Why does my Canon 650D preview look brighter and blurrier than the final photo?
Asked 2/11/2014
1 views
2 answers
0
On my Canon 650D with a 50mm lens, the image I preview can look different from the final shot. The saved photo is often darker and has less background blur than what I expected from the preview. I don’t notice this as much with the kit lens. Is this normal, and are there any camera settings or controls on the 650D I should use to preview the actual depth of field and exposure more accurately?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
5
If I am understanding you correctly, it sounds like you are taking a photo with the aperture set to less than the smallest f/ number possible for the lens. When you use a smaller aperture (larger f/number) then the image is darker and the depth of field is bigger (resulting in a sharper background).
When you look through the viewfinder, the aperture is kept wide open so that you can see the most light. It only stops down when you actually take the photo or when you use a depth of field preview button if your camera has it; on your 650D, this is the small circular button just beneath the lens unlock button.
The image may also be darker if you are using too fast of a shutter speed.
Originally by user11392. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11392
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes, this is normal. On DSLRs, the lens is usually held wide open while you compose, so the viewfinder/live preview can look brighter and show shallower depth of field than the final image. When you take the shot, the lens stops down to your selected aperture; that makes the image darker and increases depth of field, so you see less bokeh.
If you want to preview the actual depth of field, use the depth-of-field preview button on the 650D (the small button near the lens mount). That stops the lens down to the chosen aperture so you can see a more realistic result.
Exposure can also differ if your shutter speed is fast, and the rear LCD brightness itself can mislead you. Many cameras adjust LCD brightness automatically, so the screen may look brighter than the recorded image. It’s best to learn how your LCD relates to the files on a computer and, if needed, set LCD brightness manually.
So: no special setting is required for the 50mm lens, but checking aperture, shutter speed, DOF preview, and LCD brightness will help.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI12y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Why does my Canon 700D preview look brighter than the final photo in Manual mode?
Why does my camera’s LCD preview look sharp, but the saved photo turns out blurry in low light?
Why does Canon Live View get brighter when flash is enabled, and how can I capture that look without flash?
Why can Portra 400 scans look darker than Portra 160 if ISO 400 film is faster?
Why does Photoshop sharpening look weaker after I click OK?