Canon R10 Photo Settings: A Beginner’s Guide

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The quick answer

For my Canon R10 photo settings, I start with RAW when I plan to edit, a 3:2 aspect ratio, evaluative metering, and either auto or daylight white balance. If you want photos ready to share, use a large, fine-quality JPEG instead. You can also save RAW plus JPEG if you want both options.

These are starting points, not settings you have to use for every subject. Below I'll walk through the photo menu, explain the choices that matter, and point out when another option makes sense.

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In this article

• Quick settings
• Image quality and aspect ratio
• Exposure, ISO and metering
• White balance, color and processing
• Advanced shooting options
• Drive, stabilization and display
• Frequently asked questions

Canon R10 photo settings at a glance

Press Menu and look for the red shooting menu. Canon's R10 menu reference lists the options by page. The available menu items and page numbers vary with your shooting mode, so use a Creative Zone mode such as P, Av, Tv or M when following the detailed menu below.

Image quality: RAW, JPEG and aspect ratio

Under Shooting 1 > Image quality, choose your RAW and JPEG settings. For photographs I plan to edit in Lightroom, I use regular RAW and turn JPEG off. RAW gives me more flexibility to adjust exposure and color than a finished JPEG.

If you don't plan to edit, choose a Large/Fine JPEG and turn RAW off. For both a quick-sharing file and an editable original, select RAW plus Large/Fine JPEG. The camera saves two files for each shot, so that combination uses more card space. C-RAW is a smaller compressed RAW option if storage matters. I prefer regular RAW, but C-RAW is still a useful editable format.

For still image aspect ratio I start at 3:2, then crop later if needed. Canon notes that aspect-ratio settings work differently for RAW and JPEG, so check the R10 aspect-ratio instructions if you use a different shape.

What about Dual Pixel RAW?

I described this incorrectly in the video: Dual Pixel RAW does not double the image's pixel resolution. It records additional dual-pixel information for certain adjustments in Canon's Digital Photo Professional software. It can also slow continuous shooting and limit other features, so it isn't necessary for the basic RAW workflow above. See Canon's Dual Pixel RAW guide for the restrictions.

Exposure, ISO and metering

Exposure compensation tells the camera to make an automatic exposure brighter or darker when you need it. Zero is a starting point, not a promise of a perfect exposure. With Auto ISO, the R10 can also use exposure compensation in manual mode. Check the image and adjust for the scene.

Under Shooting 2 > ISO speed settings, you can set separate limits for manual ISO and Auto ISO. I try to keep ISO low when practical, but a higher ISO can be preferable to an image that's too dark or blurred. Canon's minimum shutter speed setting for Auto ISO applies in P and Av modes, with exceptions depending on the exposure conditions. It isn't a universal minimum in every mode. See Canon's ISO instructions for the details.

For metering, I normally use Evaluative under Shooting 3 > Metering mode. It considers the scene as a whole and is a useful general-purpose starting point. Partial and spot metering use the indicated areas, while center-weighted average uses the whole screen with greater emphasis on the center. In the video I oversimplified those alternatives, so check the indicated metering area rather than assuming it follows your chosen focus point.

HDR and highlight settings

I normally leave Auto Lighting Optimizer and highlight tone priority off and adjust my RAW files later. These are preferences, not rules. Highlight tone priority changes the usable ISO range, and anti-flicker shooting can help under flickering lights, so those options can be useful when the scene calls for them.

For a finished in-camera image, you can experiment with HDR Mode. Canon's HDR Mode merges three exposures and works best when the scene and alignment cooperate. HDR shooting (HDR PQ) is a separate setting for HDR-format images; it isn't simply another name for the three-exposure HDR Mode. I normally don't use HDR for my RAW workflow.

White balance, JPEG color and noise reduction

In Shooting 4 > White balance, I generally use Auto or Daylight. Auto is convenient when the light changes; Daylight gives me a consistent starting point. RAW files offer flexibility to adjust white balance later, while choosing an appropriate balance in camera is especially helpful for JPEGs.

I use sRGB for a broadly compatible color space and generally choose the Standard Picture Style for JPEGs. Picture Styles affect the look of camera-processed images, so try alternatives if you want a different amount of contrast or saturation. I leave Clarity at zero and treat creative filters as optional rather than a default.

Under Shooting 5, lens aberration correction can help address lens characteristics when compatible correction data is available. Check the result for your lens, since correction can affect the image and processing. For JPEGs I prefer a moderate high-ISO noise-reduction setting over an aggressive one that may soften detail.

I usually leave long-exposure noise reduction off. If you use Auto or Enable for long exposures, Canon says processing can take as long as the exposure, delaying the next shot. Different types of noise reduction do not all behave identically, so don't assume every setting has no effect on RAW files.

The video's recommended memory card is the ProGrade Digital 128GB UHS-II V60 SDXC card. Check the size and specifications in the listing before ordering.

Advanced options: bracketing, burst and focus

Correction to my video: I mixed up multiple exposure with exposure bracketing. On the R10, Multiple exposure combines shots into one image. For differently exposed frames, use Shooting 2 > Expo.comp./AEB and configure auto exposure bracketing. Canon explains multiple exposures and AEB separately.

RAW burst mode is a specialized option for capturing a fast sequence. The R10 saves a roll from which you extract individual shots; Canon specifies approximately 13.6 megapixels in this mode and warns that the electronic shutter can distort moving subjects. I generally prefer the regular drive modes for my use. See Canon's RAW burst instructions for its limits.

Focus bracketing takes a sequence at different focus distances for combining later. It's useful to experiment with when you need more depth of focus, but alignment, motion and the merging process still matter. The interval timer can take photos at set intervals for a time-lapse sequence, while Bulb is for longer exposures.

Drive mode, stabilization and screen settings

Use single shooting for one frame at a time. Choose a continuous drive mode when you want a sequence and be aware that card speed, camera settings and buffer capacity affect how long the camera can keep shooting. Silent shutter can be helpful in quiet places, but electronic shutter can distort fast motion or produce banding under some lighting.

Set Shooting 7 > Release shutter without card > Disable if you want the camera to prevent a shot when no card is inserted. I use this because I don't want to hear the shutter and mistakenly assume an image was saved.

If your compatible lens has optical image stabilization, I generally leave it on for handheld photography. Stabilization can help with camera movement, but it doesn't freeze a moving subject. The R10's movie digital IS setting is for video, so it isn't part of these still-photo settings.

I turn Touch Shutter off because I don't usually want a screen tap to take a photo, and I leave Image review off because I can check the image in playback when I need to. Both are personal preferences. For Display simulation I use Exposure + depth of field when available, but the preview is an approximation and can differ from the final image. The display performance setting is another tradeoff: I prefer Smooth, while power saving prioritizes battery life.

Frequently asked questions

Should I shoot RAW or JPEG on the Canon R10?

Choose RAW if you plan to edit and want more flexibility. Choose Large/Fine JPEG for an image that's ready to share, or RAW + JPEG if you want both and have room on your card.

What ISO should I use on the R10?

Use a low ISO when the light allows, but raise it when necessary to get a usable exposure and shutter speed. The best setting depends on the light and subject; there isn't one number that fits every photo.

Why can't I see all the settings in the menu?

The R10 changes its available menu options with the shooting mode. Switch to a Creative Zone mode such as P, Av, Tv or M and consult Canon's menu reference for options specific to that mode.

Does Dual Pixel RAW double the photo resolution?

No. It records extra dual-pixel information that Canon's software can use for certain adjustments. It has restrictions, including slower continuous shooting, and isn't required for ordinary RAW photography.

Does the R10 stop shooting without a memory card?

It can. Set Release shutter without card to Disable to prevent firing when no card is installed. I leave it disabled so I don't accidentally take a shot that cannot be saved.

My verdict

Start with the file format that matches your workflow, use evaluative metering and a sensible ISO for the light, and adjust from there. The R10 has plenty of specialized options, but you don't have to turn them all on to take a good photo.

Keep reading

• Canon R10 review: things to know before you buy
• Budget RF lenses for the Canon R10

Watch more camera guides on Adam Harig on YouTube.