The Unofficial Canon EOS 650 Instruction Manual
If the search for a manual that brought you here was littered with others also searching for the same thing, you'll know why I sat down and worked out a manual for the Canon EOS 650 on my own. Now, I'm not a photographer, not even close. In fact I bought the Canon EOS 650 (sans le manual) as a present for my girlfriend a while ago, and have never used an SLR in my life, let alone one with modes and stuff. I do understand cameras though, and I have a knack with things that have buttons and displays (I'm a computer techie, for my sins). Sufficed to say, this isn't a reference manual (I think the one that comes with the camera is 20 odd pages), but is intended to help people who just need some help figuring out what all the buttons and modes do (shame on Canon for not publishing the manuals on their website. Surely encouraging second hand sales of their products would bring returns in lens sales and a future customer base far larger than flogging a few manuals?). As far as I can tell, this is the best you'll find in terms of a manual on the net, and it should be Ok with an EOS 620 too, as I think they share a manual.
If you have any corrections, additions or suggestions (or even a manual ;-)), you are more than welcome to drop me a line. There are some EOS 650 features I know I don't yet understand fully. I could use a few more details about the buttons on the lens mount, and does anyone know if this camera can take double exposures? Of course, as soon as I find out more this site will be updated.
Here are some links to the sites I used to help me produce the Unofficial Canon EOS 650 Instruction Manual, unfortunately I'm a bit disorganised and didn't add all of them to my favourates, but I'll try to find them again.
The power switch and its modes
L = Off
Turning anticlockwise to get the viewfinder icon gives you fully auto mode, point and click
Turn clockwise to A for multimode
The next mode clockwise just turns the speaker on - it shortens battery life and patience
Multimode operation
Holding down the Mode button while moving the wheel under your right hand index finger allows you to select the different camera modes. In all modes (including manual) the camera will focus for you. To turn off this feature flick the AF/M (autofocus/manual) switch on the lens base
M = fully manual mode. Turning the wheel adjusts shutter speed, while doing so with the M button depressed adjusts aperture size (the m button is located at the lens mounting). There is a button next to the m button that does the same thing, except that the aperture is set before taking the photograph (usually the aperture stays fully open until you actually take a shot)
P = Automatic. This is the same as the automatic mode accessible from the power switch, but it allows you to use the backlight compensation and Exp.Comp buttons (addressed later in this manual, under Other Settings)
Tv = Shutter Priority mode. Select the desired shutter speed by rotating the wheel, and the camera works out the correct aperture setting
Av = Aperture Priority mode. Select the desired aperture setting, and the camera works out the correct shutter speed
Depth = Depth of Field mode. In this mode you can let the camera work out the correct settings for a desired depth of field, which seeing as my EOS 650 doesn't have a depth of field guide on the lens is probably a good thing (I wouldn't actually know, as I've yet to have a roll of film processed). Point at the nearest point you want in focus and half depress the shoot button. The camera will display "Depth 1". Do the same for the furthest point you want in focus - the camera displays "Depth 2". Now take the photograph. The camera will adjust its settings to try and get all three of it's readings in focus. If desired, you can check the settings it has chosen by half depressing the shoot button before taking the shot. It will display the aperture and shutter speed in the viewfinder; the distance of focus is read from the top of the lens. I think there might be a little more to this feature - if you know more about it then please mail me. I'll update the site accordingly. I've found a good depth of field resource on the web - here
Other Settings
Exp.Comp - short for Exposure Composition. This allows you to adjust the exposure of a shot away from the neutral that the camera always tries to achieve. Hold down the Exp.Comp button and turn the wheel. Exp.Comp can be adjusted positive, which increases the exposure, or negative, which decreases exposure
EOS 650 / 620 Button Without a name. The button under your right hand thumb is for switching light metering modes. Normally the camera operates in 6 spot evaluative metering mode, where a number of measurements are taken to try and get good exposure over the whole frame. When this button is depressed while taking a shot, or while half depressing the shoot button, the camera takes a light reading from the centre 6.5% of the viewing area. This centre weighted reading is useful when you want a specific area of a shot to be exposed correctly, as such the exposure is locked as long as this button is held down, allowing you to take a reading from one place, then move the camera to take a photo without changing the shutter speed or aperture. If you have any more info about this feature then drop me a line.
Buttons Under the Flap at the Back
Rewind Film. Self-explanatory really, film can be rewound mid roll
AF. This changes the auto focus mode between One Shot and Servo. Hold down the button and spin the wheel under you right index finger. In One Shot mode the camera focuses only once, when the shoot button is half depressed. In Servo mode the camera focuses continuously from time the shoot button is half depressed until the shot is taken (useful for sports etc.)
S.C.Timer. Changes shooting modes between Single Shot, Continuous Shooting and Timer. Hold this button down and spin the wheel under your right hand index finger to change modes. Single shot simply takes a shot each time the shoot button is pressed. In Continuous shooting mode the camera will take as many photos as it can as long as you hold down the shoot button. In timer mode a shot will be taken 10 seconds after you press the shoot button. An LED on the front of the camera flashes on the front of the camera to let you know how long is left. Thanks to Francis J. Roy for his help in figuring this one out.
Battery. Also self-explanatory, press and the bars on the LCD tell you how much battery is left. The display flashes Bc all the time when the battery is getting low. This button also cancels the self timer countdown, in case you forget to turn the counter off (Thanks to Ian Farrell for that one). If you think your batteries are running down too quickly, there is a known problem with the electronic fo the EOS 650 that a service centre should be able to sort out for you
ISO. Press down both the AF and S.C.Timer buttons together to access the film speed ISO adjustment (200, 400 etc). As always, spin the wheel to adjust
Changing lenses
To attach a lens, seat it into the camera body with the red dots lining up. Twist clockwise. To remove the lens, hold down the release button (the large one on the lens mounting), and turn anti clockwise. Lenses, as you probably know, as you bought it, are specific to the EOS family of cameras (and compatable cameras, I think)
Changing film
First rewind the film... At the left hand end of the camera body there is a clip, and a safety button. Slide the release clip down while holding down the safety button. The camera auto loads, pull the film out a little until it reaches just over the roller at the other end of the housing. I read somewhere that if you want to leave the film leader out of the film housing, you can pop open the back just after the frame counter reads "1". I would be careful if trying this though, too soon and you may ruin a couple of shots, too late and you'll loose the end of the film anyway. There is also a risk that using the camera in a way it wasn't designed for will break it, disclaimer, etc.
Changing Batteries
Undo the screw at the right hand end of the camera body