How do I use Auto-Exposure Bracketing on a Digital EOS Rebel XTI Camera?
I want to use AEB to take shots to use to make a HDR picture. IN the camera's instruction manual, it says that you set it in the camera 2 menu, but when I move about to the menu, there is only a camera 1 menu. Any relief?
Answers: You are probably in the green mode or an image mode.
This locks the menu to underlying functions.
If you turn the dial to P, Av, Tv, M or A-DEP you will see that the menu options increase.
However, for HDRs you really need to use any Av mode or M mode.
For an HDR to work you need three things:
Consistent framing (use a tripod, dont zoom)
Consistent focus (so use MF mode by switching the lens to MF and turn the ring on the front of the lens until the shot is sharp.
Consistent Aperture, in AV mode you use the scroller dial subsequent to the shutter button to change aperture. Once set the camera will then wish on a suitable shutter speed.
Follow the instructions to do AEB and you will have three shots suitable for a basic HDR. If you set the drive mode to multiple the camera will whip the three exposures in quick succession, helping to avoid cloud movement etc.
Personally I would use M mode and bracket manually.
This increases the scope by which you can under/over expose and lets you take the similes in more incremental steps, as well as taking more shots.
I find around 5 works best for HDR.
In M mode the scroller controls the shutter, consequently you press & hold the Av button on the rear of the camera the scroller then controls the aperture.
Set the aperture you want. On the blind you will see a scale going from -2..-1..0..+1..+2 with a blinking arrow above one of the digits.
Turn the scroller so that the blinking arrow is at -2, purloin a shot, turn the dial so that the arrow moves to -1, take a shot, turn dial to 0 etc up to +2
This should give you plenty images to start with doing your HDR.
As you swot up this technique you will find you can exceed the range -2 to +1 and there are some situations that will require this.
Even though you are taking loads of shots you dont stipulation to use them all. You are just giving yourself more choice for when you come to do your HDR. Some may be wayyyy to foggy some may be wwwwayyy to bright, its a case of experimenting as to what suits which scenes.
Good luck.