problem with M mode in 450D

[gimumancer]

i get what you mean already

actually i read the manual more than 5 times...
but the section in which it describes didn't explain to me that exposure COMPENSATION is disabled in manual mode as expose is set by the users thru shutter speed, ISO speed and aperture... i didn't get that in other modes the exposure compensation is a compensation mechanism until you described it to me

now i just needa figure out why the flash behaves so oddly

and i truthfully and sincerely thank you for that
i just got my camera hours ago.. so i am abit excited
really thank you

To put it simply .. EXPOSURE = aperture opening + shutter speed + ISO senstivity..

assuming ISO is fixed for all:
Aperture priority = you control aperture, camera gives shutter speed, + exposure compensation will slow shutter speed to make it brighter, - exposure compensation will speed up shutter speed to darken scene.

Shutter priority = you control shutter, camera gives aperture, + exposure compensation will open up aperture (smaller f) to make it brighter, - exposure compensation will tighten up aperture (higher f) to darken scene.

Manual = YOU control the two, so it doesn't make sense to still let the camera decide exposure compensation because you decided to control it yourself, so it depends on you which to adjust to brighten or darken the scene

 

[Octarine]

inow i just needa figure out why the flash behaves so oddly
and i truthfully and sincerely thank you for that
i just got my camera hours ago.. so i am abit excited
really thank you

Read your manual, please. It will be much more easier for you if you take the time and read through it. Simple things as the AF assist using flash strobes are explained there. It really doesn't help to fiddle around with dials and settings and being puzzled about the result. Either you stay in Auto and P mode, let the camera do its job (there are some pretty decent algorithms inside the camera to make good pictures) or you start reading and understanding the basics of light and how the camera actually works. The 2nd option will take time and needs efforts. If you need instant results right now (cause in-laws are at the doorstep or any other occasion) then use the first option for now.
It's like driving a car. If you know nuts the results can be anything from odd to dangerous but you won't get from A to B. It needs learning and practicing.

 

[gimumancer]

another thing is... under this mode when i pop up my in-camera flash... the flash will flash 3 times in rapid succession before the actual one
(my red eye reduction is off)

canon users, correct me if im wrong but are the 3 flashes to assist in focusing? or metering? is it always like that? for nikon it's more discreet, we have an assist focus lamp..i think we only use the 3 flashes for manual metering from the flash

 

[renzokuken]

i know what aperture, shutter speed , and ISO can do and am aware and familiar with their individual effects
I've been reading basic theories of basic photography for the past 6 months
it i still didn't get those basics, i might as well screw myself

i am confused as i am not really sure how the "Operating System" or rather , how the normal operations are adjusted, controlled , and set..
it was the setting that i was unsure of .. not theory on exposure and stuff like that... i didn't know in manual mode , the "exposure compensation" bar , became just an indicator of your final exposure , unlike in other modes , where they allow "compensation" by adjusting the final exposure (after aperture, iso and shutter speed) directly ..

nevertheless i thank you for your answer
I've experimented it for a day and i know most of the functions and settings already!!!
to put it simply .. i was unfamiliar with the interface of a DSLR


anyway case closed!! i don't wanna hog the TS's thread
well unless i've made some major misunderstanding of the camera's operation then do correct me

 

[renzokuken]

canon users, correct me if im wrong but are the 3 flashes to assist in focusing? or metering? is it always like that? for nikon it's more discreet, we have an assist focus lamp..i think we only use the 3 flashes for manual metering from the flash

i understand that in nikons and if you mouth the "600" something flash on your camera , it flashes 3 times rapidly before the actual shot

my sis has the D300 and in the end , she managed to off it when she disabled something, i think it was red eye reduction .

(well i know red-eye reduction is in-camera processing and should have nothing to do with the shot...but somehow the 3 rapid flashes before the actual shot disappear after she disabled that... and all these were done in the same lighting conditions and on the same subject)

 

[Octarine]

canon users, correct me if im wrong but are the 3 flashes to assist in focusing? or metering? is it always like that? for nikon it's more discreet, we have an assist focus lamp..i think we only use the 3 flashes for manual metering from the flash

It is mainly the AF assist beam. Some cameras have a dedicated red or white lamp, some use the pop-up flash. But after checking with my manual it's possible that is is also the Red Eye Reduction. It depends on when the flash is firing. If the flash fires before AF is obtained clearly this is AF assist beam. The Red Eye Reduction will kick in afterwards, lasts for 1.5sec (350D) and is displayed with the bars of the exposure meter, kind of countdown from outside to center bar. Best is to check the settings carefully. Personally, I have switched off Red Eye Reduction right from beginning, doesn't help anyway with external flash.
The Flash metering in Canon works differently. Manually is can be triggered with a button ('*' for my system), automatically it is done by ETTL preflash.

 

[Octarine]

(well i know red-eye reduction is in-camera processing and should have nothing to do with the shot...but somehow the 3 rapid flashes before the actual shot disappear after she disabled that... and all these were done in the same lighting conditions and on the same subject)

I doubt that Red Eye reduction in happening in the camera, unless the next fancy feature after face recognition is out. A plain reduction of red would also affect other, non-facial parts of the image. So where does the camera know what is an red eye and what is a red flower? I'd prefer to do this in post-processing, if necessary. Prevention is better: get an external flash and bounce.

 

[Rashkae]

i understand that in nikons and if you mouth the "600" something flash on your camera , it flashes 3 times rapidly before the actual shot

my sis has the D300 and in the end , she managed to off it when she disabled something, i think it was red eye reduction .

(well i know red-eye reduction is in-camera processing and should have nothing to do with the shot...but somehow the 3 rapid flashes before the actual shot disappear after she disabled that... and all these were done in the same lighting conditions and on the same subject)

The flashbased red eye reduction is to force the pupils to close, so that less light enters the eye.

 

[night86mare]

for the M mode...
shutter speed, aperture, exposure...
i only can adjust shutter speed and aperture...
may i know how to adjust exposure?
because the exposure is adjusted by the camera itself..my picture always come out with dark...
why?

time to read sulhan's notes in the newbie section!

 

[renzokuken]

The flashbased red eye reduction is to force the pupils to close, so that less light enters the eye.

i see
learned something new today