5. Fine-Tuning Exposure

When you bought your Canon EOS 50D, you probably thought your days of worrying about getting the correct exposure were over. To paraphrase an old Kodak tagline dating back to the 19th Century—the goal is, “you press the button, and the camera does the rest.” For the most part, that’s a realistic objective. The 50D is one of the smartest cameras available when it comes to calculating the right exposure for most situations. You can generally choose one of the Basic Zone modes, or spin the Mode Dial to Program (P), Aperture Priority (Av), or Shutter Priority (Tv), and shoot away.

So, why am I including an entire chapter titled “Fine-Tuning Exposure?” As you learn to use your 50D creatively, you’re going to find that the right settings—as determined by the camera’s exposure meter and intelligence—need to be adjusted to account for your creative decisions or special situations.