Canon EOS 50D Review: 11. Menus: Digital Photography Review

Camera Menus

The structure of the EOS 50D menus is essentially the same as on the predecessor but the design has been slightly freshened up and now features a neat fading effect. Other than that the menus have a tabbed multi-page layout which is consistent with their EOS-1D professional cameras. You navigate pages using the multi-selector or main dial and use the quick control dial or multi-selector to move up and down options, press SET to change. Colors (red for shooting, blue for play etc.) are used to distinguish the different categories of options. In Auto and scene modes the options available in the menus are limited.

Full menu (P, Tv, Av, M, A-DEP, C1-3)	Limited menu (Auto, scene modes)

Shooting section (red)


Option	Values / Actions	Notes
Quality	• RAW - RAW SRAW1 SRAW2 • JPEG - Large Fine Large Normal Medium Fine Medium Normal Small Fine Small Normal	- JPEG Large = 4752 x 3168 - JPEG Medium = 3456 x 2304 - JPEG Small = 2352 x 1568 - RAW = 4752 x 3268 - SRAW1 = 3267 x 2178 - SRAW2 = 2376 x 1584 Turn front dial to change RAW image, turn rear dial for JPEG.
Red-eye on/off	• Off • On	Enables the use of the AF / red-eye lamp just before a flash shot.
Beep	• On • Off	Enables auto focus confirmation beep. Also used for self timer.
Shoot w/o card	• On • Off	Allow shot to be taken without CF card inserted.
Review time	• Off • 2 sec • 4 sec • 8 sec • Hold
Peripheral illum. correct.	• Enable • Disable	Corrects vignetting depending on the attached lens.

Expo. comp./AEB	• +/-2 EV • 1/3 or 1/2 EV steps (C.Fn I-1)	Configures auto exposure bracketing.
White balance	• Auto • Daylight • Shade • Cloudy • Tungsten light • White fluorescent light • Flash • Custom • Color temp. (Kelvin)
Custom WB	• Set custom WB	Select image for custom WB.
WB Shift / BKT	• Shift: B9-A9, M9-G9 • Bracket: BA+/-3, MG+/-3	Configures WB shift and WB bracketing.
Color space	• sRGB • Adobe RGB
Picture Style	• Standard • Portrait • Landscape • Neutral • Faithful • Monochrome • User Def. 1 • User Def. 2 • USer Def. 3
Dust Delete Data	• OK • Cancel

Picture Style

The Picture Styles are a range of pre-programmed image parameter sets intended to deliver the best results in different situations. Each Picture Style has its own preset mapping for tone and color response as well as providing the ability to tune sharpness, contrast, saturation and color tone for each. For instance the default sharpening for the Standard Picture Style is level 3, if you prefer less strong you can just adjust it downwards. Sharpness has 8 levels, contrast, saturation and color tone all have have 9 levels.

Playback Section (Blue)


Option	Notes
Protect images	Protect mode, allows you to browse images either in a single image or thumbnail view and mark each image as protected (or un-protect). This simply sets the read-only flag on the CF card file system.
Rotate	Rotate mode, again, this can be performed in either single image or thumbnail index view. This option allows you to rotate an image on-screen by 90 or 270 degrees. Doesn't actually rotate the JPEG file, but marks its orientation.
Erase images	• Select and erase images • All images in folder • All images on card
Print order	Allows you to create a DPOF print order file, for use with compatible printers or photo finishers. • Select images • By folder Mark all in folder Clear all in folder • All images • Set up Print type Standard Index Both Date On Off File no. On Off
Transfer order	Allows you to create a transfer order file, for use with automatic image transfer software. • Select images • By folder Mark all in folder Clear all in folder • All images Mark all on card Clear all on card

Highlight alert	• Disable • Enable
AF point disp.	• Disable • Enable
Histogram	• Brightness • RGB
Slide show	Start an automated slideshow of images on the CF card, delay between each image is preset at four seconds.
Image jump	• 1 image • 10 images • 100 images • Screen • Date • Folder

Setup Section (Yellow)


Option	Values / Actions	Notes
Auto power off	• 1 min • 2 min • 4 min • 8 min • 15 min • 30 min • Off	Sets camera power off time, this is the amount of "idle time" before the camera powers itself off. In the power off state the camera can be woken by half or fully depressing the shutter release (or turning the power switch to Off and back to On).
Auto rotate	• On (play mode and EXIF) • On (EXIF) • Off	Chooses whether orientation information is recorded and if the camera should rotate in play mode.
Format	• OK • Cancel	Format the CF card
File numbering	• Continuous • Auto reset • Manual reset	Controls the numbering method used for filenames.
Select folder	• Select folder • Create folder

LCD Brightness	• 1 to 7
Date/Time	• Set Date & Time • Set Date format
Language	• English • German • French • Dutch • Danish • Portuguese • Finnish • Italian • Ukrainian • Norwegian • Swedish • Spanish • Greek • Russian • Polish • Czech • Hungarian • Romanian • Turkish • Arabic • Thai • Simplified Chinese • Traditional Chinese • Korean • Japanese	Select menu language.
Video system	• NTSC • PAL	Select video system for video out connector.
Sensor cleaning	• Auto cleaning Enable Disable • Clean now Cancel OK • Clean manually Cancel OK	Defines the settings for the built-in cleaning system, by default the system is enabled and cleans at startup and shutdown (although can be interrupted). The 'clean manually' option locks the mirror and shutter up.
Live View function settings	• Live View shooting Enable Disable • Expo. simulation Enable Disable • Grid display Off Grid 1 Grid 2 • Silent shooting Mode 1 Mode 2 Disable • Metering timer 4 sec 16 sec 30 sec 1 min 10 min 30 min • Af mode Quick mode Live mode Live Face mode	Defines parameters for Live View.

INFO. button	• Normal disp. • Camera set • Shoot. func.
Flash control	• Flash firing Enable Disable • Built-in flash function setting Flash mode: E-TTL II Shutter sync 1st curtain 2nd curtain Flash exp. comp -2 to +2 EV E-TTL II Evaluative Average • External flash function setting • External flash C.Fn setting • Clear external flash C.Fn setting
Camera user setting	• Register Mode dial: C1 Mode dial: C2 • Clear settings Mode dial: C1 Mode dial: C2	- Records current camera settings to a mode dial 'C' user setting for easy recall.
Clear all camera settings	• Clear all camera settings • Delete copyright information • Cancel
Firmware	Select to load new firmware from CF card	Also shows current version, on our camera; 2.9.1 41 (1a)

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