The feature that's missing from canon EOS cameras

I have found that with the increasing configuration options and functionality of the cameras below the EOS-1D series I’m really missing one feature that is found on the EOS-1D models…

“I want to be able to backup and restore my complete camera configuration”

It takes a long time set up two cameras exactly the same as a result of the current levels of configuration options.

I teach camera workshops, and help individual photographers learn to make full use of EOS cameras for their kind of photography. Invariably this necessitates an in-depth tour through an ever increasing set of menus with several sub levels and sometimes easy-to-miss specific options.

What this means for me is that it is getting much harder to reset my own cameras back to “my configuration” each time I do a training session. It also means that if I were to loan or rent a camera for a specific project it is also hard to have the rental camera completely and quickly match my own optimised setup. I could miss pictures as a result.

The feature I want already exists in EOS-1D series cameras

save-to-card feature EOS-1D X

Save / Load camera settings in EOS-1D X

Ever since EOS-1D Mark III, the EOS-1D series cameras have had the option to back up the complete camera settings to a memory card.

This is really helpful for working pros who might need to pick up a camera and just shoot with it at an event or while their cameras are in service. They can keep a small memory card with their existing camera configuration on and simply restore it on the loan camera. They might even have different configuration files for cameras used as remotes.

As this feature exists for the very configurable EOS-1D series cameras I know it can be done. Whether it can be done with a firmware update to the EOS 7D Mark II, EOS 5D Mark III, EOS 5DS/5DS R; I don’t know, but I still want it.

A solution I could live with…

EOS Utility feature to backup restore camera settings 600px

How backup / restore of camera settings might look in EOS Utility

I understand possible the product positioning or marketing value of keeping the memory card back up method for the EOS-1D series. So I would happily accept that for the EOS 7D Mark II, EOS 5D Mark III and EOS 5DS / 5DS R you would have to connect the camera to a computer and use EOS Utility to backup and restore the complete camera configuration. Just take a complete snapshot of the whole camera and let me be able to save it, then restore it back to the same camera model with the same firmware version.


You may think I’m just complaining, but…

I love the features and functionality of the latest cameras, they really do help to optimise a camera for a specific task or photographers way or operating.

However, when I pickup a camera here’s 20 of the typical things I do to each one

  1. Switch off the beeping tones
  2. Switch off the ability to take pictures without a card in the camera
  3. Set the camera to shoot RAW
  4. Switch off ALO
  5. Optimise the Picture Style
  6. Choose or customise the AF case
  7. Select the AF point / area selection modes to limit to just those I use
  8. Activate orientation linked AF points
  9. Change the AF selection to allow it to wrap around
  10. Turn on the highlight alert
  11. Optimise the auto rotate in playback
  12. Setup the filenames used in camera
  13. Set the LCD to manual brightness level
  14. Configure the copyright info
  15. Change the rate button to only allow 1-star and 5-star selections
  16. Change the default erase option
  17. Optimise the custom controls, including back button AF
  18. Configure the My Menu
  19. Connect EOS Utility to set the camera owners name
  20. Configure C3 on the mode dial to be optimised for video shooting

That last point about C3 is way bigger than the others since I do a lot of camera optimisation to make it more comfortable to shoot movies.

 

About the author

Full-time photo tutor and photographer. I love to share my knowledge and skills to make photos, videos and teach others. I write books and articles for photo magazines and I always have at least one Speedlite flash in my camera bag