When using the 'macro' exposure mode on the EOS 300 I had expected that it would endeavour to give me a shutter speed/aperture combination where the camera attempted to maximise depth of field by offering small aperture. If anything, the opposite seems to happen- and I'm very surprised by that. I know how to use the controls to achieve what I want anyway, but want to know if what I'm experiencing is common, or if it is a fault in the camera (which is new) in which case i can take it back!

Cheers JIM

-- Jim Cross (iamacamera@hotmail.com), May 30, 2001

Answers

First of all excusme for my english but i am italian. I own a eos 50 which has the main program for macro shot and it has the main problem you have found with your camera. After have read a lot of books and manuals this is my opinion: the macro program try to expose correct foreground and background; has you know for foreground (insect flower etc.) the flash is the answer, but for background the only possibility for the camera is shutter and time exposure. If your foreground has not sufficient light the program must use large aperture in combination with a correct time. Before i had a manual minolta and i was used tu make shot with AV mode, but with my eos 50 i can't do because the camera (also if i use the flash) choses a time (for correct background exposure)that normally is to much long for hand held; also 1 second. The only solution i have found is to shot in manual mode, with an undersposure of 1,5-2 stop. The final result is that the main subject is normally well expose (flash light), while for the background it dipends if back of the main subject you have something that reflect the flash light; if yes no problem, if not the background normally is black. Last but not least put your attention also for the main subject exposure; i don't know why, but sometimes if you use spot metering and the flash, the subject is overexpose. Ciao Massimo

-- massimo marchesini (marchesini62@hotmail.com), May 30, 2001.