How to Use Canon 80D
The Canon 80D is a mid-range DSLR that’s earned a loyal following among photographers and video creators. Under the hood, you get a 24.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, a 45-point all cross-type autofocus system, Dual Pixel CMOS AF in Live View, 7 fps continuous shooting, a fully articulating touchscreen, and built-in Wi-Fi with NFC. That’s a lot of capability packed into a body that feels great in the hand.
Whether you’re upgrading from a Rebel or picking up the 80D as your first serious camera, this guide walks through the settings and features you’ll actually use.
Getting Started
Battery, Card, and Lens
The 80D uses the LP-E6N battery, which lasts about 960 shots per charge. That’s a full day of shooting for most people. Charge it with the included LC-E6 charger before your first outing.
Slide an SD card into the slot on the right side of the camera. A UHS-I card with at least 45MB/s write speed keeps up with 7 fps burst shooting without filling the buffer.
To mount the lens, line up the white alignment mark on the lens with the white dot on the camera body. Rotate the lens clockwise until it clicks into place. To remove it, press the lens release button and rotate counterclockwise.
First Power-On
Turn the power switch to ON. The camera asks you to set the date, time, and time zone. Get these right so your photos have accurate metadata.
You might also want to read our how to connect Canon Rebel T7 to iPhone guide for the full picture.
Shooting Modes
The mode dial on top of the camera gives you several options.
Scene Intelligent Auto (A+): The camera analyzes the scene and picks the best settings. Flash fires automatically when needed. This is the simplest mode and works fine for handing the camera to a guest or grabbing quick snapshots.
Creative Auto (CA): Similar to A+ but lets you adjust background blur and flash behavior through a simplified on-screen interface.
P (Program AE): Camera sets aperture and shutter speed. You can shift the combination with the main dial. You keep control of ISO, white balance, and Picture Style. A good stepping stone toward the priority modes.
Av (Aperture Priority): You pick the aperture, the camera handles shutter speed. This is the most commonly used mode for general photography because aperture directly controls depth of field. Lower f-numbers give blurry backgrounds for portraits. Higher f-numbers keep landscapes sharp from front to back.
Tv (Shutter Priority): You set the shutter speed, the camera adjusts aperture. Use 1/500 or faster to freeze action. Use 1/15 or slower for motion blur effects like silky water or light trails.
M (Manual): Full control over aperture and shutter speed. The exposure level indicator in the viewfinder and on the LCD shows whether you’re over or underexposed. Many experienced photographers use Manual mode with Auto ISO, which gives them creative control while letting the camera adjust brightness through ISO.
B (Bulb): The shutter stays open as long as you hold the button. Used for long exposures like star trails, fireworks, and light painting. A remote shutter release prevents camera shake during these long exposures.
Autofocus System
The 80D has two separate AF systems, and understanding both is key to getting the most from this camera.
Viewfinder AF: 45 Points, All Cross-Type
When shooting through the viewfinder, the 80D uses a 45-point AF system where every single point is cross-type. That’s a big deal because cross-type sensors detect contrast in both horizontal and vertical directions, making them faster and more reliable than linear sensors.
One-Shot AF: Focus locks on half-press. Use for still subjects.
AI Servo AF: Continuous tracking. The camera adjusts focus continuously while you hold the shutter button. Use this for sports, kids, wildlife, or any moving subject.
AI Focus AF: Starts in One-Shot and switches to AI Servo if it detects movement. Works in mixed situations.
For AF area modes, Single-point gives you precision. Zone AF groups the 45 points into zones for faster tracking. Large Zone covers an even wider area. And 45-point automatic lets the camera decide.
Live View AF: Dual Pixel CMOS
Switch to Live View (press the Live View button on the back), and the 80D activates Dual Pixel CMOS AF. This system turns most of the sensor’s pixels into phase-detection points, covering about 80% of the frame. The result is smooth, fast autofocus that works well for both stills and video.
Interested in this area? We go deeper in our how to use Canon M50 guide.
In Live View, you can tap the touchscreen to set your focus point. Touch and drag to move it around. The camera locks focus fast, and the Dual Pixel system is accurate enough for professional video work. This is one of the 80D’s standout features, and it’s one of the main reasons video creators gravitated toward this camera.
ISO and Exposure
ISO Range
The 80D’s native ISO range is 100 to 16000, expandable to 25600. In real-world shooting, images stay clean up to ISO 3200, and ISO 6400 is usable with some noise reduction. ISO 16000 shows visible noise but can work in a pinch for web-sized images.
Press the ISO button on top of the camera and turn the main dial to change values. Auto ISO is available and works well when paired with Av or Tv mode.
Metering Modes
Evaluative metering reads 7,560 zones across the frame and handles most situations well. Partial metering covers about 6.5% of the frame centered on the viewfinder. Spot metering reads about 2.7% for precise readings. Center-weighted average emphasizes the center of the frame.
To switch metering modes, press the metering button on top of the camera and turn the main dial.
Video Recording
The 80D shoots Full HD 1080p at 60, 30, and 24 fps. It also records 720p at 60 fps. There’s no 4K on this model, but the 1080p output is clean, detailed, and well-suited for YouTube, social media, and client work.
The real star for video is the Dual Pixel CMOS AF. It provides smooth, reliable autofocus tracking during recording, which is something most DSLRs in this class struggle with. Combined with the fully articulating touchscreen, you can compose shots from any angle while maintaining accurate focus.
For the best audio, connect an external mic to the 3.5mm input. The 80D also has a headphone jack for monitoring audio levels during recording, which is a feature many competitors lack.
Movie Servo AF (continuous AF during video) can be enabled in the Movie menu. Set AF speed and tracking sensitivity to match your shooting style. Slower AF speed gives smoother focus transitions that look more cinematic.
Wi-Fi and NFC
The 80D has built-in Wi-Fi and NFC for connecting to your phone. Download Canon’s Camera Connect app, and you can transfer images wirelessly, control the camera remotely (including shutter release, exposure settings, and Live View), and add GPS data from your phone to your photos.
NFC makes the initial connection faster. Hold your phone against the NFC logo on the camera, and the pairing happens automatically.
The Articulating Touchscreen
The 80D’s 3-inch, 1.04-million-dot touchscreen flips out from the body and rotates in any direction. For video, it lets you compose shots at waist level, overhead, or around corners. For stills, it’s great for low-angle and high-angle compositions. And it folds inward to protect the screen when the camera is in your bag.
Touch controls work throughout the interface: tap to focus and shoot, swipe through images in playback, pinch to zoom, and navigate menus by tapping.
Custom Functions
The 80D’s Custom Functions menu (C.Fn in the orange menu tab) lets you adjust autofocus behavior, reassign buttons, and tweak exposure and drive settings. Some useful changes:
C.Fn III-4 (Custom Controls): Reassign the SET button, DOF preview button, or other controls to functions you use often. Assigning ISO to the SET button saves a step compared to reaching for the ISO button on top.
Back-button focus: Go to C.Fn III-4, find the shutter button entry, and remove AF start from it. Then assign AF start to the AF-ON button on the back. This separates focus from the shutter, giving you more control over when the camera focuses.
Tips for Better Results
Portraits: Av mode at f/2.8 to f/4 with One-Shot AF and single-point selection on the nearest eye. The 50mm f/1.8 STM lens is a cheap and excellent portrait lens for the 80D.
Landscapes: Av mode at f/8 to f/11, ISO 100, tripod with 2-second timer or remote shutter. Use Live View for precise focus placement with the touchscreen.
Video: Set to Manual mode, 1/50 shutter speed for 24fps (double the frame rate rule), and adjust aperture for your look. Use Dual Pixel AF with Movie Servo AF on, and set AF speed to slow for smooth focus pulls.
Action and Sports: Tv mode at 1/500 or faster, AI Servo AF with Zone or Large Zone area mode. Set drive mode to High-speed continuous (7 fps) and keep shooting through the action.
Final Thoughts
The Canon 80D is a well-rounded camera that does a lot of things well. The 45-point all cross-type AF system is reliable for stills, the Dual Pixel CMOS AF makes video work a pleasure, and the articulating touchscreen adds real versatility. Get comfortable with the autofocus modes, set up back-button focus, and spend some time with the video features. This camera rewards photographers who learn what it can do.
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