Canon 1D MkII N

[Manofmayo]

So I just bought a used 1d Mark IIN Friday. It is a lot more camera than the Rebel XTi, for sure. I tried it out today at an air show and found that I need a little help in the technique department as I had a lot more missed or OOF shots than I was expecting. (Or it could be one of the many custom or personal functions set wrong).


My questions isn't about the settings though. its about downloading images. On the XTi, I just plugged in the usb cable and began downloading the images. I take it that on the ID Mk2N, that is not the case. Am I right?


Also, I have read that the only way to access the personal functions is through the computer, however, using a USB cable isn't doing anything except loading the EOS utility & diisplaying the monitor folder option. I notice there is a firewire port on the camera, is this the only way to access the personal functions?


Thanks

[Sean Setters]

I don't have any experience with 1D bodies, but you might want to try reading the instruction manual. :-)

[MikeG2012]

Yup. Plugging the camera into your computer will allow you to download the images. Most people just use a card reader, but you can certainly go straight from camera to computer.


You can access the custom functions through the camera. Just press the menu button and then use the large rear wheel to cycle through the menu folders until you get to the Custom Folders section. Also, you may have gotten a lot of OOF images because the tracking speed was too fast or too slow. You can adjust this in the custom functions.


However, like Sean said, the best thing for you to do is read the manual. Start there and then if you have any questions, feel free to ask.


Mike

[Manofmayo]

I have read through the manual twice since I picked up the camera (and once before trying to find potential problems or concerns).


I am looking into getting a card reader as my desktop computer can't seem to recognize my firewire ports. I did come across something after I posted last night, that the firewire connection is used for downloading images & the USB port is for PICT Bridge.


Does anyone here still have the 1D Mk2 or 2N? I am trying to access the personal functions, not the custom functions.


Thanks again, Harold

[PaulM]

Got the same camera and also got mine quite recently.


I trawled the manual in response to your question. In one of the first pages about connecting the USB cable for printing it mentions that you can download pictures via the USB cable.


I could find no mention whatsoever about the firewire cable or changing the settings for personal functions. I expect that's all explained only in the on-line manual of the associated software. I haven't yet installed any of the software as I'm just popping the SD card directly into the laptop and I'm shooting JPG currently so don't need to convert RAW files. I don't think either of my two computers have the correct firewire port for the cable but I've yet to check properly.


What you can do directly from the camera is disable any personal functions. Did that and cleared all the custom functions with mine as the previous owner had it configured quite oddly.


For your airshow shots if you're using servo focus with all 45 AF points enabled in auto, don't forget it acquires the subject with the center point, then tracks round the remaining 44. I found it quite reliable for the kids I'm shooting but actually I tend to use a single selected point. You could try AF-point expansion...


I've actually set mine so the rear dial selects the focus point horizontally. I often found myself attempting to switch focus point and accidentally canceling that mid-way and instead setting some exposure compensation. Oops. Now the dial just sets focus point and the focus point button sets exposure comp. Rear-dial focus point selection is working out well for servo AF - quick and easy selection.


Paul.

[Ehcalum]

The firewire cable is necessary to change personal custom functions, ie: number of brackets and exposure range. You must use EOS Utility to change the personal custom functions. When you hook up the camera to the firewire and the computer, EOS Utility should automatically start and in the menu you should be able to make the changes.