DSLR beginner camera settings

[The Bad Guy]

Just got a Canon Rebel EOS rebel T5 camera to take a lot of action shots of the kids. I'm completely lost at settings that will enable really good quality while taking a lot of clear action shots.

So far, I'm having difficulty with the camera not immediately taking pictures. It's adjusting and focusing itself too long and I'm losing the shot.

I know next to nothing about camera settings so I have no idea what optimal settings would be.

Can any photogs give me guidance?

Thanks in advance.

[Baby Lee]

First thing google pulled up, but it seems to cover all the basics.

http://www.kevinandamanda.com/whatsn...on-photos.html

You want shutter priority so you can assure a fast shutter speed to capture movement, and the camera will adjust the other parameters around it.

You also want high speed continuous so it won't try to reset the focus and settings with every shot.

[Buns]

Check your autofocus settings in the custom menu. High shutter speed captures movement but it doesn't affect the autofocus.

The camera needs light to focus. For this you need either A: lots of light on your subject and/or B: a fast lens and/or C: a high ISO. What is your lens situation? Got the thrifty fifty f/1.8? Good cheap fast lens.

I like Aperture priority. Set a high aperture for nice bokeh (blurry background) and the cam sets the shutter.

If you are having troubles focusing mostly only in low light, then thats the problem. Try manual focus and you should be able to fire away.

[Silock]

You don't always want a blurry background. Aperture and shutter priority modes are fine, but with just a little bit of practice, you'll soon be in full manual mode and in much better control of the images you produce.

Things I would look into: back button focusing (made a world of difference in how quickly I could point the camera at something and get a focus lock)

Learning to use the histogram. Once you know this, it's much easier to make adjustments to the image and figure out what you need to do.

I know you said beginner settings, but when I was learning to use my DSLR, I jumped straight to manual mode and began figuring it out. It really doesn't take much time to get it down. One trip to the zoo and you'll be a pro.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by Silock

You don't always want a blurry background. Aperture and shutter priority modes are fine, but with just a little bit of practice, you'll soon be in full manual mode and in much better control of the images you produce.

Things I would look into: back button focusing (made a world of difference in how quickly I could point the camera at something and get a focus lock)

Learning to use the histogram. Once you know this, it's much easier to make adjustments to the image and figure out what you need to do.

I know you said beginner settings, but when I was learning to use my DSLR, I jumped straight to manual mode and began figuring it out. It really doesn't take much time to get it down. One trip to the zoo and you'll be a pro.

The camera isn't what makes a pro a pro.

[Fire Me Boy!]

You need to learn the exposure triangle. You can Google that term and learn a lot of the lingo.

If you're interested in learning about the camera, I would start with aperture priority and play around - you'll see what different apertures do for your pictures. To stop action, you want a higher shutter speed, so you could play around a little bit in shutter priority.

If you're not interested in learning and just want to shoot, turn the dial to the sports mode, which I think looks like a track runner.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

The camera isn't what makes a pro a pro.

That's not at all what I meant, and it should have been fairly obvious. I meant "a pro at figuring out what settings you need for a particular shot."