Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital Field Guide

Canon 5D Mark III Tips from Author Charlotte Lowrie

Whether this is your first Canon digital SLR or you're upgrading from the 5D Mark II, you will be delighted with the large and small features and options tucked away in every nook and cranny of this camera. The changes start with the locking Mode dial, and continue through to the new Creative Photo button that gives access to the new in-camera multiple exposure and HDR features. And the new menu system is packed with features and enhancements.

If you're like me, you'll spend the first few weeks with the 5D Mark III discovering all the new features. To help you along, here are some of my favorites.

• Set up the Custom (C) modes for specific venues. Among the best time-saving features are Custom modes C1, C2, and C3. You can set up the camera for a specific shooting venue, and then register the settings to one of the Custom modes. Virtually all the camera settings can be registered to the C modes, and now the changes you make on the fly are retained even if the camera goes into sleep mode.
• Customize file names. You can easily customize the first four characters of image file names. Alternatively, you can set the first three characters, and have the camera automatically use the fourth character to indicate image size. Set the filenames to identify a shoot, the photographer, or your company. Go to the Setup 1 menu, choose File name, and then choose Change User setting 1 to set the first four characters, or choose Change User setting 2 if you want to include the image size.
• Identify and use the cross-type AF sensors. The new 61-point autofocus system offers a central bank of 21 AF cross-type sensors for f/5.6 and faster lenses. Using these AF points provides increased focus sensitivity, faster detection and correction of extreme defocus, and excellent performance in low-light focusing. To display the cross-type sensors, go to the AF 4 menu, select Selectable AF point, and then choose Only cross-type AF points. That also eliminates the annoying blinking of non-cross-type AF points that happens in other AF point views.
• Shoot silently--or nearly silently. If you're shooting weddings, news events, or any event where quietness is prized, then try using Silent continuous shooting for significantly quieter camera operation. Just be aware that the frame rate drops from 6 frames per second (fps) to 3 fps. To use Silent continuous shooting, just press the Q button, tilt the Multi-controller to select the drive mode, and then turn the Quick Control dial until Silent continuous shoot is displayed.
• Keep things square with the Electronic level. The Electronic level is a must-use accessory in low-light scenes when it's almost impossible to visually see reference points for lining up the camera.