DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

My Canon 7dMII has 3 custom shooting modes which allow the camera to be immediately set for certain foreseeable situations. A number of other Canon models (5DS, 70D, 60D, 6D, 5DsR, 5DMII, 1DX) also allow one to three custom shooting modes. I'm using two of them currently. Here's what I use:

Mode C1 (for HDR)
AV
f/13
ISO 100
5 brackets, 1 step apart
Center-weighted average metering
White Balance: Cloudy
Image Quality Raw-Large
One Shot
2-Second Delay

Mode C2 (for fast action)
TV
1/1250
ISO:Auto
AI Servo
Center-weighted average metering
HS continuous
White Balance: Cloudy
Image Quality Raw-Large

I treat these settings as "baselines." In C2, the shot might need the speed adjusted to 1/2000, for example. But, the custom shooting modes quickly let me set up a shot and make a couple of tweaks. It saves a lot of time and avoids errors.

So, for other Canon Custom Function users (and, users of other brands, if their cameras permit the equivalent functionality), a couple of questions:

- What other purposes do you use the Custom Function feature for, and, what are the corresponding settings?
- For HDR or Macro, how do your settings differ from mine?

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

I'm not a fan of center-weighted average metering. It's a mode left over from film cameras that was a compromise between average and spot metering (which many amateurs misused). Other more experienced photographers may have other/better advice, but I'd suggest evaluative metering or spot metering (if you know how to use it correctly).

Regarding your third custom mode, one that I find useful is for indoor flash for portraits/candids, where I set manual, 1/200 sec (fastest flash sync for my camera), external flash enabled, appropriate WB for my flash's color temp, AI servo, a wide aperture for limited DOF, a low ISO (say 100-400 depending on your flash capabilities) and raw+JPEG - just a suggestion.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

Thanks, TriX!

Trane Loc: Connecticut

I don't use the custom settings often, but do have it set up primary for the 5 brackets, 1/3 apart.

And knowing the the other "factors with probably be re-adjusted. On my Canons, bracketing doesn't seem to be that "quick".

The Nikon D7200 also has two custom settings, easy to get to.... I just haven't played around with it much. That said, I hope to see what other UHH-ers do post here.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Why on earth do you have your WB set to a preset in your custom functions? That does not make any sense whatsoever!

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

Well, in my view, unless you're going to use a custom WB, you have to start somewhere. Cloudy is probably the most versatile WB setting - it'll work most of the time - especially since I shoot RAW and can also adjust in post if I leave it in the cloudy default and don't like the result later.

mdphelps Loc: Michigan

I have set up a custom setting mode for those rare times when a non experienced photographer will take our family portrait. AV mode no bbf (which confuses most). I set up composition then hand them camera.