Canon 350D

[Geuse]

Hi Guy's,

I wanted to take my Canon 350d out for my first shot tonight. I dont have a shutter release cord and i was wondering if anyone could give me tips on how to use it without? Can it be set to take a burst of pics or something?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[baggywrinkle]

You can set itin manual mode to do up to 30 sec shots without a shutter release. But also put it into delayed mode so that the shutter does not immediately operate allowing any vibrations to dampen out.

30 secs at ISO1600 should give some decent results, Also try ISO3200.

[Geuse]

You can set itin manual mode to do up to 30 sec shots without a shutter release. But also put it into delayed mode so that the shutter does not immediately operate allowing any vibrations to dampen out.

30 secs at ISO1600 should give some decent results, Also try ISO3200.

Thanks for the info.

Sorry i am a real novice at this.

The 30 sec without shutter release - is that by putting it to M mode and turning the wheel to the 30" setting just before bulb mode??

And i have no idea how to set the delay - any advice?

Thanks.

[hobsey]

Thats pretty much it.

If you don't have the users manual, I do have it in PDF if you would like me to email it to you.

[baggywrinkle]

You can have settings up to 30secs in various steps.

Look at the back of the camera, is there a wee symbol showing a circle with a needle indicator, this would be the timer delay.

[Geuse]

Thats pretty much it.

If you don't have the users manual, I do have it in PDF if you would like me to email it to you.

I do have it here but its double dutch to me.

My dad left me all this stuff and i had never really looked at it until now.

[hobsey]

Fair enough.

I'm still getting to grips will DSLRs even after about 2 years.

[baggywrinkle]

http://www.canon.co.uk/Support/Consumer_Products/products/cameras/Digital_SLR/EOS_350D.aspx?type=download&page=1

try the above for the manual.

[Geuse]

Thanks guys for all the advice ! 

[ChrisLX200]

Do you have a laptop? If so, and you have a USB lead with the micro connector to link it to the camera, then I suggest downloading APT http://www.ideiki.com/astro/

Using that you have a wealth of utilities to control the camera, to capture long exposure images, and to help with focus and framing. I know it works with the 350D because I have one. Take care to install the correct version - the one for the earlier Digic II processor which your camera uses (the other version is for newer cameras).

ChrisH

[jambouk]

Something like this is wired, and would allow you to programme into the intervalometer how long you wanted your exposures for, and how many of them:

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/141200280012?nav=SEARCH

More modern canon's allow the firmware to be tinkered with using some software called magic lantern, which allows the camera itself to act as an intervalometer, but the 350d doesn't from my quick look online.

Jd

[Oily]

You can set itin manual mode to do up to 30 sec shots without a shutter release. But also put it into delayed mode so that the shutter does not immediately operate allowing any vibrations to dampen out.

30 secs at ISO1600 should give some decent results, Also try ISO3200.

The 350D won't do ISO3200 unless you use custom firmware.I'd also recommend BackyardEOS for controlling your camera

[edjrgibbs]

+1 for APT, it's a great programme and really easy to use.

[hobsey]

I know it works with the 350D because I have one. Take care to install the correct version - the one for the earlier Digic II processor which your camera uses (the other version is for newer cameras).

I wish I had known that when I was using my 350D, no wonder I couldn't get it to work properly with APT.

[StargeezerTim]

Hi there,

You can get a shutter release cable off amazon or Ebay for just 10 or so quid. I invested in one several months back and it has proven a great bonus. Great also for for terrestial night photograhy when you want to use longer shutter speeds.

This is the one I got, it's cheap but does the job.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004ANF4LS/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Tim. 

[happy-kat]

You can use the usb cable that came with the camera and there is a free android app that you can use to trigger the camera. Needs an OTG cable as well which are £2 and a suitable phone or tablet.

[Mr TamiyaCowboy]

On your 350D ( i have exact model here and use it myself) 

first off, set the large dial wheel to M 

Turn on your camera and hit the menu button. 

in this first window, use these settings. ( use set to enter and adjust, menu to return back)

Quality = RAW

redeye = off

beep = off

AF one shot

metering mode = box with no icon in.

ISO = 1600

now thats the first part , scroll up to the top of window and select camera icon2 

white balance change to tungsten

leave the rest. 

scroll to top again, and push menu. 

thats it, we can leave mirror lock up for now. you can play with that later.

turn on camera adjust tripod, make sure camera is still in M mode.

Set your shutter speed to 20 seconds ( rotate the little wheel near the shutter button, this adjusts shutter speed)

now focus your lens, dont use autofocus, just rotate the focus ring until stars look sharp.

depending on the lens if its an 18-55mm  a 50mm or a huge 300mm we need to adjust one more setting

HOLDING in the AV button the the right of the screen ( top right ) and at the same time turning the small wheel near the shutter

we adjust the F number. you want this as low as it can go ie 1.8 - 3.6 - 4.5 - 5.6 , the lower the number the more light comes into the camera.

thats it, now keep the lens in manual focus and do not touch camera only to activate the triger.

20+ second later you have taken your image. 

Truth is the manual will sound very complicated, i was brainwhacked after reading it.

the best way is to go out and play with it. you learn more playing with camera taking shots and viewing back your images.

you get to work out shutter speed and apeture work together . low F numbers make backgrounds in the day fuzzy , high F numbers make

things crisp all through the image. 

[Andy_K]

More modern canon's allow the firmware to be tinkered with using some software called magic lantern, which allows the camera itself to act as an intervalometer, but the 350d doesn't from my quick look online.

Jd

The CHDK firmware works very well with the 350D - I use it on mine.

(Magic Lantern is for more modern Canons.)

As for not having a cable release...

I've forgotten mine a few times and I just use the self timer. (one of the buttons next to the viewfinder)

If you'd like any help with getting to grips with the 350D, feel free to ask and I'll be happy to help.

[Geuse]

On your 350D ( i have exact model here and use it myself) 

first off, set the large dial wheel to M 

Turn on your camera and hit the menu button. 

in this first window, use these settings. ( use set to enter and adjust, menu to return back)

Quality = RAW

redeye = off

beep = off

AF one shot

metering mode = box with no icon in.

ISO = 1600

now thats the first part , scroll up to the top of window and select camera icon2 

white balance change to tungsten

leave the rest. 

scroll to top again, and push menu. 

thats it, we can leave mirror lock up for now. you can play with that later.

turn on camera adjust tripod, make sure camera is still in M mode.

Set your shutter speed to 20 seconds ( rotate the little wheel near the shutter button, this adjusts shutter speed)

now focus your lens, dont use autofocus, just rotate the focus ring until stars look sharp.

depending on the lens if its an 18-55mm  a 50mm or a huge 300mm we need to adjust one more setting

HOLDING in the AV button the the right of the screen ( top right ) and at the same time turning the small wheel near the shutter

we adjust the F number. you want this as low as it can go ie 1.8 - 3.6 - 4.5 - 5.6 , the lower the number the more light comes into the camera.

thats it, now keep the lens in manual focus and do not touch camera only to activate the triger.

20+ second later you have taken your image. 

Truth is the manual will sound very complicated, i was brainwhacked after reading it.

the best way is to go out and play with it. you learn more playing with camera taking shots and viewing back your images.

you get to work out shutter speed and apeture work together . low F numbers make backgrounds in the day fuzzy , high F numbers make

things crisp all through the image. 

Guy's thanks for all the help but a special thank you for this one which is what i think i was needing. 

I was out until 4am last night just playing about with the scope and taking pics with the camera and i have signed up for lightroom and photoshop. I have been reading this site for a while with interest and the one thing i have learned is practice, practice, practice ! 

[baggywrinkle]

The 350D won't do ISO3200 unless you use custom firmware.I'd also recommend BackyardEOS for controlling your camera

Was basing it on my 400D and 650D....

[Mr TamiyaCowboy]

Your very welcome OP. 

i to once owned the 350D as a total newbie, no clue at all. 

it took me a while to play around and work out what was the best settings for myself. 

i have found that if your images become over exposed ( very bright ) it is two things at fault.

the iso is slightly to high, so always best to test an iso drop down to 800. ( for the moon you want even lower 100 - 400iso )

and also adjust the wideopen lens ( holding AV button and using little wheel move the numbers UP two notches). 

TWO buttons Below the AV button is the Menu light ( pressing this makes your menu/info screen light up orange, for night time viewing)

For photographing the MOON.

this one was the brainhurt for me. my pictures was always very bright using camera lens.

so dropping ISO to around 1 - 400, and at the same time adjusting the shutter speed.

when the moons bright you want to be shooting fast ( click-click and not click ---- ---- ---- click )

so you want to start shooting at around 1/200 of a second, ( use the wheel near shutter trigger to adjust shutter speed )

if pictures still come out bright, go even faster with shutter speed it can be possible to have the camera set to 1/4000 second shutter and still be bright

so that tells you the ISO must be set to 100. just playing around with these settings will help you learn what they do for each other and how the camera reacts to them.

TELESCOPES : 

when the camera is fitted with a camera lens the camera and the lens have small brains inside, they talk to each other

we can adjust the F number or also called apeture. Now one problem comes along with a telescope.

we loose that little brain that tells the camera " hey im here what apeture do you want/shall i choose " 

you will nodoubt see the AV button and the little wheel makes no change to the 00 apeture number you see.

this is ok your camera is NOT broken lol ( hehehe took me an hour to work out the camera was not broken)

dont worry about this , just take a few pictures at different shutter speeds. to get a rough idea on the best speed

after a little while you will become used to just popping the cam on and knowing roughly how fast you want to expose

for.

when the clouds are about, we photographers can always fall back on cars to capture light trails

and the nighlife when the sun goes down to. so our practice can keep on going