topic On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens? in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

usern4cc — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 14:12:03 GMT

On the R5 camera, how can you display the focal length of the lens, on the EVF or rear screen, as you change it while zooming?

Thank you!

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

shadowsports — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 03:02:31 GMT

Greetings,

I have not seen this option and am not sure its supported in camera. What purpose does it serve (out of curiosity)?

Composition is in the eye of the beholder.

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

usern4cc — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 16:32:27 GMT

I just talked to Canon support. They have *no* way (currently) to display the focal length of the lens in either display. I have explained my reasons (below) why it's important and asked them to pass it on in hopes of adding it to a future firmware update (but I'm not holding my breath on that one).

That's very sad - even old little companies like Olympus (my previous camera system) displayed the current focal length as one of their "important" displays - which it is.

When I do panoramas on a tripod with ball-stop settings, I need to know the actual focal length of the zoom lens so that I can choose the proper step distance for the ball-stops to get the proper spacing for the panoramas. This is an important thing.

If I was making movies with the R5 (which I'm not), I might want to know how to set the exact focus positions so that I could do predefined or repeated focus pulls or whatever other video magic they like to do.

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

kvbarkley — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 17:05:32 GMT

Once you have it where you want it, take an image and review the playback. Not elegant, but it is a work around.

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

Waddizzle — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 17:34:31 GMT

@usern4cc wrote:
I just talked to Canon support. They have *no* way (currently) to display the focal length of the lens in either display. I have explained my reasons (below) why it's important and asked them to pass it on in hopes of adding it to a future firmware update (but I'm not holding my breath on that one).

That's very sad - even old little companies like Olympus (my previous camera system) displayed the current focal length as one of their "important" displays - which it is.

When I do panoramas on a tripod with ball-stop settings, I need to know the actual focal length of the zoom lens so that I can choose the proper step distance for the ball-stops to get the proper spacing for the panoramas. This is an important thing.

If I was making movies with the R5 (which I'm not), I might want to know how to set the exact focus positions so that I could do predefined or repeated focus pulls or whatever other video magic they like to do.

Sounds like a good time to use a prime lens, instead of a zoom lens.

I'm curious. What type of Olympus camera was this? Did it have interchangeable lenses? There is one major potential problem with your suggestion. What about third party lenses that do not report correctly? And, there are a lot of them out there already that do not report their focal lengths correctly. Some will even identify themselves as Canon lenses.

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

usern4cc — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 18:49:49 GMT

I have nothing against using prime lenses. The main advantage of a zoom is that I can walk around with a single zoom lens which covers most of what I want to cover for walking around landscapes, while still allowing me to choose a particular focal length to do a particular panorama with the same lens. When Canon comes out with more choices of primes that fit my needs I will probably get a few just for taking panoramas. But until then I'll use their RF 70-200 f2.8L IS for that.

Previously, I used an Olympus EM1_II, with their 12-100 f4 pro lens (24-200 f8 FF EQ). I could set it around 100mm (FF EQ) to take a good panorama, or around 135mm to take a really detailed pano (I'm talking a giga-pixel panorama or so here). It showed exactly the focal length in use so I could confidently get it where I wanted it so I could set the ball stops for the step size I wanted (I've taken some panos with up to 200 positions in the pano reliably set with ball-stops in both width and height).

As far as 3rd party lenses, if they transmit bad data about focal length then too bad for them and for the buyer who bought them. You live with what you buy, so why complain if you get extra information given to you that you didn't have before? If they identify themselves as a Canon lens then, again, you get what you pay for (cheap in, cheap out).

As it is, my very expensive R5 and RF 70-200 f2.8L IS lens can't report something as simple as the zooms current focal length which the lowly $1K or so EM1_II and $1K or so 12-100 f4 pro lens can reliably report. Too bad, Canon - maybe you should think about adding this in a future firmware update. After all, I'm quite happy with the really great quality of the images it provides, but they sure do have a few holes in their menu system features that should be examined, re-thought out, and fixed in future firmware updates.

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

usern4cc — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 18:46:30 GMT

THANK YOU!

I didn't notice this. I will definately do this in the future.

It's not as nice as having the focal distance displayed as I adjust the zoom, but at least it's something!

The Canon support team should have mentioned this, but at least you have someone working there who will answer the phone and give you the best support they know how to in a friendly way. And, unlike Olympus, they're still in business!

Again, many thanks.

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

shadowsports — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 14:51:58 GMT

@usern4cc,

I understand your desire for this feature now. Thanks. Have to say though that reporting the set focal length of an attached lens is the least of Canon's worries with the R5 & 6 as far as "holes' go.

Cheers

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

Waddizzle — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 16:09:10 GMT

I think that it is a mistake to assume that the focal length reported by any zoom lens would be accurate. Most of them are wrong. They're only reporting where the zoom ring my be set, which is often not the actual focal length in use.

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

usern4cc — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 17:39:13 GMT

Well, I will agree with that. I'm guessing that you have a list of the more major failings that the R5 has (ignoring the wonderfly great stuff, by the way). I don't have a list, and it would take too long to mention what I'd do differently so I don't even want to start. But I will say that in general I'm very happy with the R5 and RF lenses. Could it be better? - Sure! Maybe it will get better in the future. We'll see.

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

usern4cc — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 17:43:52 GMT

The reporting of the zoom focus length may indeed be wrong. If so, it's a shame that the makers can't use proper QualityControl and allow correction of the reporting so that they get it as accurate as possible. After all, they go to a lot of trouble to shim their lenses to get proper focusing on the sensor, don't they? (well, at least Canon does)

But I would still rather have the ability to see whatever number they say so I could use it as a reference to adjust the step size for my panoramas. If I find it's consistantly wrong in any direction, I could adjust accordingly if I wanted to.

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

kvbarkley — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 20:45:01 GMT

It is not a QA issue. With some designs, the focal length changes as a function of focus distance:

http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/technical/focus_breathing_focal_length_changes.html

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

usern4cc — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 23:28:39 GMT

So what? If the focal length changes as a function of focus distance by a sufficient amount, then a program could take that into account and update the value shown.

Either way, I *repeat* again, it's still better to have something shown for the zoom focal length on the screen instead of having *nothing* shown on the screen. My Olympus camera did it quite well, and I was happy with it. Canon doesn't show it and doesn't give you the option to show it if you need it. But they do show a ton of unrelated junk on the screen that really has no value to me at all and they don't give me a choice to not display that junk on a single item by item basis.

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

Hanu1 — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 15:25:00 GMT

I too am frustrated that the focal length is not displayed. I am really taken by surprise with this issue.

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

usern4cc — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 15:44:50 GMT

After more than a year, they have NOT fixed this simple ommision with a firmware update. Yes, you can take a photo and open it up and toggle to the screen to the version that shows the focal length for the photo taken, but this does NOT tell you the focal length before you take the photo. I often take panoramas and want to use an exact focal length so I can have them stitch perfectly, and to do this I need to adjust the zoom according to a display focal length to get it correct, and I can NOT do this due to Canon's ommision of this sorely needed displayed information.

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

scmikes — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 23:44:10 GMT

usern4cc,

I hope they reconsider. I use it all the time in my Olympus OM1.

I often try to match a prime, or do lens tests and like to "bracket" fixed points on the zoom.

I am ok if they just display the value from exif. It is recorded with image. Not sure if exif is passed through on focus though. You would think so since they have to apply lens corrections by focal lenght.

I am guessing that the lens correction is applied while focusing, but I could be wrong.

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

wgphoto — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 19:48:38 GMT

Just adding to this as I recently picked up an R5C. I had been looking for a way to show focal lengths as I zoomed and came across this thread. As with the R5, the R5C can’t do this…in photo mode. But in the Cinema menu/OS, this works by default! So it seems one team within Canon has figured this out. Time for them to share the knowledge especially with a camera like the R5C now out there.

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

Waddizzle — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 21:47:37 GMT

As previously stated the setting of the zoom ring is not always accurate. Many third party lenses suffer from breathing when zooming.

The OP pointed out that knowing the focal length was needed for accurately compositing a panoramic image.

in my experience it is not that crucial for the final result. Things like barrel distortion tend to have greater impact. What purpose does FL serve when grading video?

Besides, I am not aware of how one would create a pano when shooting video

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

scmikes — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 22:33:28 GMT

I often return to a site and repeat multiple photos from notes in a notebook, some of the notes is different focal lengths from the position, ex. the same site, repeat compositions in spring, fall, snow of winter, etc. There are many other uses, but that is one example

Re: On R5 how to display focal length as you zoom lens?

MNpics — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 00:02:21 GMT

The R7 has the feature and I like it. The used R6 I got does not have it. It would be nice if the R6 had the same display options as the R7. Glad I did not get an R5 and find it missing... There are lots of good reasons having the Focal Length in the display can be helpful (even if it is an approximation).