Shooting Operation; Custom Functions; Basic Zone Modes; A Live View Shooting - Canon EOS 550D Quick Reference Manual

Shooting Operation

Nomenclature
Power switch Mode Dial
<Z> ISO speed
setting button
<D>
<6>
Flash button
Main Dial
Shutter
button
Focus mode switch
<A> Live View shooting/
<A> AE lock button
Movie shooting button
<S> AF point
selection button
Display-off
sensor
<S>
Cross keys
Access lamp
<O> Aperture/Exposure
compensation button <0> Setting button
E: AF ModeN
Set the lens focus mode switch
to <f>.
Press the <ZE> button.
Press the <U> key to select
the AF mode, then press <0>.
X(One-Shot AF):
For still subjects
9(AI Focus AF):
Switches the AF mode
automatically
Z(AI Servo AF):
For moving subjects
S AF PointN
Press the <S> button.
Press the <S> key to select the
AF point.
While looking at the viewfinder,
you can select the AF point by
turning the <6> dial until the
desired AF point flashes in red.
Pressing <0> toggles the AF
point selection between the
center AF point and automatic
AF point selection.
Shooting Settings Display
Aperture
Shutter speed
ISO speed
Exposure level
Shooting mode
indicator
White balance
Picture Style
Auto Lighting
Image-recording
Optimizer
quality
Drive mode
Quick Control
AF mode
icon
Possible shots
Battery check
Metering mode
zxcn
OK NG
Viewfinder Information
AF point activation indicator <•>
Spot metering
circle
AF points
Focus
confirmation light
AE lock
Flash-ready Max. burst
Flash exposure
Monochrome shooting
compensation
ISO speed
Shutter speed
Aperture Exposure level indicator
Z: ISO SpeedN
Press the <Z> button.
Turn the <6> dial or press the
<U> key to select the ISO
speed.
When "AUTO" is selected, the
ISO speed is set automatically.
When you press the shutter
button halfway, the ISO speed
setting will be displayed.
i Drive ModeN
Press the <YiQ> button.
Press the <U> key to select
the drive mode, then press <0>.
u : Single shooting
i : Continuous shooting
Q : Self-timer/Remote control*
l : Self-timer:2 sec
q : Self-timer:Continuous*
* The <Q> and <q> drive
modes can be selected in all
shooting modes.

Basic Zone Modes

All the settings necessary for
shooting are set automatically. You
just press the shutter button, and
the camera does the rest.
1 Full Auto
C Creative Auto
7 Flash Off
2 Portrait
3 Landscape
(Displayed only when <C> is set.)
4 Close-up
Press the <Q> button, then press
5 Sports
the <S> key to select the function.
6 Night Portrait
Turn the <6> dial to set the
function.
D Using the Built-in Flash
Basic Zone Modes
If necessary, the built-in flash will pop-up automatically in low-light
or backlit conditions (except in the <7> <3> <5> modes).
Creative Zone Modes
Press the <D> button to pop up
the built-in flash, then shoot.

A Live View Shooting

Press the <A> button to
display the Live View image.
Press the shutter button halfway
to focus.
Press the shutter button
completely to take the picture.
To change the Live View settings, use the [6 Live View
function settings] menu.
Battery Life with Live View Shooting
Temperature No Flash 50% Flash Use
At 23°C / 73°F Approx. 200 shots Approx. 180 shots
Creative Zone Modes
You can change the camera
settings as desired to shoot in
various ways.
d: Program AE
The camera automatically sets the shutter speed and aperture
in the same way as the <1> mode.
Set the Mode Dial to <d>.
s: Shutter-priority AE
Set the Mode Dial to <s>.
Turn the <6> dial to set the desired
shutter speed, then focus the subject.
The aperture will be set automatically.
If the aperture display blinks, turn the
<6> dial until it stops blinking.
f: Aperture-priority AE
Set the Mode Dial to <f>.
Turn the <6> dial to set the desired
aperture, then focus the subject.
The shutter speed will be set
automatically.
If the shutter speed display blinks,
turn the <6> dial until it stops
blinking.

k Shooting Movies

Set the Mode Dial to <k>.
Press the shutter button halfway
to focus.
Press the <A> button to start
shooting a movie. To stop movie
shooting, press <A> again.
To shoot still photos, press the
shutter button.
Custom FunctionsN
1 Exposure level 7 AF-assist beam firing
increments
8 Mirror lockup
2 ISO expansion
9 Shutter/AE lock button
3 Flash sync. speed in Av
10 Assign SET button
mode
11 LCD display when
4 Long exposure noise
power ON
reduction
12 Add image verification
5 High ISO speed noise
data
reduction
6 Highlight tone priority