7D Changes Modes Far Too Easily

I am seeking ideas as to how some of you guys have addressed the 7D's problem of the Mode Dial changing positions at the slightest excuse.

I have regularly been packing two cameras, a 7DMkII and a 7D; however, until this past Saturday, I had not gotten into a situation where the 7D's Mode Dial would inadvertently change positions/modes.

Saturday, I went on a tractor wagon trail ride and spent the day riding in a school bus seat on a custom-built tour wagon.

I had taken several photos with the 7DMkII and Sigma 18-250mm when I saw something that needed a bit more reach; so, I raised the 7D with Sigma 50-500mm to my eye and took a shot --- gosh, that shutter seemed to take a long time; I took another and the shutter lag was very noticeable.

I looked at the rear screen and it said "Bulb"; what on earth is "Bulb" and how did I get that up there.

I never mess with the Mode Dial; I put all of them on Manual and haven't switched them to anything else in years; I never thought to look for the problem at the Mode Dial.

I frantically searched through the menus, looking for something that might turn this Bulb business off.

I turned the camera OFF and back ON = still says Bulb.

I removed the batteries, counted twenty Alligators, put the batteries back in and switched it ON = still says Bulb.

After exhausting all other possibilities, and deciding my 7D just might be ready for the boneyard, quite by accident, I noticed the Mode Dial was on "B"; I turned it back to M and all was right with the world again.

After that first episode, almost every time I would raise the 7D into firing position, it would have switched itself to some weird mode or other.

Being in a moving wagon behind a tractor, I didn't always have time to be investigating settings and I would snap pictures with some really weird results.

Something about squirming around in a school bus seat, trying to see and photograph everything on all sides, sometimes semi-standing and other times crouching, trying to get the target and not the backs of everyone else's heads in the shot, and not always remembering that there was a second camera hanging beside me, was switching channels to programs that were not on my schedule.

I always keep my cameras on RAW/Large-jpeg; somehow or other, I took about a dozen photos that, when I got them home to the computer, I discovered they were jpegs with no RAW counterparts; I still haven't figured out how I managed that; I thought the RAW/Large-jpeg choice carried through all modes, but obviously not.

Anyhow, I am investigating my options to lock the Mode Dial, either permanently or semi-permanently; or maybe, fabricate some sort of bridge over the dial such that the wheel is not so exposed to the environs..

I would like to hear any solutions others have employed to address this problem.

I don't guess there is an aftermarket solution available, like maybe a locking dial.

I never before realized just what an asset that lock-button on the 7DMkII was.

Thanks for reading.

I didn't do it, but when I used my 7D cameras frequently, Canon released an option to send the camera to them and get the mode dial replaced with a new design, with a locking button in the center. For a fee.
Don't know if they still do that to such an old camera.

apersson850 wrote in post #19527690
Canon released an option to send the camera to them and get the mode dial replaced with a new design, with a locking button in the center.

Thanks! It is good to know such an animal exists.

If I can come up with a part number, maybe I can find this locking knob on E-Bay or somewhere.

Surely, a smart man like me can swap them out --- or maybe I am just not smart enough to leave well enough alone.....

I wish I had known about these replacement locking buttons when I was searching these cameras out on E-Bay; I would have kept a weather eye peeled for ones that already had the improvement.


I have sort of been playing with the idea of cutting a hole in a piece of closed-cell foam with a piece of carpet tape on the bottom for adhesion; the foam would protect the dial from inadvertent turnings and I could poke my finger in the hole to make any changes, maybe even add a removable tight-fitting foam "plug" to the hole to keep dirt and debris from collecting there.

It was swapped together with the whole top cover as a unit.

BuckSkin wrote in post #19527498
...

Anyhow, I am investigating my options to lock the Mode Dial, either permanently or semi-permanently; or maybe, fabricate some sort of bridge over the dial such that the wheel is not so exposed to the environs..

I would like to hear any solutions others have employed to address this problem.

I don't guess there is an aftermarket solution available, like maybe a locking dial.

I never before realized just what an asset that lock-button on the 7DMkII was.

Thanks for reading.

That pretty well covers exactly why the lock button on the MkII exists, for sure. For the most part, we *didn't* come up with a widespread solution for the MkI; some folks found they would wrap a rubber band around the button to just add enough additional friction that they didn't bump a change as easily, while others just gave up and used electrical/gaffers tape to secure the dial in place because they never used it anyway. It's possible that *someone* came up with an aftermarket solution, but I wouldn't put money on it.

Snydremark wrote in post #19527697
It's possible that *someone* came up with an aftermarket solution, but I wouldn't put money on it.

Well, that "someone" was Canon themselves. Looks like it's no longer possible. It was for the 5D Mark II and the 7D.

Here's link to a Swedish site reporting the news, back in 2010.

So for a quick thought, as I look at my mode dial on the 5D4....

It is an easy cheap attempt, and might work. Get a lid from a container that fits over the mode dial, like the lids on the Torani coffee syrups bottles, or bottled water lids, or soda bottle lids. Get or make a tiny velcro circle or square that fits the top of the dial and put the matching pieces on the dial and inside that lid.

The velcro acts as a buffer as things bump against the Torani lid and should prevent the mode from switching on you. Just pull that cover off and make mode dial changes when you want, but it sounds like you won't do that very often.

If this doesn't work well (as this is just a off the cuff idea and I only tried my own Torani lids over my own mode dials as a test fit), you are out nothing really.

I have this same thing happening with the R7. Just another example of why it isn't really a direct 7D2 successor.

Okay....., I may have come up with a solution that doesn't require welding or hot melt glue.

I will run it by you guys before I waste time finding out that it ain't gonna work.....

I never use the Custom Functions; probably should learn how, but just never have.

That being said, there are three Custom Function settings; and, I just now checked; when I turn the dial to the farthest Custom Function, it will not turn any farther; it's not like it just continues around to start over.

Can I create a custom function to replicate Manual Mode and my back button focus, focus point choices, metering choices, and all such still work as per my preferences ?

Could I change Apertures and Shutter Speeds in CF same as I do in Manual Mode ?

If I can do this and the Custom Function just be another position for Manual Mode, I would create identical Custom Functions for all three CF positions and always keep the selector set for the farthest one over.

Thus, it could only get inadvertently moved in a single direction, instead of being able to go either way; and, the first two notches it moved would still be Manual Mode.

Have I explained this such that it makes sense ?

Is what I have described possible ?

A bonus advantage to what I describe is that, should the dial get turned to some unwanted position, it would be a lot easier to just turn the dial as far as it will go and that be where you want to be, rather than squinting and trying to land on "M" right there between "B" and "AV"; one could spin the knob until it stops without even looking.

As for that stupid "B"; it was real intelligent for Canon to put it right there beside "M"; that took a lot of careful thought and planning for sure; in reality, to switch to "Bulb" Mode, one should have to turn the key to Run, set the radio on AM2, tap the brake pedal three times, and blow their nose, before "Bulb" could be selected.

Thanks for reading.

Seems to me like if this is the first time you have had this problem in all the time you have used your 7D and you can identify the reason for the problem, rough ride, it might not be a big problem in the future when the ride isn't so rough.

Thanks; I had a vague recollection that that might have been but couldn't come up with validation.

BuckSkin wrote in post #19527758
Okay....., I may have come up with a solution that doesn't require welding or hot melt glue.

I will run it by you guys before I waste time finding out that it ain't gonna work.....

I never use the Custom Functions; probably should learn how, but just never have.

That being said, there are three Custom Function settings; and, I just now checked; when I turn the dial to the farthest Custom Function, it will not turn any farther; it's not like it just continues around to start over.

Can I create a custom function to replicate Manual Mode and my back button focus, focus point choices, metering choices, and all such still work as per my preferences ?

Could I change Apertures and Shutter Speeds in CF same as I do in Manual Mode ?

If I can do this and the Custom Function just be another position for Manual Mode, I would create identical Custom Functions for all three CF positions and always keep the selector set for the farthest one over.

Thus, it could only get inadvertently moved in a single direction, instead of being able to go either way; and, the first two notches it moved would still be Manual Mode.

Have I explained this such that it makes sense ?

Is what I have described possible ?

A bonus advantage to what I describe is that, should the dial get turned to some unwanted position, it would be a lot easier to just turn the dial as far as it will go and that be where you want to be, rather than squinting and trying to land on "M" right there between "B" and "AV"; one could spin the knob until it stops without even looking.

As for that stupid "B"; it was real intelligent for Canon to put it right there beside "M"; that took a lot of careful thought and planning for sure; in reality, to switch to "Bulb" Mode, one should have to turn the key to Run, set the radio on AM2, tap the brake pedal three times, and blow their nose, before "Bulb" could be selected.

Thanks for reading.

Yes, you can assign your settings to each custom function mode just as you described. You will also have the option for each CF to either have any changes you make while in that mode saved or not when you change the mode dial or turn the camera off.

Bulb is a little more manual than manual, so it makes sense to have it there.

If you set your camera up as you like it, then you can store that setup in C1, C2 and C3, then set the camera to C3. If you then accidentially rotate the dial you can go two steps and still have the same function.

I guess I look at this as if you are willing to go through the exercise of setting up the Cx modes, and are still worried or have to potentially move the dial anyways, why not just make it a habit to validate the dial setting is M when you pull out the camera?

Or as was mentioned in the OP, find a way to protect the mode dial in a non destructive way as to not worry about it moving.

I just feel that adding more complexity around setting up Cx, worrying about if you want it to track your changes or not, and still having to look at the disk, adds yet more confusion and doesn’t solve much.

I liked the idea of placing a rubber band around the dial at the base such that it creates tension on the dial so that it is more difficult to move off M, or simply use gaffers tape over the dial.

It's not that complex as you make it.
Like I suggested, make all three custom modes mimic your M setting, then select C3. If you rotate to C2 by accident, it's still the same.
Let it store your changes automatically and it will mimic the normal M mode.