Exposure Level Increments

Options: 1/3 stop (default), 1/2 stop

My preference: 1/3 stop

This setting tells the camera the size of the “jumps” it should use when making exposure adjustments—either one-third or one-half stop. The increment you specify here applies to f/stops, shutter speeds, EV changes, and autoexposure bracketing.

◼  1/3 stop. Choose this setting when you want the finest increments between shutter speeds and/ or f/stops. For example, the camera will use shutter speeds such as 1/60th, 1/80th, 1/100th, and 1/125th second, and f/stops such as f/5.6, f/6.3, f/7.1, and f/8, giving you (and the autoexposure system) maximum control.

◼  1/2 stop. Use this setting when you want larger and more noticeable changes between increments. The camera will apply shutter speeds such as 1/60th, 1/125th, 1/250th, and 1/500th second, and f/stops including f/5.6, f/6.7, f/8, f/9.5, and f/11. These coarser adjustments are useful when you want more dramatic changes between different exposures.

ISO Speed Setting Increments

Options: 1/3 stop (default), 1 stop

My preference: 1/3 stop

This setting determines the size of the “jumps” made when adjusting ISO—either one-third or one full stop. At the one-third stop setting, typical ISO values would be 100, 125, 160, 200, and so forth. Switch to the one-stop setting, and ISO values would be 100, 200, 400, 800, and so forth. The larger increment can help you leap from an ISO setting to one that’s twice (or half) as sensitive with one click.

Speed From Metering/ISO Auto

Options: Restore Auto after Metering (default), Retain Speed after Metering

My preference: Restore Auto after Metering

ISO Auto has the ability to change your ISO to a different value once it has evaluated your scene and determined an appropriate exposure. This entry determines what happens if ISO Auto changes to a different sensitivity for a particular photo when using P, Tv, Av, M, or Bulb modes.

◼  Restore Auto after Metering. With this setting, after the metering timer expires, the camera returns to the Auto setting.

◼  Retain Speed after Metering. In this case, after the metering timer expires, the new ISO setting is retained. You’d want to use this in situations where you expect to take several more exposures under the same lighting conditions and want them all to be consistent in terms of ISO.

Bracketing Auto Cancel

Options: Enable (default), Disable

My preference: Enable

When Auto Cancel is activated (the default), AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing) and WB-BKT (White Balance Bracketing) are cancelled when you power down, change lenses, use the flash, or change memory cards; when Auto Cancel is deactivated, bracketing remains in effect until you manually turn it off or use the flash. When Auto Cancel is switched off, the AEB and WB-BKT settings will be kept even when the power switch is turned to the OFF position. The flash still cancels autoexposure bracketing, but your settings are retained.

I prefer the Enable setting, because I generally shoot a series of bracketed exposures and then turn off the camera when I am finished.

Bracketing Sequence

Options: 0-+ (default), -0+, +0-

My preference: -0+

You can define the sequence in which AEB and WB-BKT series are exposed. For exposure bracketing, you can determine whether the order is metered exposure, decreased exposure, increased exposure or decreased exposure, metered exposure, increased exposure. Or with white balance bracketing, if your bias preference is set to Blue/Amber in the WB SHIFT/BKT adjustments in the Shooting 4 menu, the white balance sequence when option 0 is selected will be current WB, more blue, more amber. If your bias preference is set to Magenta/Green, then the sequence for option 0 will be current WB, more magenta, more green. Because I shoot so many HDR images to merge in Photoshop, I prefer the -0+ sequence, which starts with less exposure, metered exposure, and plus exposure, as that is the way I bracketed back in the film days.

Here are your options:

◼  0-+. Exposure sequence is metered exposure, decreased exposure, increased exposure (0,-,+). White balance sequence is current WB, more blue/more magenta (depending on how your bias is set), more amber/more green (ditto).

◼  -0+. The sequence is decreased exposure, metered exposure, increased exposure (-,0,+). White balance sequence is more blue/more magenta, current WB, more amber/more green.

◼  +0-. The sequence is increased exposure, metered exposure, decreased exposure. White balance sequence is more amber/more green, current WB, more blue/more magenta.

Number of Bracketed Shots

Options: 2, 3 (default), 5, 7 shots

My preference: 3

Your choices are 2, 3, 5, or 7 shots in a bracket sequence. I find that with an increment of 2/3 or one full stop, three bracketed exposures are enough that one of them will be close to optimum.

Safety Shift

Options: Disable (default), Shutter Speed/Aperture, ISO Speed

My preference: Disable

Ordinarily, both Aperture-priority and Shutter-priority modes work fine because you’ll select an f/stop or shutter speed that allows the camera to produce a correct exposure using the other type of setting (shutter speed for Av; aperture for Tv). However, when lighting conditions change, it may not be possible to select an appropriate setting with the available exposure options, and the camera will be unable to take a picture at all. (Note: for this and other similar discussions, Fv mode is considered the same as Av or Tv mode when you select either aperture or shutter speed manually.)

For example, you might be at a concert shooting the performers and, to increase your chances of getting a sharp image, you’ve selected Tv or Fv mode and a shutter speed of 1/250th second. Under bright lights and with an appropriate ISO setting, the exposure system might select f/5.6, f/4, or even f/2.8. Then, in a dramatic moment, the stage lights are dimmed significantly. An exposure of 1/250th second at f/2 is called for, but your lens has an f/2.8 maximum aperture. If you’ve used this Custom Function to allow the camera to override your own selection, it will automatically switch to 1/125th second to allow the picture to be taken at f/2.8.

Safety Shift will make similar adjustments if your scene suddenly becomes too bright; although, in practice, you’ll find that the override will be needed most often when using Tv mode. It’s easier to “run out of” f/stops, which generally range no smaller than f/22 or f/32, than to deplete the available supply of shutter speeds, which can be as brief as 1/16000th second. For example, if you’re shooting at ISO 400 in Tv mode at 1/1000th second, an extra-bright beach scene could easily call for an f/stop smaller than f/22, causing overexposure. However, Safety Shift would bump your shutter speed up to 1/2000th second with no problem.

On the other hand, if you were shooting under the same illumination in Av mode with the preferred aperture set to f/16, the camera could use 1/1000th, 1/2000th, 1/4000th, or 1/16000th second shutter speeds to retain that f/16 aperture under conditions that are 2X, 4X, 8X, or 16X as bright as normal daylight. No Safety Shift would be needed, even if the ISO were (for some unknown reason) set much higher than the ISO 400 used in this example. These are your options:

◼  Disable. Turn off Safety Shift. Your specified shutter speed or f/stop remains locked in, even if conditions are too bright or too dim for an appropriate exposure. Use this option if you’d prefer to have the shot taken at the shutter speed, aperture, or ISO you’ve selected under all circumstances, even if it means an improperly exposed photo. You might be able to salvage the photo in your image editor.

◼  Shutter Speed/Aperture. Safety Shift is activated for Tv and Av modes. The camera will adjust the preferred shutter speed or f/stop to allow a correct exposure. If you don’t mind having your camera countermand your orders, this option can save images that otherwise might be incorrectly exposed. Use when working with a shutter speed or aperture that is preferable, but not critical.

◼  ISO Speed. This option operates in Program AE (P) mode as well as Tv and Av modes. Think of it as an “emergency” Auto ISO option. You can manually select your preferred ISO setting, and the camera will generally stick with that, but you can adjust the ISO setting if required to produce an acceptable exposure. If you’ve selected a minimum and maximum allowable ISO range in the ISO Speed Settings entry of the Shooting 2 menu (as explained in Chapter 11), this setting will honor those limits unless your current manually selected ISO is outside those boundaries. For example, if you’ve chosen a minimum and maximum Auto ISO range of ISO 200–800, this setting will stay within that range when adjusting ISO (even though you have Auto ISO off), but if your camera is currently manually set to ISO 100 or a value higher than ISO 800, it will go ahead and use the extra values, too.

Same Exposure for New Aperture

Options: Disable (default), ISO Speed, ISO Speed/Shutter Speed, Shutter Speed

My preference: Disable

This entry, the first in the Custom Functions 2 menu (see Figure 15.2), works in Manual exposure mode to allow you to keep the same exposure when you switch lenses, attach a teleconverter, or use a zoom lens that doesn’t have a constant maximum aperture (say, it varies from f/3.5 at the wide end to f/5.6 at the telephoto setting). In all three cases, the reason the manual exposure you’ve set changes is because your lens (or lens/converter combination) may have a maximum aperture that is different from that when you made your original setting. For example, if you switch from a lens with an f/2.8 maximum aperture to one that opens no wider than f/4, or use, say, a 1.4X tele extender that changes the effective maximum aperture by one stop, your manually set exposure may be wrong. Similarly, a lens that has a maximum aperture of f/3.5 at its widest setting may have the equivalent of just f/5.6 at its longest telephoto setting. Unless you’ve set ISO Auto for Manual mode, your exposure can differ from what you intended.

This setting allows you to account for these effects and retain your desired exposure in Manual mode. Note that it does not work with macro lenses that change their effective aperture value as their focus magnification changes. Your choices are as follows:

◼  Disable (default). No automatic compensation is applied. If you switch lenses, use a tele extender, or have a variable aperture lens, you may need to manually adjust your exposure to allow for the “slower” lens speed. This setting displays as OFF in the Custom Functions 2 menu.

◼  ISO Speed. Choose this setting, and the camera will set a higher ISO speed to compensate so your exposure remains the same. The ISO sensitivity will be adjusted within the boundaries you’ve set for the Range for Stills option in the ISO Speed Settings entry of the Shooting 2 menu, as explained in Chapter 11.

◼  ISO Speed/Shutter Speed. In this case, a higher ISO speed will be set first. If the upper boundaries specified in Range for Stills is exceeded, the camera will then change the shutter speed within the range specified for Set Shutter Speed Range on the Custom Functions 2 page.

◼  Shutter Speed (Tv). The camera will compensate by using a slower shutter speed to keep the same exposure you set manually. The Set Shutter Speed Range boundaries will be observed, so this setting does not guarantee that your desired exposure will be achieved.

Which should you select? I generally don’t use this setting at all, partially because I own very few lenses with variable maximum apertures, and, when I change lenses or add a teleconverter, I am (usually) smart enough to know I need to recalculate my manual exposure. You probably do the same. The most common scenario for needing this feature is when you want to use a lens that does have an aperture that changes when you zoom, such as both RF-S kit lenses and some full-frame lenses like the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS. If you do decide to implement this feature, decide which is most important to you: constant ISO speed or shutter speed. For sports, especially in low-light situations, the ISO Speed/Shutter Speed option is likely to be your best bet.

AE Lock Metering Mode After Focus

Options: Lock: Evaluative (default), Partial, Spot, Center-weighted Average metering (Any or all)

My preference: N/A

If you find yourself frequently using the * button to lock exposure, you may find this entry handy. You can order the camera to automatically lock the exposure as soon as autofocus is achieved in One-Shot AF mode by pressing the shutter release halfway. There is no need to press the * button; simply keep the shutter release depressed halfway until you press it all the way down to take a picture, or release it. Highlight any of the four metering mode options (Evaluative, Partial, Spot, Center-weighted Averaging) and press Q/SET to enable exposure lock for that mode. A checkmark appears above the metering mode, and you can enable the feature for any, all, or none. (See Figure 15.3.) The exposure lock does not apply to Servo mode.

Set Shutter Speed Range

Options: Highest/Lowest shutter speeds for mechanical/1st-curtain shutter and electronic shutter

My preference: N/A

There are times when you want to limit shutter speed range when using Tv, Fv, or M exposure modes, or the value chosen automatically by the camera in P, Av, and Fv modes. For example, if you’re shooting motor sports and want to maintain a bit of blur in the vehicle tires (to avoid that “frozen in time” look), you might want to lock out any shutter speeds higher than 1/500th second. In that case, you might not mind if your aperture changes when the upper limit is reached, or you might let Auto ISO kick in lower sensitivity a notch or two to allow optimum exposure. Going the other way, you might want to avoid shutter speeds lower than, say 1/60th second because you know that’s the slowest speed at which a hand-held image is going to be acceptably sharp. This setting has separate options for the mechanical/1st-curtain shutter and electronic shutter:

◼  Mechanical shutter/Electronic 1st-curtain shutter. You can specify a lowest speed between 30 seconds and 1/4000th second, and a highest speed of 1/8000th–15 seconds.

◼  Electronic shutter. You can specify a lowest speed between 30 seconds and 1/8000th second, and a highest speed of 1/16000th–15 seconds.

Set Aperture Range

Options: Minimum Aperture (smallest lens opening): f/91 to f/1.4; Maximum Aperture (largest lens opening): f/1.0 to f/64

My preference: N/A

This entry allows you to specify an aperture range. When using Av, Fv, M, and Bulb exposure modes, you can set the aperture manually within the range you specify here. In P, Tv, and Fv modes, the aperture can be set automatically within this range when shooting stills. Minimum apertures (the smallest f/stops) can be specified for f/91 to f/1.4, and a maximum aperture of f/1.0 to f/64. These “limits” all depend on the maximum and minimum apertures of your lenses, of course. Use this entry when you want to limit the available f/stops, say, to preserve selective focus or, going the other direction, to maximize depth-of-field (even if it costs you some sharpness because of diffraction). I explained diffraction in Chapter 11.

Dial Direction to Set Tv/Av

Options: Normal (-+) (default), Reverse direction(+-)

My preference: Normal

This setting, the first in the Custom Functions 3 menu (see Figure 15.4), reverses the result when rotating the Quick Control Dial and Main Dial when using Shutter-priority or Aperture-priority (Tv and Av). That is, rotating the Main Dial to the right will decrease the shutter speed rather than increase it; f/stops will become larger rather than smaller. Use this if you find the default rotation scheme in Tv and Av modes are not to your liking. Activating this option also reverses the dial direction in Manual exposure mode. In other shooting modes, only the Main Dial’s direction will be reversed.

◼  Normal. The Main Dial and Quick Control Dial change shutter speed and aperture normally.

◼  Reverse direction. The dials adjust shutter speed and aperture in the reverse direction when rotated.

Control Ring Direction to Set Tv/Av

Options: Normal (-+) (default), Reverse direction(+-)

My preference: Normal

This setting reverses the rotational direction of the Control ring on RF-mount lenses and the Control ring mount adapter, as well.

Switch Main Dial/Quick Control Dial When Shooting

Options: Off: Disable (default), On: Enable

My preference: Off

This entry simply swaps the functions assigned to the Main Dial and QCD. For example, in Manual exposure mode, the Main Dial adjusts shutter speed, while the QCD is used to set the aperture. If you choose On, the Main Dial will set aperture and the QCD increases or decreases the shutter speed. It’s a matter of personal preference, sometimes used by those coming from a different camera platform (such as Nikon) that typically uses the front-most dial to adjust the f/stop.

Customize Buttons

Options: Redefine 28 buttons

My preference: N/A

If you’re eager to totally confuse any poor soul who is not equipped to deal with a custom-configured camera (or, perhaps, even yourself), Canon allows you to redefine the behavior of no less than 28 different controls (many of them in different configurations for still and movie modes) in interesting, and potentially hilarious ways. Just highlight any of the options (some are shown in Figure 15.5), press Q/SET to view the functions you can assign, and make your choice. You’ll need to scroll down using the Multi-controller joystick or QCD to view them all. Figure 15.5 shows the full array of controls you can redefine.

If you see the INFO icon at bottom left when viewing the available functions, there are even more decisions to make. You can truly manipulate your camera to work in a way that’s fastest and most efficient for you. There are dozens of combinations of control possibilities, spelled out in a huge matrix+legend description on pages 874–880 of your factory manual. Those huge tables and explanations would take up half this chapter, so I won’t duplicate that information here. The default values are shown in Table 15.1.

The customizing process will be easier if I lead you through a typical session, using the M-Fn button as an example. Its default behavior is Dial Functions: if you press the M-Fn button (without first pressing the AF point selection button), a scrollable list of functions like the one shown in Figure 15.6 appears. Rotating the QCD moves the highlighting in the bottom row from ISO to Drive Mode to Focus Mode to White Balance to Flash Exposure Compensation. Once a function is highlighted, you can rotate the Main Dial to adjust the settings for the highlighted function.

Suppose you rarely use flash and don’t need the Flash Exposure Compensation function. You’d prefer to replace it with Metering Mode, instead. Just follow these steps.

1. Select M-Fn button. In the Customize buttons screen seen at upper left in Figure 15.7, use the Multi-controller joystick to highlight M-Fn: Dial Functions in the left column, under the movie camera icon. Note that you can also select M-Fn: Dial Functions in the right (movie camera) column to assign a different behavior in Movie mode.

2. Press Q/SET. The screen shown in Figure 15.7, upper right, appears. In this example, Dial Func, the currently assigned behavior, is highlighted.

3. Press INFO. Many of the available functions are simply turned on and off. Others, such as Dial Functions, have additional parameters, indicated by an INFO: Detail Set. option seen at lower left of the Dial Functions screen at upper right in the figure.

4. View Options. For this example in modifying the Dial Functions setting, you’ll see a screen like the one shown at lower left in Figure 15.7. Up to five items can be activated with a checkmark.

5. Change Options. Nine items are available. You can highlight up to five of them and press Q/SET for each to enable that option for the Dial Functions behavior. You can substitute Exposure Compensation, AF Method, Metering Mode, or Picture Style for any of the five default behaviors.

6. Confirm. Press INFO when finished and to view a screen showing the sequence you’ve selected. (See Figure 15.7, lower right.)

7. Change Sequence (Optional). If you don’t like the sequence in which the options appear, you can change their order. Highlight any of the choices and press Q/SET, then use the directional controls to move it left or right in the array. Press Q/SET to confirm, and repeat the step, if desired, to relocate any of the other options.

8. Exit. Press INFO to confirm and exit to the Customize Buttons screen.

Other buttons are customizable with their own behaviors, and not all are assignable to every control. For example, Shutter button half-press can invoke Metering and AF Start, Metering Start (only), or AE Lock (while button is pressed), and no other functions. The best way to learn what each button can do is to work your way through the Customize Buttons screen. Once you’ve changed the default value of a control, an asterisk appears in the Custom Functions 3 menu next to the Customize Buttons entry to alert you.

Customize Dials

Options: Redefine Main Dial, QCD, and Control Ring

My preference: N/A

Each of these three dials can also be redefined with a customized behavior, but, the possibilities are more limited. All these are a matter of personal taste, and don’t need to be changed to “improve” anything. Your choices are as follows:

◼  Redefine Main Dial. By default, the Main Dial adjusts the shutter speed in Tv and Manual exposure modes, and in Fv mode if you haven’t set the camera to adjust shutter speed automatically. The dial’s behavior can be changed only for Manual exposure mode. You can set it to adjust shutter speed (the default), aperture, or disable it so that the dial does nothing in Manual exposure mode.

◼  Quick Control Dial (QCD). By default, the QCD adjusts the aperture in Av and Manual exposure modes, and in Fv mode if you haven’t set the camera to adjust aperture automatically. The dial’s behavior can be changed only for Manual exposure mode. You can set it to adjust aperture (the default), switch it to change the shutter speed, or use it to set ISO, Exposure Compensation, AF Area, Picture Style, White Balance, or Color Temperature setting. You can also disable it so that the QCD does nothing in Manual exposure mode.

◼  Control Ring. The Control ring on the lens or mount adapter has a little more flexibility. By default, the Control ring will add or subtract exposure compensation while you are holding the shutter release button (or other Metering Start button) down halfway. (But see my important Note that follows.)

You can also use the Control ring to make other adjustments. Eight of them are available in two variations, activated by rotating the Control ring alone, or activated only when the shutter release button is held down halfway while the Control ring is rotated. The icon for that version is accompanied by a downpointing arrow. The no-hold options are faster, but make it easier for you to accidentally adjust a setting when you grip the Control ring instead of the Focus ring by mistake. Like the Main Dial and QCD, the Control ring can also be set to Off to disable it.

The eight options are AF Area, Shutter Speed, Aperture, Exposure Compensation, ISO Speed, White Balance, Color Temperature, and Picture Style. A ninth behavior, Flash Compensation, is available only as a button hold function.

In effect, this gives you a variety of lens-based controls, including an old-school lens aperture adjustment ring, which is very convenient if you want to adjust the f/stop while cradling the lens in your left hand. (That may be more comfortable than using a thumb on the QCD for some users.)

Clear Customized Settings

Options: Clear Customize Buttons and Customize Dials settings

My preference: N/A

This entry can be used to erase all your customization of controls, should you need to do that. Note that the Clear All Custom Functions entry (the only one in the Custom Functions 5 menu) does not reset these settings (fortunately); you have to do it here.

Add Cropping Information

Options: Off (default), Aspect ratios 6:6, 3:4, 4:5, 6:7, 10:12, 5:7

My preference: Varies depending on print size

This is the first setting in the Custom Functions 4 menu. (See Figure 15.8.) If you want to use image crops other than the default 3:2 aspect ratio in live view, but don’t want to lock the settings down in stone, this Custom Function may help you. It allows you to specify one of the optional available crops, such that vertical lines will appear on the live view image to delineate that cropping—but the image you take will be saved in its uncropped form, without the actual crop being applied. However, the cropping information is embedded in the image file and can be retrieved by compatible software (including Canon’s Digital Photo Pro) and used to apply the crop in post-processing.

If you’re saying, “Wha?” about now, I can clarify. One of the coolest things about a mirrorless camera’s live view is that it mimics the ground glass screen of the medium format (say, 120/220 roll film models) or large format (4 × 5, 5 × 7, or larger-sheet film cameras) that many of us grew up with (although our numbers are dwindling rapidly). That is, as with a medium-format or large-format film camera, the actual film/sensor plane image is there for you to view (although, not necessarily reversed left to right or reversed and inverted as in the good old days).

Canon gives you a variety of optional cropping proportions so you can compose and expose your image just as if you were using a camera from those thrilling days of yesteryear—or simply want to use an alternate aspect ratio for creative effect. Your choices include the 6:6 and 6:7 proportions used to create 6cm × 6cm and 6cm × 7cm film images (think Hasselblad or Pentax 67); 4:5 and 5:7 ratios used with 4 × 5–inch, 8 × 10–inch, and 5 × 7–inch sheet film cameras; plus other formats as well. These include 3:4 and 10:12 (the latter perfect for 20 × 24–inch wall prints).

Of course, these days, cameras have enough resolution that you can easily crop the image to any proportions you like, but many photographers still enjoy composing within a given aspect ratio. This feature can be used only when the Cropping/Aspect Ratio in the Shooting 1 menu is set to Full Frame.

Audio Compression

Options: ON: Enable, OFF: Disable

My preference: OFF: Disable

Specifies the amount of audio compression when recording video. I like to set this option to Disable to achieve higher audio quality, even though the file sizes are somewhat larger. Even if Disable is set, audio is compressed in Scene Intelligent Auto (A+) mode when Movie Recording Quality is set to FHD: 29.97p IPB/25p Low Quality.

Default Erase Option

Options: Cancel Selected (default), Erase Selected/Erase RAW+JPEG Selected, Erase RAW Selected, Erase JPEG Selected

My preference: Erase Selected/Erase RAW+JPEG Selected

Specify what happens during image review and playback when you press the Trash button and the Erase Image screen appears. This entry determines which choice is the default. You’ll want to choose the option you use most often, either for convenience or to avoid accidentally erasing an image you mean to keep.

◼  Cancel Selected. Pressing the Q/SET button backs you out of the screen with no harm done. You’d choose this if you find you accidentally press Trash from time to time and want to avoid losing your shot.

◼  Erase Selected/Erase RAW+JPEG Selected. With this option enabled, when you press Q/SET, the current image will be deleted. If you’re shooting RAW+JPEG, both versions will be removed. It’s your choice, but I prefer speed over caution, so I use this setting most of the time.

◼  Erase RAW Selected. Only the RAW file will be deleted; if you shot both formats, the JPEG file is retained. This choice and the one below provide a safety net.

◼  Erase JPEG Selected. Only the JPEG/HEIF file will be deleted; if you shot both formats, the RAW file is retained. When I am shooting RAW+JPEG or RAW+HEIF but intend to process mostly JPEG or HEIF files (as at an event where I will be selecting large numbers of images and don’t plan to do much post-processing), I use this option so I can quickly delete the non-RAW version of the file. Back home, I can delete any RAW file that doesn’t have a matching JPEG or HEIF file, but if I’ve changed my mind, I still have the RAW version as a backup.

Release Shutter without Lens

Options: Enable, Disable (default)

My preference: Enable

Ordinarily, you don’t want the camera to be capable of actuating the shutter when no lens is attached. However, if you are using optics that the R7 does not recognize as a lens—such as a microscope, telescope, or a lens mounted on a bellows, you do want to take a photo using your manual exposure controls (ISO, shutter speed, and whatever aperture your device offers).

Retract Lens on Power Off

Options: Enable (default), Disable

My preference: Enable

Some lenses that focus using a gear mechanism (such as the RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM) can retract when the camera is turned off. The retracted lens is smaller and its reduced surface area is better protected against bumps, so I usually leave this setting enabled.

Clear All Custom Func. (C.Fn)

Options: Clear

My preference: N/A

This is the only entry on the Custom Functions 5 page (see Figure 15.9). Select this entry and choose Cancel (if you chicken out) or OK to return all your Custom Functions to their default values. But don’t panic—your matrix of customized buttons and dials are retained. You must reset them using their specific entries, described earlier.