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Basic Camera Settings for a Canon DSLR Setup with Snappic
Basic Camera Settings for a Canon DSLR Setup with Snappic

In this article we will go through the recommended camera settings for your Canon DSLR when using Snappic

Damir avatar
Written by Damir
Updated over a week ago

In this guide, we will go through what camera settings you need to set up your DSLR when taking photos or videos at your booth. We will also go through the basic camera settings (ISO, Exposure, Aperture, Shutter Speed, and White Balance) you would need to adjust on the Snappic app when using a flash and without.

Just so you know, this will be a basic guide on what settings to use when setting up a Canon DSLR in your booth using Snappic.

We highly recommend researching and taking an introductory course on using a DSLR to learn more about White Balance, ISO, Exposure, Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Lighting.

In our example, we will use a Canon EOS M50 mark II. All Canon DSLRs have a similar menu but may not have the same features as the M50.

Feel free to use this guide with any compatible DSLR or Mirrorless camera, but be aware that the menus and settings may differ depending on your DSLR model and age. Also note that older DSLR cameras may struggle in low light, while newer ones have better image processing and can handle low light much better.


Table of Contents:


DSLR Photo Settings

If you are using the DSLR in your booth to shoot photos and videos, then we recommend that you use these settings:

First, you will need to select (M) Manual mode by rotating the dial on your DSLR. Then, you will select the menu button (MENU) on the DSLR to access the menu on the screen.

When the menu is on the screen, select (Shooting Settings) (this will be the tab labeled 1) and navigate to (Image Quality).

In the Image Quality tab, you can set RAW to (-) and set JPG to (S1). We recommend these settings because RAW images are extremely large and will take a very long time to process, whereas S1 JPEGs are generally the closest size to most of Snappic's template sizes.

If you want higher-quality JPEG images saved on the camera's SD card, select the JPEG (M) option. However, larger images will take longer to transfer to the Snappic app, and processing time may be longer.

Here is a handy guide to see the different sizes and image quality for different JPEG options:

Next, you can go to the (Shooting Settings) tab (this will be the tab labeled 4) and select (AF Operation). Here, you will need to change the selection to (ONE SHOT).

AF refers to Auto-Focus, and SERVO is best suited for moving subjects. When you hold the shutter button halfway, the camera will continuously try and focus on the subject.

DSLR Video Settings (Photo mode)

Next, we can adjust the settings for the videos. You can go to the other (Shooting Settings) (the tab labeled 8) and navigate to (Movie rec quality).

Set this to (FHD 60fps), which will help with slow-motion video recording. When using the DSLR in photo mode (the manual mode we are currently working in), the camera is limited to 60FPS (this will vary depending on the camera model).

When using this specific (FHD 60fps), you will need to set the VideoFX template up in a specific way on the Snappic backend. Log into your account, select the event, and navigate to the VideoFX Builder. When you set up your video templates for this event, you will need to adjust the following settings:

Set the (Output Frame Rate) to (Normal).

Under the (Video Timeline Tab), you will set the (Speed Multiplier) to (1/2) on all the app recordings that require slow motion.


DSLR Video Settings

If you are using the DSLR in your booth for video activations (such as a 360 booth), then we recommend that you use these settings:

Just so you know, you cannot take photos using the DSLR when using these settings.

First, you need to set the camera to Movie mode. This is the film camera icon highlighted in the image below. On the screen, you will see the Movie Recording option appear.

Once it is selected, you will see a small camera icon in the top left corner which you can then select (see the image below).

Now you can select Movie manual exp.

In the menu, you then need to go to Shooting Settings (under the tab labeled 1) and navigate to Movie Rec quality.

Then select High Frame Rate and Enable it.

This setting will allow you to record 720p at 120fps for slow-motion recording.

How to Enable Portrait Orientation

If you want your videos to be in portrait orientation, then under Function settings (under the tab labeled 1) navigate to Add Camera rotate info and Enable it.


Setting up DSLR camera settings in the Snappic app

Here we will show the recommended camera settings you would need to set to take the best quality photos/videos using your DSLR with Snappic. This includes ISO, Exposure, Aperture, Shutter Speed, and White Balance.

You don't need to adjust these settings physically on the DSLR, as you can control them straight from the Snappic app.

Just so you know, these settings will vary depending on the different lighting situations at your event, and they are only a guideline. To get the best quality output for your specific event, you need to read up on how to manually set these settings and adjust them according to the lighting situation. You can do this by watching tutorials on DSLR settings.

We highly recommend reading this article to learn more about Snappic's Camera adjustment settings.


DSLR Camera Settings


Without Flash

(For Photo and Video)

We recommend using these settings if you are using a constant light.

When starting your event on the iOS device, you are using on your booth. You will select Start Booth. You will then be taken to a page where you can adjust the camera settings.

At the top, there are different options you can choose to adjust the settings. The DSLR camera you have connected should be the first one selected. In this case, you can see that EOS M50 is selected (as shown in the image below).

Below are a few tabs: General, Image, Config, Info, and Compatibility. Select Image.

Under Image, you will see two sections: Preview, Photo, and Video Settings.

Shutter speed 1/125 (set and don't change)

ISO 1600 (set to 1600 and then increase if needed)

Aperture F5.6 (set and don't change)


With Flash

We recommend using these settings if you use a Flash or Speedlite with your DSLR.

When starting your event on the iOS device, you are using on your booth. You will select Start Booth. You will then be taken to a page where you can adjust the camera settings.

At the top, there are different options you can choose to adjust the settings for. The DSLR camera you have connected should be the first one selected. In this case, EOS M50 is selected (as per the image below).

Below are a few tabs, including General, Image, Config, Info, and Compatibility. Select Image.

Under Image, you will see two sections: Capture Settings and Live Preview Settings.

Preview

Shutter speed 1/30 (set and go lower if needed if it is too dark)

ISO 1600 (set and adjust if needed)

Aperture F6 (set and don't change)

Photo

Shutter speed 1/125 (set and don't change)

ISO 100 (set to 100 and then increase if needed if the image is dark)

Aperture F8 (Start from F8 and then, if needed, adjust to a higher number if images are bright)

Video

Shutter speed 1/125 (set and don't change)

ISO 1600 (set and adjust if needed)

Aperture F5.6 (set and don't change)

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