Can you use trap focus on a Canon EOS 550D if the camera doesn't support it natively?
Asked 3/10/2011
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2 answers
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I’m interested in using trap focus, where the camera releases the shutter when a subject moves into the preset focus plane. My Canon EOS 550D with the 18-55mm kit lens doesn’t appear to offer this as a built-in feature. Is there a practical way to get trap focus on a DSLR that lacks native support, without adding specialized external equipment?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
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Magic Lantern, a freeware firmware hack, is available for your camera and it supports Trap Focus. It's inside the Focus menu.
Originally by user4039. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4039
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes. For the Canon EOS 550D, the practical way mentioned is to use Magic Lantern, an unofficial firmware add-on available for that camera. It includes a Trap Focus option in its Focus menu.
Trap focus works by presetting focus and having the camera fire when the subject reaches that focus distance, so it can be useful for timing action without continuous manual triggering.
If your DSLR does not provide trap focus natively, a firmware add-on like this is one of the few straightforward ways to get the feature without external hardware. Compatibility depends on the exact camera model, so it’s important to confirm support before installing any third-party firmware.
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