Comments on: Camera Preset Buttons: Quickly returning to your previous settings

By: Hasnain Shabbir

Hasnain Shabbir — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 17:49:41 +0000

Is there anyway that older canon cameras that do not have C1/C2/C3 dial options, can be hacked to convert the pre-defined buttons (high speed, night, portrait, macro etc.) and convert them into custom settings that we want?

By: Patrick Hall Admin

Patrick Hall Admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 04:04:01 +0000

If you aren’t setting your WB manually, then you are wasting time in post.

By: Lee

Lee — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 04:02:15 +0000

2 good reasons:

I like the look of the jpgs rather than raws out of adobe.

It’s simpler and faster to shoot jpg.

By: John

John — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 22:37:54 +0000

do you realy set WB manually? i don’t see any reason why not to shoot raw in the first place which comes with many other advantages. just give me 2 good reasons. thanks!

By: Patrick Hall Admin

Patrick Hall Admin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:51:09 +0000

Yeah I agree. It’s not that I can’t figure out the exposure again, it is that I need it fast. I can quickly set my camera back to “ISO 800, WB 6000, SS 1/2000, etc” quicker than I can find an image taken 20 mins ago. My idea is for it to be lightning fast and simple like the iphone….one button

By: Lee

Lee — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:41:00 +0000

I do like this idea however it does have a flaw… If I take 100 images, then go inside and take another 100 images, when I go back outside, now I have to backup 100 images to find the last shot I took outside. I need speed or I wont use it.

By: Eric Duminil

Eric Duminil — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:59:00 +0000

I’m surprised nobody mentioned it, but this feature might be awesome:

1) In playback mode, choose a picture that you’ve taken before and that suits the environment/settings you’d like to shoot in.

2) Press the “depth of field preview” button, and the camera sets itself to the corresponding shutter speed, aperture, white balance, ISO, autofocus mode, flash power output, color profile, fps, ….

There’s more than enough information in the EXIF metadata!
No need for an extra storage medium or an extra button.

Now, get back to work, Canon & Nikon engineers! :D

By: Pete

Pete — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:06:39 +0000

Hey fellas, just uploaded a vid (finally!) demonstrating Canon’s custom shooting modes, how to set them up and use them on a shoot. I don’t have anywhere near the video skills you guys do, but I think it covers the basics for those who aren’t familiar with Canon’s setup.

Here’s the YouTube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVXD1EUf0Jk

Any way you can embed that into the FStoppers website?

I agree with Kevin, Nikon could rather easily add a few options in the firmware, the problem might be availability of allocatable internal memory to store the shooting parameters. Assuming they have the space, or the camera could borrow space on the removable media, you’re in business.

By: Lee

Lee — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:49:42 +0000

Hey Kevin, This is Patrick. I love your idea maybe even better than mine. I’m not sure how this would work in terms of changing the dial to C1 after setting your exposure and then having it save vs resort back to the last C1 setting but I like it a lot. I think we both agree that a feature like this needs to be added to the camera. Nothing drives me crazy more than setting up studio shots, then shooting natural light, then strobed and having to quickly bounce back and forth between those 3 settings (not to mention video settings where you can’t shoot RAW). Let’s hope Nikon hears our voice and adds such a simple feature to their next DSLRs either in button form or Firmware. Thanks for the comments

By: kevin

kevin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:59:50 +0000

I, too, feel Canon’s C1/C2/C3 options are far superior to Nikon’s current customization options. With that said, Nikon could easily implement a similar solution without the addition of any new buttons or dials! Nikon does not use a dial like Canon does for shooting mode, but rather does it all digitally. There is a “mode” button and then you spin the thumb wheel to move to M, A, S, or P. Nikon should add C1, C2, … Cn to this list. Scroll to the mode you want and release the “mode” button to use, or hold for 3 seconds to memorize ALL of the camera’s current settings. This could be done in firmware! Our current cameras could be updated with this functionality! Please, please, please!