Sigma 50-50e User Manual
EOS 50/50e Elan II/IIe Operator’s Manual
prepared by Jim Strutz, updated by Niloy J. Mitra
9th August 2002
http://eosdoc.com/manuals.asp?q=ElanII
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Contents
1 Introduction 4
2 Camera Top Controls 4
2.1 Shutter Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.2 Main Dial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.3 Command Dial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.4 Metering Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.5 Self Timer / Remote Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.6 Focus Mode Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.7 Film Advance Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.8 Built In Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.9 Custom Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3 Other Camera Controls & Features 11
3.1 Auto Exposure Lock Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.2 Auto Focus Point Selection Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.3 Quick Control Dial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.4 Function Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3.5 Film Rewind Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.6 Film Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.7 Camera Back Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.8 Lens Release Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.9 Auto Focus Assist Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.10 Remote Release Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3.11 Battery Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4 LCD and Viewfinder Information 17
4.1 Liquid Crystal Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.2 Viewfinder Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
5 Flash 19
5.1 Built In Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
5.2 Flash Metering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
5.3 E-TTL Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
5.4 Flash Exposure Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
5.5 Auto Fill Flash Reduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
5.6 Other Flash Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
6 Lenses 22
6.1 EF Mount Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
6.2 Other Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
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7 Optional Equipment 23
7.1 Battery Packs / Grips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
7.2 Remotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
7.3 Viewfinder Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
7.4 Off Camera Shoe Cord 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
8 Known Problems 24
8.1 Battery Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
8.2 Lens Incompatability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
9 Specifications 25
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1 Introduction
Elan II/IIe (North American designation) is the same camera as the EOS 50/50e (international designation). The "e" in the name refers to the "eye control" option that is
used to quickly select autofocus points as well as depth of field (DOF) preview. EOS,
by the way, stands for Electro Optical System.
In writing thisinstruction manual for the Canon EOS 50/50e and Elan II/IIe, I have
assumed that the user has a basic understanding of lens focal length, lens apertures,
focusing, shutter speeds, exposure, film type and speeds, as well as SLR cameras and
photography in general. If you need instructions with these basics, you will have to
find them elsewhere. However,for the most part, this manual will often giveyou more
advice and information than is availablein the official Elan II/IIe manual.
The Elan II/IIe is a 35mm, Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera. This allows the
operator to look through the same lens that is used for picture taking. It uses Canon’s
exclusiveElectro Focus (EF) bayonet lens mount. It has no mechanical linkages other
than the mounting flanges themselves. All communication between lens and camera
body is done electronically. Several of the electrical connectors are used for power
and grounding and others are used to pass informationand data in a serial buss fashion.
This has allowed Canon to bring severalupgrades to their lenses and cameras whilestill
allowing complete compatibility with their older EOS equipment. It is a very versatile
system that is also being used in Canon’s newer digital SLRs.
2 Camera Top Controls
2.1 Shutter Button
The Elan II/IIe camera has several dials and buttons that you will need to familiarize
yourself with.
The most important button on the camera is the Shutter Button. It’s in the typical
position on the front, right corner of the camera near the top. Your right index finger
usually falls right to it as you hold the camera. If you press the shutter button part
way down until a slightly increased resistance is felt, the camera comes to life. The
camera’s usual response is that the exposure meter and auto focus (AF) are activated,
butthis half press is also used for several other functions as well. Pressing it all the way
down usually fires the shutter to expose the film, depending on what mode the camera
is in.
2.2 Main Dial
On the right side, just behind the shutter button is a vertical dial called the Main Dial
or sometimes the Electronic Input Dial. Depending on the mode the camera is in, it is
used to set the aperture or shutter speed and select different functions. This may sound
confusing but actually it’s very logical in practice. If you need to make a value change,
chances are the Main Dial does it.
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Figure 1: Top View
2.3 Command Dial
On the top left of the camera you will find the Command Dial. It selects the camera’s
exposure modes and other functions. The red L position is Lock, or the camera off
position. To turn the dial from the L position, press in the metal tab on the front of
the dial. The green square is full auto mode. The four small symbols to the right are
the PIC (Programmed Image Control) modes; portrait, landscape, macro, and action.
Basically they bias the shutter/ aperture combinations to favor longer exposures and
smaller apertures for landscape and macro modes and the other way around for portrait
and action modes. Portrait & macro modes as well as full auto mode will also raise
the flash when the camera thinks it’s appropriate. The major restriction with full auto
and PIC modes is that you cannot shift the relative values of the shutter and aperture
like you can in P mode. Nor can you bias the exposure up or down like you can in
P mode. The camera picks what it thinks is appropriate without allowing any further
advice from you. Now that you know what they are, ignore them. Using them will just
retard your education of photography as well as learning about the camera. The other
positions of the Command Dial are generally more useful.
P is for Program mode. It sets both the shutter speed and the aperture. It’s not much
different than full auto but one thing it won’t do is it won’t raise the flash for you. This
can be a useful mode when you need to grab the camera and shoot without much think-
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Figure 2: Command Dial
ing. The primary advantage of P mode over full auto mode is that in P mode you can
use the Main Dial to shift the relative values of the shutter and aperture selection. This
is called ProgramShift and it providesa way foryou to bias the exposure towards faster
shutter speeds or smaller apertures while the camera insures accurate exposures. You
can also use the Quick Control Dial (QCD) on the camera back, to bias the exposure up
(lighter images) or down (darker images) depending on the effect that you want. This
is called Auto Exposure Compensation (AEC), and is only the ambient exposure bias.
It does not effect flash exposure.
Tv is for time value mode, also called "shutter priority." You set the shutter speed
with the Main Dial, based on the need to freeze action or portray subject movement
or simply for hand hold ability. The camera then selects an appropriate aperture for
correct exposure. While in Tv mode you can also use the QCD to change the exposure
up or down (AEC). This is only ambient exposure bias and it does not effect the flash
exposure.
Any shutter speed can be set between 1/4000 second to 30 seconds. Below 30
seconds the shutter goes into Bulb mode where it will stay open as long as you hold
the shutter button down or until the battery goes flat. The remote controller, RC-1 and
the remote switch, RS-60E3 both have methods to manually hold the shutter open as
long as you like.
Av is for aperturevaluemode,alsocalled"aperturepriority."Youselecttheaperture
with the Main Dial, based on the need to limit or expand depth of field/focus, and the
camera selects a shutter speed to provide the proper exposure. Av mode can also be
used when you wantto select the fastest shutter speed possible and still maintain proper
exposure in changing light. To do that you just set the aperture to the largest setting
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(smallest number) and the camera will automatically select the fastest shutter speed
setting that will still provide the correct exposure. While in Av mode, you can also
use the QCD to change/bias the exposure up or down (AEC). This is only the ambient
exposure bias and it does not effect the flash exposure.
In P, Av or Tv modes, a blinking aperture or shutter indicator may mean that it is
out of its available range. So if your aperture is blinking f/5.6 and that is the lens’s
largest aperture, you will have to select a slower shutter speed to bring the required
aperture in line with your lens’s availableaperture. Also if 4000 is blinking, then use a
smaller aperture to bring the required shutter speed down to what the camera is capable
of doing.
The shutter speed also blinks as a shake warningif the shutter speed falls more than
1/2 stop below the reciprocal of the lens length.
M is for manual exposure mode. You select the aperture with the Main Dial and
shutter speed with the QCD. The camera’s built-in light meter will still function in
manual mode and you can follow its lead or ignore it completely. The meter’s display
can be seen both in the viewfinder as well as on the top mounted Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) on the top right side of the camera. A proper exposure, according to the
camera’s meter, is when the meter indicator is centered on the scale. The meter scale
covers a four stop range. Each hash mark represents 1/2 stop of exposure deviation.
A negative indication shows with underexposure and a positive indication shows with
overexposure.
DEP is for depth of field auto exposure mode. It allows the camera to decide the
appropriate aperture and focus position to provide enough depth of field to keep two
selected distances sharply in focus. The easiest way to use it is to turn the Command
Dial to DEP, and use the center auto focus sensor, point the camera at the first subject
and press the shutter button half way to autofocus. Let the buttonup and then point the
same AF sensor on the top of the second subject and press the shutter half way again
to allow the lens to autofocus on the second subject. Then reframe your camera and
take the picture. The camera will select a focus distance between the subject distances,
then select an aperture small enough to keep both subjects in focus and then select a
shutter speed that will provide proper exposure. If you select the same subject distance
twice, the camera will select the widest aperture available to keep depth of field very
shallow. The lens must be set to AF for DEP mode to work and if you are using a zoom
lens, you must not change its zoom setting during the entire procedure. You can also
manually or eye control select the side AF sensors, but I think it just adds confusion.
A blinking apertureindicatedthat sufficientdepth of field (DOF) can notbeachieved.
You must focus on subjects that are closer to the same distance apart or use a wider angle lens. Flash can not be used with DEP mode
CF (Custom Function) is discussed below
CAL (Elan IIe only) is used for calibrating the Eye Control Focus (ECF) of the
Elan IIe to the shape and size of your eye. Turn the Command Dial to CAL, look
directly at the blinking AF point, press and hold the shutter button until the camera
beeps. Then look directly at the next blinking AF point and hold the shutter button
until the camera beeps. Turn the camera to the vertical position and press and release
the shutter briefly. Then look directly at the blinking AF point, press and hold the
shutter button until the camera beeps. Then look directly at the next blinking AF point
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and hold the shutter button until the camera beeps. You’re all done, but you should
do this repeatedly in different kinds of lighting. The more you recalibrate, the more
accurate ECF will become.
There are three different calibration settings that can be used for different people
or for when you wear glasses, contacts, etc. You can change the calibration setting by
turning the Command Dial to CAL and then turning the Main Dial. You can see the
selection (1, 2 or 3) in both the viewfinder and the LCD on the top of the camera.
You can erase a calibration setting by selecting it and then holding the two small
thumbbuttons on the upper right of the camera back, until the setting blinks in the LCD
screen on the top of the camera. You should always erase a calibration setting if it is
to be used by another photographer. Then recalibrate to their eye. Otherwise someone
else’s previous calibrations will continue to effect their new ones.
2.4 Metering Mode
Just below, and on the same switch stem as the Command Dial is the Metering mode
switch. The front (blank square) position sets the camera to center weighted metering.
If you are very used to metering patterns of older manual cameras and automatically
correct for their metering errors in difficult situations, you might feel more comfortable
with this position. The middle position sets the camera to 9.5% partial area metering.
This is basically a fat spot meter. The area it meters is a bit larger than the bright
circular area surrounding the center AF point. By setting custom function #8 to "1",
the partial metering area will move to the area surrounding the active AF point if that
point is selected manually or by eye control, otherwise it stays in the center. The
rear position (square with circle in it) of the metering mode switch sets the camera to
evaluative metering mode. This divides the picture area up into several areas, meters
them independently and then compares that to a database of possible images that would
create such a pattern of light & dark areas. The camera’s computer then decides what
exposure to use. This mode works quite well and provides the highest percentage of
accurate exposures with the least amount of effort, but its down side is, you never
really know how much it is biasing the exposure towards the dark or light areas. If
you know what you’redoing, in difficult lighting, such as a backlit portrait or an arctic
fox in the snow, you would be better off using the partial meter and making your own
compensations. You’ll also learn more this way.
2.5 Self Timer / Remote Control
Just to the front and left of the Command Dial is the Self Timer button that also activates the IR remote switch. Press this button and the Self Timer indicator appears in
the LCD. If you press the shutter, you will have 10 seconds before the shutter fires.
This should give you time to get into the picture yourself. The red light on the front
of the camera will blink every second and speed up for the last two seconds before it
fires. The beeper will also sound during this time if you don’t have the beeper turned
off. With custom function #5 set to "1", the self timer is reduced to a 2 second delay
with the mirror raising as soon as you press the shutter. This is used primarily to reduce camera vibrations caused by the mirror movement. Its main purpose is in extreme
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