topic Re: R3 and selection of card for playback in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

R3 and selection of card for playback

johanbja — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 10:56:20 GMT

Hi there,

I store raw-files on card 1 and jpegs on card 2 when working with my R3. The jpgs are for ftp-transferring on the run, and raw for later use back in the office. I prefer this workflow, fast when needed and with possibility of editing raw when time.. only bug/unwanted feature is when removing card 1, the setting for "Playback card" is forgotten by the camera - a reset is done in the menu, and playback is set back to card 1. I often forget this reset when removing my card, and with the result that one or two raw-files are transferred when I remember.

On my 5d mark IV the camera remembers the menu-setting related to playback even if the card is removed and inserted again. Would prefer this option on the R3 as well... Any thoughts?

Regards,

Bmj

(PS:

Re: R3 and selection of card for playback

Waddizzle — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 11:22:06 GMT

Card settings can change when you remove a card and close the door while the card is removed. All cameras with dual card slots exhibit this behavior. It might be inconvenient, but it is not probably not going to change.

Either leave the door open while the card is removed, or remove the battery before removing the card and closing the door.

https://www.usa.canon.com/learning/training-articles/training-articles-list/using-two-memory-cards

Re: R3 and selection of card for playback

johanbja — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 11:27:41 GMT

Seems like the setting is forgotten even if I leave the door open when removing... It's not like this on the 5D mk4, so I guess it could be done? Would love to hav a setting like "remember palyback-settings when removing cards" 🙂

Re: R3 and selection of card for playback

shadowsports — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 12:19:16 GMT

Greetings ,

My colleague is correct.

I use a similar workflow, except I save video to my CFB and images RAW+JPG to my SD. All mirrorless bodys with 2 slots work the same. I do this fairly frequently. If you don't close the door with a card removed, the storage settings do not change. The key being don't close the door or power on the camera.

While this is not called out specifically in the manual, all mirrorless bodys (with 2 slots) work this way.

Canon : Product Manual : EOS R3 : Inserting/Removing Cards https://share.google/yqw1BCWnpyqdGYXBv

Re: R3 and selection of card for playback

johanbja — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 12:38:43 GMT

I have tried different things here… but the playback-setting seems to reset even if I leave the door open when removing and inserting the card again. The same when both powering camera off and leavinig door open. I have not tried removing the battery when removing/inserting. Seems like a bot to much. Please notice that it’s the playback setting linked to card two for playback that I want to keep. The setting realted to writing files are kept and ok.

Re: R3 and selection of card for playback

Waddizzle — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 14:39:24 GMT

“ On my 5d mark IV the camera remembers the menu-setting related to playback even if the card is removed and inserted again. Would prefer this option on the R3 as well... Any thoughts? “

Yes, could you please capture smartphone shots of these menus in the R3.

I posted a link the Canon USA’a comprehensive instructions on setting up cameras with dual card slots. Let’s make certain that your setup is completely configured both recording photos and playing back photos.

Re: R3 and selection of card for playback

shadowsports — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 15:20:11 GMT

Bill,

Good of you to cover this. After re-reading the thread I realized he is referring to play back specifically.

This covers the Record/Playback settings as well for the R3.

https://support.usa.canon.com/kb/s/article/ART181985

Looks like it might be related to "Standard" vs. "Auto switch card".

Re: R3 and selection of card for playback

johanbja — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 15:27:40 GMT

This is a screenshot of my menu on R3. I’ll check out the scrrenshots you sent and see if there is a wrong setting in another menu.

Bmj

Re: R3 and selection of card for playback

johanbja — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 15:34:23 GMT

Looks like the settings in the first one is same as well…

Re: R3 and selection of card for playback

Waddizzle — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 15:39:55 GMT

“ I have tried different things here… but the playback-setting seems to reset even if I leave the door open when removing and inserting the card again. The same when both powering camera off and leavinig door open. I have not tried removing the battery when removing/inserting. Seems like a bot to much. Please notice that it’s the playback setting linked to card two for playback that I want to keep. The setting realted to writing files are kept and ok. “

The same setting is used for both record and play. This screenshot is from the link that I provided above.

If you continue to experience the issue, then I suggest that you contact Canon Support.

Re: R3 and selection of card for playback

johanbja — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 15:50:36 GMT

…and now I read this from the manual abow:

With [Priority:] set, the camera switches to the priority card when cards are inserted or removed.

hm… don’t quite get it, but is there a way of telling the camera that my sd-card is pri 1 and the other one is pri 2? Could be a workaround even though I in my head think of the cfb-card as pri 1 because that one contains the raw files.

But as mentioned… on my 5s mk4 it remembers the settings also after removing/inserting the cards regardless of the door open/closed when removed.

Re: R3 and selection of card for playback

johanbja — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 17:41:47 GMT

Thank you. I'll try fiddeling with the menus in hope of improving my workflow 👍

Another FTP-question if some of you have the time… Is the «flag» for FTP-ed written into eg. the EXIF-info following the file. Would love to have the option of having this flag-infofrmation in Lightromm Classic. «Show only files not already transferd via ftp…»

Re: R3 and selection of card for playback

p4pictures — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 22:16:03 GMT

I don't have the EOS R3, but can replicate the behaviour you are experiencing with an EOS R6 Mark II. I can also stop the behaviour in my camera.

Playback card, no switching

If I setup the camera with two cards, RAW on card 1, JPG on card 2 and playback on card 2. Then I remove the card 1 to copy the RAW to my computer, my camera will keep the playback card as card 2 when I reinsert card 1. The key is that the setting of the Priority card is not enabled.

Playback card, switches to card 1 when any card is removed

However with one small setting that is hardly even mentioned in the manuals, this changes. Starting with the same setup with two cards, RAW on card 1, JPG on card 2 and playback on card 2. If I remove card 1, the replace it the camera switches to card 1 for playback.

Your EOS R3 manual does mention this in a footnote that you have to expand at the very end of this page in the manual. https://cam.start.canon/en/C010/manual/html/UG-07_Set-up_0030.html

It says this...

Re: R3 and selection of card for playback

johanbja — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 23:19:08 GMT

This is great!!! Tried it out on the R3 and same there. If no priority is set on eiter card 1 or 2, the plavback-card stays the same. Thank you!!

Re: R3 and selection of card for playback

shadowsports — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 00:03:07 GMT

Right On Brian! 🙂