The Canon R5 is a fantastic camera for landscape photography. In this post, I’m going to give you 5 simple tips for setting up your new Canon R5 camera to ensure your landscape photos reach their potential.
Turn JPEG Off and Shoot In RAW
For photographers serious about honing their craft and capturing high-quality images, turning off the jpeg setting and shooting in raw on a Canon EOS R5 is an important step. Shooting raw is often the difference between decent-looking snapshots and truly stunning images.
Shooting in raw allows you the freedom to capture all of the image data available and gives you more flexibility post-processing than if you were shooting in jpeg format. This makes it easy to fine-tune your photos without experiencing any loss of quality. The Canon EOS R5 lends itself perfectly to shooting raw due to its impressive dynamic range. When shooting raw, you will also benefit from an improved ability to correct for over- or underexposure and finer white balance control. For any photographer looking to achieve stunning results, turning off JPEG and shooting in RAW is a must.
Bonus Tip: You can shoot in JPEG and RAW simultaneously; however, it’ll take up more memory card space.
Change ISO Speed Range To L(50)
The Canon R5 digital camera is equipped with some of the most advanced features in photography. One of these features is the ability to change the ISO speed range to L(50). This will provide crisp and clear images with minimal noise, even in low-light conditions.
This is especially useful if you work with low light environments or shoot in dark scenes as it will enable you to capture good quality images without using flash.
Add Histogram and Level to Shooting Info Screen
One of the tools most frequently overlooked by landscape photographers is the histogram. The histogram is a graph showing the distribution of light in an image. A correct histogram depends on your light conditions and creative goals. The histogram should only be touching either extreme if that’s your plan. Touching the extreme left or right of the graph is called clipping.
When you’re shooting outside in bright conditions, it can be tricky to determine the accuracy of your exposure settings. The histogram gives you a visual tool to know exactly how your image is exposed.
The level is a tool landscape photographers use a lot. We generally are shooting scenes where the horizon line matters. The level is a simple tool that lets you know when your frame has a level horizon. The tool is red when the camera isn’t level and turns green when it is level to the horizon. This is a simple yet invaluable resource for photographers.
Customize The Buttons and Dials
Adjusting your shutter speed, aperture, and ISO is vital to successful shooting in any style of photography unless you are shooting in full auto mode (which you shouldn’t be doing if you’re serious about your photography). Landscape photography can contain scenes with high dynamic range, so your camera settings are critical to producing good image quality.
Everybody is slightly different in their preferences regarding the buttons and dials on the camera. The main point here is to experiment with assigning the buttons and dials on the camera until you find assignments that help make capturing photos easier.
I prefer to have each dial control one of my exposure settings. Landscape photography of waterfalls requires a slower shutter speed, while shooting wildlife photos requires a faster shutter speed. You want to be able to adjust these camera settings while still being able to look through the viewfinder. Shooting in manual mode is critical to excellent landscape photography captures, and using the histogram to adjust your appropriate settings easily is the goal. If you have to take your eyes off the frame to change your settings, you could very well miss the shot your looking for.
Most of the buttons and dials are customizable on the Canon R5. Set yourself up for success by assigning the most effective functions possible to each button and dial based on your user preference.
Use the 2-Second Timer Drive Mode
Did you know that the Canon r5 has a 2-second timer drive mode? This mode is excellent for taking quick shots without worrying about holding the camera steady. To use this mode, press the shutter release button halfway to focus, then press it down to take the picture. You can also use the touch mode to initiate the capture if you have that setting on. The 2-second timer helps ensure no vibrations or shakes are caused by pressing the shutter button or touching the screen. 2 seconds is just enough time to allow micro-vibrations to dissipate before the sensor captures the image. This will enable you to grab sharper, more detailed photos.
These 5 settings are the first settings you should ensure are correctly set before trying to capture any landscape photography captures. These landscape photography tips for camera settings will ensure you’re getting the best results possible from your Canon R5 for any photography style, especially in your landscape photography journey.
As a photographer, I always look for lenses to help me take better photos and videos. After trying many different lenses, my favorite is the Canon RF 24-105 f4 lens. In this blog post, I’ll explain why it’s been my go-to lens since I bought it.
Background
I’ve shot with Cannon pretty much since I picked up a camera. I started shooting with the Canon 80 D. I produce video content for several YouTube channels, shorts, and Instagram reels.
When the Canon R5 was announced, I couldn’t wait to purchase it. Canon finally decided to release a camera that was great at photography and videography and had image stabilization.
There were a few RF lenses released, but very few. Cannon has always been known for manufacturing great glass. The first lens I decided to buy with the Canon EOS R5 was the Canon RF 28 to 70 F f2. This is a phenomenal lens. However, it’s very heavy and enormous. It wasn’t the lens you wanted for carrying in a backpack on your back for long hikes.
I went on to try out several other RF lenses, but I had yet to find that perfect lens that would allow me to carry one lens rather than multiple. One evening I was scrolling through bhphotovideo.com’s website when I stumbled across the lens I’d been looking for.
First Impressions
I knew Cannon had made this RF lens already, but it was an f4. I had mentally written this lens off because of that. I decided to try it, and if I didn’t like the lens, I would return it or trade it in. Upon receiving the lens in the mail, my first impression was that the box was big; however, it wasn’t as heavy as some of the other lenses I received. After opening up the package, I realized this lens might be precisely what I was looking for. At 3.3 inches in diameter and 4.2 inches in length, I knew this 1.54 lb lens had a lot of potential.
Photography
I started out using the lens for photography. The first thing I was impressed with was the range. The 24-105 mm covers a lot of ground with my photography. My favorite EF lens was the 70 to 200 f2.8. Mostly, I do landscape photography or similar types of photography, and the 70-200 range was perfect. However, the 70-200 range isn’t ideal for video work. I liked that EF 70-200 F2.8 so much because the details were tack sharp. I was absolutely shocked when I started shooting with the Canon 24-105 f4. The detail of this lens doing photography was jaw-dropping.
Regarding image quality, the Canon RF 24-105 f4 delivers impressive results thanks to its advanced optics and construction. The lens has a 9-blade circular aperture which helps create smooth bokeh in your images. Additionally, the lens is the first to feature Canon’s new Nano USM autofocus technology, which helps ensure fast, silent, and accurate focus even in low light conditions. Finally, the lens has an optical stabilization system which helps reduce camera shake when shooting handheld or at slower shutter speeds.
Video
After I started using the lens to do videos, I realized this was one of the best lenses I’ve ever owned. The lens captures stunning detail and beautiful colors through the entire focal range. With five stops of image stabilization combined with in-camera optical image stabilization, this lens captures some beautifully smooth video.
Durability & Build Quality
The Canon RF 24-105 f4 is built like a tank with its all-metal construction and weather-sealed design, so you don’t have to worry about taking it out in inclement weather or rough conditions. Additionally, the zoom ring has a rubberized texture, providing a good grip and making zooming in and out more straightforward than ever before. The lens also features Canon’s reliable dust and water resistance, so you know it can handle whatever Mother Nature throws your way!
Versatility
The best part of this lens is its versatility. The 24- 105 focal range covers most of the ranges that I use for photography and video. Since I’m almost always doing both photography and video at the same time, being able to eliminate a lens is crucial. The lens is wide enough to get just about any landscape scene into the frame, but it can also focus on things at a distance.
Focal Range
Subject framing can be adjusted manually by moving closer or further away from the subject; however, it’s far better to adjust the distance to the subject based on the ideal perspective. Some scenes can’t be captured optimally by changing your physical distance from the subject. So, having the right focal length is imperative to capture those scenes. This lens is a perfect choice for any landscape photographer. Landscape photographers will find tremendous value through the entire focal length.
Affordability
Many people will think I’m crazy when I say $1300 for a lens is affordable. However, Canons L series lenses are their best glass, and when you compare this lens to other L-series lenses, you’ll start to understand where the value is. Further, when you start shooting with this lens, you’ll begin to really see the value.
Conclusion
Some people will see this 24-105 style lens and write it off simply because it’s the typical focal range of a kit lens. However, once you see the results this lens is capable of, you’ll know it’s anything but a standard kit lens. This is a great multi-purpose lens. With excellent image quality, speedy and accurate autofocus, and incredible build quality, this modest size, and lightweight lens are necessary for anyone doing both photography and videography with the RF system.
