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Does anyone else wish the Canon ON/OFF switch was around the shutter button instead of on the left?

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james _

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I rather like what Canon has to offer, but one (admittedly small) thing that drives me nuts is the on/off switch being on the left. I'm someone who is always turning my camera off and on, and when I'm walking around, I'm holding my camera in one hand. when i see a shot, i turn on the camera with one hand while raising it to my eye, so it's ready to shoot by the time i see the scene in my camera. but with the canon I have to use two hands to turn it on, so it causes a slight delay, which in rare cases can miss the shot. do canon shooters just rely on power save/sleep mode and half press the shutter to wake it? does it bug anyone else?

i turn my camera on/off a lot cause i tend to be ultra conservative with my batteries, but admittedly i probably don't have to do this as much anymore with modern cameras (actually i wonder if i'm using up more battery by powering on the camera frequently, even with various start up/power down functions disabled).

(and no, this isn't a troll post, i'm just particular with muscle memory/ergonomics and wondered if canon's on/off switch placement was a small transition for anyone else.)
 
Nope. I've been a Canon user for over 20 years and I can't recall that Canon has put the on/off switch near the shutter release. The switch has moved from the lower back of the camera to the upper left over the years. I guess that is an ergonomics decision that Canon engineers made years ago and never saw a reason to change it. I can't say that the switch near the shutter release is a bad idea, but after using many different generations and levels of Canon bodies, I don't notice it. I turn the camera on when I start using it and then leave it on until the shoot is over. I doubt that the amount of power saved constantly turning the camera on and off is worth the bother or even my worry that the switch may fail from overuse. I am more concerned that the EVF isn't quick enough to react as I bring the camera up to my eye, so I would be even more frustrated having the remember to turn the camera back on again....
 
Maybe you haven't used cheaper models. This is a top view of a Rebel T3i (600D).
Maybe you haven't used cheaper models. This is a top view of a Rebel T3i (600D).
 
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Nope. I hardly care where it is. When I heavily use my camera, I hardly have to turn it on or off. On its own, it shuts down (for a couple of mins when not in use) and powers up (as soon as I operate it again) so the only time I turn it on is from my camera bag and off when it's going back in.
 
I actually really like where the R5/R6 on off switch is. Its convenient in use and very convenient after I set the camera down, as I am right handed and the left side of the body is often closest to me after I set it down.
 
Larawanista said:
Nope. I hardly care where it is. When I heavily use my camera, I hardly have to turn it on or off. On its own, it shuts down (for a couple of mins when not in use) and powers up (as soon as I operate it again) so the only time I turn it on is from my camera bag and off when it's going back in.
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Same for me :)
 
davel33 said:
Larawanista said:
Nope. I hardly care where it is. When I heavily use my camera, I hardly have to turn it on or off. On its own, it shuts down (for a couple of mins when not in use) and powers up (as soon as I operate it again) so the only time I turn it on is from my camera bag and off when it's going back in.
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Same for me :)
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If I had to recall the on/off switch from memory I don't think I'd be able to. With that said, I think it just feels natural and I don't notice it since I use it that much anyway.
 
I always let the camera go to sleep very quickly when not in use.

The moment I need it I push the shutter button a little while I fetch it with my right hand, so at the time I look through the EVF the camera is already fully awake again.

I only turn the camera off the moment I don't need it anymore.
 
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Definitely yes.

Is a very useful thing to have the power on button at your finger.

Practically you pick up the camera with one hand and you are ready to shoot instantly.

For those who did not use this simple feature is hard to understand how useful it is.
 
Cristi CC said:
Definitely yes.

Is a very useful thing to have the power on button at your finger.

Practically you pick up the camera with one hand and you are ready to shoot instantly.

For those who did not use this simple feature is hard to understand how useful it is.
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Used to having it next to the mode dial. Don't miss it. In my M6 Mark II it was on the right side as well, not far from the shutter button. Same, don't think it's a game changer to have it on the other (left) side in R bodies.

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I've been using EOS cameras for 30 years, and a lot of different models. In that time, the power switch or button (in the case of the M and M3) has been in a number of different positions - the only place it's never been in is around the shutter button. Either left or right is fine by me, I didn't like the button and I don't really like the position on the back where it was for most of the film era and early DSLRs. I don't actually want it around the shutter button, though.
 
Rock and Rollei said:
... I don't really like the position on the back where it was for most of the film era and early DSLRs.
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Yep, that was a real pain especially with gloves on. A similar switch is still used on the Speedlites and I don't get on with that either.
Rock and Rollei said:
I don't actually want it around the shutter button, though.
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Agreed, it works well just as it is.

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CameraCarl said:
Nope. I've been a Canon user for over 20 years and I can't recall that Canon has put the on/off switch near the shutter release. The switch has moved from the lower back of the camera to the upper left over the years. I guess that is an ergonomics decision that Canon engineers made years ago and never saw a reason to change it. I can't say that the switch near the shutter release is a bad idea, but after using many different generations and levels of Canon bodies, I don't notice it. I turn the camera on when I start using it and then leave it on until the shoot is over. I doubt that the amount of power saved constantly turning the camera on and off is worth the bother or even my worry that the switch may fail from overuse. I am more concerned that the EVF isn't quick enough to react as I bring the camera up to my eye, so I would be even more frustrated having the remember to turn the camera back on again....
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interesting, so it seems most people just leave it on, even if they don't use in the minute or so it takes to sleep (i'm assuming the time till sleep is customizable)

i will note i don't think switch failure from overuse is really a concern...i mean you press the shutter or AF buttons far more frequently; i would hope that isn't a concern on canons that the buttons or dials would break. i've been doing that in my camera for 7+ years and the on/off switch feels the same as the day i bought it
 
Larawanista said:
davel33 said:
Larawanista said:
Nope. I hardly care where it is. When I heavily use my camera, I hardly have to turn it on or off. On its own, it shuts down (for a couple of mins when not in use) and powers up (as soon as I operate it again) so the only time I turn it on is from my camera bag and off when it's going back in.
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Same for me :)
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Are we lazy or what? 😂 Then we complain about battery life!
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lol it really takes no effort when the switch is around the shutter though! as soon as my arm goes down, my finger just flips the switch to OFF without having to adjust my grip or anything...feels very easy and natural. but like i said, just my personal muscle memory
 
james _ said:
interesting, so it seems most people just leave it on, even if they don't use in the minute or so it takes to sleep (i'm assuming the time till sleep is customizable)
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On my R5, I have mapped the movie record button to turn off displays. It’s right next to shutter and I instinctively hit it when I know I’m not taking another shot immediately. Helps a lot with battery since the main draw is displays. If I then hit sleep time without taking another shot, that’s fine too. In either case, a half press on shutter will wake it up again

i doubt I would prefer on-off on primary side, since it would come at expense of some space that can be used better for all the other controls I use more often. Then again, I’ve used older canon bodies that had a power button integrated on the side of mode dial… and that was fine too with me (in fact I momentarily hated it when I had 400D alongside 7D and 5D mk II, with inconsistent layouts)

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Rock and Rollei said:
I've been using EOS cameras for 30 years, and a lot of different models. In that time, the power switch or button (in the case of the M and M3) has been in a number of different positions - the only place it's never been in is around the shutter button.
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e551383440e4469d8e192663630bbf95.jpg

My 400D had it next to shutter, if you consider on top on same side as next to

i don’t care much either, except prefer similar layout across bodies - which is on left for current models

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ashishpandey

Ashish Pandey Photography
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