Anton Largiader
Gold Member
Most BBF users are aware that the Metering and AF start function assigned to a BB can be customized using the "Detail set" options screen. On the R3, this gives the ability to specify:
To get this, go to Customize buttons in the camera menu (usually around page four of orange camera) and then scroll down to the button you wish to assign. Press Set and then scroll through to the icon with arrows pointing in and out of a camera; this is Register/recall shooting func. You can press Set to select it, but it won't do anything so first click Detail set which brings up the list of configuration options. As with the customization of the Metering and AF start function, the individual settings must be enabled with a check mark before they will take effect. You can set the values, but they will not be used until the checkmark is there. As you scroll down the list, you can move to the left to set the checkmark or to the right to set the value. Unlike the Metering and AF start function, which can be different for each button assignment, there is only one list of these registered settings so if you assign this to two different buttons you will access and edit the same list of settings.
This function essentially gives you a whole different configuration at the touch of a button. My camera spends most of its time in a sports/action configuration, so maybe 1/1250, f/2.8, fixed ISO, H+. If I suddenly notice something of interest like some players joking around in a shaded spot, I'd have to stop down for more DOF and crank the ISO up even more, then recover from having cranked the wrong dials the wrong way, and by that time they may have moved on. Having a failsafe configuration that I can access in a fraction of a second has helped me several times. I have this set for a slow shutter, medium aperture, auto-ISO and AWB to give me that basic "f/8 and be there" ability no matter what else I am configured for.
If you haven't already, think about what surprise scene you might encounter, or maybe an alternate scene that you regularly are in but have to adjust away from, and give it a try. And post your custom setup, so others can get ideas.
- AF start position (manually selected or registered)
- Servo AF characteristics (Case)
- AF operation (Servo or One-shot)
- AF area (spot AF, etc)
- Subject tracking (on/off)
- Subject to detect (people, animals, etc)
- Spot detection (on/off)
- Eye detection (on/off)
- Shooting mode (P/Av/Tv/M)*
- Shutter speed
- Aperture
- ISO speed
- Metering mode
- EC
- WB
- AF area
- Subject tracking
- Subject to detect
- Spot detection
- Eye detection
- Tracking sensitivity (+/-)
- Accel/decel tracking (+/-)
- AF start position*
- AF operation (on/off)
To get this, go to Customize buttons in the camera menu (usually around page four of orange camera) and then scroll down to the button you wish to assign. Press Set and then scroll through to the icon with arrows pointing in and out of a camera; this is Register/recall shooting func. You can press Set to select it, but it won't do anything so first click Detail set which brings up the list of configuration options. As with the customization of the Metering and AF start function, the individual settings must be enabled with a check mark before they will take effect. You can set the values, but they will not be used until the checkmark is there. As you scroll down the list, you can move to the left to set the checkmark or to the right to set the value. Unlike the Metering and AF start function, which can be different for each button assignment, there is only one list of these registered settings so if you assign this to two different buttons you will access and edit the same list of settings.
This function essentially gives you a whole different configuration at the touch of a button. My camera spends most of its time in a sports/action configuration, so maybe 1/1250, f/2.8, fixed ISO, H+. If I suddenly notice something of interest like some players joking around in a shaded spot, I'd have to stop down for more DOF and crank the ISO up even more, then recover from having cranked the wrong dials the wrong way, and by that time they may have moved on. Having a failsafe configuration that I can access in a fraction of a second has helped me several times. I have this set for a slow shutter, medium aperture, auto-ISO and AWB to give me that basic "f/8 and be there" ability no matter what else I am configured for.
If you haven't already, think about what surprise scene you might encounter, or maybe an alternate scene that you regularly are in but have to adjust away from, and give it a try. And post your custom setup, so others can get ideas.
