After having covered the other menu options in the last two articles, this time around I’m going to cover
the Custom Function settings on the Canon 5D Mark III.
Unlike with the other two articles, this one will cover practically every
option within the custom functions. Given that most of these are very useful to
me at some point, I thought that all of the options were worthy of mention. I
will also briefly cover the last tab on the 5D Mark III’s menu as well.
The Custom Functions further tailor the camera to how you
want the camera to operate, so in many cases these settings may be more of a
personal preference. However, these functions are quite different from the
previously mentioned menu items, as the settings here will sometimes affect
more than one aspect of the camera. There are four sections to the Custom
Function tab. These are: Exposure, Display/Operation, Others, and finally a
section that allows you to reset all the Custom Function settings.
First of all, Canon makes it easy to determine if you
have changed a Custom Function. All you need to do is to simply note the color
of the setting option. If the setting is in white, it is set to the default. If
the setting is in blue, you have altered the setting from its default. This
gives you the ability to quickly determine what you have changed, and what you
haven’t. However, don’t be confused once you are actually in the menu for a
particular setting, as the meanings change. Blue is the currently set option,
while white are the alternative choices.
Exposure Section
In the Exposure section, you’ll find the function to
allow you to specify whether you want to increment the exposure level adjustments
in 1/3-stop or 1/2-stop increments. I prefer to keep the default setting here,
as I like to have as granular control of the exposure as possible. However,
some people prefer to have to scroll less to adjust the exposure, so a 1/2-stop
setting would be more preferential for them. This setting will affect nearly
every aspect of camera, since setting the exposure is vital to things such as Auto
Exposure Bracketing (AEB), Flash Exposure, and Exposure Compensation. Note that
this will also affect shutter speed and aperture selections.
Closely related to the Exposure Level increment function,
is the ISO speed increment setting. However, the increment options are
different, allowing you to choose between the 1/3-stop and 1-stop options.
Considering the wide range of ISO speeds available to the 5D Mark III, which
range from 50 to 102,400 with ISO expansion on, I could see some photographers
really wanting to change this to the 1-stop option to help speed up changing
between the lower and higher ISO range. However, I leave this set at the
default of 1/3-stop.
The next option is Bracketing Auto Cancel. This setting
determines whether the bracketed series persists when the camera is switched
off. I use this setting in its default setting of On. This means that when the
camera is turned off or switched to movie mode, and bracketed series you are
shooting will be cancelled. This way I can cancel a bracketed series of shots
by turning the camera off, should I not wish to continue. If you prefer to
change this behavior, so the bracketed series will persist through camera power
cycles, simply change this setting to Off.
Bracketed sequence is next on the list of Custom
Functions. Bracketing sequence controls the order in which the bracketed shots
are taken. As you should know by now, for AEB, you’ll take a series of
underexposed, overexposed, and normal shots. This order can be set to:
- Standard, Underexposed, Overexposed
- Overexposed, Standard, Underexposed
- Underexposed, Standard, Overexposed
I have my camera set to the underexposed, standard,
overexposed (- 0 +) option.
I do not use white balance bracketing, but this option
will also control the exposures for it as well. As with AEB, this allows you to
control the order in which the shots are taken, from the standard white balance
to the two bias shots. This holds true for both Blue/Amber and Magenta /Green
white balance options.
The next item you’ll run across controls the number of
bracketed shots for both AEB and White Balance bracketed series. You can choose
between 2, 3, 5, and 7 shots. This is helpful, as many photographers know that
you sometimes need more shots to capture the results you desire, especially
when shooting an AEB series where you need a really wide dynamic range. This
allows you to tailor the number of shots, expanding the captures when needed,
but reducing them when you don’t need as many shots to process later. I use a
value of 5 here. If I run into a scenario where I need more shots, I’ll change
it then.
The last option in the Exposure section is Safety Shift.
Safety shift provides you a level of cushion. Should your shot be overexposed,
the camera will adjust the shot settings in an attempt to bring the shot back
to the proper exposure. There are two modes you can chose from: Tv/Av or ISO.
Tv/Av will work in both Aperture and Shutter Priority Modes, while ISO will
work in both of those modes, but also P (Program Mode). The way these two
options work is slightly different. Tv/Av will adjust the aperture or shutter
speed in an attempt to correct the exposure, while ISO will change you ISO
setting.
For ISO mode, the minimum and maximum values you have set
for Auto ISO will be in effect, although a higher manually value will override
the ISO setting. You should be aware of this, as higher ISO settings can lead
to more noise in the image. One last gotcha for Safety Shift is you should be
aware that the shift will take place even if you are using a flash.
I normally do not use Safety Shift, as I check my image
using Highlight Alert and the histogram after I shoot anyway. So if the image
is overexposed, I can readjust the settings myself. I prefer to know that my
settings stay fixed where I set them. If something isn’t exposed correctly,
I’ll take care of adjusting the settings myself.
Display/Operation Section
The next section on the Custom Functions tab is the
Display/Operation section. The first of these operations controls if warnings
appear in the viewfinder. You can set each of the following warnings
individually, allowing you to fully tailor what you wish to be warned about. The
list of warning options is as follows:
- When Monochrome is Set
- When White Balance is Corrected
- When One-Touch Image Quality is Enabled
- When ISO Expansion is Enabled
- When Spot Metering is Enabled
All of these items have the potential to really ruin a
photograph. However, so does other settings being set as well… right? In this
case these items are different, as looking through the viewfinder you may not
know that these items are set. Take monochrome being enabled for example. You
can be happily taking shot after shot, never knowing from looking through the
viewfinder that you are in monochrome mode. The only time you may notice it,
would be if you happened to review the image in the viewfinder.
The same could be said for when you are using a corrected/custom
white balance. While if you were shooting RAW you could correct the image in
post-processing, it would be much easier to get the shot right in the camera. One-Touch
being set merits a warning due to the fact you could easily change the image
quality setting, affecting an entire day of shooting. One-Touch makes it easier
to swap image quality settings, but can have disastrous results should you
inadvertently change it.
ISO Expansion being on would sometimes be really tough to
spot on the rear LCD. I’ve yet to need to enable the two higher ISO settings,
as even 25,600 has worked extremely well on the occasions I’ve needed it. The
5D Mark III produces exceptionally low-noise images at ISO settings up to the
normal range. However, if you did enable ISO Expansion the images could end up
with excessive noise and you wouldn’t necessarily see that until you downloaded
and viewed the images later.
Spot Metering is another useful option the 5D Mark III
provides, but it isn’t the ideal metering option most of the time. Usually one
of the other options is a better fit, and the use of Spot Metering could easily
cause most of the image to be overexposed. Thus the ability of the camera to also
warn you that Spot Metering is enabled.
I have all of these warnings enabled, and if one of these
conditions causes an error you’ll see an exclamation mark surrounded by an
octagon (stop sign). This indicates you have a setting selected that could
adversely affect your image. You’ll have to train yourself to notice the warning
symbol, as it is not extremely obtrusive. However, since you may intend to
shoot this way, having it light up in red wouldn’t be ideal either. I’d suggest
expanding this custom function to include the ability for the warning to be
black or red.
Live View Shooting area involves how the view is
displayed on the rear LCD screen of the 5D Mark III depending upon how the
aspect ratio is set. You have the choice of an outline or black bars. I don’t
use the Live view option, nor is video is not a concern of mine with the 5D
Mark III, as I bought it for still photography. It takes excellent video from
what I understand, and at some point I may explore that option. However, until
I have a reason, I have left this option on its default setting.
The next item you’ll run across is Dial Direction During
TV/AV. When in Aperture or Shutter Priority modes the Main Dial next to the
Shutter Button controls either the aperture or shutter speed depending upon the
mode you are in. The dial direction option allows you to reverse the operation
of that dial, if you prefer that it operates in the reverse fashion. I employ
this option, as it just makes more sense to me for the camera to stop the
aperture down as I move the dial to toward the lens (counter-clockwise). My old
film cameras used to be controlled by the aperture ring on the lens rotating
counter-clockwise, so this just makes more sense to me. It’s a matter of
personal preference though.
With the Multi-Function Lock setting, you can lockout one,
or all, of three things on your camera. These are the Main Dial, Quick Control
Dial, or the Multi-Controller. The lockout button is found below the Quick
Control Dial, and its behavior will be completely determined by this setting.
Note that this only affects you while you are outside the menu system. Even
with the dials locked out, you can still use them to navigate the menus.
This solves a problem that users of other Canon models
complained about for quite some time, the Quick Control Dial getting bumped
allowing the settings to change. I never had a huge issue with the Quick
Control Dial, but did have problems with my auto focus point getting changed if
I bumped the Multi-Controller while I was shooting. With this option, Canon
allows you to lock them down. I prefer to lock down both the Quick Control Dial
and the Multi-Controller.
Custom Controls is a rather large item with a couple of sub-menus.
What it does is allow you to tailor many of the items on the camera to suit
your needs, assigning your most used camera functions to something that
wouldn’t normally control it. This option is the single biggest personalization
available to you on the 5D Mark III. The manual provides a full chart of what
you can set the controls to on page 322, and all of the settings are really a
matter of personal preference. My current settings are as follows:
·
Shutter Button: Metering Start
·
AF-On Button: Metering and AF Start
·
AE Lock Button: AE Lock
·
DOF Preview Button: One Shot/AI Servo
·
Lens AF Stop: AF Off
·
Multi-Function Button: Viewfinder Level
·
Set Button: Review Image
·
Main Dial: Av in Manual Mode
·
Quick Control Dial: Tv in Manual Mode
·
Multi-Controller: AF Point Selection
Other Items
Other Items
In the third section of the Custom Function tab, you have
the option to add cropping information. This option does two things. First, if
you use Live View, you’ll see vertical lines on the screen indicating the
aspect ratio for what you are shooting. This helps you to better compose the
shot. Secondly, the cropping information is also stored with the shot, allowing
capable software to use that information to crop the shot to the aspect ratio
you selected.
The last option with in the Custom Functions is the default
Erase Option. This setting lets you change which option is preselected when you
hit the delete button when reviewing images. You can choose between cancel or
erase. I have changed mine to default to erase, as choosing this allows me to
delete a photo without having to change from cancel to delete in the box that
pops up after hitting the delete button.
The only downside to this is the fact it is easier to accidently delete
an image if you aren’t paying attention.
After three articles on the Canon 5D Mark III menu
system, we’ve arrived at the end of the menu. Well, we didn’t cover the Auto Focus
menu yet, but that is coming soon (I promise)! What you’re probably thinking
now is that the menu offers an array of possibilities, but yet it is sometimes
going to be hard to quickly find those options that are most important to you. Well
you’re in luck, because Canon has that covered as well!
My Menu
Enter the My Menu tab. This tab allows you to set up to
six menu options to display on this tab, providing you quick access to them.
This would be the options that you deem the ones that you use the most. While I’d
love to have the option for more than six, six is certainly better than none.
What I currently have set for quick access here is as follows:
·
Mirror Lockup
·
Exposure Compensation/AEB
·
Zoom Magnification
·
Battery Info
·
Sensor Cleaning
·
Format Card
If you go into the My Menu Settings option, you’ll find
that you can add/delete options, as well as sort them in any manner you wish.
So it’s finally time to close this lengthy article down.
Next time around we’ll cover the Auto Focus system of the Canon 5D Mark III.
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