Canon EOS 60D Manual

Introduction

This guide helps you take accurate digital photographs using your Canon electro-optical system (EOS) 60D. You learn how to use basic manual settings including aperture, focus, International Standards Organization (ISO), and shutter speed to improve your digital photographs. You also learn the basic creative concepts available with manual settings. Greater creative possibilities open to you as you better understand how to use manual settings to create desired effects.

Benefits of manual settings

Although automatic settings provide correctly exposed photographs, they offer only one combination of the aperture, ISO, and shutter speed (Peterson 2010). Other options are available. When you understand manual settings, you can freely explore those options.

The photographs in Figures 1 and 2 demonstrate the different potential results when using automatic settings rather than manual settings. In Figure 1, the automatic settings adjust to light the entire room.

Figure 1. Automatic settings (Wikimedia Commons 2005)

Although technically accurate, the photograph does not creatively capture the scene. In Figure 2, the manual settings capture the dark room lit by the soft glow of the birthday candles. The result is a more artistic photograph.

Figure 2. Manual settings (Wikimedia Commons 2012)

Manual settings provide a higher level of creative control not guaranteed with automatic settings (Peterson 2010). By reading this guide, you gain understanding of how to get the most out of your manual settings. This guide is for first-time users of the Canon EOS 60D and those new to digital photography. The information is appropriate for personal or professional purposes.

Assumptions

All instructions assume the camera's power switch is turned on.

Conventions

Table 1. Conventions

<EXAMPLE>	a reading in the LCD panel or viewfinder
	a tip for better photographs
	a safety warning

Camera parts

Aperture

A digital sensor converts the image you see in the camera viewfinder into a digital photograph (Canon Inc 2011). The camera filters light to the sensor through the lens (Canon Inc 2011). The aperture controls the amount of light that reaches the sensor (Canon Inc 2011). The aperture is an adjustable round opening in the lens (Canon Inc 2011). When you adjust aperture, you adjust the size of the opening. The larger the opening, the more light reaches the sensor. The smaller the opening, the less light reaches the sensor.

Aperture settings

Aperture settings, or full stops (f-stops), range from f-stop 1.4 to 22 depending on the lens (Canon Inc, 2011). The largest aperture setting represents the smallest opening, because aperture numbers are denominators of fractions. An aperture opening is a fraction of the focal length of your lens (Peterson 2010). For the basic activities covered in this guide, you need to know that the smaller the aperture number shown, the larger the aperture opening becomes as shown in Figure 7.

Fid.7

Aperture and light

With a smaller aperture setting such as f-stop 2.8, more light reaches the camera sensor (Canon Inc 2011). This creates a brighter photograph. With a larger aperture setting such as f-stop 11, less light reaches the camera sensor. This creates a darker photograph. The same scene photographed using different aperture settings changes the brightness of the image as shown in Figure 8.

Figure 8. Aperture and brightness (Wikimedia Commons 2006)

Depth of field

Depth of field (DOF) is the range of depth at which the photograph appears in focus (Peterson 2010). Aperture controls how sharply focused far away objects appear in comparison to objects a short distance away (Peterson 2010).

Figure 9. Depth of field preview button (Canon Inc 2011)

Depth of field preview

The DOF preview creates a preview of how your photograph will appear after you have taken it (Canon Inc 2011). Press the button to adjust the preview to your current aperture setting (Canon Inc 2011). Look in the viewfinder to review the changes. If you are satisfied, take the photograph. If not, adjust the setting as needed.

Deep depth of field

Small apertures create focused backgrounds (Peterson 2010). The camera focuses as sharply on objects in the background as objects in the foreground (Peterson 2010). At f-stop 22, the smallest aperture opening, the camera achieves the deepest depth of field as shown in Figure 10 (Canon Inc 2011). The background is nearly as sharply focused as the foreground.

Figure 10. Deep depth of field (Outlund, Fort Casey 2014)

Shallow depth of field

Large apertures create blurry backgrounds (Peterson 2010). The camera focuses more sharply on objects in the foreground and blurs objects in the background (Peterson 2010). At f-stop 3.5, the largest aperture opening, the camera achieves the shallowest depth of field (Canon Inc 2011). The background is a blur in comparison to the sharp foreground. As you increase the f-stops, the camera increases the level of focus in the background (Peterson 2010)

Figure 11. Shallow depth of field (Outlund, Lone Bee on Yellow 2014)

Taking a picture in AV mode

Use AV mode to adjust the aperture size.

Table 3. AV mode (Canon Inc 2011)

*TIP: If the aperture number blinks, the exposure is incorrect: there is not enough light or there is too much light (Canon Inc 2011).

Shutter speed

The shutter, a small plastic flap, covers the sensor (Canon Inc 2011).

When you take a photograph, the shutter briefly opens (Canon Inc 2011). This allows light to flow in from the lens to the sensor (Peterson 2010). Shutter speed measures and controls the amount of time the shutter opens and exposes the sensor to light (Canon Inc 2011).

Shutter speed settings

Shutter speeds range from 30 seconds to one-eight-thousandth of a second (Canon Inc 2011). Slow speeds and fast speeds appear differently on the LCD panel and viewfinder. Shutter speeds of one second or more appear as <1"> and Shutter speeds less than one second, appear as <8000> (Canon Inc 2011).

Shutter speed & light

With a fast shutter speed such as one-two-hundredth of a second, the less light and motion the sensor captures because you depict a shorter moment in time (Canon Inc 2011). This creates a stopmotion effect as shown on the left in Figure 12. With a slow shutter speed such as one-fiftieth of a second, more light reaches the camera sensor because the shutter is open a longer time (Canon Inc 2011). So, the slower the shutter speed, the more light and motion the sensor captures as you depict a longer moment in time (Peterson 2010). This creates a blur effect as shown on the right in Figure 12.

Figure 12. Short to long shutter speeds (Wikimedia Commons 2019)

Aperture and shutter speed

However, both aperture and shutter speed together control the amount of light that reaches the sensor and the brightness of the resulting photograph (Peterson 2010). Adjusting one affects the other. When you adjust shutter speed, the camera automatically adjusts aperture to create an exposure that is not too bright and not too dark (Peterson 2010). Likewise, when you adjust aperture, the camera automatically adjusts shutter speed. You control the aperture or the shutter speed when using the manual settings in this guide. Keep in mind that changing one will change the other.

Capturing fast action

To capture fast actions, use fast shutter speeds (Peterson 2010). The faster the action, the faster the shutter speed needs to be. Consider your physical distance from the moving subject when you adjust the shutter speed. The closer you are to the subject, the faster the shutter speed must be (Peterson 2010). Fast shutter speeds freeze actions in time, creating a stop-motion effect as shown in Figure 13 (Peterson 2010).

Figure 13. Fast shutter speed (Outlund, Seattle Center Fountain 2014)

Capturing motion

Use slow shutter speeds to imply motion and a lapse in time (Peterson 2010). Slow shutter speeds create a blurred effect as shown in Figure 14 (Peterson 2010). This is the opposite effect of a fast shutter speed. For shutter speeds one second or more, use a tripod to steady the camera. The slightest motion of the camera during a long exposure results in a blurry image.

Figure 14. Slow shutter speed (Outlund, Creek Waterfall 2014)

Taking a picture in TV mode

Use TV mode to adjust the shutter speed.

Table 4. TV mode (Canon Inc 2011)

*TIP: If the aperture number blinks, the exposure is incorrect: there is not enough light or there is too much light (Canon Inc 2011).

Focus

Focus ensures your photographs are sharp and clear rather than blurry. In focused photographs, it is easy to distinguish the main subject. The blurrier the photograph, the more difficult it is to perceive the main subject as shown in Figure 15. When the photograph is in focus, there is a greater contrast between bordering objects and shades of light.

Figure 15. A blurry, unfocused photo (Wikimedia Commons 2008)

There is also less blur between objects.

Auto focus

Auto focus (AF) adjusts the image automatically. Every EOS lens has a focusing ring and a switch on the side where you select manual focus (MF) or AF (Canon Inc 2011).

Auto focus shooting modes

There are three AF modes: one shot, AI servo, and AI focus (Canon Inc 2011). Change modes based on shooting subjects and conditions: one shot is for stationary subjects, AI servo is for moving subjects, and AI focus automatically chooses between one shot and AI servo as it detects if the subject is stationary or in motion (Canon Inc 2011).

Selecting an auto focus mode

AF mode (Canon Inc 2011)

Step 1
Turn the focus switch to AF.

Step 2
Turn the mode dial to a creative zone mode (AV, B, M, P, or TV).

Step 3
Press AF.

Step 4
Turn the mode dial to toggle between the three AF modes: one shot, AI servo, AI focus.

Focusing in auto focus shooting mode

Table 6. Focusing in AF mode (Canon Inc 2011)

Focusing in manual focus shooting mode

Focusing in MF mode (Canon Inc 2011)

Step 1
Turn the focus switch to MF.

Step 2
Turn the mode dial to a any mode.

Step 3
View the focus mode on the LCD panel. It should read <M mode>.

Step 4
Turn the focusing ring on the lens until the subject is clear and sharp.

ISO speed

ISO measures the sensitivity of the camera sensor to light. ISO settings range from 100-6400 on the Canon EOS 60D (Canon Inc 2011). There is also an automatic ISO setting (Canon Inc 2011).

The lower the ISO value, the less sensitive the sensor is to light (Canon Inc 2011). The higher the ISO value, the more sensitive the sensor is to light (Canon Inc 2011). Lower ISO values produce less noise in the photograph (Peterson 2010). Higher ISO values produce more noise in the photograph (Peterson 2010). Noise is the grainy appearance of a photograph as shown in Figure 16 (Peterson 2010).

Figure 16. ISO comparison (Wikimedia Commons 2007)

Selecting the ISO speed

The more light there is in the setting you photograph, the less sensitive the camera sensor must be and the lower the ISO setting (Canon Inc 2011). The less light there is in the setting, the more sensitive the camera sensor must be and the higher the ISO setting (Canon Inc 2011).

Table 8. ISO speed (Canon Inc 2011)

Setting the ISO speed

Figure 18. ISO button (Canon Inc 2011)

Table 9. Adjusting ISO speed (Canon Inc 2011)

Conclusion

You now possess the basic knowledge necessary to take creative digital photographs using the manual settings of your Canon EOS 60D. With an understanding of aperture, focus, ISO, and shutter speed you possess more control over your resulting photographs (Peterson 2010). The next time you want to capture one of life's moments, you do not have to rely on the automatic settings. You have the power to capture the moment the way you want to remember it.

This guide includes information on basic photographic concepts and manual settings that allow for more artistic freedom when using your digital camera. This guide does not include advanced artistic rules commonly used in digital photography. This guide does not include a comprehensive manual for your digital camera. For additional information on these topics, please see the reference list.

Safety and equipment

Read this section on safety and equipment before completing any of the procedures in this guide.

Safety warnings

• Do not use flash when aiming at traffic as this may cause an accident.
• Do not use flash near a person's eyes as this may cause impaired vision.
• Do not use the camera near flammable gas as this may cause an explosion.
• Do not touch internal parts of equipment as this may cause electrical shock.
• Do not look at the sun or any bright light source through the lens as this may cause impaired vision or blindness.
• Do not leave the lens in sunlight as this is a fire hazard.
• Do not expose internal camera parts or batteries to water as this may cause electrical shock.
• If internal camera parts or batteries become exposed to water remove the battery immediately to avoid shock.

Equipment

• Battery
• Camera body
• Lens
• Memory card
• Tripod (optional)