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Archive 2023 · Main Dial for Aperture

Goingbaroque2
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Main Dial for Aperture

Long time Nikon user that is considering moving to mirrorless with Canon, and I was wondering if there are any Canon bodies that allow for the aperture to be controlled with the 'main dial' (index finger) when in manual mode?

I am used to adjusting the aperture with the index finger, and the shutter with the thumb. I once had a 5dm3 and only kept it for a few months and never got used to the circular dial on the back. I just flipped through a few user manuals for the newer cameras, and it looks like the main dial still only controls the shutter when in manual mode? Or am I missing something?

Oct 01, 2023 at 11:51 AM

Abbott Schindl
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Main Dial for Aperture

You can definitely do that with the R5, and I expect that at least the R3, R6, and R7 have similar button programmability.

If you've got the manuals, look at the orange ("camera") setup options. There you can see the button customization options.

Oct 01, 2023 at 12:00 PM

TomSchriefer
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Main Dial for Aperture

That has been pretty standard on Canon cameras since the EOS 1N film camera (1991?). I don't think all the xxxD series had it.

Oct 01, 2023 at 01:16 PM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Main Dial for Aperture

M is the only mode you can flip the Aperture and Shutter control between the main and top dial. You are in luck. Works great with Auto ISO.

Oct 01, 2023 at 04:18 PM

Goingbaroque2
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Main Dial for Aperture

Found it! Thank you. The procedure looks identical on the bodies that I'm considering - very nice.

On a related note, can someone confirm whether or not it's possible to assign shutter control to Quick Control Dial 2?

Oct 01, 2023 at 05:03 PM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Main Dial for Aperture

Goingbaroque2 wrote:
Found it! Thank you. The procedure looks identical on the bodies that I'm considering - very nice.

On a related note, can someone confirm whether or not it's possible to assign shutter control to Quick Control Dial 2?

Yes you can. I mentioned main and top dial. I should have been more specific. The top dial sis QC Dial 2. In Manual AF you can flip those two with Shutter and Aperture. Sorry about that.

Oct 01, 2023 at 11:33 PM

TomSchriefer
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Main Dial for Aperture

Zenon Char wrote:
M is the only mode you can flip the Aperture and Shutter control between the main and top dial. You are in luck. Works great with Auto ISO.

Wrong. Totally. 1DIV, 6D, 80D, 90D, 6DII, 1N, IV all have this feature. IIRC, we can also include the 1DIII, 60D, 70D, and some of the ELAN 7 Series. 7N? 7S?. I shoot all my Canons with aperture on the front dial, and shutter on the main back wheel. It is a rare camera that CAN'T do this.

Oct 02, 2023 at 03:26 AM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Main Dial for Aperture

TomSchriefer wrote:
Wrong. Totally. 1DIV, 6D, 80D, 90D, 6DII, 1N, IV all have this feature. IIRC, we can also include the 1DIII, 60D, 70D, and some of the ELAN 7 Series. 7N? 7S?. I shoot all my Canons with aperture on the front dial, and shutter on the main back wheel. It is a rare camera that CAN'T do this.

So with all those bodies you can program the main dial and QC2 or top dial so they can flip back and forth between the shutter speed and aperture in non Manual modes?

Oct 02, 2023 at 08:32 AM

TomSchriefer
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Main Dial for Aperture

I've been caught with my pants down. I only shoot in M and Av, so I assumed (thought) that it worked in all modes. In Manual, you can have the front dial do aperture, and the rear do shutter speed. In Tv and P, the idea doesn't even make sense. I put aperture on the front dial in M so that it matches Av mode. Apologies for my confusion. I'm leaving my original posts as testimony to my shortcomings.

Oct 02, 2023 at 07:48 PM

Abbott Schindl
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Main Dial for Aperture

TomSchriefer wrote:
I've been caught with my pants down. I only shoot in M and Av, so I assumed (thought) that it worked in all modes. In Manual, you can have the front dial do aperture, and the rear do shutter speed. In Tv and P, the idea doesn't even make sense. I put aperture on the front dial in M so that it matches Av mode. Apologies for my confusion. I'm leaving my original posts as testimony to my shortcomings.

In a way, it actually does make sense. Think, "I've set my camera to operate in a particular mode, and the front dial is the one I'm most likely to operate first." Then, having the front dial adjust shutter speed in Tv mode, aperture in Av mode, and whatever you want in M mode works.

I only shoot in M mode, and I've programmed the C functions to do what I need. So C1 is M bursts, C2 is Av, and C3 is a different M mode. I've then programmed the dials to do what I most use in each mode and can switch modes to accommodate what I'm shooting trivially easily. I shoot a lot of birds/wildlife using M bursts and nature using Av or M single shot, and find it's much easier to just switch C modes and have everything I want set close to what I need at the time.

Oct 02, 2023 at 09:31 PM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Main Dial for Aperture

I could have mentioned the default settings in the non M modes.

Oct 02, 2023 at 10:49 PM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Main Dial for Aperture

Abbott Schindl wrote:
In a way, it actually does make sense. Think, "I've set my camera to operate in a particular mode, and the front dial is the one I'm most likely to operate first." Then, having the front dial adjust shutter speed in Tv mode, aperture in Av mode, and whatever you want in M mode works.

I only shoot in M mode, and I've programmed the C functions to do what I need. So C1 is M bursts, C2 is Av, and C3 is a different M mode. I've then programmed the dials to do what I most use in each...Show more →

I shot in AV got many years. Then with the R I switched to Fv. It was OK but you always had to move it to the shutter or aperture before adjusting. I remember reading on the forums when Canon added Auto ISO to M mode but I never really paid attention. Switched to it about 18 months ago. M mode is excellent.

Oct 02, 2023 at 10:55 PM

TomSchriefer
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Main Dial for Aperture

I agree about Manual mode w/auto ISO. It is way more useful than it first sounds. For years I only used M while using flash. M w/auto ISO has improved my work. Oh, and I gave up on the C1, C2... modes years ago. I can't ever seem to remember what settings I put on which mode. It is easier (for me) to dial in what I need, when I need it.

Oct 03, 2023 at 04:50 AM

melcat
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Main Dial for Aperture

On my R3, I have C1 programmed to manual with auto ISO, with the (formerly ISO) shoulder dial controlling the aperture, and exposure compensation on the great big rear dial as normal. I could find no other way to move aperture to the shoulder dial for just this mode.

Canon have their own idea about dials and seem, with the R3, to have gone out of their way to prevent you from setting each of shutter speed, aperture, ISO and exposure compensation to the four available dials (3 on camera, one on RF lens or adapter) so they don’t move around between exposure modes. As explained by a previous poster, the philosophy is that the most-used setting for a mode should be on the dial near the shutter release. Whereas, Nikon provides two wheels with a shift button for four wheels in effect, and functions never move around between dials. That makes more sense to me, although I’ve never used a modern Nikon camera.

There’s no point railing against it; it’s abundantly clear from what is provided that someone at Canon has dug their heels in.

Oct 03, 2023 at 06:04 AM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Main Dial for Aperture

TomSchriefer wrote:
I agree about Manual mode w/auto ISO. It is way more useful than it first sounds. For years I only used M while using flash. M w/auto ISO has improved my work. Oh, and I gave up on the C1, C2... modes years ago. I can't ever seem to remember what settings I put on which mode. It is easier (for me) to dial in what I need, when I need it.

Exactly. I only used M with the flash.

Oct 03, 2023 at 07:27 AM


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