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)