Canon T2i Forum for Beginners
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NEW! The Canon T2i forum has been moved – Due to the number of comments received on this page, I’ve created an actual forum that can handle the number of discussions we’ve got going. All future questions and comments will need to be posted in the new forum. To visit the new T2i forum, click here.
To get started, go ahead and register an account here at Camera Tips.
To start a new topic or discussion, just click the Start a New Thread button in the upper right hand corner of the forum.
To reply to a current topic, just click a thread in the forum and you’ll see a Post Comment button towards the bottom of the discussion.
Happy shooting!
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Hi all,
I have a T2i that’s about a year old now. One thing that bothers me a little is if you push the shutter button down a little bit off-center it feels a little ‘creaky’ or ‘bindy’ for the lack of a better term. If you deliberately press the button dead center it seems normal. And so far it has never gotten stuck in the down position. I’ve seen a video that shows a guy pouring small amounts of alcohol into the camera from the battery compartment on a 50D while working the shutter button, but I don’t really have the nerve to try that yet. Anyone have comments or ideas? Thanks!
I recently got a macbook air. when i plug my t2i in, the camera will turn off and the little led on bottom left flash once. if i disconnect from my macbook then it will come back on. the camera has no problem whatsoever on my iMac but when on macbook air, it just won’t come on. any idea?
Hi everyone! I just got my T2i a week ago & have been learning how to use it since! I’ve captured quite a bit of great stuff but tonight I’m photographing at a Zumbathon…LOTS of movement!! What do you suggest I set the camera on for the best photos?? Thanks!
Hi Sarah
I take it that the Zumbathon is indoors and that you will be using flash which will freeze the action.
If it is outside, to capture movement you need to set a higher shutter speed, so I would use shutter priority [TV] while keeping an eye on the aperture value [ AV ] depending upon the amount of depth of field I want eg. shutter 500 aperture around 5.6 and with the T2i you can set auto iso to 1600 to try to achieve these settings. Be aware, if you are shooting indoors, what kind of lighting there is and set your white balance accordingly. Auto white balance doesn’t always work well indoors.
Hope this all makes sense, but it is hyperthetical anyway coz I just noticed that you posted 2 days ago ! Sorry bout that.
Regards
PBked
HI – we’re using the Creative Auto setting quite a bit. Loving it, but frustrated that every time we turn the camera on and off we have to reset our settings. Is there a way to have the camera remember our settings on CA?
Thanks!
Hi Jesse
Yes you are right that when the camera is switched off CA returns to the default settings. The reason for this is fairly obvious in that the darker / lighter or blurred / sharp settings you choose for one picture will not necessarily suit another picture which might be of a different subject or set of lighting conditions.
CA is an ‘easy mode’ for what can be achieved by other and better means ie. large apertures in AV mode and use of the exposure compensation button.
It is worth experimenting with the other modes, because when you see the results you will leave full auto + CA behind forever.
Happy snapping!
PBked
What multi purpose tripod do you recommend for a beginner? I’d like to eventually photograph nature and wildlife rather than inside shooting, but I can always upgrade when I get more proficient. I’d like something portable and easy to carry. Thanks!
Hi Katie,
Not sure there is any one tripod that might be best for you, as there are dozens, and dozens to choose from, but I’ll give you my $.02. I have a Slik U 212 tripod that I’ve probably had for 30+ years. Believe it or not, they still sell this model so they might be doing something right. The steel tripod has square adjustable legs, and sells for about $125. The newer carbon fiber tripods are lighter, but cost more. In any case, you want a sturdy tripod – it makes no sense to get something that is not rock steady. So get the best one you can afford. Try and visit a camera store and see what they have, and which features you like. Let us know what you decide.
PBked and John,
Moose here, just wanted to thank you for keeping the T2i forum going the last few months. It’s been a crazy year with my wife and I having our first baby. My free time has been spent changing diapers and slowly working on a redesign for the site.
PBked – I sent you an email to the address you use when commenting. Not sure if it’s accurate or not? I also posted this in the HS10 forum in hopes to get in touch with you.
John – I sent you an email to the address you use when commenting. Not sure if it’s accurate or not?
If both of you could get in contact with me, I’d like to thank you with a gift card to Amazon. Go ahead and shoot an email to me at moose “at” cameratips “dot” com.
I’ve also got something I’d like to get your opinions on. Anyway, thanks again for contributing to the site, your time and effort hasn’t gone unnoticed. Happy shooting! :)
I sent you a mail to, moose@cameratips.com
How do you get the date to print out on a picture. I have it set on the camera?
Thanks
Hi Mike
As far as I am aware, there is no way to add the date and time to your pictures as you can with most point and shoots. However, the date and time does get appended to each picture in the EXIF information. The free Irfranview picture viewer allows you to view the EXIF info for each picture.
Regards
PBked
Hi again Mike
Just an addendum to my reply above. You can in fact print out the date and time on a picture if the camera is connected to a compatible printer. See chapter 9 of the user’s manual for the methods of printing, but please note the conditions under which the date and time may not print.
It is not as easy as a point+shoot which enables you to add the date and time as a stamp on your photo which will print out on any printer.
Regards
PBked
Hey so I just got a rebel for graduation and really want to take pictures but its winter and I dont want to wait until its warm out b/c that will take too long lol. Its going to be in the 30s this weekend, is it ok to be outside with my camera or will that ruin the mechanics of it
Hi Sarah
Yes you can use your camera in these conditions, but don’t whip it out of a warm camera bag and start snapping straight away. Allow the camera to aclimatise first especially lenses as the glass in them is likely to mist up. You may still encounter misting when you put your eye to the viewfinder although with the T2i / 550d you could always try live view.
Regards
PBked
Hello,
I’m not sure if this was asked/answered already or not, but here goes:
My T2i’s built-in flash is not working anymore. I turn on the camera for the first time (after placing a newly-charged battery and a re-formatted SD card). I switch to Auto mode for, say, indoor photography, and the built-in flash pops up, but the flash bulb does not fire. All I see is the “Busy” message on the LCD screen. Also, even if I push the Flash button on the front of the camera, the same thing happens.
In addition, the Red Eye Reduction/Self-Time Lamp on the front of the camera lights up as I press the shutter button. The same thing happens: as I take the picture, flash bulb does not fire, and the “Busy” message appears.
This also happens on all of the Manual modes.
Why is this happening? I know it can’t be the flash recycling since I just turned on the camera.
At least I have a hot-shoe external flash to use, but would like to still know what’s going on with the built-in flash if I don’t have by external flash readily available.
Any help/suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Michael B.
Hi Michael B
Sorry not to have replied sooner, but not having the knowledge to answer your question, I decided to ask around a few friends who are in the know. The consensus of their opinions is that there is something physically wrong with the flash unit. Only a trip to a Canon dealer will confirm this. Could be expensive though.
Let’s hope somebody else reading your post comes up with a ready solution and fix.
Regards
PBked
Hello! I have been using my T2i for almost a year now, and last night while taking photos, I started having problems with the shutter not being as fast as it used to be, and blurring my pictures. I was using a 18-55mm Canon lens, none of my settings were any different than they usually are, I went over them with a fine toothed comb. So I tried turning the camera off and re-attaching the lens, but that didn’t help any either. I am at a loss and wonder if I need to have it serviced. Is there anything you can help me with here? I take very good care of my camera, I keep everything in all of it’s original plasic, I have a well padded camera bag, and it has never been dropped. Thank you!
Hi Cassandra
I think we need some more information to try and help with your problem.
1] What mode were you using – Auto – P A S or M ?
2] What photos were you trying to take and where?
3] What ‘settings’ are you refering to?
4] Probably a silly question, but was the lens switch on AF or M ?
Regards
PBKed
I have been using my T2i for still photos successfully, but now I want to explore video. I have sorta figured out the focus limitations/abilities, but have questions about file type, cards, conversion, and editing.
My first goal will be to take some audition videos for my musician son and be able to post those on youtube or email them to Granny. I would like decent hobbyist or slightly serious hobbyist quality, but of course, I need solutions that are as inexpensive as possible.
1. When I shot my first fairly successful video, I was only able to record on the lowest resolution. If I tried to use the HD settings, the camera stopped recording and gave me an error message that the camera had automatically shut down. Is this likely to be a problem with my SD card not being able to handle the data? If so, what qualities do I need in an SD card?
2. The playback on the camera and the computer looked great. Then I realized the file size was way too big to email or upload and the file type was not editable on my Windows Live Movie Maker software. What are my least expensive but still decent choices for being able to (a) get my video to a size and format that I can email to relatives and upload to youtube? and (b) will I be happy enough – as a slightly serious hobbyist – with Windows Live Movie Maker to edit with? I will not be doing much fancy editing and at this point, ease of use as a beginner (and decent help documentation) is probably more important than number of features, etc. I am using a Windows 7 pc.
I have seen various free conversion programs online but am not casual about potentially virus-prone downloads, so I could use some insight. I also don’t know what file I should be converting TO, which makes a difference when picking a conversion program.
Also, if I DO shoot in higher res, will I just be making my emailing/uploading problems worse by creating even larger file sizes? On youtube, for instance, does a zipped/converted file of an originally higher quality video look better than a zipped/converted file of the lower quality video?
I do have some issues with internet speed. It is DSL but barely “high speed,” so that is another reason I need smaller file sizes.
If there is a beginners T2i video forum or website that is kind and helpful to video beginners, I’d be grateful for those recommendations as well.
Thanks.
Jen this site I am recommending is a very active site with a lot of knowledgeable people in it.
Probably not to the level Moose is at but at least they are there and more than willing to help. It is a T2i only site which I am a member also.
There is another Jenn there so pick a user name accordingly.
Enjoy… http://www.t2iforum.com
I want to take pictures of waterfalls where they turn out blurry …How do I do that ? :)
Hi Jeri
A slow shutter speed is what you need, but would advise the use of a tripod. IS is very good on some lenses, but at slower shutter speeds camera shake can be a problem. What you intend, I think, is to have the water blurred while static objects like rocks are pin sharp. If a tripod is out of the question than try a large bean bag – anything that supports the camera firmly. You could also use mirror lock-up or self-timer to limit the chances of camera shake. Good luck.
Regards
PBked
Hi Jeri,
I agree – a slow shutter speed with a tripod should do the trick. But if it’s a sunny day you still might not get the effect you’re after. Using a ‘Neutral Density’ filter might help. These gray filters are available in different strengths that reduce the amount of light entering the lens allowing you to shoot a slower shutter speed and a wider aperture, the combination of the two should give you the look you’re after. You can also experiment with the ISO speed – get down to 100 or 200.
Hello,
I just bought the T2i and was wondering about the affects of it going from an Air Conditioned room to 90 degree weather… I am going to the bahamas in June and been there before with my video camera and noticed that the lens got a little “foggy”.. would this same thing happen to the Camera Lens? has anyone experienced this before? How can I protect the lens from doing this?
thanks
Marc
What’s the best settings to take pictures on the beach during sunrise time ?
I got my 1st DSLR camera, a T2i on 9/18/2011. I started out using auto mode because I had no ideal what the manual setting would do or what to do with them. Soon after I got the 50mm f1.8 because I read it was a great lens for all around, and it is. I have taken about 4000 pictures sense then and studied most all to see what was right or wrong in each.
1st, learn your camera, Get to know what Aperture is, what ISO does and shutter speed. Use Google, you can find anything about any of these.
Learn about the software that comes with the T2i, Digital Photo Professional, you will thank yourself later, here is a link to Tutorial Videos.
http://learn.usa.canon.com/galleries/galleries/tutorials/dpp_tutorials.shtml
A better flash will help take better pictures also, I know some don’t want to spend the money but some pictures are priceless.
I also use a cheap flash diffuser
Some of the pictures I have taken lately are WOW
The T2i can be a point and shoot type camera with a thats a nice picture OR It can be a real camera that will give you a WOW
thats an amazing picture.
Its digital, take lots and lots of pictures and have fun.
I’ve had the T2i for more than a year and I like most everything about it. One thing I don’t like however, is the rubber eye cup constantly falling off. They’re replaceable, but in my opinion the eye cup falls off much too easily. I fixed mine with the judicious use of a few tiny drops of super glue (CA glue) – around the edge of the rubber cup (the key word here is TINY). If you try this don’t use too much glue – you’ll make a mess – I used a toothpick to apply the glue. Then, to take this one step further, is used then very small pieces of two sided cellophane tape to better hold the eyepiece.
Recently bought a Canon T2i at Sam’s. Camera has worked great with the exception that I cannot get the flash to work? Indoor pics still turning our pretty good but I would think it would flash once in a while. I also put my 430EX unit on at a basketball game and it did not flash either. Tried different modes, but in program it should have flashed? I think my best bet is to take back to Sam’s and get another. Anyone else had this problem?
Make sure you have the ‘Flash Enabled’ if you’re shooting in other than the ‘Green’ auto mode. Try putting camera in ‘P’, ‘Tv’, ‘Av’, or ‘M’ mode with the dial. Then press ‘Menu’, scroll down to ‘Flash Control’; press ‘Set’. First listing is ‘Flash Firing’, Make sure you see ‘Enable’, not ‘Disable’. If not press the ‘Set’ button to get to ‘Enable’. See if this does anything for you.
Hi Everyone,
I was trying to shoot some outside pictures of fresh snow this morning from my living room in low light with my T2i set to ISO 1600 and Aperture about f/4.5 and the small square box in the center of the LCD screen turned red. At times it is also white and green. I am having difficulty finding more information about it in the canon user guide and also online. The book only refers to it as the “Framing Square.”
What do these colors mean? Thanks.
Peter
Hi Peter
I take it you are using live view. The square is not a framing square it is the AF point. If it is not turning green when you press the shutter button, it is telling you that focus cannot be achieved. If you are trying to focus on the snow there is nothing for the AF to focus on rather like trying to photograph a blank sheet of white paper.
Regards
PBKed
I have just recently purchased a Canon Rebel T2i and am having issues with the CA mode. When I press Q button and then try to access the blurring and sharpening are a box comes up saying: This function is not selectable in current shooting mode.
Can you please help! Thank you
I do lots of sports photography of my kids. I have the T2i and the canon 70-200 f2.8 is lens. I also use the 28-135 lens. Can you tell me the best settings for both to get the best shots while shooting basketball. Thanks for any comments
Hi!
Just got my t2i and I have a few quick questions:
Can I use the continuous shooting mode when in full automatic setting? I seem to only put it on single, self timer with remote, or continuous timer.
How do you change the timer to less than 10 sec? or can you.
Any tips on taking group photos? ie: which setting is best? I’m still on basic modes right now ;)
Thanks so much!
I use a T2I to make money ;)
I was wondering if there is a feature on my camera to display the date the picture was taken. As I don’t always print the pictures the day they were taken, the date on the back of the pics does not help me. I’ve noticed some of my friends’ pictures have the date taken on them…
Thanks
Suddenly I can’t download my pictures. it state “busy”. I have been searching for an answer and I assume I must have hit a wrong setting somewhere. Some sites say go to the menu and find communiction, but i can’t find that in the menu. Really need pictures for a project today for work. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Debby. Did you fix it? This exact problem is happening to me:(. For some reason my t2i keep reading “busy”.
Recently purchased the T2i and with the purchase from Penn Camera came a FREE class for the Beginner or Intermediate-level Photographer. I am a newbie to DSLR but have taken some pics and ‘pretty much’ know how the camera operates. Which class would be most worthwhile to take? In the photography world, should I go step-by-step or move on to a more advanced class? Thank you for your site,… it is very helpful!
Hi Bruce
It is amazing how much even seasoned photographers forget the basics. Start with the beginner which should teach you about the ‘light triangle’, rules of thirds and other compositional tricks rather than just how to handle the camera. You say it is free, so what have you got to lose?
Regards
PBKed
Does anyone know which Canon Diopters will fit the T2i? I’m very farsighted, and have the built in viewfinder diopter (on the camera) set to it’s + max, but still need further correction. I know Canon makes various viewfinder diopters to fit specific cameras – but I’ve not been able to determine which ones fit the T2i. I do a lot of macro photography which generally requires manual focusing, rather than auto focus.
Hi Nick
550d manual page 216. Any E-series dioptric adjuster will fit. If possible visit a canon dealer who supplies these and try them out. Start with +1 diopter higher than standard and then the next until you can see sharply thru the viewfinder. I had to do the same as I would walk into a barn door if I didn’t wear spectacles!
Regards
PBKed
Thanks PB Ked,
For some unknown reason, these Canon diopters seem to be hard to find. I could not find one at the big Atlanta camera stores. They told me these are not items they typically stock.They’ll order it, if you pay for it up front, but they don’t have them in stock so you can’t try them to find one that’s good for your particular eyesight. Even Canon is out of stock on several diopters. I finally ordered one from one of the NYC dealers (it also out of stock at the moment).
Why do all my new photos appear in duplicate on the memory card? Is there a setting on the camera to change? They have different file names such as IMG1185.CR2 AND 11851185.JPG.
Your camera is currently set to save a RAW image (the .cr2 file) in addition to a JPG. You can change this by pressing the menu button on the camera and going to the quality setting.
Just got a T2i and want to start moving video to my mac desktop. can anyone give me some advice? is it best to get a memory card reader or are there better wires i can go direct from mac to camera.
thanks
I use the video camera to iMac function weekly. Copy the *.MOV files to you mac hard drive. Import the *.MOV files into iMovie Event using the import movies from files menu selection. it is better to copy the files to the Mac via a card reader ’cause if you have a large number of videos it will consume a lot of camera battery.
Once imported into iMovie events simply create your own iMovie project, When completed export the project to iDVD or AppleTV for viewing.
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Hi, everyone!
I have a question about bokeh (sp?). I’ve been taking a lot of bird photos in my backyard and get some very nice blurred backgrounds by making sure the bushes or trees are far enough away from the bird. I usually shoot in 5.6. I ran across some pictures the other day by a professional and the backgrounds were as smooth and clean as if the picture had been taken against a sheet of paper or something. I can’t imagine how the foliage would have been thrown that far out of focus. What can I do to get that effect? Does anyone know? Thanks!
Bokeh is all in the lens, the aperture you use and the distance to the background from your subject.
Not all lenses are created equal and of course quality goes up with price. Number of blades etc.
Which lens are you using and can you stop it down a little (larger aperture opening)?
A 1.4 lens will almost always give you more bokeh and if you are at 5.6 try increasing it.
Hi Everyone,
There are three AF Modes on the T2i.
“One Shot” for still subjects.
“Al Servo” for moving subjects, and
“Al Focus” which is an automatic switching mode used in case the subject may move.
My question is, “Why not leave it in the Al Focus mode all the time instead of manually having to switch it back and forth and let the automation do its job? I know their has to be a reason otherwise it wouldn’t be there, but I don’t have it. Can anyone save me some time in tying to figure this out for myself?
Thanks.
Peter
I’ a pride owner of Canon 550d and it works well. recently I found at the right botom side of the exp. sim and it is blinking. what it indicates and how to stop it and any more particulars available.
thanks for your time and consideration.
Joe
Is it possible to save a particular setting that you use often so you don’t have to go through the whole setup every time? For example I use 800ISO, 1/200th, +2 exposure compensation with my Lightscoop for flash photography. Can I make a setting for that?
I have just recently recieved a T2i camera. It cam withe the 18-55mm lens but I am wanting to upgrade for my upcoming vacation. I am taking my girls to Yellowstone and I am hoping to get some great pictures of the wildlife, so I am needing a len that has good resolution and zoom. What would be the best lens for this??
Thanks in advance
I read that the T2i works well in cold weather, which I am SO happy to hear about – just need to invest in a second battery.
Now can someone tell me if this is normal, where the rubber hand grip part starts to fall off. Is that normal? Happened to my eye piece too – got that replaced. But how do I fix the hand grip part?
Also, my camera seems to take a long time to focus and take a picture when I have it on Auto…any reason that might be? I only use auto when I give my camera to someone else, but it doesn’t point n shoot too well…[it used to work well though?]
I was out shooting pictures today,awesome day cold crisp and sunny. The histogram showed up in the display how do you delete it. Thanks
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I just go a Rebel T2i for my birthday.I want to learn more about the features of my camera without reading the tiny manual that can with the camera. Can anyone recommend a good site or book to help me get started?
Thanks,
Valerie
P.S. I tired looking on Cannon’s site and it is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
Valerie, there is a link to the online manual on the right hand side of this page. its easier to navigate than that tiny book. Also, i noticed that Moose had a baby in October and i think he is planning to come back….soon i hope.
Jeff Revell’s Canon Rebel T2i/550D From Good Shots to Great Shots
This is an excellent book to get going with the camera—When I first got the camera, it was taking some great shots and some garbage–this book helped me get the settings right without having to know everything—start with selecting center focus point- some of the adjustments are surprising –like AUTO is not usually your friend
I am buying Canon T2i’s for my 3 married kids for Christmas. I would like to have the basics for them (to a point $$$). I am wondering if I need to have an extra battery other than the one that comes with it. If so are there different and better options?
Thanks, Connie
The options you may want to look at are the kit lens that come from different retailers. Ask them which lens they offer, or lenses.
They don’t need extra batteries but get them a larger sd card and camera bags. The kit comes pretty basic so you end up having to buy a lot of accessories. When I bought mine, I also picked up some lens filters to protect the lens and also a cleaning kit.
Hi I’m in a dilema! I own a rebel xt, I’ve recently bought a used Canon 40D with 17-85 lense from a photography for $500 so I was planning on selling my xt, my problem is I’m not sure if I’m gonna get used to the 40D because of it’s size and I will say, I only shoot in auto ( had planned on experimenting on my old camera in manual but never seemed too so in reality probably won’t with this one either) Some might ask why I got it, well I expected better photo quality but I really haven’t explored enough yet to see. My dilema is I planned on selling my rebel xt and lots of assessories to get some of my money back and maybe down the road if I didn’t like the 40D probably get a T2i, I’m afraid to let go my rebel xt in case I won’t be pleased with the 40D or T2i! Does anyone have experience switching from the rebel xt to T2i in shooting in just auto! Most of my pics are of my dogs playing so I’m wondering if the T2i is as fast as the rebel xt!
When you ask about speed do you mean the FPS or the aperture in the lens? If its the latter the camera won’t matter depending on which lens you use.
If its the FPS you’ll need to do a little research on the two camera’s.
Another thing that can make a camera seem slow is the memory card.
Moose has some recommendations in the right column on this page. I would suggest a class 10, they seem to be a little faster depending on which one you select.
I’m totally illiterate in photography terms!!! I’m a bit ashamed to say I’ve only been using my rebel in auto and have no clue about any other setting on it! I do appreciate great photos though and believe it or not have been asked many times why I’m not selling my photos!!! So when you say FPS or Aperature, I must say I’m not sure! I mean when I press the button on my rebel it’s immediate and I get shots of my dogs in action without the blur. I’m using the Tamron 28-75 lens 2.8 which is not bad, I’ve read somewhere about shutter lag with the T2i and wondering if when you press the button is it as immediate as my xt? I know it sounds like I’m clueless but really I do have a good eye and have got some amazing shots!
Hi Denise….why would you want to get rid of your XT? If you’re just an automatic shooter, I would go for the T2i. It’s going to be much lighter & easier to use. The Canon 40D is geared more towards professional photographers that need the use of all the manual control settings. The t2i is better is low light due to the higher ISO, has a higher resolution screen & shoots video.
I once owned the Canon XS 10 megapixel & upgraded to the T2i before I even had a chance to grow out of it. Unless you’ve grown out of your XT & it’s not performing up to your satisfaction, there’s no reason to replace it.
Hi,
So I just found this site and it is pretty awesome. I have been wondering for a while and can’t seem to find any answers to my question. Is there any way to make the grip on the T2i feel more like the 60D? I have recently held the 60D and it fits my hand better. Just wondering if there are any aftermarket add ons? I found the Snug-it Pro Skin and it looks nice but I still didn’t get an answer on how much the grip feels like the bigger 60D.
Thanks for any responses!
Have you thought of trying the battery pack add-on? It attaches to the bottom of the camera and makes for a bigger grip.
I just recently acquired a T2i with an 18-55mm lens. when i set the camera to Full Auto to take photos indoor in low light conditions, the flash doesn’t pop up and the photos turn out quite dark. one would think that in those low light conditions and the camera in Full Auto, the flash would pop up and flash. any reason why this happens and what i should do?
I have a T2i. I’ve noticed if the lights are bright enough it won’t pop up on its own. It seems to need to be quite dim to our eyes before it will pop up on mine on its own. I don’t usually shoot in full auto anymore, where as in manual you hit the flash button on your left side to pop it up. So if I were you I’d throw it in a mode the flash is manual, pop it open and move it back to full auto to allow for the flash to be ready. I do this with my friends if I let them shoot a few shots for fun, and they tend to prefer auto. Before owning this camera I always did prefer full auto with the point and shoot cameras. I’d recommend playing with the different modes. I’ve found that macro works real well with flowers for me. It helps to use the other assisted modes before jumping in to full manual. I try to play with all settings as much as possible. I still have a lot to learn, but I’m learned so much from just reading what settings the camera chooses for me and I go from their on my own. I’ve compared shooting in full auto and then shooting in manual and I definitely learn the best that way. I’ve learned to improve my shots better than the full manual. i hope this helps.
If you still can’t get the flash to work then I’d consider getting it exchanged as it may be a malfunction.
Thanks Jenni. that was very very helpful. you are correct when you recommend playing around with the different modes.
This is just a great website. Thanks a lot for all your efforts in giving us this valuable information.
I have just purchased a 550D and a canon 55-250 IS II lens. I am mainly aiming for bird-photography. Can you please give me some tips and camera settings on my equipments? Also please let me know what should be the ideal lens for bird photography.
Thanks,
Soumya
My 2ti only shows 5 icons in the menu list. The 3rd icon is supposed to have a menu item for resetting to factory default. Where are the rest of the icons, or how do I get them back? thanks
When the T2i is in auto mode there are only 5 icons. If you go to P, TV, or AC you will get more.
I have the T2i and it’s been working great and has been taking fantastic pictures. However sometimes when I try to take a picture the camera just struggles and can’t take the picture. I hold the button and it tries to focus in and out and the flash sort of flickers but it won’t take the picture. As far as I can remember it seems to be when I have the flash on. Sometimes it just snaps the pictures but 9 times out of 10 it just makes a clicking noise, the flash flickers, and it focuses in and out several times and then does nothing. I’ve missed several opportunities for great photos because this occurs. You can only get a kid or people to sit still for so long while the camera does nothing. I’ve Google’d it and it doesn’t seem that anyone else has had this problem. It seems that there may be something wrong with the camera, but I wanted to check here first to see if anyone has had a similar problem. Thanks!
The same thing is happening to me, I just bought my camera last night and i’m very bummed out. It seems to be struggling, it gets into focus then it becomes blurry, gets back to focus and becomes blurry, without taking the picture. I have it on the macro setting. but it does this on other settings as well. I wonder if something is wrong with my lens. Also wondering if once I shut the camera off, does the lens go in? Mine stays out. EF-S 18-55 IS HELP
A lot of times if you are taking a picture of something with little contrast the lens will do that. If your subject is of that sort try either to manual focus or half press the shutter button on something the same distance away and then move to your subject keeping the shutter button half depressed until your pic is composed.
Sounds like you’re taking photos in low light. The built in camera flash is not really good. You should consider purchasing the Canon 430 EXII hot shoe flash. It features an Auto Focus assist beam. With mine, I can shoot in pich black darkness & the beam will focus the lens perfectly. This flash can also be bounced off of ceilings & walls to create a soft light. It’s great for fill flash.
Thanks Moose for the site. Saved me hours on comp. Wondering about cold weather preformance. I live in bush Alaska and will be using my t2i for ice carving in Fairbanks as well as Northern lights and dog mushing. Any where you could direct me to find info on this subject would be appricated
When going from inside to outside or vice -versa i put my camera and lens in a ziploc bag til its acclimated to temp. And buy spare batteries and keep them close to your body to keep them warm, as the cold will highly affect how long battery will last. Camera should be fine.
I’ve been shooting with the T2i for just a couple short months, for the most part I love the camera, however, I’ve been having issues with some photos having a yellow/orange tint to them. One photo will be fine and the next will have this tint. My shoots are typically of people outdoors, I’ve tried changing my white balance based on the conditions outside, but nothing seems to give me that rich color photo after photo. Even when I do indoor studio shoots, and I have set a custom white balance, some photos just have this odd color or some are blasted with whte. But then some photos will be perfect. It’s very frustrating. I’m finding myself having to do a lot of post editing, and sometimes the tint is so bad that I can’t even fix it in post.
I used to shoot with a Sony, and never had this many color issues.
What am I doing wrong??
In one sentence you stated you set the white balance based on conditions outside. If you are shooting inside that will cause that effect.
Are you using flash?
If you are using custom WB what are you using to get the custom WB?
Have you tried AWB?
If you have an incorrect setting you shouldn’t be getting intermittent color’s.
Are you shooting under neon or tungsten light?
Lots of variables, I find that AWB will solve a lot of problems unless you are using a flash.
Hello, I just bought a diffusion filter by rocketfish for my Canon Rebel T2i. The images I have taken are blurry to the point where they are not enjoyable. What am I doing wrong? Please advise. Thank you!!!!
Having an slightly blurred photo is a diffusion filters purpose but not to the point you are describing.
I believe Rocketfish is on the lower scale as far as quality but there are steps (different grades) in strength of a lot of filters. If you have a friend with another brand try that. If not try taking it back.
If I select single point focusing while on a manual setting (i.e. Tv) does that single point focusing stay with the camera when I switch to a preset mode (sport)? I think it does but it seems odd that when I want to change metering spots I also have to move the dial to a manual mode then back to auto settings. Any thoughts?
Single point focus will not work in auto.
Hi all….
I recently got a Canon Rebel T2i… it is doing awesome .. :)
My query is… whether we need to put a UV filter for it?? AM using the basic 18-55 kit lens….
Awaiting your reply…
Vish
UV filters are a personal preference, some do some don’t. If you handle your camera rough then maybe you need one.
I have talked to guys that have never used one.
I got filters for all my lenses because they protect them and are cheaper to replace than the lens if you happen to scratch it. I took my camera on a safari and was constantly wiping dust and dirt away so I was really happy to have those filters to protect the lens.
Hello Moose and all! Moose this website is great.tons of info. and it’s helping me tremendously with my new canon t2i. However, I was wondering if someone can help me out..I am a style blogger and I typically take my pics indoors using a self timer. However, trying various setting with the canon, every self timed shot comes out blurry. I have tried the AV placing the apperture anywhere from 5-8…I’ve increased and decreased the ISO.I used the automatic function and regardless….every photo is blurry and not focused. Can someone please advise?
THANKS in advanced!!!
Roni
Here is something you can try, maybe it will solve your problem and maybe not. However the more you use this feature the more you may like it.
Its called “Back Button Focusing” and basically it changes the mode of focus to the rear button on the camera just above the + sign. The camera will only focus with this button and using your timer when the camera goes off it is probably focusing itself. Here is how you set it up,
Turn the T2i on.
Press the MENU button to display the menu
Select the tool symbol just to the left of the STAR
Select Custom Functions
Select Custom Function 9
Highlight OPTION 1 AE lock / AF
Press Set
Press Menu to exit menu
Many people once they use this they leave it set there.
Pre focus your subject and see what happens.
Definitely recommend this setting change. I have initiated this way of focusing myself and it has made my shooting much more satisfying. I ran into the focus issue on timed shots as well early on and generally would focus then switch to manual before shooting. I still do this (with the back button focus), but its an added guarantee of sharpness.
This tip has added advantages over just the focus issue. You will have less, “accidental” shots when focusing, better control for those difficult angles and the other nice thing (that I was concerned about) is even if this setting is changed, your remote shutter equipment will continue to work as needed. Same for the battery grip, using the dedicated grip “Back Button Focus”.
Key thing is to get used to this once changed. At first I found myself habitually trying to use the shutter to A-focus until I caught my motor memory up with the new button. ;-)
Just my two cents.
When in video mode and I show the product that I am reviewing and all the print on the product is backwards when it is later viewed. How do I correct this issue? Thanks so much for your review.
Is it possible to turn off the shutter sound?
i think that’s the shutter. Making that sound.
Hi Moose, first I use your site and think its great, so I have a question will the YongNuo YN-468 E-TTL Speedlite With LCD Display work withT2i. I only want it for normal pictures indoors nothing fancy. THANKS
The search I have done says it will work.
I want to buy a T2i mostly for video recording, i want to know wich lense you recomend me for this
thanks
Hi Luis,
there are many lenses you can use for the video shooting.I’m using this T2i too for video shooting.My suggestion is try:
1.50mm (EF/EFS) for Close up or medium shot
2.18-135 mm EFS for medium shot (basically it can use as kit lense)
3.Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM for wide angle shot
cheers
I feel really silly asking this but I just bought the cannon rebel T2i and haven’t bought a memory card. I took a few pics and was wondering how to see the pics I took.
If you haven’t installed a memory card the camera has no way of recording a photo.
When you do put one in you can see the pic’s by pressing the green arrow below the set button.
would love to add a copyright to my photos. I programmed the camera with my name etc. Now how do I get it to show up on the pics?? I am a new user to 2Ti, just received it recently and learning while I go along.
thank you
You will need to do that with post processing. Try using the software that came with the T2i.
thank you!!!
I believe that I found the answer within your GREAT links/info! Now I know how I can change my ISO to give that a try Friday night! Will definitely be purchasing the LCD protector too! Can’t wait to look further into your info! Thank you so much!
Please excuse my ignorance as I am just a proud aunt trying to get some nice photo’s for scrapbooks.
I am using the 55-250 lense for football, baseball and football cheerleading photo’s – when it gets dark, all of my picutures are blurred. I tried an additional flash but that didn’t seem to work either. My nephew is a very fast moving target in football and baseball and my neice is constantly moving while cheering. I’ve tried all kinds of settings with all of the same results.
Shortly we’ll be going into basketball season – what do I use for that with the indoor gymnasium lighting?
Can you get the date stamp on the T2i for pictures?
No, Canon didn’t put that option in the T2i
I have an engagement and wedding shoot coming up…would like to add bits of video to the slide show….can
I and how do I switch back and forth between still and video during the shoot.
Thanks,
debi
Under your Video mode you can take snapshots,I do not have my book with me but it is in the book. Suggest a monopod or a tripod if room allows.nothing worse than shaky videos.
Ihave an engagement and wedding shoot coming up…would like to add bits of video to the slide show….can
I and how do I switch back and forth between still and video during the shoot.
Thanks,
debi
Hi,
I am reading this in learning how to shoot indoor.
http://www.petracross.com/blog/2011/2/23/how-to-shoot-without-flash.html
When it says ‘Set your ISO to 800 or higher and open up your aperture wide open.’, which mode I should set my t2i to? and what to do to open up my aperture?
Thank you.
Got to the little ISO button on the T2i. Press it. You’ll see several settings for ISO. Choose 800. A wide open aperture means an aperature with a lower number. Use 5.6 or lower. Do this by pressing the AV button on the T2i, then dialing to a wider aperature.
hey all !!
just bought a canon T2i a few weeks ago…i purchased it mainly to take pictures of the bands that play in my area. however i have yet to find a setting that will allow the natural stage lighting to show through without blurring the image. also id like to have it in a continual shooting mode so that i can take all those great action shots. most difficulties i have encountered are a busy signal in my LCD screen in-between shots….(annoying), or it wont allow me to take the photo at all….i get the little red box. im a total novice when it comes to these things and would love some help until i can start to get i feel for this camera.
Your memory card is probably the culprit for the recovery time between shots. And your lens or aperture is probably the cause for blurred shots.
Which lens are you using and what settings? If you are wanting to use existing light you may need a faster lens/aperture.
Moose has left and we are doing our best to answer some questions.
John
* Read the recommended memory cards Moose has suggested in the right Column.
Meaghan, what you’re getting is motion blur.
Your problem is that problem is the lighting isn’t sufficient to allow you to choose a high shutter speed (@1/200 or higher). You need the high shutter speed to freeze the movement of the musicians on the stage.
1) Make sure you’re using a high ISO, so the sensor needs less light. The photos will have little speckles we call noise, but that comes with the high ISO.
2) Try putting the camera on a tripod so it’s steady, still and stable. Then you might be able to pull off the higher shutter speed.
3) Use the pop up flash. Put a piece of tissue over it so you’ll have a diffuser. Then use it to illuminate the foreground some.
4) You probably won’t be able to shoot in continous mode. That low light shooting is quite strenuous on a camera. Make sure your battery is charged and get a back up so you can shoot through the entire concert.
I want to take some shots of the Blue Angels flying during Sea Fair here in Seattle. How should I set up my Canon Rebel T2i using a 70-300mm lens?
You will need a fast shutter to do this, I would think around 125 to 250 or faster. Change you ISO to get the speed you want. I have a 70-300 and I have had to do this to speed the shutter up for fast moving objects.
I think it would be a good idea to play with white balance some before the event. Take some shots with different settings and see how they turn out.
John
Hi Moose,
I am thinking of getting the Raynox DCR6600 Pro wide angle converter instead of spending lot more money on a wide angle lens. I have lenses with filter sizes varying from 52mm to 67mm, so can I use the Raynox universal adapter 52mm-67mm to attach DCR6600 Pro to my lenses? Second question is, I have a Sigma 17-70mm F/2.8-4 lens which takes a 72mm filter. What adapter do I need to buy for it. Many thanks.
My cannon rebel T2i will not focus on pictures it is almost as though the flash doesn’t have enough power to take a picture it simply flickers the flash and then doesnt take a picture…or will not focus if it does take a picture. I am using the EFS 18-55mm image stabilizer lens….Ive trying restoring the settings back to the original without any luck…it also says that the external flash function says menu cannot be displayed incompible flash or flash’s power is turned off? Does any one have any idea? Thank you so much.
did you charge your Battery? Might chk you battery.
I’m having the same issue. Had just charged the battery and it was full. I was taking pictures of my daughter Trick-or-Treating and the camera just flickered and focused in and out several times, never taking the picture. It seems to have to do with the extreme low light (it was dark out), when I’d get to a house where the porch light was on the camera did take the picture and used the flash no problem.
Hi,
I new to Canon t2i. Can you please tell me what is the best setting to shoot some group photos (portrait of people eating with me) in a restaurant? where the lighting is not that bright and can I not use flash (as it will make the back ground very dark)?
your T2i has a no flash option it it just below the Auto shoot option. if you need to brighten use you can use your software.
Hi,
How do I set date/time to appear on photos? I know how to set the date/time but it does not show on the photos themselves.
Regards,
Hugo
Afraid you can’t – you’ll have to do that manually in a photo editing program like photoshop or i-photo or other.
Hello I am shooting clothing on models in front of a white screen for my web site. Can someone tell me how I can set my camera on the proper picture size needed for my web master to load photos on the site so that we do not have to go in and resize every image. Is this a setting I can do on the camera or do I have to do this with the software?
Thanks
White screen shots, Lighting would be my fear,I believe you should check with your web masters software. I believe your T2i has a supplied “Batch” repair .If that’s what your asking .
Shoot the photos at the best setting you can manage, so they’ll look better when you resize them – especially if you’re going to decrease the size when you load them to the web. I routinely use Large, or even raw with large Jpg. Thenake them into your software, clean them up, then do a batch resize.
If you’re using photoshop, then automate the task. Here’s a link on using automation
http://digitalmedia.oreilly.com/2006/07/13/automating-photoshop-routines.html
Hi, I got my new Canon T2i at christmas and learning all the setting & it can be over mind overload. I take alot of bird photos & my birds still come out blurry help? am I not getting the setting right any help would be great. Thanks. Birds are far away.
Is the rest of the Pix blurry or just the focal point? Check page 68 on your hand book.That should explain alot. Are you steady if not invest on a pod (you can get a cheap monopod for less than 15 bucks at walmart) if that is the prob then invest on a good one,or better a Tripod,trust me you’ll love a good one. Last I would check on your glass being sufficient for the distance . Most important ,Practice.Hope this helps
Hi Moose,
I really like your explanations. You have put things in a simple way because of which its is very easy to understand and learn.I have a question for you.
Whenever I take a picture, the clicked image flashes for a sec on the LCD screen. However, for slow shutter speeds, starting 1 sec, even after the shutter has closed, I see Processing displayed on the LCD screen. Its quite a while after which I get to see what I clicked. Also, I can’t click any images until this processing is done. I understand that the camera is internally processing the image but its pretty annoying because as the exposure increases so does the processing time and I miss shots and lose time too. Is there a way to avoid this ? I have activated the low noise option and also I shoot Raw. Please advise.
Thanks,
Priyanka
I would suspect your memory card first.
I shoot RAW,Make sure it is not RAW/Jpeg. First thing I did was replace the memory card with a class 10.and have had no probs.You might try this.
I’m getting a bit of red/orange skin tones on photos, using the portrait mode. I’m using the kit lens and I notice it more so with low lighting.
Am still learning so any tips would be appreciated.
Also Do I need to remove my uv filter for night shots ?
Why are you using a uv Filter at night?
I have one of those filter things on my lens and never take it off – day or night – I thought it was more of a protection for the lens?
Aubrey
I use only a cp filter outside for bluer skies,also a better picture when shooting water shots where glare is a prob. It has an advantage of protecting and not getting a salt film from the sea. Recently I used it to shoot thru windshields where a bare lense would just show a glare. I see no need for a uv filter.If you know of some please advise.
I guess its a personal preference, and I agree it is good for protection.
What’s your white balance? Check to make sure it’s set correctly.
Sorry about my previous answer, I checked my book. Portrait mode uses a picture style that warms the skin tones. You can’t override the settings.
I suggest buying the Canon EOS Digital Field Guide. I learned a lot about operating my camera from it. It’s only @$20.
Hi Moose,
I have just ordered a Zacuto V Finder Pro for my Canon T2i. When it is attached to the camera, it will block the battey compartment. How are the batteries loaded when using the Canon battery grip. Is it any quicker to load the batteries if the Zacuto (Gorilla Plate) Viewfinder is attached to the underside of the grip rather than the camera?
Thanks
Peter
My T2i has this message on all auto modes “This function is not selectable in the current shooting mode”. It still takes pictures fine in auto but won’t do anything in manual mode. I have read the manual and can’t find anything to fix it. Can anyone help with this?
Hi Heather,
There is a setting in the menu where you can restore the settings to the manufacturer’s default – can’t remember where it is specifically, but I have used it in the past to solve a problem similar to yours. It’s harmless and sounds like a good option to pursue to solve your problem.
Here’s to hope!
Aubrey
Thanks Aubrey! I was unable to access the menu in “creative modes” which is where you can get to the reset settings. I called Canon and they walked me through a hard reset and I was able to get to the menu after that. I cleared all settings and everything worked fine.
Hi Heather…glad it worked. It was one of the first things we learned in a camera class I took at Henry’s when I first got my T2i. I haven’t had to use it since (that was January) so I couldn’t remember the name of it.
Glad it helped.
Aubrey
Okay so I’m working on a short film that’s going to be involved with Day and dark. My questions is that
what’s the best set up for beach scene with my canon t2i do i need a filter for my lens on a sunny day?
and I’m having a scene at night time in streets of Hollywood when they have some what of a lot of lights at night
whats the best set up for my canon t2i?
your answers will be very well appreciated :D
CP filter (Circular Polarizer)for the beach.
I am looking for a wide angle lens in combination with my canon 600d.
I want to choose between Canon EF-S 10-24 mm and Tamron AF 10-24 mm Di II. My question does Tamron which is much cheaper provides the same quality ?
Hello Moose- I just found this site. Very excited as I need lots of help.
Currently I am on vacation in ME and I am trying to have fun with sparklers…I am having a hard time locating the Bulb mode setting. Can you help with that? Any tips would be appreciated.
Also, I am trying to shoot lighthouses/beach & covered bridges scenes in overcast lighting…additional tips would be great! I have 2 lenses- 50mm ES71II & the basic that came with the camera, 18mm-55. I’ll be playing with both.
Thanks!
Leah
Leah,
You can find the Bulb setting by turning the top dial to manual “M” and turning the wheel just above the shutter button left until “Bulb” displays in the viewfinder. If you watch the viewfinder during exposure it will tell you how long the shutter has been open, bottom right.
You can also try shutter speeds at 1 second or less in manual for fireworks by stopping on a chosen speed before you get to Bulb.
The pictures you want in overcast light probably needs to be tried with some filters to enhance your pic’s.
I am certainly no expert in that area but in past experiences that has helped in that area.
John* Not Moose :-)
Your T2i has no prob shooting in overcast sky’s.You can always use the software to enhance.Covered bridges you will need a pod due to length of shot,depending how dark it is inside. Practice.
Hi, I’m wondering if anyone knows about recording stereo sound with video for the T2i. I have a self powered external stereo mic which I plug into the T2i. I record as normal but when I play back my video on my laptop I can only get sound out of one speaker. In the editing software I can view the audio stream and it appears to be in stereo, ie the sound graph is above and below the centre line. I have tried regular camcorder videos and they play out of both speakers. Any ideas anyone?
John ,
Maybe you can inherit the site! I’m disappointed in Moose not answering posts unless he really can’t. Bummer for us!
In case anyone was wondering about macro lenses, I picked up a Canon 60mm macro and I can say the images I can capture with this lens is nothing less than spectacular. I highly recommend this lens for anyone thinking about macro. I read a lot about the 100mm being better for macro work, but that’s about all the 100mm is good for on a crop sensor body as it’s just too tight for any other use (at least for me). Whereas the 60mm is great for other uses as well.
Will the nissin di622 work with my Canon T2i? Would you recommend it? If you have another suggestion for the price, please let me know!
Thanks!
Kristie
Can anyone recommend a good intervalometer? The Canon TC80N3 is way too expensive. Thanks in advance! :)
http://www.linkdelight.com/View-all-products-in-shop.html?keyword=canon+T2i
Im looking to buy a speedlite flash for my T2i but confused by the different ones … im thinking the 320Ex around $250.00 as it has an assist beam but dont know if i should go with the 430EX II for an extra 50.00 I dont believe that has the assist beam….. The 580Ex is bit out of my price range now! or is this something i should save for ?
The things i photograph most is abandoned buildings/urban exploration, wildlife & motox
I’d appreciate any guidance here Thank you
All depends on how far and how much light you need, for general indoor shots the 320EX is fine, but so is the flash on the camera. However adding a flash allows bouncing and raises it up some off the camera. Try them out at the store and see the differences.
Hi, i’d like to know if there’s a way for me to attach 18-55 and 55-250 lenses together or taping them together in my 550d camera body? i heard you can but I’m looking for the exact mounting ring and on how to do it, please advise, Thanks….
Why?
Never even heard of this idea, if it is even possible it would be a mess in my opinion, I just can’t see how the sensor would get enough light, second it would be so much glass how could you get any sharpness to the shot, not to mention what kind of joint you would have as you would be attaching to the filter threds????
Hello Everybody,
I have a T2i with Tamron 18-270mm VC lens. I am trying to edit RAW images using the Digital Photo Professional (DPP) software (shipped with T2i). However, the photos are not editable inside DPP.
Can anybody advise me if it’s due to the fact that DPP does not support Tamron lenses or is it something else? What I’m missing here?
What are other RAW image processing softwares?
Thank you.
Try Picasa, If it works delete DPP and reload. I find a bit easier than DPP
I found I had to download the photos to my computer using the utility, then edit them with DPP. I don’t think that’s the answer to your problem, but I’m offering it.
HELP!! just bought my 1st decent camera (canon t2i) and need help with lens selection came in a kit with a 18-55 1;3.5-5.6 canon image stabilizer lens, a canon 55-250 1;4-5;6 image stabilizer lens and a canon 70-300mm 1;4-5;6 image stabilizer lens and i need to know which lens and camera settings will work best in a large audotorium for a graduation ceremony.. i will be on floor with a tripod pretty far away 100-150 feet PLEASE HELP!! i also have a flash canon 430exii do i need?? or just in the way HELP!!
I would think the 55-250 would work best hands down.
The flash will depend on the available light, take it just in case.
Set your iso to 400.
thank you very much.. is iso of 400 enough for so-so lighting from 100-150 feet away with a zoom?
I think it depends on what “so so” is but I think light adequate for graduation should be ok.
I would still take the flash just in case.
18-55 is small enough to carry in your coat pocket,but I would take the 55-250.Take flash just in case(point to ceiling). iso depends on lighting inside the Aud. 300-400,sounds good depends on light an gowns color. Remember you can make adj. with software.
You need a fast lens and lots of light. I’d use the 18-55mm, you won’t get up close at all with that being that far away but it will allow a faster shutter speed so less chance for motion blur. What you really need is a big flash like a 580EX, that would be the trick as it goes out some 140′. You can rent one for the day since it does not sound like you need one all the time. ISO 800 still looks ok on these T2i’s so don’t be afraid to try it. With the 18-55mm you can crop the photo to make it look larger. You can try the 55-250mm but I have that lens and it is slow at anything over 100mm and needs LOTS of light.
Just bought the Sandisk Extreme Pro SDHC USH-1 card for the canon t2i. The sales guy at Best Buy suggested it. Do you think this card is ok? I keep reading that i need a 10 class speed.
When recording video and trying to play it back on my pc, its reallly choppy. I tried converting to a .wmv…but no luck. Any other suggestions?
I have not tried video yet on my T2i, but my guess the choppy playback could be your computer, were you playing from the card or did you save it as a file? Also do you have a high speed card reader? Canon recommends a class 6 card or better, I would think the card you bought would be fine. Clearly a faster card allows for quicker transfer of info so the camera does not have to buffer as much, and vice-versa the transfer from the card to the computer is also faster. I would call Canon they have a technical assistance line and they may have some suggestions.
I had a problem playing HD video on my laptop, much like you said, choppy video, I tried this “Splash Pro” and it worked great no more choppy video, you can try the program here.
http://mirillis.com/en/products/splash.html
Best of luck.
I am looking at getting a tamron 17-50 f2.8 I have not decided whether to get the vc or non vc version. I would use it for a lot of video as well but I do have tripod,monopod and canera stabilizer so don’t know how important vc is. Looking for any suggestions to help with my decision.
Thanks
Larry
I was thinking about the same lens, also wondering how important the VC was on that short of a focal length. i just bought the Canon 70-200mm F/4L (non IS) and I can get some clear handheld shots in the day or with higher ISOs. I know the tamron would be a lower light lens, therefore I would imagine it wouldn’t be as important. years ago there wasn’t any such thing as VC or IS. Does anyone have either tamron lens? I love the idea of replacing my kit lens with that low Ap lens.
I bought the 17-50 Tamron without vc. I thought about it long and hard but like you I use a tri pod often as well. I have found that stationary objects don’t really create a problem. But I’m sure very much beyond your living room would change all that. I just didn’t want to spend the extra money.
I don’t regret the purchase at all.
I ended up getting the vc version of the lens mostly for the vc doing videos. It is a much larger lens than the kit lens. My daughter and I have been playing with it and it takes some very nice pictures. It is noisier than the kit lens but is reasonably fast. The thing I have been noticing is that a lot of the pictures I take are at the 50 mm range. This is making me realize that I will probably start to leave my old 50mm 1.8 on the camera a lot more as well.
Larry
Hi Moose,
Being new to Photography and Videography, I am taking the plunge into using the T2i in “Manuel” mode. Is their any particular order one should set ISO, Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Exposure Compensation. Or does it just depend on the type of photograph that is been taken? The Exposure Compensation reads different depending on whether I set it first, or whether I set it last. What am I missing here?
Thanks
Peter
Peter,
I’m no pro, but I like to shoot in manual. I guess I would first decide if you are using a tripod or not. If you are, shutter speed is not as important, unless you are trying to stop action in the shot. For instance, If you are photographing a flower with a tripod, depth of field (AV) is more important (unless the wind is blowing!), then meter your shot (center the line) and it will change your shutter speed to match the lighting situation for you. It can be fast or slow on a tripod. I don’t think there is any order for you to worry about. just use your light meter on the screen when you look through the eyepiece and half press the button. Use the wheel to adjust it and take a photo. Practice metering on different colors in the photo and see what works best for you. Whites are hard for me. Just practice.. you will figure out how manual works in no time! I prefer AV or manual most of the time. I also shoot in RAW so I can adjust after.
Hi Willa,
Thanks for your comments. You’ve given me more information to go on which will be a big help. My real interest is in shooting video and I understanding that shooting video in manual mode is crucial to getting good results. I’ve made a decision to try shooting everything in manual unless absolutely necessary. I figure it’s the only way to learn quickly. If you’ve any more tips you feel can help me, feel free to let me know.
Peter
I shoot video too, however I didn’t read the manual to know specifics on if manual mode is best.
One thing, don’t rule out shooting in AV or TV if needed. As much as you want to learn manual, what will happen if you need a quick shot, like if you see something amazing and you don’t have time to set up your shot?? Manual requires a little bit of time (not much)because you need to scroll through the “Q” button and set everything. If you want a really quick fix, shoot in auto…. but try AV . I love AV because I love my photos to have a shallow DOF and that is where I can quickly adjust it and not worry about the shutter speed. I’m still learning myself. I have a great forum I am part of. I would love for you to join us. We post pics and help one another. there are all kinds of photographers on, some like me and some REALLY good at it! The name is Camera, Lights and Lens. If you can’t find it, let me know.
Willa,
I quickly checked out Camera Lights and Lens and it seems to be great site with lots of good information for both beginners and professionals. Thanks again for the tips.
Peter
Cool, join us when you are ready to post. I’m using NJWilla as my name. I’ll look for you! One you join, you can private message me to let me know you joined.
I just bought myself my first DSLR, the Canon T2i with 18-55mm and 55-250mm lenses. I’m going on several long camping trips this summer and will be photographing lots of lanscape vistas including the ocean, redwood trees and Sierra mountains. I was considering getting something like the Cokin filter system to improve my shots. Do you recommend this system and if so what filters would you recommend buying?
Thanks for all the advice!
Hey there, I have the t2i and I’m currently looking for a light kit. Which one do you reccomend? Also I want one that can connect to my camera for a flash. Any suggestions? … Oh and what’s an alternative flash to the more expensive speedlight flashes.
I have the same questions hopefully someone will respond.
You might check out cowboystudios.com, I bought my strobe set from them and love it. It came with 2 backgrounds, 2 strobes/ soft boxes, stands, frame, cords, everything for about $220. Excellent portraits and shots I have taken. I recently bought the cheapest wireless transmitter/ with receiver I could find, and it works beautifully withtheT2I.
p.s. I forgot to say that the wedding is indoors.
I am attending an evening wedding and will be bringing my Rebel T2i. Is there an automatic setting that is best for these shooting conditions or should I just keep it on AUTO? My camera is new, and I haven’t had time to really learn how to work it manually. I would imagine one of the pre-set settings would be best – which?
hi Nancy. If you keep your camera in AUTO, the flash will fire. You may not want that at a wedding. I would try using AV mode. Just go out and practice with it first. I always keep mine in manual or AV mode. i learned very quickly and so will you. It’s great to just read a lot and it will all make sense. At some point , pick up the very inexpensive 50mm F/1.8 lens for about $120. It is especially great in low light situations. (The lower the F stop #, the faster the lens= low light benefits)
Second setting on T2i is no flash. If you have Picasa there is a tuning tab that will adjust light . Using av is also good if you move iso up to around 400 (depends on what light is on at wedding.).Practice.
Hi I just got back my T2i from Canon. I had it and my kit lens checked for my pictures are all washed out on AUTO. I have tried 3 other lens too to no avail. They are not usable the way they look. I can take the same shot immediately after with my old Sony DSC H50 and get a beautiful picture. Any suggestions to darken and make the colors more vivid in AUTO? I could really use some help, Thanks
AF/MF set to AF? As far as working the colors and brightness,use supplied software,if too daunting use Picasa on the tuning tab.
can anyone tell me why my display says Busy when im shooting sometimes, it’s very frustrating
……and yes, I am a begginer
Most likely the issue is the camera is still writing files to the memory card. The easiest way to fix this is don’t shoot in RAW unless you really need to, or buy a faster memory card.
Are you using Flash? Do you still have the issued memory card? If so I moved up to a class 10 card and have not had probs.
Dear Moose,
I’m new to photography, I just got my t2i not long ago, I have these lenses: (Bought from someone I know)
EF50 mm 1:1:8 II
EFS 18-135mm 3.5-5.6 IS
EF 70-300mm1:4-5.6 IS USM
Tamron AF 18-250 1:3.5-6.3 IF
***What kind of photography are each of these good for? Should I sell any of these and replace them with something else? I want to take pictures of sports, portraits of my grandkids, animals, landscape,& scenery.
***
I am planning a trip to the Smokey Mtns soon, I want to take pictures of the mountains, and fish etc. at the aquarium. I would love to have a wide angle lens to take pictures of the mountains which one is better? The Tokina 12-24 f/4 or the Sigma 8-16 f4.5-5.6 …or another one?
When I go to the aquarium, and I’m taking pictures of fish etc behind glass what lens should I use and what set up? I’m sorry about all the questions… I’m just so confused. Thank you so much for your help in advance.
EF50 mm 1:1:8 II – good for portraits, I have this one and I love it!
EFS 18-135mm 3.5-5.6 IS – walk around
EF 70-300mm1:4-5.6 IS USM – telephoto/zoom lens, this is the next one I want to add.
Tamron AF 18-250 1:3.5-6.3 IF – travel lens
You have a nice mix of lenses you got in this package. Looks like you could use a nice wide angle lens to add into the mix, something like the Canon 10-22mm EF-S f/3.5-4.5 USM like Moose suggests. Check out this article and it will break down some lenses for you.
http://www.cameratips.com/t2i/canon-rebel-t2i-compatible-lenses
Michael,
Thank you so very much for your help! What lens do you think I should use to take pictures of fish and other things behind glass? Thank you in advance for your help.
Thank you,
Kathy
Hi Moose,
Using the T2i, I have tried to shoot continuous mode when the camer is set to “Auto” but it does not work. I know this is selectable in other modes, but I’ve been unable to find anything in the user manuel that says this can’t be done when the T2i is in Automatic mode. Is this possible, or only when in manuel or one of the other creative modes?
Thanks.
Peter
this is the question that led me to this page. I’ve meandered quite a bit, but would love to see if anyone has an answer to this question.
Continuous shooting is covered on page 70 of the user manual. You can turn on continuous shooting using the < button to the left of the Set button. You have to hold the shutter down for continuous shooting, for a max burst of 24 images. I think that continuous shooting is automatically turned on in Sports mode, but I don't see that in the manual. I use the burst feature all the time, especially when shooting kids. Out of 24 images, you're bound to get at least one good facial expression.
Hi Moose,
I have the T2i and three lenses: the kit 18-55 and 55-250. I also have the nifty fifty (1.8) I took a photography class and now shoot exclusively in manual and without a flash and consequently really appreciate the faster 50 mm lens, and have been using it almost exclusively. The problem is that my favorite subject is my baby, and while the nifty fifty lets me use a shutter speed fast enough that I don’t miss IS or have too many blurry shots, I find that it is not quite wide enough for a lot of the pictures I want to take. I want to take more close-ups than it permits. Essentially, I am looking for a great walk-around zoom that opens up to at least 2.8 and is more wide angle than telephoto. Any ideas on both the low end (say $600 ish) and high end (say $1500 ish)? I
I should add that I would like the lens to have IS if possible.
Howdy Sharon,
My wife loves, loves, loves the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 (see here). It’s a fantastic low light lens that starts out wide enough for framing subjects in cramped or smaller sized spaces.
This lens comes equipped with a constant f/2.8 aperture throughout the zoom range which will allow you to capture a shallow depth of field and faster shutter speeds.
Best of all, it comes in under the low end of your budget. If you need image stabilization, there’s a VC (vibration compensation) version of the 17-50mm (see here) which is well within your budget. Happy shooting!
- Moose
I am noticing that my Canon T2i makes a chirp or irk sound when you snap a photo. My friend had a Canon 60D and it makes a nice clean quiet shhhnap sound instead. Do all T2i make this “Irk” sound or is something wrong. Seems to be taking photos Ok. Maybe there is something setting I can turn the noise OFF?
Howdy Cheryl,
If you think it doesn’t sound right, run down to your local electronics store and test it side by side next to another T2i. If it sounds funny, I would try giving Canon support a call.
- Moose
Hi Moose,
Can you tell me what settings in Tv Mode should I use if I want to shoot some panning shoots (with blur background that really shows the movement of the subject) of my son in the Hockey Arena?
I tried shutter speed 1/60 & 1/80 with continuous shoots enabled. I got a lot of shots out-of-focus. Only a few shoots were good.
I guess besides the shutter speed, is there any special technique that I can use for panning shoots?
Thanks,
Paul
Howdy Paul,
Panning is a very difficult technique. First off, you’ll want to turn off continuous (burst) mode.
Next, you’ll want to track your son all the way through the shot even after you clicked the shutter button. Think of it like swinging a bat or golf club. You want to swing all the way through the ball.
If your son is skating from left to right, you’ll want to pan your camera smoothly in the same direction as you click the shutter button. Hope that makes sense.
- Moose
Moose,
I happened to attend an Indian cultural festival in a school auditorium recently. It was dark inside with lots of colors and fast moving subjects on the show. I really enjoyed shooting the show with my T2i and 55-250 kit lens. All the pictures were taken in manual mode at around 1600 ISO. Other than some noise reduction and framing here and there, very little post processing. Please let me know what you think and what I could have done better. Your feedback will be very helpful.
https://picasaweb.google.com/mahipalc/Facebook?authkey=Gv1sRgCP2SppOJpcTpMw#
Thanks,
Mahipal
Just bought the T2i and I am having a very hard time recording video of my grandson. With my P&S I can following him around the backyard and every thing stays sharp. With the T2i when he starts to move around and get into a sunny spot the video seems to wash out and you cannot see much of anything. I tried going to Landscape in AFQuick also tried AFLive, but no luck. My wife bought me the Dummies book and I tried every combination in that book but still no good video outdoors.
I am looking for a good Digital camera book to take with me on a cruise to aid in learning my new T2i. As a background …. 30 years ago i was pretty good with a 35mm SLR, and have been using cannon sure-shots for years. I am decent with a camera, and don’t want a kindergarten book, (lol) but neither do i want it to be way over my head. (i.e… i want to take good pictures… i don’t care about the history of photography etc). If you think you know of a perfect book for me, I would love your input!! I checked out a couple from my library, but hesitate taking them on a cruise with me. :)
thanks a bunch!
I found “Understanding exposure” by Bryan Peterson to be very helpful.
http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Exposure-Photographs-Digital-Updated/dp/0817463003
I also agree about the Bryan Peterson book (I just bought it), but it is not specific to the T2i. I’m going on a cruise next week (Bermuda) and i will be bringing my new T2i and a notebook that I take notes in . I read a lot online and take notes. I would forget everything if I didn’t! Try reading or printing out some online articles, bring the T2i manual and just don’t worry about anything. You can always shoot pics in auto until you feel more comfortable. You’ll be fine!
Thank you so much Mahipal and Willa!
I saw that book on amazon! i will check it out. Willa, have a great trip, and yes, i will definitely take my manual and sunglasses!
thanks!!!! Have fun on your cruise too!! Enjoy the book. You can even go on his website and see videos also after you get the book. (He gives you a website and you have to answer some questions to view them)
the one book, I found, that is really helpful..is by Charlotte K. Lowrie. It’s called Canon EOS Rebel T2i/550D – Digital Field Guide.
I am for sure a beginner. I purchased the T2i and love it. It has the kit lens. I want a really good zoom for shooting out on the farm and in the future a grand baby. so tell me what i need to get.
Thank
I bought my T2i without a lens, and invested in the Canon 17-55 zoom, which is WAY sharper than the 18-55 kit lens, I also have a Canon 28-135 zoom, but I find that I hardly ever use it. With over 18 megapixels, it is very easy to crop photos, and still get a sharp image,
Hi Moose,
I am looking for a flash. A friend recomended the 430exII. While looking at B&H website a new Canon Flash 320EX will be out in April.
Beside the recording light any major differences or would you recommend another model?
Also, I am starting to become overwhelmed with all the features of this camera, would you recommend a book or site that would explain
camera settings in very simple terms.
Thankyou
Mary
First, I want to thank you for sharing wonderful tips on how to use the T2i properly. I would just like to ask for your help or anyone here.
I have the basic zoom kit (18-55 and 55-250 kit lens ) T2i combo and I would just like to ask how do you guys properly use the autofocus capability of the camera.
Coming from a P&S camera, I sometimes set the AF Point on the Center, focus on the subject by pressing the shutter button halfway and without letting go, I recompose by moving the camera. But I had read that I am doing it the wrong way. Some pics I had are fine with me but being a newbie, I am not confident for good judgement.
Is manually choosing the AF point and not recomposing the best way for me to get those sharp pictures? What is the proper way or what is the best technique to maximize the autofocus capability of the T2i?
Sorry for the long post, I hope you can enlighten me. Thanks
Hello Moose,
What would you recommend? I am interested in buying one of the three: Canon EF 35mm f/1.4, Canon EF 50mm f/1.2, or the Leica X1. I am goin on a trip to New York and want to carry as little as possible.
Thanks,
JJ
Howdy JJ,
To be honest, it ultimately depends on the types of subjects you plan to shoot. For example, lets say you’re going to New York to take architectural shots of the city. For this, you’d want a lens that starts out at around 10 to 12mm. Let me know the types of things you plan to shoot and I’d be glad to recommend a few options.
- Moose
well, i guess the majority of pictures would be of my daughter in front of sites. statue of liberty, top of the rock, zoo, etc. i would also like to take pictures of food. ive used the 24-70 before and although i liked it a lot, the size and weight was a bother. i know the 35mm would not be ideal because of the exaggeration. and the 50mm will crop alot out, but the f/1.2 is tempting. i guess could you suggest a versatile yet lightweight l series lens? thanks again for the help.
jj
Hello again Moose,
Well I’m still adding to my photo arsenal but I’d like your opinion on another lens I have been considering.
The “nifty fifty” as its called has some pretty good qualities. The Canon 50mm 1.4 is one I’d like to have but I have been reading a lot on the Sigma 50mm 1.4 also.
The best I can tell is that the Sigma beats the Canon only with wide open aperture.
Do you have any experience with the Sigma and is the slight margin ‘in your opinion’ a better choice. I think it is approx $100 more than the Canon.
Thanks in advance, John C
Howdy John,
Between the Canon 50mm f/1.4 and the Sigma 50mm f/1.4, the Sigma takes the cake in terms of sharpness…especially at wider apertures (f/1.4 and f/1.8).
In my opinion, the biggest thing you’ll have to consider is size and weight. The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 is a mammoth piece of glass. The Canon 50mm f/1.4 is much lighter and easier to carry around for a day of shooting. If size and weight isn’t an issue to you, then I’d spring for the Sigma.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
Hi, I just got the 85mm f 1.8 lens, and cannot figure out how to set it to af. It only lets me do manual, and I don’t know how to tell what aperture I am doing. I’m so new to this!!!!! thanks in advance.
Howdy Olivia,
Check the switch on the side of your lens, make sure it’s in the AF position. You can see the aperture on the LCD screen, it will look something like (f/1.8). You can control aperture in aperture priority mode (Av on the mode dial) and rotate the smaller command dial to select your aperture.
- Moose
Moose,
I am planning to sell my 18-55 kit lens and buy a Tamaron 28-75 and a Tamaron 10-24 ultra wide. This should cover most of my needs, and I”ll just keep the other kit lens 55-250 for occasional telephoto needs. What do you think?
Howdy Mahipal,
The 28-75mm zoom range is really awkward for digital SLR’s like the T2i. The T2i has a crop factor of 1.6x, which means any lens you attach will have to be multiplied by 1.6x….the effective focal range for the 28-75mm lens would be 44-120mm, while the effective focal range for the 18-55mm lens would be 28-88mm. My suggestion would be to keep both kit lenses and spring for the Tamron 10-24mm. This lens, along with your two kit lenses, would give you an overall zoom range of 10mm to 250mm. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Thank you Moose, much appreciated. I”ll stick to the kit lenses for now, and may be when I am ready will look for Tamron 17-50 instead.
Moose,
No matter how many books I read, I am finding out new things as I go out to practice every time. Last weekend I went out to capture the sily water effect at Great falls, va and had my shutter speeds between 1/15 to 1″ and my aperture would start blinking (in manual mode). I knew that the camera was failing to get a proper aperture for that shutter speed but didnt know why. Now I know that it was due to the bright day light, and I should have used an ND filter. Can you please recommend a good ND filter? I had a Sunpak CPOL, but it was pretty much useless.
Thanks for the great information you are providing on this site, its extremely helpful. I’ve followed your recommendations and bought the Raynox DCR-250, the screen protector and the tripod and pretty happy with all of them. For now, I am content with the 18-55 and 55-250 lenses that came with the camera, and the 50mm 1.8 that I bought afterwards. But I”ll soon be looking for buying a 24-70 (probably sigma) and an ultrawide.
Btw, eagerly waiting for your Iphone App.
Howdy Mahipal,
Yes, in order to obtain slower shutter speeds on bright sunny days, you’ll need to use a neutral density filter which basically reduces the amount of light reaching the image sensor. There are different levels of ND filters. I would start with the Hoya (NDX8) 0.9 filter (see here). This filter will give you a 3 stop exposure adjustment, which will allow you to get slower shutter speeds during the day. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Firstly, I love your site thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.
I upgraded from a Canon XTi to the T2i this past November. I would like to know what lenses you would recommend for the type of photography I take. I love traveling and taking lots of pictures of nature and architecture. I also love taking pictures of my granddaughter. I current own the Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 Image Stabilized USM SLR and a Tamron AF70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2. What I’m finding is that don’t like having to continually change lenses when I’m traveling. I’m wondering if I should keep or trade in my Tamron 70-300mm and get the Tamron 18-270mm. I was also looking into the Sigma 18-250mm. I was told with that large a range I will loss quality but I’m not a pro so I’m wondering if that is truly a factor. What would be your recommendation for lens choices?
Thanks for your advice.
Howdy Anniebear,
For the types of photos you like to shoot, I’d consider the following options…
Wide-angle: Right now, the widest lens you have starts out at 17mm, which will give you an effective focal length of 27mm. When shooting at 27mm, you may have a hard time framing architectural subjects and even certain types of landscapes. The Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 lens (see here) would give you an effective focal range of 16-32mm. The difference between 16mm and 27mm is quite large, especially for wide-angle subjects (landscapes, architecture, etc…)
Portraits: Right now, the largest aperture (lowest f/number) you can achieve with your current lens lineup is f/4. Aperture determines the depth of field. Lower f/numbers (f/2.8 or lower) will give you a shallow depth of field (great for portraits), while higher f/numbers (f/8 or higher) will give you a longer depth of field (great for landscapes and architecture). To capture images of your granddaughter that jump off the screen, I’d take a look at the Canon 50mm f/1.8 EF II. This lens will allow you to isolate your portrait against a silky smooth background. Best of all, it’s super affordable.
Convenience: For some people, the convenience of having an entire zoom range far outweighs the benefits of lenses that are designed for certain types of photography. Whenever I go on vacation with my family I usually bring an all-in-one lens and a dedicated portrait lens. The portrait lens only comes out when we want to take a special “organized” portrait or group photo. Generally speaking, lenses with longer focal ranges don’t have quite the image sharpness of a prime or small focal range lens. However, if your images are going to be uploaded to Flickr, Picasa or Facebook then the added sharpness really won’t be noticed.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
Thanks for the advice I now have a wishlist for the future. As far as an all-in-one lens what’s your recommendation? I’m leaving on a cruise in less then two weeks so I might not be able to get one that quickly. Also I scrapbook so image quality has to be good. I don’t normally print anything larger 8×10 but most 4×6.
Thanks again.
Howdy Anniebear,
There are two all-in-one lenses that I really like…
If you don’t mind sacrificing a bit of telephoto reach, then the Sigma 18-200mm (see here) with image stabilization would be an excellent choice. This lens will give you an effective zoom range of 28-320mm on your T2i.
If you’ve got the budget, the Tamron 18-270mm (see here) with image stabilization would be an even better choice. This lens will give you an effective zoom range of 28-432mm on your T2i.
Of the two lenses, the Tamron 18-270mm produces the sharpest results throughout the entire zoom range. However, if most of your prints are 4×6 you won’t notice any differences in image quality.
- Moose
Thank you so much for all the help. I’ll be saving for the Tamron 18-270mm and then the other lens.
Bought myself a birthday present got the 2nd generation of the Tamron 18-270mm, the Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di-II PZD VC at a great price today. Thanks for the advice.
Glad I could help…got to love birthday presents! :)
- Moose
Hi, I recently purchased a canon t2i, I took some pictures and I could see them in my viewfinder and picture review. However, when I got home the photos in one particular session had mysteriously disappeared. Has anyone else experienced this? I took some more photos the next day and they are stored on the memory card. Two days later I took more photos and when I got home to review the photos. They had disappeared as well. Any help or guidance would be appreciated.
Howdy Eycu,
That’s a new one…how are you transferring images to your computer? Some programs will transfer the images to your hard-drive and then delete the images on your memory card automatically.
- Moose
I had this happen as well. I saw the images when I took them but once I went to review them even on the computer later I either got a tiny little image or a ? that I couldn’t use. I was using a LEXAR 16GB. I actually had to buy recovery software from Lexor and managed to get some back. I was told it was the memory card. I even formatted the card before I used it. Is it actually the memory card or the camera?
Anniebear,
Could this be because might be shooting in Raw and the camera is not able to recognize them. I believe unless you have a software that can read the raw files (ex: Lightroom, PS, or the Canon software that came with the camera), the computer wont recognize these files.
Please ignore if that is not the case.
Very good point but I’m not seeing the image on the camera in preview mode either, only tiny images much smaller then the normal preview or a ?. In this case I was shooting in jpg.
Is it better to shot in raw or jpg? I know with a raw file you have more information for editing but they are very large files.
Anniebear,
Unless you want to post-process every image, I would only shoot in RAW when you need maximum control over the image. For 90% of my everyday shots, I shoot in (.jpg).
In regards to the images disappearing on your memory card, how did you transfer the images to your computer?
- Moose
Thanks for the response Moose
I brought my photos into Lightroom via a high speed usb card reader. But I’m still wondering why even before importing them into Lightroom I could’t view them on my camera either. I was getting either a very tiny image or a ? in the display screen.
It sounds like an organizational error. You may want to run a low level format with your memory card inside the T2i.
- Moose
The photos were no longer on the card at all. I could no longer see them in viewfinder and when I tried to read the card, they were not on the card either.So there was nothing to transfer to the computer. In addition, I downloaded a recovery software to see if they were hidden somewhere on the card in another folder and they were not. Someone suggested that I deleted the images, perhaps by accident. I know that I didn’t delete them. Evermore, there are photos that were taken before that particular session and photos that were taken after that session that are still on the card. Only the photos taken on those two seperate days disappeared. And the only thing that I can think of regarding both of those days is that I just charged my battery prior to using the camera.
Howdy Eycu,
The whole thing is a bit strange. I would try giving Canon support a call, they may have a solution for you. Best of luck!
- Moose
Can the T2i shoot infrared. I was reading about infrared filters and would love to try it out.
Thanks,
Al
Howdy Al,
With some internal modifications the T2i can shoot IR at normal shutter speeds. You can use a third party service to perform the conversion for you.
With IR filters, your shutter speed will slow down considerably. Let’s say you’re shooting a landscape on a bright sunny day. A well exposed shot may take anywhere from 30 seconds to a couple minutes. This means that if the scene isn’t completely still, you won’t be able to “freeze” subject movement.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
I love your site! Your tips and recommendations are very helpful.
I have a Canon T2i that I purchased as my Christmas gift to myself, upgrading from a Rebel XT that due to an accidental drop by my teenager was no longer autofocusing. It was 5 years old and I was ready for an upgrade anyway. I love the T2i so much-such a big improvement over my Rebel XT, and I have only used the video a few times but loved it.
My question is about print sizing. I want to order some portrait size prints of the kids that I took but want to know how large of a size I can order and still have a nice, clear image? I have read different sites and the Scott Kelby books, but I am still unsure on this. Can you offer any recommendations? I am looking at a 16×20 but I don’t want a grainy/pixelated image. I shoot in raw+jpeg when doing portrait style images so I can post edit if necessary and when I am shooting jpeg, I shoot with the finest detail (maximum size image).
Howdy Jenn,
To put it simply, you can produce images with the T2i that could effectively be placed on a billboard. Now, the sharpness of that image will be determined by the viewing distance. With billboards, the closest viewing distance before things start pixelating is usually 20 to 50 feet away.
If you want to be able to inspect images at a distance of 6 inches, then you’ll want to print at a quality of 300 or 200 ppi. This means that with an 18 megapixel sensor, you can get prints as large as 11×17 at 300ppi and roughly 16×24 at 200ppi.
The key to retaining image quality is to avoid cropping the image and to save the edited image using the highest quality settings with no compression.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
Moose,
First a big thanks for all your insight. It is invaluable to a new DSLR user such as me.
I am about to buy my camera, and was wondering about what sort of basic accessories I should get with it. Sure, there are lenses, filters, flashes, tripods, bags, etc. , but what about cleaning items, and some other essentials? What do I really need, and what is more just being pushed for the sake of sales?
Also, what should be be doing to clean my camera and lens, and how often?
Thanks,
Cam
I’m a new T2i owner, but prior to this owned a Rebel XTi for 5 years. I just wanted to share my opinions on accessories for my favorites. I have the Canon DSLR Gadget Bag (approx. $70) and I love it. I had a backpack style bag before and the airport security people didn’t rezip it after looking through it (and I didn’t see them do this) so when I picked up my bag, my equipment rolled out. I almost had a heart attack! The new DSLR gadget bag helps keep everything more protected and nicely organized than the backpack style but its not as comfortable to carry as the backpack was when you are walking around with it. The other thing I think almost anyone will tell you is to make sure you have at least a UV filter and/or a lens hood on all of your lens. Its a cheap way to offer a little more protection.
The circular polarizing filter and neutral density filters are nice, as is the reflector discs I own but I don’t use these very often (still nice to have when you need them). I wish I had more to invest in a nicer tripod because the cheap ones are not great.
I definitely recommend an external flash. I have the 430 EX but wish I had the 580…(its more money because the 580 has more power/capability) but either one is good because of their ability to rotate/swivel and bounce off other objects (also get a diffusion/light modifier for the flash). I have a lot of other fun stuff that doesn’t get a lot of use but is nice to have when I need it.
Topic – Video Editing Software Recommedations
Any suggestions besides Canon’s provided software.
I have Vista.
thanks
hi again moose,
i bought the t2i kit which included the EF-S 18-55mm IS Zoom Lens and EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Autofocus Lens. I took pics of my son’s indoor basketball game and it is very grainy. is there another telephoto lens you can recommend? i was also looking to get the Normal EF 50mm f/1.8 II Autofocus Lens for daily use on my kids. thanks!
What ISO were you shooting at? I have shot 3200 for basketball games on my 70-300 f/4-5.6 with no graininess noted in 4×6 sizes. I haven’t printed bigger, but when zooming in on the monitor, the images still look pretty good. I couldnt shoot in anything past 800 on my Rebel XT without graininess.
I have the Canon EF50 f/1.8 autofocus lens (fixed) and it is awesome for low light/indoors. I have taken some great basketball photos with it, but I had to stand under the basket since its a fixed lens.
i shot it in Tv mode with auto ISO. the camera took them at 6400 when i was zoomed it at 250mm and 1/250. came out a bit dark and really grainy at 4×6 print size. thanks for your info!
You could shoot TV mode to control the shutter speed and change your ISO to the lowest you can get away with. I usually shoot manual and control the aperture, shutter speeds, ISO and white balance myself. The only downside is that the exposure changes from one area of the court to next; right under the basket may not have as good of light as the 3 point line/free throw line. My daughter is point guard and there is a big difference when shooting her at midcourt versus when she’s on the 3 point line-because the glare from lighted sports announcer/scorekeeper table reflects off the hardwood and really messes up the light. So I am constantly having to adjust and TV would be better for that-but then you lose control of your aperture. It just takes a lot of work. I have found that using a monopod helps. I have shot some games with lower action at lower than 1/250 but there is motion blur around the ball, hand as the ball is being shot/passed, etc. even though everything else is sharp focus.
Moose,
I’ve had my digital Rebel T2i for over a year and have really gotten into photography. I was wondering which Canon camera body you would recommend as an upgrade to my Rebel? My objective is to have a back-up camera body for shooting portraits, landscapes, and sports while upgrading my primary camera. I do no professional work but I strive for professional results.
Howdy Dave,
Sorry for the late response…the next logical step up would be the new T3i or a 60D, however, you won’t be paying for increased image quality…rather you’d be paying for speed, build quality (a flip out and rotating LCD) and some other advanced features.
Whenever friends and family ask me about upgrading their DSLR, I usually ask them what lenses they have in their stable. Most of the time their lens lineup consists of a couple low priced kit lens along with an entry level telephoto zoom.
If you fall into this category, my recommendation would be to invest in lenses that match the types of photography that interest you.
Think of it like two telescopes. Telescope A doesn’t quite have all the bells and whistles of telescope B, however, the glass in telescope A is much sharper and clearer than the glass inside telescope B. Which telescope would you prefer?
Just some food for thought…happy shooting!
- Moose
I have the following lenses in addition to the Rebel kit lens:
50 mm f/1.8
85 mm f/1.2 L
24-105 mm f/4 L
70-200 mm f/2.8 II L
I have invested in some good glass and I want to take to next step in a camera body. I truly value your opinion as your website has been a wealth of information for me.
Subject:
Playing videos/pictures on Samsung 550 tv with mini HDMI – HDMI cable.
I am uable to view .mov and view picuters on my TV, do i need to convert the video to another format ? what about pictures ?
…nevermind. The mini-HDMI cable works now. I guess there is a trick to getting the pictures and videos to play on the Samsung TV (series 550).
1. make sure the TV has the lastest firmware
2. plug the cord into the TV side HMDI slot first, set the right input
3. *** press the playback button on camera
4. ****** THEN plug the mini-HDMI cable into camera slot.
You have to do it in that order. weird. Anyway, the videos and pictures look amazing in HD on TV.
Also, there is no need to buy ‘CANON’s mini HDMI, a $10 cable works just as good.
cheers
Moose,
I am very interested in the canon 10-22 lens. However as I am only an amateur, is the incremental difference from my 17-85 walkaround len worth the price?
thanks, Al
Howdy Al,
Generally speaking a 7mm difference in focal range isn’t that big of a difference, however, when the 7mm difference is toward the wide end of the zoom range it ends up being quite noticeable.
When mounted to your T2i, the 17-85mm lens becomes a 27-136mm lens due to the 1.6x crop factor. Likewise, the 10-22mm lens becomes a 16-35mm lens. Without getting into a scientific discussion, a 16mm field of view is much wider than a 27mm field of view.
I personally think the Canon 10-22mm is a bit overpriced. The Sigma 10-20mm is a popular alternative. It’s super sharp and much more affordable than the Canon.
Lastly, you always have the option of capturing a panoramic image with your 17-85mm lens and then using the included Photo Stitch software to merge the images together.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
Hey Moose,
I am taking the leap! I am going to purchase my first DSLR Canon T2i very soon. I was thinking about just purchasing the T2i body and then buying a lens seperately, instead of the 18-55mm that seems to be standard in the kit. I will be taking photos mainly of gymnastics meets (distant possible low light) and want the best lens for these action shots. Also lens should be good for outdoor vacation/family outings. Since I don’t really have a grasp of the lens numbering other than some basic research, your insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for the help
Howdy Isaac,
There are basically two important factors when considering a lens…
1. Zoom range
2. Maximum aperture
Zoom range is identified by a number followed by a ‘mm’. For example, the kit lens has a zoom range from 18-55mm. Lower numbers represent wide-angle, while larger numbers represent telephoto. Wide-angle will give you a larger field of view (landscapes), while telephoto will get you closer to a distant subject (sports).
Maximum aperture is identified by an f/number range. For example, the kit lens has a maximum aperture range of f/3.5 and f/5.6. The first number represents the maximum aperture at 18mm, while the second number represents the maximum aperture at 55mm. Maximum aperture is vitally important for shooting in low light situations (hand-held) and when trying to capture a shallow depth of field (isolated subject against blurry background). Lower aperture numbers will give you faster shutter speeds at lower ISO’s. Fast shutter speeds freeze subject movement, while lower ISO’s provide cleaner looking photos (less image noise).
In your situation it sounds like you need a telephoto lens with a very bright maximum aperture for gymnastic shots and an all-in-one lens for travel photos.
For gymnastic shots, you should look at the Tamron or Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses (Tamron: see here / Sigma: (see here). Both of these lenses will give you fast shutter speeds in low light, while using lower ISO’s.
For travel shots, you should look at the Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 lens (see here). The “all-in-one” lens is great for travel and everyday shots. The ability to carry one lens and shoot everything from wide-angle to telephoto is very convenient.
If you don’t have the budget for either of these lenses, then start out with the kit lens and coupling it with the Canon 55-250mm f/4-5.6 (see here. This will give you an zoom range between 18-250mm.
Best of luck in your decision!
- Moose
Wow, great insight Moose, thanks. The two lenses you mentioned are a little out of my price range, but I found the following after your inputs (AF 28-200MM F/3.8-5.6 XR Di Aspherical (IF)). Do you think this would get me a majority of what im looking for as a beginner. Best Price I found was $219. Thanks again, your inputs are greatly appreciated.
Isaac
Hi,
I am a beginner in film making (amateur) and will be purchasing a Canon Rebel T2i (18-55mm lens) camera to shoot some experimental footage and to see how it goes. I am also planning to gain some knowledge about film editing, but I am not sure which editing software (Adobe premiere, Final Cut, I movie, Windows movie maker) and which computer (parameter-wise) will be a good for a starter like me. I know that the industry standard for editing is the Final Cut Pro, and I also know that it runs on Mac. In fact, I won’t be able to afford a Mac at this time, thus I am planning to get a pc but would like to still ask you about the parameters (video card capabilities, ram, etc) that will do the job.
I will greatlly appreciate if you could please let me know.
Thanks in advance for your time and advice.
Sincerely,
Dave.
Hi Dave,
The T2i takes great video but records low quality audio with the internal mic. It is more practical to record the audio separately than invest another $200+ for a good quality external mic by itself. I found that truly editing HD video cannot be done on a shoestring budget. Believe me, I tried. Anything less than a quad core processor with hyperthreading enabled will be very disappointing to use. Editing will be like downloading internet video over a dialup connection. Same for RAM…..buy at least 4gb, and preferably more. A 64-bit OS will help too if it is matched with suitable hard/software. The video card is your most difficult choice. I found by reading deeply that most/all of the leading editing aps perform best using a video card that supports Cuda technology and has at least 1gb of onboard memory. Bottom line is how much true editing do you really want to do vs. your frustration index for dealing with low end tech that works at the speed of a snail traveling through mud.
Howdy Dave,
Even though I’ve been a professional photographer for many years, I’m still very “green” when it comes to film-making.
My advice is to start by reading From Still to Motion: A photographer’s guide to creating video with your DSLR. I’m about halfway through it and I can tell you that it’ll answer all of your questions about shooting HD video with your T2i (including post-production). Best of luck!
- Moose
Thanks a lot for your valuable advice guys.
Dave.
Hi Moose,
I stumbled across your site and it is great! Forgive me if this has been covered, but I’d like to know if you can suggest a remote control, preferably wireless, that will allow me to shoot in the video mode? I want to set up the T2i on a tripod and start shooting when a woodpecker lands and starts hammering on my suet feeder.
Thanks,
Dan
Howdy Dan,
The Canon RC-6 will allow you to start and stop video recording, while video mode is enabled. However, you’ll have to be within 15 feet and facing the front of the camera in order to control the T2i.
- Moose
I was wondering, if the T2I and the 60D share the same sensor, & if they had the same lens, essentially they would both produce the same image?
What I’m asking is if there is a difference in image quality between the two cameras since they share the same 18MP APS-C CMOS sensor? I was having this discussion with a colleague, and I was told that the 60D would produce a better image hands down.
Roger
Howdy Roger,
Great question…with all things being equal, you wouldn’t see any differences in image quality. I’ve got both of these cameras in my stable, so I can confirm that they produce equal results. With the 60D, you’re paying for more advanced features that “may” lead to a better opportunity to capture a nicer looking photograph.
- Moose
Hi Moose,
I am getting a T2i in the next couple of weeks and I already purchased a 50mm 1.8 and a 70-300 is usm. I’d like to be able to take really long distance shots of birds, so I was thinking of getting a
Rokinon on 650-1300mm lens. I understand that it can only be manual focused, but otherwise would it serve the purpose or am I wasting money? By the way I’ve thoroughly enjoyed learning form your website, thank you.
Howdy Mark,
I would opt for a Canon branded teleconverter versus the Rokinon lens. Personally, I would never recommend Rokinon products to family or friends. They’re known to have very poor glass, optical quality and overall performance. You’d be better off with your 70-300mm and cropping the image to get tighter framing. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Thank you Moose.
Been waiting close to 2 months to recieve our 2 t2i’s, mine and I also bought my son one. Now will have to learn how to use them,been doing a lot of reading but now that we have them in our hands it seems a little intimidating but excited to learn.
Howdy David,
Congrats on your new T2i’s and welcome!
- Moose
Moose: How is the best way to set up my T2i shoot landscape on a cloudy day?
Thanks,
Chris
Thrush,
Generally speaking, you want to enable aperture priority mode (Av) and select an aperture of f/11 to f/22. This will lengthen the depth of field so that the entire scene is in focus.
When shooting at these aperture values, the shutter speed will drop significantly. To ensure sharp results, you’ll need to use a tripod and enable the self-timer to get your hands off the camera.
As a side photography tip…whenever I’m shooting landscapes with dense cloud cover, I try to avoid the sky altogether when framing my shot. Grey skies are just plain ugly and there’s not much you can do to fix them.
Lastly, you may want to enable the ‘Cloudy’ white balance setting. This will give you warmer tones and increased saturation.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
Thanks Moose. Took your advice, including the “Cloudy Day” feature and they turned out great! It has become very obvious that this camera does a lot of nifty things and will take some practice to learn.
Chris
Good to hear…happy shooting!
Hi Moose.
Any advice on shooting sunsets? I’m heading to Africa this week and have seen tons photos in guidebooks showing the sun setting while the trees in the foreground are completely black so you are only getting the sillouette. I’d love to take a few of those. What do I need to do to get that effect?
Thanks Moose! I love your website. I check it daily!
Howdy Lily,
To get that silhouette look when shooting sunsets, aim the T2i towards the sky (above the trees) and press the AE lock button (star icon next to the thumb rest – page 97 of the Canon T2i manual). This will lock the exposure on the sky so you can capture beautiful hues and cloud shadows. Next, recompose your framing until your happy with the composition and full press the shutter button. To keep the exposure locked on the sky, you’ll need to hold the AE lock button as you snap away. Have a great trip!
- Moose
Hey Moose,
I just returned from my trip and the photos turned out great. But i wanted to mention, I had my kit lens and the 250mm and I didn’t think it was enough zoom for a safari. 400mm would prob have been perfect. When we couldn’t go off road, it was tough to get good shots of animals in the distance.
Thanks for all the tips though. The other photos came out great.
Howdy Lily,
Sounds like it was a fun trip! Thanks for sharing your experience. Did you end up getting a teleconverter to compliment your 55-250mm, or did you just stick with the lens only?
- Moose.
I bought a t2i for christmas with the kit lens decided to also buy a 55-250 for when I went away for holidays. I also have an old 50mm 1.8 from my old eos 650 as well as a 35-105 f3.5-4.5 lens. My question is the 35-105 a good lens to keep or should i sell it? I am thinking of adding a wide angle lens possibly the tamron 17-50 or one of the wide angle sigma lenses as I like to do landscape as well as candids and portraits of my family. Thanks for your help
Larry
Howdy Larry,
Due to the crop factor on the T2i, any lens you attach to it will have to be multiplied by 1.6x in order to get the 35mm equivalent. So the 35-105mm lens becomes a 56-168mm lens, which is sort of an awkward zoom range. It’s not quite wide enough for indoor shots and it isn’t very long in the telephoto department.
I’d sell that lens and put it towards the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 or the Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 lens. The Tamron would be the better option if you plan on shooting portraits AND landscapes, while the Sigma would be better used as a dedicated landscape lens. The 10-20mm zoom range isn’t very flattering when used for portraits. The ideal portrait zoom range is between 50mm and 120mm. Happy shooting!
- Moose
reciently bought cannon 55-250 is lens for sports and used it at a swim meet this weekend and worked great, can i put a tele=converter on also to get up even closer and what kind do you reccomend.
Howdy Neil,
The Canon branded teleconverters are best, however, you have to account for the loss of light when using these with your 55-250mm lens. The 1.4x results in a loss of 1 f/stop and the 2x results in a loss of 2 f/stops. So if you’re shooting at full telephoto (250mm = f/5.6), the lowest aperture you’ll be able to obtain will be f/8 and f/11 respectively. Higher f/numbers like these will result in slower shutter speeds and higher ISO’s when shooting in low light situations. Also, your depth of field is increased which puts more of the scene in focus.
To get closer to your subject, while retaining fast shutter speeds and low ISO’s, you’ll need a telephoto lens that has a maximum aperture near f/2.8. This will allow you to shoot at f/4 with the 1.4x and f/5.6 with the 2x converter.
As crazy as it might sound…if the swim meets are outdoors in bright light, then you might consider getting a super-zoom compact camera. The Canon SX30IS will give you a zoom range of 24-840mm for roughly $375 bucks, which is much cheaper than a telephoto lens and about the same price as the 2x converter.
- Moose
- Moose
On the t2i after you take a picture and go back and look at it, you can zoom in with the buttons on upper right hand corner. My question is can you keep the zoomed in picture by hitting some setting it always goes back to original size. thank you Neil
Howdy Neil,
Great question…yes, you can maintain the magnification when in playback mode by rotating the small command dial just above the shutter button.
- Moose
I tried this but can you maintain the magnified version so i can print that version? Maybe im missing something.
Hey Moose,
Im on a low/medium end budget and my plan is to have a lineup of these three lenses:
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (All around lens)
Canon Normal EF 50mm f/1.8 II Autofocus Lens USA (Portrait Use)
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens USA (Telephoto)
Is there anything else I should be looking at or do you think this is a good mix for the value?
Howdy Michael,
I can tell you’ve done your homework…all three lenses are fantastic values. At the current market price, you’re looking at a grand total of ($450 + $120 + $550 = $1,120). Since you have $1,120 to spend, my advice is to consider the types of photography that interest you the most.
For example, if you’re interested in landscape photography then you’ll want a lens that starts out wider than 18mm. If you’re interested in sports photography, you’ll want a telephoto lens with a maximum aperture near f/2.8.
I completely understand the desire to have a complete zoom range (18-300mm), coupled with a nice portrait lens (50mm). However, you can achieve similar results with an all-in-one lens like the image stabilized Tamron 18-270mm lens ($480 after rebate and even cheaper on ebay) coupled with the Canon 50mm ($120) for portraits. This would give you roughly $520 to spend towards a lens that’s better equipped to handle landscapes, sports, wildlife, ect… or better yet, put it towards an external flash and instantly improve your low light indoor shots with bounce lighting.
If you need help deciding on a lens that matches the types of photography you’re interested in, let me know…I’d be glad to help.
- Moose
Is this the lens you are talking about?
Tamron AF18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di-II VC LD Asph. AF (IF) Macro Lens
I put the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens as a option because it was part of a kit package. I guess I should just get the body only and then add from there.
Howdy Michael,
Yes, that’s the lens. Best of luck in your decision!
- Moose
Moose,
Your opinion of the Tamron 17-50mm lens I now share. Its just what I wanted.
Another question I have is when transferring video to the hard drive they are huge.
I can write them to c/d to try and save some room but I lose the sound on the new c/d. Even a file of 700mb’s which isn’t that large on my memory card fills the c/d up quickly.
Could it be I need to get a DVD writer instead of conventional? And would that solve my sound problem? Or is there a trick up your sleeve?
Thanks in advance.
John
Howdy John,
If you need more space to save your videos, I’d consider getting an external hard-drive. You can find external 1TB (1,000 Gigabytes) hard drives for roughly $50-60 bucks online. This makes organization much easier than trying to manage hundreds of CD’s or DVD’s. With 1TB of space you can save hundreds of videos captured by your T2i. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Hi Moose,
I bought a battery grip for my T2i today and have it attached ok. It’s short on directions/documentation which leaves me with one question.
I can’t seem to get the dial to work on the grip itself which is right next to the shutter button. I have it attached ok and the switch is turned to “on” but seemingly the only functionality I can get from it is the shutter button and a couple of others. The dial won’t work for changing f-stop or shutter speed.
Any suggestions?
Aubrey
UPDATE!!!!
It turned out to be a faulty camera grip; I returned it to the store where I purchased it and they replaced it for me and the new one works really well. A great accessory for the t2i !!!
Kind regards,
Aubrey
Aubrey,
Glad it all worked out…happy shooting!
- Moose
Hello,
Your site is brilliant, and I’ve recommended it to several other folks already.
Could you recommend a nice quality mic for capturing stereo sound for people and nature? Preferably below 60$? Is there such a thing?
Also, I bought Premiere Elements 9 to edit videos from my recent trip around the Mediterranean from Rome to Israel, but it compresses it and puts out something IT says is 1080p and full screen but is small and boxy. You can see it here (www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3eTPP9Pd_Y).
How can I eliminate the black borders and create a video that truly shows the t2i’s power?
Finally, what sort of mount would you recommend on a budget? I only see mounts, stabilizers & glidecams for upwards of 500$ and more.
Thank you,
Michael Bethea
Howdy Michael,
I appreciate you recommending my site to your friends.
I’ve only used the Rode VideoMic which retails for $150 bucks, but I have a few buddies who’ve had some success with the Azden brand microphones. I believe you can find them for around $70 bucks which is closer to your budget.
Having been a photographer most of my life, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not an expert when it comes to editing video. You should check out DVinfo.net (link). They have some very knowledgeable guys and gals that can better answer your video related questions.
Happy shooting! – Moose
Hi Moose!
I have a 430 ex II flash that I bought for my T2i and was wondering if you know of a battery pack I can buy to increase my recycling time. I know that canon has one for the 580. My batteries never seem to last that long.
Howdy Lindy,
There are a couple of expensive solutions offered by third party manufacturers that can increase the total numbers of shots, but not one that will increase the flash recycling time. If you need faster recycling time, I highly recommend selling your 430EX and buying a used 580EX. You can attach the Canon CP-E4 battery pack which will not only increase the number of shots, but will increase your overall flash recycling time. Happy shooting!
- Moose
I bought a very inexpensive aftermarket remote control from Amazon. Actually, I bought two – one is wireless and one is wired. I got both delivered to my door for less than $20, all taxes and delivery included.
My question is on the wireless one.
The top two buttons are “S” and “2S”. In playing around with it, I have discovered that pushing “S” will take the picture immediately. Pushing “2S” will cause the camera to emit a short series of beeps and then take the picture. So, all is well there.
There are three buttons on the bottom, one says “S” and has a line drawn to the two other buttons “W” and “T” – can’t think of what these might be for.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
The instruction sheet that came with it wasn’t helpful at all.
Thanks,
Aubrey
Howdy Aubrey,
Those three other buttons are meant for compact cameras with wireless remote functionality. The W and T allow you to zoom from wide to telephoto and S is for specific shooting modes…again these buttons won’t work with your T2i.
- Moose
Thanks, Moose…I knew you would know!!! :)
Aubrey
Hello Moose,
I recently bought the T2i and am beginning to do some research on tripods. One that was getting excellent reviews from everyone was the “Manfrotto 055MF3 MagFiber Tripod”. It apparently has been discontinued. It was in the $400 range. Are there any others from this same company or some other manufacturer that may be a decent tripod to buy?
Btw, awesome website for a beginner like me. Many thanks.
JR
Hello JR,
I’m a beginner like you, too. I only spent $60-$70 on my tripod for that reason – I’m a beginner. I can’t remember the make and model right now, but it’s very decent – good solid construction. I bought it at Staples/Business Depot (here in Canada).
I didn’t see the point in spending a lot more than that as I am still in “learning” mode.
Just a thought.
Aubrey
JR,
I agree with Aubrey’s comment…in the beginning your money is better spent on lenses and other important accessories, like an external flash.
I really like the Dolica 62-inch proline tripod with ball head. It’s affordable and built very well. The quick release plate and ball head make it easy to quickly position your T2i in many different directions.
The Manfrotto tripods are excellent tripods and can withstand years of abuse. If you’d like to stick with the Manfrotto brand, the 7322YB M-Y aluminum tripod with ball head is one I frequently recommend to family and friends. You get the Manfrotto build quality without the heavy price tag.
- Moose
Hi,
Aubrey, a good point and I debate as well if I should spend that kind of money as I am a newbie, but I figure if I can manage it, I see it as an investment which I should have for a while if I buy a good one.
Moose, thank for that info. I will look into that Manfrotto 7322YB model. Maybe I can find a happy medium :)
Thanks to you both.
JR
Hi JR,
Not sure where you are living – I’m in Canada. I just checked on the price of the one Moose recommends and it’s about $130 at Henry’s – sounds like a great suggestion.
I’m doing a 6-week course from a local photographer here in St. John’s to help me along the learning curve. I got my camera just after Christmas but I’ve been practicing and learning lots and enjoying it very much.
Kind regards,
Aubrey
Hi Moose and Aubrey,
I finally bought the tripod that you suggested Moose, the Manfrotto 7322YB M-Y and am very happy with it. I also bought the RC-6 remote contoller. I have been shooting in both RAW and jpeg and taking different types of shots and am slowly beginning make progress. Many thanks for your help.
Hi Moose,
Recently took almost 300 pics at a swim meet. Thanks to your suggestions for what setting to use. Overall happy with the outcome except for the noise. Light was low,taken from a distance and subject was in constant motion. Do you recomend any noise reduction software and will it do a batch of pics at once or single only?
Thanks
Howdy Mary,
Yes, noise will show up especially with fast action indoor or in low light. I’ve been using Noise Ninja (www.picturecode.com) the past 5 years and have been really happy with the results. I believe you can do batch edits, although I usually do one at a time. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Moose,
I can’t find the answer to this question on any blog anywhere, and you mention using photoshop alot, so I figure i’d try.
I find it frustrating that I have invested in my T2i to take superior photos than a point-and-shoot, yet whenever I use photoshop, I find the quality of my images lacking after editing.
How can I maintain my 18 megapixel images after editing in photoshop?
E.G. I will start with a 7.6 or 8 Megabyte jpeg, and the image that gets saved after some layers, masks, and filter comes out at about 4 or 5 MB.
What am I doing wrong?
All I really want to do is simply maintain the original image quality that the T2i shoots. (no RAW just highest quality JPG setting)
Howdy Reuel,
In the beginning, I try to point beginners in the opposite direction of Photoshop. During the learning phase, it’s better to be out shooting and experimenting with different types of photography rather than sitting in front of a computer and editing images to death.
As for maintaining quality throughout the workflow process, I usually save my edited files in .PSD format. When I’m ready to print, I’ll open the .PSD file and save it in .jpeg format at a quality of 12 with no compression applied.
- Moose
Hi Moose,
I’m in middle of no where Colorado and tonight and can see a lot of details in the night sky. there was a corona around the moon…a faint white ring around the moon. I tried to capture it w my T2i but it didn’t really come out. I think the white of the moon made the faint ring too dark to show up on the image. What should I have done? I set it on the highest iso and put it on highest f stop on av mode.
Thanks!!
Lily,
In that situation, I would’ve done the following…
- Mount the T2i to a tripod
- Select an ISO of 100
- Enable aperture priority (Av)
- Select an aperture of f/11
- Enable spot metering
- Enable the self-timer
- Pre-focus on the moon
- Fully press the shutter
After exposing for the moon, I would then take another shot to expose for the ring around the moon…
- Same setup as mentioned above, except adjusting the exposure compensation to +1 or +2
I would then merge the photos together using Photoshop or an image editing tool. Hope that helps!
- Moose
Moose thanks for all the info. One question that I have is do the Rebel T2i have GPS capabilities.
Howdy Suzette,
No, the T2i doesn’t have a built-in GPS unit. If you’re looking to geotag your photos, there really isn’t a super simple solution. I have a few buddies who use a gps tracker which logs the locations they’ve shot. They then sync the data with the photos using software. It’s a bit complex for beginners. Hope that info helps!
- Moose
Moose,
First of all, this blog is SUPER helpful for the other 100 questions I’ve had thus far!
So here goes; I have had two instances of taking a pictures of a group of people, sitting on a couch or posing next to each other, and in both instances one or two people may have been a couple inches to a foot in front of the other people in the shot (but still next to them), and so the camera focuses on them and not on all the people in the frame.
This is hard to notice on the T2i’s small screen, but very noticeable in prints.
What setting/parameters should I set my t2i on to avoid this?
I’m typically using the 18-55 kit lens.
Thanks!
Reuel,
The effect you’re experiencing is called depth of field (area in focus). Smaller f/numbers capture a shallow depth of field (great for individual portraits against smooth background), while higher f/numbers capture a wider depth of field (great for landscapes with the entire scene in focus). Focal length and distance can also play a factor in determining the depth of field.
When shooting groups, apply as much zoom as possible, enable aperture priority mode (Av) and select an aperture of f/5.6 to f/8. Enable the center focus point and focus on the person in the middle of the group.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
Let’s talk about using this camera in cccccold weather. Will it ruin the camera to go out in 20 degree F temps? I read the guidelines that say nothing below 0 degrees C (32 degrees F) is safe, but what exactly goes wrong at these low temps? Kind of limits snow pics, doesn’t it? And then there are beach photos? No go either?
Mary,
Don’t worry too much about the temperature ratings. The biggest thing you’ll notice is reduced battery life. In colder temps, the lithium ion batteries are greatly affected. If you plan on shooting outdoors in cold temps, you may want to bring an extra battery to ensure you don’t run out of juice. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Hi and thanks for this wonderful forum! I have learned so much from reading it.
Was interested in reading your commentary regarding the flash for the t2i. What would be the advantage of the Canon 270EX that you recommended over the built in flash on the camera?
I know there are some very good advantages…but I’m still learning.
Thanks,
Aubrey
Howdy Aubrey,
The three biggest advantages are…
1. Bounce light – The built-in flash can only fire straight ahead which results in harsh shadows and unflattering portraits. The 270EX will allow you to bounce light off a ceiling creating a softer, more natural looking portraits (indoors).
2. More power – The built-in flash is really meant for portraits within a few feet. The 270EX will allow you to illuminate larger groups of people more effectively.
3. Faster recycling times – The 270EX recharges quicker and uses less battery power than the built-in flash.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
Thanks….all becoming clearer to me now!!! :)
Kind regards,
Aubrey
Hi moose,
I’m thinking about setting up my own studio at home. I was wondering if the canon t2i can use a wireless trigger for my soft boxes, and if so then which one do you recomend?
Daniel,
Yes, the T2i is compatible with a couple different wireless triggers. I’ve always preferred PocketWizard’s for their ease of use and reliability.
- Moose
hi moose,
here is a question that you may not have an answer to…would you know what is an ideal camera setting to take underwater pics of sharks during a cage dive? thanks!
Howdy Rich,
Here are some tips I’ve used…
1. Best time to shoot underwater is 10am to 2pm when the sun is high in the sky.
2. Use a wide-angle lens (somewhere between 10mm to 24mm)
3. Shoot in shutter priority (Tv) and select a shutter speed of 1/250 or faster to “freeze” the movements of the shark.
4. Set the ISO to Auto and make sure the maximum Auto ISO is set to 6400.
5. Enable center weighted metering to ensure your subject is exposure properly.
6. Enable burst mode, you’re going to need it! :)
7. In order to capture vibrant color and detail, you’ll need to use a strobe (external flash). Underwater light is really determined by the clarity of the water and the depth at which you’re shooting. Strobes will allow you to fill in the shadows and capture a well exposed subject underwater.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
Another question for you, do you have a recommendation for an external flash?
Thanks again your site and help is invaluable.
Howdy Diane,
For beginners, I highly recommend starting with the Canon 270EX. It syncs beautifully with the T2i to produce accurate exposures without having to set anything manually. It’s small and unobtrusive which makes it less intimidating when shooting family and friends. The front flash element can also be pointed upwards allowing you to bounce light off a ceiling to create softer, more natural looking portraits indoors. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Moose,
What remote shutter releases do you recommend for the T2i? I prefer wireless , but a cord is fine. I looked on some sites and there are so many non Canon ones. Just wondering which is worth buying in your opinion.
Thanks!
Willa,
You’ve got a couple remote options from Canon. You can go with the RC-6 wireless remote or the wired RS-60E3 remote. In most situations I prefer the wired remote. Call me old-school, but I like the fact that I can activate the shutter without having to reach around the front of the T2i with the wireless remote. Plus, you don’t have to worry about the battery going out in the wired remote since it draws it’s power from the main power supply.
- Moose
thank you!!!
How do you set the camera up so that the date will appear on the pictures? I can set the date and time just fine but don’t know where the option to put it on the pix is. Thanks.
Sara,
Unfortunately the T2i doesn’t come with a date stamp feature. If you need to reference the date, you can view the EXIF info for the image file in a program like Picasa. The EXIF info captures all of your settings, including the date and time the image was taken. Happy shooting!
- Moose
I would like to purchase a wide angle lens. Should I go for a Prime lens 28mm 1.8F or the 18-270mm which would give me more versatility?
Thanks again for your help.
Diane,
The 28mm will give you an effective focal length of 45mm which is no where near wide-angle. Dedicated wide-angle lenses can be very expensive, especially those produced by Canon. If you got the budget, I’d start with the Sigma 10-20mm or the Tokina 12-24mm. Both lenses will allow you to capture a very wide field of view which is great for landscapes, shooting in small spaces and capturing architecture. The Tamron 18-270mm is capable of shooting a variety of subjects, however it’s no where near as wide as the above mentioned lenses. Best of luck in your decision!
- Moose
Having a look at the Sigma lens, there are two to choose from
a 10-20mm with a F/4-5.6 and a 10-20mm with a F3.5.
Which would be the better choice?
Thanks,
Diane,
The biggest difference between the two is maximum aperture. The f/4-5.6 will allow you to achieve an aperture of f/4 at 10mm and f/5.6 at 20mm. The f/3.5 version will allow you to achieve an aperture of f/2.5 at 10mm and at 20mm. Lower f/numbers allow you to get faster shutter speeds at lower ISO’s. Fast shutter speeds help eliminate camera shake and subject blur, while lower ISO’s lead to cleaner looking images.
Having said all that, with a wide-angle lens you don’t necessarily need to worry about the maximum aperture. Most of the time you’ll be shooting at f/11 or higher in order to put the entire scene into focus (landscapes, architecture, etc…). If it were up to me, I’d save the extra money and spring for the f/4-5.6 version. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Hi Moose,
Reminder: I am a total beginner when it comes to SLR camera and using anything outside of AUTO and Program.
For whale watching, on a moving tourist cruise ship in the Pacific Ocean, besides shooting video, what would you recommend as the the preferred camera settings, aperture, shutter speed, ISO?
My thoughts are ISO 100-200
Camera set on TV mode or action (sports)
Plan to freeze some shots and use continuous shooting
Time of shooting: 12n-1430
The only lens I have is the 18-135mm
Your expertise please?
kciao
Kciao,
You’re on the right track. Don’t worry about ISO or Aperture when trying to capture fast action. Stick to Tv mode (Auto ISO) and select a shutter speed of 1/500 or higher. Continuous mode will definitely help increase your odds as the whale breaches the surface. With you’re current setup, you’ll have some issues trying to get closer to a whale in the distance. I’d look at adding the 75-300mm f/4-5.6 USM. This lens will give you an effective zoom range of 120-480mm, plus it comes equipped with an ultra sonic motor for fast and quiet focus. For the price, this telephoto lens is really an excellent value.
- Moose
Moose,
I tried to adjust these settings on my camera but I am very new to this. I put my camera on tv mode, and was wondering what the difference is in say “1/100″ vs. “1/2000″ .. Does this just mean that the higher the number, the shutter speed is faster, resulting in less blur of my running kiddo?
Thanks!
Also, I’ve noticed when I’m not using my flash, the 1/500 produces a much darker picture then 1/200. What causes this?
Sylvia,
Yes, those fractions are fractions of a second. 1/2000th of a second is faster and 1/100th of a second. Faster shutter speeds “freeze” fast moving subjects. For a kid running around the house, you shouldn’t need to go any higher than 1/1000…in fact 1/500 would probably be the best starting point. To answer your other question, the reason the photos are turning our dark is because your ISO is set too low. If you’re using Auto ISO, you’ll need to raise the maximum Auto ISO inside the setup menu. Reference page 63 of the Canon T2i manual. Happy shooting!
- Moose
In looking for a lens that I can afford and one that will do what I am wanting it to do; what is your opinion of the Tamron 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II ?
I google every lens I think may work and this Tamron seems to do better than even some “L” lenses depending on the author. All seem to favor this lens at least partially.
I want a wide angle for inside and one that will work well for portraits. I know there are better lenses but the budget thing…
Thanks
Howdy John,
The Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 is one of my favorite lenses. There are two versions, one with image stabilization (more expensive) and one without. The one you mentioned comes without image stabilization.
It’s super sharp, built very well and made for low light environments. It’s also a great portrait lens, giving you the ability to shoot in the ideal portrait zoom range (50mm to 120mm) with a low constant aperture of f/2.8.
You can read more about this lens in my “Low light lenses for the T2i” post. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Moose,
I am wondering if with the T2i being a crop sensor camera and the lenses I have bought thus far being EF-S lenses – if I decide I love photography and want to move into a nicer 60d or 5d can I still use these lenses with the full frame sensor?
thanks
Brian
Brian,
EF-S lenses do not work with full frame sensors. They are designed to fit APS-C sized image sensors. If you were able to mount an EF-S lens to the 5D, you would encounter serious vignetting or dark corners. Also, the 60D is not a full frame DSLR…meaning EF-S lenses are compatible with it. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Now thats the answer I expected.
I saw that the 60d was an aps-c but apparently my brain does not function correctly sometimes.
Ha! Yeah, my brain does that a lot these days. :)
- Moose
I am going to Africa on safari and then within the next year – Yellowstone, Alaska, and Ireland/Scotland – castles and landscapes. I have the 18-55 that my camera came with and the 70-300 IS USM, but I think I need a little more for the safari especially.
Will either the 1.4X or 2X converters work with my 70-300? what are some good models that will work with my camera and lens and not slow it down too much?
Any suggestions on travel tripods? I have been purchasing books and playing with the camera – only had it a couple of weeks and am still learning about f-stops and aperatures, but am currently feeling overwhelmed. If you have any easy suggestions to learn how to play with all of these so I can get lots of good pics in africa I would greatly appreciate it
I’m headed to a safari next month and bought a beanbag instead of a tripod. Everyone says there isn’t space to carry a tripod on a safari vehicle. With a beanbag, you can balance your camera on top of the door, top of the car, etc.
Dawn,
Wow, sounds like some fun trips!
1. The 2x converter will get you closer to your subject, but you’ll lose two f/stops. The 1.4x loses one f/stop. If you’re shooting at f/2.8, the 1.4x converter will reduce the aperture to f/4 and the 2x converter will reduce the aperture to f/5.6. Lower f/numbers (f/2.8 and below) allow you to capture a very shallow depth of field which isolates your subject against a blurry background (girafe against African landscape). Lower f/numbers also give you faster shutter speeds while using lower ISO’s. Faster shutter speeds will reduce subject blur and lower ISO’s will lead to cleaning looking images.
2. As for travel tripods, I highly recommend getting a gorillapod (get the JP3 for the T2i and a zoom lens). The gorrillapod will allow you to attach the T2i to any stabilized object, like the railing on a safari truck. The JP3 models comes with a ball head which makes it easy to quickly adjust the T2i into a new position or angle.
3. As for settings, use shutter priority (Tv: page 78 of the T2i manual) for animals and aperture priority (Av: page 80 of the manual) for landscapes. When capturing animals, set your shutter speed to 1/500 or faster. This will help “freeze” the animals movements and minimize subject blur. When capturing landscapes, set your aperture to f/11 or higher. This will put the entire scene into focus.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
Hi Moose,
I am shooting my son’s indoor hockey game the other day using my Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM. I am using shutter priorty (Tv) mode with shutter speed 1/500, 1/640, 1/800, and 1/1000. Also the Auto ISO limit is set to max: 3200. However, the f/4 number keeps blinking for each of the shutter speed I selected. I have to increase the ISO limit to max: 6400 for the f/4 number stop blinking.
However, the photos end up with a lot of noise. Did I do something wrong? Is there any other setting that I can use to maintain a lower ISO?
Thanks again for your help!
Paul
Paul,
Welcome to the world of indoor sports photography! :)
The aperture f/number is blinking because there’s not enough light to capture an accurate exposure based on the shutter speed you selected. The only way to allow more light into the camera is to lower the shutter speed or increase the ISO sensitivity.
Lower shutter speeds can lead to blurry images, either by camera shake (hand movements) or subject blur (fast moving subjects).
Higher ISO’s (anything above 1600) will have an abundance of image grain or noise, that’s just the way it is. You can clear some of this up using noise reducing software like Noise Ninja.
Try framing your son so that there’s some space above his head and below his skates. This will let more “light” into the camera (surrounding ice) and will help speed up the shutter speed while keeping the ISO down. Then in post-processing, crop the image to get a tighter composition. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Im in the process of purchasing the Canon EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR Camera w/ EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens and the nifty fifty lens you rave about, so I figure ill be covered with an all around lens with the kit, a nice portrait lens with the 50mm but am also interested in a telephoto lens. Id love to get your thoughts on these telephoto lenses.
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens $659
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Lens $519
Tamron AF18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di-II VC LD Asph. AF (IF) Macro Lens $629
They are all around the same price, your opinion? Anything else I should be considering?
Thanks!
Michael,
I always recommend the Tamron 18-270mm due to the fact that you can capture everything from wide-angle to telephoto. As you grow you can begin buying lenses that are better equipped for the types of photography that interest you. By the way, Tamron currently has a $150 mail-in rebate going on which brings the total price down considerably.
The 70-200mm f/4 is one of my favorite budget sports lenses and comes with L glass (Canon’s highest quality lenses), which produces super sharp images from edge to edge.
The 70-300mm f/4-5.6 offers a great telephoto range, along with image stabilization and an ultrasonic focusing motor. This is another great budget telephoto lens, especially those interested in wildlife photography.
- Moose
HI,
I need some help with setting picture quality. I have set the picture quality to High Quality L. When I download and open the photo in Photoshop the resolution is 72 pixels per inch. What can I do to change that?
Thanks for your help.
To clarify my question, I want to change the setting so that the resolution is higher than pixels per inch.
Thanks,
Diane,
It has nothing to do with your T2i…you currently have the highest quality settings applied. In photoshop, all you need to do is go to Image > Image Size and change the resolution to 300 pixels/inch. I would also uncheck Resample Image. Hope that helps.
- Moose
Thanks
This may seem like a silly question, but are all T2I’s made the same?
I don’t feel like I am getting the “wow” pictures I was expecting.
I had been using a Canon G11 for the past 2 years and actually think it produced better photos. I was definitely ready to move to a DSLR and chose the T2I based on reviews I had read, and price.
I am assuming the camera is great but need to improve the lens.
It obviously came with the economical 18-55 kit lens. Looking at my pictures I feel like they are soft, and missing the color accuracy and punch that the G11 produced. I feel like the images I am getting are just average, and they lack something.
Roger
Roger,
This is a very common response for those upgrading from a compact camera. The G11 is a fantastic camera, in fact many pro photographers own a G11 or G12 for the ability to travel light and still have access to advanced controls.
The G11/G12 advanced compacts are known to be slightly punchier at the default settings when compared to a DSLR like the T2i. You could always adjust saturation and contrast for the T2i to your liking by creating a custom picture style (page 91 of the Rebel T2i manual).
For color accuracy, I’d try setting a custom white balance whenever you’re shooting under artificial light. You can also use the pre-set Tungsten or Florescent settings for adjusting white balance on the fly.
For soft images, you have to consider the differences in depth of field between a compact and a DSLR. Say you’re shooting a group of people at f/3.5 on the G11 and f/3.5 on the T2i. Most likely the G11 will get everyone in focus, while the T2i will only get a few of the people in focus. This again is due to the shallow depth of field. To match the DOF of the G11, you’d most likely have to up the aperture f/number to f/5.6 to get everyone in focus.
Understanding depth of field can greatly improve the overall sharpness of the subject/s that you’re trying to shoot. Hope this all makes sense. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Got to looking in the menus, and got into the settings for each picture style. I seen the 4 different adjustments.(sharpness, contrast,saturation,color tone) I normally use standard as my default style in auto & Program. I want my pictures in standard style to be very crisp and sharp. Default sharpness is 3 on a 0-7 scale. I’m thinking about sliding that up a notch or two. Have you or anyone tweaked any of these settings with better results? I love the camera, my wife isn’t 100% pleased with outcome of pics, and I’m not so sure that I might agree. I know my kit lense (18-55mm) isn’t the top of the line, but for now I want get the best possible quality pictures. Thanks for your help.
Keith T
Keith,
See the response above (Roger’s question)…it really comes down to understanding depth of field and watching your shutter speed.
Most people think that by setting the ISO to Auto that the T2i will automatically select a high enough shutter speed to eliminate any chance of camera shake or subject blur. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
When shooting under cloudy skies, indoors or at night…you’re shutter speed will slow down. In these situations, even the slightest hand movements can affect the overall sharpness of the image.
To ensure you get tack sharp results, you can shoot in shutter priority mode (Tv) and select a shutter speed that’s greater than your focal length. So if you’re shooting with the 18-55mm lens, you’ll want to shoot at 1/60 or faster. If you’re shooting with the 55-250mm lens, you’ll want to shoot at 1/250 or faster. Following this technique can help reduce camera shake and eliminate subject blur. Keep at it…happy shooting!
- Moose
I am ready to purchase a DSLR and since I love Canon, I am seriously considering a T2i or a 60D. I prefer the size of the T2i. I was test driving both this weekend and everytime I would shoot a picture it would beep before hand. I went to the menu on both cameras to turn off the beep but they still beeped. The sales person said that that’s normal. I don’t believe it. I can’t imagine that there isn’t a way to silence the beep. Can you shed some like on this?
Great site BTW
Virtualgirl
Yes, you can disable the auto-focus beep…page 138 of the T2i manual. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Would like to get into macro photography. Any idea how to do this on a budget??
Thanks
Vincent,
Check out my post “How to take Great Macro Photos with the Canon Rebel T2i” …it should answer most of your questions.
- Moose
Are you going to be doing a review on teleconverters/lens extenders, what they do and what in your opinion are the best overall in quality/value? Thanks
Michael,
Yes, I do plan on evaluating different teleconverters…just been busy with my photography work. In the meantime, do you have any questions about specific models? Happy shooting!
- Moose
Honestly not specifically, Im just trying to learn as much as I can and have found your website to be very informative and thank you for that. Ill keep an eye out for your writeup whenever you have the chance. Thanks
Excellent web site with alot of info. I have a question, I have a lot of FD lens from my AE-1, can I use them with an adapter? I know that it will have to be in full manual mode. Thanks for your help.
Dan,
Yes, of course…there are a few different adapters out there. Some are built with a small focusing corrective lens, while others are designed to simply attach the FD lens to your T2i. Just do a search on Google or Bing for FD to EOS adapter and you’ll be able to find out more info.
Generally speaking, you should be able to buy either design for around $30 bucks. As for preference, I like the Fotodiox model which has a removable corrective lens and an all-metal design. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Hi Moose,
Would you please give me settings for shooting indoor swim meets. The light is not great and with the subjects constantly in motion I am getting a lot of blur. I am new to DSLR and have been experiencing but with no success.
Thank you for any suggestions,
Mary
Mary,
I would start by shooting in shutter priority mode (Tv) and select a shutter speed no slower than 1/500. You’ll want to enable Auto ISO and increase the maximum Auto ISO speed inside the setup menu (page 63 of the Canon T2i manual).
Next, I’d enable AI servo (page 67) which allows you to half press the shutter button while the T2i continually adjusts focus as your subject is moving through the frame.
Lastly, I’d enable continuous shooting (page 70) so you can take a quick burst of images in rapid succession. Taking a burst of images allows you to find a few keepers. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Hi Moose
I have another question. You helped me with a lens so I can shoot my daughter at her cheer competition (the canon 55-250mm). I am actually planning on videotaping her performance and photographing the group and individuals. In order to film the entire group-about 30 girls- which lens would work best? Remember this is all new to me! I’m just not sure telephoto is the lens I need-maybe a wide angle to get the entire group from a distance? Also, any suggestions on how to set up for videotaping in a large gym?
Thanks again,
Clare
Clare,
It really depends on the distance between you and the girls. If you’re sitting in the stands at a large stadium or indoor arena, then you’ll most likely use a telephoto lens to get close to the group. If you’re within 25 feet of the girls, then you’ll want to use your kit lens or an even wider lens to get everyone inside the frame. Wide angle lenses are very expensive, but I highlighted a few in my post “Canon T2i low light lenses.”
As for shooting video, that’s a whole different animal. Shooting HD video on the T2i requires a basic knowledge of manual focus, aperture and ISO to get right. I would start by reading “From Still to Motion” …it’s a great book that will walk you through everything you need to know to shoot video on your T2i or HD enabled DSLR.
- Moose
Thank you again!
Does the T2i film in Progressive, Interlaced, or both?
Progressive (1080p)…happy shooting!
- Moose
I have had several Canon DSLR’ and presently have a Canon XS (which I got for a nice pice). I have several lens and a 430EXII flash. I’ve been thinking of getting into professional photography (well semi pro) and have looked at the T2I and the 60D. Other than the 60D having 2 processors and a more rugged case, are there any more differences picture wise? Thanks for providing a forum for people to ask questions
Tony,
The biggest advantages of the 60D over the T2i, are the articulated LCD screen, a larger and brighter viewfinder and a faster burst mode.
As for the dual processors, I think you’re thinking of the Canon 7D. The T2i and Canon 60D share the same Digic 4 processor. As for the 60D build quality, Canon moved away from the magnesium alloy body (found on the 50D) and towards a polycarbonate body similar to the T2i.
I’d look at the key differences and see if those improvements are worth the added cost. Best of luck!
- Moose
Hello again Moose!
Probably a really dumb question, however I’ve not been able to find an answer in the manual. How does one set up the camera to download photos and basically erase the card? On my point and shoot Kodak, there is a setting in the software that allows download and automatic removal of pictures. I’m currently using some of the photo software that came with the T2i (not all that bad either) as well as MS PictureIt.
Thanks for all the help!!
Cheers,
Orzel
Howdy Orzel,
The process of transferring images and deleting memory card data can vary from user to user. I personally do everything manually…meaning I plug the card into a card reader, access the card, select the images I wish to transfer and copy them over to my hard drive. Once the images have been moved over to a folder on my computer, I’ll delete the images using the ‘Erase All Images’ feature inside the Canon T2i menu system (page 172 of the Canon T2i manual).
In your situation, it sounds like you’re used to your computer handling both processes for you. One program I really like for beginners, is Picasa by Google. The program is super simple to use and comes with an option to import images and delete image data automatically from your card.
The other added benefit is that Picasa isn’t camera dependent. So if you switch cameras in the future, you won’t have to re-teach yourself a whole new image editing program. Best of luck!
- Moose
Thanks agin Moose for your sound advise. I’ll look into the Picasa program. I’m not one that like to keep a collection of photos on my card.
Cheers,
Orzel
Hey moose what is a good lens you reconmend for shooting portraits. I just picked up a 55-300 lens that is for distance shots rights? And what about a macro lens what 3 lens do you prefer
Howdy Jeff,
Check out my post “Canon T2i portrait settings and lenses” as it goes into more detail and gives some advice on recommended lenses.
The 55-300mm lens can be used for sports and shots of distant subjects like you mentioned.
For close-up shots, check out my post “Macro photography with the Canon T2i” …it’ll walk you through some basic settings and some info on the Raynox DCR-250 macro converter.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
Moose,
my family bought T2i with the 18-135mm and canon fix 55mm1.8 lenses. I am new for DSLR but I like to experiment. I have following guestions mosty with my 55mm 1.8.
1) I took meny face pictures usinf Av mode and meny of them are very yellowish. My goal was to take pics without flash using lower f-number (i got few very good shots with just candlelight) but some have this color all over. Looks not very manural to me. Do you have any advice what I do wrong?
2) in pictures of my cat I have very sharp cat’s head but the rest is blurry. Should I increase f-number? am I too close?
3) and what would be my general learning steps? should I only use Av now, add Tv mode later and let the rest be done by camera? I do not have a feeling which time would be best for particural scene. What is your advise?
Laura,
1) If you’re getting a yellowish appearance to your photos when shooting indoors without flash, you need to adjust your white balance for incandescent or fluorescent depending on which type of lighting you’re under. You can adjust the white balance inside the setup menu, reference page 99 of the Canon T2i manual.
2) If you want to lengthen the depth of field (area in focus), just enable aperture priority mode (Av) and select an aperture of f/8 or higher. Higher f/numbers bring everything into focus, while lower f/numbers minimize the area in focus.
3) Generally speaking, when you want to control movement (sports, low light, etc…), shoot in shutter priority mode (Tv). When you want to control depth of field (portraits, landscapes, etc…), use aperture priority mode.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
Thank you Moose. I will be following your forum.
Hi Moose,
Thanks for suggesting the Noise Ninja software. I tried out the free version and it works pretty well removing noise in the photos. Now I am thinking of getting a tripod /or monopod to stabilize my shots. For taking photos and videos of my son’s hockey game with my canon 70-200mm f/4, would you suggest to get a tripod or monopod? Is there one that is reasonable priced that is good for taking both photos and videos?
Thanks again!
Paul
Paul,
I always opt for a monopod when shooting indoor or outdoor sports. If you’re ever at a pro sporting event, take a look at the photographers… 90% of them will be using a monopod. The reason for this is speed. With a tripod you’ve got to adjust three legs, height adjustment, etc… With a monopod you’re minimizing all those extra steps and can focus on shooting. The other added benefit is a smaller footprint. With a tripod you’re taking up roughly 9 square feet with the legs extended. With a monopod, you’re looking at roughly 2 to 3 square feet. This is especially helpful in a crowded gym or arena. Based on price and performance, I really like the Canon 500 monopod (see here). It’s lightweight, built well and comes with an easy to use ball head to make quick adjustments.
- Moose
Moose,
I am new to photography and have a new T2i. I would like to get into sports photography. Mainly swimming, running, tri and other endurance events and maybe some hockey.
You recommend a monopod in this post but would you say the same for some of the events I stated – specifically swimming. The pool deck can’t be conducive to a monopod can it?
Would the 50mm portrait 1.8 be good for the pool if one can get close enough?
Anything you can offer is great and sorry to hijack a thread just seemed like the right spot.
Thanks
Brian
Howdy Brian,
Pool decks can be slippery, that I can vouch for! :) Monopods act like a walking stick. A walking stick is used to provide an extra level of stability on tough terrain and is not meant to support all your body weight. Likewise, a monopod is meant to stabilize a camera and not support all the weight by itself…that’s what tripods are for. In slippery situations, try placing the monopod leg tip on top of your shoe…it actually works quite well, especially on uneven surfaces.
The 50mm f/1.8 II would be a good option, as long as you’re poolside. The 50mm f/1.8 is a prime lens, which means you can’t zoom in or out. So as the subject moves away from you, you won’t be able to get in tight without physically moving closer to the subject. Check out my post on “Canon T2i sports lenses” for more lens recommendations and settings.
- Moose
Thanks Moose!
This is perfect for us beginners just starting to shoot manual setting.
I have the 18-55 that comes in the T2i package and I have also purchased the 55-250 from Canon (good price).
Anything I might need (I know the L glass stuff and low # F/) to shoot triathlon and its associated events other than a monopod?
I plan on getting very involved in it – been writing for a couple mags for a couple years bout time I got paid for some pictures to go with my words :)
thanks again!
Brian,
Glad to help! The only other item you may consider is an external flash.
Having seen a few triathalons myself, I know that they sometimes finish as the sun is setting or as the moon is rising. Once the sun gets low in the horizon, athletes become quite difficult to shoot. The built-in flash is really meant for close portraits, not for illuminating fast moving athletes.
You can also use the external flash as fill light. When the sun is overhead, it can cast some nasty shadows…especially on human subjects. Enabling your flash during the day will help fill in the shadows and really make your triathalon photos pop.
In your situation, I’d start with the Canon 430EX II. It’s got enough power for what you’re trying to capture and a quick recycling time which is important for sports photography. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Got another one:
how to protect my lens and camera if it is raining…possible?
Brian,
You can try an Aqua Tech sport rain cover, although they’re a bit expensive. I usually mount my camera to a tripod, attach a lens hood to protect the front glass from getting wet and then drape a light waterproof jacket over the equipment. Don’t use a poncho! The wind can catch it and rip it off your camera or even take the camera down with it. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Hi Moose,
Great website! I just bought the T2i kit and the 55-250mm telephoto lens. This is my first DSLR and I’m just starting to learn the basics. In a month or so, I’m going on an African safari, which is the primary reason for making this purchase. Could you give me some basic tips or advice when taking photos on safari?
Thanks!
Lily,
Congrats on the new cam…I have to admit I’m a bit jealous knowing that you have an African safari trip planned, sounds like a lot of fun!
You’ll want to shoot primarily in shutter priority mode (Tv) to ensure you have a fast enough shutter speed to “freeze” your subject and ensure sharp photos. In shutter priority mode, you select the shutter speed while the T2i selects the best aperture for an accurate exposure. When shooting animals that move, I would shoot no slower than 1/500 of a second. You might even try bumping it up to 1/1000 is you’re shooting on a bright sunny day.
If you’re shooting landscapes, switch over to Aperture priority mode and select an aperture f/number of f/11. This will lengthen the depth of field and put the entire scene into focus.
I would leave the ISO set to Auto so that you don’t have to worry about adjusting it in the field. I’d also recommend enabling continuous shooting, which will allow you to hold down the shutter and rattle off a burst of images at 3.7 frames per second. This is especially helpful for capturing action. If there is grass or trees in front of your subject, you might also try enabling the center auto-focus point instead of letting the T2i choose. This will allow you to get more accurate focus in situations where the subject is behind objects.
As for accessories, you’ll want to make sure you have at least one or two spare LP-E8 (see on amazon batteries and a large enough memory card for your entire trip. If you’re bringing a laptop to unload your images at the end of the day, then a super large memory card isn’t required. I recommend getting a Giottos rocket air blaster (see on amazon) so you can safely blow the dust of the front of your lenses. When shooting on an African safari, you’re bound to get dust everywhere.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
Lily
When and where are you going? I am goign to Kenya in April and bought my camera with that trip in mind. I would love to hear what modes and settings you found useful while on game drives in vehicles and decks at the lodges! The other big thing is whether the 250 mm was enough or not. I am considering a teleconverter for my 70-300 because I am paranoid that I am not goign to be close enough and I want shots of elephants, rhinos, giraffes, hyenas…and all the different birds that will be migrating there in april.
I am going to a night time hot air ballon launch this weekend and need to have recommendations and instruction on Canon T2i settings, lenses, and basic tips for shooting. I’m a “newbie” to dslr so any help is appreciated.
Thanks Moose for all your advice to those of us in the learning stages.
Steve,
Glad to help…
Settings – Shutter priority mode (Tv) with a shutter speed no slower than 1/30 of a second. Enable Auto ISO and make sure the maximum auto ISO limit (page 63 of the Canon T2i manual) is set to (max:3200). This will ensure the T2i can get an accurate exposure at night, depending on what shutter speed you’ve chosen. You may have to increase the shutter speed a bit to freeze the hot air balloons if they’re moving quickly or if they’re closer to the ground.
Lenses and Accessories – If you’ve got the 18-55mm kit lens you should be fine. Most of your shots will be in the 18-55mm range. I would recommend a good tripod (I like this one). A tripod will allow you to get your hands off the camera and prevent any chance of camera shake.
Tips – I would enable continuous shooting, that way you can rattle off a series of images and keep the sharpest one. When shooting moving subjects at night, you’re bound to end up with some blurry images as you get your settings tuned in. Burst mode will allow you to take shots at 3.7 frames per second and increasing your odds of a keeper.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
Hi Moose,
I really want to take some good action shots (isolated images) at my son’s Hockey Arena. I am thinking to get either Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8L USM or Canon EF 70-200mm f4L USM. The price of the f2.8L is almost double the price of the f4L. Based on your opinion, would f4L be able to take the same quality compared to f2.8L?
Thanks in advance,
Paul
Paul,
The Canon 70-200mm f/4 is a fantastic telephoto lens for the price. You get Canon’s famous L-series glass which is super sharp from edge to edge and you also get the increased speed of USM focusing. The f/2.8 version is expensive and I’m not sure you’ll see the value in spending the extra change. If you’re considering turning your hobby into a profession, then you might consider getting the f/2.8 version for the ability to shoot at faster shutter speeds with lower ISO’s, but for your sons hockey games the 70-200mm f/4 will be more than adequate. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Hi Moose,
Thanks for the quick reply and suggestion. I think I will save the money and go for Canon EF 70-200mm f4L USM. I know I need to switch to Shutter Priority Mode (Tv) with the shutter speed between 1/500 and 1/1000 of a second in order to freeze the action. How about the auto ISO Limit? Should I set it to (max: 1600 or 3200 or 6400)?
Thanks again for your help,
Paul
Paul,
You’re definitely making the right choice…as for setting the maximum Auto ISO speed, I would bump it all the way up to 3200. Anything beyond 3200 is just too noisy and colorless in my opinion. To get a shutter speed of 1/500 in an indoor arena with an aperture of f/4, the T2i will most likely select an ISO around 1600.
Take a few test shots of your son during practice to get the T2i tuned in. After you’ve captured your photos, I recommend looking at getting the Noise Ninja software by picture code (link).
I frequently shoot motocross in late afternoons to early evening. Any of my photos that are above an ISO of 800 get processed through Noise Ninja. Its a really simple program to learn and will greatly improve the look and sharpness of your low light action shots. I’d be glad to help you along the way, so if you have any other questions don’t hesitate to ask!
- Moose
My husband bought me a Rebel T2i off eBay . Of course it doesn’t have the software to install on my computer to import the digital images.
I read that you should not import without using the software.
What do you recommend to do.
Gloria,
Don’t worry about the original software. You can upload images to your hard drive using a cheap memory card reader. Some computers have them built-in, if yours doesn’t then go down to your local electronics store and get a memory card reader that’s compatible with your SD, SDHC or SDXC memory card. Once you plug it into your computer, you should be able to navigate to the images folder on the memory card and copy over everything to a folder on your computer.
- Moose
Hey Moose
Great website, full of information. I’m currently on the edge of whether to get a T2i as my first ‘proper’ camera, or whether I’d be better of sticking to a bridge like the Canon SX30?
To get the T2I is going to be near the top end of my budget, so I would probably be stuck with the one lens at the start. Is the lens kit any good for the T2i? I will be mostly shooting outdoors at the beach, but I also go to a lot of shows in exhibition centers, where there is no natural light and its a much darker environment. WOuld I be better just getting the body and then a better ‘all in one’ lens?
Thanks for any help
Geoff,
If more than 50% of your shots will be in low light situations, I’d go for the T2i kit. The SX30 IS is a great all-in-one camera, but it’s no where near the image quality of the Canon T2i…especially indoors or in low light situations. If you’re on a tight budget, I’d wait on the all-in-one lens. It sounds like most of your shots will be using wide-angle anyway. Best of luck!
- Moose
Hi what is a good lens for shooting the beach and the ocean?
Jeff,
When shooting a ocean landscapes, you’ll want a super wide-angle lens. Wide-angle lenses are very expensive. So depending on your budget, you may want to consider the Tokina 12-24mm f/4, the Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-f/4.5 or the Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6.
Of the three lenses, I like the Tokina the best due to the constant f/4 aperture. The Sigma and Tamron lenses are also great values. Best of luck in your decision!
- Moose
Thanks for the previous advice.
I used the HD movie mode this past week, but when I viewed the video on my computer the replay was slow — and seemed to jump frame to frame???
Ron
Ron,
Sounds like your computer doesn’t have an HD enable video card. If you’re video card is outdated, you’ll experience issue with jumpy images and audio not syncing correctly when playing back on your computer.
- Moose
Ron – I had the same problem with mine, and my computer should have been more than fast enough to handle the larger video sizes. Try bumping the recording size down to the next smaller one and see if that works OK. Mine worked fine after that. It may not be 1920×1080, but I found the quality very good and best of all, no hesitation.
Moose, I just received my Tamron AF 18-270. Bought it from Amazon and their seller was “best-of-sales”. I bought new, but when I got the box the proof of purchase seal was cut off the top of the box. As I rotate the zoom it seems to somewhat catch around halfway, but it does extend, and then when I try to take a picture the auto focus seems to hum – even for a bit after I take the picture? The lens seems to work fine and takes good shots, but the hum is bugging me. Have you heard of this?
I wanted to give folks a heads up about this company, “best-of-sales” I am trying to go through Amazon and get the lens replaced; I had no luck even finding out how to return it to “best-of-sales”.
Thanks again for your advice!
Thanks Kevin
Ron – I think I’ve found a solution to our shared HD video problem. Try the following steps:
1) If you’ve changed the video size on your T2i to a smaller size, change it back to full 1080.
2) Make a sample video, and download it to your computer (I downloaded mine to my desktop to keep things simple.)
3) Go to cnet, download and install Prism video converter (assuming you’re using Windows.)
4) Run Prism. You will see a box at the bottom that says ‘encoder options’. Select 4096 for both average and maximum bitrate.
5) Right-click on your video file and drag it to your Prism screen.
6) At the bottom of the Prism screen where it says ‘output format’, select .mp4. Prism will save the converted file in your Videos folder.
7) Click ‘Convert”.
8) Go to your Video folder and double-click on your video – it should open up in Windows Media Player.
Mine worked like a charm this way. Let me know if it works for you.
Ron,
It’s a shame to hear that the seller was not honest with their listing. The low pitched hum is normal. I believe it’s a combination of the internal focusing mechanism and image stabilization or vibration compensation. As for the lens catching at the mid way point, it’s anybody’s guess…if the lens is taking sharp photos and seems to lock accurate focus then I wouldn’t worry about it. If you notice any issues, I would send it back and ask for a refund.
- Moose
Kevin,
Thanks for sharing….it’s greatly appreciated. I ran through a couple converters on an old computer of mine and they do seem to work, however, if you want to skip conversion all together the best best is to upgrade your video card. Just wanted to make everyone aware of that. Canon should really include the HD video card requirement in the fine print. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Is there an editing software you would recommend for a Mac? I currently use Iphoto but was thinking of getting something better. I have heard good things about Aperture 3 and obviously the many Photoshop products. Just not sure which would be best for a beginner.
Iris,
Aperture 3 is a great piece of software. Since you have iPhoto experience, Aperture would really be the next best step for you. Aperture is basically a “pro” version of iPhoto, with more advanced post processing tools. The reason I don’t recommend Photoshop Lightroom, is for the simple fact that everything would be completely new to you and the learning curve would be much greater. Hope that all makes sense!
- Moose
Have the cannon rebel T2i kit. The lens in the kit is: Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 18-55 mm. Would love to take close ups of flowers / bugs. Can I do this with the lens included in the starter kit? I do not wish to purchase another lens until I have learned to use the camera. Can you tell me how to set up the camera to take close ups?
Ken,
Without purchasing a dedicated macro (close-up) lens, you can attach a Raynox DCR-250 macro converter that simply snaps on to the front of your 18-55mm lens. This basically increases the magnification of the kit lens, so that the subject is much larger in the frame. As for settings, you can use the pre-set macro mode (flower icon) or enable aperture priority mode (Av) and select a low aperture f/number. With your kit lens, the lowest f/number at wide-angle is f/3.5 and at telephoto its f/5.6. Happy shooting!
- Moose
II’m looking to photograph bioluminescence, can only use very little to no light, and no flash, what settings are the best for this?
Neil,
In order to capture bioluminescence, you’ll need to use a very long shutter speed. In shutter priority mode, I believe the longest shutter speed available is 30 seconds. So in order to get a longer shutter speed, you’ll need to enable bulb mode. This mode allows you to control the shutter speed by pressing the shutter once to begin and pressing the shutter again to stop. You can read more about it on page 84 of the Canon T2i manual. I recommend that you get yourself a good tripod and either the RS-60E3 (wired remote) or the RC-6 (wireless remote). This will allow you to get your hands off the camera to ensure sharp results with long shutter speeds. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Moose,
I read that the Tamron 18-250mm lens is being discontinued. Do you still think it is a good idea to buy it? I was looking for a second lens to go with my T2I and 1.8II lens. I use my camera mostly on my 18 month old daughter and want to use it when I travel. Thanks.
Leo,
Unfortunately yes…it looks like the 18-250mm is being discontinued. If you can find it used or new for less than $300 then I would definitely buy it. The next model, the Tamron 18-270mm is roughly $600 brand new. The new model does come equipped with image stabilization, but for the price I would jump on the 18-250mm if you can find one.
- Moose
Okay good to know. The Sigma comes with IS for under $500. Is the Tamron that much better? Thanks!
I found the Tamron for $199 used at B and H. Hopefully it works fine. Thanks again.
Leo,
Glad you found the lens! B&H Photo is a wonderful retailer.
- Moose
Great website!
I just bought a T2i w/ kit lens and I have been lucky enough to borrow a couple of my dad’s canon lenses to play around with. I want to purchase my own prime lens and zoom lens.
I like the prime lens I have borrowed (50mm F/1.8) and the zoom lens is, well, so-so. (55-200mm non IS)
Anyway, I was thinking about purchasing a couple of lenses you have discussed here and I’m interested in the EF 85mm f/1.8USM as my prime. It is a little higher than what I wanted to spend at this point ($376 at B&H). Here’s my question:
Is there a Tamron or Sigma Prime Lens that is as good and less expensive????
My other alternative is to purchase the 50mm F/1.8 (like I am borrowing now) for $99.
Thanks in advance for your reply and Happy New Year Everyone!
Willa,
If you’re looking at purchasing a prime lens, I would stay with the Canon brand. Th 85mm f/1.8 is one of the best portrait lenses you can buy, however, most beginners are surprised by the focal length when they attach it to their T2i. The 85mm is equivalent to a 136mm lens due to the 1.6x crop factor on the T2i. Shooting at 136mm indoors is a tough task, especially if you’re in small rooms or cramped spaces. Outdoors or in a very large room, you’ll have no problem framing you’re shot. Best of luck!
- Moose
Got a quick question. Got a T2i, just got the 430ex ll and have a cousins wedding to shoot this Saturday. They know its not going to be a professional shoot and are OK with it. Wedding will be inside a smaller Church. What settings do you recommend? We don’t feel comfortable with changing settings while on the go, but with can with different stages of the ceramony. Do we leave both on full auto? I like the P setting myself, that way I know exaclly where the focus point will be. Will the P setting on camera and auto on speedlight be the way to go, or full auto on both. How about the portrait setting and auto on the flash? Thanks Keith
Keith,
Looks like I didn’t get to your comment in time for the wedding, sorry about that…been busy with family and the holidays.
Generally speaking, for weddings I would enable aperture priority mode and adjust the aperture f/number depending on your subject. If you’re shooting intimate portraits, then select the lowest aperture f/number available (this is determined by your lens). Lower f/numbers produce a shallow depth of field or small area in focus. This is great for creating that blurred background effect. If you’re shooting groups of people, I’d select an aperture f-number of f/4 to f/5.6. This will lengthen the depth of field so that everyone in the shot will be in focus. Hope the wedding went well!
- Moose
Wow, good site and great comments.
I have previously been shooting with a Sony A100 and prior to that a film Minolta, and of course have a selection of lenses that fit the Minolta/Sony group including a high dollar, sweet 500mm Sigma. Can I find an adaptor that will allow me to use these lenses on my T2i???
Also would you share your thoughts on the use of a doubler, perhaps on a Tamron AF 18-270.
Thank you in advance,
Ron
Ron,
I do believe there and a couple EOS to Sony adapters on the market, but to my knowledge there isn’t any Sony to EOS adapters available. As for using a tele-converter with the Tamron 18-270mm, I have a few buddies who have tried that setup with mixed results. They reported that auto-focusing slows down a bit and the maximum aperture range is increased which makes it tough to get a fast shutter speeds for moving subjects while keeping the ISO down. Happy shooting!
- Moose
hey what kind of battery grip would you recomend? also would battery grips for the t1i work with the t2i?
Daniel,
The T2i uses a higher capacity battery (LP-E8) versus the battery compatible with the T1i (LP-E5), thus, the BG-E8 is the only battery grip comatible withe the T2i. I have a few buddies who own the third party versions of the BG-E8 which are significantly cheaper than the Canon branded model. Reviews have been a bit mixed, mostly having to do with build quality and not with mechanics…although a few of them mentioned the shutter button is not as functional as the one found on the Canon branded model. Best of luck!
- Moose
Hi
I’ve been browsing through your website for over an hour now. Great advice and tips!
My husband bought me the T2i with the 18-55mm lens for Christmas. He also got me a 55-250 mm lens and a filter and other accesories. I’m very new to photography and am hoping to take classes in the new year. I have a few questions
First off I have no idea what kind of filter I own or what I would use it for…it’s an optex 58mm and says 1A..the package had no explanation and my husband just told the salesperson he wanted everything I would need to go with the camera.
Also I have been shooting with both lenses and the only big difference I see so far is the 18-55mm is better indoors in smaller spaces and the 55-250mm is better outside farther away. I haven’t had a lot of time to experiment but what are the main differences between the lenses?
So far I’m loving this camera, it replaced a point and shoot camera and I cannot believe the difference between them!
I’m sure I’ll have more questions for you :)
Thanks so much
Amanda,
Congrats on the new camera!
1. The Optex 1A is a UV filter that can be used to protect the glass on the front of your lens. I have an entire post dedicated to using UV filters with your T2i which explains the advantages and dis-advantages of using an UV filter.
2. Yes, the biggest difference between both lenses is the zoom range. The 18-55mm is best used in and around the house, while the 55-250mm is suitable for outdoor sports and distant subjects.
I’d be glad to answer more of your questions…happy shooting!
Moose,
Quick question – thanks to a bit of luck, I’ve acquired a number of lenses at low cost or free – but I was curious – I was given recently a Tamron 18-270 f/3.5 – 5.6 VC lens, and noted that the 18-250 seems to have been discontinued by Tamron themselves – Are there major differences in the quality/performance of these two “All in One” lenses?
Debo,
Yes, the Tamron 18-250mm seems to be discontinued and the 18-270mm is its replacement. The 18-270mm has the added benefit of a longer zoom range and image stabilization.
In my opinion there isn’t a huge difference in edge to edge sharpness between both lenses, but as I mentioned above…the 18-270mm comes with image stabilization which can help reduce camera shake in low light situations leading to sharper images when hand holding the camera.
- Moose
Hi Moose,
First of all, thank you for providing such a great website for Canon T2i tips for beginners like myself.
In one of your forums, you mentioned Tokina AT-X 124 AF PRO DX 12-24mm f/4 is a great lens for landscape shooting. What do you think about Tokina AT-X 116 PRO DX 11-16mm f/2.8? It is about $100 more if I buy it in Canada. Is it worth to get the f2.8?
Thanks in advance,
Paul
Paul,
Great question…the f/2.8 will allow you to get faster shutter speeds in low light situations while keeping the ISO down, however, for landscape shots you really want to shoot at or above f/11. So for landscapes, the f/2.8 really won’t help you out unless you’re shooting a “creative” landscape with a small area in focus. Lower aperture f/numbers will shorten the depth of field and isolate your subject, while higher f/numbers will put the entire scene into focus. If it was up to me, I’d save the $100 bucks or put it towards another lens! :)
- Moose
hi moose,
i recently bought a t2i and am enrolled in a photography class. i need a film camera and due to my recent purchase i am leaning towards purchasing a t2. my teacher suggested purchasing a k2 (the t2 was also on the list). i havent found much differences browsing online. could you help me decide which one would be a better purchase? thanks.
JJ,
I would definitely go with one of the Canon EOS Elan 7N series SLR’s. I was never a big fan of the T2 or K2. You should be able to find a used Elan 7N for around $120 to $150 bucks. The build quality and features found in the Elan 7N are far superior to the K2 or T2. Best of luck in your photography class!
- Moose
When bringing my pictures into my computer to edit photos I have bad lines…I can bring them into my computer at work and this does not happen. Could this be because I have vista? Or a bad graphic card?
Also could someone help me with picture size when editing….my pictures are too big to print….I am a true beginner.
Thanks
Rhonda,
It’s hard to say without looking at your computer setup. Give Canon tech support a call. They should be able to walk you through a series of steps to determine the source of the problem.
As for your pictures not printing…it sounds like your home computer doesn’t have enough memory (RAM) to hold the image in queue while the image is being sent to the printer. How old is your computer?
- Moose
Hello Moose! I just discovered your site and am so glad I did! I bought the T2i kit on Amazon and also purchased the Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens. After reading some of your lens posts, I am now wondering if I should purchase the Tamron 17-50mm/F2.8. I want to be able to capture day to day shots of my 1 and 2-year-olds but also want to be able to take good portrait images with blurry backgrounds (if I can ever get them to stay in one place long enough!). Many of the pictures I take are indoor shots. I much prefer the image quality the 50mm captures over the kit lens but I feel like I have to back up really far to capture pics in the house. Is there a reason to own both the Tamron and the 50mm, or would you recommend returning the 50mm and purchasing the Tamron?
Thanks so much and happy holidays!
Shannon
Shannon,
The kit lens has a very similar zoom range to the Tamron 17-50mm lens. The biggest difference between the two lenses is the maximum aperture.
When using the kit lens the lowest available f/number at wide-angle is f/3.5 and at telephoto it’s f/5.6. With the Tamron, you can shoot using f/2.8 at both wide-angle and telephoto.
Lower aperture f/numbers will allow you to isolate your subjects, making them pop off the background.
While the 50mm f/1.8 lens is an excellent lens, the focal length is tough for framing subjects in tight spaces or small rooms.
The Tamron 17-50mm will allow you to frame subjects much easier, especially groups of people (indoors). The low f/2.8 aperture will allow you to isolate your subjects while creating that wonderful blurred background effect.
If you’re just starting out, I’d keep your current setup until you feel comfortable with the T2i….otherwise, I’d sell your kit lens on craigslist or eBay and then replace it with the Tamron. Keep the 50mm regardless…the f/1.8 aperture will come in handy in certain shooting situations. Best of luck in your decision!
- Moose
Thanks Moose! What is the difference between the Tamron 17-50mm/F2.8 and the Tamron 28-75/2.8? Is the Tamron 17-50 better for tighter spaces than the 28-75?
Thanks again!
Shannon
Shannon,
Yes, the 17-50mm will give you a wider field of view which makes it easier to frame subjects in tight spaces (indoors). Happy shooting!
- Moose
My T2i makes noise. While filming this morning in a quiet setting, I noticed that I can audibly hear the camera making little static-sounding noise while filming, and also when the shutter button is half down. I can even hear it on video playback. Is that normal? Someone else try it, see if yours does this please.
Bosch,
That sound you’re hearing is the autofocus…to get rid of the sound, you’ll need to focus manually or mount an external mic to your T2i.
- Moose
Thanks for the reply. I was filming in manual focus, and had the
EFS 55 – 250 lens on it. I discovered that it’s not the camera – The lens is making the noise. My other lens, the 18 – 55 is dead silent.
Here’s 9 seconds of footage. Listen for that ticking/hard drive type of sound. Weird, huh? Anyone else have the 55 -5 250 lens?
Moose,
Can you explain when and when not to use a lens hood? What are the advantages and disadvantages?
Also, I’ve read about the use of white and gray cards to set white balance and exposure. Can you explain how and when to use these with the T2i? Is there one system or set that you recommend?
As always, thanks so much for sharing your expertise with us newbies!
Jeff
Jeff,
Lens hoods can help reduce lens flares that are caused by the position of the sun. They can also act as a protective shield for the front lens element. I only use lens hoods when it’s lightly raining outside. This helps prevent rain drops from hitting the front of my lens. As for lens flares, I just use my hat or a spare hand if I’m using a tripod.
Whenever I’m shooting indoors, I always use an 18% gray card. On page 99 of the T2i manual it’ll show you how to setup a custom white balance with your T2i. In fact Canon mentions the use of an 18% gray card on page 100 of the manual. You can get different sized 18% gray cards at your local photography shop, don’t worry about the brand.
Without going into scientific detail, setting a custom white balance with an 18% gray card will give you better color rendition and accuracy. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Hi Moose. Great forum. I’ve spent the past hour or so reading through a ton of your information and comments listed here.
I’m looking to purchase a T2i and can’t decide what to purchase. I’m upgrading from a Kodak bridge and mostly take everyday photos (inside & out) of my children, as well as tons of photos at horse shows and cheer competitions. I need to cover the up-close everyday shots and fast-action distance shots (distances similar to front row and/or upper bleechers @ a college basketball game).
I’ve read numerous comments on different sites that the kit lens (18-55mm) is a waste of money. BestPriceElectronics has a kit with that lens for $80 more than the body-only ($710 vs $630). I was originally going for the body only and a Tamron 28-75 f2.8 lens until another mom pointed-out that group shots of kids can be tough when you need to stand behind all the other moms while using the 28-75mm. I’m not sure I need a prime lens, but would get the Canon 50mm f1.4 if needed.
Help!! I’m driving myself nuts trying to make the best purchase right out of the gate. I want to grow into my equipment, not out of it immediately. Any suggestions? Thanks for the time you spend on the site sharing your knowledge!
McLisa,
For beginners, I always recommend purchasing the T2i along with the all-in-one Tamron 18-250mm lens (roughly $280 on ebay). The advantage of an all-in-one lens is that it will allow you to quickly zoom from wide-angle to telephoto without having to switch lenses. This makes it especially convenient when you’re at horse shows or cheer competitions. If you’re worried about image quality…don’t be. The image quality of the Tamron all-in-one and the T2i is far greater than any compact camera.
As you learn the ins and outs, you can start buying lenses that are made for the types photography that you’re interested in. Best of luck!
- Moose
Great website! I have the Canon T2i, and I’m looking to do some outdoor wildlife photography against a backdrop of snow. What are your recommendations as far as the type of lense to use and camera settings?
Kevin,
Great question…
Lenses – If you’re on a budget I would start with the Canon 55-250mm f/4.0-f/5.6. It’s a fantastic lens for the money. You get an effective focal length of 400mm when attached to the T2i, along with image stabilization. If you’re looking to spend a bit more, I would look at the Canon 70-200mm f/4L. It’s super sharp and will allow you to shoot at f/4 across the entire zoom range. Smaller aperture f/numbers will help isolate your subject and increase your shutter speed ensuring sharp results.
Settings – When shooting wildlife, it ultimately depends on the type of animal you’re shooting. If you’re shooting slow moving subjects, then you can use a slower shutter speed…probably around 1/250 to 1/500. If you’re capturing fast moving subjects, you’ll need to shoot between 1/500 to 1/1000. To enable shutter priority mode, just rotate the mode dial to (S). Once enabled, you can select a shutter speed. To make things easier on you, I would also enable Auto ISO and allow the T2i to match the shutter speed for the best exposure.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
Many thanks for the advice! We have a lot of deer around here, especially in Winter, and I’d really love to get some good shots of them.
Moose,
Great website! Best I’ve found.
Just got my T2i at Costco and it came with the 18-55 kit lens and the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens. It also came with a bag, a memory card and HDMI cable. A great buy for anyone out there looking for a great starter kit!
One of the main uses for the camera will be taking photos of my daughters playing volleyball. This is my first SLR. Can you give me some tips on the proper lens and camera settings to use for getting good indoor action shots?
Thanks for your time and effort in putting together all of this information!
Jeff
Jeff,
Thanks for the kind words and congrats on the new cam! I would read my post on “Canon Rebel T2i Lenses for Indoor Sports Photography” …inside that post you’ll find my recommended settings for shooting inside a gym. If you have any questions after reading that post, I’d be glad to help you out…best of luck!
- Moose
i dont know why im getting the “busy” when im shooting specially when im using a flash, this is annoying specially when i missed good shots. im using a sandisk extreme sdhc class 10 8gb and my lens is 28-135mm us. what could i be doing wrong? or did i get a faulty one? pls help
thanks
Maria,
The “busy signal” is actually the flash recycling and powering up for the next shot. Make sure your battery has a fresh charge as this will help the T2i speed up the flash recycling time. You also have the option of purchasing an external flash (like the Canon 430EX II) which will give you much faster shot to shot speeds when using flash.
- Moose
thank you so much!!! your site is very helpful and informative!!!
What a great and helpful site! Moose, I just upgraded my Canon XTI to the 2TI. I also purchased the Tamron 17-50 mm 2.8 which I love. I am now searching for a lens that will get me lanscape shots and shots of my kids playing sports. I have an old Canon 100mm to 300mm that I just don’t seem to like plus it leaves a gap in coverage. I want to purchase one more lens and I can’t decide between the canon 55-250 mm, the Tamron 70 – 200, or I could even go up to the canon EF 70 – 200 mm f/4L but I am concerned about the speed and lack of having an image stabilizer at this zoom range. What would you suggest. I am even open to other suggestions to cover this range but I don’t have the budget to make a choice that I would not be happy with. Thanks for the help.
Brian,
Let’s take a look at your three options…
1) Canon 55-250mm f/4.0-f/5.6
2) Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8
3) Canon 70-200mm f/4
The Canon 55-250mm would obviously “fill” the gap and compliment your Tamron 17-50mm. It’s cheap, its got image stabilization and its got reach. Remember that due to the crop factor, 250mm on the T2i is equivalent to 400mm. For sports, shooting at 400mm is helpful…especially when shooting from the stands. The problem you’ll run into is with shooting sports at dusk/night or in a gym. The aperture range of f/4-f/5.6 will force you to up the ISO in order to get shutter speeds that are fast enough to “freeze” the action. Higher ISO’s lead to increased image noise (loss of color and detail).
The Tamron 70-200mm would force you to “miss” the 50mm to 70mm zoom range, which isn’t a big deal in my opinion. The wonderful thing about this lens is that it’ll allow you to shoot at f/2.8 in low light situations. 200mm on the T2i, converts to an effective focal length of 320mm. Depending on where you sit, 320mm should be sufficient to get in tight to your subjects. The added benefit of a constant f/2.8 aperture is that you can add a teleconverter, like the 1.4x, and shoot at a maximum of f/4. With teleconverters, you usually loose one or two f/stops. This means that if you attach a 1.4x teleconverter to the Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8, then the maximum aperture would be f/4. Likewise, if you attach a 1.4x teleconverter to the Canon 70-200mm f/4, then the maximum aperture would be f/5.6. A 1.4x converter would boost your telephoto reach 280mm, which is equivalent to 448mm. So basically, you’ll have a field of view similar to 448mm on a film SLR while shooting at f/4. Hope that makes sense! :)
The Canon 70-200mm f/4 lens is sharp as a tack. Canon lenses with the “L” designation are considered to be “pro” lenses. Focusing is quick and color rendition is very good. As discussed above, your effective zoom range with this lens would be 112mm-320mm with a maximum aperture of f/4.
Of all the lenses mentioned above, I would honestly start with the Canon 55-250mm lens. For around $200 bucks, you’ll have a very capable telephoto lens that’ll give you the reach you’re after. You’ll have to sacrifice image quality and performance a bit when shooting in low light, but you can still get some very respectable shots. Best of luck in your decision!
- Moose
I am new to photography and have been starting to read up on the Rebel T2i as suggested by a photographer on weddingwire.com (I just got married). I don’t know anything about photography but saw a really cool pic and I found out a Bokeh filter was used. My question is can I use a filter such as this with this camera?
Melissa,
Bokeh “filters” can be made by you with some black construction paper. You basically cut out a shape (star, heart, etc…) and then tape it to the front of your lens. You then shoot at your largest aperture which is the lowest f/number available. This will transform blurred out lights into the shapes you created. Hope that makes sense.
- Moose
Thanks Moose!!
Hi Moose, working on learning the T2i so many of your suggestions have really helped and made it easier. I have a friend who took some beautiful portraits shots of a baby, there was one shot where her blue eyes were popping off the page. What filter would enhance eye color to such a degree. To further help you, I know that the camera used was a Nikon D90 AF-S NIKKOR 50mm 1:1.4G, some were on the AF-S NIKKOR 35mm 1:1.8G. What would be the canon lens equivalent to those lenses as the quality of the shots taken was truly amazing. I have the 50mm 1:1.4 per your suggestion and it takes very nice portraits, but I’m not getting the vibrant colors like my friend. Any suggestions? Thanks
Mamajune,
Colors can be enhanced by using a circular polarizer and increasing the saturation either in-camera or in post processing. The 50mm f/1.4 accepts 58mm filters (I like this one).
On page 94 of the T2i manual, you can find out how to register a picture style. This will allow you to customize a setting for shooting portraits with enhanced color.
Post processing programs like Picasa and Photoshop Elements will allow you to enhance the color and saturation in a photo. Best of luck!
- Moose
I just got the canon rebel T2i bundle kit from best buy. This is my first real camera. Im slowly getting the hang of it. My parents used an older canon back in the day and had a filter that would enhance the colors beautifully. I am looking to purchase this filter for my new camera but I have no idea where to even start looking or what size I need.
Here is what I do know, my parents used to use a canon AE-1 and the filter they used when I was a kid was HOYA FL-W. What size would I need for it to fit my new rebel? ( I have EF-S 15-55 IS kit)
I guess I should add that my parents no longer have that old camera but have all the lenses and filters that they passed on to me that dont fit my rebel. I saw a previous post that suggested this for lenses. Would this work for the filters as well??
Tiffany,
Congrats on the new cam! Which bundle did you get? You probably have one or two of the following lenses… the 18-55mm, the 55-250mm, the 75-300mm. All three of those lenses accept 58mm filters.
You can read my post on… “UV Filter Advice for Canon T2i Lenses” which should answer more of your questions. My recommendation, would be to get a Hoya 58mm circular polarizer. The circular polarizer will allow you to get deeper blue skies and more cloud detail when shooting outside. It will also saturate colors, giving you more “punch.”
No, the FD to EOS adapter allows you to attach the old lenses to your T2i. Filters attach to the front of the lens. Think of it like attaching a lid to a bowl. As long as the lid is 10 inches wide, it should fit any bowl with the same diameter.
- Moose
yes my kit came with the first two lenses you listed. I would also like to know if there are lenses that have a tint to it. Ive seen wonderful sunset photos that seem to have a tint of pink or purple to it and it just makes that photo that much more amazing… can you point me in the right direction? perhaps its a setting on the camera and not a filter?? I have yet to figure it out…
and after going through the stash of filters that was handed over to me there actually 2 different sized lenses. Im not even sure where to find the actual sizes. I would like to be able to just use these on an old AE-1 lens and use the adaptor you mentioned…but now with the two sizes im even more confused.
Tiffany,
I recommend you do the “tinting” or “colorizing” in an image editing program like Picasa, that way you can fine tune the color to your hearts desire.
The T2i does offer a ‘Filter’ and ‘Toning’ effect (page 93 of the T2i manual). Both modes offer customization to get the hue or colorization that you’re after. When you’re out in the field, it’s hard to judge the end result which is why I recommend shooting in color and editing the image using Picasa or Photoshop elements.
In regards to your old FD lenses…you’ll have to focus and set the exposure manually, which can be a bit overwhelming for a beginner. If I were you, I’d stick with the kit lenses for now and not worry about the older lenses that have been handed down to you. Just my two cents :)
- Moose
thank you for your input. I probably would take your advice had these filters and lenses not been handed down to me… see, they are a bit of a family heirloom and so Im kind of expected to/want to use them. I can screw some of them onto the old AE-1 lens but the others will not fit. Im guessing it was on the camera that was lost/stolen. I would like to get the adaptor for the lenses and then use the filters that way ( Ive never used photoshop or any other photo editing program so it seems very confusing to me) since the filters I have are 2 different sizes where do I need to look to make sure I can eventually use all of them on my new rebel? It will probably require 2 adaptors but where do I see the sizes I need??
Tiffany,
First, determine what lenses you have. Each lens may have a different filter size.
Secondly, determine what size filters you have.
If you’ve got three lenses with 58mm filter threads, and your filters are made to fit 62mm lenses…then you’ll need to get a 58mm to 62mm step up ring adapter. This will fit in between the lens and the filter.
As for your T2i, the filter size doesn’t matter. What does matter is the lens mount. Most older Canon lenses have the FD mount, while newer Canon lenses have the EF or EF-S mount. The T2i is designed to work with EF or EF-S lenses. If you’ve got old FD lenses, then you’ll need the FD to EOS adapter in order to get the lenses to mount to the T2i. This adapter will fit between the camera and the lens.
- Moose
After reading all your great tips you made my decision on purchasing a t2i, i ordered it last week! i am really into cars so i would love to take photos of drift events, racing, etc.. any advice on what lense to get for things like that? thanks!
Brittney,
Congrats on the new cam! Where will you be shooting from (the bleachers or close to the action)?
- Moose
Thankyou =] im looking forward to getting it any day now. Well, im not sure, it will probably vary. My camera is coming with 2 lenses as well, EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 lens & EF-S 55-250mm f4-5.6 lens. im not that savvy with all the terms and what means what, i have been researching it tho, slowly learning lol. Another question, i am really into macro photography as well, the 2nd lense my camera comes with, is that a good lense to put a macro adapter at the end of it? thankyou
Is there a Tamron lens compatible to the Canon 55-250 is lens? which lens is better for me to buy?
Neil,
Tamron has the 70-300mm lens which is comparable to the Canon 55-250mm lens. The Tamron has a slightly longer reach, but the Canon comes with image stabilization and sharper glass from edge to edge. The price difference between the lenses is around $50 bucks…if it was up to me I would spend the extra money and get the Canon 55-250mm.
- Moose
I see where there’s a new firmware update (1.0.9).
Does anyone know how much time is required for the update?
Thanks…
Tom,
I did see the firmware update announcement over the weekend. I have yet to install it, so I can’t give you an exact time. Are you referring to the entire process of downloading the firmware from Canon’s website and installing it on your T2i?
- Moose
Hi Tom:
Too funny…I just updated my T2i and it did not take long at all (less than 10 minutes).
Very easy instructions to follow whether you install computer to camera or via SDHC card.
Have a great day!
Cheers,
Bonnie
Bonnie,
Thanks for sharing!
- Moose
I purchased a t2i for the wife for christmas. Will my old ae-1 lenses work with this camera? Also, from reading posts I take it you reccomend the 250 lens instead of the 300 because of not much difference, will be used for outdoor soccer and indoor swimming. Thanks
Howdy Neil,
You’ll have to purchase a FD to EOS adaptor (like this one) in order to get your old Canon FD lenses to mount correctly. Focus and exposure will have to be set manually.
For the price, you can’t go wrong with the Canon 55-250mm image stabilized lens. It will server you well for the outdoor soccer shots, however, you’ll be forced to use a higher ISO when shooting indoors due to the aperture range of the lens.
- Moose
Just ordered a T2i!
I have an old lens that went with my old OM-10
It’s a ROKINON Autozoom 1:4.5 F = 80 – 200 mm
Anyway to use this with the T2i and / or is there any value to this lens?
Tom,
I’m assuming the Rokinon lens has the older Canon FD mount. You’ll have to purchase a FD to EOS adaptor (like this one). Focus and exposure will have to be set manually.
- Moose
Two questions from a brand-new T2i owner who is expecting a baby in three weeks:
1. If I use a close-up lens such as the Raynox that you recommend, do I need to remove the UV filter first? I have the kit 18-55 and the 55-250, and both have a Tiffen UV filter on them.
2. I’ve looked through your portrait and close-up lens posts, but given the two lenses I’ve mentioned, do you have any simple guidelines for taking baby pics, esp close-up pics?
Thanks!
SMG,
Congrats on the new T2i and baby! :)
1. You can leave the filter on the lens since the Raynox DCR-250 snaps into place, however, for the best image quality I would remove the filters before attaching it.
2. Yes, use your 55-250mm lens when shooting portraits. You’ll want to shoot towards the wide end of the lens, or 55mm. If you have enough room to zoom in a bit, that will help shorten the depth of field even more. Enable aperture priority mode (Av) and select the lowest f-number available…at 55mm the lowest f/number will be f/4.0. If you can’t get your baby into the frame, then attach the 18-55mm lens apply as much zoom as possible. Try to avoid using flash. Just ensure that Auto ISO is enabled and the T2i will select the appropriate ISO to get a nice exposure.
Best of luck!
- Moose
Just bought the t2i this weekend and had fun fooling around with it for the first couple days. Now I’m ready to get a little more serious. I was reading the post about taking great portraits and am interested in the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 lens. I have a 2 month old so I’m looking to get great portraits of her without having to constantly pay photographers for photo rights. On your post you say its the best value lens, but reading further you mention that it’s not great for indoors and in tight spaces. Could you elaborate on that comment? I like the price of the 50mm, but will I be limited in my shooting?
Pam,
Congrats on the new cam! The 50mm lens has an “actual” focal length of 80mm. This is due to the T2i’s sensor being smaller than 35mm film. In order to get the 35mm film equivalent field of view, you need to multiply any lens you attach to the T2i by 1.6x (50mm x 1.6 = 80mm).
At 80mm, you’ll struggle to get your 2 month old into the frame when shooting in a tight space or small room. For indoor photography, you’ll want to have an “actual” focal length somewhere between 28mm and 50mm.
Now if you’re shooting in a larger sized room, like a living room where you can back up a few steps to get your baby into the frame, then by all means go for the 50mm f/1.8 lens. Best of luck in your decision!
- Moose
Oh yes, forgot to ask about HD video. I have transend class 10 32gb, so I know the card is good. My laptop is a HP 9640us, 1.5ghz dual core intel, Geforce 8600M GS w/256MB memory video card, 4gig ram. I’m having trouble playing my video back on computer. Is my computer got what it takes? I tried on full 1080p 30fps. Thanks
Keith,
It’s definitely your laptop (not the memory card)…my best guess is that it has something to do with 1080p not playing correctly with your Geforce 8600M video card. I’m not a computer expert, so I would definitely look into the issue before making any conclusions…90% of the time HD playback stutters and stops due to insufficient memory or lack of HD playback ability with the video card.
- Moose
Hey Moose, love this forum and your replys. My question is (with T2i) do you have any experience with Nissin flash units, and would you reccomend them? I know that the canon units are quality, but how are the Nissin units? Also, for a amateur, is the 430ex ll speedlite a good choice if the Nissin units are not? And is forking over the extra dough worth the 580ex? Just looking for the best bang for the buck.
Keith,
The Nissin Di622 is comparable to the Canon 430EX II. I haven’t personally tested the Nissin flash units, but I know some colleagues who’ve used them. Reviews were a bit of a hit and miss. In professional situations, the Nissin units had some trouble with overheating. For the beginner photographers, this may never be an issue.
As of right now, you’re looking at a $50 dollar price difference between the two. If it was up to me, I would go for the 430EX II. If you were saving $100 or more, I would say give the Nissin a try.
The Canon 430EX II really works brilliantly with the T2i. It’s powerful and has a quick recycling time, so the added cost may pay off with ease of use and consistent performance.
As for the 430EX II vs the 580EX II…I would go with the 430EX II. In the beginning, when you’re learning the ins and outs of flash photography, the 430EX II will give you all the creative control that you’re after at about half the cost of its big brother. Best of luck in your decision!
- Moose
When you don’t have time to think about setting up a shot with the T2i – what’s the best auto shooting mode to use in a hurry to take a group photo outside?
Snap Happy Girl,
The easiest mode would be ‘Portrait’ mode…just rotate the mode dial to the lady icon and snap away. For more portrait tips, read my post… “How to take Great Portraits with the Canon Rebel T2i.” Happy shooting!
- Moose
Great website! Thanks for putting it up.
I know so far this website has been primarily for shooting only stills with the T2i. I actually got it for the video aspect (seeing as it was fairly identical in quality to the much more expensive 7D).
My question is why is Canon so stubborn to not allow the AGC (automatic gain control) option to be turned off for the microphone? Searching online and all over YouTube it’s clear that it is a real annoyance to all.
With so many options in the settings, I feel like they could have easily thrown this into the firmware. Could you ask your Canon buddies what the reason was for this decision?
Thanks and keep up the great work! :)
Nikita,
With the strong push towards HD video technology in Digital SLR’s, Canon reps have told me that their research department is hard at work trying to improve HD video capabilities and is looking to add more features that will improve the recording workflow. Canon reps visit this site all the time and take note of the suggestions that are mentioned.
As for me and my video recording ability, I’ll admit that I’m still very green. Having been a professional photographer for many years, the thought of shooting video never really crossed my mind until the recent development of HD video recording in DSLR’s. I’ve been practicing in many different situations and hope to someday provide useful tips and tutorials on the subject. Until then, I would visit the T2i HD video forum on DVinfo.net (link). They have some filmmakers on there that know a lot about video recording on the T2i. Best of luck!
- Moose
how do i shoot a fast set of pictures at once? (3.7 fps)
Ben,
You can find instructions for continuous shooting on page 70 of the Canon T2i manual.
- Moose
I find the sports mode (turn the dial to the guy running) is the quickest way to take a bunch of shots at once. Hold down the shutter button and you get multiple shots in a row. Great for shooting kids!
Hi, I am a beginner. I just got my T2i. I am wondering which editing program you would recomend. Also, as I have been looking at some photo’s online I came across a photographer who’s pic’s I love because the colors are very bright and vivid. They are mostly portaits and set outdoors. How do I a cheive this? I tried adjusting the saturation in camera and some difference but nothing like what her photo’s look like. Any tips would be great!
Nicole,
If you’re a true beginner, start with Google Picasa. It’s the easiest program for beginners to learn the basics of photo editing. As you become more skilled, you can then migrate to a program like Photoshop Elements which will give you a bit more control over the editing process.
Eye popping color saturation is a result of good lighting. Lighting can make all the difference in your photos. When shooting outdoors, the best time of day to shoot is dawn or dusk. With the sun positioned low, you can get more contrast and jaw dropping color.
When shooting indoors, your best bet is to use an external flash like the Canon 430EX II which will allow you to bounce light off a ceiling giving you softer more natural looking photos in low light.
I also recommend, reading my tutorial… “How to take Great Portraits with the Canon Rebel T2i“…that will give you a starting point for setting up your T2i to handle portraits and group shots.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
just purchased a t2i! want to shoot RAW. was wondering if lightroom or aperture was a better/easier program? looking into getting a macbook pro as well. thanks for any comments!
Rich,
Aperture seems to be better suited towards beginners and enthusiasts. It comes equipped with really cool features that make RAW editing quick and effective.
Lightroom on the other hand is aimed more towards intermediate and advanced photographers. Workflow is a bit slower, but there are lots of advanced controls for editing RAW files. If you have any previous photo editing experience with photoshop or elements, then your learning curve may not be as steep since some of the tools and features are carried over.
- Moose
hey, ive read your blog and i must say its so insightful! the information here is great! best website canon t2i website ive ever seen!! i like this website so much i made it my home page. my question is that i was reading your arctile about the steps to make your sky more blue and i was wondering if this works with sunset portrait? or is there a completely different why you have to do it.
Daniel,
Wow, thanks for the kind words…I really do appreciate it! :)
I would stay away from using the contrast trick with sunset portraits. The contrast adjustment will make skin tones look a bit off, so it’s best to use the normal in-camera settings for that type of shot.
For the best results, enable the flash and position your subject so that their back is facing the sun. The flash will provide a soft fill light, giving you a great looking portrait. Happy shooting!
- Moose
I recently bought a Canon Rebel T2i. I want to purchase a good tripod that will support this camera. What are your suggestions?
Shrikant,
My wife really likes the Dolica 62 inch tripod. It’s very sturdy, built well and best of all you can grab it for under $40 bucks…it’s a great starter tripod. Best of luck!
- Moose
I have recently purchased the T2i with the Tamron 28-75 mm lens .
I take pictures for my own enjoyment but like for them to be clear, crisp.
What other lens would you recommend .
Gloria,
Really depends on the types of subjects you’re shooting. Do you mostly shoot wide-angle, telephoto or both?
- Moose
I shoot both.
Gloria,
The image sensor in the T2i is smaller than 35mm film, so in order to get the 35mm field of view equivalent you’ll need to multiply the focal length by 1.6x. This applies to any lens you attach to the T2i.
So the Tamron 28-75mm lens is actually 44-120mm on the T2i due to the crop factor. The 44-120mm zoom range is really awkward. It’s not wide enough for indoor situations and not long enough for telephoto shots.
You may consider selling that lens and going with an all-in-one like the Tamron 18-270mm. This would give you an effective focal range of 28-432mm and allow you to capture everything from wide-angle to telephoto. I believe there is a $150 mail-in rebate for this lens, which brings the overall price down considerably. Happy shooting!
- Moose
I’ve got a question regarding shooting in any of the “Creative” modes with the T2i (the M, Av, and Tv). It seems most efficient to adjust settings by looking through the viewfinder while moving the dial, but that little viewfinder display will only show up after half-pressing the shutter button, and then only for a few seconds. It’d be really handy if it would stay on continuously. Is there any way to change that?
Dave,
I’m currently on a commercial shoot and don’t have access to my T2i. I thought as long as the shutter button was half-pressed you’d be able to see the viewfinder info. Is it turning off, even with the shutter button half-pressed?
- Moose
Nope, it stays on while the shutter button is half-pressed. I was just wondering if there was a way to adjust its timeout so that it’d stay on longer while I wasn’t pressing the shutter.
I’m thinking of a situation where I’d half-press the shutter, adjust exposure, take a shot, then take my finger off the shutter and reframe for another shot. If I take more than a few seconds there, the display will shut off (as expected, really), and then there’s that tiny delay between the half-press and the screen turning on. It’s nit-picky, I know, but it’d be nice to avoid.
So maybe the solution is to just get used to holding the shutter half-pressed between shots and avoid the problem entirely…
Dave,
I’ve gotten used to using the LCD info display to adjust my exposure settings. I hardly rely on the viewfinder info anymore, but it would be nice to control the timeout length…I’ll mention it to a few of my Canon buddies.
Half-pressing the shutter button in order to get the viewfinder info to stay “on” sounds like the best idea for your shooting style. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Dear Moose,
This site is incredibly helpful for someone who is taking a supercharged leap into the world of DSLR photography. I have started with three lenses, the kit 18-55, the kit 55-250, and the nifty fifty. The nifty fifty has let me take some ridiculously sharp shots – and I’m working on trying to do so more often with the other two lenses – but I am having trouble with flash. I find more often than not that my built in flash tends to come on all the time in low light situations – even if the soft lighting of low light conditions is what I want. The only mode I have really shot in is no flash – but I want to be able to use modes like portrait mode or macro mode with the Raynox converter in low light – do you know how to enable this? The manual hasn’t been all that helpful…
~Debo
Debo,
Congrats on your leap! ;)
The best mode for low light shooting is aperture priority (Av). Once in this mode, disable the flash and select an aperture appropriate for the subject or scene. If you’re trying to get a shallow depth of field, then select the lowest possible f/number which will be determined by your lens. With the nifty fifty it will be f/1.8…with your kit lenses it will be f/3.5 at wide-angle and f/5.6 at telephoto.
When you want to get the entire scene in focus (group shots, landscapes, etc…) then you’ll want to select a higher aperture f.number…somewhere around f/8.
If you’re getting subject blur or camera shake in your photos, you’ll need to raise the ISO in order to get a faster shutter speed. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Thanks Moose! Awesome.
Another question – I know you recommend the 430 EX II flash, but is the 270 considerably worse?
Debo,
The Canon 270EX II is a fantastic little flash. It’s portable and not as overbearing as the larger speedlites.
The 430EX II is a bit larger, but it gives you faster shot-to-shot recycling times and a stronger, more powerful flash (better for group shots) when compared to the 270EX speedlite.
- Moose
Hello again Moose,
Thanks for a great informative site.
I am looking through the maze of tools available for the T2i and I’d like to ask which brand if any of a remote flash trigger you use or recommend. I think offset flash has its advantages at time’s and I’d rather do that than have the cable.
I had a little attachment back in the late 70′s that I could attach to the flash and when you fired the built in the remote would go off. I have no idea what I did with it. It was not much bigger than a marble. Will those work (if I can find one) with the new dslr flash’s?
Thanks John
John,
For the easiest setup attach a PocketWizard MiniTT1 radio transmitter to your T2i and the Pocket Wizard FlexTT radio transceiver to your external flash. This MiniTT1 interprets the complex (E-TTL II) data being sent through the T2i’s hot shoe and digitally transmits it to the FlexTT which triggers the flash. You can see a really helpful video about both products below…
Best of luck!
- Moose
What is the best ’1 book to read’ for the T2i? I really want to know how to tweak it and what makes it tick. Thanks.
Keith,
I would check out these two books…
David Busch’s Canon T2i Guide – will give you an in-depth look at the menu system and features found on the T2i.
Canon T2i: From Snapshots to Great Shots – will give you some insight to the camera controls and menu system, with more focus on photography with the T2i.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
Hi Moose,
I plan on getting the 550D (T2i) to take travel snaps. I was looking at getting the kit with the 18-55mm and 55-250mm lenses. My main concern is if these lenses will hold up well in low light landscape and low light urban situations. Will the kit lenses deliver in these areas, or should I be looking to add a prime lens in there somewhere?
Thanks,
Cameron
Cameron,
If you’re shooting with a tripod, then the kit lens will suit you just fine. Just enable aperture priority mode and select an appropriate f/number. For landscapes and street photography, you’ll want to shoot around f/8 to get everything into focus.
If you’re shooting without a tripod, a lens with a larger aperture (lower f/numbers) will give you faster shutter speeds while keeping the ISO down, however, in your situation a lens with a large aperture won’t really help you out. If you shoot at f/1.8 to f/2.8 then you’ll be creating a shallow depth of field. For landscapes and street scenes, you’ll want a large depth of field to get everything into focus.
Get yourself a good starter tripod and a wireless remote…those two items will allow you to get your hands off the camera to prevent camera shake and image blur. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Thanks Moose, much appreciated.
Hi Moose!
I have read so much that my head is spinning! I am looking to purchase a T2i very soon and need some lens advice.
I want to be able to take some nice, crisp indoor shots with some nice brokeh of my 13 month who is on the move! I am thinking I should get the 50mm f/1.8 and the 430 EXII speedlight?
I would like a second lens as well. For indoor AND outdoor portraits of kids, families etc with the option of not always having such a small DOF and having some of the background in focus.
My struggle is I prefer to have no flash with my point and shoot right now, but the sensor is tiny and slow and the high ISO produces so much noise. I am looking for a lens that is good both indoors and out (definately will be used more indoors) that is nice and fast, but will give me a bit of focal range to play with. Is there such a thing?
Do I need the extra flash? I have read good reviews on the tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 non vc as its fast, but is it too big for indoors? Will I be able to get more in focus DOF or is it limited? I also have read good things about the Canon 15-85 f/3.5-5.6, but will I able to use this indoors with no flash or will I need the extra flash?
Sorry this is so long and if it doesn’t make any sense! I am having a hard time with this lens thing!
Jenn,
I know the feeling! ;) I’d be glad to help…
The Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens is a fantastic value. At $100 you can’t go wrong with a lens that starts out at f/1.8. Lenses with lower f/numbers will give you faster shutter speeds which is a must if you plan to shoot indoors with no flash.
While the 50mm focal length is fantastic for shooting outdoors, you may have some trouble indoors. The 50mm lens has an “actual” focal length of 80mm. This is due to the T2i’s sensor being smaller than 35mm film. In order to get the 35mm equivalent, you need to multiply any lens you attach to the T2i by 1.6x.
At 80mm, you’ll struggle to get your 13 month old into the frame when shooting in a tight space or small room. For indoor photography, you’ll want to have an “actual” focal length somewhere between 28mm and 50mm.
The Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 is really the perfect choice for you. Not only is it fantastic in low light, but it will give you an ideal zoom range for shots in and around the house. The constant f/2.8 aperture will give you the ability to isolate your subject while creating that wonderful blurred background effect.
As for getting the background in focus…the Tamron starts out at f/2.8, but can shoot at higher aperture f/numbers. Just put your T2i into aperture priority mode (Av) and select and aperture around f/8 or higher to get your background into focus.
As for the external flash, there will be times when lighting is just not sufficient for a low light portrait or group shot. In those cases, you’ll want an external flash to bounce light off a ceiling or wall to provide a softer more natural looking light. The Canon 430EX II speedlite is really the best choice if you’re just starting out. It has a super fast recycling speed (shot to shot time) and is plenty powerful for indoor and outdoor shooting.
The Canon 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 is a good lens, however, it’s not ideal for low light situations. The lens starts out at f/3.5. When you apply any amount of zoom, that f/number will go up which means slower shutter speeds at lower ISO’s. With the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8, you can shoot at f/2.8, whether you’re at 17mm or 50mm. The constant f/2.8 aperture will allow you to shoot using faster shutter speeds, while keeping the ISO down. Best of luck in your decision!
- Moose
Thank you so much! I think the T2i with the Tamron 17-50mm and the 430EX II is my start out personalized “kit”! I can always add the 50mm at any point if I want to as its a pretty cheap lens that can be picked up anytime.
Thank you SO much for your direct answer. I appreciate it.
Jenn,
My pleasure…happy shooting!
- Moose
Hi Moose,
I have also purchased the 430 EXII speedlight. I would like to purchase an off camera shoe cord to get the most out of the flash.
Do you have any suggestions on a good shoe cord for this 430II?
Amanda,
Definitely go for the Canon branded OC-E3 shoe cord. The Canon branded cord is built very well, weather sealed, and performs brilliantly. The only negative thing about this cord is that it’s only 2 feet long. If you need a longer distance, you may try experimenting with a wireless flash trigger setup. There are a couple ways to achieve this. The easiest way for beginners is to attach a PocketWizard MiniTT1 radio transmitter to your T2i and the Pocket Wizard FlexTT radio transceiver to your external flash. This MiniTT1 interprets the data being sent through the T2i’s hot shoe and digitally transmits it to the FlexTT which triggers the flash. You can see a really helpful video about both products here. Happy shooting!
- Moose
I shoot RAW and converted to full size jpg. Went to Walgreen’s for some prints, and I had to crop for 5X7 prints. The tech told me that my photos were set as 4X6′s (wouldn’t need cropping at that size). Maybe another crop related problem too was that I wanted a poster of the full moon. Instead of getting a full moon with ‘some’ black space I got mostly black space with a much smaller moon in the center. My question though is what/how do I shoot/save so that I don’t have to crop for prints?? When I shoot I shoot for what I see, not a portion :). Thanks in advance, always love your tips and info!
Don,
Image sizes and ratios can be a bit confusing. The T2i has a 3:2 aspect ratio. To get a different image ratio, you’ll need to crop the photos manually in an image editing program. When you save the images, rename them to something like (moon-5×7.jpg)…this will help you remember which prints are for what size.
The image editors at Walgreen’s, Walmart or Target have a tendency to crop photos at a lower resolution, leaving you with images that appear less “sharp.” Always, do the cropping yourself to ensure the highest quality output. Best of luck!
- Moose
Thank you. I’m not sure what to crop them as though. I just learned that Photoshop Elements has an option to crop for various size prints. I took a random photo and tried that tool for a 5X7. I can’t say that I like the results, as it only gives me a portion of the frame I shot. Should I reduce the size of the image from its native 5184X3456 to something (what tho?) to give me all/most of the image for printing? Basically I want what I shot (most of it as as possible) on my prints. Very confusing. Out of curiosity, are there cameras that are WYSIWYG regarding what you see vs printing? Thanks in advance, I’ll experiment in the mean time.
Don,
When you print an image that has a ratio different from what the T2i captures, you’re going to loose some of your image. The best thing you can do is to plan ahead. If you like 5×7 prints, then you’ll need to train your eye to shoot a bit wider than normal. Lets say you’re shooting a landscape and have a composition you like. To get a 5×7 print and still retain the image composition that you’re after, you’ll need to slightly adjust the zoom so that you’re shooting a bit wider than you normally would. This extra image area, will allow you to crop the image to your liking.
There are some advanced compact camera’s that can adjust the image ratio in the LCD or electronic viewfinder so you can get an idea of the final image area, however, with the optical viewfinders found in digital SLR’s it’s hard to duplicate that feature.
- Moose
thanks for setting up this website. i purchased my T2i yesterday, and have been learning everything i can. have to say that even on partial auto, the camera is taking nice photos. i’m looking forward to learning more and tweaking the settings to get better shots.
Iuew,
Congrats on the new cam…you’re welcome here anytime! :)
- Moose
Hello,
Thank you for creating this very informative website. I have a t2i with the kit lens and am looking to buy an upgrade. I’ve narrowed down my choices to the following lenses. I like shooting night shots to close-ups of friends and animals. Picture quality as in sharpness and color rendition are the most importance criteria for me. I also have a 50mm prime lens. Thoughts?
1. Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3
2. Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6
3. Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6
Thank you again!
Generosa,
To be honest, your Canon 50mm f/1.8 is fantastic for portraits of friends and close-ups of animals. As for night shots, your kit lens should be able to do the job as long as you use a tripod.
Of the three lenses you’re looking at, the Tamron 18-270mm lens will give you the ability to shoot everything from wide-angle to telephoto. This lens also comes equipped with image stabilization, which can help minimize camera shake in low light situations. Best of luck in your decision!
- Moose
Moose,
Thank you for your reply. I read reviews and comparisons and found that the Canon EF-S 15-85 to be the winner. I plan to get a zoom lens for shooting sports and other stuff at a later time.
Generosa
Best of luck!
- Moose
I posted this in another forum before I discovered this good site–I would be grateful for help..
I am a DSLR beginner. I had an old film Canon SLR 300 but stopped using it after about a year when film went out of fashion and I got a reasonable digital compact.
Now I am retired I want to give it a better go and really learn the ropes by buying a suitable camera which is entry level but will give a bit of room for growth.
I want a light camera to take round, and one lens of 105mm or 135mm at 35mm equivalent. Don’t tune out you experts:) The shots I take will be mainly places, but also some people shots–indoors, parties, groups, perhaps some night portraits.
I am between the Canon 550D and the Nikon D3100.
I am slightly biased to the Canon because I have one lens, am used to A-DEP etc, and it has features that the D3100 lacks like DOF button and exposure auto-bracketing. OK–I confess I would not use those at present but might I grow into them?
But there is one thing about the 550D that really worries me and could be a dealbreaker. That is the strobe for the AF assist in low light that all the reviews say is very alarming for human subjects–especially in a ‘semi-candid’ situation. OK–I have read that you can turn it off-but only for advanced modes- if you drill down into the set up menus, but will the camera ever autofocus in low light in that case?
So guys (and gals!) should I be worried about this feature? Should I buy the 550d or the 3100? I know its a Canon forum but put bias aside:)
I would love to hear from you.
Steven
Steven,
I’d be glad to help…deciding on your first DSLR can make anybody go nuts. As you might have herd or guessed, when you buy a DSLR…you’re buying into a system of lenses, flashes and other branded accessories.
When comparing two like cameras from rival brands, it can be easy to get hung up on tiny details and features. The reality is that new DSLR’s come out every year and it’s highly likely that you’ll use the T2i or D3100 for a couple years and then upgrade to the next best thing.
So if I were you, I would go down to your local camera shop and hold both cameras in your hand. Browse through the menu system, take a couple test shots, rotate the lens barrel and really get a sense of how everything feels. Once you’ve done that, take a look at the lens line-up for both brands and estimate the initial cost to get the body and lens that you’re after.
I try to answer questions as directly as possible, so I apologize for the obscure answer. Whenever family or friends ask me about which DSLR to get, I tell them to go hold both cameras. Within a few minutes, you should know which camera is right for you.
As for performance and image quality, you can expect very similar results. Canon tends to capture images with punchier colors and contrast, while Nikon tends to go with more natural colors. Having said that, colors and contrast can be adjusted for both cameras to your liking.
Best of luck in your decision!
- Moose
Hi Moose,
I ordered a T2i and will get it Wednesday. In the meantime I’m trying to get extra’s that you mentioned in the earlier posts. First a Class 10 16mb card from transcend. But I have a question about extra batteries. The ones made by Canon I find are $25/$30. The off brand’s are $10 or less. Would you recommend a battery other than Canon and if so any particular brand?
I researched dslr’s for a couple months before I bought one and was really torn between a Pentax K7 and the T2i. I would like your input on the choice I made. The price is the main reason. :-).
I’m an old Pentax guy and have a couple old lenses laying around but they’re not high end lenses. The T2i I bought came with the standard 18-55mm lens and I bought an extra one EF-S 18-135mm.
The Canon 430EX II flash is what I’m also looking for. In my 35mm days I used a SunPak 422 and it was/is a great flash for me. It would turn down to 1/2 1/4 power etc. Will the 430EX II do that and if not is there a digital flash that is compatible with the T2i that will?
From what I have read I shouldn’t use a 35mm lens on a digital camera.
Thanks John
John,
Off-brand batteries are a bit of a hit and miss. Sometimes they work flawlessly for a couple years. Other times they work for a few weeks and then die. I usually go for the official Canon LP-E8 batteries, but I’ve got a few buddies who use the third party Opteka brand batteries and they haven’t had any issues.
As for your Pentax K-7 / Canon T2i decision…it really depends. If you’re comparing just the cameras, I would say that the K-7 has better build quality and a faster burst rate than the T2i. Other than that, the cameras are very similar both in performance and image quality. If you’re comparing brands, Canon has a larger selection of entry level, semi-pro and professional lenses available for every stage of your photographic journey.
I really like the kit lens that comes with the T2i. If it was up to me, I would’ve coupled it with the 55-250mm IS lens instead of the 18-135mm lens. The 18-135mm lens is a fantastic lens, but the only real advantage you’re gaining over the kit lens is the focal range between 55-135mm.
The Canon 430EX II speedlite is a great match for the T2i. Yes, you’ll be able to dial down the flash power if you wish. Yes, most older external flashes have trigger voltages that exceed current requirements.
Happy shooting!
- Moose
Hi everyone,
I want to shoot video using an RF wireless remote. The one I have in mind is the Satechi WR C100. The Canon RC-6 will work but it is an IR device. Will the WR C100 do the job, and if not, any idea as to another choice.
Thanks.
Peter
Peter,
The Satechi WR-C100 wireless remote will work for shooting stills. As for video, I’m not 100% sure. If I get any information for shooting video with the remote, I’ll let you know.
- Moose
Thanks for your comments Moose. But I had called Satechi and was told that while the WR C100 would work great for capturing still images, it would not control the T2i when shooting in video mode. However, I did get the feeling he could be wrong but could not be sure. Would you mind clarifying this for me please.
Thanks.
Peter
Peter,
My apologies…I read your comment too quickly and thought you were talking about stills. I revised my comment above.
- Moose
Moose,
I’d appreciate that. I’ve read a lot of the blogs and could not find anyone using an RF remote to shoot video.
Thanks again for your input.
Peter
Moose, your site is fantastic. I bought my T2i a month ago and constantly check your comments for insight. Thanks!
Steve,
Thanks, I appreciate it! I got more tips and tutorials planned for the T2i, so stay tuned :)
- Moose
Hello Moose,
Is it possible to use a Nissin Di866 flash wireless with this camera? if so, how?
Thanks!
Ze,
Yes, it’s possible. As for setup, it varies…are you planning to use the flash off camera or attached to your T2i?
- Moose
Off. But is it possible to do on the T2i? Please help, I can’t find tutorials or “How to” information.
Thanks a lot Moose!
Ze,
I would start by reading this article by David over at the Strobist blog. That should answer most of your questions. Once you have an understanding of wireless flash photography, you’ll be able to set it up correctly with your T2i.
- Moose
Thank a lot! Also, do you have any tips or settings for using the video?
Once again, Thanks!
Ze,
I’m still working on a few tips and tutorials for shooting video, until then I’d check out the T2i Filmmakers page on Facebook. They have some helpful links and info.
- Moose
Excellent!! Thanks a lot Moose
Hi Moose,
I have ordered T2i with Canon 15-85mm IS USM lens, please let me know if the lens is a good choice as I didn’t find any mention of this lens in your website.
Thanks,
Anshuman
Anshuman,
Yes, the Canon EF-S 15-85mm is a fantastic lens. The 15-85mm lens has an excellent zoom range, fast autofocus and is super sharp from edge to edge. Many of the lenses mentioned on this site are geared towards beginners and this lens is intended for the intermediate to advanced photographer with a higher budget.
- Moose
hi moose
i still undecided about which one to buy should i go
package 1 body +kit(18mm-55mm)
package 2 body + 50mm lens nifty fifty
which one is better as this is my 1st dslr and i dint want to choose wrong path.
Mans,
Definitely package #1…while the 50mm is an excellent lens, you’ll be stuck using the 50mm focal range all the time. With the 1.6 crop factor on the T2i, the 50mm lens becomes an 80mm medium telephoto lens which can be difficult to frame your subject indoors or in tight spaces. The 50mm lens is also prime lens, and prime lenses can’t be zoomed in or out. The 18-55mm lens on the other hand, will allow you to zoom from semi-wide-angle to medium telephoto. This is great for everyday shots and for shooting indoors in tight spaces. Best of luck!
- Moose
Thanks for this question and answer. I was in the same boat, glad I made the right choice! Just got my T2i package deal on Black Friday!
Rae,
Glad the answer helped you out! Congrats on the new cam…happy holidays!
- Moose
hi
i am going to need a tel lens to get shots of a moster truck show on 5o yd line 16 rows up
please advise
love this site
Sue,
I’m assuming the Monster truck show will be at night, so you’ll definetely want to make sure that you’re shooting in shutter priority mode (Tv) with a shutter speed between 1/500 and 1/1000. This will bring the ISO up, but is necessary to prevent subject blur. As for recommended lenses, I would consider going with the Canon EF-S 55-250mm image stabilized lens. You’ll have an effective focal range of 88mm to 400mm which should get you close to the action, plus it’s an excellent value.
- Moose
thanks moose
i have ordered that lens
i have had my t2i for about a month and i love the pic’s
now just have to figure out the editing programs!!!
sue
Hi, I am considering buying my first dslr and am debating between the T1i and T2i (I currently have a Sony point-n-shoot but have realized I’m ready to graduate to a big girl camera). My internal monologue pretty much goes like this: do I save the $200 difference and get the T1i so I can splurge on a $130 50mm portrait lens or will I forever be kicking myself for not getting the T2i off the bat? I’ve read the stats side by side and the differences seem subtle, especially for a beginner like myself. Any input?
By the way, I love your tips and tricks and can’t wait to start trying them out for myself!
Ellen,
Its a tough choice…I recommend reading my “Canon T2i Buyers Guide” as it compares the T2i to the T1i.
If this is your first DSLR, I would save the money and just go for the T1i. While some of the added features on the T2i are fantastic, the T1i is still a great camera capable of capturing superb images. Best of luck in your decision!
- Moose
Hey Moose,
Thinking about dabbling in an off-camera flash for the holidays. Other than looking at the Stobist website for inspiration, I’m not sure where to go for recommendations on a ‘starter’ strobe that’s compatible with the t2i. Do you have any recommendations?
Thanks,
Dan
Dan,
I would start with the Canon Speedlite 430EX II. It syncs beautifully with the T2i, giving you accurate exposures and comes equipped with an AF assist beam which helps increase the speed and accuracy of low light focus. The 430EX II recycles very quickly (usually 0.1 to 2 seconds) which is helpful when shooting candid holiday photos, like kids opening presents. It also has the ability to tilt and swivel so you can bounce light giving you softer and more natural looking portraits or group shots. Best of luck!
- Moose
Hello…thanks so much for all the info. I’ve rec’d so far- bought the SD cards & LCD protector you recommended and the sling bag is on it’s way (I have the Canon 200 bag and my husband laughs at how huge it looks when I carry it!)
I am totally new to the DSLR world and just bought my T2i about 2 weeks ago- I love it!
Question- do I need a lens hood &/or filters?
I will be just using the camera for family purposes (kids activities, etc). I have the kit lens and the 55-250 lens.
I had no idea how expensive my new hobby would cost :) My wish list is fast growing! Are there any “must haves” for now (?cleaning stuff for lens, etc)?
Thanks!
B,
Yes, the DSLR world can be very addictive and expensive :)
As for lens hoods or filters…I wouldn’t worry about lens hoods in the beginning. If you encounter a situation with lens flares, you could always use your hand to shield the light rays. UV filters are a popular choice, however, I would only use them when you need to protect your lens from flying particles (dust) or if you’re near the ocean. Check out my post on “UV filters for T2i lenses.” One filter that I highly recommend for beginners is the Hoya circular polarizing filter. This filter will give you deeper blue skies and more cloud detail when shooting outdoors in bright light.
As for cleaning supplies, I would stay away from solutions and liquids. The only tools you’ll need to clean a lens are an air blaster, a lens brush, and a microfiber cloth. I would use those three cleaning tools in that order. If you see dust or lint on your lens, try to get it off your lens using the air blaster. If the dust particle is stubborn, then use the lens pen to sweep it off the lens. If you get a finger smudge, then use the microfiber cloth to gently wipe away any residue. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Thanks for the info. Moose! I forgot to mention I also picked up the David Busch’s book you recommended too! I’ll leave my review for the sling by that just came on the bag section of your site.
Anyway, another question…w/ the kit lens and the 55-250 lens…would it be repetitive to also get the Tamron 18-200 lens you recommend too? My concern is not having time or hands to switch lens with my little kids and their activities. Should I sell the 55-250 for the Tamron? I also plan on getting the 50mm for portraits soon too.
Thanks again!
p.s. yes DSLR world is addicting…just ask my husband :)
B,
The biggest advantage would be portability. To have one lens capable of the entire zoom range (18-250mm) would allow you to quickly capture anything from wide-angle to telephoto…however, the Canon 18-55mm and 55-250mm lenses come equipped with image stabilization and the Tamron 18-250mm does not. They’re also a bit sharper in my experience, so if it was up to me I would just keep your current lens line-up unless you absolutely need the ability to quickly zoom from wide-angle to telephoto.
- Moose
Thanks for your advice. I’ll just hang on to the 2 lenses I have for now…I also have the cleaning stuff and filter on the way! :) I’ll slowly pick and choose from the growing wish list as needed!
Great website and many thanks again!
B,
Happy shooting! :)
- Moose
I just got a T2i with the kit len 18-135mm. I want to shoot landscapes/scenery (esp mts. & canyons), my grandchildren (action & portraits) wildlife, the moon,night shots, and macro. What lenses do you recommend for all these? I know I can’t get all these right now, but if I would see a lens on sale I could go ahead and get it. Please help! I’m so confused,so many different lenses and different opinions. Thank you so very much!
Kathy
Kathy,
It sounds like you want to shoot a little bit of everything! :)
Honestly, I would start with the Tamron 18-270mm lens. I recommend this lens to family and friends as a great beginners lens. I love the fact that you can experiment with everything from wide-angle to telephoto and even a little bit of macro. As you grow, you can buy more expensive lenses that match the types of photography that you’re interested in. The only other lens I would recommend to start out with is the Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens. This lens will dramatically improve the look of your portraits due to it’s large aperture which lets lots of light into your T2i. This is good for multiple reasons…it gives you faster shutter speeds in low light which can eliminate subject blur and also a very shallow depth of field. A shallow depth of field will isolate your subject (grandchildren) while giving you beautiful blurred backgrounds. If you end up getting this lens, make sure you shoot in aperture priority mode (Av) and select an aperture f/number between f/1.8 to f/2.8 to isolate your subject. Lastly, you can attach a Raynox DCR-250 macro converter to your existing lens and it will allow you to get tighter framing of small subjects. Best of luck!
- Moose
Dear Moose,
Thank you for your help and your time, I know you are very busy, you have been very helpful. My youngest grandchild is having her 1st birthday soon, I’m going to get the 2 lenses and the macro converter. I can’t wait to see how my pictures turn out. Thank you so much! ~ Kathy
Kathy,
It’s my pleasure, happy shooting! :)
- Moose
Thanks very much for the helpful advice I am able to get from your site. Can you tell me what type of lens I will need to take outdoor shots – specifically northern lights in Alaska? Thanks again Moose.
Chuck,
I would suggest the Tokina 12-24mm f/4 lens for fantastic landscapes of the northern lights in Alaska. When attached to the T2i, the effective focal range is 19-38mm which is great for jaw dropping wide-angle shots. You can read more about this lens in my post… “Canon T2i Low Light Lenses“. Best of luck!
- Moose
Hello,
Can any one give a tip on how to take a picture with canon 2ti 18-50mm lens , that will have the foreground ( say my daughter’s face) in focus and blurr the background.
Sandy,
In order to get your subject in focus with beautiful blurred backgrounds, you’ll need to enable Aperture priority and select the lowest aperture available for the lens. The 18-55mm kit lens has an aperture range of f/3.5 to 5.6. This means that when you’re shooting at 18mm your lowest aperture f/number is 3.5 and when you’re shooting at 55mm your lowest aperture f/number is 5.6.
Low f/numbers can isolate your subject, while higher f/numbers put everything into focus. This means you’ll want to use apertures around f/1.8 to f/2.8 in order to get that dreamy blurred background effect. For portraits you want to shoot between 50mm and 120mm. Since your kit lens zooms all the way out to 55mm, you’ll want to shoot near the telephoto end of the zoom range. The problem is that the lowest aperture available is f/5.6. This isn’t ideal for isolating your subject. In order to get apertures that low, you’ll need an additional lens. The Canon 50mm f/1.8 is a fantastic beginners lens for portraits. It costs roughly $100 brand new and $60 to $80 used. It will allow you to shoot in the optimal portrait zoom range while using a very low aperture of f/1.8.
If you have no budget right now for an additional lens, then you can try the following trick with your 18-55mm lens.
1. Create some space between your daughter and the background. If you’re daughter is standing in front of a house, have her walk 10 steps towards you to create some distance.
2. Once she’s created some space with the background, zoom your lens to full telephoto and start backing up until her face fills the frame.
3. Enable aperture priority mode (Av) on the mode dial.
4. Select the lowest aperture available which will be f/5.6.
5. Snap away!
Creating space between the background, the subject and yourself will help shorten the depth of field when shooting at an aperture of f/5.6.
I also suggest reading my article on “How to take Great Portraits with the Canon Rebel T2i” …it will answer many of your questions. Best of luck!
- Moose
hey moose, do all canon dslrs fit the ef-s lenses?
Caleb,
No, not all Canon DSLR’s are compatible with EF-S lenses. Full frame DSLR’s like the Canon 5D only support EF lenses.
- Moose
Hi Moose,
I just wanted to say thanks for the wonderful site. I haven’t even got my camera yet and I’ve already learned so much. Come on Tuesday, hurry up and get here!
Future owner of:
T2i w/ 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens and 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Lens
-Cisco
Cisco,
Oh no a Seahawks fan! I grew up in San Diego and love my Chargers. You guys really stuck it to us this year…I can’t believe Leon Washington ran back two kicks for touchdowns. Ugh! Anyways…congrats on the new cam! :)
- Moose
Aww, man – I’m envious! I have to wait another few weeks, I’m afraid, but I’m getting the same kit, only with the Tamron 18-250 macro. (I guess I should check out the Canon 55-250, but cost is an issue right now. Pffft.) I’ve already bought a few bags, the “nifty fifty” lens, cleaner pen, a nice shoulder strap, memory cards & extra lens caps.
I can’t think of anything else I can get, besides a flash – but I prefer shooting without a flash (I’m one of those weird “ambient light” people).
This is a GREAT site, by the way. Extremely helpful, Moose!
Lyndi,
I actually recommend the Tamron 18-270mm to friends and family as a great starter lens. The lens will allow you to shoot everything from wide-angle to telephoto. When you become interested in certain types of photography (Macro, Portrait, Landscape, etc…) you can upgrade to lenses that match your shooting style.
- Moose
Haha, I’m not sure how we pulled that game off Moose. If I remember correctly, we had about 75 second half yards. :( Thank goodness for Leon Washington or we would of been toast that game.
As for the 55-250mm lens, it’s a part of a combo kit, so I figured why not. Now to order a larger memory card and LCD protector.
-Cisco
Go Hawks!!!
Hello,
Just upgraded from an XTi to a T2i, and everything seems to be working right except for the metering or shutter calculation in aperture priority mode when an external flash unit is attached.
As an example, if I compose a deliberately dim still life shot in program mode, the camera selects an aperture of F2.8 and exposure of 1/60 of a second. The resulting image is correctly exposed. I then immediately roll the dial over to aperture priority mode and set an aperture of F2.8. Without the external flash, the camera sets the exposure to 1/60 of a second and again the image is properly exposed.
Finally, I turn on the external flash (I have both a 580EX II and a 430EX… it doesn’t matter which) with all settings exactly the same. This time, the shutter releases for 1/4 of a second. If anything, this is backwards… the additional light from the flash should decrease the exposure time, not lengthen it. The result is an image that blurs from camera shake, which is unacceptable.
I’ve reset all of the camera and flash settings to factory original to see if there might have been a goofy configuration causing this, but this made no difference. Do you have any ideas what’s going on?
Thanks for the help!
Alex
Hello fellow Rebels:
Despite having read the custom functions section of the manual twice before, I didn’t notice that custom function 3 specifically affects flash sync speed in aperture priority mode and was causing the “problem.”
According to the manual (p. 192) with the default setting, 0: Auto, “The flash sync speed is set automatically within a range of 1/200 sec. to 30 sec. to suit the scene’s brightness.”
In other words, the camera decided that the scene was too dark (it isn’t), even with the flash, and lengthened the exposure to compensate.
The other two options are more restrictive and are better for hand-held shooting in aperture priority mode. Unfortunately, neither of the options allows for a DISABLED setting, so the fastest low light shutter release one can obtain is 1/200 of a second when a flash unit is turned on.
How the camera determines what qualifies as “low-light conditions” is also not defined. As yet, I cannot find a lighting condition in which the camera will select a shutter speed faster than 1/200 in aperture priority mode while the external flash is turned on, and as such the camera will grossly overexpose an image in this configuration.
I understand the intended improvement, but this is really tricky if you have to go back and forth quickly between dim environments (team entry tunnel at basketball stadium) and bright ones (the stadium floor) and have to remember to turn off the flash unit in between so as to not overexpose the images in the brighter environment.
Hope that this is helpful to someone,
Alex
Alex,
Sorry its taken me a few days to get back to you…speedlite control on the T2i can be very tricky.
If you’re looking to get faster sync speeds with your T2i and your 430EX/580EX, you’ll need to enable the high speed sync feature on the T2i (page 147 of the T2i manual) and your speedlite. This will allow you to achieve faster shutter speeds on your T2i, however, it will shorten the effective flash range by reducing the overall flash power. This mode is most effective at close distances for flash fill and not in situations where your subject is far away. If you’re shooting basketball indoors in low light, your best bet is to turn up the ISO and disable the flash completely.
External lighting is an art-form. It takes many years of practice and experimentation to have the type of control that you see in magazines and editorial pieces. If you’re interested in external lighting, I highly recommend visiting the Strobist blog. David is a master craftsman in lighting and reading his blog will “illuminate” and answer many of the questions you may have in regards to lighting.
- Moose
Moose,
I was curious to know if you can recommend a good external mic for the T2i. I have been reading that the rode videomic has quite a bit of hissing in the playback-do you know of any good alternatives?
Thanks!
Chris,
My experience with the Rode VideoMic has actually been quite good. I’m still testing a few mics, but for the price the Rode VideoMic does an excellent job. I haven’t experienced the hissing noise you mentioned… could happen in certain situations, but it hasn’t happend to me.
If you’re looking to stay in the same ball park “budget-wise”…then I would look at the Zoom H1 portable recorder. This recorder can mount to your T2i, however, all of the audio will have to be synced with the video using software. It produces some amazingly clear audio and is priced right. Best of luck!
- Moose
Hello Moose!
Any advice/Tips on Headshots using this camera? Any help is welcome!
Thanks
Again, Thanks for this site!
Howdy Ze,
Yes, I’ve got an entire post dedicated to “taking great portraits with the Canon T2i“. If you have any specific questions, I’d be glad to help! :)
- Moose
Moose, I just wanted to drop a comment to thank you for your advise. I’ve purchased the canon 55-250mm is, the 50mm 1.8, and the Raynox DCR-250 to go along with the 18-135mm is lens I got with the T2i. This is my first DSLR and I’m totally addicted to it, I think my wife thinks I’m crazy. I’m sure I’ll expand my lens collection, but for now these lens are awesome. I think I’ll save for the Canon 100-400 IS for next year, but I’ll enjoy these lenses until then.
Thanks Again!
Howdy Kevin,
Once you’ve been bit by the photography bug, it’s easy to become addicted! When your wife sees the quality of photos you’re capturing she’ll be praising you left and right and will probably end up buying you more equipment! :)
- Moose
Moose,
I currently have a flimsy plastic film on my LCD screen. I would like to get the GGS Optical glass screen you mentioned. I would like to know if there will be a problem removing the old film? What would you recommend to clean the LCD screen before applying the new one? Will removing the old screen scratch my camera? Should I just keep what I have? I wish I knew about the glass screen before I purchased the plastic one the camera store recommended…
Thanks
Pauline,
It’s hard to say exactly without seeing the camera in person, but I would think that if you slowly pull the plastic film off the LCD you should be fine. There may be some sticky residue left over which you can remove with a microfiber towel soaked in super hot water (make sure you squeeze as much of the water out of the microfiber towel before applying it to the LCD screen). Best of luck!
- Moose
Moose,
You have me totally sold on a Rebel T2i, Your website and comments left by yourself and others are awesome for a guy who has been taking pictures for years, but never with good equipment. This will be my semi-pro “DSLR”. But I am still searching for the best “kit” to buy to get started.
I have seen your recommendations on lenses, tripods, and nearly everything else as I have become addicted to reading your site. But trying to find a “one stop shop” for a decent kit seems a bit rough. I am finding that most of the people selling kit are selling alot of crap with the kit that you don’t really need.
Any recommendations on kits before I make my final purchase?
Thank you,
Curry Russell
Curry,
Thanks for the kind words…this site has really blossomed into a great resource for beginners. :)
In regards to your question, I would recommend skipping the ‘kit’ packages available on the web and just selecting the items that you actually need.
If I were just starting out, I’d begin with the essentials…
As you grow, you can begin investing in new equipment (lenses, tripods, external flashes, etc…) that match the types of photography you’re interested in. Just my 2 cents! :)
- Moose
Moose,
Thanks, I kind of figured out the approach before seeing your reply. I bypassed the kit and took alot of your advice and bought the following, I would have purchased the sling bag as well, but it was back ordered till December from the manufacturer.
So here is what I got for a beginning, hoping this will keep me occupied for a while. Feeling like I already need a wide angle!
- Canon EOS Rebel T2i Black 18.0 MP 3.0″ 1.04M LCD Digital SLR Camera w/ EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens
- Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens
- Vivitar DF-383 DEDICATED ETTL LCD Flash
- Professional PRO 72″ Super Strong Tripod
- Raynox DCR-250, Macro-Scan 2.5x Super Macro Conversion Lens
- HQRP Wireless Infrared Remote Control
- Canon 2519A003 85mm f/1.8 Series EF USM Telephoto Lens
- Battery Grip BG-E8 for Canon EOS 550D / Rebel T2i SLR Digital Camera + 2x LP-E8 Lithium Ion Rechargeable Batteries
- A-Data 32GB SDHC Class 10 Flash Card
Thanks, let me know what you think!!
Curry,
I think you did a fantastic job customizing the “kit” to your needs. You’ve got a zoom range from 18-250mm with image stabilization, a wonderful portrait lens in the 85mm f/1.8, a great macro converter for amazing close-ups, battery grip for those long days of shooting. The tripod, external flash and wireless remote control will give you greater ability and creative control in low light situations. Congrats!
Wide-angle lenses are great, but they’re also very pricey. You went the right route by choosing affordable lenses and growing with your T2i first and upgrading to more expensive lenses later.
- Moose
I just bought the T2i (for video purposes) a few days ago. I went out and shot some test video. It looks great. I imported it into a Final Cut Pro project and it is freezing with error messages. This is apparently common. What is the process that you recommend? Or where do I look up instructions for the process?
Thanks
Gerald,
In order to get rid of the freezing and error messages, you’ll need a video card that’s capable of HD playback. You’re only option at this point is to upgrade your video card or convert the video down to a format that’s compatible with your computer.
- Moose
Hey Gerald,
Google Canon t2i final cut pro workflow and you’ll get a lot of answers to your questions. Basically, you need to convert the h.264 canon files to a more edit friendly codec (like Apple ProRes422). The file size and image quality will be basically indistinguishable, but FCP plays much nicer with it. That’s the quick and dirty answer. A free program called MPEG Streamclip will do the converting for you.
Dan
Dan,
Thanks for the info!
- Moose
Ive only had my camera for 2 days and am very excited to learn how to use it. I am planning on using it for some wildlife shots, specifically shots from the deer stand etc. Do you have a recommendation for a telephoto lens that would be good? Would this lens also work for kids sports photos from far away? Thanks so much for your help!
Cheree,
Wildlife: The Canon 55-250mm is a fantastic value. It comes equipped with image stabilization and gives you an actual focal length of 88-400mm because of the T2i crop factor (1.6x). You may find that 400mm is not long enough to get close to certain animals, so the next step up would be the Tokina 80-400mm lens which would be 128-640mm when equipped to the T2i.
Kids Sports: Again the Canon 55-250mm lens would be a good starting point. If you end up needing more zoom you could add a Canon teleconverter or upgrade to a lens like the Tokina 80-400mm.
- Moose
Hi Moose! Great website!!!
Thank you a lot!
Canon should thank you a lot because you made me buy a T2i instead of a Nikon :)
I´d like to know if you use a grip on T2i and if you think that another brand BG-E8 grip could damage the camera?
Do you know any good brand differente than the genuine Canon?
thank you!!!
JP,
Thanks for the kind words and congrats on the new purchase!
I do use a battery grip from time to time. I believe the third party BG-E8 is made by one manufacturer and sold by many different vendors. You can find a third party BG-E8 on Amazon for around $40.
These grips are built pretty well and perform just like the Official Canon BG-E8. The only thing I’ll say is that you may void your warranty by using a third party BG-E8. It would be hard for Canon to prove you were using a third party battery grip, so it’s up to you to decide if the price difference is worth your warranty.
- Moose
Just my 2 cents. Those knock off battery grips work great and for my larger hands are a HUGE help with form factor. It’s a little tricky getting a bag that will fit them if you want to stay compact so you may want to take your gear into the store to try them out (my solution was a KATA bag model DC441) but I’m very happy with the cheaper battery grips
dan
Dan,
Thanks for sharing!
- Moose
Moose,
Last night as I was taking some outdoor night photos with my T2i using the 50mm 1.8 lens I came upon a problem. When I went to take a photo, pressing the shutter release did nothing. The lens seemed to not be able to focus properly as I heard it kind of ” slam ” back and forth harder and louder than normal. The lens is only 3 days old so I wouldn’t think it was a problem with the lens . I changed from ” manual ” mode to ” auto ” mode and it seemed to make the problem go away. Any idea what could be causing this?
Tony,
Your lens is fine, you may need to focus manually if you’re subject is poorly lit. The “slap” that you’re hearing is the movement of the mirror inside the T2i. When shooting long exposures (at night) the mirror will open for a long time and then shut. The sound is different in auto mode because the shutter speed is probably much faster than what you had set in manual mode. Happy shooting!
- Moose
Dear Moose,
I use PS Elements to remove red eye, crop and organize my photos. I have aPC running win XP and PS Elements. Recently, I began using RAW (.cr2) format with my Rebel instead of JPEGs. I download the files to my desktop with no problem. However, I can’t view the RAW files on win XP, Photoshop Elements, Picassa, or any photo software. I can view JPEGs just fine. I’ve tried on my wife’s laptop as well with same problem. Our OS is current with service pack 3 installed. I’ve installed “patch” programs from the Canon, Microsoft, and Adobe websites to no avail. What do I need to do to view RAW files? Have you heard of this problem?
Please help because I am considering returning my camera because of this problem.
Sincerely,
Dave,
I’m not sure what version of Elements you have, but if you have 8.0 or higher then you need to update your Camera RAW plugin. Here’s a direct link to the Camera RAW 6.2 update on Adobe’s website. I believe the latest version of Picasa supports the T2i RAW file, so make sure you have the latest update.
- Moose
Moose,
Great tips – keep up the good work. Some questions about low-light focus. I’m using the Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens wide open for indoor shots without a flash. However, the AF doesn’t seem to do a great job, leading to slightly out-of-focus shots a lot of the time. I’ve set the AF point to the center point to make sure it’s not automatically picking some unintended point. I understand that this lens isn’t an IS lens, but the shutter speed is at least 1/60. When I use a 430EX-II, the flash’s focus beam helps and then shots are usually in focus. Is this just a limitation of the T2i’s AF in low light situations? Outdoor shots seem to be fine. Any suggestions on how to focus in low light? Do the more expensive Canons, e.g., 1D, 5D, have better AF algorithms in low light?
BTW, I do note that in P mode, using an external flash usually defaults to f/4, so that also helps, but that defeats the purpose of having a bright lens.
Thanks.
-Derrick
Derrick,
The Canon 50mm lens has a very shallow depth of field (small area in-focus) when shooting at f/1.8. Slight movements from front to back or side to side when holding the camera can actually change the area in-focus, thus giving you photos that look “out of focus”. Let’s say you’re shooting a portrait indoors at f/1.8. You focus on your subjects eyes and capture the image. You view the photo on your monitor and notice that your subjects eyes are blurry, but their ears are in focus. In the short span of you focusing and fully depressing the shutter, you’ve put the area in-focus behind your subjects eyes and onto their ears without even knowing it. So how do you fix this? Try choosing an aperture around f/2.8, select the center auto-focus point and see if your shots start improving. If you’re still getting blurry images, then your shutter speed is too slow and is capturing your subtle movements (also known as “camera shake”). You can either increase the ISO to get faster shutter speeds or place the T2i on a tripod to reduce the chance of “camera shake”.
I realize the advantage of having a bright lens is to use it at f/1.8 all the time, however, when shooting indoors in tight spaces it may be better to shoot around f/2.8 to get a slightly larger depth of field. If you’ve got some distance between you and your subject, then by all means stick with f/1.8. Hope this all makes sense, if it doesn’t let me know! :)
- Moose
Just saw Amazon has the 16GB Transcend class 10 for only $31.50. Will that be much superior to my Class 6 as far as taking pictures/videos go or will that difference only be noticeable when I am transferring files to my computer?
Diego,
You’re correct, there won’t be any performance increase when using the Class 10 card in your T2i, however, it will make transferring photos and videos a bit faster. Check out my T2i memory card recommendations for more info.
- Moose
Hi Moose,
I’m trying to buy a LCD Screen Protector for my Canon T2i and wanted to ask you for any suggestions? I would prefer to have something that you can clip on to the screen and take on/off instead of having a sticker where it may mess up the screen if you take it off. Thanks!
Al,
I wish there was, but right now the only option is an optical glass screen protector that sticks to the LCD screen. The GGS protector is made of rigid glass and not flimsy plastic film, so removal is a bit more clean in my opinion. Best of luck!
- Moose
When using my old Canon Rebel, I could shoot exteriors of houses in bright light at 400 ISO and all is well. With my new T2I, changing things around doesn’t seem to take away the “heat” factor on things like sunny grass areas. It is so hot it appears yellow and hard to adjust color in Photoshop. Anything bright now seems nuclear.
Patrick,
In situations like this, I highly recommend resetting your T2i to its original factory settings. You can do this inside the setup menu.
Once you’ve done that, try going out and snapping off a few photos in program or (P mode) to see if the color looks correct. Don’t worry about your ISO, aperture or shutter speed at this point. If the color looks correct, then you can start experimenting with the different modes. When shooting houses, I would enable aperture priority mode (Av on the mode dial) and selecting an aperture of f/8 or higher to get everything into focus. Next I would make sure that Auto ISO is selected so that the T2i can get a proper exposure. Lastly, you may want to try adding a Circular Polarizing filter which will give you deep blue sky’s and cut down on the haze. Best of luck!
- Moose
Hi Moose.
I recently purchased the Canon T2i and I must say I love it!! I actually had a question about external flash. I was going to buy the Canon 430EX II but I have heard there are other brands that make a flash comparable to the 430EX such as Sigma 500 or the 530 Super. What do you think? Thanks in advance.
Tony,
You’re correct, Sigma and a few other third party manufacturers have external flashes compatible with the T2i. The problem is that many of these third party flash units have average performance, syncing issues and below average build quality.
If it was up to me, I would go ahead and spend the extra change on the Canon Speedlite 430EX II external flash versus a third party unit. The 430EX II does an excellent job in choosing the right amount of light needed for a proper exposure. Best of luck! :)
- Moose
Thanks Moose. So what are the differences between the 420Ex and the 430 Ex?
Tony,
I had a typo in my last comment and fixed it…stick with the 430 EX II. It replaces the older 420EX and is a better match for your T2i.
- Moose
Moose,
My wife just got the T2i w/ a 18-135mm lens. We are going to a wedding soon, and I didn’t know if you had any suggestions on settings that might work best in a low light situation, dancing shots, etc??
I’m thinking that probably just keeping it on auto might be best for now, but I see it also has other features that might work good for this situation as well.
Thanks!
-Dan
Dan,
Congrats on the new cam and lens! Weddings are tough to shoot due to the different lighting scenarios. The key with wedding shots is to get beautiful “bokeh” or blurry backgrounds which will add drama to your photos. You can do this by enabling aperture priority mode (rotating to Av on the mode dial) and selecting the lowest possible f/number which will be f/3.5 at wide-angle (18mm) and f/5.6 at telephoto (135mm). If you’re taking group shots, you may want to adjust the aperture to f/8 in order to get everyone into focus. Lower f/numbers will isolate your subject and give you blurry backgrounds, while higher f/numbers will put your subject and background into focus.
I also recommend enabling auto ISO since you’ll be shooting in many different lighting situations. If your in a low light situation and your photos are turning out blurry you may want to switch over to shutter priority mode (Tv on the mode dial) and select a shutter speed of 1/250 or faster. This will get rid of camera shake and subject blur. Again, make sure the ISO is set to Auto. Hope that helps!
- Moose
Hello,
I just purchased this camera last night for my wife and she loves it! The only problem is when she zooms in on something, it does not stay zoomed in when the camera takes a picture. How do we go about fixing this?
Seth,
Which lens do you have?
- Moose
It is the EF-S 18-55 IS Kit
Seth,
The 18-55mm lens basically works like this…
1. First, you zoom in or out using the lens barrel.
2. Next, you half press the shutter button on the T2i which will focus on the subject.
3. Finally, you fully press the shutter button to capture the photo.
If you’re needing more zoom, then you’ll have to upgrade your lens.
- Moose
Just got my t2i in yesterday. Moose this site is awesome. Also a heads up: newegg has the transcend class 10 16gb at 39.00.
I seem to be having grainy videos even set at full hd. I understand low light and high iso can cause this. I’ve also noticed that just like the manual says, the live view can differ with what camera captures.
Joe,
Thanks for sharing! You’re correct…low light will cause graininess in both your videos and photos due to an increased ISO. Live view is still a bit of a hit and miss…I expect this featured to be much improved over the coming years.
- Moose
I just purchased T2i 5 days ago at hhgregg grand opening. Thanx for letting me know about the transcend 16gb. I just checked and purchased one today. It was actually 36.99. Thanx again.
Just purchased my t2i along with all my studio gear. I do have a wireless flash trigger but cant seem to get it to work when taking pictures. is there a certian one i need to purchase? its just the cheap o one that came with my studio kit. It will flash my softbox when i am pushing test, thats it! Thanks love this site!!
Amanda,
Rather than explaining everything, I’m going to point you to a help article on Canon’s site that may answer most of your questions, click here. Let me know if that helps! :)
What is the brand name of your studio gear/wireless flash trigger?
- Moose
Purchased the CanonT21 last month and have taken alot of pictures so far and everything was good until today. I took many pictures that seem to get deleted from my 16GB card and only half of them remain on the card. I am also getting a message over one photo saying “Cannot play back image”, what do you think is happening here?
Tom,
I also just purchased the T2i for my wife last week w/ the 16GB SanDisk Extreme SDHC memory card. I was taking some photos yesterday and noticed that I was getting the same error message while the card was inside the camera. I wonder why we are getting this type of error?
Tom,
I’m not sure about the accuracy of this, but I just read in a post that it could be because we are editing (cropping, etc.) on our computers, then the image cannot display on the camera. I’ll have to look into this subject a bit more. Interesting to know… if this is indeed the culprit.
-Dan
Tom,
I would try uploading the images currently on your card and then running a low level format inside the T2i menu. This will erase and fix any corruption issues you may be experiencing.
- Moose
I am an amateur photographer and recently purchased the Canon Rebel T2i. I am looking for a lens to use in gym for volleyball and dance pictures. I will be siting in the bleachers and want to be able to zoom in close enough to get sharp facial expressions as well as distance photos (from my place in stand) capturing the whole picture. I’ve been reading about the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM lens. Would this be a good lens, or is it “too much” for an amateur like myself? I’ll be taking indoor sports pictures for the next 5 years so i would like a lens that will last and give me quality pictures.
Elizabeth,
Take a look at my post on Canon Rebel T2i Lenses for Indoor Sports Photography as it touches on many of your questions including recommended settings for the T2i. Hope that helps :)
- Moose
Hi. Newbie here. What do you recommend the best settings for continuous shots of a very fast action? (ie. baseball pitch, javelin toss, soccer kick) Thanks.
My Hero,
Take a look at my post on indoor sports photography with the Canon T2i as it may answer some of your questions. The same settings can be applied to outdoor sports as well.
- Moose
Glad to find this forum ,and all the great info provided. I got my T2i about three weeks ago and i love it.It is my first DSLR so still have loads to learn,but thats half the fun .
Grannymontanny,
Glad to have you apart of the T2i family! :)
- Moose
I have a Canon Rebel Xt that is about 9 years old. It still takes really great pics. my problem is that it is really hard to see the pics on the little screen (my eyes aren’t as good as they used to be!!) I have gone back and forth on the T2i. Do I want a video with the camera or not. Or do I buy a new camera (any suggestions??) and a new video (my video is not digital) My daughter competes her horse so I am always taking video and photos but usually have someone with me. One to shoot video and me for pics. Help!! What do I do??? Love this site…. it has given me great info. Thanks.
Barb,
I’m a photo guy at heart and I’ll be honest…the video mode requires lots of practice to get right. Video recording on the T2i is not as intuitive as a camcorder. Many of the things you’re used to on a camcorder will not be found on the T2i. The video mode on the T2i is really meant for those who have a more advanced background in video recording. If you’re going to upgrade to the Canon T2i, I would do so for reasons that are important to you…like the advantage of a larger LCD screen.
- Moose
Thanks for the info, still undecided. If I decide not the get the t2i for the video, would you still recommend it for the picture taking or recommend another canon?
Barb,
I highly recommend the Canon T2i! It’s an excellent DSLR…you’ll notice a big difference in performance and features over the Rebel XT.
- Moose
Help!
ive got a dust speck that only appears during movie recording, not during stills, not even during live-mode, but only when im on the movie dial setting. Doesnt appear on stills at any focal length. Ive cleaned everything i can think of. Any ideas as to what this is?
Thanks,
Dan
Dan,
Does the speck show up in your videos during playback or only on the LCD screen when your shooting?
- Moose
It showed up during playback too. Looks like it was the sensor that needed cleaning. I payed too much for some swabs and solution only to have the spec disappear on it’s own after a couple days! Now I need to go find a way to lessen the appearance of this video spec in during post production. Thanks.
Dan,
Glad the spec/dust particle worked it’s way off your sensor…weird that it didn’t show up in your pics.
- Moose
I’m ready to take the plunge for a T2i, but I have some questions.
1. Memory. I’d considered a camcorder because of the large storage capacity. (I’ve been shooting a lot of long events, requiring long takes.) I’m probably going to spring for a 64 gig card, and it sounds as though a Class 10 card is recommended. Any issues I should be aware of?
2. Battery life. As I said, I’m shooting long events. When shooting video, how long does the battery normally last? And if I got the BG-E8 battery-grip, how long could I use it for?
3. Any place where I could see how wide the kit lens is?
Brian,
1. A few people have mentioned some issues with Class 6 cards and really long takes. To be safe, I would go ahead and spring for the Class 10 card if you plan on taking lots of HD video.
2. Without flash about 550 shots. The BG-E8 battery grip with LP-E8 batteries around 1000 shots. The BG-E8 battery grip with AA rechargeable batteries around 470 shots.
3. Click here to see some photos taken with the T2i and the 18-55mm lens. If you look at the image specs you can see if the image was taken at 18mm. That should give you an idea.
- Moose
Also keep in mind that the t2i (as well as the 7d and 5dmkII i believe) has a limit of 4gigs, or roughly 12 minutes PER SHOT. you can stop and restart as many times as your card will allow but you wont be ably to capture a scene over that length of time without a cut.
Ps. I second the suggestion of a battery grip. Great form factor and long life.
Dan
Dan,
Thanks for pointing out the time limit when recording video, great fact to know for those shooting long clips.
- Moose
I posted some photos up of some butterflies (click here and here). Unfortunately I only have the kit lens so was unable to zoom in far enough. To counter this I cropped the photos to focus in on the butterflies. Unfortunately though I think I lost image quality after doing so. If anyone has any advice on how to make the pictures better please share.
Ricardo,
Beautiful shots! You might consider getting the Raynox DCR-250 for close-up shots. The macro conversion filter will magnify the image, allowing you to get a closer view of the butterfly with your kit lens. You can also check out my macro tutorial for the T2i.
- Moose
Thanks Moose,
Let me do a little bit of research on the Raynox DCR-250. I will go check out your tutorial now.
- Ricardo
Sorry previous comment was me on my mothers computer.
Regardless I actually have another question. Which lens would you recommend for taking close up pictures from a relatively far distance away?
- Ricardo
Ricardo,
I would look at the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 as a great medium telephoto lens. The effective focal distance is 136mm when mounted on the T2i, which should allow you to get closer to butterflies and such. If you’re looking to do some birding or wildlife photography you may need a true telephoto lens.
- Moose
Great website, very useful!
I started taking pictures but they all come out grainy, I’m using the Canon 18-55 the lens that came with the camera and a Tamron 28-75mm (from my previous Rebel XT) but still no luck, even using AUTO, they still come out like that. Any help is always welcome. Thanks
My guess is your ISO is too high. Try reducing it and see if that helps
I was using 800 for inside pictures (concert) and 400 for outside. I’ll try that. Thanks as lot Ricardo!
Ze,
The graininess you’re referring to is called image noise. Image noise is a direct result of the ISO (digital film) being turned up when shooting indoors or in low light conditions. Low ISO’s are very clean and higher ISO’s are very noisy. You can use lower ISO’s in low light conditions, but be aware that the shutter speed is determined by the ISO level. At lower ISO’s the shutter speed will be very slow which can lead to camera shake and subject blur. At higher ISO’s the shutter speed will speed up allow you to hand hold the T2i and “freeze” your subject to prevent motion blur in your photos. When you’re shooting outdoors in bright light, you can use an ISO of 100 which will yield the cleanest looking results.
- Moose
Excellent!! I will practice this and post some samples.
BTW, Great Low Light tutorial!
Thanks a lot Moose,
I just bought a canon T2i not that long ago. My friend has a nikon with this setting called bulb. When we were traveling at night the effect was amazing and made some night time pictures that much more exciting. does the T2i have anything like that??
Have you tried the night portrait mode? Worked pretty good for me. Although keep in mind that the shutterspeed is slow so any camera shake would cause the picture to blur or distort.
Adie,
Yes, the T2i does come equipped with bulb mode. You can activate it by putting your T2i into manual mode (M) on the mode dial and then rotating the smaller command dial to the left. For a better explanation you can read about it on page 84 of the T2i manual. Hope that helps!
- Moose
Okay perfect thank you soo much!
what settings are best for pop warner sports events
Deb,
Go to my post about Sports Lenses for the Canon T2i and scroll down to the “Tips for shooting indoors sports with your Canon T2i” section. The settings explained in that list can apply to outdoor sports as well. Hope that helps!
- Moose
Hi moose,
My kids had an event the other night and all the kids were moving around. I took the shots. In night mode but all were out of focus and blurry. Any advice for clearing up those pics?
Gwired
I know I can’t post process I mean how should I take them?
GWired,
The key is to get a fast enough shutter speed to “freeze” the movements of your kids which will ensure a sharp image in low light situations. Switch the mode dial to shutter priority mode (Tv) and select a shutter speed around 1/250 or higher. Make sure the ISO is set to Auto in order to get proper exposures. In low light situations, the T2i will have to use higher ISO’s which will increase the amount of image noise in your photos. Image noise will affect the color and sharpness of the photo, but your photos will be properly exposed with less “blurry” shots.
You may also consider getting a super bright Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens. This lens lets in lots of light which will allow you to shoot using fast shutter speeds while keeping the ISO down in low light situations. You can find this lens used for around $80 or brand new for around $100 bucks. Best of luck!
- Moose
Hey guys it is my third day with my Canon rebel t2i. It’s my first DSLR and I love it. This is a picture I took on the second day at the aquarium where I live. Any feedback on where I can improve would be good. Thanks.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53574866@N03/4954565712/
I like it alot! Good job.
Ricardo,
Welcome to the T2i family! I really love the photo of the turtle. Exposure, color and sharpness looks spot on. The composition is good, however, I would try to get a bit closer to your subject so that it fills the entire frame. Keep up the great work!
- Moose
Love it!! What settings did you use?
Great picture, what kind of lens did you use for this photoshoot?
It was the kit lens (18-55mm)
And the settings were
Iso 100, 55mm, f6.3, 1/100 ss.
Picture tone was edited slightly using Adobe Lightroom
Actually those are the settings Adobe lightroom said it was taken at. It could be wrong. However I think I had it on the portrait auto setting.
Also is it possible to do bracketing in T2i like -1 0 +1 +2 +3 for HDR ? I was only able to do -2 0 +2 and for night HDR is hard.
Daniel,
Yes, it’s possible…I recommend reading page 87 to 89 of the Canon T2i manual. It talks about how to increase the exposure compensation all the way up to +/-5 stops.
- Moose
Hey Moose, what would be a good cheapish wide angle lens that you could transfer to a full frame slr and also use on T2i?
Daniel,
Wide-angle lenses just happen to be one of the most expensive lenses on the market. Even third party lensed from Sigma, and Tamron can be harsh on the wallet. If you’r eon a budget, I really like the Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 wide-anlge lens. When you add in the focal length multiplier of 1.6 for the T2i, this lens is actually a 16-32mm lens. It’s very sharp from edge to edge and stands up very well next to the more expensive Canon EF-S 10-22mm lens.
- Moose
I’ve only had my camera for a week, and I’ve already found your site very helpful :o) Thanks Moose!!
Traci,
Congrats on joining the T2i family…glad you found the site helpful! :)
- Moose
Having a hard time manual focusing T2i. Used to have a Nikon that uses a hair line that you line up together and you will have a nice sharply focus picture. Anybody have any better ideas?
Mike,
Modern focus screens exaggerate the depth of field to get a brighter vierwfinder image. This makes them impossible to use for critical manual focusing. Some of the more expensive cameras like the Canon 5D actually have optional focusing screens that you can insert into the camera.
Your best bet for good focusing is using magnified live view and placing your T2i on a tripod. Hope that helps!
- Moose
I want to buy a 32g card, any suggestions. Thanks
I went with Lexar 32G professional and I’m very pleased with it. Tons of space especially when using RAW
I got the 32 GB Transcend class 6 at Amazon. Works great so far, haven’t used it for the HD video yet, but pictures copy fast!
John,
Considering price and performance I would look at the Transcend 32GB Class 6 memory card.
- Moose
Hi every one,
Thanks a lot for suggestions
John,
No problem! :)
- Moose
Got any tips to make a photo look better in lightroom? What’s the best way to tweak pictures of people, babies, and family?
Nang,
While I use Photoshop/Lightroom for my professional work, I really strive to avoid post-processing altogether. I recommend focusing more on photographic technique instead of trying to fix your photos afterwards as it will improve your photos dramatically.
I would start by reading my post on taking portraits with the Canon T2i as it will help improve your pictures of babies, friends and family. Hope that helps!
- Moose
Hey Moose,
When shooting HD 1080p movies at 50fps, my Transcend Class 6 cards (like the ones you recommend) intermittently get a buffer overrun and stop the recording. While this isn’t the end of the world if I’m filming family hijinx, it’s a very big deal if I’m filming interviews for professional purposes.
Is this something I will see with any class 6 card or is it possible I’ve got a couple bad cards?
Thanks for your thoughts.
Dan
to clarify. I’m shooting 1090p movies at 24fps, not 50.
Dan,
Just curious…have you tried formatting your memory card? If not, do a low level format and see if that fixes your problem. Does the buffer problem happen a few minutes into the video or right away?
- Moose
Hey Moose,
I’ve had the problem both right at the start and several minutes in. I’ve done a low level format of both cards and will see if the problem persists. Is there any correlation to what is being shot? It sounds dumb to ask, but it seems most instances happen in very low light.
thanks,
Dan
Hey Dan, I’m having the EXACT same problem right now! I was having no issues for a few weeks, but it seems like I started seeing the buffer under run issue pop up as the card filled up with more and more video files. I have a 16gb class 6 card, shooting at 1080p/24fps, and I did format the card. I’m tearing my hair out thinking I’ll have to spend more money just to get a Class 10 card. Anything you figure out will be helpful to me, thanks! I’ll definitely let you know if I find a solution.
Dan,
Yeah, let me know if the low level formatting fixes the problem. HD Video is still a very new technology with DSLR’s like the T2i…it’s possible that the increased noise levels have something to do with slowing down the buffer rate. I’ll ask a few of my video buddies to see what they think.
- Moose
Hey Guys,
So I went back and low level formatted both cards and things were good for a while. Tonight I connected my card to my computer, copied off a few things, then plugged it back into the T2i. It was probably 1/3 full. Almost immediately I started getting buffer overruns, relatively early in the clip. I wasn’t shooting low light this time. I stopped shooting, tried another Low Level format and the next couple clips worked fine.
Even if a low level format after every download is the answer, it’s not a fix. No one wants to be forced to wipe their card each time they pull a few things off, right?
Thanks for your help Moose. I’d be interested to hear what your video pals think. Should we not be able to get to the bottom of this, I may have to return the card and try another brand or speed…..but that’s another line of questioning. :-/
Dan
Dan,
I’ve been asking around, but the answers are a bit mixed. Canon states that the requirement to record HD video is a Class 6 memory card, however, it seems that a Class 6 card ‘may’ experience some recording problems in certain shooting situations that demand a fast write speed.
I would try returning the Class 6 card and upgrade to a Class 10 card. You can use the excuse that the Class 6 doesn’t ‘work’ with your T2i. If in fact the Class 10 card solves your issue, please let me know as I will need to update my memory card recommendations for the T2i.
- Moose
I’ll try the Class 10, maaybe the Transcend even though the experience left me wary of the brand. It’s confusing info out there to be sure. I’ll keep you posted. Thanks for this forum and your help!
Dan
Thought I’d give a final report. I’ve received two Class 10 Trancend memory cards. (Amazon took back the Class 6′s with no problems). So far I’ve only seen the buffer warning once and it didn’t result in a stoppage. It may be a crap shoot whether the Class 10 vs the Class 6 really makes a difference, especially since the Class 10 isn’t supposed to add speed to the recording of video, just the transfer to your computer.
In any case, I feel more comfortable having the 10′s and haven’t had any troubles shooting at a variety of frame rates.
D
Dan,
Thanks for the update. I’ve since updated the “Recommended memory cards for the T2i” post to highlight the class 10 card for those who like to shoot HD video.
I have a feeling that the “required” class 6 rating set by Canon was a little inaccurate. It sounds like the class 10 cards do a much better job syncing and recording video without any hiccups.
- Moose
I have had a T2I for a couple of months and have noticed a strange phenomena. When taking photos in the “Full Auto” mode in normal daylight conditions (mid-day clear sunny day), the flash will often pop up before taking the picture. I know that it could be occurring to provide a fill-in flash, but in many situations when it occurs, there doesn’t seem to be a need for a fill-in flash. Anyone else notice this, or does someone know what the issue might be?
Don,
On page 47 of the Canon T2i Manual it talks about the flash functions when shooting in Full Auto mode…
“For a backlit subject, the flash may pop-up to help reduce the subjects dark shadow”
This basically means that the T2i will enable the built-in flash if it detects a backlit subject. You can always switch to Program (P) mode and still get automatic shooting features, minus the pop-up flash. Hope that helps!
- Moose
I’ll start off the T2i forum, by saying…welcome T2i owners!
Just want to say thanks Moose. For me this is going to be very helpful!
Rox,
You’re welcome…glad you found my site! :)
- Moose
Do you think its a better idea to buy 18-135mm lens instead of kit (18-55mm) lens?