[Feature Request] Camera Connect - Automatically set / update date and time

[snappy42]

I'm using a Canon EOS R7 mostly during my travels abroad and have Camera Connect (3.2.40.36) installed on an Android phone. CC already offers a feature to manually update date and time of the camera. Unfortunately, I usually forget to update date and time when travelling to a different timezone. However, I usually have my camera connected to the phone to get GPS data into my pictures. Please add a feature to the software that *automatically* updates date and time in the camera every time when the camera connects to the phone.

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

Feature requests need to be made from the Canon USA homepage.  If you visit, you"I'll see a [+]Feedback button on the top right corner or at the bottom of the page.  Select it, then product and leave your suggestion or feedback.  It's a short form.. This goes directly to the development team for consideration.  

https://www.usa.canon.com/

[snappy42]

Thanks. Submitted it there as well (surprisingly this feedback button only seems to exist in the US version of the website, just like this forum). 

Anyway, I feel like other users should see these feature requests and be able to comment / vote for them as well. Maybe someone has an even greater idea than me 😉 

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

Welcome to the community.  I've actually had pretty good luck with the feedback button.  I made some requests for my camera shortly after release and some of the features were added in a future firmware update.  It's good that you made the submission, Canon does really listen.  

[Waddizzle]

Welcome to the Community. 

I am curious. How do you think such a feature should or could be implemented?  Do you use the EOS Utility, at all?

I feel that this feature is available through the EOS Utility app.  It’s been around for many years going back to before cameras were produced with built in Wi-Fi. 

Cameras have had the option to automatically adjust for Daylight Saving Time for many years. This can be set in the camera or through the EOS Utility. 

Every time you connect your camera to a computer running the EOS Utility, it performs a date and time check.  If the camera is not indicating the correct time, then you’re prompted to update the camera to the correct time.  

[snappy42]

Thank you for the warm welcome, Waddizzle!

It's great to hear that part of the feature I requested is already available in the EOS Utility. To the extend I understand Canon software available for my camera, "EOS Utility" is for PCs while "Camera Connect" is the way to go for mobile devices. As I'm usually not carrying my notebook on my travels, I'd like to have a similar features as you described it in the mobile app. This app is already able to autimatically connect to the camera (at least most of the times this works fine) and to automatically send location data from the mobile phone to the camera.

The feature I imagine would look somewhat like this in the app:

In the same place where I can manually update date and time of the camera from within the app, there shall be a drop down or radio button named "Automatically update camera date and time based on mobile device date and time" which lets me chose between the following options:

• Always update date and time in the camera based on mobile phone values
• Ask me every time the app detects date / time difference between mobile phone and camera (e.g. when deviation is more than xx seconds / minutes)
• Do not automatically update / let me manually update whenever I feel like it's appropriate

This will particularly usefull when travelling to a different Time Zone (note that this is different from updating the time based on daylight saving time).

[Waddizzle · Accepted solution]

It has always been included in the Canon Connect app. Have you ever used the app?

 

[snappy42]

Yes, I have. And I'm pretty sure the last time I checked, there was only an option to manually update date and time 😃 (and even googling the same did not reveal any hint on this).
Thank you for pointing this out. Curious if it works - will check next time I travel