• Burst: similar to Simple, but images are saved continuously as long as you keep the shutter pressed halfway.
• Hi-Res: emulates high-resolution by taking a matrix of small silent pics, in zoom x5 mode. You need to have the camera on a tripod and the subject should be static (a picture is taken in a few seconds). Could be useful for focus stacking or for timelapse without increasing shutter count.
Silent picture setting is applied to intervalometer and remote triggers. It will also go to LiveView when you press the shutter half-way in regular photo mode. Therefore, you should only enable this setting when you actually use it.
Images are saved in DCIM/1xxCANON/ after the following rules:
• If intervalometer is OFF, silent pics are named after last picture/movie taken without this function (e.g. 12340001.422). You are limited to 10000 silent pictures for each “noisy” picture.
• If intervalometer is ON, silent pics have names like 12345678.422. Tip: use File Numbering → Manual Reset from Canon menu to increase folder number (to sort them easier).
To convert a 422 image to JPEG on the PC, use one of the following programs:
• 422-jpg.py (command-line tool, runs on all platforms, you need to install Python, PIL and numpy).
• 422toimage (Windows only, source code available).
• YUV422 Convertor (Windows only, closed source).
Mirror Lockup
Mirror lockup. See Canon user guide for details.
Timer+Remote will auto-enable MLU under one of the following conditions (and disable it otherwise):
• self-timer mode is on (either 2 second or 10 second, but not continuous)
• LCDsensor Remote is in Away mode.
Flash tweaks…
A few tweaks for flash users:
• Flash expo compensation (-10…+3 EV). Tip: you may use -10EV to trigger an external flash without putting light on the scene coming from the onboard flash.
• Flash / No flash: use this when you are not sure whether to use flash or not. Odd pictures (by file number) will be taken with flash, even pictures without flash.
• 3rd party flash in LV: a trick for enabling non-Canon flashes in LiveView on Rebel cameras. This trick disables LiveView temporarily on half-shutter press, therefore you should DISABLE this option when you don’t use it!!!
EyeFi Trick (visible only with an EyeFi card inserted)
This feature lets you transfer RAW files with a non-pro EyeFi card. You can rename those files from CR2 to AVI, so the EyeFi card will send you raw picture to your PC as a movie file. Once transfered, just rename them back to CR2 on your PC.
To rename the files back on camera, choose Rename AVI to CR2.
Focus
Trap Focus
For MF users: takes a picture when the subject comes into focus.
Modes:
• Hold AF button: you need to hold the autofocus button (half-shutter, * or AF-ON, depending on your settings).
• Continuous: you don’t need to hold any button; ML will “hold” the half-shutter pressed for you. This will also block most buttons; press the shutter halfway to unlock them for two seconds.
Notes:
• Outside LiveView, it only works with lenses with chip.
• In LiveView it only works for photos, and it will take a picture when the focus indicator has (almost) maximum value on the focus graph.
Notes for LiveView trap focus:
• You may have to turn the lens back and forth a few times in order to let ML compute the correct focus scaling factor for the current scene.
• If you move from a high-contrast scene to a low-contrast one, you will also have to wait a bit until the high-contrast data disappears from the focus graph.
• Press SET to temporarily disable automatic scaling of focus magnitude.
Focus Patterns
Custom focus patterns which can be used either with autofocus or trap focus.
To change the focus pattern:
• Set your camera in photo mode, non-LiveView;
• Look through the viewfinder and make sure the main display is off;
• Change the focus pattern with the arrow keys and SET; you may or may not receive visual feedback.
• Press the Zoom In button twice to see the current selection.
You can use the custom focus patterns in LiveView Quick Focus mode, too, but the pattern won’t be displayed on the screen.
This feature was ported from 400plus.
Follow Focus
Very simple follow focus (like a rack focus controlled manually).
• Arrows: you will be able to focus with the arrow keys.
• LCD Sensor: on 550D/500D, focus by placing your hand near the LCD sensor (avoiding shake). To use this, you may need to disable LCDsensor Remote.
Recommended focus step settings:
• Focus StepSize: 1 or 2
• Focus StepDelay: small values, without Wait flag.
• If the motion is not smooth, try larger delays (100ms)
Quick rack focus while recording:
• Press MENU to save current focus point (this means “I want to return here”);
• Use follow focus to change focus point (focus somewhere else);
• Press PLAY to go to saved focus point;
• Press PLAY again to go back.
Focus StepSize
Step size for one focus command, as used by EOS Utility.
Focus StepDelay
Delay between two successive focus commands, with an optional waiting flag.
• If Wait is not active, ML will only wait a for fixed delay before sending next focus command. This will reduce stutter, but may affect rack focus accuracy. This setting is recommended if you only use follow focus.
• If Wait is active, ML will wait until each focus command is completed, and then it will wait for a fixed delay, as configured here. This will increase rack focus accuracy, but may cause stutter with certain lenses.
Focus End Point
This is end point of rack focus (X focus steps from the start point, i.e. from current focus point).
First you have to set the end point. Focus the lens, then press SET on this menu item.
After pressing SET, ML will display Focus End Point:
0 (here). This means the end point is now assigned to current focus position.
At this point, you will see the LiveView image and set the start point using left and right keys (just like with follow focus) or the main dial (scrollwheel). The start point will be always the current focus point (which you are changing); the end point will remain fixed.
Rack Delay
Sets the number of seconds before starting a rack focus. This lets you film the start point first, then initialise the rack focus without touching the camera.
Rack Focus
Triggers the rack focus operation that moves between the start and end focus points. After the move is complete pressing again reverses the move.
• SET: rack focus will start after 2 seconds;
• Q: rack focus will start immediately;
• PLAY: ML will automatically record a short clip with the rack focus operation;
• Outside ML menu, while recording, press PLAY to start rack focus.
Step-by-step:
1. Pick the end point of rack focus by focusing on it (manually or with AF).
2. Configure focus parameters (step size and delay). Different lenses may require different parameters.