Canon 400D help....very dumb question

[FlamingMoe]

Hi All,
Hoping to get some help.
My wife just bought a 400d DSLR, we can't for the life of us work out how to get the camera to show a preview of the shot on the LCD screen.
ie we are expecting to see the image in full auto mode on the LCD instead it just shows a setting summary on a white background.
I realise how stupid this question must be but we are stuck

thanks in advance.

 

[Jasonbot]

I'd consult the user manual or play with the settings.

 

[FlamingMoe]

yeah we have done that, have played with the setting all afternoon.
My wife has decided that the camera simply can't do that, i am almost ready to agree...but i can't accept that that would be the case.

Please understand we are not total fools, and are certainly able to figure most gagdets out but this one has us both stumped.

 

[Gee]

yeah we have done that, have played with the setting all afternoon.
My wife has decided that the camera simply can't do that, i am almost ready to agree...but i can't accept that that would be the case.

Please understand we are not total fools, and are certainly able to figure most gagdets out but this one has us both stumped.

It doesn't show a preview. It's an SLR - you're meant to compose the shot through the lens/viewfinder. The screen is only used for reviewing shots you've taken.

Takes a bit of getting used to if you're coming from a standard digital camera...

 

[Blue Velvet]

We have a 400D at work. I believe the screen is only meant for reviewing images and changing the settings... the way to use any SLR is with the viewfinder; that's what it's for. I also think there may be a heavy drain on the battery if the screen was on all the time.

 

[FlamingMoe]

OK thanks for confirming that everyone.

I thought i saw the sales rep using it as you would a standard digital camera but i may have been wrong about that.

I can stop pressing buttons now LOL

thanks again.

 

[Abstract]

I think you should have done some homework on Single Lens Reflex (SLR) before you bought it. They probably don't explain why you don't get a preview before shooting because they assume (wrongly) that people who buy these cameras know what they are doing (no offense, really).

 

[FlamingMoe]

no offence taken.
It is a 1st SLR, and these are the things you learn I guess.
the camera is for my wife and she is very keen to learn how to use it properly.

I just figured it was a given that the camera could do it and when we couldn;t get it to work i had to make sure or i'd wear it out trying.

 

[annk]

It's a common mistake, a lot of people find that aspect surprising when going over to a dSLR from a point and shoot. It surprised me too at first. In my opinion, it's because the viewfinders on digital P and S cameras are so awful that you'd never consider using them for anything - - and you therefore get used to using the screen instead.

But you'll find that using the viewfinder is MUCH better. Have fun with your new camera.

 

[Abstract]

Yeah, fair enough. And believe me, I said people "wrongfully" assume that they can use the LCD because whenever I ask someone to help me take a photo of me and my girlfriend/friends, they ask me to turn it on.

 

[cube]

You could return the camera. There are two choices of DSLR with live preview:

- Olympus E-330 (2 live view modes)
- Panasonic DMC-L1 (1 live view mode)

They have many components in common

The live view mode in common is similar to previous cameras which locked up the mirror. When you AF/meter, the screen goes blank.
The advantage of the Olympus is the A Mode, where this does not happen, as it uses a separate sensor, but you need to check the DOF by some other means.
The advantage of the Panasonic is that white balance and exposure compensation are applied to the live view.

 

[Yakamoto]

Hi All,
Hoping to get some help.
My wife just bought a 400d DSLR, we can't for the life of us work out how to get the camera to show a preview of the shot on the LCD screen.
ie we are expecting to see the image in full auto mode on the LCD instead it just shows a setting summary on a white background.
I realise how stupid this question must be but we are stuck

thanks in advance.

Hi FlamingMoe,
Welcome
Not sure if I can help being I don't own the 400d. But, most DSLR's won't allow you to preview a prospective shot in the screen, you must use the viewfinder to compose your shots, you can preview after the picture is taken and in most cases make minnor adjustments in camera by pressing the display/preview button on the left of the screen.
There are a lot of Cannon users on this site so a better answer should be comming soon.

 

[Mord]

The whole point of SLR's is that what you see through the viewfinder is what you get with the picture.

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-lens_reflex_camera