Canon R6 II Button customization (R6II)

[esheato]

Thought it might be helpful to share my customizations. I primarily shoot portraits and everything is based with that in mind. Here is how I've re-assigned my buttons:

• Shutter: Metering only (I like back button focus).
• Record: Direct select of Sub to Detect (I'm finding I'm not using this very much and may modify it to something else).
• M-Fn: Whole Area AF (I like this right next to the shutter because I've found if I put the AF box over my subject and tap this, it'll lock on and I'm GTG. If it selects an incorrect subject, tap off, then tap back on. Usually it'll grab my intended subject.
• AF-On: Metering and AF Start (In Detail Set all I have on is AF Operation set to One Shot and AF area set to the smallest). I tap this and it acts like a DSLR. One shot, lock focus and re-frame.
• *: Eye AF (this is soooooo much better than Metering and AF start with Details. It tracks the eye. Period. Hold it down and fire off shots.).
• AF Point button: Silent Shutter function (when the kid knows I'm taking pics he makes faces).
• DOF preview: RAW Burst Mode or actual DOF Preview. I kinda switch between depending on what I'm shooting.
• Set: Drive mode
• Multi-Controller (joystick): Direct AF point selection but I have Touch and Drag on but tend not to use it. I'm a lefty so my nose is in the way of the screen.
• Clicking the joystick recenters the AF point.

This way I can access precise one shot with AF-On, or eye tracking with *. Never a need to switch between one shot and servo. Tap M-Fn to turn on Whole Area AF when you want to lock it and track.

Lastly, the Quick Control Dial 1, the large one on the back of the camera, has been changed to Select AF Area so I can change this quickly if needed.

This config allows me to nail perfect eye focus on running children. What else can you ask for?

 

[Only RF]

My latest settings for mostly wildlife on the R6II which is the same for the R7.

• Shutter: After Switching to ML with the R, I left both AF and Metering on the shutter. If I lift my finger past half way off the shutter button AF Preview (page 3 of AF menus) takes over and AF continues. I'm on Whole Area AF and Eye Detect 95% of the time. This frees up a BBF.
• Subject to Detect is mapped to the M-Fn button. I wish my R7 had that option.
• AF-On is set to Zone AF with no Eye AF. I use that as the Eye Detect override if the camera struggles to find an eye or I want to select a subject within a group of subjects. I move the camera so the AF points land on the subject and toggle the AF-On as many times as it needs to get the subject in focus, I release the AF-On and when the eye snaps in I recompose.
• The * star button is mapped to to change AF modes. It toggles between Whole Area, Single Point and Spot AF. Eye Detect is enabled for all 3.
• Currently I don't use the AF point for anything. I used to have it mapped for Spot AF but the R7 does not have that option. I like to have both bodies as consistent as possible which is why the AF-On and * buttons are mapped that way.
• Personally I can't stand the DOF button. It's just too awkward for me.
• Both the Multi-controller and LCD are disabled. For my shooting style moving AF points around is too slow for me. Back to bullet point #3 of how I use the AF-On.

Shutter speed is on the Main Dial, Aperture on the QC2 and EC is on QC1. My R7 does not have a QC2 so mapped Aperture to the lens ring which I don't really like but I shoot wide open most of the time on that body. Auto ISO for both bodies.

My biggest problem has always been changing shutter speeds. For example air shows jets versus prop jobs, or perched vs flying birds. For C1-3 all settings are the same expect for shutter speeds that will change between 1/160 to 1/4000. I use M mode for landscapes, etc. No Eye Detect, Tracking or Whole Area AF. Mostly just Single Point AF.

 

[esheato]

Interesting.

Understanding people's button customization is the most intriguing part of these cameras. There's sooo many options and configurations.

For shutter, you mention ML.... what is that acronym? (Doh, you meant mirrorless. Silly sinus cold).

 

[Only RF]

Interesting.

Understanding people's button customization is the most intriguing part of these cameras. There's sooo many options and configurations.

For shutter, you mention ML.... what is that acronym? (Doh, you meant mirrorless. Silly sinus cold).

Yes there are and that is what I love about ML's. I used the BBF for AF on my DSLR's but decided to change things up with this new tech. It took few years to evolve to where I am.

I left the AF on the shutter when I first got into ML's. I used AF-On for single point, * for Zone AF and the AF point button for Spot focus. All Eye Detect overrides. The R7 has a Magnify only button, no AF point and does not have the option to map it for AF. It's in an awkward position anyway. It forced me re-think the whole thing so this recent set up is about 6 months old. That's what I miss about having a 5D4 and 7D2. Layouts were the same.

I gave it a good test last week on a bunch of cormorants sitting on a rock. Zone AF override worked great. A long as you pick a subject and get it in reasonable focus the eye will snap in. If not I switch to Single or Spot.

 

[Only RF]

Interesting.

Understanding people's button customization is the most intriguing part of these cameras. There's sooo many options and configurations.

For shutter, you mention ML.... what is that acronym? (Doh, you meant mirrorless. Silly sinus cold).

Yes mirrorless.

 

[ctitanic]

• Record: Direct select of Sub to Detect (I'm finding I'm not using this very much and may modify it to something else).

This is the type of inconsistencies in Canon Menu that I hate. You have this option in the R7, the R5 and R6 Mark II and you do not have it in the R6 Mark I.

 

[ctitanic]

This is what I have currently in the R6

• AF-On is set to AF with Eye Detect.
• The * star button is mapped AF with single point without Eye Detect .

I start focusing using the AF-On if I see the camera hesitating finding the face or eye I switch really quick to *.

I use also C1, C2 and C3.

• C1 is set to Av with Animal Detection, Auto ISO.
• C2 is set to Av with People Detection, Auto ISO.
• C3 is set to Tv at 1/3000, Auto ISO, wide area focus and Animal Detection. I use this one for Birds in Flight.

I still testing this configuration.

I would have loved to have the Recall Setting overwrite set to Tv at 1/3000, Auto ISO, wide area focus and Animal Detection set to the 3rd back button on the Right but I have found that this works only if you are shooting on M (may be Tv and Av modes), if you are using the C buttons that configuration does not work and I'm a fan of using the C buttons. The C buttons allow me to have 3 sets of configurations that improve my productivity a lot. I'm mostly a wildlife/birds/kids photographer and I'm constantly switching from C1/C2 to C3 depending on the occasion.

Again, this configuration is an ongoing project that may take few months before I settle down in the final one.

 

[esheato]

This is the type of inconsistencies in Canon Menu that I hate. You have this option in the R7, the R5 and R6 Mark II and you do not have it in the R6 Mark I.

I totally get it. I have similar frustrations with the RATE button. It’s not mappable! Allllllll those dang options, but I can’t change the one button that nobody uses?!? Silly

 

[Only RF]

Yes I can map my R6II for Subject to Detect. Very handy. I sure wish I could do that with my R7. However since I mostly shoot animals it’s not that bad. I do like to keep both bodies as consistent as possible.