above all, experiment. You can check your digital photos right away on the LCD, delete the less successful shots and display your successes.

Enjoy!

Flash: The Speedlite range

Over the years, there have been five different types of Speedlite, each operating in a slightly different way.

M
The Speedlite 200M (discontinued) does not support any type of TTL metering. Instead, it has its own built-in sensor to control the flash output. It was designed for use with the Canon EF-M camera. If used with an EOS camera, both shutter speed and aperture must be set manually.

E
The Speedlites 160E and 200E (both discontinued) are low power units designed as an alternative to built-in flash for those EOS models without built-in flash. They operate with TTL autoflash metering. E-series Speedlites are compatible with all EOS film cameras, but not with EOS digital cameras.

EG
There is only one EG model − the Speedlite 480EG (discontinued). This is a hammerhead style unit that dates back to pre-EOS days. It is compatible with all EOS models, including digital, because in addition to TTL metering, it features an external sensor. This independent sensor means that flash metering can be done without using any of the flash sensors inside the EOS body.

EZ
EZ-series Speedlites operate with A-TTL metering on all EOS film cameras. In addition, they can be operated in TTL autoflash mode with the camera shutter speed and aperture set manually. This is useful when you need to shoot at a particular aperture − for increased depth of field, for example. They are not compatible with EOS digital cameras.

EX
EX-series Speedlites operate with E-TTL metering on EOS Type A cameras. They switch to TTL metering when used with EOS Type B cameras. This means that EX-series Speedlites can be used with EOS digital and film cameras.

Only EX-series Speedlites are now current.

Speedlite 580EX

In August 2004 Canon introduced a new flash gun to its range, the Speedlite 580EX. It replaced the previous top-of-the-range Speedlite, the 550EX, but uses many of its features. The result is an easy-to-use, powerful, versatile flash unit for lighting on the go. In addition to making the unit even more feature-packed, Canon has also managed to make the entire unit smaller, lighter and far more aesthetically appealing.

Increased power
The most obvious change between the 550EX and the 580EX is hinted at in the name. The flash power has been increased from 55 at 105mm (ISO 100, metres) to 58 at 105mm (ISO 100, metres). This may not sound much, but extra flash power is always useful. And this increased flash power has another benefit, something which is very important in a flash gun − a faster recycle time. Because the flash is more powerful, you are rarely using it at full capacity, so it recycles to full charge more quickly. This means you don’t have to wait around for the flash to be ready to fire again in circumstances where speed and time are of the essence. Canon has also re-engineered the electronics so that even on a full power it will be ready to fire again more quickly than the 550EX. In fact, from a full power flash (with fresh batteries) the 580EX will recycle in six seconds or less, two seconds faster than the 550EX − and that’s with a more powerful flash.

The digital design
The biggest difference between the 580EX and the 550EX is that the new model has been specifically designed with digital cameras in mind. This means it has been endowed with two features not found on any previous Canon flash:

Sensor size detecting autozoom
Colour temperature transmission from flash to camera.
The Canon digital camera range incorporates models with three different sensor sizes: full frame (as found on the EOS-1Ds and 5D models), APS-H (EOS-1D models), and the most common size, APS-C (all EOS consumer DSLR cameras).

Previously, a flash gun would assume that the sensor was full frame, as most cameras were film and therefore used the standard 36mm x 24mm film size. Now, however, with the three different sensor sizes, there is more of a problem with flash coverage. To overcome this, Canon has developed a system to allow the camera to communicate its sensor size to the flash. This allows the flash head to zoom appropriately to suit the angle-of-view of the lens and sensor combination.

The biggest advantage of sensor-size detection is that it does not ‘waste’ power and light by spreading the flash over a wider area than is needed. You obtain more flashes per charge and a faster recycle time, as well as effectively extending the flash range.

The other digital-only feature is the colour temperature transmission from flash to camera. As the charge levels fluctuate in the flash power source, the colour temperature of the emitted flash varies. With this new feature, each time the flash fires, the colour temperature is passed to the camera so that an appropriate Kelvin value can be set to ensure the colours are more consistently correct between exposures. This will operate when the camera is set to either Auto White Balance (AWB) or the flash white balance setting.

The result is that you will obtain more accurate colours for each image, which will save time in post-processing on the computer.

Getting wide
In conjunction with the digital sensor autozoom, the built-in wide panel has been changed to give an even wider angle of coverage. You can use lenses as wide as 14mm with the Speedlite 580EX.

The top end of the flash zoom range remains the same, giving coverage for lenses with a focal length of 105mm. However, this is not the maximum focal length you can use with the Speedlite. It simply means that with longer lenses the flash will provide coverage greater than the field-of-view and some of the flash illumination will be wasted.

Bright eyes
Also new for a Speedlite is a catchlight reflector. This is found in the same slot as the wide-angle diffuser panel. It provides a much more flattering result when shooting portraits, allowing you to fire the majority of the flash up to the ceiling or off a wall, while bouncing enough light for some fill-in illumination on the face and a catchlight in the eyes to give them some sparkle. It will certainly be a welcome addition for anyone who shoots a lot of portraits, where direct, harsh light can be unflattering to your subject.

Fully focused
A big advantage of using a Speedlite on-camera is the help it can provide with focusing in low light, and the 580EX is no exception. Three ultra-bright LED lights are arranged on the flash to provide horizontal and vertical line patterns, resulting in an autofocus assist beam that is compatible with all EOS autofocus systems. This is an improvement over the 550EX, which could not provide complete autofocus coverage for all EOS cameras. As long as the subject is in range of the focus light beam, it should make difficulties with autofocusing in low light a thing of the past.


Bouncing around
In many situations where flash is used, direct light from a flash gun is often too harsh, giving unnatural and unflattering shadows. The 420EX and 550EX helped overcome this by adding a bounce flash capability, enabling angling of the flash head so that it can fire onto a reflective surface, such as a white wall or ceiling.

This has been further developed in the Speedlite 580EX, where a single button releases both the vertical and horizontal bounce flash movements. This makes the feature quicker and easier to use than before. The head is also now able to rotate 180° both left and right, compared to the 550EX, which could only be rotated 90° to the right. There is also an extra vertical click stop on the 580EX at 45°, giving more options when bouncing the flash from different surfaces.

In keeping with the improved ease of use and improved ergonomics of the new Speedlite, gone are the +/− push buttons on the rear of the unit. These have been replaced by a single control dial with a central button for scrolling between settings. This dial is used in the same way that the +/− buttons are used on the Speedlite 550EX. It makes choosing settings on the 580EX much quicker and easier.

Going manual
Despite the accuracy and simplicity of the E-TTL/E-TTL II algorithms, sometimes you need to set the flash manually to get the exact result you want. The 580EX gives you more control than its predecessors, with manual power selection in 1/3 stops from full power down to 1/128 power. This hands control back to the photographer in situations where the metering system could be fooled.

Custom functions
The number of Custom Functions has been increased from six on the Speedlite 550EX to 14 on the Speedlite 580EX. CF-1 to CF-6 are the same on both Speedlites − it’s from CF-7 onwards where changes have been made.

CF-7 and CF-8 are designed for shooting environments where speed is important. They allow you to recycle from internal and external power simultaneously, or fire when the lamp is yellow-green (i.e. not fully charged) respectively.

CF-9 and CF-10 give you control of test flashes, either doing a test fire or using the test button to fire a modelling flash.

CF-11 allows you to turn off the sensor size autozoom if, for example, you only use a full frame camera.

CF-12 turns the focus assist beam on or off − useful in circumstances where you don’t want to project a red beam onto your subject.

CF-13 controls the use of the command dial on the flash. For speed, you can set it so you only need turn the dial to set flash exposure compensation, instead of pushing the central button and then rotating the dial.

CF-14 allows you to disable the auto power off feature.

Speedlite 580EX II

Updating the Speedlite 580EX, the 580EX II offers faster, silent recycle times and a more durable build quality.

The Speedlite 580EX II improves on many of the specifications of its predecessor. The silent recycling, for example, is up to 20% faster.

Weather seals ensure that when attached to the EOS-1D Mark III, the Speedlite 580EX II achieves the same level of dust and moisture resistance as the camera itself.

A redesigned metal flash foot plate and connector pins allow more stable communication between the camera and flash, while a quick release mechanism minimises wear and tear on both of the units.

The flash head zoom covers the range 24mm to 105mm and an integrated diffusion panel allows extended wide-angle coverage to 14mm.

The Off Camera Shoe Cord OC-E3, Compact Battery Pack CP-E4 and Speedlite Bracket SB-E2 also allow sealing against dust and moisture, giving photographers a complete system to achieve off-camera lighting effects in difficult weather conditions.

Speedlite 430EX

The Speedlite 430EX flash unit replaced the 420EX. It improves on many of the specifications of its predecessor and includes new features to maximise digital image quality when using a flash. These include automatic selection of camera white balance settings and auto-adjustment of the zoom flash position to match the sensor size of the camera to which the unit is attached.

The Speedlite 430EX has an increased guide number of 43 (m/ISO 100 at 105mm) and has approximately 40% faster recycling time than the Speedlite 420EX. An ultra-bright 2-LED configuration focus assist-beam has been designed to be compatible with all focus points within the frame of EOS AF systems, up to 9-point AF.

Optimum flash coverage

The flash head zoom covers the range 24mm to 105mm and an integrated diffusion panel allows extended wide-angle coverage to 14mm. When attached to digital EOS cameras with smaller than full frame sensors the Speedlite 430EX gives a more accurate flash coverage by detecting the model to which it is attached and automatically narrowing the angle of coverage. This has the effect of eliminating light loss in peripheral areas and extending the effective flash range.

Ideal white balance

The Speedlite 430EX automatically transfers colour temperature information to recent models of digital SLR cameras. The camera then sets the colour balance optimally for the flash shot. This feature works when the camera’s white balance mode is set to auto white balance (AWB) or flash white balance mode, compensating for any changes to the Speedlite output caused by age or battery condition.

Other features

The Speedlite 430EX is fully compatible with the distance linked E-TTL II system found on recent EOS cameras, and supports other EOS cameras that do not have E-TTL II.

It also serves as a wireless slave when either the Speedlite 580EX, 580EX II, 550EX, Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX, Macro Twin Lite MT-24EX or Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2 is used as a master.

An intuitive and ergonomic interface includes an LCD panel for clear indication of modes and settings. A single bounce lock release button provides immediate control over the bounce head angle for flexible positioning of the flash head. The flash head can be moved up from 0 to 90° (five settings), left from 0 to 180° (seven settings) and right from 0 to 90° (four settings).

Six custom functions allow customisation of the flash operations. Despite high power and short recycling times, the unit is small and lightweight.

Other features include first and second curtain flash synchronisation, modelling flash, high-speed synchronisation (FP flash) and manual adjustment of flash output from full to 1/64 power (7 levels).

Speedlite 220EX

The Speedlite 220EX is a low-power flash gun for EOS cameras that do not have a built-in flash unit. It offers twice the power of built-in units, but only half that of the Speedlite 430EX. It is mostly useful for fill-in flash photography. The fixed head means that you need the Off Camera Shoe Cord for bounce flash photography.

Flash: Speedlite compatibility

When the first camera with evaluative autoflash metering was launched, EX-series Speedlites were introduced to make use of the E-TTL metering. These EX-series Speedlites are also compatible with TTL flash metering, so will operate with all EOS models.

All the new film cameras offering E-TTL metering retain the flash sensors for A-TTL metering, so are also compatible with EZ-series Speedlites.

When Canon introduced digital EOS models, they omitted the flash sensors in the base of the camera (the sensor reflects light differently to film). This means that EZ-series Speedlites can only be used in manual mode with EOS digital cameras.

Canon updated E-TTL flash metering in 2005. E-TTL II is a camera feature, not a Speedlite feature, though it only operates with EX-series Speedlites.

Here is a short guide to compatibility:

Type A cameras: E-TTL autoflash metering is only supported by EOS cameras introduced at the same time or later than the EX-series Speedlites. These models allow the viewfinder sensors to be used for both ambient and flash readings. These cameras, called Type A, include the EOS 1V, 3, 30, 30V. 33, 33V, 300, 300V, 300X, 3000N, 3000V, 50E, 50, 500N, IX, IX7 and all EOS digital cameras. Type A film cameras also include sensors that can read flash illumination off the film during an exposure, so EZ-series Speedlites can be used with A-TTL autoexposure.

Type A-II cameras: There is a sub-group of Type A cameras which enables E-TTL II flash metering with EX-series Speedlites. These include the EOS 30V, 33V, 300X, 1D Mark II, 1D Mark II N, 1D Mark III, 1Ds Mark III, 5D, 5D Mark II, 20D, 20Da, 30D, 40D, 50D, 350D, 400D, 450D and 1000D.

Type B cameras: Other EOS film models are known as Type B cameras and can be used with EZ-series Speedlites in A-TTL (or TTL) mode or EX-series Speedlites in TTL mode.

This may seem complicated, but if you are using an EOS digital camera all you really need to know is that it is only compatible with EX-series Speedlites.

Left: Type B cameras have flash sensors in the bottom of the camera body. Light is reflected down to the sensors by a secondary mirror hinged behind the main reflex mirror. The centre of the reflex mirror is semi-silvered, allowing light through to the secondary mirror. This allows A-TTL metering with EZ-series Speedlites and TTL metering with EX-series Speedlites.

Centre: Type A cameras have sensors in the viewfinder area that read both ambient and flash illumination. These sensors operate with EX-series Speedlites. The cameras also have flash sensors in the bottom of the camera body for A-TTL metering with EZ-series Speedlites.

Right: EOS digital models are a sub-section of Type A cameras. They only have sensors in the viewfinder area, so can only be used with EX-series Speedlites.

Power control
Autoflash means that a flash gun gives just the right amount of light for correct exposure. It could do this by altering the power of the flash, increasing or decreasing the brightness as you change the distance of the camera from the subject. But this does not happen. Instead, Speedlites increase or decrease the duration of the flash as the subject distance changes. The brightness of the flash remains constant. However, even a long Speedlite flash is very brief and you are unlikely to notice much difference between short and long electronic flash exposures either as you shoot, or in the results.

White balance (WB)

What is WB?
Our eyes and brain make a wonderful partnership. Together, they automatically adjust the exposure of whatever it is we are looking at to achieve a balanced image. More importantly, they correct any colour cast so that anything white actually looks white, regardless of the ambient light.

Unfortunately, digital cameras are not so clever. They record the scene as they see it − within their limitations. This is why, in tricky lighting conditions, we have to set the white balance to ensure the result we want. It is also why, to get results of the optimum colour, we usually have to tell the camera the colour temperature of the light falling on to the scene.

In simple terms, light is made up of the three primary colours − red, green and blue. These colours are present in different proportions in all light sources. For example, tungsten lights have more red in them than fluorescent lights, which are greener. This proportion of colours is measured as the colour temperature.

If you are shooting your images in any mode other than RAW, the camera will post-process the image to make the colours in the scene as accurate as possible. However, this is not always as easy as it seems − the colour temperature of the light falling onto the scene affects the way the camera sees the colours and, unlike our brains, it does not automatically correct it. For example, with no correction, a white wall photographed under tungsten lighting will appear very yellow, and under a fluorescent light will look very green. This is why all digital EOS cameras have the ability to set the white balance to suit the ambient light, no matter how complex the lighting conditions are.

What do the settings mean?
There are seven standard white balance settings, your choice of which will depend on the type of light you are shooting in.

Auto White Balance
You can use this setting as a default in most straightforward lighting conditions. Auto White Balance works by evaluating the scene and deciding the most appropriate white point in it. The setting works reasonably well if the colour temperature of the ambient light is between 3,000-7,000K. However, if there is an abundance of one colour in the image, or if there is no actual white for the meter to use as a reference, the system can be fooled, resulting in an image with a colour cast.

Daylight setting
Use this setting if you are shooting in bright sunshine. It will balance for a colour temperature of around 5,200K, which is actually very slightly cooler than noon sunlight. However, it is very rare that you will actually be shooting at noon and so this setting will work best for the greatest part of the day.

Shaded places
Although we perceive shaded areas to be colder, the colour temperature is actually higher (bluer), usually around 7,000K. This setting is most suited to areas of light shade rather than very heavy shadow.

Cloudy or hazy
This sets a colour temperature of around 6,000K. It is best used on days when the sun is behind the clouds, creating a very even and diffuse light.

Tungsten setting
The first of the artificial lighting settings, this assumes a colour temperature of around 3,200K and is suitable for most tungsten lamps that normally emit a yellow light. It is the equivalent of an 82-series blue filter used with a film camera to correct for the same colour cast.

Fluorescent setting
The second artificial light setting is set for around 4000K, the approximate colour temperature of fluorescent lights. The problem with fluorescent lights is that there are six types, each with a different colour temperature. They also emit an interrupted spectrum with peaks over quite a wide range. To complicate things further, they also change over time, gradually altering the colour temperature of light they emit. This setting has the same effect as fitting an FL-D filter to a film camera.

Flash setting
For use with either a built-in flash or an external Speedlite. Flash is a very white light with a colour temperature around 6,000K.

All these settings still rely on the camera doing some calculations to obtain the correct colour balance. However, there are two further settings which give you total control.

Custom white balance
This allows you to tell the camera which area in the scene is supposed to be white. The camera can calculate the colour shift required to make that surface white. It then applies that shift to all colours in the scene to provide a correct colour balance to the image, whatever the lighting.

Kelvin
This enables you to set the colour temperature in degrees Kelvin in 100K increments from 2,500 to 10,000K depending on model. If you have a separate colour temperature meter then this may be the best setting to use as you can set the exact colour temperature shift needed. But, remember, if you do this you will need to take a few test shots to calibrate your colour temperature meter with the camera’s meter.

PC-1, PC-2, PC-3
In addition, on professional EOS digital cameras there are three custom white balance settings − PC-1, PC-2 and PC-3. These allow you to save the three white balance settings that you regularly use. This is useful if you do a lot of studio photography, for example, and always use the same lights. It enables you to save the colour temperature of those lights so you do not have to colour balance each time. However, initially the settings need to be made on the camera via a computer using supplied software.


White balance bracketing
If you find that you still cannot get the perfect colour balance, then EOS digital cameras from the 10D onwards have a white balance auto bracketing function. This allows you to bracket the white balance setting in the same way that you can bracket exposures. You can select the level of change between the images up to ±3 steps in full-step increments. The images are then recorded in the sequence: 1 - set colour temperature, 2 - bluer colour, 3 - redder colour.

With all these options, it is possible to obtain a completely neutral tone in most shooting situations. However, is this always best? Consider a fairground where there is a diverse mix of light sources − tungsten giving a yellow glow, fluorescent adding some green, not to mention all the neon lights. If you were to balance all the light sources present, the result could end up looking very clinical and fail to convey the fun, warmth and atmosphere of the show.

So do not always assume neutral is best − be a little creative and see what happens.

Working in RAW
If you shoot in RAW, white balance will not affect you at the time the exposure is made. White balance corrections are normally applied by the camera in post-processing of the image, before it is saved to the card as a JPEG file.

By shooting RAW, you avoid this processing as the image saved on the card is exactly as captured by the CMOS sensor. It is then up to you to adjust the white balance in your RAW file editing program.

One of the advantages of shooting RAW files is that you can apply different white balance settings to the image to see which give the most natural, or most attractive, results. The original RAW file remains unchanged. All the work is done on copies of the RAW file, which means that you can return to the RAW file and try again if the initial results are not what you want.

Setting the white balance
It is possible to set auto white balance for all your shots and let the camera sort out the light, or to select the white balance symbol appropriate to the lighting conditions. However, no matter how good these settings are, they will never produce the perfect white balance in all situations.

Instead, use the following procedure and you will end up with images that are properly white balance. Unless you are working indoors light changes constantly, so you will need to repeat the procedure for each new scene.

You need a sheet of white paper. With your scene set and the lighting arranged, place the card in the scene. Making sure that the white card covers the centre circle marked in the viewfinder, take a shot. The autofocus may have trouble focusing on the flat card, so focus on the edge of the card and then recompose.

Find the menu item ‘Custom WB’ and select it so that the custom white balance screen appears. Now turn to the image shot in the previous step and select this. The white balance data from the image will be imported.

After exiting the menu, select custom white balance from the white balance settings. The pictures you shoot will now be balanced to your test image.

Colour temperature
It is useful to know where the term ‘colour temperature’ comes from and what it means.

Colour temperature is measured in degrees Kelvin (K). The Scottish mathematician and physicist William Kelvin proposed the absolute, or Kelvin, scale in 1848. This scale uses −273.15°C as its zero point or ‘absolute zero’. The colour temperature is simply the colour a standard black body (a piece of metal which is perfectly black and reflects no light) glows at a certain heat. Surprisingly, the cool colours are red and orange, around 2,000-3,000K, while the warm colours are the blues at the 20,000K end of the spectrum. Neutral white light is 6,504K.

Comparison shots
The following pictures of a stamen against the white petals of a lily flower were all taken in daylight in the middle of the day. Each was taken at different white balance settings. The colour changes to the images show, in effect, the ‘filtration’ added by the camera to balance with the different light sources.

Auto − this close-up of a lily stamen was taken in midday window light so the Auto setting has actually done quite a good job of making the lily’s white petals white although there is a hint or red.

Daylight − this setting has done slightly better, with no red and the white being a cleaner white.

Shade − this setting has also achieved a reasonable colour balance, however, you can see it has added yellow to compensate for blue that would normally exist in a shady scene.

Cloudy − as with the shade setting, the cloudy setting has achieved a satisfactory result, but again there is still a hint of yellow in the whites.

Tungsten − here the camera has added blue to compensate for the yellow that would be present under tungsten lighting giving the whites a very blue appearance.

Fluorescent − this has had a similar effect to the tungsten setting, but the camera has added the equivalent of a magenta filter to compensate for the green emitted by fluorescent lights.

Flash − this setting has produced a result very similar to the shade setting as they set a very similar Kelvin temperature. If anything, the flash setting has done slightly better by adding less yellow to the image.

Custom − here we set the colour balance manually by using a grey card. This has produced a result with clean, natural whites.

The Histogram - demystified!

Many of the features of digital cameras are similar to those of film cameras, or can be related to film photography. Histograms are one of the exceptions. You might have come across them if you are a statistician, but histograms only entered the world of photography with digital imaging.

What is a histogram?
A histogram is a ‘diagram in which columns represent frequencies of various ranges of values of a quantity’, says The Concise Oxford Dictionary. This is one of those definitions that only makes sense once you have seen examples.

In statistics, histograms are used to make numbers visual. A simple diagram is usually much easier to understand than a mass of figures. Also, diagrams can reveal relationships between some of the numbers that are hidden in the raw data.

256 tones
In digital photography, a histogram displays the tonal distribution of an image. It does this by categorizing every pixel into one of 256 groups, where 0 is black, 255 is white and all the other numbers represent shades of grey.

This image of a flag and landscape translates into the histogram shown here. The peaks of the tones towards the centre of the histogram indicate that this is a well-exposed image.

Some cameras also show histograms for the red, green and blue components of the image. These are the colour histograms for the flag image.

On the histogram, the horizontal axis shows the group numbers with 0 (black) at the left and 255 (white at the right. The vertical axis indicates the number of pixels in each group.

Within these axes is the impression of a solid graph − in fact, what you are seeing is 256 upright lines crammed so close together that they are touching each other.

What does a histogram tell you? Well, if nothing else, it will warn you of over or underexposure. If there are lines right up against the left of the diagram, the chances are the image is underexposed. If there are lines right up against the right of the diagram, the image is probably overexposed. A typical well-exposed image will show the main distribution of tones around the centre, reducing towards the left and right (though there will be exceptions).

EOS digital cameras, except the DCS series, will show a histogram for each image you shoot. When an image is displayed on the preview screen, press the ‘info’ button to the left of the screen. The display will change to give you a smaller image, plus the histogram and some basic exposure data.

An additional feature is the ‘highlight alert’. This makes any overexposed areas within the image ‘blink’. This can be very useful when shooting static subjects, such as landscapes. If parts of the image blink, you can apply exposure compensation and take another shot to bring the tones into an acceptable range. Use this feature and you should never come away with another overexposed image.

Software
It is not just on the backs of EOS digital cameras where you will encounter histograms. You will also find them in some imaging software. The Canon File Viewer Utility shows them, for example, as does Digital Photo Professional. But the place many photographers will come across histograms is in Photoshop (Image>Histogram). Not only can you see the overall display, but you can also check the tones in each of the 256 levels for the overall image, or for each of the red, green and blue layers.

You will also find histograms in some of the other areas, such as Image>Adjust>Levels, where you can adjust the image to suit its output by clipping the levels so that you work with fewer than 256.

Capturing the image: Sensor cleaning

Dust is a problem with all digital single-lens reflex cameras. It can enter the camera whenever you change the lens. This dust often finds its way to the glass filter that covers the digital sensor.

The sensor is made up of millions of light-sensitive elements, each around 6 to 8μm square. It does not need a very large piece of dust or dirt to cover one or more of these elements, or pixels. If a pixel is obscured, it does not receive much light and so that portion of the image will record as grey. These grey areas are most noticeable in light-toned areas of the photograph.

Dust on the sensor shows up as grey marks on the digital image.

This problem affects film too, but in film cameras the dust is wound on with each frame. In a digital camera, the dust remains on the glass filter and affects every subsequent exposure. It is easier to retouch digital images than negatives or prints, but it can still create a lot of work if you take a large number of exposures.

Reducing the problem
Surprisingly, research has shown that one of the main causes of dust is the camera itself. This explains why photographers who rarely change lenses still suffer dust problems.

There are two significant camera-related areas that generate dust. One is the shutter. Every time it fires, friction between the components can create dust. Recent shutter units for EOS cameras have been designed to generate a minimal amount of dust during their operation.

The other main problem area is the plastic body cap. Every time it is attached or removed, friction between the metal mount and the plastic cap can generate dust. Since the first half of 2005, the body cap has been made of a material that produces very little dust from friction.

A body cap made of a different plastic material helps to reduce the amount of dust inside the camera.

Is your sensor dirty?
Do you have dust on the sensor of your digital camera? Can you see small grey spots in light-toned areas, such as skies?

The marks will be grey and fuzzy because the dust is not actually in contact with the surface of the sensor. Instead, dust rests on the surface of the low-pass filter that lies on top of the sensor. The gap between the sensor and the dust is enough to throw the spots out-of-focus and allow some light to creep underneath.

You can check for dust by photographing a white wall or a sheet of white paper. Use a telephoto lens, or a zoom set to its longest focal length. Do not focus on the subject - set the minimum focusing distance. Select aperture-priority (Av) shooting mode on the camera’s command dial and set the smallest aperture (f/22, for example). Now make an exposure. The shutter speed will probably be quite slow, but there is no need for a tripod, as camera movement will not interfere with the test.

Transfer the image file to a computer and view the result with any good imaging software at a magnification of 100%. You will almost certainly see some grey marks - you have to decide if these are significant. Do you regularly have large areas of light tones in your images? If so, cleaning the sensor will be worthwhile.

Prevention is better than cure
You cannot stop dust getting into your digital camera, but you can reduce the risk a little using one or more of these simple procedures.

Switch the camera off before changing the lens. This reduces the static charge on the sensor and stops it attracting dust.

Turn the camera off before removing the body cap or changing a lens.

Never leave the camera with the lens mount open. When you remove a lens, replace it immediately with another or attach the camera body cap.

Avoid changing lenses in dusty situations. If you have to change a lens in these conditions, hold the camera with the lens mount facing down to reduce the risk of dust falling into the opening.

Keep the body cap free from dust. Did you know that the body cap and lens cap attach to each other? This will keep the inside of both caps clean when a lens is on the camera.

The body cap attached to the rear lens cap to keep both clean.

Cleaning the sensor
Whatever precautions you take, one day the sensor will need cleaning. Canon approves only two methods. The first method you can try yourself using a rubber air blower. The second involves sending the camera to a Canon Service Centre.

To use the air blower technique, switch the camera to its sensor-cleaning mode. This does not actually clean the sensor - it just gives access to the sensor by raising the reflex mirror and opening the shutter blades. It is recommended that you run the camera from a mains power supply, via a DC coupler, when using this mode, so that you are not relying on battery power to keep the shutter open.

Sensor cleaning mode is accessed in the same way on all the EOS professional digital cameras. While pressing the ‘Menu’ button, select the set-up menu screen (set-up 2 menu on the EOS-1D Mark II, EOS-1D Mark II N and EOS-1Ds Mark II). While pressing the ‘Select’ button, select ‘Sensor cleaning’. Release and press the ‘Select’ button and select ‘OK’. Release the ‘Select’ button and the LCD screen will show ‘Sensor cleaning’. Press the shutter button and the mirror will lock up and the shutter will open. Check the camera instruction manual if you need further details.

.

The sensor-cleaning mode is accessed from the menu on the back of the camera.

The sensor-cleaning mode raises the reflex mirror and opens the shutter curtain - it does not actually clean the sensor.

The rubber blower technique is non-invasive, which means that even if the shutter closes during the procedure you are unlikely to damage the camera. All you need is a rubber blower bulb. These are often sold with a brush attachment and were originally used for cleaning film negatives and slides. Remove the brush so that you have a device that gives short jets of air as you give the bulb a sharp squeeze.

With the camera in sensor cleaning mode and the lens removed, place the tip of the blower just inside the camera lens mount and give a few bursts. This will dislodge any dust specks that are resting on the sensor. With luck the dust will be blown out of the camera.

Two or three sharp blasts from a rubber air blower will dislodge dust settled on the sensor cover.

Do not use compressed air from cans - it often contains liquid propellants that will smear the sensor.

Remember to switch off the sensor clean mode after removing dust.

Other cleaning techniques
There are several other sensor cleaning techniques that you may have heard of. None of these are approved by Canon as there is a risk of damage to the sensor. If you try any of these methods, it will be at your own risk, and could invalidate the camera warranty. We describe these methods for information only, and stress that we ONLY recommend the two Canon-approved methods described above.

The risk to the sensor is fairly small, because it is not actually the sensor that gets dirty. The sensor is protected by a glass filter and the dust settles on its surface. So removing the dust is rather like cleaning a lens filter - there is a risk of scratching the filter, but this risk is quite small if you follow the instructions carefully.

On the other hand, if you do scratch the sensor cover, the replacement cost will be a lot more than the cost of most lens filters.

The real danger in sensor cleaning is damage to the camera shutter. Except during an exposure, the sensor is covered by the blades of the shutter. To access the sensor, you need to open the blades. If these blades accidentally close while you are touching the sensor assembly with cleaning aids, a lot of expensive damage will occur. Do not attempt this type of cleaning unless you feel confident about your ability to do it without damaging your camera.

Brush work
While a rubber air blower will move lightly settled dust, it may not have any effect on dust that is attached more firmly. Brushing the surface of the sensor can be effective, but not with just any brush. You need one that is ultra-clean and just the right size for the sensor. Visible Dust brushes, though expensive, seem to have the right specification. They work by not merely brushing the dust away, but by using static to attract the dust onto the bristles. Ideally, a single sweep of the brush across the sensor will clear the dust. Visible Dust brushes come in different sizes to suit different sensor sizes. Read all the information at www.visibledust.com before proceeding. Remember, this technique is not approved by Canon and its use may affect your camera warranty.

.

A Visible Dust brush is designed for cleaning digital camera sensors.

Swabbing the sensor
You can use a plastic spatula with a clean paper cover impregnated with liquid to swab the sensor. The liquid is usually methanol - an alcohol that evaporates rapidly without leaving any residue. You apply just a few drops of methanol to the end of the swab and wipe it firmly over the sensor. The end of the spatula is flexible, which means that it is difficult to apply excessive pressure. If you want to do a second swab, just reverse the motion, so that the opposite edge of the spatula is drawn back across the sensor (this avoids any dust or dirt from the first sweep being pressed back into the surface or the glass). Sensor Swabs and cleaning fluid are supplied by Photographic Solutions Inc. (www.photosol.com/swabproduct.htm) and Just Limited (www.cameraclean.co.uk/main/guarantee.php). Remember, this technique is not approved by Canon and its use may affect your camera warranty.

Wiping the sensor cover with a swab can remove stubborn particles of dust.

Grabbing the specks
There is a useful gadget for removing larger specks of dust from the sensor cover. Called SpeckGrabber, it is a tiny piece of rubber on the end of a stick. The rubber has a built-in tackiness, which means that dust will stick to it. To use, you wipe the rubber with a special cleaning tissue and then simply touch the surface of the sensor with the SpeckGrabber. The dust particle will come away. This is a very selective cleaning method, not suitable for cleaning the entire sensor area, so you may well want to use it in addition to one of the other techniques rather than on it’s own. SpeckGrabber (from Just Limited) is not approved by Canon and might affect your camera warranty.

The SpeckGrabber is useful for removing single particles of dust.

Software solutions
Despite all your attempts at preventing dust from getting to the sensor, and various methods of cleaning, you may find that some of your exposures are spoilt by grey marks. Fortunately, it is quite easy - and a lot safer - to clean up on a computer. Simply download the images files to your hard drive and open up an image in any good imaging software, such as Photoshop Elements or ArcSoft PhotoStudio (supplied free with many EOS camera models), or Photoshop. These all have a ‘clone tool’, or similar function, that allows you to select an area close to the dust speck, and copy this over the mark. With a little skill you can retouch the image so that it is impossible to see where the spots were.

Canon’s own imaging software - Digital Photo Professional - goes one step further. It not only has a standard clone function, but also offers automatic retouching. Canon has built its ‘FARE’ system into the software - the same technology used in scanners to overcome the problems of dust. If you choose ‘Repair (dark)’ from the Tools > Start Stamp Tool menu, and then select a small area that includes the dust speck, the mark will disappear like magic. Choosing ‘Repair (light)’ will work the same magic on white spots.

Digital Photo Professional is on the EOS Digital Solutions disk supplied with a many EOS digital models, but you may need to update the software to the latest version to take advantage of this auto-retouch feature. Go to www.canon-europe.com and follow the ‘Download software’ link.

The ‘Repair’ window in Canon’s Digital Photo Professional software provides an easy way to get rid of dark spots on your photographs. Simply position the green circle over the affected area and ‘click’ the computer mouse. The size of the circle can be adjusted with the ‘Radius’ control bar to suit the mark.

New techniques to combat dust
With the introduction of the EOS 400D in 2006 and the EOS-1D Mark III in 2007, Canon has revealed new technology to combat the problem of dust. It may not have been the first to tackle the problem of sensor dust in-camera, but Canon’s solution is one of the most comprehensive, and is proving to be very effective, even in extremely hostile environments.

Repelling the particles
We talk about dust settling on the digital sensor. This is not strictly true. The sensor is a sealed unit that includes a number of filters. If dust settles, it is on the front filter. This filter is treated with an anti-static charge process to repel static-charged dust.

Not only that, but this filter is further from the sensor than on earlier models. This throws the dust specks more out-of-focus, with the result that they are less likely to show on the image.


Shaking the sensor
In the EOS 400D and all digital EOS models since then, the filter in front of the sensor is attached to an ultrasonic vibrating unit driven by a piezoelectric element. When this is switched on, dust is shaken off the surface and is trapped by a sticky border surrounding the filter. The sensor assembly has an internal O-ring so that none of the dust can get between the filters or on to the sensor itself.


Although Canon is not the first with this type of anti-dust system, the camera vibrates the front filter of the sensor (low pass filter 1), rather than using an extra sheet of glass that might degrade optical performance.

The default setting of the camera operates the self-cleaning sensor for one second when the camera is turned on, and again when it is turned off. The off sequence is used because dust is more difficult to dislodge after is has been on the filter for a long period. Self-cleaning can be switched off using a menu command. You can also activate the cleaning sequence while the camera is switched on using a menu command.

Sensor cleaning never gets in the way of shooting. The moment you press the shutter button (partially or all the way), the sensor cleaning stops and you can take a picture.

The self-cleaning operation uses very little power, so it does not lead to a significant reduction in the number of shots possible from a charged battery. However, the piezoelectric element heats up during use so, to prevent overheating, it will not operate again for 3 seconds after use.

Dust Delete Data
If dust does stick, and you do not want to use a brush or swabs to clean it away, the new cameras have one more option. ‘Dust Delete Data’ maps the size and position of the particles and appends the information to the image files you capture. Then, when you open the file in Digital Photo Professional version 2.2 (supplied on CD with the camera), the software automatically erases the dust spots to give a clean image.

First, you have to obtain the Dust Delete Data. You do this by choosing the appropriate menu function and shooting a sheet of white paper that is out-of-focus. The camera overrides any settings you have made and fires at f/22 with a shutter speed of 1/2 second or faster, ISO 800, flash off, and single shot drive mode. If there is not enough light, or the lighting on the paper is very uneven, or the exposure is not adequate, a message will appear on the LCD asking you to try again.

Dust Delete Data works with both JPEG and RAW images. The data uses only a few kilobytes and does not affect the continuous shooting speed or maximum burst. The information is stored in the camera, so you do not need a CF card loaded when you capture the information. Once stored, it is applied to every image you shoot.

When you record Dust Delete Data, the date and time is also recorded, and appears on the menu so that you can check the last time it was done. It is recommended that you update the data before taking important pictures, or after changing lenses in a dusty place.

It can be a good idea to switch off the auto sensor-cleaning feature when using Dust Delete Data, or you might shake off dust that has been mapped.

You can erase Dust Delete Data, and so stop it being appended to images, by using the ‘Clear all camera settings’ menu item.