Canon R3 Complete Photography Settings Guide

Watch as Brett Carlsen walks you through his complete settings for using the Canon R3 for photography. Professional photography settings guide that will cover all the menu items and adjustments made for professional work including autofocus settings.
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[@JGZphotography]

I am a media sports photographer and love the eye control; once calibrated and typically will require recalibration to your eye at different lighting conditions. Very important that the half-press shutter button is configured to start the eye control, exposure, and AF. If not, the AF zone will not shift to the target looked at. I had this issue at first when the eye control would not work. Also the AF-ON must be set to start the eye control otherwise the AF will only start where the AF zone mark is positioned. Now, where ever I look in the electrinic viewfinder and half press the shutter button, BINGO the focus point shifts to my eye target. As long as I keep a half shutter button press, the AF follows the subject, even while I look around, until I am ready to fire the burst of shots at 15 fps. To choose another seen target, I must first release the shutter button and half press again on the seen target. This requires some new finger muscle training, unlike using the DSLRs. When shooting at a different venue, I always check my eye control calibration as different environmental lighting has small effects on the control. BTW, I wear glasses.

[@BrettCarlsen]

Glad to hear you’re having success. In my experience no matter how many times I try calibrating it, it just kind of moves generally in the direction my eye is going. Nowhere near accurate enough to pick focus points and certainly not as efficient as using the manual IR controller. I’ll keep trying again though and grateful it’s working so well for you! I was told my soft contacts are the most problematic to work with

[@jasyamaha]

Great explanation John, thanks.

[@C6v1999]

I just got an R3 and found your video very helpful in understanding all these options. Thanks!

[@terrellcwoods]

Great info Brett. This camera has caused me to second guess every setting after going out and shooting. The AF possibilities have really caused me grief. I'm going to implement your settings going forward and see how that goes. Thanks for sharing

[@BrettCarlsen]

Man I can relate. I recorded this a few weeks ago. Normally I can just make one of these videos after about one day. I toyed with things for weeks though before I could settle on these. Love the camera though but it’s definitely complex haha.

[@nitakayg]

Thanks for the review. I wanted to share that I use the Q menu to get to WB quickly and you can utilize Kelvin.

[@OwenMainPhotography]

Thanks for posting this Brett!

[@karvinfernando3782]

Amazingly detailed! Thank you 🙏

[@AmandaLloydPhoto]

You can use the control rings in the rf lenses to change your kelvin fyi. It makes it super quick!

[@Vaughn_S]

This really helps. Have had my R3 for over a week and trying to set it up best for sports; specifically, competition cheer and basketball. 👍🏾

[@BrettCarlsen]

Nice! This setup should work great. Personally in groups of fast moving people I find myself using that * button AF setting quite a bit. Did last night at hockey to grab the goalie quicker.

[@Mr2vivid]

Great video! I love my R3!!! Butttt I was just wondering how you are doing your screen recordings for your video?

[@thetogtube2]

Super helpful! Thanks so much for making this!

[@jacklydon]

Excellent video. Very helpful to set up my new R3.

[@kylegage8089]

Awesome video. Saved me lots of set up time. Also explained a lot. Can’t wait for an AF video.

[@BrettCarlsen]

Thanks so much!

[@BruceLeroyUK]

Very useful. Thanks Brett.

[@HEBI.RAIDEN]

Very informative VDO, much appreciated ❤❤❤

[@MrAnah2009]

I have just bought my R3 2 days ago. I found this video very helpful. Thank you very much.

[@obsidian00]

I have had the opportunity to have my hands on an R3 body over at Tempe Camera and well…it’s nice…a bit smaller than my 1DX3 (which isn’t a good thing) it just wasn’t enough to get me to upgrade BUT it does give me goosebumps just thinking what the R1 will be like!!! 😳 Great video as always! 👍🏾

[@BrettCarlsen]

I agree. I had 1DX3 and feel this is more of a lateral move…I mean maybe not. It’s an upgrade in ways. But was tempted to wait another generation. However I do more entertainment and recording studio stuff where I use silent mode a lot. So it made sense for me.

[@user-fq2gd3vs6i]

Great video Brett. Thanks for the help. The one thing I am hoping to do with the R3 that you helped with the R5 is to set the eyw detection with the * button on the back. So, if doing portraits I could use the * button to focus on the eye. I love that. Thanks again.

[@BrettCarlsen]

Awesome. Yes. I like having the option for both very quickly

[@JGZphotography]

Latest R3 firmware 1.2.1 does not change the voice record to add after Protect is enabled. Still have to de-protect to add additional voice memo.

[@JGZphotography]

On the AF menu #3 - the Preview AF I set to ON. When set to the ON, and the back-button focus is pressed, the viewfinder will display a white lined box to indicate the camera is in focus. However, do make sure your target is seen as focused. It's more of an aid to know that the camera is engaging in an active focus operation.

[@colinjohnson8042]

Some nice tips here, thank you! I shot with 2x R3s in India for a month and learned a lot about them. 1) Lock defaults to not locking the front dial (which is stupid. I figured it out eventually and added it). 2) Your method of adjusting what the back button AF actuates is innovative, but it conflicts with Lock. Rather than have subject tracking turned OFF, I prefer leaving it on, but turning off the type of subject (people, animals etc). This way, subject tracking works with Lock enabled and doesn't jump to an eye (which is the biggest problem). I use the * button adjacent to it as the eye tracker and this works really well. 3) My biggest grip is that C1, C2 and C3 all have to be setup individually. It's great for customization but there should be a way of making things common between them and then turning on a customization flag for what is unique. Perhaps there is and I missed it?

[@flaviomendes2376]

Oi tudo bem?acabei de conseguir o r3 estou estudando a configuração...não entendi sua observação do c1 c 2 c3

[@nedimatilla]

detection value from canon eos 5d mark iv? is it better than him?

[@craigc7708]

can you post links to the documents that you have been reading?

[@dominickimperato8392]

Can you use the EVF at 15fps?

[@user-nk2yt8zr2r]

Great video. Very complicated camera. One question i still can't get an answer to. How can i get the focus points to work like the 1DX II and 1DXII, so i can manually set the focus point and move it when i want and not have it running all over the viewfinder tracking random subjects?

[@BrettCarlsen]

You should be able to select a common single box or box with expanded points for focus point and then just go disable tracking. Also if you go to your focus button in the custom button settings you can go to “AF ON” and then info to adjust parameters for that button. So I have AF ON button do what you describe and then the * button do all the fancy tracking. Hope that helps?

[@AlbertKel]

It’s not super complex to use the eye control, it works flawlessly for me and my friends. Are you sure you understand how to use it? Have you changed the functionality of your back button autofocus? To bad you are missing out the most awesome functionality of the camera. It’s extremely useful for sport moving between players.

[@xabierlanda8998]

How you can turn off a round circle m like my eye is focus in other place, appreciate your help

[@angelogarciajr5356]

Everything I have is used or refurbished lol....I would not know how to act to have the latest greatest all the time :) You are living the dream!

[@BrettCarlsen]

Eh it’s not fun buying them. I actually wasn’t going to buy this but decided to. I should do a review on my 12 year old 70-200 2.8 haha. I just make videos of the exciting stuff

[@johnmallett2217]

At 14:20 you talk about high speed continuous and no ability to change down from 30fps in electronic shutter. I found I can control this to an extent by setting the burst rate max frames setting to say 20. It’s not quite the same and depends on your shutter speed of course but I found it useful to limit the number of images down to less than 30

[@BrettCarlsen]

Yes. Could limit the number taken but the interval would still be high. Was taking to a colleague tonight at NHL game and we both lamented that 30 is too high almost always. But yes that at least helps you from taking a million photos in a burst at least haha. Really hoping they had more frame rate options

[@jeanmaitland277]

Hi John, hopefully you'll be pleased to know you can have different speeds in Electronic Mode on the R3 - High Speed Continuous+ gives you the 30, High Speed Continuous gives you 15, and Low Speed Continuous gives you 3. These details can be found on page 1028 of the online Canon EOS R3 User Guide.

[@kelb89]

Dude I bought the R3 two days ago and I was bummed when I checked to see you didn't make a video. I do a lot of low light sports work and HF anti-flicker is going to be a damn game changer. How do you like it overall?

[@BrettCarlsen]

Haha. Just in time! I bet HF flicker will be a huge jump for high school sports. I’ve been pretty impressed with it as a whole. Ordered a second one and sold my 1DX3’s right away.

[@JGZphotography]

NEW R3 firmware 1.2.2 does not change the voice record to add after Protect is enabled. Voice record first then protect. That’s the way this dance will go. Eye control works for me when the AF settings are different, but I still prefer the standard back focus button like on the 1DX series. I have two R3s. Combining the use of R3 with any other Canon model messes up my muscle memory.

[@jarrellelee]

Man, how do I set the spot meter to the autofocus and not just have it in the center?

[@ddandridge10]

Brett, just FYI, you can limit/set the amount of shots you want per second. In the orange section, number #3, limit continues shot count. this way you can get your 20 shots per second.😎😎👍👍👍👍

[@dfj555]

This guy's review is very basic, definitely not an expert on this camera.

[@yogi.photos5494]

Hi Brett, great vid:) Question: How do I stop the auto focus from moving when its on "one shot" I like to lock my focus on a subject and move to frame but it moves focus to wherever the focus grid is. I like that with "Servo" but find it frustrating when I want more control. Thanks mate:)

[@BrettCarlsen]

One shot should freeze until you release whatever button you use (shutter button or AF-ON button). Possibly you have continuous AF on by accident? But that would focus constantly then. Curious what might be happening

[@yogi.photos5494]

@@BrettCarlsen thank you :) That was very easy baha my AF-on locks focus when I hold it down. Cheers 🍻

[@7189k]

Good job. your video was very helpful.

[@BrettCarlsen]

Glad to hear it!

[@7189k]

@@BrettCarlsen seeing it again to fine tune the camera

[@AlSo-Fotografie]

26:15 the manual says that the focus stays on the subject if u still halfpress the shutter button. sounds like continuous-af xD

[@debbieshriner1308]

Thank you!!!!!!!

[@Stasics]

Hi! Thanks man, good video! Next please video settings ;).

[@BrettCarlsen]

Haha someday I’ll do stuff on video

[@jaredcharney8540]

Except for my first portrait shoot as I was convinced it wouldn't work in HSS I've been able to use the camera in electronic shutter mode while using my Flashpoint strobes no matter the shutter speed, I wonder why Profoto wouldn't work ? Have you tried again? thanks for a great tutorial, I got the camera about a month ago and so far the only issue I'm having is the eye control but I haven't really spent enough time trying to get it set up properly. I absolutely love the sensor on the AF ON button which is partly the reason I haven't tried that much.

[@BrettCarlsen]

Interesting. I think I tried it once more with no luck. Possibly something has changed. I too have had no luck at all with the eye control autofocus and for the same reason really enjoy the AF ON button control

[@116Paul]

Are you able to shoot HSS in full electronic mode? I use godox flash aka flashpoint.

[@jaredcharney8540]

@@116Paul Yes, I shoot all the time in HSS in electronic mode w/my Flashpoints and haven't had any issues

[@116Paul]

@@jaredcharney8540 awesome. Thank you. I just ordered the r3. I plan to shoot 100% electronic mode with flash for weddings. Hss is definitely needed since electronic max sync is only 1/180. I really appreciate you replying back. Thanks again.

[@jaredcharney8540]

@@116Paul you bet! I have 2 R3's and other than my first portrait shoot I have shot 100 percent electronic shutter ever since

[@craigc7708]

Use DOF button to active eye - focus.

[@dfj555]

Shutter Mode, you didn't explain what Elec. 1st-curtain does and when it should be used.

[@BrettCarlsen]

It’s been many months and I still haven’t found a time to use it. It only uses the mechanical to finish the exposure but electronic to start the exposure.

[@forsterl.stewart414]

As far as using a back button to start and controlling focus. Why use two fingers to do what can be accomplished with just one finger. Use anything that makes photography fun and easy for you. We are all different, I have worked for nearly half a century in photography field, even before all this b.b.f., auto focusing Era. I have seen things come and go. For me b.b.f. is not something I embrace. Much like auto shutter,aperture or programmed control. I like doing things myself. Customisable rear buttons have many other uses I prefer over focus control. Number one reason for bbf: Just hold the back button to track a moving subject, or release it to lock focus on a still subject. Additionally, you can avoid accidental refocusing when you recompose your shot or when something comes between you and your subject. A better solution most professional photographers use. Back button a.f. lock or on Canon back button a.f. off. It works in the same principle, only you press bbf to momentarily stop auto focus. Releasing it when you need to track focus your subject. You can also use manual focus without turning off the autofocus system; just focus manually with the lens ring. Only available on certain lenses a.k.a. as one touch focusing. Personally when I shoot sport, and wildlife, I find that I need autofocus more often than I don’t. Which means that I’d rather press an extra button on the occasions I don’t need it, than press it on the occasions I do.

[@Videolighttv]

Are you selling the r5?

[@BrettCarlsen]

No. Love the higher resolution for commercial projects.

[@fatsal179]

I watched this whole video, just in case Canon decides to send me one someday in the distant future!!! You know, just in case...

[@BrettCarlsen]

Hahahaha. I can relate. Got my first one very quick and have been calling my camera store every week for my second one. Lower level of suffering but sold my other cameras for these and now feeling short handed for work.

[@horrgakx]

3:54 you skipped right past "Min Shutter Speed : Auto" which is actually quite an important section.

[@BrettCarlsen]

My bad. These videos are so long as it is, I try to save time with things I leave at default, but will check it out for my own use!

[@RayDeLuca]

Definitely don't need to use mechanical shutter for Strobe work in studio the electronic shutter works perfect just max shutter of 180

[@TubaSolotheHiker]

Yeah. Jealous legit. I have a photo acquaintance that has an R3 and he let me shoot it for 2 minutes. Wow. And I want two. 😆

[@BrettCarlsen]

It’s pretty awesome. Still waiting on my second

[@falxonPSN]

While I do appreciate the effort you put into this, it's a little disingenuous to call it a complete guide when you skipped over 20% of the settings and not discussed the options for the ones that you left to default and why.