If you've long been a fan of the film look on your digital photos, there's a good chance you're familiar with the VSCO Film desktop presets. They were quite popular at one time, but VSCO discontinued them in early 2019, much to the frustration of many photographers. Now, the company is bringing one of its preset packs back, albeit with some caveats.
The VSCO Film 02 presets are available for Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw and feature looks inspired by real films from Kodak, Fuji and Ilford. They aim to translate each film's highlights, shadows, and grain into your digital files. The lineup includes Fujifilm Neopan 1600, Fujifilm Superia (100, 400, 800 and 1600), Ilford Delta 3200, Kodak Portra 160 (NC and VC) and Kodak Portra 400 (NC, VC and UC).
Film 02 includes multiple film looks. Image: VSCO
Each preset offers the standard look along with variations to further customize the end result. VSCO clarifies that these do more than just change the strength of the preset. They range from a cleaner, more subtle version to stronger looks with dramatic hue shifts that mimic vintage film processes.
The presets come in standard and camera-specific profiles. VSCO says the standard profiles are designed to adapt across a wide range of cameras, while camera-specific profiles are available for popular models from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Ricoh and Leica. They are designed to work with Raw files, so photographers can maintain full editing control, but the standard versions also work with JPEGs.
Each film preset offers additional variations for dialing in your preferred look. Image: VSCO
For many photographers, the return of VSCO Film 02 presets is a welcome sight. Unfortunately, they’re only available for a limited time, and VSCO hasn’t specified how long. Another critical detail: they are only available for VSCO Pro members. If you want them, you'll need a paid subscription, which costs $5 per month. Having a free trial of the Pro membership does not unlock the presets, though VSCO says you can reach out to the support team to get help expediting your upgrade if you would like access.
This release doesn't cover all the options VSCO previously offered, either. In the website's FAQ section, VSCO addresses whether more could be coming: "We know how much the original preset packs meant to photographers, and we’ve heard the requests. While we don’t have details to share yet, we’re actively exploring what comes next. If and when more preset packs return, VSCO Pro members will be the first to know."
You can find more details about the presets and how to install and use them on the VSCO website.
If you've long been a fan of the film look on your digital photos, there's a good chance you're familiar with the VSCO Film desktop presets. They were quite popular at one time, but VSCO discontinued them in early 2019, much to the frustration of many photographers. Now, the company is bringing one of its preset packs back, albeit with some caveats.
The VSCO Film 02 presets are available for Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw and feature looks inspired by real films from Kodak, Fuji and Ilford. They aim to translate each film's highlights, shadows, and grain into your digital files. The lineup includes Fujifilm Neopan 1600, Fujifilm Superia (100, 400, 800 and 1600), Ilford Delta 3200, Kodak Portra 160 (NC and VC) and Kodak Portra 400 (NC, VC and UC).
Film 02 includes multiple film looks. Image: VSCO
Each preset offers the standard look along with variations to further customize the end result. VSCO clarifies that these do more than just change the strength of the preset. They range from a cleaner, more subtle version to stronger looks with dramatic hue shifts that mimic vintage film processes.
The presets come in standard and camera-specific profiles. VSCO says the standard profiles are designed to adapt across a wide range of cameras, while camera-specific profiles are available for popular models from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Ricoh and Leica. They are designed to work with Raw files, so photographers can maintain full editing control, but the standard versions also work with JPEGs.
Each film preset offers additional variations for dialing in your preferred look. Image: VSCO
For many photographers, the return of VSCO Film 02 presets is a welcome sight. Unfortunately, they’re only available for a limited time, and VSCO hasn’t specified how long. Another critical detail: they are only available for VSCO Pro members. If you want them, you'll need a paid subscription, which costs $5 per month. Having a free trial of the Pro membership does not unlock the presets, though VSCO says you can reach out to the support team to get help expediting your upgrade if you would like access.
This release doesn't cover all the options VSCO previously offered, either. In the website's FAQ section, VSCO addresses whether more could be coming: "We know how much the original preset packs meant to photographers, and we’ve heard the requests. While we don’t have details to share yet, we’re actively exploring what comes next. If and when more preset packs return, VSCO Pro members will be the first to know."
You can find more details about the presets and how to install and use them on the VSCO website.
Setting up any new camera can be an overwhelming experience because of the extensive number of settings and options. Making matters worse, every brand has its own quirks in default settings and button functionality. Canon cameras are no exception, but the guide below highlights some of the most important settings to adjust on your new Canon camera to help you hit the ground running.
Some settings apply no matter what brand of camera you have, which we've covered in a separate article. You may want to start there, especially if you're a beginner. It's also important to remember that each shooting style and genre has different needs; the items below apply to most photographers rather than to specific niche settings. If you're setting up a new Canon camera, these will give you a good place to start before you fully customize it to your needs.
Engage Raw files
Canon provides two primary Raw types: Raw and compressed Raw (called CRaw).
To gain the flexibility of shooting Raw (or Raw + JPEG), access the "Image quality" option at the start of the Camera menus. Alternatively, you can also adjust image quality in the Q menu. It's important to note that when changing this setting in the main menu, you'll need to hit OK to approve, though you don't need to hit OK in the Q menu.
Like other camera brands, Canon offers a choice of Raw file formats. The primary Raw option provides uncompressed files, which is what we'd suggest for most people. CRaw applies lossy compression, particularly in deep shadows, limiting your processing latitude. Dual Pixel Raw is available on some cameras in a separate menu option, though we wouldn't recommend using it as it adds file size for little, if any, benefit.
Password settings
Canon has implemented a password feature, apparently to comply with international regulations, to prevent unauthorized access to other devices your camera may be connected to. Note that it's not intended to prevent or deter theft. It is present on all new models and has been added to many older ones with firmware.
If you have an older mirrorless camera without updated firmware, you will not encounter this (until you update the firmware). But if you turn on a new Canon camera that comes with this tool, or one with updated firmware, you'll see a screen requiring you to set a six-digit PIN, which you cannot bypass. The camera will then require that password whenever you start it up or when it wakes from sleep mode. While some may appreciate the slight increase in security, for most, it's just an annoyance, and we'd recommend turning it off right away.
On subsequent startups, your camera will display a box labeled "Do Not Ask Again." If you check that box, as you may guess, you won't be asked to enter the password again. You can also turn it off in the Manage Password menu (found in the yellow Setup menu) by accessing the "Pword Request" option.
You can also change your password in the Manage Password menu and see a log of password changes. If you forget your password, you can reset it using the "Clear entered information" option on the "Manage Password" screen. Be aware, though, that selecting that will conduct a full factory reset of the camera.
Keep track of AF tracking
Canon's recent R-series cameras have a menu option called ">Whole Area Tracking Servo AF" in the AF section of their menus. This prompts the camera to track whatever is under your chosen AF point (using the whole area of the screen) and can be engaged for any AF area mode, so long as the camera is set to continuous AF (Servo AF in Canon speak).
The easiest way of engaging this tracking mode is to bring up the Q menu and go to the autofocus area option (typically at the top left). You can engage and disengage tracking by pressing the Info button.
The Q menu makes it easy to toggle AF tracking on and off, particularly on more recent cameras. But remember that if your camera says 'Enable' it means it's already enabled, not that you need to press INFO to enable it.
One word of warning, though: on all but the most recent models, the Q menu screen will say "Enable" next to the icon representing tracking. This does not mean you need to press the 'Info' button to enable the function; it actually indicates that the function is already enabled. Don't be confused by this grammatical error. On the most recent models, this has been fixed, and the screen indicates whether tracking is On or Off.
On first-generation R-series cameras (EOS R, EOS RP, EOS R6 and EOS R5), setting the camera to track the subject of your choice is a little more complicated. First, you need to engage Face + Tracking as your AF area (called "AF method" in the main menus), then change another menu setting called "Initial Servo AF pt for Face + Tracking." This gives you an AF target in AF tracking mode, letting you specify what you want the camera to track.
This menu option will be in the AF section of the menus, if your camera has one, or the Custom Function setting section, if it doesn't.
Flexible Priority mode
Parameters with an underline are controlled automatically by the camera. If the underline is not present, that means you are controlling that setting. In this screenshot, the user is controlling shutter speed and aperture, while ISO is set to auto.
Many of Canon's mirrorless cameras offer an exposure mode called Fv mode that behaves similarly to Program, Av (aperture priority), Tv (shutter priority) and Manual all rolled into one, much like Pentax's Hyper Control System. On Canon EOS R‑series cameras (except the EOS R100, R50 and R50V, which lack Fv mode), you select Fv from the standard mode list via the Mode button or the mode dial, depending on the body. The feature lets you control the parameters most important to you, while the camera automatically sets the rest. It also makes it faster to adjust which setting you're controlling; you can simply twist the control ring to gain control over aperture, rather than having to switch to aperture priority mode.
When set to Fv mode, the camera automatically controls shutter speed, aperture, and ISO by default. However, the camera lets you change any combination of those three settings, as well as apply exposure compensation to adjust the camera's metering. You can control which setting the main dial controls, and also choose whether you want to have access to a second setting using the control ring built into RF lenses. From there, you're able to adjust them, just as you would in Tv, Av, or Manual mode. To hand control back to the camera, you can press a button that will reset either selected parameter or all of them to auto; which button does this depends on your camera.
While we like the idea of a mode that lets you control shutter and/or aperture, it also allows you to inadvertently set a manual ISO value, with the camera automatically setting aperture and shutter speed to match. This sort of ISO priority mode is never a sensible outcome, because it's a setting that should always follow from aperture and shutter speed, as they determine how much light your camera gets.
Maximum ISO
If you don't want the camera to use extremely high ISO values, you can set your own maximum.
A fairly common user complaint with Canon cameras is that they tend to use quite high ISOs in low light conditions when ISO is set to auto. This risks leaving newer users frustrated and confused by noisy images. To help with this, Canon, like other brands, lets you set a maximum Auto ISO value in the ISO settings menu, so the camera won't exceed the limit you choose. If you're annoyed by your camera using high ISOs and you're prepared to deal with the camera hitting its ISO limit, you may want to set a lower Max ISO value. It's not something we'd recommend for everyone, but it is worth considering based on your preferences and shooting style.
Shooting HDR photos
Almost all of Canon's EOS R cameras are able to shoot true HDR images that will look more vibrant and lifelike when viewed on an HDR-capable TV, computer monitor or phone (it's only EOS R, RP and R100 users that miss out). However, it's worth noting that Canon offers two similarly-named options: "HDR Shooting (PQ)" that captures a single image and renders it so that it looks good on HDR devices, and HDR Mode, which shoots three images and merges them into a heavily-processed looking image for playback on standard dynamic range (SDR) displays. The first of these modes can be really good; the second, we'd suggest avoiding.
HDR (PQ) files are captured in the HEIF format, but the cameras will let you shoot HEIF + Raw, so you can process a standard JPEG later, if you want, either in-camera or in desktop software.
If you capture a Raw file with HDR Shooting engaged, you can reprocess it as an HDR HEIF or an SDR JPEG, but you cannot process a Raw shot in standard mode into HDR.
On some models, the camera will recommend enabling "Highlight Tone Priority" (HTP), which reduces exposure to capture additional highlight information. More recent models automatically engage HTP (though you can override this in the Highlight Tone Priority menu, if you insist). We would strongly recommend using HDR Shooting and HTP together: the results look great.
Customize your camera for your needs
Custom buttons
As you might expect, all Canon models also let you customize the functions assigned to several of their buttons. This is typically done via either the "Customize buttons for shooting" in the green, Customized Controls section of the menu on newer cameras or "Customize buttons" in the orange, C.Fn section on older models.
All Canon R series cameras let you customize their buttons, it's just a question of where you find the settings.
It's more deeply hidden in the R100, but it is there (Function settings / Custom Functions / Custom controls).
M-Fn button
Canon cameras give you a couple of ways of getting semi-fast access to the settings you might want to change regularly. Most R models (except the R100, R50 and R50V) have an M-Fn button next to the shutter that lets you access up to 10 functions, controlled with the front and rear dials.
The M-Fn button brings up a selection of settings that can be controlled with the front and rear dials. This can be extensively modified from a page hidden deep in the Customize buttons menu. It includes the option to disengage settings so you only have the options you want on the dial you prefer.
This can be customized by going your camera's Customize buttons menu, as described above. If you then select M-Fn or assign its "Dial Func" function to any other button, then press INFO, it'll take you into a sub-sub-sub-menu called "Dial function settings" that lets you choose which functions are assigned to which dial, in which order.
Q menu
The Q menu can be customized on most R series cameras (though not the original R6 and R5).
As well as this, there's the Q menu, which arrays up to eleven settings down the left and right of the live view display. On most of the last two generations of models, this can be customized, so that you can just have the settings you most often change populating the menu. The menu option, typically called either "Quick Control customization" or "Customize Quick control" found in the red, Camera menu. You may, for instance, decide that you would prefer quick access to the HDR PQ settings, rather than having full-time access to the image quality settings.
These are the settings we usually adjust, and the ones recommended by our community. Are there any others you'd recommend changing?
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