Just found new Canon Trick

smooth

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Threebrows
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Matt
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Hey all! :wave:
Probably you all already know this cool feature of the 5D but when I was just taking some shots I found you could switch the focus point for just one shot by using the small joystick to the right of the LCD that is usually used for navigating when zoomed in on already taken shots etc. Just by pushing it left right, up or down you can select any focus point or even just click it to select the center point.

Really handy to quickly select which focus point you wish to use whilst quickly being able to reframe and shoot!

As I say you probably all know this already but if one person didnt then I hope this is a neat new trick for you!

V handy indeed!

Edit: So far variants on this trick have been discovered on:
40D, 5D Mk2, 20D and 50D!
 
well I didn't know that either
off to take some pixses in a mo
so will give it a try! - cheers! :thumbs:
 
Thats pretty handy, just tried it on the 40D and only works after pressing the focus point selector buttony thing, but doesn't just chane for one shot :(

Didn't realise I could use it at all though....so will be handy...oh and then pushing for center works too. Just a shame it isn't just for one shot :(
 
Jimmy_Lemon said:
Thats pretty handy, just tried it on the 40D and only works after pressing the focus point selector buttony thing, but doesn't just chane for one shot :(

Didn't realise I could use it at all though....so will be handy...oh and then pushing for center works too. Just a shame it isn't just for one shot :(
Click to expand...

same with 20D
 
Jimmy - just had another play and on the 5D it does lock on and stay on for more than one shot...

That is awesome that some peeps are benefiting! Totally was expecting everyone to say "well Duh!"
:)

Jimmy - why are you a party pooper? You know custom titles are a gateway to the soul?
 
Huh? Be buggered if it works for me. I can change by pressing the 'change focus point' button first, then using the joystick, but it makes it a permanent change just the same as the mini-wheel. And as I hate the joystick, the mini-wheel seems a far better option for me.

Do you need some other button/function enabled?
 
In case you've missed it, I've got my old 5D DVD user guide doing the rounds. Jump into this thread if you want it for a few days....costs you 48p to post it on. The queues empty at the moment so there's no waiting time.

Bob
 
Jimmy_Lemon said:
Thats pretty handy, just tried it on the 40D and only works after pressing the focus point selector buttony thing, but doesn't just chane for one shot :(

Didn't realise I could use it at all though....so will be handy...oh and then pushing for center works too. Just a shame it isn't just for one shot :(
Click to expand...

Theres a custom function that will allow you to do it without pressing the focus point selector :) Still not "one shot only" though
 
Neil and Jimmy - just push the point selector (not joystick) again and it resets it to all points!
 
dfrear said:
Theres a custom function that will allow you to do it without pressing the focus point selector :) Still not "one shot only" though
Click to expand...

ah so there is.

C.FnIII option 3 for anyone else on 40D - have set it to "Multi-Controller Direct" now and can now just use the joystick to change the point or press the old selector button and it goes to all points....that's gonna save a lot of time! :)
 
Thanks to the OP and Jimmy, works on the 50D like a charm too :D
 
Cor BALIMEY!
I never thought this post would benefit so many different people!
Awesome!!! :)

I dont think me fiddling with my camera has ever had such a good result! (AND that includes pictures!!) :p
 
Easy Ed! Didnt mean to offend!

... its against the 'man rules' to read a manual... unless it is a last resort! :p
 
smoothedit said:
Easy Ed! Didnt mean to offend!

... its against the 'man rules' to read a manual... unless it is a last resort! :p
Click to expand...

LOL, you haven't offended me, when I first saw your post I thought oh dear someone hasn't read the manual, then all these replies appeared impressed with this new found 'trick'

I really think that modern DSLRs have so many features that you shouldn't read the manual once, you should flick through it on a regular basis to reinforce what you know and add to what you don't.

Might have less posts then about why people's cameras don't seem to work as they expect.
 
EdBray said:
Might have less posts then about why people's cameras don't seem to work as they expect.
Click to expand...

Fair point Ed!

Although I think a fair few peeps here would have the intelligence to look in manual before making a complaint as to the way their camera works or so you would hope!
 
Yes it works, but do bear in mind that in AI-Servo, the non-central AF points are definitely worse than the central one.
 
Jimmy_Lemon said:
ah so there is.

C.FnIII option 3 for anyone else on 40D - have set it to "Multi-Controller Direct" now and can now just use the joystick to change the point or press the old selector button and it goes to all points....that's gonna save a lot of time! :)
Click to expand...
I.m still annoyed at you for editing my post :p but cool tip, Thanks Mr Lemon :thumbs:

EdBray said:
Don't any of you RTFM? :bang:
Click to expand...

Years ago a very wise man gave me a piece of advice
and to this day I have always stuck to it

"if in doubt clout if all else fails ready the bloody handbook"

Works for me :thumbs: :D
 
EdBray said:
LOL, you haven't offended me, when I first saw your post I thought oh dear someone hasn't read the manual, then all these replies appeared impressed with this new found 'trick'

I really think that modern DSLRs have so many features that you shouldn't read the manual once, you should flick through it on a regular basis to reinforce what you know and add to what you don't.

Might have less posts then about why people's cameras don't seem to work as they expect.
Click to expand...

There was a tech question in a recent Digital Photographer mag where somebody was asking what the A-Dep function on the dial was for on his Canon somethingD. Instead of telling him to get off his fat backside and read his manual, they obligingly devoted a quarter of a page to telling him. I wrote and told them that if they were going to waste valuable real estate on people too lazy to read a manual but can find the time to write to a mag and get somebody else to do the work, then I would cancel my sub and read their mag in Smiths.

It's not nuclear physics lads. Read the manual. Remember the useful and important stuff. Make note of stuff which although is a bit beyond you now, like the custom functions, may be useful later. I personally never use that joystick thing, but I know it's there and what it can do. As for the print button, well.........
 
I set this on my 40D after a few days as I spotted it in the Custom functions and thought it sounded good. I do have issues selecting the upper right corner AF point though, mainly through hamfistedness. Tis a great feature.
 
I've been doing this since I got my 50D, saves having to cycle through all the focus points with the selector wheel. I read the manual though :P
 
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