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How to customize a button to toggle the 1.6X crop mode? And Spot-AF?

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Dan-Z

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I'm into birding and have trouble sometimes getting the camera to focus on little birds in a tree. So I tried using the 1.6X crop mode for the first time this past weekend and I think this is a good workaround as there are less branches for the camera to deal with when I'm cropped in. And I was probably going to crop it in post anyways. I read some old posts in the forum where some people had customized a button to toggle the 1.6x crop mode. But all I can find in the customized buttons is a "Cropping/Aspect Ratio" selection. But when I choose this, I have to then scroll over to 1.6x and select it. That works, but I'd prefer having to click only once as every second counts when chasing these tiny birds.

Second issue, I had my DOF button set to spot AF for many months now. I would hold the button down, and focus using my bbf button. But when playing around trying to customize 1.6x mode, I accidently changed the DOF selection. Now I can't figure out how to get Spot AF back!!.

Did something change in the last update that removed some of the functionalities for customized buttons?

thanks,
 
I did figure out how to get Spot AF back. For anyone interested you need to select the AF <~> option then click on Info Detail set and choose the AF method.

I still can’t figure out how to customize a 1.6x crop button though.
 
Last edited:
You gain absolutely nothing by choosing the crop mode. Sure everything looks closer but you will gain no more detail than if you shot full frame and cropped in post shot.
 
Steven Blackwood said:
You gain absolutely nothing by choosing the crop mode. Sure everything looks closer but you will gain no more detail than if you shot full frame and cropped in post shot.
Click to expand...
As I mentioned in my original post, I'm using the crop mode to improve AF accuracy, not to improve detail.

If you've ever tried shooting birds in a tree, where the bird doesn't fill the frame, you will know how much trouble the Eye AF has locking onto the bird. Even when you set the initial point right on the bird the camera still chooses to focus away from the original point onto a nearby branch. I've been using Spot AF to work around this limitation. But cropping within the camera seems to work even better.
 
Dan-Z said:
Steven Blackwood said:
You gain absolutely nothing by choosing the crop mode. Sure everything looks closer but you will gain no more detail than if you shot full frame and cropped in post shot.
Click to expand...
As I mentioned in my original post, I'm using the crop mode to improve AF accuracy, not to improve detail.

If you've ever tried shooting birds in a tree, where the bird doesn't fill the frame, you will know how much trouble the Eye AF has locking onto the bird. Even when you set the initial point right on the bird the camera still chooses to focus away from the original point onto a nearby branch. I've been using Spot AF to work around this limitation. But cropping within the camera seems to work even better.
Click to expand...
I’m not convinced it changes focusing either. The AF boxes get bigger in crop mode for sure, including the initial point for where to start tracking. I’d be surprised if the AF tracking architecture doesn’t scale in a similar way.
 
You will get better autofocus performance on small distant birds. I use it all the time and it really helps getting eye detect on small birds.

Bob
 
Just set your C1 mode to settings that include a 1,6 crop mode and set up you mfn button to toggle between C!, C2 and C3.

You lose about a stop of Photo Dynamic Range with 1.6 crop mode.


I shot 1.6 crop mode a lot with hummingbirds when I first got the R5 last summer, but finally concluded that the IQ was rarely as good as cropping from full frame. If you are also shooting with the electronic shutter, may take a double hit. I will leave it to others to say if the effect is cumulative, but it seemed worse to my eyes.


If you still decide that you like the 1.6 crop mode, try exposing to the right to avoid as much noise as possible.

Best,
 
Hoka Hey said:
Just set your C1 mode to settings that include a 1,6 crop mode and set up you mfn button to toggle between C!, C2 and C3.

You lose about a stop of Photo Dynamic Range with 1.6 crop mode.

https://www.photonstophotos.net/Charts/PDR.htm

I shot 1.6 crop mode a lot with hummingbirds when I first got the R5 last summer, but finally concluded that the IQ was rarely as good as cropping from full frame. If you are also shooting with the electronic shutter, may take a double hit. I will leave it to others to say if the effect is cumulative, but it seemed worse to my eyes.

https://www.photonstophotos.net/Charts/PDR.htm

If you still decide that you like the 1.6 crop mode, try exposing to the right to avoid as much noise as possible.

Best,
Click to expand...
 
ON my R5 I have Crop mode set to one of the "C" Custom Modes, The only Button that will toggle "C" Modes is the M-fn. I toggle mine through M, C1 C2-C3, although any Shooting Mode, Av Tv, P, etc can be used rather than M.

To Toggle my selected AF Modes I assigned the AF Point Selection Button to "Direct AF Method Selection", (7th item down Manual Pg. 816;) it will then toggle through selected AF Modes, rather than having to select one from a menu.
 
I chose the DOF button (in customize controls) and it does help you "see" better.
 
gossamer88 said:
I chose the DOF button (in customize controls) and it does help you "see" better.
Click to expand...
What did you customize the dof button to? Did you choose the Cropping/Aspect Ratio" selection?
 
You can set the Mfn and other buttons to toggle crop mode.
 
Hoka Hey said:
Just set your C1 mode to settings that include a 1,6 crop mode and set up you mfn button to toggle between C!, C2 and C3.

You lose about a stop of Photo Dynamic Range with 1.6 crop mode.

https://www.photonstophotos.net/Charts/PDR.htm

I shot 1.6 crop mode a lot with hummingbirds when I first got the R5 last summer, but finally concluded that the IQ was rarely as good as cropping from full frame. If you are also shooting with the electronic shutter, may take a double hit. I will leave it to others to say if the effect is cumulative, but it seemed worse to my eyes.

https://www.photonstophotos.net/Charts/PDR.htm

If you still decide that you like the 1.6 crop mode, try exposing to the right to avoid as much noise as possible.

Best,
Click to expand...
Thanks, I didn’t know you could cycle the C modes using the mfnc button. So I’m gonna put AV == full frame, C1 == 1.6, C2 == full frame and C3 == 1.6. This way it’ll be one click to toggle 1.6 on and off. Or is there a way to limit the cycling between AV and C1 only?

[edit] I forgot that the Aperture and ISO settings also get saved in the C modes. So when I’m “toggling”, these settings change too. I’ll still give this a try though as it seems like the best way right now to “toggle” the crop mode.
 
Last edited:
Leigh A. Wax said:
ON my R5 I have Crop mode set to one of the "C" Custom Modes, The only Button that will toggle "C" Modes is the M-fn. I toggle mine through M, C1 C2-C3, although any Shooting Mode, Av Tv, P, etc can be used rather than M.

To Toggle my selected AF Modes I assigned the AF Point Selection Button to "Direct AF Method Selection", (7th item down Manual Pg. 816;) it will then toggle through selected AF Modes, rather than having to select one from a menu.
Click to expand...
Thanks, as I mentioned above, I’m gonna try setting AV and C2 to full frame and C1 and C3 to 1.6x, this way when I cycle through the C modes it’ll be like toggling on and off.
 
Owashi said:
You can set the Mfn and other buttons to toggle crop mode.
Click to expand...
How do you do it? I couldn’t find a way to set any button to ‘toggle’ crop mode. All I could find is the crop/aspect ratio option but after clicking the button you have to turn the dial and select 1.6x and then click again.
im gonna try using the C modes as some people suggested in this thread to toggle with one click. If you know of an easier way?
 
Dan-Z said:
Hoka Hey said:
Just set your C1 mode to settings that include a 1,6 crop mode and set up you mfn button to toggle between C!, C2 and C3.

You lose about a stop of Photo Dynamic Range with 1.6 crop mode.

https://www.photonstophotos.net/Charts/PDR.htm

I shot 1.6 crop mode a lot with hummingbirds when I first got the R5 last summer, but finally concluded that the IQ was rarely as good as cropping from full frame. If you are also shooting with the electronic shutter, may take a double hit. I will leave it to others to say if the effect is cumulative, but it seemed worse to my eyes.

https://www.photonstophotos.net/Charts/PDR.htm

If you still decide that you like the 1.6 crop mode, try exposing to the right to avoid as much noise as possible.

Best,
Click to expand...
Thanks, I didn’t know you could cycle the C modes using the mfnc button. So I’m gonna put AV == full frame, C1 == 1.6, C2 == full frame and C3 == 1.6. This way it’ll be one click to toggle 1.6 on and off. Or is there a way to limit the cycling between AV and C1 only?

[edit] I forgot that the Aperture and ISO settings also get saved in the C modes. So when I’m “toggling”, these settings change too. I’ll still give this a try though as it seems like the best way right now to “toggle” the crop mode.
Click to expand...
Your “edit” point is why I’d consider that this isn’t a practical use of custom modes at all. Maybe if you only ever shoot Av at f/8 (or whatever) with auto ISO and specific min shutter speed it might work. Otherwise you’d be quicker using the change aspect ratio bottom. Generally though I find custom modes work best for quick access to different situations rather than small tweaks like that. And yes you could limit your set up to just Av and C1.
 
Dan-Z said:
Owashi said:
You can set the Mfn and other buttons to toggle crop mode.
Click to expand...
How do you do it? I couldn’t find a way to set any button to ‘toggle’ crop mode. All I could find is the crop/aspect ratio option but after clicking the button you have to turn the dial and select 1.6x and then click again.
im gonna try using the C modes as some people suggested in this thread to toggle with one click. If you know of an easier way?
Click to expand...
Go into custom settings and select 'customize buttons', you can assign crop/aspect ratio to various buttons. Just press whichever button you assign and scroll through the options using the main dial. You can do it with your eye up to the viewfinder.

C1-3 modes 'remember' aperture/ISO/Shutter speed as well as crop/aspect ratio but you can go into the menu somewhere to automatically update them when you change settings, if you want to do this.
 
Use RAW+JPEG(L) . That way you keep options open. If JPEG is good enough, ditch the RAW. If not, use RAW file for potentially better results.

Although, instinctively I think the R5/R6 JPEG engine will appear more pleasing even cropped in camera.

—C
 
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