iJourneys

John Gough Photography

Canon EOS R Setup

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Canon EOS R

The Canon EOS R is a camera that can be customised precisely for the type of photography that you enjoy. The setup here is for general photography but it can easily be tweaked towards the photography that you do most. As an example, I have set my own camera up for street photography and saved it as a preset. All will be explained in this guide to the Canon EOS R setup for the everyday photography of places, things, and people.

The settings described are in the Menu.

First

Format the Card

It is worthwhile getting into the habit of reformatting the card every time you use it. Getting rid of all the data reduces the risk of data corruption.

WRENCH 1> Format Card

Canon EOS R Menu

Most menu settings can remain as set by Canon when the camera left the factory. These are the settings I would change:

Starting Out

Image Type

Shooting in RAW gives the utmost flexibility in post production, but if you are not into that, shoot in JPEG. I set the camera up for both..

CAMERA 1> Image Quality> CRAW + S1

Power Saving

ECO Mode does not seem to slow the camera down so set.

WRENCH 2>ECO mode> On

Shooting Settings

I prefer not to have a view of the picture I have just taken appear in the viewfinder. It slows down shooting speed, so I disable this feature:

CAMERA 1> Image Review> Off

It is an easy mistake to make to go out without a card installed. To prevent shooting your best pictures ever, and then realising that they have not been recorded.

CAMERA 1>Release Shutter Without Card> Off

Auto Focus

There are two autofocus modes that can be set in AF 1. ONE SHOT AF where the camera focusses and locks on the subject and SERVO where the camera continually refocusses on a moving subject. A convenient way to shift between the two is to use the M-Fn button to the left of the shutter button.

Continuous AF

When switched on the camera is continually refocusing so that when you come to take the picture it is already in focus before the shutter is pressed. This means that it is working when the camera is just being held.

There seems no need because the focus works instantaneously when the shutter is pressed.

AF 1> Continuous AF> Disable

AF Method

AF 1> If you want to use the face and eye detect features on the camera then set to Tracking. Personally, I do not. Instead I set to AF 1> AF method> 1-Point AF which has more flexibility for all sorts of photography.

Eye Tracking

AF 1> Eye Detection AF> Enable (NB has to be set to Tracking)

Touch Screen AF

Use the screen to move the AF point. With a bit of practice, it works great just using your thumb.

AF 1> Touch and drag AF settings> Touch and drag AF> Enable

AF 1> Touch and drag AF settings> Positioning method> Relative

AF 1> Touch and drag AF settings> Active touch area> Btm left (depends which eye you use and need to avoid your nose changing the AF position)

Useful Tips

Drive Mode

I leave the camera in Single Shot but if you need to change to Self Timer or Continuous shutter release then the quickest route is via the M-Fn button to the left of the shutter button.

Vertical Finder Display

The information in the EVF will rotate if the Canon EOS R is held vertically.

WRENCH 4> Shooting info disp> VF vertical display> ON

Grid in Viewfinder

I find a grid in the viewfinder useful for composing. I am always trying to shoot those thirds. 

WRENCH 4> Shooting info disp> Grid display> 3×3

Using Non-Canon Lenses

To use other branded lenses with the Canon EOS R adapter.

CUSTOM 5> Release shutter w/o lens> ON

Beep on Focus

Do you want to let everyone know that the camera has focused? Probably not.

WRENCH 3> Beep> Disable

Setting Custom Buttons and Dials

Control Ring

The ring on EOS lenses and the EF lens adaptor is a useful feature. As it is possible to see in the viewfinder the effect of different exposure values so I set to Exposure Compensation.

CUSTOM 4>Customize dials> Control ring> Exposure compensation ( hold meter btn)

M-Fn Bar

This control is controversial, some people find it OK others hate it. It might be OK when I get used to it. I have it set for ISO

CUSTOM 4> Customize M-Fn bar> ISO

Save Settings

To save these settings WRENCH 6> Custom Shooting Mode (C1-C3)> Register Settings> Custom shooting mode> Register camera settings to Custom shooting mode> OK.

Canon EOS R Street Photography Set Up

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New Baby / John Gough / Canon EOS R

 

I like street photography because you can walk out of your front door and start taking pictures. Well, that’s not true because where I live in a village in the UK, there are not that many people about. Unless it is the day of the village fete or harvest festival. Anyway a short drive away, there are streets, people and loads of photo opportunities. On the face of it, the Canon EOS R is not an obvious choice as a street camera, but on closer examination, it is right on the button. So what are the Canon EOS R street credentials?

Canon EOS R Street: Lens

Prime lenses are ideal for street photography, they are generally smaller and lighter than zoom lenses and usually have wider apertures. As a result, there is no need to ramp up the ISO to avoid a blurry shot or too narrow depth of field.

Zoom lenses also make you feel furtive and more like a sniper than a photographer. So a 35mm lens is ideal. It is probably the most used street lens there is. Wide enough to capture detail from the right distance, and so as long as you have the nerve to shoot close up it is ideal. Otherwise, try a 50mm lens.

It just so happens that Canon has a lovely 35mm lens designed especially for this camera. It is the Canon RF 35mm f1.8 Macro STM Lens.

I waxed lyrically about this lens here. The EOS R and this lens make a consummate camera combination. Small enough so that finding the shutter button does not involve keyhole surgery, and compact and light enough to carry all day.

Remember mixing it in the street can easily knock the camera from your hands, so take my advice and use a wrist strap. This is what I use:

Canon EOS R Street: View

Canon EOS R Flippy Screen

An articulated screen is now almost a must for street photography. OK, Cartier Bresson did not have one, but we no longer use film either. An articulated screen has two advantages. Firstly, you can shoot from the hip, which is a far more hip vantage point than eye level. Secondly, lifting the camera to your eye is like shouting your intent to take a photograph. Using a discrete flip out screen is far more incognito.

The Canon flippy screen is especially good for this. It opens outward so that the screen is just left of the camera. A picture can be taken by just touching the screen, and using the electronic shutter rather than the mechanical one makes this camera completely silent. Your finger does not even have to go near the shutter release, and there is no sound.

Canon EOS R Street: Set Up

Most street photographers would normally recommend P or Programmed Automatic for street photography. You can set the ISO and then the camera will calculate the best combination of aperture and shutter speed. This works well most of the time, but there is a Perito Principle at work here. Usually, 80% of images are passable and around 20% result in some motion blur or lack depth of field. Fortunately, on the Canon EOS R there is Fv mode, which is a customisable P mode.

Fv Mode

Fv mode is like Programmed Automation but it is possible to switch between the shutter speed, aperture, ISO and white balance, in the viewfinder, using just the top mode dial. Change any one value, and the others change automatically. This is massively quicker than manually changing the mode from Av, Tv, P, etc. Just do it in camera. This is ideal for street shots, where there is no time to fiddle with the camera, and any fiddling would just draw attention to yourself.

Touch Screen Shooting

To enable a touch screen shutter release. CAMERA 5> Touch Shutter> Enable> Use the icon on the screen to toggle between  ON / OFF (the camera will focus on the area touched)

Silent Shooting

To silent beeps when focussing etc: WRENCH 3> Beep> Disable

To enable the electronic shutter: CAMERA 6> Silent Shutter> Enable

Focus Beam

To disable the focus beam that assists focus in low light: AF 4>AF assist beam firing> OFF

Save Settings

To save these settings WRENCH 6> Custom Shooting Mode (C1-C3)> Register Settings> Custom shooting mode> Register camera settings to Custom shooting mode> OK.

Not the Obvious Choice

So this camera is not a Leica M10 which many purists would see as de rigeur for this type of work. No, this camera is better than that.

Where I Buy

I buy my equipment from Wex because of their exceptional customer service. I once returned a camera after 30 days, and the next day they called to return my money to my account. Their prices are always competitive and they offer good prices on the trade in of your used gear