Lessons

Lesson Info

Class Overview

Welcome everybody to the 77D class. So, if you own a 77D, if you're gonna use one, if you're interested in buying one, this is a class that's gonna go through and explain how to use the camera. This is, for the most part, it's gonna replace the instruction manual. I wanna concentrate on the features that are important for the high image quality and how to manually use the camera. We're gonna talk a little bit about everything that the camera does, but we're gonna concentrate on those two features; how to get the highest quality and how to manually control the camera. So, along with the videos that this class will have, you also get a PDF download. And what I've done on this one, and this is more for the second half of the class, this is the the entire many system laid out on one page. You see, I'm a photographer, so I'm a very visual person, and I like to be able to just scan over a large sheet to look for my features. And so, I wanted to put all the menu items listed out like this, an...

d there'll be my recommendations, there'll be a second page with just the menu without any recommendations, so that you can put your own things in, because I know you're gonna customize the camera to your own needs. And this, I have some other material back here we'll talk a little bit about as we get into the class, and this can be found under the class material section. So, right where the videos are. Look up, look down and you should be able to see the recommended settings PDF. Alright, so let's get started on this class and talk about what we're gonna be doing here with the 77D. Broken this class down into a few different sections. The first part is for people who might be new to serious, nice cameras like this, new to Canon. Talk a little bit about it's position within the Canon lineup. We'll talk a bit about photo basics, and then, we're gonna get into the good stuff, that's the camera controls and the menu functions. Under camera controls, we're gonna go through the camera and just take tour. We're gonna go top to bottom, all around the camera and talk about every button and every dial, what it does and how you would use it. In the menu sections, we're gonna go through the menu and that's where you're gonna want the PDF that comes with the class. 'Cause we're basically gonna go through this one item at a time. I'll talk about where I'd recommend setting it and where I'd change it for different types of shooting. And then, at the end of the whole thing, we'll do camera operation, which is how I would set the camera up for various shooting scenarios, whether it's sports or portrait photography or something else. And a few final thoughts just on how you might want to set your camera up and be prepared for different types of situations. So, that's what we're gonna be doing in here. If you do already know cameras pretty well, feel free to jump ahead to the camera controls section. But I wanna do a little overview on what this camera is and it's place in the Canon lineup. So you do get a rather thick instruction manual, if you've opened the box and found this gigantic pamphlet in there. And I have to admit, these manuals are hard to go through. There is something that is lost in translation. But, there is something that I have, kind of, discovered after years of working with cameras and these classes, is that if you watch this class and then you go to the instruction manual to look up a specific bit of information, it's gonna make a lot more sense. I try to put things into terms of real-world usage, and they have a very dry, technical talk in the instruction manual. So, it's still a valuable item to have and there is no way that we can cover everything that's in here, due to the length of time it would take for this class to be. And so, the instruction manual is gonna be very good for checking out certain detailed specifications, compatibility with other lenses and flashes and so forth, and just further detail than we're gonna get into. But we should get you just about covered on everything you'd need for your most important shooting with this camera. Now, you may discover after a little bit of time in this class that I haven't talked about composition, or lighting, or use of shutter speeds, and that's because this is not a photography class. This is a class on this particular camera. So, we are gonna be concentrating on the use of how this camera and the features work, on this camera. If you do want a more general photography class, which is also very important for taking good photos, there are lots of other great classes here at Creative Live, I have a couple of them out there. I have a short one for people who want to hit the highlights pretty quickly, the photography starter kit for beginners. And then, for those who really wanna dig into the details, I have the fundamentals of photography. And both of those, I highly recommend. I think they're great complements to this class that cover different subjects, and the two of them do go hand-in-hand very well together. So if you are new to Canon, welcome to the Canon family of cameras. They'd been around for a long time. Started in 1933, they started with small, little rangefinder cameras. Where things kind of got interesting, is when they started making their first SLRs; like this camera, in some ways, with interchangeable lenses, viewing through the lens. They made kind of, inexpensive, basic cameras to start with. And then they got higher-end. They went professional, 1971; the F-1 was a very popular camera, had a lot of great features for the time. Important change came in 1987. That's when they changed from the FD Mount to the EOS lens mount, and the 77D has the EOS lens mount. So, you can use lenses back to 1987. And so they made a big change, 'cause they knew they wanted to really go forward with technology and their old lens mount was holding them back. And so, they came out with a whole new set of cameras, and a whole new set of lenses. And then in 2000, their first digital camera, the D30. And that one had about three megapixels and sold for $3,000. Which is a big contrast, to what we have here with the 77D. Alright so, one of the great things about having a Canon camera is, the Canon family is a very large family. If you need a higher-end camera, if you need a smaller camera, if you need a different lens or a flash system, this is the largest collection of options that you're gonna have out there, which is why it's a favorite among professional photographers. Alright so, in the Canon lineup, the 77D holds a new position that no camera before has had. It was kind of part of the Rebel series. See, back in 2015, there was the T6i and the T6s, and the T6s was the more advanced version of it. Now, the 77D is kind of, the new and improved version of the T6s. And so, in some ways, I still kind of consider it a Rebel, but a Rebel with all the extra bells and whistles, you might say. And so, the Rebel is their entry-level lineup. And if you are a little lost in their lineup, let me try to outline it for you real quickly. The Rebel T7i is their basic entry-level camera. The SL2 and SL1 are extremely compact versions of it. Or ones that are just a little bit smaller, for people who have size as a big importance in it. And then, there is the Rebel T6, which is kind of, the stripped down, least expensive model. And so, most people are going with the T7i, but the 77D now offers a number of features of the 80D and higher-end cameras, in a compact, affordable package. And it is, as I say, a high-end entry-level camera, but I was just thinking back, if you could take this camera and go back in time about 10 years, this would be the most revolutionary product on the planet and probably, every professional photographer would own and use this camera. It might not be their only camera, but it had more resolution than any camera 10 years ago, it probably focused better than any camera 10 years ago, it shot video, unlike cameras 10 years ago had, and so, it would have been an amazing camera 10 years ago. And now, the price that it is, it's a really good way to get into photography. So, if you have this camera, I think you've set yourself up for going forward in a very good way. And so, that's kind of where its position lies. And so, it's this new one that we haven't seen before. One of the things you'll notice, if you do get into the instruction manual is that there's a lot of warnings about things not to do with the camera. You know, they can just simply replace that with: don't be stupid with it. This camera is made of a lot of plastics and electronics, and so you do have to be careful about dropping it and getting it wet. T is not weather resistant. It does not have the weather seals on it, so if you're out in a rain, or a spray, or a mist, or something like that, be very cautious and do not spend much time out there because the camera itself just does not have those sorts of seals. The other types of warnings that people have questions on, is about using non-Canon accessories. Of course, Cannon can't warranty the camera 'cause they don't know this device is going to do to it. But for the most part, I think you're gonna be totally fine with Sigma, and Tamron and Tokina lenses. A lot of other after-market lenses, will provide you with some interesting options that Canon may not have. It's one of the most popular lens mounts on the market, so there's gonna be a lot of options out there. I tend to stay with the Canon flashes for the most part. They tend to be notably more than some of the after-market ones, but the communication and the ease of use is worth it down the road. And so, if you are doing some very simplistic stuff, just manual flash, you can get, kind of, whatever you want to work on the top there. But, I do tend to wanna to stick with the Canon flashes there. And as far as the batteries, I prefer to stay with the Canon batteries. If you wanna buy some generic backup batteries, don't expect quite as much lifespan or the same number of recharges out of them. And so, you will get a little bit more with the Canon, but then you will pay more for it as well. Alright, let's make sure your camera and my camera is ready for today's class. You're gonna want to charge the battery; takes about two hours. You should get around 600 to 800 shots, depends on how your mileage will vary a little bit there. You wanna have a lens on your camera, of course and have a memory card in, so we can take some practice photos. I'm gonna go ahead, make sure my camera is turned on. And for auto focusing, that is controlled with a switch on the lens. And so, all the Canon lenses that have auto-focus capability, which is about 99% of them, are gonna have a switch on the side for AF. So, you wanna make sure that's in the AF position. And the mode dial on the top, we're gonna start off really simple and just put it in the green A plus mode. That is the most simplistic auto mode on the camera. And then, I'm just gonna go ahead and press down half-way, and my flash is poppin' up. And I'm gonna take a photo, and my camera's workin' out okay. Hopefully, your camera is, as well. If it is, then we can proceed with the class.