Manual or C1,C2 or C3 ?

[Bart Wierzbicki]

Hi,
I was reading some stuff on the internet and was wondering something.
I created user defined picture styles, but I use my 7D on manual mode to set
my shutter and aperture.
Some people said you have to dial in the knob onto C1, C2 or C3 to apply the setting ?
I thought it was already applied if you select the user defined style and even in Manual mode.

[Norman Pogson]

I have the user defined settings C1 for still photography with a shutter speed of 1/125th @ 100 iso, C2 is for filming at 1920x1080 30fps with a shutter of 1/60th 100 iso, C3 is for 1280x720 60 fps at 1/125th shutter, all apertures on C2 and C3 were set for f1.4 as I have a 50mm f1.4 lens. I also have a picture style associated with the C settings.

I use these settings as getting me quickly set to a filming style, then adjust the settings for the subject I'm taking. It's mainly to put me into 30 fps or 60 fps quickly.

[Sigmund Reboquio]

Based on experience, I found that there are also negatives on C1,c2,C3 knobs.

When you set your C1, it has a set shutter and f , and iso setting. Good if you are only in one light situation.
But if you run and gun meaning you change venues and angles frequently, whre the light situations are not the same it is a bit challenging.
For example,
your c1 is set to iso 200, ofcourse you will set that to a higher in most dark areas if you need to, when the lcd turns off, it goes back to its old settings of iso 200.
Now you have to reconfigure again to adjust.
just my own opinion

[Jon Braeley]

The user C1,2,3 controls are not there to set apertures, ISO's, etc ... I mean how can you know what these settings will be for a given scene? Impossible.

Mainly they are good for holding a profile and certainly a good way to quickly switch from 720 to 1080 on the fly.

[Norman Pogson]

On the C1 settings etc, they will record whatever aperture and iso your camera happens to be at the time when you are setting the other menu options, so I made sure I used a default of wide open iso and aperture, of course when I'm filming I adjust the aperture, but for my purpose I shoot a lot at 100 iso.

[Evan Donn]

Originally Posted by Jon Braeley

The user C1,2,3 controls are not there to set apertures, ISO's, etc ... I mean how can you know what these settings will be for a given scene? Impossible.

Exactly, except that they do store these settings and as far as I can tell there's no way to prevent it. I used them for a while and then went back to using manual, it was too easy to get inconsistencies from shot to shot if you got the ISO wrong after it reset.

[Jon Braeley]

I use C1 and C2 to store 2 picture profiles both at 1080p and C3 is set to 720p60.

Thats it - to me they are more like memory buttons that you set to one specific task. The fact that they store other settings is something I ignore, as I train myself to consider ALL settings as manual mode including C1,2,3.

[Jon Fairhurst]

Jon makes a good point. It's good to develop a mental checklist of WB, shutter, aperture and ISO and maybe more (contrast? saturation?) before every shot. Even when shooting manual, one might accidentally bump something between takes.

[Marty Hudzik]

So if I choose to user the manual setting, dial in everything the way I like it and start shooting, if I get busy and the camera goes to sleep, will it remember all of my settings? Because currently, using the custom presets, it always resets, no matter what changesw I have made while shooting. If this is the case, does the manual setting allow for me to dial in custom picture profiles? and if so, does it hold this setting until I change it or does it lose that setting as soon as the camera is shut off?

I have to admit that coming from an XLh1 where I could put it in standy and leave it for a month and come back it would be still on the same settings, this is taking some getting used to! :)

[Evan Donn]

M mode always remembers whatever your most recent settings were, even after removing the battery. C modes always revert back to the stored settings when the camera is powered down/up or when it automatically shuts off liveview (doesn't happen if you manually toggle in/out of liveview).

I agree it's good to check everything, but it's easy to miss things like custom white balance or lose track of a change you made for the last shot. Personally I find it easier to stick with M rather than use the C settings.

[Kin Lau]

I use the C and M settings, especially since I switch between stills and video modes.

The C modes switch back to the last saved setting, which can be good and bad. If you're adjusting settings on the fly and don't save it and it times out, you'll have to change everything again. On the other hand, the C modes can bring you back to known settings with a quick twist.

[Norman Pogson]

Having the C presets are obviously not perfect for every shooting situations, but as others have said, it is a great way to get into a shooting mode of either 60fps, 30fps or still shooting quickly. Then make your adjustments for the subject you are filming.