(Typo in title -- sorry, Mike! )

Mike just reviewed the 7D and as usual whined about the camera needing a dedicated MLU button. As somebody who shoots with a long focal length lens in poor light (including a telescope at night), I can feel his pain.

But there's another way to implement what we want, I think. And this is more erganomical (is that a word?) and wouldn't require yet another button on an already button-studded body.

Maybe I'm generalizing from my own shooting style, but in my case whenever I'm shooting in situations where MLU is an issue, I'm also using a remote shutter release. So why can't the camera detect the presence of an RSR and *automatically* activate MLU (okay -- make this a menu feature for cases where RSR should not imply MLU, though I can't think of any).

As an electrical engineer, I know that the miniature audio jack that Canon's RS60 remote shutter release can be purchased with a switch contact to provide a "plug inserted" signal. Certainly other types of connectors could be customized to support the feature. From there it is, as they say, a simple matter of software to provide automatic MLU when you have the RSR plugged in.


Comments?

If you are referring to the review on this site it was done by Michael Reichmann not Michael Reismann.

As to your idea it doesn't seem unreasonable.

Yes, Reichmann -- my brain slipped.

Interesting idea. What Canon could also do is just add mirror lock-up as an option for the drive mode button, like Sony does with the A700/850/900.