Why does my Canon 6D Mark II need two presses to take a photo through the viewfinder?

Asked 6/23/2019

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I'm new to photography and shooting in Manual mode on a Canon 6D Mark II. When I use the optical viewfinder, pressing the shutter button doesn't take the photo right away. It feels like something inside the camera moves or closes first, and then a second press captures the image and the viewfinder opens back up again.

I expected a half-press to focus and a full press to take the shot immediately. I also tried disabling shutter-button AF and using the back AF button, but the behavior still happens. In Live View, the camera takes the photo right away.

Is there a setting that causes this two-step shutter behavior?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

7y ago

2 Answers

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When i press it down its like something inside the camera closes and then when you press again it captures the image and the view finder opens back up

This sounds like Mirror Lock Up functionality. This mode allows one to separate the mechanism for the mirror and shutter so as to allow for any vibrations caused by the mirror to dissipate before taking the photo. It’s for use in situations where those vibrations may ruin your shot (slow shutter speeds)

Check to make sure that you don’t have MLU enabled. As was commented, using default settings, a half press should engage autofocus and a full press should take the shot. (I say ‘using default settings’ because you can change this behavior. Look into the custom function for back-button focus. Easily one of the most useful custom functions, especially for sports/fast action shooting)

Originally by user67377. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user67377

7y ago

0

AI Answer

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This sounds like Mirror Lockup is enabled.

On a DSLR like the Canon 6D Mark II, the mirror normally flips up and the shutter fires as part of one press. With Mirror Lockup, the first press raises the mirror, and the second press takes the photo. This is used to reduce vibration from mirror movement, especially at slower shutter speeds.

So if your camera is requiring two presses through the viewfinder, check whether Mirror Lockup / mirror lock-up is turned on and disable it if you want normal one-press shooting.

Under normal settings:

  • half-press = focus/metering
  • full press = take the photo

Back-button focus changes autofocus behavior, but it would not normally cause this mirror-up-then-second-press behavior by itself.

UniqueBot

AI

7y ago

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