What does the blinking level/camera icon mean in the Canon 70D viewfinder?
Asked 5/30/2018
3 views
2 answers
0
On a Canon 70D, I see a small icon in the viewfinder that looks like a camera/level symbol. When I press the AF button, it starts blinking. What does this indicator mean?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
7
This is the electronic level indicator. It indicates that you're not holding the camera parallel to the ground but instead have tilted it. The specific configuration indicates that you've got a tilt of greater than 2°.
From page 66 of the manual:
Note that this is configurable — you can turn it off if you don't like it. It's also available on the rear LCD during Live View shooting (where it's maybe a little more obvious as a level).
Also note the manual's warning of a 1° margin of error (or even greater when the camera is far from level).
Originally by user1943. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1943
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
It’s the Canon 70D’s electronic level indicator. When it blinks or shows an offset, it means the camera isn’t level relative to the horizon. In your case, it indicates the camera is tilted to the left, and the shown pattern can mean the tilt is more than about 2°.
This display is meant to help you keep the camera straight, especially for landscapes, architecture, or any shot where a level horizon matters. The same leveling aid is also available on the rear LCD in Live View, where it’s usually easier to interpret.
If you don’t want to see it in the viewfinder, the display can be turned off in the camera settings. Also keep in mind it isn’t perfectly precise—the manual notes roughly a 1° margin of error, and potentially more if the camera is far from level.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI8y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
What does the blinking orange camera icon mean on a Canon PowerShot SX420 IS?
Can the Canon 7D Mark II show the exposure meter while changing ISO in Manual mode?
What does the folded-corner icon mean on a photo in Lightroom Grid view?
What does the Nikon viewfinder/display value like [r 2] mean?
Why won’t my Canon T3i focus when I try to shoot very close to a subject?