Canon EOS D60Canon updates their D30 Semi Pro SLR with a 6 megapixel sensor and other improvements, and sets a new low-price point in the process!<<Operation & User Interface :(Previous) | (Next): Image Storage & Interface>> Page 9:Camera Modes & MenusReview First Posted: 2/22/2002 |
Camera Modes and Menus
Night Scene Mode: The first mode in the Easy Shooting
Zone, Night Scene is for taking pictures of people at sunset or at night. The
autofocus mode is automatically set to One Shot. Drive mode is set to Single
Shot, and metering mode is set to Evaluative. Quality is also automatically
set, to the 3,072 x 2,048-pixel, Fine compression level. Since slower shutter
speeds will be used, a tripod is recommended to prevent movement from the camera.
The built-in flash is available, and the ISO setting is adjustable (a speed
of 400 or faster is recommended). If the shutter speed chosen by the camera
is longer than about 1/60 second, the flash will pop up automatically. If Night
Scene mode is used in daylight, the camera operates the same as in Full Automatic
mode.
Sports Mode: This mode uses a faster shutter
speed to capture fast-moving subjects. The autofocus mode is automatically set
to AI Servo. Drive mode is set to Continuous Shooting, and metering mode is
set to Evaluative. Quality is automatically set to the 3,072 x 2,048-pixel,
Fine compression level.The onboard flash isn't available in this mode (since
it can't cycle fast enough to keep up with the continuous exposure mode), but
ISO is adjustable (a setting of 400 or faster is recommended).
Close-Up Mode (Macro Mode): Turning the mode
dial to the macro flower symbol sets the camera for capturing smaller subjects
such as flowers, small details, etc. The autofocus mode is automatically adjusted
to One Shot, the drive mode is set to Single Shot, and the metering mode is
set to Evaluative. Image quality setting is again set to 3,072 x 2,048 pixels,
Fine. Close-up mode takes advantage of the current lens' minimum focal distance,
however, an EOS dedicated macro lens and the Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX are recommended
for better close-up photography. (Unlike the macro mode on most consumer digicams,
Macro mode on the D60 has no effect on lens focusing range, as that parameter
is entirely determined by the lens being used.)
Landscape Mode: Landscape mode combines slower
shutter speeds with smaller aperture settings to increase the depth of field
when shooting broad vistas and sweeping landscapes. The built-in flash is automatically
disabled, even if it's already raised. Because this mode uses slower shutter
speeds, a tripod may be needed. Image quality is set to 3,072 x 2,048 pixels,
Fine.
Portrait Mode: This mode uses a large aperture
setting to decrease the depth of field, which blurs the background to emphasize
the subject. ISO is adjustable and the built-in flash may be used. As with the
previous modes, image quality is automatically set to 3,072 x 2,048 pixels,
Fine.
Full Automatic Mode: The final mode in the Easy Shooting Zone, Full Automatic
is indicated on the Mode dial by a green rectangular outline. In this mode,
the camera makes all exposure decisions with the exception of ISO, which is
adjustable through the menu system. Image quality is again set to 3,072
x 2,048 pixels, Fine, and autofocus mode is set to AI Focus. (AI Focus
evaluates subject movement, automatically sets either one-shot AF or AI Servo
AF automatically. Drive mode is set to Single Shot, and the metering mode is
set to Evaluative.
Program AE: This is the first mode in the Creative Zone of the Mode Dial.
Program AE works similarly to the Full Automatic exposure mode, but allows more
control over the exposure variables. Aperture and shutter speed are automatically
selected by the camera, but you can bias the exposure to larger or smaller apertures
by turning the Main control dial, which will change the combination of aperture
and shutter speed so as to maintain the same exposure value, but with a different
choice of aperture/shutter speed. Turning the Quick Control dial in this mode
adjusts the exposure compensation setting, to increase or decrease overall exposure.
Shutter-Priority AE: This mode allows you to manually set the shutter
speed anywhere from 1/4,000 to 30 seconds, while the camera chooses the best
corresponding aperture setting. You have control over all other exposure variables,
including exposure compensation.
Aperture-Priority AE: The opposite of Shutter-Priority mode, Aperture-Priority
AE allows you to set the lens aperture (with available ranges depending on the
lens in use), while the camera selects the most appropriate shutter speed. Again,
you have control over all other exposure variables, including exposure compensation.
Manual Exposure: This mode provides the same range of exposure control
as the other Creative Zone exposure modes (except for exposure compensation),
but lets you control both shutter speed and lens aperture independently. The
shutter speed range is extended to include a Bulb setting, allowing long exposures
from one to 999 seconds. A display in the top LCD panel reports whether your
settings are under, over, or correctly exposed.
Automatic Depth of Field AE: This is the final mode in the Creative Zone,
and is meant for taking pictures of large groups or landscapes. This mode puts
the camera in control of both the shutter speed and aperture values, but you
can adjust the other exposure variables. (This mode cannot be used if the lens
focus mode is set to manual.) When shooting in Automatic Depth of Field AE,
the camera sets both the exposure and focus distance to achieve a sharp focus
over a wide depth of field. It uses the autofocus system to measure the distance
to the subjects covered by each of the three autofocus zones, and then attempts
to set the focusing distance and lens aperture so as to render all three subject
areas in sharp focus.
Playback Mode: This mode is entered by pressing the Play button on the
back panel. Playback mode lets you erase images, protect them, or set them up
for printing on DPOF compatible devices. You can also view images in an index
display, enlarge images to 3x, view a slide show of all captured images, or
rotate an image. The Info button activates an information display, which reports
the exposure settings for the image and graphs the exposure values on a small
histogram.
Operating Menu: This menu is available in all of the camera modes, though
a few of the capture-related options are only available in the Creative Zone.
Pressing the Menu button calls up the Operating menu.
Quality:
Sets the image size and the compression ratio (Creative
Zone only). Options are Large/Fine (3,072 x 2,048 pixels), Large/Normal (3,072
x 2,048 pixels), Medium/Fine (2,048 x 1,360 pixels), Medium/Normal (2,048
x 1,360 pixels), Small/Fine (1,536 x 1,024 pixels), Small/Normal (1,536 x
1,024 pixels), and RAW (3,072 x 2,048 pixels, with lossless compression).
Custom
White Balance: Lets you to manually establish the white value by referencing
a shot of a white card (Creative Zone only). (This mode on the D60 is a little
unusual, in that it makes use of a previously-shot image of a white card,
allowing you to store several white-point references on the camera's memory
card and switch between them. It also allows a white reference to be shared
between multiple photographers shooting the same event, simply by putting
the same white reference image on each of their memory cards. Very
handy!)
Review:
Determines whether images appear on the LCD monitor immediately after they
are taken. Options are On, On (Info), or Off. The On (Info) setting displays
the image along with an exposure information readout and histogram.
File Numbering:
Extends consecutive file numbering between media cards or resets numbering
with each new card.
Shutter
Button/AE Lock Button: Allows you to determine focus and exposure
either separately or together when the shutter button is halfway pressed.
- Mirror Lock Up: Enables or disables the mirror lockup function,
to minimize blurring from camera vibration caused by mirror movement in
close-up and telephoto shots. When enabled, the first press of the shutter
button locks up the mirror, while the second press actually triggers the
shutter.
- Exposure Level: Sets the adjustment increment for exposure compensation,
as well as for shutter speed and aperture adjustments. Options are 1/3
or 1/2 EV increments.
- AF Assist Light/Flash Firing: Turns the autofocus assist light
on or off. The AF assist light helps the camera focus in dark shooting
situations.
Also specifies whether or not the flash is tied to the AF assist light.
- Shutter Speed in Aperture Priority Mode: Sets the shutter speed
for Aperture Priority mode to 1/200 seconds or to Automatic adjustment.
- AEB Sequence/Auto Cancellation: Selects one of four Auto Exposure
Bracketing sequence variations. Also determines whether the autoexposure
bracketing remains enabled for the next exposure or not.
- Shutter Curtain Sync: Sets the flash to fire with either the
first or second shutter curtain.
- Lens AF Stop Button: Controls the operation of the "AF Stop"
button on the lens, if present. (Many lenses do not have this option.)
Determines whether the AF stop button disables or enables auto focusing,
or whether it serves to lock exposure and start the exposure timer.
- Auto Reduction Fill Flash: Programs the flash to cut back its
power for fill-flash operation under daylight shooting conditions.
- Menu Button Return Position: Designates whether the menu returns
to the last setting changed or to the first menu option when the Menu
button is pressed.
- Set Button Function When Shooting: Programs the Set button to
make quick changes while shooting. The Set button can control either image
quality or ISO speed, or may be disabled in capture modes.
- Sensor Cleaning: This function must be turned on when cleaning
the imaging element. It locks up the mirror and holds the shutter open
so you can access the CMOS sensor with cleaning implements. (IR Editors
note: Use extreme caution!)
- Superimposed Display: Turns on a superimposed display feature,
which illuminates the current focus area in red, in the viewfinder display.
- Shutter Release without CF Card: Specifies whether or not the
shutter can be released without a CF card in the camera.
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