Canon Finally Fixes One of the R1’s Strangest Omissions
Canon EOS R1 firmware 1.3.0 is not a dramatic update, but it does add one small function that should have been there from day one: the ability to assign Pre-continuous Shooting to a customizable shooting button.
That might sound trivial, and in one sense it is. But for wildlife, birds, sports, or any kind of unpredictable action, it matters. Pre-continuous shooting is exactly the sort of feature you want available instantly. A bird takes off before you fully react. A lion cub suddenly jumps. An eagle lifts. The moment often begins just before your finger commits to the shutter, and that is where pre-continuous shooting can save the frame.
The problem is that you do not always want it on. It drains your battery quickly, fills cards faster, and makes the edit heavier. For slower scenes, portraits, waiting situations, or more deliberate shooting, it can quickly become unnecessary clutter. So the whole value of the feature depends on being able to switch it on and off without thinking. It should be a button function, not a menu dive.
Why this was not possible in firmware 1.0 is a total mystery. The R1 is Canon’s flagship action camera, built around speed, customization and professional field use. Canon usually understands ergonomics better than almost anyone, which makes this omission even stranger. Pre-continuous shooting is not some obscure lab feature. It is directly connected to the kind of photography the R1 was designed for. It’s a KEY feature, the R1 you can customize pretty much everything except the pre-capture function until firmware 1.3.0!
With firmware 1.3.0, Canon finally fixes it. Now you can assign Pre-continuous Shooting to a custom shooting button and make it part of your real field workflow. Keep it off when you are working slowly. Activate it the moment behaviour starts to build. Turn it off again when the situation calms down. That is how a feature like this should work from day one.
This will not sell cameras. It will not impress anyone reading a spec sheet. But in practical use, this is exactly the kind of small firmware change that makes a professional camera better. Not more impressive, just better. The less time you spend in menus, the more attention you have left for the subject.
I am glad Canon added it. I am also still surprised it took this long. On a camera like the R1, a feature designed for split-second moments should never have been buried in the menu for a year and a half for no reason other than stupidity!
Small update, obvious fix — but a genuinely useful one.