Canon 1DX Mk II Problems: Skewed Navigation

[JohnTh]

Ok, this problem is present on all(?) professional Canon dSLRs.

We have the menus organized in three layers: (see page 71 in 1DX2's manual - „Menu Operations”.)

1. Main tabs (Shooting, AF, Playback, Set-up, Custom Functions and My Menu - each one in a different color)

2. Secondary tabs (a series of small dots under each main tab)

3. Menu Items

Of course, our goal is to find the menu item which we need - that's why is supposed to have this organisation. However, it is difficult to navigate through them especially when we want to „go back” from 4th main tab to the 2nd.

When we want to go back we need either to press „Q” button many times to go arround the main tabs or to press the joystick/dial to navigate alooooong the secondary tabs back which can be a very frustrating (and slow) experience till we reach what we want.

A much better solution(s) would be:

1. Implement a button - for example „Lock/Rate” - whcih would behave exactly like „Q” but in opposite direction. Why „Lock/Rate”? Because is available on other models and it doesn't have any meaning when the Menu is on. Also it cannot be a trigger for anything else (Playback mode, for example).

2. GUYS!! PLIZ IMPLEMENT ZAT TOUCH SCREEN 4 MENU!!! (sorry for yelling but I think it is needed... <big sheepish grin>)

TIA for your consideration on this!

[Waddizzle]

This is what the custom menu feature was designed to do.  Quick access to your most used menu items.

[JohnTh]

I know about Custom Menu and I use it. However I don't think that it is a replacement for a "broken keyboard" (IOW we don't have a quick way to navigate to previous tab).

[ebiggs1]

For as long as I have been shooting Canon 1 series, there has been a debate over the buttons and menus' layout.  Some love it some not so much. I personally like the way Canon lays out the feature set. I like the menus screen and the two button approach to some settings.  It makes accidental changes much less likely.  I agree and admit this is a pro feature and not a consumer friendly one.  No pro whose job depends on getting the shot wants a setting to charge without knowing it.  One reason why there is no mode dial.  Although the 5d3 now has a two button approach to its mode dial.

All the most common setting changes you need are readily accessible.  I suggest you get more familiar with the 1 series.  It will become almost second nature.

[JohnTh]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

For as long as I have been shooting Canon 1 series, there has been a debate over the buttons and menus' layout.  Some love it some not so much. I personally like the way Canon lays out the feature set. I like the menus screen and the two button approach to some settings.  It makes accidental changes much less likely.  I agree and admit this is a pro feature and not a consumer friendly one.  No pro whose job depends on getting the shot wants a setting to charge without knowing it.  One reason why there is no mode dial.  Although the 5d3 now has a two button approach to its mode dial.

All the most common setting changes you need are readily accessible.  I suggest you get more familiar with the 1 series.  It will become almost second nature.

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Thanks a lot for the reply, but IMHO I'm more or less familiar with the menus. My problem is not finding the right menu (as in 'finding' = 'searching') but navigating there IF the location of the said option is to the left of the current position.

Continuing the "broken keyboard" analogy from my prev. message, it is like we have only the [Tab] shortcut to navigate to the next field but the [Shift]+[Tab] which goes to prev field is broken. So we have either to use [Tab][Tab][Tab][Tab][Tab][Tab].... to go around (cycle) either [Left Arrow][Left Arrow][Left Arrow][Left Arrow][Left Arrow]... through the secondary tabs til we reach to the desired point.

Of course I praise you and the other poster for the workarounds which in your situation is the best thing you can do (unless you work for Canon) but I think that isn't quite normal to have a pro body (@ $6000) with a broken navigation.

As an aside: I agree with you about two button approach in certain cases. But this certainly doesn't apply here. The UX should be neutral, either we navigate left either we navigate right.

[RobertTheFat]

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@JohnTh wrote:

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

For as long as I have been shooting Canon 1 series, there has been a debate over the buttons and menus' layout.  Some love it some not so much. I personally like the way Canon lays out the feature set. I like the menus screen and the two button approach to some settings.  It makes accidental changes much less likely.  I agree and admit this is a pro feature and not a consumer friendly one.  No pro whose job depends on getting the shot wants a setting to charge without knowing it.  One reason why there is no mode dial.  Although the 5d3 now has a two button approach to its mode dial.

All the most common setting changes you need are readily accessible.  I suggest you get more familiar with the 1 series.  It will become almost second nature.

---

Thanks a lot for the reply, but IMHO I'm more or less familiar with the menus. My problem is not finding the right menu (as in 'finding' = 'searching') but navigating there IF the location of the said option is to the left of the current position.

Continuing the "broken keyboard" analogy from my prev. message, it is like we have only the [Tab] shortcut to navigate to the next field but the [Shift]+[Tab] which goes to prev field is broken. So we have either to use [Tab][Tab][Tab][Tab][Tab][Tab].... to go around (cycle) either [Left Arrow][Left Arrow][Left Arrow][Left Arrow][Left Arrow]... through the secondary tabs til we reach to the desired point.

Of course I praise you and the other poster for the workarounds which in your situation is the best thing you can do (unless you work for Canon) but I think that isn't quite normal to have a pro body (@ $6000) with a broken navigation.

As an aside: I agree with you about two button approach in certain cases. But this certainly doesn't apply here. The UX should be neutral, either we navigate left either we navigate right.

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I see your point. But truthfully, I suspect that I'd see the feature you propose as just one more thing to learn about and keep track of, making it at best neutral and at worst a curse.

I guess the bottom line is that you can't please everybody. But one thing Canon does well is to keep the controls pretty consistent across their serious-camera  product line. A case in point: Out on a sailboat the other day, my wife screwed up the settings on my 5D3, thinking it was her 7D2. (She even decided that the battery needed changing, so it's a good thing both cameras take the same one.) That was obviously a fluke, but it illustrates the fact that when I'm carrying (as I often do) both a 5D3 and a 7D, I don't have to think about where the various wheels and buttons are on which camera.

[ebiggs1]

B from Boston said,

"... Canon does well is to keep the controls pretty consistent across their serious-camera  product line. .."

Depends on how far apart the bodies are.  All the 1 series look pretty much the same but they all don't work the same.

A 1Dx Mk III and a 1D Mk IV are pretty much the same.  Not exactly but close.  A 1D and a 1Dx, not so much besides outward appearance.

[ebiggs1]

"... the [Shift]+[Tab] which goes to prev field is broken. So we have either to use [Tab][Tab][Tab][Tab][Tab][Tab].... ..."

Oh, OK, I missed your exact point! Sorry, I sgree this would be a nice feature.  I am for it.