# M6 problem or is it me?



## Tyroop (Sep 21, 2017)

I took some shots this morning and when I reviewed them later I noticed very high shutter speeds and lots of noise. This was because the ISO had been set to 25600, but I didn't do it - at least not deliberately. I've only had the camera a couple of weeks and it is the second time this has happened. I ignored it the first time, thinking that it must have been me, but now it has happened a second time I'm not so sure.

I very rarely set the ISO to a specified value and normally always leave it on Auto ISO. Even when I do set the ISO manually, I never use 25600. I certainly didn't change the ISO setting via the menu and I can't see how I might have accidentally changed it by inadvertently pressing the ISO button on the rear. In addition to pressing the button it is also necessary to turn the dial in order to change the ISO setting. Anyway, in case this is the problem I have now reassigned the ISO button to another function so that the ISO value cannot be changed by using external controls.

The shots this morning weren't important (just more test shots for the EF-M 55-200mm) and I can easily go back and take the shots again, but in other circumstances I might have been a bit upset because at 25600 they aren't that usable.

With the original EOS M I sometimes twisted the dial at the top accidentally as I took the camera from its case and put the camera into movie mode from still mode, but this was definitely my error. With the problem on the M6 I really can't figure out how I could have done it accidentally.

I've done a quick search on Google and can't find any other instances of this problem, so perhaps it is me. I've now made a mental note to check the camera settings every time before I start using it and not simply to assume that the settings were the same as the last session. I can't replicate the problem at will. The camera firmware version is 1.0.0.

Apart from having to remember to check the settings frequently it's not a major issue, but I was wondering whether anyone had seen this or had any ideas what I might be doing.

Any thoughts?


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## Deleted member 378664 (Sep 21, 2017)

I experienced inadvertantly changed Parameters (e.g. the ISO Setting) with my EOS M5 when I open the battery/SD Card door to Change the SD card while the camera is switched on.

Maybe it is the same issue with your M6.

regards
Frank


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## Tyroop (Sep 21, 2017)

Thanks Frank, but I think I've discovered the problem. After doing some more Googling using different search terms I found this.



> If like me you like to shoot in aperture or shutter speed priority mode, then the rear top dial is by default set to control ISO. It takes but a small knock to move the dial, from auto ISO to ISO 25,600, which is quite frustrating - I had several overexposed shots taken in bright daylight at ISO 25,600. Ultimately, the rear top dial is too easily rotated.



The original source is here:

http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/canon_eos_m6_review/

This describes my problem exactly and it seems that my earlier prognosis was wrong. The cause isn't the ISO button on the back of the camera getting knocked. The problem is with the rear top dial - the one underneath the exposure compensation dial. The default setting for this dial is ISO and it is easy to knock slightly when you turn the camera on and off.

I have now set this dial to 'Not Assigned' so that rotating it doesn't do anything. It's a shame because the M6 is very customisable and being able to adjust various settings using external controls is a big strength of the camera. However, when an important setting can be changed inadvertently so easily it can ruin a lot of shots and therefore it is best disabled. If I changed the dial to adjust another function, rather than ISO, it would just mean that another setting would be altered inadvertently when I accidentally knocked the dial.

Other M6 users may want to look out for this.


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## Act444 (Sep 22, 2017)

Hmm...I've personally never had this particular issue (yet) but - I HAVE had other settings inadvertently changed while walking about, like burst mode and ONE SHOT/SERVO. Frustratingly I often don't notice it until several shots later...

Then again, I had similar beefs with the original M too (the touch shutter activating itself and taking pics every time it bumps my chest, etc.).


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## muchakucha (Sep 22, 2017)

I've run into this same problem before and it was usually when i was playing with underexposing for the highlights. It all makes sense now thanks for looking into it i'll go ahead and unmap that one.


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## Tyroop (Sep 22, 2017)

I guess it depends on our own personal idiosyncrasies, the size of our hands, and how we handle the camera, etc. Now I know that at least one other person has had this problem, but other users may never see it. It has happened to me twice in two weeks, which is more than coincidence. As I said, I've just disabled the offending dial and I think that will cure the problem but if not I'll post something here. The alternative would be to leave it as it is and to check the settings every time I use the camera, but I know I would forgot to do this quite often.

I've not had any similar problems with the exposure compensation dial and even if I did it is marked so that you can see quite easily if it has been changed. The issue is with the dial underneath. It moves very easily and there are no physical markings or visual representation to indicate that it has been moved. The only way you can tell is by looking at the rear display, which is something I don't do as often as I should.

If the On/Off switch was in a different position it might not be a problem, but the On/Off switch rotates around the outside of this dial and it is very close. The M5 doesn't have this additional dial underneath the exposure compensation dial and also the On/Off switch on the M5 is in a different position. I would therefore assume that this issue applies only to the M6, not the M5.

With the original M I was always knocking the mode switch on the top and inadvertently putting the camera into movie mode. Still shots were still possible, of course, but they were taken in a wide video format. This was also slightly annoying.

I love the layout of the M6 controls and love all the customisation possibilities. These make for a very flexible camera that can be tailored for your own individual shooting needs. All that I would like is a little bit more resistance on this dial to make it slightly more difficult to rotate inadvertently.


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## dak723 (Sep 22, 2017)

Yes, had this problem with the M5 - and I also turned off some of the custom buttons that I was inadvertently changing. I also find that I activate ISO (or sometimes other) option by touching the rear screen and then changing it by mistake by turning the shutter dial.


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## Act444 (Sep 22, 2017)

> I've not had any similar problems with the exposure compensation dial and even if I did it is marked so that you can see quite easily if it has been changed. *The issue is with the dial underneath. It moves very easily and there are no physical markings or visual representation to indicate that it has been moved.* The only way you can tell is by looking at the rear display, which is something I don't do as often as I should.



THIS is where I agree - I have that dial set to change the drive mode of the camera (which I change quite often in some instances), and many times I find that this setting has been changed inadvertently. I think just a bit more resistance (without being too stiff) would help tremendously. Not as much of a shot-killer as changing the ISO setting, but realizing the camera is in high-speed burst when I only want a single shot...annoyance at best.


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## neuroanatomist (Sep 22, 2017)

Act444 said:


> > I've not had any similar problems with the exposure compensation dial and even if I did it is marked so that you can see quite easily if it has been changed. *The issue is with the dial underneath. It moves very easily and there are no physical markings or visual representation to indicate that it has been moved.* The only way you can tell is by looking at the rear display, which is something I don't do as often as I should.
> 
> 
> 
> THIS is where I agree - I have that dial set to change the drive mode of the camera (which I change quite often in some instances), and many times I find that this setting has been changed inadvertently. I think just a bit more resistance (without being too stiff) would help tremendously. Not as much of a shot-killer as changing the ISO setting, but realizing the camera is in high-speed burst when I only want a single shot...annoyance at best.



FWIW, that dial does not seem to move very easily on the M6.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Sep 22, 2017)

If the camera is still under warranty, give Canon a call and ask about replacing the switch with a stiffer one.


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## Pookie (Sep 22, 2017)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> If the camera is still under warranty, give Canon a call and ask about replacing the switch with a stiffer one.


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## ejenner (Oct 14, 2017)

I had the same thing happen to me the first day I took it out. IDK, no camera is perfect, I watch for it and must have amended how I handle the camera since it hasn't happened again. FWIW my dial definitely has more resistance than many other compacts I have used.

Having the option to not go from AUTO to max ISO would be good though.

I don't understand why this is an issue though - Canon essentially solved it way back with the GX1 mk II dial - it is kind of recessed so you have to press it in a bit and turn. Works great, never had that ISO changing issue and use auto ISO a lot more than with the M6. Maybe the person who designed that GX1 dial pissed off management or something so they dropped it.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Oct 14, 2017)

I noticed a strange shifting of the AF point in my SL2 when in live view, it just kept moving up, down, right, and occasionally left like it was tracking something. After checking the various settings, i realized that my big hand was the problem, the very edge of my thumb was on the touch screen, and just a little pressure caused the AF point to move. Changing my grip solved it. It still happens, but I now know to quickly change my grip a tiny amount to get my thumb off the LCD. I do and plan to use Live View almost exclusively, so its a factor to deal with.


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## jolyonralph (Oct 23, 2017)

Known problem - and very annoying.

As has been said you need to go into the custom controls and disable ISO adjustment.


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## Ivan Muller (Nov 4, 2017)

Same problem here.

Its the rear iso dial that moves easily. I moved my iso settings to the button near the shutter release.

I use the old iso dial for drive settings. My thinking being that if I inadvertently move the motor drive settings it wont affect exposure etc.

you will however be able to see the grainy images in the viewfinder...that is the EVF.

The rear dial is not well designed in imo

Other wis equite a nice camera so far and the faster AF is a nice upgrade from the M3...


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## josephandrews222 (Nov 6, 2017)

Same issue here (too).

On my M6, the (top) exposure compensation dial is definitely a bit stiffer than the (bottom) ISO (by default) dial.

I solved the 'problem' by reminding myself to use my thumb and my index finger in tandem to adjust for exposure compensation--if I attempt to use only my thumb (to adjust exposure), the upper dial is so stiff that if I adjust it with thumb only, I find that if I raise my thumb a bit to enable necessary torque (and avoid the lower ISO dial)...the exposure compensation moves by more the one detente (1/3rd of a stop)...and sometimes as much as three detentes.

Using thumb only, I can get exactly one detente in either direction if my thumb is more-or-less parallel to the back of the camera...but in this position the thumb can rather easily (and accidentally) turn the lower (ISO) knob.

The solution for me? Use thumb and index finger to adjust exposure compensation; the (by default) ISO knob seems to be clearly designed for thumb-only use.

I wonder if this makes sense to anybody...a beer or three might make it easier to comprehend!


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## Tyroop (Nov 7, 2017)

Sorry, I didn't realise that this thread was still active. As Neuro says, that dial is quite stiff and even after disabling it I still had a problem. A few weeks ago I was in Vietnam doing a lot of street photography and there were still times when I found the ISO had changed from Auto to a fixed value.

At times I found it on ISO 100, 640 and 800. These shots were still usable, but while walking around the My Son ruins I had the problem again. As I was leaving I took a series of shots and they were all taken at ISO 25,600.

I had the camera on a strap around my neck with it still switched on and I started to wonder if the ISO was being changed via the touch screen as the camera bounced on my body. I did my best to try to reproduce the problem, but I can't.

I have re-enabled the dial at the top because now I don't think it is the problem, but I still don't know what is causing the problem. I love the camera, but this issue is annoying.


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