Resetting a DSLR why it matters.

[Soocom1]

As an old tymer I long ago learned that resetting back to zero is usually a good idea.

Going back to a specific starting point in anything is good practice.

So here is what I learned long ago and still applies today:

Digital cameras are an electro-mechanical device. As time progresses, stress, heat, humidity and all things physical put wear and tear on a camera. Shutters, mirrors, lenses, irises, etc all begin to loosen and can throw sensors off.
This is also applicable to the internal computer that uses a continuous re-metering of itself along with its internal memory system that is supposedly "non adjustable".

personal experience has shown me that this isnt always the case and eventually errors' blunders and omissions, along with a healthy dose of use can cause the electronics to start reading "funny".

One item I frequently re-set is my cell phone. As time progresses and various apps are added/subtracted, just like a computer it can become "fragmented" or whatever the terminology is now, causing a healthy dose of slowdown and under performance. A good ol' fashioned re-start or reset usually does the trick.
The same is true with your digital camera. Resetting it back to factory can do alot of good.

Now this also includes either writing down or exporting custom functions you simply cannot live without. And its a good idea to log it anyway for the purpose of finding the eventual and inevitable "bug".

One of the worst aspects I have run into is when the camera starts shooting more like a low level P&S rather than a costly higher end prosumer camera. (1Ds in my case) and an amature mid range like my 70D.

I would love to hear from others on this.

 

[MTHall720]

I certainly agree. I haven't had my camera long enough to say much, but experience with cells, laptops, etc. confirms what you said.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Been doing something similar with SLR's for years. Usually reset to 1/125 or whatever the sync speed is, and f8 so I can turn the lens a stop or two either way quickly. There's a reason they came up with 'f8 and be there'.

Even a Polaroid I usually try to reset at whatever the basic setting would be (1/4 into the dark on my SX-70, etc.) so it's ready to use again with little adjustment needed to start.

 

[480sparky]

Do you mean a 'factory reset', where everything is erased and the camera is basically like it was when you bought it new?

Or just setting the camera to a specific set-up so if you pick it up next time, you know what settings are already dialed in?

 

[Soocom1]

total fact. reset.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Oh, then nevermind...! lol

 

[480sparky]

Never had the need to do a factory reset. I'd hate to take the time and re-enter all my settings (U1, U2, copyright, artist,,,,)

 

[snowbear]

I'm with sparky.

 

[Dao]

So far, I have not have any issue or feel the need of resetting the camera. I mean, it just works as expected. I guess it is based on "If It ain’t broke, don’t fix it"

 

[Overread]

Mobile phones, computers and tablets tend to clog up mostly with either freedownloads and stuff we put on them. So they do tend to benefit from a re-set because it basically forces us to clean up the clutter we've put on there. Phones and tablets also clutter up with stuff apps put there too - install app A and B and C get thrown in too. Though its harder to clean house with many of them because they are often tied into each other such that you can't get rid of one without the other etc...

Cameras don't have to suffer from that so the firmwire and settings and such should perform well without any issue. You're not installing new software all the time and changing the software and upgrading it etc....

I can appreciate resetting if you generally use basic settings and features and yet have tinkered with things. Sometimes a factory re-set can let you clean up and get back to a simpler base standard and then you can play around with settings once more (Esp if you've activated a few and forgotten what they are or do or even if you changed them at all).

 

[Designer]

I don't use any custom settings, so resetting is no big deal. I've done that only once in several year's time, but I could not find the problem setting just hunting around, so I reset it to factory default. Then it was fine.

 

[Derrel]

I have done both.NO re-sets and occasional two-button re-sets. This in a d-slr history going back to Feb. of 2001.

 

[ac12]

As @Overread stated, sometimes if you change configuration, and forget to change it back, things start to behave unpredictably. That is when a reset clears out the configuration you forgot, and gets you back to a known starting point. Thankfully, I have only had to do this once.

But as was mentioned, I document my configuration, so if I have to reset, I can get the camera back to where I want it for MY standard.