Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Canon 5D self timer and mirror lock up.


Back in the old days when I was shooting flim, both my EOS-3 and the T90 before it had two self timer modes: a 10 second mode for when you wanted to be in the picture and a 2 second mode for tripod shooting. When I got the 5D, I was very disappointed to discover the lack of a 2 second timer mode. Ten seconds is a long time to wait, so mostly I have used my TC-80N cable release instead of the self timer when the camera is on a tripod.

So then a few weeks ago I was shooting in Fort Point, San Francisco and I discovered that I left the cable release in my other camera bag. Oh, well, I guess a 10 second wait it is. So I turn on mirror lockup and the self timer and hit the shutter. Up goes the mirror, two second wait, and snap goes the picture all automatically. What's that? I try it again. Sure enough, not only does MLU automatically reduce the self timer to 2 seconds, the self timer automatically lifts the mirror, waits two seconds and takes the picture. Halleluia! The perfect tripod mode. I'd swear I've read the entire 5D manual and never found this, but suddenly a year after I got the camera it has become standard operating procedure.

3 comments:

Antonio Correia said...

The same happens with the 20 D and the 350 D.
I have used it before and I've just confirmed on both cameras.
:)

Andy Williams said...

LOL, at work, we say sometimes, "reading is hard" :)

So happy you found this little "gem!"

C A C H A P A said...

Could you tell me something please,
Did you coverd the viewfinder win taking the PIC ?? I have read in some foruums that the viewfinder must by coverd !! But I can not understand why...

my mail: miguelcachapa@gmail.com

Thank You
Mike