Posted by Tony Anderson on August 15, 2007 at 12:40 PM
Hi All
Just received my new Canon 1Ds mkII this week and trying to find out if any one can let me know the best menu settings for this camera, To use for wildlife inc. bird pictures.
I have a 4GB Sandisk Ultra II CompactFlash card in the camera, is this the best and largest card that i can use, current firmware is Ver 1.1.6
If anyone can think of any other tips that help to set up this camera, I would be really grateful and appreciative for all help
I have a 4GB Sandisk Ultra II CompactFlash card in the camera, is this the best and largest card that i can use
There are now 16 GB cards available and in two models up from the Ultra II's, i.e. the Extreme III and the Extreme IV, no idea whether you'd see any benefits over the Ultra II's though. One advantage of the Extreme series is being able to withstand more extreme temperatures, but unless you've got a trip planned to the North Pole I'm not sure I'd be overly concerned.
Size wise I guess it depends what you shoot, if it's the slow considered approach of landscape photography then the smaller capacity isn't really an issue. If however you photograph a lot of wildlife particularly if you shoot a lot of images at each session then the bigger capacity cards have a lot of benefits,with one of them being sod's law that the image of a lifetime happens whilst changing cards.
I use the 4GB cards in a 5D which I find are a good size for that particular camera's file size, however, having never had a single issue with a Sandisk card I'd quite happily (and proberbly will) get the 8GB or 12 GB cards in the future.
jpeg quality = default settings - I never shoot jpegs;
parameters = set 3 selected and adjusted to: tone curve = standard; sharpness = 2; contrast = -1) although I never shoot jpegs, the jpeg settings affect what you see on the lcd. Setting contrast to -1 "calibrates" the blinking highlight indicator to approx 255/255/255 in the RAW file. Higher than this and you get blinkies when in fact nothing is over exposed.
colour matrix = Adobe RGB;
review = ON (info)
review time = 4 secs
noise reduction = OFFf; I think this may be a useful function for long exposures at night, but I've never done that sort of shot with these cameras;
iso expansion = on - very occassionally I might need to go to iso 50 if I'm trying to get a pan-blur or something, but there is no quality advantage as the native sensitivity of the Canon imaging chip is thought to be iso 200.
highlight alert = ON;
display AF points = ON;
histogram display = BRIGHT;
auto power off = OFF – the battery lasts for ages and I always want the camera ready to shoot;
file numbering = CONTINUOUS;
back up = OFF – I don’t use a second card;
auto rotate = ON;
format – I always format the card when I put it into the camera;
C Fn 00 = 1 – I have replaced the standard focusing screen in both bodies with the Ec-D grid screen.
C Fn 01 = 0 – No view finder display during exposure.
C Fn 02 = 1 – shutter release without card not possible;
C Fn 04 = 1 – I prefer to shoot with exposure lock on the shutter button and auto focus on the * button;
C Fn 05 = 1;
C Fn 06 = 0 – exposure level increments set to 1/3-stop;
C Fn 07 = 0 – required if C Fn 04 set to any value other than 0;
C Fn 08 = 1 – I want to be able to see the iso as I use this as a third exposure control and I want to see how many shots remaining;
C Fn 09 = 2 – I very rarely use auto-bracketing and would forget to switch it off otherwise;
C Fn 10 = 3 – brighter AF point illumination;
C Fn 11 = 0 – I wish there was some better way to change the AF point more quickly;
C Fn 12 = 0/1 – crazy implementation of mlu imo;
C Fn 13 = 0 – I frequently use off-centre AF points;
C Fn 14 = 0 – ETTL II evaluative but I always shoot with the camera in manual mode and compensate on the flash compensation button using the display in the viewfinder;
C Fn 15 = 0 1st curtain synch;
C Fn 16 = 1; safety shift in Av-mode enabled although I mostly shoot in manual mode;
C Fn 17 = 1 – AF point activation area set to 7;
C Fn 18 = 1 – one button press to switch to registered AF-point (centre point);
C Fn 19 = 0 – I rarely use the AF-function on the lens barrel now that that I have moved the AF function to the * button;
C Fn 20 = 0 – I think this is the best compromise between focusing tracking and loosing focus due to background interference but may change it in the field if conditions warrant it. If I’m shooting fast moving subjects I will change camera bodies; the ID2/1D2N is much better at maintaining focus on moving subjects than the 1Ds2.
C Fn 21 = 1 – drive speed priority AI servo AF enabled on 1D2N so that I can start shooting a burst even if the subject isn’t in focus, but on the 1D2/1D2N it the AF will catch up;
These seting are nearly the same as my settings for default shooting, bar custom function 4 which I have set to default, I save these under custom program setting 0. I alter the af performance Fn17 and 20 for specific AF performance and for 'subject stationary' I set these into custom group program setting 1 and 'subject fast' into custom group program setting 2.
As for cards, I use 4GB Extreme 3 CF's and a 2GB SD which gives approx 220 shots raw per 4GB card and 120 raw on the SD just incase I cannot get to change the card in the heat of action (which would be poor planning on my behalf)... it's best not to put all your eggs in the one basket hence I have resisted the urge to move to 8GB+ even thought I have never had a problem.
T
Posted by Tony Anderson on August 16, 2007 at 4:59 AM
Justin, Phil and Tom
Thank you all for your valued replies.
I know I should start getting reasonable results, thanks to you for sharing your expertise, all i need now is some quality photographic field time to gain experience.
All the Best
Tony
Posted by Elliott Neep on August 17, 2007 at 5:53 AM
Hi Tony,
I can third Phil's set-up. I change Al Focus sensitivity and focus point expansion depending on the subject and environment.
I use 8GB (actually I have only just bought one) and 4x 4GB extreme IV cards. I think it would be worth upgrading to 4GB Extreme IV. I certainly noticed the difference. I still have a couple of Ultra II cards lying around but they are too slow for the 1DSmkII's massive file size.
Discussion
5 repliesJust received my new Canon 1Ds mkII this week and trying to find out if any one can let me know the best menu settings for this camera, To use for wildlife inc. bird pictures.
I have a 4GB Sandisk Ultra II CompactFlash card in the camera, is this the best and largest card that i can use, current firmware is Ver 1.1.6
If anyone can think of any other tips that help to set up this camera, I would be really grateful and appreciative for all help
Tony Anderson
West Sussex
There are now 16 GB cards available and in two models up from the Ultra II's, i.e. the Extreme III and the Extreme IV, no idea whether you'd see any benefits over the Ultra II's though. One advantage of the Extreme series is being able to withstand more extreme temperatures, but unless you've got a trip planned to the North Pole I'm not sure I'd be overly concerned.
Size wise I guess it depends what you shoot, if it's the slow considered approach of landscape photography then the smaller capacity isn't really an issue. If however you photograph a lot of wildlife particularly if you shoot a lot of images at each session then the bigger capacity cards have a lot of benefits,with one of them being sod's law that the image of a lifetime happens whilst changing cards.
I use the 4GB cards in a 5D which I find are a good size for that particular camera's file size, however, having never had a single issue with a Sandisk card I'd quite happily (and proberbly will) get the 8GB or 12 GB cards in the future.
Enjoy your new camera.
jpeg quality = default settings - I never shoot jpegs;
parameters = set 3 selected and adjusted to: tone curve = standard; sharpness = 2; contrast = -1) although I never shoot jpegs, the jpeg settings affect what you see on the lcd. Setting contrast to -1 "calibrates" the blinking highlight indicator to approx 255/255/255 in the RAW file. Higher than this and you get blinkies when in fact nothing is over exposed.
colour matrix = Adobe RGB;
review = ON (info)
review time = 4 secs
noise reduction = OFFf; I think this may be a useful function for long exposures at night, but I've never done that sort of shot with these cameras;
iso expansion = on - very occassionally I might need to go to iso 50 if I'm trying to get a pan-blur or something, but there is no quality advantage as the native sensitivity of the Canon imaging chip is thought to be iso 200.
highlight alert = ON;
display AF points = ON;
histogram display = BRIGHT;
auto power off = OFF – the battery lasts for ages and I always want the camera ready to shoot;
file numbering = CONTINUOUS;
back up = OFF – I don’t use a second card;
auto rotate = ON;
format – I always format the card when I put it into the camera;
C Fn 00 = 1 – I have replaced the standard focusing screen in both bodies with the Ec-D grid screen.
C Fn 01 = 0 – No view finder display during exposure.
C Fn 02 = 1 – shutter release without card not possible;
C Fn 04 = 1 – I prefer to shoot with exposure lock on the shutter button and auto focus on the * button;
C Fn 05 = 1;
C Fn 06 = 0 – exposure level increments set to 1/3-stop;
C Fn 07 = 0 – required if C Fn 04 set to any value other than 0;
C Fn 08 = 1 – I want to be able to see the iso as I use this as a third exposure control and I want to see how many shots remaining;
C Fn 09 = 2 – I very rarely use auto-bracketing and would forget to switch it off otherwise;
C Fn 10 = 3 – brighter AF point illumination;
C Fn 11 = 0 – I wish there was some better way to change the AF point more quickly;
C Fn 12 = 0/1 – crazy implementation of mlu imo;
C Fn 13 = 0 – I frequently use off-centre AF points;
C Fn 14 = 0 – ETTL II evaluative but I always shoot with the camera in manual mode and compensate on the flash compensation button using the display in the viewfinder;
C Fn 15 = 0 1st curtain synch;
C Fn 16 = 1; safety shift in Av-mode enabled although I mostly shoot in manual mode;
C Fn 17 = 1 – AF point activation area set to 7;
C Fn 18 = 1 – one button press to switch to registered AF-point (centre point);
C Fn 19 = 0 – I rarely use the AF-function on the lens barrel now that that I have moved the AF function to the * button;
C Fn 20 = 0 – I think this is the best compromise between focusing tracking and loosing focus due to background interference but may change it in the field if conditions warrant it. If I’m shooting fast moving subjects I will change camera bodies; the ID2/1D2N is much better at maintaining focus on moving subjects than the 1Ds2.
C Fn 21 = 1 – drive speed priority AI servo AF enabled on 1D2N so that I can start shooting a burst even if the subject isn’t in focus, but on the 1D2/1D2N it the AF will catch up;
Hope this helps
As for cards, I use 4GB Extreme 3 CF's and a 2GB SD which gives approx 220 shots raw per 4GB card and 120 raw on the SD just incase I cannot get to change the card in the heat of action (which would be poor planning on my behalf)... it's best not to put all your eggs in the one basket hence I have resisted the urge to move to 8GB+ even thought I have never had a problem.
T
Thank you all for your valued replies.
I know I should start getting reasonable results, thanks to you for sharing your expertise, all i need now is some quality photographic field time to gain experience.
All the Best
Tony
I can third Phil's set-up. I change Al Focus sensitivity and focus point expansion depending on the subject and environment.
I use 8GB (actually I have only just bought one) and 4x 4GB extreme IV cards. I think it would be worth upgrading to 4GB Extreme IV. I certainly noticed the difference. I still have a couple of Ultra II cards lying around but they are too slow for the 1DSmkII's massive file size.