Canon shutter release without card option

[rpcrowe]

I can understand why occasionally someone (such as a salesperson demonstrating a camera) might want to allow the shutter to release without having a card installed in the camera.

What I cannot understand is why Canon would have this as the default setting for the camera. I certainly would never AGAIN (yep! I did that once) want to "think" that I was recording an image and not have a card in the camera.

That is the first thing that I will change whenever I get a new camera...

[Tronhard]

Yep, I think it's weird too... I got caught once without a card, merrily taking images and then when I went chimp... nothing!

I too turn that off as one of my first configurations. I think it is, as you suggest, to allow the controls to be demonstrated, heaven knows why you would release the shutter without wanting to see what happened... but there you are.

[Manfred M]

As a default setting, no it does not make any sense, so I have no idea why any camera manufacturer would set that as a default.

On the other hand, I remember trying to shoot tethered and it not working until I set the camera to the "shoot without a card" setting.

[Tronhard]

That DOES make sense, but not (as you say) as a default considering how few people will shoot tethered.

As a default setting, no it does not make any sense, so I have no idea why any camera manufacturer would set that as a default.

On the other hand, I remember trying to shoot tethered and it not working until I set the camera to the "shoot without a card" setting.

[pnodrog]

As a default setting, no it does not make any sense, so I have no idea why any camera manufacturer would set that as a default.

On the other hand, I remember trying to shoot tethered and it not working until I set the camera to the "shoot without a card" setting.

It may be a default they have not thought about. It is bound to be tethered when they do the final QC testing so it is probably just left in the shoot without card state.

[Black Pearl]

Think yourselves lucky - you can't turn that 'shot without card' function off on my Fuji at all.

[Dave Humphries]

I think the answer is because Canon want to sell cameras ...

Imagine the scenario;

You are a sales person in a shop (nod to Robin)
The latest model arrives in store
That valued customer you rung up and got in specially to demonstrate and sell one to, arrives
You get the camera out of a sealed box and proceed to demonstrate
Imagine the first impression it would make if it wouldn't take a picture

Therefore I'm not that surprised by this default behaviour.

The mistake everyone is making is assuming that the manufacturer should put the customer first

OK, so the good sales person would have had a play first and learnt their way around and fitted a card before the customer arrives, but why risk losing a sale to an inexperienced sales person, perhaps not even in a camera store, but say, a department store and unfamiliar with cameras entirely.

Get my drift?

Cynical Dave?

[rpcrowe]

It may be a default they have not thought about. It is bound to be tethered when they do the final QC testing so it is probably just left in the shoot without card state.

Except for refurbished cameras, I don't believe that every Canon camera gets tested by a human being.

That is the reason that I no longer purchase my cameras new but, rather as Canon Factory Refurbished items!

I purchased my first two Canon DSLR cameras new (Canon 10D and Canon 350D) and both of them needed to go back to the Canon service center (luckily there is one within driving distance of where I live) within the first 90-days of ownership. In reality, I was working with refurbished cameras that I paid a full price for.

I have since, purchased five DSLR cameras (30D, 40D, two 7D's and a 7D2) as Canon refurbished items. I have had absolutely no problems with any of the cameras and got them at very good prices...