OFF...then ON....then Hockey Stick?

[sean_mclennan]

I have searched and come up blank.

 

What the hell is the *other* switch on the 20D for? The manual says

it's for using the selection dial on the back...but mine works in

the ON position.

 

I cannot find *any* difference in performance or features using this

switch position compared to the ON switch position?

 

anyone?

 

sean

[awindsor]

The Hockey Stick setting enables the quick control dial on the back. On the on setting

the dial is disabled.

[bobatkins]

Then your 20D is broken.

 

In position 1 the rear QCD (quick control dial) shouldn't allow you to set exposure compensation - which prevents you from doing it accidentally. In position 2 the rear QCD should allow exposure compensation to be set.

[awindsor]

Unless of course you are in one of the PIC modes (indicated by little pictures) in which

case I don't think the rear dial does anything (indeed almost none of the controls do

anything in these modes). Set the camera to Av or Tv so see the effect of the hockey

stick.

[sean_mclennan]

aaahhhhh,

 

The way the manual read, it was as if the dial itself woulnd't work if this selection wasn't made. I've used that dial for all sorts of things (including exposure compensation) without paying any attention to which ON it was set to. Thanks.

 

I would have thought it would be better to simply change the default function of the dial in a custom funcation rather than add a separate ON switch position?

 

sean

[ajweiss]

You aren't changing the default function of the dial; you are only adding one specific

function to its repertoire when in shooting mode. Exposure compensation is a function

you sometimes want easy access to and sometimes don't. It could be set by a custom

function, but that would make it far too hard to turn on and off. I know my need for EC

adjustment comes up quickly and the switch is the best way to turn it on and off quickly.

I'd actually prefer to have the switch in a more thumb-accessible spot so I could change it

without taking the camera down from my eye...

[danny_lee2]

Funny, I was at B&H today, buying a 50 1.4, and I asked for a body to test out the lens they came with a 20D, I wanted to stop down the lens in DOF preview to be sure the shutter was working properly and then adjust the F value to see the shutter change properly, for the longest time I was wondering why the command dial didnt work, then I remember reading.. off, on, on with command dial.

 

I think that is bad. I think it should be OFF / On with command dial / THEN command dial deactivated. I always use manual on my cameras anyway that I think that would save alot of wear and tear on the switch.

[davidakoontz]

It seems obvious to me... Canon droped the ball on user interface design on this feature. The fact that the on/off switch (most commonly a binary switch) has another setting the (/--) as it's called in the manual. Oh they couldn't come up with a name for the setting - there a good indicator that it's a poor interface design.

 

So this switch that everyone on this planet is going to believe to have two settings - has three; one with no name. I just assumed the /-- line was an added graphic to highligh the on/off labels, not a label itself. And what does it do... well they can't even explain it in the manual - must be complicated!

 

What a very bad idea - some engineer needs there slide rule broken for that one!