Chapter 2: Choosing Camera Options and Reviewing Images

The first step when you get a new camera is to set it up to your liking. That sounds easy enough, and you may have already set up your 60D. However, some options are particularly important — especially those that affect the image size and quality because they affect how large you can print your images. So even if you’ve set these options, be sure to review the image quality sections in this chapter. In addition, this chapter discusses a new 60D feature that enables you to edit and convert RAW images and save the edited image in JPEG format in the camera so that you can print the JPEG image from the media card. This chapter also details how to resize JPEG images in the camera, set the image aspect ratio, set up file numbering and folders, add your copyright to images, and use options that make it easier for you to keep track of, review, and protect images from accidental erasure.

Choosing Image Format and Quality

One of the most important setup choices is choosing the image quality level. Only a few years ago, people routinely chose lower image resolution to get smaller file sizes so they could fit more images on the SD/SDHC card. Over time, media card prices have come down and larger capacity cards are now quite affordable. When you shoot at the 60D’s high-quality settings with a 4GB SD/SDHC card, you can store 490 JPEG or 130 RAW images on the card. And when you use the high-quality settings, you can print images at 11 × 17 inches or larger. This is not to say that you’ll print every image at this size, but when you get those one-of-a-kind shots that beg to be printed in a large format, you know that you gave a large-enough file to print it.

A related setup option is choosing the file format for capturing your images — either JPEG or RAW. The 60D offers a full menu of individual and combined choices for both JPEG and RAW capture. The next sections detail the advantages and disadvantages of each option to help you decide what works best for you.

JPEG format

JPEG is the most common file format used for digital images, and it is the default file format on the 60D. JPEG offers efficient, high-quality file compression that saves space on the memory card. JPEG also offers quick display of image files on the camera’s LCD monitor and on the computer.

The small file sizes that JPEG produces allow you to store many images on the SD/SDHC card. To reduce image file size, JPEG compresses files and, in the process, discards some image data. The higher the compression level, the more image data is discarded and the smaller the image file size, and vice versa. Because of this loss of data, JPEG is known as a lossy file format. While data loss isn’t ideal, data loss at a low compression level is typically not noticeable in prints.

If you edit JPEG images on the computer, and then save them as JPEGs, the data loss continues to occur. To preserve image data during editing, be sure to save JPEG images as TIFFs or in another file format before you begin editing.

Another advantage is that JPEG files can be displayed on any computer, regardless of the operating system; on the Web; and in e-mail without the need for special viewing programs or preprocessing. And with JPEGs, you get a finished file that you can print directly from the media card. That’s because the 60D processes, or edits, the images before storing them on the SD/SDHC card. The processing includes setting the color, contrast, and sharpness. By contrast, with RAW images, you can set color, contrast, and sharpness during image conversion on the computer.

Choosing a Picture Style also affects the color tone and saturation, image contrast, and sharpness of images. And you can apply Ambience and Creative Filters that affect the final image. All are detailed in Chapter 4.

Another JPEG advantage is that it provides the 60D’s maximum burst rates when you’re shooting in High-speed Continuous drive mode. For example, shooting the highest-quality JPEG images, the burst rate is 58 shots at 5.3 frames per second (fps). Thus JPEG capture offers a definite edge for getting the fastest performance from the 60D.

JPEG has some disadvantages as well. The 60D offers two JPEG compression levels, and you can reduce the image-recording size from 17.9 to either 8 or 4.5 megapixels. The higher the compression and the smaller the image size, the more images you can capture in a continuous shooting burst, and the more images can be stored on the SD/SDHC card. But the higher the compression and smaller image size, the more the image quality suffers.

You can also resize JPEG images in the camera, a technique detailed later in this chapter.

Another consideration is that JPEG capture means loss of image data from in-camera conversion of the image’s bit depth. Every 60D image is captured as a 14-bit file that delivers 16,384 colors in each of the three color channels: Red, Green, and Blue (RGB). Because the JPEG file format doesn’t support 14-bit files, the 60D automatically converts JPEG images to 8-bit files with only 256 colors per channel. While the conversion from 14-bit to 8-bit is done judiciously, the fact remains that much of the image color information is discarded in the process.

Combine this data loss with the automatic in-camera editing and JPEG compression, and you get a file that has one-third or more of the image data discarded before it’s written to the SD/SDHC card. Certainly the JPEG image files are smaller, but with the data loss, the files are not as rich as RAW files, and they offer less latitude and stability when you edit them on the computer.

However, for photographers who seldom edit images on the computer and want small file sizes with maximum portability, JPEG is the best option. But, for photographers who want to preserve all the rich image data that the 60D captures, RAW capture is worth exploring.

RAW capture

RAW is the option to choose if you want the highest quality images the 60D can deliver. RAW is a designation for image files that are captured and stored on the SD/SDHC card with little in-camera processing and with no loss of data from compression or conversion. RAW files are not converted to 8-bit as with JPEG files, but rather they are captured and stored as 14-bit images. And unlike pre-edited JPEG files, the only settings the camera applies to RAW images are the aperture, ISO, and shutter speed.

With RAW, you can set or adjust key settings such as white balance, brightness, contrast, and saturation after the image is captured. This means that in addition to getting an image file that contains all the 60D can provide, you also get wide latitude when converting the RAW image.

Converting RAW images is done using Canon Digital Photo Professional (DPP), Adobe Camera Raw, Adobe Lightroom, or Apple Aperture where you adjust the image color, brightness, tonal range, contrast, and color saturation to your liking. If you use DPP, you can also apply a Picture Style, Auto Lighting Optimizer, and other options just as you would apply them in the camera.

On the 60D, you can edit and convert a RAW image in the camera and save the resulting file as a JPEG, a technique detailed later in this chapter.

In addition, if images have blown highlights — areas where the highlights went to solid white with no image detail — you can recover some of that image detail during conversion. If an image is underexposed, you can brighten it during conversion. All the adjustments made during RAW image conversion are nondestructive, just as if you had made the adjustments in the camera.

When a RAW image conversion on the computer is complete, you have a robust file that you can save as a TIFF or in another file format. Having a robust file is important because when you edit the image in Photoshop or another image-editing program, virtually all the edits you make are destructive — whether you adjust levels or color balance or set a tonal curve. Less robust JPEG files can suffer posterization, or the loss of smooth transitions among tonal levels. By contrast, with RAW files, you begin with a rich 14-bit file that you can save as a 16-bit file in a RAW conversion program. A 16-bit file can withstand destructive image edits much better than an 8-bit file.

In addition, you can opt to shoot using medium or small RAW image-recording options, both of which offer the same advantages as full-size RAW files, but at a smaller image size. The 60D offers M-RAW at 10.1 megapixels (16.7MB file), or S-RAW at 4.5 megapixels (11.1MB file).

RAW files have some drawbacks, however. First, RAW files lack the portability of JPEG files. You cannot edit RAW files on the computer unless you’ve installed Digital Photo Professional or another RAW conversion program, such as Adobe Lightroom or Camera Raw. Second, unless you enjoy working with images on the computer, RAW is not a good option because the files must be first converted, and then saved in another format, such as TIFF. Third, RAW image file sizes are considerably larger than JPEG images.

When you know the advantages and disadvantages of JPEG and RAW capture, you are in a better position to choose whether you want to shoot JPEG or RAW images. You can choose to take advantage of both types of files and select the size for each type.

In-camera RAW image conversion

With the 60D, you now have the option to process RAW images in the camera, and save the images as JPEG images on the SD/SDHC card. Then you can print the JPEG files directly from the SD/SDHC card or simply have them available as a preprocessed JPEG file when you download images to the computer. This option sidesteps the need to convert RAW images on the computer. You can convert only full-size RAW images, not M- or S-RAW size images in the camera.

The disadvantage of in-camera RAW processing is that for the converted JPEG file, you have limited control over the RAW image conversion with no histogram to check for clipping — or discarding pixels during the conversion. The primary reason to shoot RAW capture is to have complete control over the final image. But the 60D retains the original RAW image unaltered on the media card so that you can still convert it in a conversion program to your liking.

However, during in-camera RAW conversion, you can change the brightness, white balance, Picture Style, use Auto Lighting Optimizer and adjust the setting, apply one of three levels of noise reduction (NR), set the size of the converted image, change the color space, apply Peripheral Illumination Correction, apply distortion correction, and correct chromatic aberration.

Chromatic aberration is a lens phenomenon that causes different effects including a colored fringe on the edges of high-contrast objects as well as color flare or blur. See the Glossary for more details.

Here is how to convert a RAW image in the 60D and the adjustments that you can make.

For all step-by-step instructions in this chapter, you can access the 60D camera menus by pressing the Menu button. Then turn the Main dial to select a menu tab, and then press up or down on the Multi-controller to highlight a menu option or turn the Quick Control dial.

1. On the Playback 1 camera menu tab, highlight RAW image processing, and then press the SET button. The 60D displays the first RAW image with the RAW [to] JPEG icon in the upper left.

2. Navigate to the RAW image you want to convert, and then press the SET button. To quickly locate a specific RAW image, press the Index button on the back right of the camera. Then you can press the Multi-controller to move through the index pages to find the image you want. The RAW image processing controls appear overlaid on the image.

3. To select a processing option, press up, down, left, or right on the Multi-controller, and then press the SET button.

4. Turn the Quick Control dial or press left or right on the Multi-controller to select the setting, and then press the SET button to apply the change. As you make adjustments, the image display reflects the changes.

• Brightness. (Denoted by a sun and +/–0 icon.) This setting is adjustable up to +/–1-stop in 1/3-stop increments.

• White Balance. (Denoted by an AWB icon.) You can choose a different White Balance option or choose the K (specific color temperature) option. If you choose K, turn the Main dial to set the color temperature.

• Picture Style. (Denoted by a Picture Style icon.) You can not only choose a new Picture Style, but you can also change the parameters for the Style. Press left or right on the Multi-controller to choose a style, and then press down on the Multi-controller to set the first parameter. The parameters from top to bottom are Sharpness, Contrast, Saturation, and Color tone.

• Auto Lighting Optimizer. (Denoted with a person and light/dark background icon.) Adjust this setting to automatically change the brightness and contrast of the image. Three levels are available, as well as an Off option.

• High ISO speed noise reduction. (Denoted by an NR and bar-graph icon.) You can choose to apply a Standard, Low, or Strong level of noise reduction to images shot at high ISO settings.

• Image-recording quality. (Denoted by a quarter circle and L icon.) Use this option to set the pixel count and image quality of the JPEG file that will be saved from the RAW image conversion. For Live View images shot at a specific aspect ratio, the resulting JPEG file will reflect that aspect ratio as well. You also set the aspect ratio to 3:2, 4:3, 16:9, or 1:1 depending on the option you choose.

• Color space. (Denoted by an sRGB icon.) This option enables you to choose either the sRGB or Adobe RGB color space. If you choose Adobe RGB, the appearance of the image on the LCD does not change because the LCD isn’t compatible with Adobe RGB, but the print reflects the color space you choose. Color spaces are detailed in Chapter 4.

The following options are available only if the image has the characteristics these options correct.

• Peripheral Illumination Correction. (Denoted by a rectangle with a vignette icon.) If you select the Enable option, it corrects the darkening of the four corners, or vignetting, in an image.

• Distortion correction. (Denoted by a grid icon.) This option corrects lens distortion, such as the barrel or pincushion distortion where the center of the image bows out or in, respectively, or other lens distortions that can happen with different lenses. If you correct the distortion, the edges of the image are cropped, making the image appear slightly larger, and making it potentially lower in resolution.

• Chromatic aberration correction. (Denoted by a rectangle of stripes icon.) Choose Enable to correct a lens phenomenon that bends different-colored light rays at different angles, causing color along the edges of elements in the image such as a purple or magenta fringe. To see the effect, press the Magnify button to enlarge the image, and then look at the edge of an object, especially one that has high contrast such as a tree limb against the sky. Press the Reduce button on the back of the camera to zoom out when you finish.

If you don’t like the adjustments, press the INFO. button to return to the original image settings.

5. Press down on the Multi-controller to select Save (denoted by a curved arrow), and then press the SET button. The Save as a new file screen appears.

6. Press right on the Multi-controller to select OK. The camera displays the folder in which the JPEG image will be saved and the file number.

7. Press the SET button to confirm the file location. The camera displays the original image. You can navigate to the next RAW image to convert, or lightly press the shutter button to return to shooting.

The best of both worlds: Shooting RAW and JPEG

To get the best of both worlds, you can choose to shoot both RAW and JPEG. You then have the advantage of getting a pre-edited JPEG file you can post online or print directly with no image editing. You also get a RAW file, either full size or smaller, that you can convert and edit. So when you get a great shot that you want to perfect in a RAW conversion program, or when you get a shot that needs some adjustments, the RAW file gives you the latitude to make adjustments.

One downside of shooting RAW+JPEG is the increased space needed on the SD/SDHC card. For example, on a 4GB card, you can store 100 full-size RAW and Large/Fine JPEG images. Whereas if you shoot only Large/Fine JPEGs, you can store 490 images on the card. If you capture both JPEG and RAW, the images are saved with the same file number in the same folder. They are distinguished by the file extensions of .JPG for the JPEG image and .CR2 for RAW, M-RAW, or S-RAW. RAW+JPEG capture also slows down the continuous high-speed shooting burst rate as shown in Table 2.1. (Estimates in Table 2.1 are approximate, and vary according to image factors, including ISO, Picture Style, and Custom Function settings, as well as card brand, type, and speed.)

Canon divides the image quality screen between RAW and JPEG options. You can select RAW options by turning the Main dial, and JPEG options by turning the Quick Control dial.

Table 2.1 Image Quality, Size Options, and Burst Rates
Image quality		Approximate size in megapixels (MP)	File size in MB	Maximum burst rate (4GB card)
JPEG	Large/Fine	17.9	6.4	58
	Large/Normal		3.2	300
	Medium/Fine	8	3.4	260
	Medium/Normal		1.7	1,930
	Small (S1)/Fine	4.5	2.2	1,500
	S1/Normal		1.1	3,100
	S2	2.5	1.3	2,580
	S3	0.35	0.3	10,780
RAW	RAW	17.9	24.5	16
	M-RAW	10.1	16.7	19
	S-RAW	4.5	11.1	24
RAW +JPEG	RAW + Large/Fine JPEG	17.9 each	30.9	7
	M-RAW + Large/Fine JPEG	10.1 and 17.9	23.1	7
	S-RAW + Large/Fine JPEG	4.5 and 17.9	17.5	7

To set the image format and quality, follow these steps.

1. On the Shooting 1 camera menu tab, highlight Quality, and then press the SET button. The Quality screen appears.

2. Turn the Main dial to select a RAW option, or press left or right on the Multi-controller or turn the Quick Control dial to select a JPEG option. If you want to shoot RAW+JPEG, choose a JPEG and a RAW option. Or, if you are shooting RAW+JPEG, and you want to stop capturing the RAW image, then select the minus sign for the type image you do not want to capture.

3. Press the SET button. The options you choose remain in effect until you change them.

Resizing JPEG images in the camera

If you print images directly from the media card, you’ll appreciate the new 60D option to resize JPEG images on the card to a size and the aspect ratio you need for printing at standard print sizes. Alternately, you can use the resize option to have a JPEG image presized for display in a digital photo frame, or for posting on a Web site or sending in e-mail.

When you resize an existing image on the media card, it creates a new file, leaving the original JPEG intact. You can only resize JPEG images captured as Large, Medium, S1, or S2. RAW and S3 JPEG images can’t be resized.

When you resize images, the aspect ratio and pixel count are set as well. The aspect ratio refers to the relationship of the image width to height. Standard print sizes have aspect ratios that may be different from the image’s aspect ratio. For example, a 4 × 6-inch print has a 3:2 aspect ratio while an 8 × 10-inch print has a 5:4 aspect ratio. The resize option enables you to fit the image to the print’s aspect ratio with varying amounts of cropping to make the image fit the paper size. To figure out the print size that each aspect ratio produces, multiply each number in the ratio by 2. A 3:2 aspect ratio translates to 6 × 4, or a 4 × 6-inch print.

You can resize the JPEG images as follows.

Large can be resized to M, S1, S2, or S3.

Medium can be resized to S1, S2, or S3.

S1 can be resized to S2 or S3.

S2 can be resized to S3.

You can also choose the resolution (or pixel count) and the aspect ratio as shown in Table 2.2. Aspect ratios can be set for Live View shooting on the Shooting 4 menu. Just select Aspect ratio, press the SET button, and then select the aspect ratio you want. Then when you begin shooting in Live View, nonprinting lines show the amount of the scene that will be in the final print based on the aspect ratio you chose.

Table 2.2 Aspect Ratio Options
Quality	Aspect ratio with megapixels (MP) or pixel count in parenthesis
	3:2	4:3	16:9	1:1
M	3456 × 2304 (8 MP)	3072 × 2304 (7 MP)	3456 × 1944 (6.7 MP)	2304 × 2304 (5.3 MP)
S1	2592 × 1728 (4.5 MP)	2304 × 1728 (4 MP)	2592 × 1456 (3.8 MP)	1728 × 1728 (3 MP)
S2	1920 × 1280 (2.5 MP)	1696 × 1280 (2.2 MP)	1920 × 1080 (2.1 MP)	1280 × 1280 (1.6 MP)
S3	720 × 480 (350,000 pixels)	640 × 480 (310,000 pixels)	720 × 400 (290,000 pixels)	480 × 480 (230,000 pixels)

Nonprinting lines on the preview image show the crop for the 4:3, 16:9, and 1:1 aspect ratios. RAW images are saved at the camera’s native 3:2 aspect ratio, but if you apply a ratio, it is appended to the RAW file. Then when you open the image in Canon Digital Photo Professional, the image is shown with the chosen aspect ratio.

To resize an L, M, S1, or S2 JPEG image, follow these steps.

1. On the Playback 1 menu, highlight Resize, and then press the SET button. The image appears with the resize icon at the upper left. You can navigate to a different image if you want.

2. Press the SET button, press right or left on the Multi-controller to select the size you want, and then press the SET button again. The Save as new file screen appears.

3. Press right on the Multi-controller to select OK. A message appears noting the folder in which the image will be saved and file number.

4. Press right on the Multi-controller to OK the message. The original image appears. You can navigate to another image to resize.

Working with Folders and File Numbering

With the 60D, the camera automatically creates a folder in which to store images. However, you can set up additional folders for different scenes and subjects. This helps you organize images as you download them to the computer. Folders can contain up to 9,999 images, and when that number is reached, the 60D automatically creates a new folder.

Creating and selecting folders

One handy feature of the 60D is it enables you to create new folders on each SD/SDHC card to store images. The numbering sequence is straightforward, and starts with the default 100CANON folder and goes up to 999CANON. You can create new folders either in the camera or on the computer. Here are the folder guidelines using either option.

When image 9999 is recorded within a folder on the SD/SDHC card, the camera displays an error message, and you cannot continue shooting until you replace the SD/SDHC card, regardless of whether or not the card contains additional free space. This may sound innocuous, but it can cause missed shots. So if the camera stops shooting, try replacing the SD/SDHC card.

Creating folders in the camera. Folders created in the camera are numbered sequentially, and begin with one number higher than the last number in the existing folder. The camera automatically creates folder 100CANON; therefore, if you create a new folder, the next folder name is 101CANON. When you create folders in the camera, the folder naming structure is preset and cannot be changed. If you insert a SD/SDHC card from another Canon EOS dSLR, the folder retains the folder naming from the other EOS camera until you format the SD/SDHC card in the 60D.

Creating folders on the computer. You can also create folders on the computer for more flexibility in file naming. However, you must follow naming conventions. Each folder must be labeled with a unique three-digit number from 101 to 999. Then a combination of up to five letters (upper- and/or lowercase) and/or numbers can be added with an underscore. No spaces are allowed and the same three-digit number can’t be repeated. So, you can create a folder named 102CKL_1, but not one named 102SKL_1.

Unlike image numbering, the 60D does not remember the last highest number when you insert a different media card and create a new folder on the card. And if you format the SD/SDHC card, the folders you created either in the camera or on the computer are erased along with all images. The only folder that isn’t erased is the default 100CANON folder.

When you format the SD/SDHC card, all existing folders except 100CANON are deleted. Thus you need to create new folders after you format the card.

To view an existing folder or create a new folder, follow these steps.

1. On the Setup 1 tab, highlight Select Folder, and then press the SET button. The Select folder screen appears showing existing folders and the number of images per folder displayed on the left side and a preview of the first two images in the selected folder on the right.

2. To create a new folder, turn the Quick Control dial to highlight Create folder, and then press the SET button. The camera displays the Select folder screen with a confirmation message to create a folder with the next incremented number.

If the Quick Control dial does not work, press the UNLOCK button under the dial, or press down on the Multi-controller.

3. Turn the Quick Control dial to select OK, and then press the SET button. The Select folder screen appears with the newly created folder selected.

Choosing a file numbering option

Changing the way that the camera numbers files may not seem like a top priority to you, but you may find that one of the other file-numbering methods helps you delineate files in different shooting situations to make your workflow more efficient. Here is a look at each option and some of the shooting scenarios where each option could offer an advantage.

Continuous file numbering

Continuous file numbering is the default setting on the 60D, and every file is numbered sequentially beginning with 0001 through 9999. Image files are stored in the 100CANON folder located at the top-level on the SD/SDHC card.

The camera automatically creates the 100CANON folder. File numbering continues uninterrupted unless you insert a SD/SDHC card that has images stored on it. If the highest number on the card is higher than the last image number on the 60D, file numbering typically continues from the current highest-numbered image on the SD/SDHC card. That numbering continues even after you subsequently insert an empty formatted card. For example, although I had taken only 200 images with the 60D, when I inserted a SD/SDHC card from another Canon camera, the next image file number on the 60D was 4521, the next higher number on the SD/SDHC card.

Likewise, if a SD/SDHC card contains multiple folders with images in them, then the numbering sequence begins with the highest-numbered existing image in the folder that is being used. But if you insert a card that has a file number that is lower than the last highest file number taken on the 60D (stored in the camera’s internal memory), the file numbering continues from the last highest file number recorded on the 60D. In short, the camera uses the last highest number from either the card or the number stored in memory.

Auto reset

As the name implies, this option resets image file numbering every time you insert a SD/SDHC card, and when you create a new folder on the SD/SDHC card. Using Auto reset, image file numbers reset to begin at 0001.

Auto reset is handy for keeping images organized by shoot when photographing different subjects or assignments on the same day. I create separate folders on the SD/SDHC card or cards, and then save images from different shoots to individual folders. Because the file numbers reset in each folder, it’s easy to check each folder to see the number of images I’ve taken for the assignment. Additionally, it’s easier to keep the images separate when I download them to the computer. Further, if you have enough SD/SDHC cards to use one card per scene or subject, Auto reset can help you organize images by SD/SDHC card.

But again, the Auto reset option isn’t as straightforward as it seems. If you insert a SD/SDHC card with existing images stored on it, the camera uses the highest existing image number and continues numbering from there. So if you want Auto reset to reset to 0001, be sure to format the SD/SDHC card in the camera before shooting with it. In short, it pays to start a shooting day with an adequate supply of freshly formatted SD/SDHC cards, and to not swap SD/SDHC cards between cameras to make this and other file numbering methods work best.

Manual reset

This option seems to work around the limitations of the Continuous and Auto reset settings. By its name, it seems that you could force file numbering to reset for a fresh start. However, that’s true only if the default 100CANON folder is empty. When you select Manual reset, the next image number is set to 0001. But if the folder has images in it, when you choose Manual reset, the camera creates a new folder, 101CANON, and starts image numbering at 0001 in that folder. That behavior is also true for SD/SDHC cards that have multiple folders with images in each folder.

When would you use Manual reset? I use it any time I want to quickly create a new folder and begin shooting at image number 0001. For example, if I’m shooting a wedding, and a member of the wedding party asks me to photograph his family during a break, I can select Manual reset and know that the family shots will be kept in a folder separate from the wedding image folder. Of course, I have to remember to switch back to the wedding folder when I go back to shooting the wedding.

After you choose to manually reset the file numbering, the 60D returns to the file numbering option that was in effect before the numbering was manually reset, either Continuous or Auto reset.

Follow these steps to set the file numbering option you want:

1. On the Setup 1 tab, highlight File numbering, and then press the SET button. The camera displays the three file numbering options.

2. Highlight the option you want, and then press the SET button. The option remains in effect until you change it, except for Manual reset, which creates a new folder if there are images in the current folder and in any other folders. If there are no images, then image numbers in the current folder begin with 0001. In both instances, the camera then returns to the previously selected file numbering option.

Miscellaneous Setup Options

There is a laundry list of setup options on the 60D that can make your shooting life easier and make the camera work better for you. You may have already implemented these settings, but in case you missed some, here is a list of helpful setup options.

General setup options

Within general options, I include options typically set only once, although there are some you may revisit for specific shooting scenarios. If you don’t see a menu option in the following lists, it’s because it appears in other sections of the book.

To change general setup options, press the Menu button, press left or right on the Multi-controller to choose a menu tab, and then follow the instructions in Tables 2.3 through 2.9.

Table 2.3 Shooting 1 Menu Options
Press up or down on the Multi-controller to select Menu Option	Press SET button to display Menu suboptions	Press up or down on the Multi-controller to select suboption, and then press the SET button
Beep	Enable, or Disable	Choose Disable for shooting scenarios where noise is intrusive or unwanted.
Release shutter without card	Enable, or Disable	Choose Disable to prevent inadvertently shooting when no card is inserted. The On setting is only useful when gathering Dust Delete Data.
Image review	Off, 2, 4, 8 sec., and Hold	Longer review durations of 4 or 8 seconds have a negligible impact on battery life except during travel, when battery power may be at a premium. I use 4 seconds unless I’m reviewing images with a client or subject; then I choose 8 seconds.

Table 2.4 Shooting 2 Menu Options
Press up or down on the Multi-controller to select Menu Option	Press SET button to display Menu suboptions	Press up or down on the Multi-controller to select suboption, and then press the SET button
Auto Lighting Optimizer	Disable, Low, Standard, or Strong	Enabling this option automatically corrects images that are too dark and/or images with low contrast at the level you choose. Using this option can mask the effects of exposure modification such as Auto Exposure Bracketing and Exposure Compensation.
Color space	sRGB, or Adobe RGB	Sets the color space to the smaller sRGB color space, or to the larger Adobe RGB color space. See Chapter 4 for more information on these options.

Table 2.5 Shooting 4 Menu Options
Press up or down on the Multi-controller to select Menu Option to select Menu Option	Press SET button to display Menu suboptions	Press up or down on the Multi-controller to select suboption, and then press the SET button
Grid display	Off, Grid 1, Grid 2	Choosing Grid 1 overlays a 3 × 3 grid on the Live View screen, and choosing Grid 2 overlays a 4 × 6 grid to aid in squaring up horizontal and vertical lines in the scene for better composition.
Aspect ratio	3:2, 4:3, 16:9, 1:1	In Live View shooting, the aspect ratio is shown with nonprinting lines indicating how JPEG images will be cropped to fit the aspect ratio. RAW images are displayed in the ratio, but are saved in the default 3:2 aspect ratio. You can apply the ratio to RAW images in Canon Digital Photo Professional. See details on aspect ratios earlier in this chapter.

To check current battery power, go to the Setup 3 menu tab, highlight Battery info, and then press the SET button. The Battery info screen displays the percentage of remaining capacity, the number of shots taken on the current battery charge, and the relative performance level of the battery’s recharge in three levels. If you’re using dual LP-E6 batteries in the BG-E9 grip, the screen displays battery information for both batteries.

Table 2.6 Playback 2 Menu Options
Press up or down on the Multi-controller to select Menu Option to select Menu Option	Press SET button to display Menu suboptions	Press up or down on the Multi-controller to select suboption, and then press the SET button
Highlight alert	Disable, or Enable	Choosing Enable causes areas of overexposure in the preview image to blink, alerting you to reshoot using negative Exposure Compensation if the blown highlights are in a critical area of the image.
AF point disp. (display)	Disable, or Enable	Choosing Enable displays on the preview image the AF point used to set focus.
Histogram	Brightness, or RGB	Choosing the Brightness displays a histogram showing the distribution and gradation of tones through the image, alerting you if exposure modification is necessary. Choosing RGB displays a histogram showing the distribution of color in the Red, Green, and Blue color channels, enabling you to evaluate the color saturation and gradation.

Table 2.7 Setup 1 Menu Options
Press up or down on the Multi-controller to select Menu Option	Press SET button to display Menu suboptions	Press up or down on the Multi-controller to select suboption, and then press the SET button
Auto power off	1, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30 min., and Off	Choose an option to determine the amount of time before the 60D turns off automatically. Shorter durations conserve battery power. Just press the shutter button halfway to turn on the camera again.
Auto rotate	On for the LCD and computer, On for the computer only, or Off	Choose the On option to automatically rotate vertical images to the correct orientation on the LCD and computer monitor, or only on the computer monitor. If you choose the first option, the LCD preview image is displayed at a reduced size. Choose Off for no rotation on the camera or computer.
Format		Formats the SD/SDHC card. It’s a good idea to format cards often. Always format the SD/SDHC card in the camera and never on the computer.

Table 2.8 Setup 2 Menu Options
Press up or down on the Multi-controller to select Menu Option	Press SET button to display Menu suboptions	Press up or down on the Multi-controller to select suboption, and then press the SET button
LCD brightness	Choose from seven brightness levels	Watch both the preview image and the grayscale chart as you adjust the LCD brightness. As you adjust brightness, ensure that all tonalities on the grayscale chart are clearly distinguishable.
Date/Time		Set the current date and time.
Sensor cleaning	Auto cleaning (Enable, Disable), Clean now, Clean manually	Auto sensor cleaning happens automatically when you power the camera on and off, but if it bothers you, you can choose this option to Disable it. Clean now initiates sensor cleaning immediately. Clean manually enables you to clean the sensor using a blower or other sensor-cleaning products. Be sure that the battery is fully charged before manual cleaning.
Lock (Quick Control dial)	Disable, or Enable	In Program AE (P), Shutter-priority AE (Tv), Aperture-priority AE (Av), Manual (M), Bulb (B), and Camera User Settings (C) shooting modes, you can use this option to lock the Quick Control dial. That way, inadvertent changes are prevented for Exposure Compensation in P, Tv, and Av shooting modes, aperture changes during manual exposures, and aperture changes during bulb exposures. To temporarily unlock the dial, press the Unlock button below the Quick Control dial.

Table 2.9 Setup 3 Menu Options
Press up or down on the Multi-controller to select Menu Option	Press SET button to display Menu suboptions	Press left or right on the Multi-controller to select suboption, and press SET button
INFO. button display options	Displays camera settings, Electronic level, or Displays shooting functions	Choose one or all of the options to determine which screen is displayed by pressing the INFO. button. Camera settings displays the current exposure and camera settings on a static screen. The Electronic level displays a level on the LCD to help you keep the camera level. The level displays roll and pitch so you can check horizontal and vertical tilt in 1-degree increments. Shooting functions displays a summary of exposure and camera settings where you can activate the screen to change settings. This is also known as the Quick Control screen.
Clear all camera settings		Choose to reset the camera to the factory default settings for shooting, image-recording, camera, Live View, and Movie shooting settings.

Adding copyright information

Your copyright identifies your ownership of images. On the 60D, you can append your copyright information to the metadata that is embedded with each image that you shoot.

While including your copyright is a great first step in identifying ownership of the images you make, the process is not complete until you register your images with the United States Copyright Office. For more information, visit www.copyright.gov.

To include your copyright and the camera owner’s name on your images, follow these steps:

1. On the Setup 3 camera menu, highlight Copyright information, and then press the SET button. The Copyright information screen appears.

2. Highlight the option you want, such as Enter author’s name or Enter copyright details, and then press the SET button. A screen appears where you can enter the name or details.

3. Press the Q button on the back of the camera to move to the bottom portion of the text entry screen, and then press left or right on the Multi-controller to move the cursor to the letter or symbol you want to enter.

4. Press the SET button to enter the character or symbol. The character appears in the upper area of the screen. To delete a character, press the Erase (trashcan) button. You can enter up to 63 characters, numbers, and symbols in the text entry area. You can cancel entering text by pressing the INFO. button.

5. Press the Menu button when you finish to return to the previous screen, where you can choose to enter copyright details or the author name, whichever one you didn’t choose in Step 2. To display the copyright, go back to the Copyright information screen and choose Display copyright info.

Reviewing and Rating Images and Movies

These days, the ability to immediately see the last captured image is a given. Although image playback isn’t the final judge on images, it’s the best indicator to know when you need to adjust the exposure, tweak the color or focus, or modify the composition.

To view images on the 60D, press the Playback button to display the most recently captured image. If you’re in Single image display, basic shooting information appears in a ribbon above the image. If you’ve turned on the Highlight alert and AF point display options, the preview image shows these as well, with localized areas of overexposure displayed as blinking highlights.

To move through images on the card, turn the Quick Control dial counterclockwise to view the next most recent image, or clockwise to view the first image. You can also press left or right on the Multi-controller to review images. You can change the playback display by pressing the INFO. button to cycle through each of these four image-playback displays:

Single image with no shooting information. This display shows the image with no shooting information overlaid on the preview image. If you’re showing subjects or friends the images you’ve captured, this display option provides a clean, uncluttered view of the image.

Single image with basic shooting information. This default playback display gives the largest preview image and provides the shutter speed, aperture, folder number, file number, and image number relative to all images on the card.

Detailed information. This display option shows the Brightness histogram with detailed shooting information, including the shooting mode, exposure and flash compensation, metering mode, white balance, file size, image recording quality, and the current image number relative to the total number of shots on the SD/SDHC card.

Shooting information with histograms. This display includes a summary of exposure and camera settings along with a Brightness and separate R (Red color channel), G (Green), and B (Blue) histograms. The image preview is necessarily reduced in size to accommodate the additional information. With this display, you can check the tonal distribution in the Brightness histogram and the color distribution in the Red, Green, and Blue color channels, and verify key camera settings.

The playback displays changes for automatic modes, such as Portrait and Landscape modes, and for Movie mode.

If you’re new to using a histogram, be sure to read Chapter 3, where evaluating exposure using histograms is described.

To check focus and specific details within the image, you can magnify the preview image by pressing the AF point selection button on the top-right side of the camera back. Under this button is a magnifying icon with a plus sign in it. If you hold the button, the image magnifies to the maximum of 10X. You can then press the Multi-controller to move around the magnified image. Press and hold the Auto Exposure Lock (AE Lock) button to reduce the image magnification. Under this button is a magnifying icon with a minus sign in it.

For details on playing back movies, see Chapter 7.

Rating images and movies

Rating images by one of five levels helps you find your favorite images quickly on the SD/SDHC card using the image jump technique detailed later in this chapter. You can also include rated images and movies when you create a slide show. In addition, you can sort images and movies in the ImageBrowser, a program provided on the EOS Digital Solution disk that comes in the box.

To rate images or movies, follow these steps:

1. On the Playback 2 camera menu tab, highlight Rating, and then press the SET button. An image appears on the LCD with a ribbon of rating options overlaid on the top.

2. Turn the Quick Control dial to select the image or movie to rate, and then press up or down on the Multi-controller to select a rating. One or more stars appear to reflect the rating.

3. To continue rating images, repeat Step 2, and then press the Menu button to exit the rating display. The Playback 2 menu appears.

Searching for and moving through images and movies

When you need to find images or movies quickly on the SD/SDHC card, you have two options. First, you can display either four or nine images and movies as an index. Second, you can jump through images and movies by a specified number of images at a time, and by date, folder, movies, stills (still images), or image rating.

Here’s how to use both options:

Display as an index. To display images as an index, press the Playback button, and then press the AE Lock/Reduce button once for a four-image display or twice for a nine-image display. To go back to a four-image index, press the Magnify button. Then turn the Quick Control dial to select a single image, and then press the SET button to display only that image, or turn the Main dial to move to the next index screen.

Jump through images. Select the Playback 2 camera menu tab, select the Image jump w/Main dial icon, and then press the SET button. On the Image jump w/Main dial screen, turn the Quick Control dial to select the method for jumping — 1 image, 10 images, 100 images, Date, Folder, Movies, Stills, or Image rating. (Turn the Main dial to select the rating level.) Press the SET button. Now press the Playback button to begin image playback, and then turn the Main dial to display the jump scroll bar and to jump by the method you selected. If you chose Date, you can turn the Main dial to display the date. If you chose Folder, you can select the folder in which to view images.

Protecting and Erasing Images and Movies

To ensure that your favorite images and movies are not accidentally deleted, you can add protection to them. Conversely, when you know that you do not want an image or a movie, you can easily delete it to free up space on the media card.

Protecting images and movies

Applying protection to images and movies helps prevent them from being inadvertently erased. The 60D provides handy ways to make protection faster by enabling you to protect not only individual images and movies, but also all images and movies in a folder, or all images and movies on the SD/SDHC card. Applying protection is much like setting a document on the computer to read-only status. Protected images can’t be deleted using the Erase options detailed in the next section. And when you download protected images, you’re asked to confirm that you want to move or copy read-only files, which indicates that the images have protection applied.

Protection is a handy way to clean up images and movies that you do not want. Simply add protection to the images and movies you want to keep; then when you choose to delete all images and movies on the card, only the images you have protected remain. This is handy, but is a technique you should use with caution to ensure you haven’t forgotten to protect images or movies you intended to keep. Protected images are erased when you format the SD/SDHC card.

You can apply protection to an image by following these steps:

1. On the Playback 1 menu tab, highlight Protect images, and then press the SET button. The Protect images screen appears.

2. Turn the Quick Control dial to highlight Select images, All images in folder, or All images on card, and then press the SET button. If you chose Select images, then the last captured image appears on the LCD. A small key icon and the word Set appear at the top left of the image.

3. Press the SET button to protect the displayed image, or turn the Quick Control dial to move to the image you want to protect, and then press the SET button. A key icon appears in the information bar above the image to show that it is protected.

4. To protect additional images, turn the Quick Control dial to scroll to the image you want to protect, and then press the SET button to add protection.

If you later decide that you want to unprotect an image, you can remove protection by repeating Steps 1 to 3 and pressing the SET button to remove protection. When protection is removed, the key icon in the top information bar disappears. Alternately, you can go to the Playback 1 menu, select Protect images, press the SET button, and then highlight Unprotect all images in folder or Unprotect all images on card.

Erasing images and movies

With the 60D’s large, high-resolution LCD monitor, evaluating images is more accurate than ever before. This makes it easier to decide whether or not an image is a keeper or one that you want to delete.

You can also review movies. For general reference, I’ll use images to include both still images and movies.

The 60D offers two ways to delete images: removing one image at a time or check-marking multiple images and deleting all marked images at once.

It’s often wiser to look at images on the computer monitor to evaluate the merits or faults before deleting them in the camera. If you erase images, they cannot be restored if you change your mind.

If you want to permanently erase a single image, just navigate to the image you want to delete during image playback, press the Erase button, highlight Erase, and then press the SET button.

To select and erase multiple images at a time, follow these steps (as you go through these steps, you can optionally choose to erase all images on the card or in a specific folder):

1. On the Playback 1 menu tab, highlight Erase images, and then press the SET button. The Erase images screen appears.

2. Turn the Quick Control dial to highlight Select and erase images, and then press the SET button. The last captured image appears.

3. Press up or down on the Multi-controller to add a check mark that marks the current image for deletion, or turn the Quick Control dial to move to the image you want to mark for deletion. Continue marking all the images you want to delete. A check mark appears on images marked for deletion. You cannot add a check mark to images with protection applied.

4. Press the Erase button. The Erase selected images screen appears.

5. Turn the Quick Control dial to highlight OK, and then press the SET button. The 60D erases the marked images, and the Erase Images screen appears.

Working with Eye-Fi Cards

One of the handiest ways to transfer images and movies to the computer is to use an Eye-Fi card that wirelessly transmits images to an online service or to your computer using a wireless local-area network. The card looks just like an SD/SDHC card but adds the wireless transfer capability as well as other features that work with the 60D.

You can use Eye-Fi cards in the 60D, although Canon does not guarantee support of all functions on the card.

Depending on the Eye-Fi card, you can upload to your favorite networks with the proper ID and passwords. You first set up the Eye-Fi card on your computer to choose the network you want to use, and then you set up a folder for transferring images and movies to the computer. Then when you insert the Eye-Fi card into the 60D, media is automatically transferred as you shoot. In addition, the card controls the 60D’s Auto power off function so that the camera’s power remains on until the transfers are complete.

Newer Eye-Fi cards offer endless memory, a function that deletes the oldest images and movies that have been successfully transferred to the computer or network service to free up space on the card. You can set the card capacity point at which older images will be deleted to make space available. The concept of endless memory applies to the card, and it is endless only insofar as the amount of the space you have on the computer or network service. Newer cards also include geotags, hotspot location, RAW file transfer, and more. Card sizes range from 4GB to 8GB.

You need to verify that wireless transmissions are permitted in certain locations. Airports, hospitals, and some businesses do not permit wireless transmissions. In such areas, you can prevent the card from emitting a signal, even when no images are being transmitted, by removing the card from the camera.

To use an Eye-Fi card in the 60D, set up the card in the computer according to the manufacturer’s instructions and insert it in the camera. Then follow these steps to set it up in the 60D:

1. On the Setup 1 menu tab, highlight Eye-Fi settings, and then press the SET button. The Eye-Fi settings screen appears.

2. Press the SET button to select enable Eye-Fi trans. (transmission), and then press the SET button again.

3. Select Connection info., and then press the SET button. The Connection info. screen appears.

4. Verify that an Access point Service Set Identifier (SSID) is being used, and you can also check the Media Access Control (MAC) address.

5. Press the Menu button three times to exit.

6. Take the first picture. The preview image is displayed. Thereafter, a transfer icon is displayed for images that have already been transferred. The 60D has four self-explanatory icons that indicate connection status, or you can press the INFO. button to see the status on the shooting settings display screen.