Need Help

[llmoonday]

My wife bought me a EOS 20D Digital last year for Christmas & I am a complete amateur. I just have the EFS 18-55mm lens & I would like to take pictures inside, but all pictures always turn out way too dark. I have changed settings on camera & have a Speedlite 420 EX flash bar, but still cannot consistently take inside pictures in mediocre light. Is there a good lens out there that will help me do this, & also be a good "tourist" everyday lens? I don't mind spending the money on good equipment, I have just been unable to get anyone to help me with information. I went to 4 different camera shops in NYC & no one could make a direct recommendation. If anyone could help me I would really appreciate it.

[Peter Jon White]

My wife bought me a EOS 20D Digital last year for Christmas & I am a complete amateur. I just have the EFS 18-55mm lens & I would like to take pictures inside, but all pictures always turn out way too dark. I have changed settings on camera & have a Speedlite 420 EX flash bar, but still cannot consistently take inside pictures in mediocre light. Is there a good lens out there that will help me do this, & also be a good "tourist" everyday lens? I don't mind spending the money on good equipment, I have just been unable to get anyone to help me with information. I went to 4 different camera shops in NYC & no one could make a direct recommendation. If anyone could help me I would really appreciate it.
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Set the ISO to 400. Set the camera to Av with the aperture to f/5.6. Turn the flash on and shoot.

What happens?

[llmoonday]

Set the ISO to 400. Set the camera to Av with the aperture to f/5.6. Turn the flash on and shoot.

What happens?
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how do you set the aperture?

[llmoonday]

that works thanks a lot, is there a good lens that I can still get for all purpose shooting

[Sheldon N]

how do you set the aperture?
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Read the manual.... then read some basic photography books (try National Geographic Field Guide to Photography)... then read the manual again. This will help you much more than any forum answer can.

For easy and high quality pictures indoors - with the gear you already have - try this:

Set the camera to "M" (manual) mode by turning the top left dial to "M". Turn both dials (top/right front and rear/back) until the numbers say 125 (for 1/125 of a second) and 5.6 (representing an aperture of f/5.6). Press the little button on top of the camera that says "Drive/ISO" and turn the dial until the ISO reads 200 or 400. Press the little button on the top of the camera that has a little lightning bolt and a +/- sign and then adjust the rear dial until the marker reads somewhere between +1/3 and +1. Now take photos - point the flash straight up at a white ceiling for a more natural lighting effect. If there are no white ceilings, point the flash straight at the person.

Hope this helps!

Sheldon

[DarkPenguin]

that works thanks a lot, is there a good lens that I can still get for all purpose shooting
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There are a lot of them.  How much do you want to spend?  You shoot more wide or telephoto?

Some traditional normalish zooms...

Canon 17-85IS
Canon 28-135 IS
Canon 24-70
Canon 24-105
Tamron 28-75

[Peter Jon White]

that works thanks a lot, is there a good lens that I can still get for all purpose shooting
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=54366\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Given the questions you're asking, you already have exactly the lens you need. Learn to use it before worrying about another lens.