topic Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds??? in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

etermel — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 15:56:05 GMT

Hi Community,

I've had my 70D for such a long time, and a year and a half ago I upgraded to the 90D, but somehow kept procrastinating on using it as I gradually found out some of my favorite features were gone through the upgrade, so I kept just using the 70D, easier, quicker, (but heavier). So last week, I had to finally use my 90D. And browsing the internet for quite a while to find how to rotate the picture on the viewfinder, (I kept trying to activate it, while actually I was deactivating it :-S), and how to add my grid of thirds on the viewfinder was one thing BUT I never found how to add the grid of thirds on the LIVE view! There is a grid, but those lines are not thirds for sure. I am not only frustrated but shocked that such a basic feature is so hard to figure out. Please can anyone help? Is there an update I need to do? What am I missing. Thank you for any kind of guidance you can bring me.

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

rs-eos — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 17:11:58 GMT

It's indeed possible. See pages 539 and 540 of the User Manual. One of the options for "Grid display" is "3 x 3".

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

deebatman316 — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 17:13:31 GMT

Check pages 539 & 540 in the camera manual. It gives an option for 3x3 grid lines. Also what do you mean rotate the picture in the viewfinder? What you see in the viewfinder is what you get. At no time does the viewfinder display turn. Unless your talking about the rear LCD rotating images during image playback. Most of Canon's higher end DSLRs use and LCD overlay in the viewfinder. They don't use a focus screen enabling the use of grid lines or turning on or off the AF Point display in the viewfinder. EOS 90D Manual

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

etermel — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 22:15:18 GMT

So I uploaded the manual and got to that page but somehow my settings are different.
I have no choice besides show or hide. See screenshot.
I’m thinking there may be an update I need to do? I have never done that though… so wouldn’t know where to start.

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

etermel — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 22:18:23 GMT

Thank you both for your insight. But unfortunately I don’t have that option. I just posted a picture of that on my camera I only have the choice to show or hide.

and for rotate yes, sorry, I meant for the LCD. When the autorotate is off, weirdly that’s the only way to say the portraits fully on the lcd, in my mind u thought it would have been the opposite. 🤪

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

deebatman316 — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 22:21:09 GMT

What mode is the mode dial in. Usually you get more advanced options in the creative zone ie (M, Av, Tv & P) modes. Also check which firmware is on the camera. Usually Canon's online manuals have the most up to date firmware. If your using an older firmware revision some settings may not be there. The most up to date firmware version is 1.1.1 for the EOS 90D.

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

deebatman316 — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 22:24:36 GMT

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

etermel — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 23:22:33 GMT

Thank you for your reply.
So I’m in the M mode, fully manual I believe.
And as for the firmware is says ver.1.1.1 but when I click on it, it says “memory card containing firmware is required to update” (I added the shots) And when I go on canon for update they say version 111 so am I up to date or do I need an update? Sorry, I am so confused…

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

deebatman316 — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 23:41:34 GMT

You don't need to update the firmware its already up to date. When you do turn on the grid is it on the LCD screen or is it in the viewfinder. Canon's high end cameras offer the grid in the viewfinder as well the rear LCD screen. Those cameras don't use a regular focus screen. They use an LCD overlay in the viewfinder to allow the grid to be turned on and off. Along with the AF point display to be turned on and off. You may need to be live view to change the grid layout. On my 5D Mark IV it won't give you the grid choices. It will give you choices to enable and disable the gird when NOT in live view. The camera has to be in live view for those choices to appear.

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

etermel — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 00:19:42 GMT

So on my LCD I have no problem. Very happy with my thirds lines.
it’s the viewfinder. I just drew what I’m seeing through the viewfinder - not completely accurate with the proportions but basically there is no thirds grid. Just what I see

And another frustrating point is the focus, I used to be able on my 70D to choose which squares I wanted in focus as I am taking the picture and my eye I’m the viewfinder. Here I played with all the manual focus settings. And tell me if I’m wrong but how is it manual if I have to decide before the shot, and set it on the LCD which area Zone? That’s not manual in my opinion. I’m forced to choose before taking the picture. Basically i can’t change the focus zone while I’m taking the picture, if I’m taking portraits in portrait mode then change it to landscape as I’m just moving, it completely stops me in the live moment to have to reset the focus zone. Unless again, I’m missing something. 😞 and maybe I should do a separate post about that second issue.

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

deebatman316 — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 00:44:08 GMT

I don't think the 3x3 grid lines are compatible with viewfinder shooting. I will double check the manual about this. Are you using direct focus point selection or the joystick to select AF points.

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

etermel — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 01:01:05 GMT

Thank you. Really appreciate your time. I guess I’ll have to do with those lines 🤪

for the focus, I just have my 70D and and my 90D in almost exact same modes, with manual focus point.
and on my 70D I can play with the round button on the side of the LCD and change my point of focus accordingly, 90D is lovked in the area I preselected. 😞

this issue really won’t do for me. It’s a terrible change that doesn’t allow me to take pictures in a flowing way.
(in pictures the 70D is the top camera)

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

deebatman316 — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 01:22:50 GMT

The main dial (the one behind the shutter button) can be setup to change focus zones If configured in the Custom Functions Menu. The joystick by default isn't configured to change AF points.

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

Tronhard — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 02:28:32 GMT

I had the 90D and shot all the time with a 3x3 grid displayed, but I don't have that body now. However, according to the 90D Advanced User Guide, Link HERE , you can set the grid - check P537. The live view display is referred to on the same page as being on P540 but you should read from P539 to get the whole story.

I hope that helps.

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

etermel — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 15:50:07 GMT

Thanks so much! Ugh - I’ll try to set that up, never did this before.
it’s such a bummer that they have to change functions we had that were perfectly fine. Thank you for your time.

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

etermel — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 15:52:59 GMT

Thank you. Yes we looked at that yesterday. And my camera doesn’t show the same options. I just have the choice to enable or disable the grid they have on the viewfinder which is different proportions than the thirds. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

Tronhard — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 19:31:42 GMT

A couple of things come to mind. I would suggest making sure you have the latest firmware on the body and second make sure when you go to the menu system that the camera is set to M, Av or Tv mode, as you get more menu options then.

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

etermel — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 15:27:55 GMT

Want to thank you all for your suggestions. I was able to get someone from Canon on the phone and after deep research he helped me find out that something in the custom settings was off and was keeping my joystick off. It was not easy to find, but he found it, and Im super grateful. If it happens to someone else, the fix is in the custom setting pages.

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

Geoff666 — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 01:06:12 GMT

Hi Etermel, I've just got a new 90d & having the exact same viewfinder problem as you, with just & off & on option with a 4x4 the only grid available when picking the "on" option. How exactly did you solve the problem, would love to know as 4x4 option grid no good for me.

Re: 90D Live view - How to get the Grid of Thirds???

etermel — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 01:13:32 GMT

Hey! Actually the grid was not resolved it was my other problem that was resolved, the joystick and moving the focus points that was to my biggest relief resolved.
for the grid, it seems and it’s totally not logical that we have to stick with whatever grid they put on the viewfinder. So strange that we can’t choose 3x3. It would make all the sense in the world for framing. Or to at least be able to choose. Sorry I couldn’t help on this one.