Intro
Looking through the menus on the Canon 5D Mark III, I can see that much has changed since my 40D was originally introduced. Many of the items that used to be Custom Functions with the 40D are now regular menu items. I’m assuming much of this came about due to the fact that a camera such as the 5D Mark III has so many different options and capabilities, a new method of organizing it became necessary. The menu itself is divided into 6 tabs, and each tab has multiple sections.
Looking through the menus on the Canon 5D Mark III, I can see that much has changed since my 40D was originally introduced. Many of the items that used to be Custom Functions with the 40D are now regular menu items. I’m assuming much of this came about due to the fact that a camera such as the 5D Mark III has so many different options and capabilities, a new method of organizing it became necessary. The menu itself is divided into 6 tabs, and each tab has multiple sections.
The easiest way to navigate the menu is using a
combination of the Quick Control button and the Multi-Controller. Use the Quick
Control button to quickly change tabs, while using the Multi-Controller to
change the sections on a tab and move up or down. Press down on the
Multi-Controller to change an option. You can also use the Quick Control Dial
and Set button to navigate up and down a set of menu items. Squares at the top
of the settings indicate which group of settings for a tab you are currently
in.
I won’t cover each and every item in the menu, as the
manual already does that and there is no need for me to reinvent the wheel.
However, I’ll run through some of the options that I deem significant to me or
that may prove most useful to you. It should be noted, that I’m going to skip
completely over the Auto Focus menu tab for now. I’ll have a whole post devoted
to the AF system found in the 5D Mark III, as it is really deserving of
detailed coverage.
Camera Operation
So starting with the first tab, Camera Operation, you’ll
come across “Beep” and “Release Shutter Without a Card”. Beep seems like an
insignificant option, until you’re using your camera in a quiet environment. I
can’t tell you the number of times I see photographers in what should be a
quiet environment leave this setting on. A wedding is a perfect example. Not
only does it scream you have no clue what you’re doing with this expensive
camera and you probably have the camera in Full-Auto mode, it is plain annoying
to those around you. I always set this option to off in every camera I have.
The next option regarding shooting without a card is much
more important. There is no valid reason for someone to have their camera set
to allow this. Its purpose is to allow the camera to be fired in the store, should
you want to test it, and leaving it that way will only provide you a headache
later. Imagine spending a little time out in the field shooting some of the
most majestic Bald Eagles, or those once in a lifetime shots of your child. Now
imagine opening up the memory card door only to find out that you forgot to put
the memory card in. With this option set to off, the camera will not take photos in
that type of circumstance and will warn you that the card is missing.
The “External Speedlight Control” menu comes in really
handy for adjusting an external flash from the camera, as opposed to the flash’s
buttons. I’ve used a similar menu with my 430EX and 40D. The 430EX isn’t the
easiest flash to set, as it lacks the thumbwheel of its bigger brother the
580EX. This menu makes things much easier for some flashes.
One of the most under-utilized menu options, for some
photographers, I’ve come across is “Mirror Lockup”. This option, and a camera
remote, is essential for long exposure and nighttime photography. Just the
slightest shake will blur the details in those types of shots, even on a good
sturdy tripod. Any camera movement will do this, even the click of the mirror being
raised, which is what you a using this option to avoid. So I always use mirror
lockup in long exposure situations, to raise the mirror, and then allow a few
seconds to pass before pressing the button on the remote again to take the
actual photograph. This has been available on camera for years, but as I’ve
said it is quite often under-utilized.
On the next section of the Camera Operation tab, you’ll
find “AEB” and “Exposure Compensation” in the menu. I’ll cover AEB more in
depth in an upcoming article involving the 5D Mark III and how I shoot HDR,
although I did want to mention it though. In regards to exposure compensation,
I usually set it by using the Quick Control Dial but it can also be set via the
menu as well.
I should mention that I tend to do as much as I can with
the various buttons on the camera, including exposure compensation, while looking
through the viewfinder. You have to get used to it, but once you do I find it’s
much quicker to make adjustments on the fly. Regardless of how you set exposure
compensation, it is a vital tool for the photographer.
Likewise, I don’t usually set my ISO speed by the menu, even
though you can. However, the “ISO Speed Settings” option in the menu does offer
access to the Auto ISO parameters. I’m not a big Auto ISO user, as I prefer to
change the ISO speed myself as needed. I don’t like having unknown variables
introduced by the camera. Some people may find it useful in low light, so that
they keep the shutter speed high enough to avoid camera shake.
There is one situation I could see myself using Auto ISO,
but unfortunately Canon seems to have left that possibility on the drawing
board. There are times I’m forced to handhold a long zoom lens, and being able
to force the camera to have a minimum shutter speed of 1/500 or 1/1000 would be
very helpful in those situations. Unfortunately Auto ISO is limited to a
minimum shutter speed of 1/250 of a second. I could see this even being useful
when the camera is used in conjunction with a monopod. I could be wrong, but I
would think this change could be easily addressed via firmware if Canon would
explore it as an option.
Moving to the next section, since I normally shoot raw
images, I set my picture style to Neutral. This helps keep the histogram output
as close to the raw image as possible. The histogram is based off of the jpg
preview embedded in the raw file, and the jpg preview is created using the
picture style you have chosen. From what I can tell, Neutral and Faithful are
the two styles that process this jpg preview as closely to what was captured as
possible.
On the last section of the Camera settings menu, I find
the Meter Timer option very helpful. Since the camera always meters at the
center focus point when any mode other than evaluative metering is used, I sometimes
find myself pointing the center focus point somewhere, setting the Exposure
Lock, and then recomposing my shot. Setting the Metering Time allows me more
time to recompose, I don’t feel as rushed. This is especially handy when I’m
trying to re-position the 5D Mark III when it’s attached to a tripod that is low
to the ground as it is sometimes a little awkward to get it re-positioned.
Moving on to the Playback Menu, you’ll find the bottom
option on the first section is Raw Image Processing. I haven’t used this
option, but I do find the possibilities interesting, especially if you shoot using
either RAW or RAW+jpg. This option allows you to create jpgs, in camera, after
the shot has been taken. This could prove useful had you forgotten to enable RAW+jpg
mode, or simply needed a quick jpg after the shot had been taken. Similar to
that ability, is the ability to resize images in the camera. This option only
works on certain jpg sizes, but could prove useful if you were caught with a
nearly full memory card. You could resize several images, freeing up some room
on the installed memory card.
The next section has one of the most important settings I
could ever recommend changing, outside of not allowing the camera to shoot
without a card. This option is Highlight Alert, or the ‘blinkies’ as it is
sometimes called.
When enabled, this will blink areas of the image that are
overexposed, alternating them between white and black. The image must be in
either histogram or fullscreen views for the Highlight Alert to notify you.
This option on my cameras has saved me more times than I can count, allowing me
to retake an overexposed shot after checking it on my rear LCD! To compliment
Highlight Alert, I also enable the Histogram Display to show me brightness
instead of color.
One last noteworthy item in this menu is Magnification.
If you routinely find yourself checking the focus of an image on the camera’s
LCD screen, setting the magnification to a higher value here will instantly
zoom you into the image further without the need to use the Main Dial. All you
do is press the magnifying glass button to be whisked into a much deeper zoom
level!
Next time, we’ll dive into more of the menu options…
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