Messages

1

EOS Bodies / Re: 6D Autofocus not impressive

« on: Today at 12:02:38 AM »

J.R., it could very well be that there is an AFMA or focus shift phenomenon going on with your 50mm on the 6D.  It just sounds to me like you're complaining about not getting sharp focus, rather than the side points not achieving focus lock.  I had thought you meant those points refused to ever focus at all in your low light situation.  And are these children on the sofa, part of a paying gig, or are they just casual shots of your own kids?  If they're just casual shots, then is it really such a big issue? 

I mean, let's face it, there are types of focus shift even when you focus a fast lens manually, let alone with autofocus. 

As for complaining that Canon "hobbled the 6D"...if they did, it was not for fear of impacting sales of the 5D3.  It was to ensure that the Nikon D600 could never be offered at a lower street price than the 6D (because Canon's frontend cost on the 6D is lower than the Nikon's for the D600).  I thought this was common knowledge?  The 6D's feature set has nothing at all to do with the 5D3...think about it.

It just seems like your point in this thread, is to complain about the 6D.  You admit you bought it as your backup camera.  Perhaps you should sell it, and let someone have it who likes it more...and just buy another used or new 5D3?  With the amount of time you've spent complaining about the 6D in this thread, you could have gotten some more photo jobs to pay for the extra 5D3, since you love it so much.  No offense of course, I'm here to help :-D ... 

It seems to me, that the value of used 5D3's has gone up, since ML have hacked it for RAW video.  So that's a good thing for 5D3 owners.

I frankly detest the 5D3, and I currently have no need to do serious video.  The next Canon body I buy, will likely be the replacement for the 1DX.  Because the 1DX is almost right...

I use FoCal for AFMA so that is not really the issue. There is no focus shift because it should show up on the 5D3 as well - only that it doesn't. The sensitivity of the outer focus points is insufficient indoors and that is the point I was making. This basically results in using the center point only in low light and hence the darned focus - recompose - shoot.

Not getting sharp shots is an issue even if they are casual shots. Do you not want the best IQ if you are taking pics of your kids?

I might appear to be complaining about the 6D but that's really not the case. The thread is on the issue of the AF of the 6D and not the IQ of the 6D. I'm just saying the way it is. Maybe you don't want better AF but not everyone has the same expectations / usage.

I wish I was getting paid for my photos. I do this as a hobby and have no time to turn it into a career. I do agree with your advice and intend to sell the 6D sometime next year and get a 1DX. Thanks!

2

EOS Bodies / Re: 6D Autofocus not impressive

« on: June 19, 2013, 05:27:03 AM »

Back to the point, so far I have not felt too limited by the AF on the 6d.  in lower light, if i want the far ppoints for specific, precise framing, there's the mk3.  the wide angle can go on the 6d and center point is just fine for that kind of stuff.

+1. That's how I use the combination of the 5D3 and 6D - Tele's and/or wide aperture lenses on the 5D3 the the WA on the 6D so that the DOF is not a concern. 

Cheers ... J.R.

3

EOS Bodies / Re: 6D Autofocus not impressive

« on: June 19, 2013, 03:37:42 AM »

and another, again using the points to the edge - this time

ISO 1600
85mm 1.8 at 1.8
1/160th

Very nice ... what was the ambient light? Did you use flash assist for focusing?

4

EOS Bodies / Re: 6D Autofocus not impressive

« on: June 19, 2013, 03:36:19 AM »

As to your other statement -- "I guess the main griping about the 6D AF comes from the fact that Canon intentionally crippled the AF and left it only as good as the AF of the 5D2 when it could have been better."  If they had slapped a more robust AF in there, then what makes it different enough from the mk3?  Honestly, if you want uncrippled AF, then save the extra $$$ for the 5d3.  As a few others have said, the high ISO performance alone makes up for the lackings in AF. 

Only 1 x type AF point ... c'mon. They could have done it a wee bit better with the than what they have without impacting the sales of the 5D3 - a few more x type AF points couldn't have seriously impacted the sales of the 5D3?

I do have the 5D3 and the 6D is only a backup / second body. I feel shortchanged by Canon with the AF performance of the 6D, which otherwise is a very good camera with excellent IQ.

I guess it all depends on what one's definition of "good" AF is - the center point in low light might be "impressive" but the overall AF performance makes me cringe sometimes (as mentioned in my earlier posts).

Regarding your comment of High ISO performance making up for the lacking AF, it all depends on perspective. For me, high ISO performance is useless if the shot is out of focus. The only reason I bought the 6D over a second 5D3 was because I didn't want to put in too much money on a second body. Did I compromise - Yes, and with full knowledge of what I was getting into.

It's not that you can't get good sharp shots with the 6D, its only that it's damn difficult at wide open apertures.

5

EOS Bodies / Re: 6D Autofocus not impressive

« on: June 18, 2013, 11:10:55 PM »

J.R., I'm not sure what lens and what shooting situation you would be in, where you would need to use the outer focus points in low light.  In any case, don't do that, because they aren't meant for low light.

Are you in shutter or aperture priority, or manual?  I assume you're at some event or wedding with a wider angle lens or something?

The biggest trouble I face is when I'm shooting at wide open apertures. In low light you need those wide open apertures and I find too many of my shots out of focus with using the center point focus and recompose - kills the fun of it.

As Chuck mentioned, one can always crop later to get the composition right but it lessens the fun a bit so I am predominantly use WA on the 6D and wide aperture lenses on the 5D3.

I guess the main griping about the 6D AF comes from the fact that Canon intentionally crippled the AF and left it only as good as the AF of the 5D2 when it could have been better.

I'm not convinced the 6D's AF is not improved over the 5D2.  I've not compared them side by side.  But Canon has said the center point has more sensitivity than all other AF systems they have produced, and I see no reason to doubt it.  Did the 5D2 allow so many different levels of customization via the menu, in servo mode, etc?  My cousin owned a 5D2 a while back, but I never played with the menus on it.  He even bought the original 5D when it first came out.

My 6D certainly can AF in very low light, even with a 70-200 f/4...in fact it seemed to AF in a very, very dark candle lit room with it...on something on the opposite side of the room, that even ISO 100k was too dim for, at like 1/2 second exposure at f/4.  It was kind of troubling that it would AF as good or better in this dark room with that lens, than with my favorite...the 135 f/2.  Kind of defies physics, but then sheer amount of light apparently is not the only factor in the equation, I guess.  There are electronics there in the lens too (obviously haha).

All I know is, I need more info to take me into the situation where you're having trouble with the 6D's autofocus in low light, and having to recompose.  What is the subject matter, what's the distance, what's the focal length of the lens?  Are you really close to the subject?  Are you saying it's a 50mm f/1.4 or something?  Seated head and shoulders portraiture?  (In that situation I don't really see a problem if you need to use the center point and then recompose, even at f/1.4.  If it's just the head and no neck, maybe I could see a problem.)  Or is it longer focal length than that, or is it shorter?  Is it available light, or is it with flashgun or strobes placed somewhere?  (Must not be, because they usually have a focus assist beam or "modeling light"...in which case there's ample light for focusing with any of the points).

Unless both you and the subject are extremely still, have you tried using servo mode, and perhaps setting it for a slow response?

Shooting indoors without flash, child sitting on sofa, shooting wide open with the 50mm f/1.4 - no option but to focus and recompose.

I agree that the center point of the 6D is very good, but there are times when you need those outer focus points.

6

Technical Support / Re: Completely off topic but you gotta see this....

« on: June 18, 2013, 11:04:18 PM »

If they couldn't be bothered to read the manuals then what can one say.

Software programs overriding manual control is nothing unusual, it ends up saving lives more often than not - humans are humans after all.

Someone who thinks that a pilots manual covers all the tiny technical details needs to read one.  They can't possibly be large enough to cover everything, and they don't. A pilot needs to be able to find information reasonably quickly.  That was definitely a abnormal thing for a pilot to do, but it should not have resulted in a accident.  I'll bet the software was revised quietly later on.  The FAA and EASA don't like computer software to promote accidents.

The OP mentions that this was a new plane and the crew was testing it without reading the run-up manual. Reading the manuals and the safety procedure is something the crew should have done. Probably the crew thought they had all the experience in the world to fly the aircraft and got too cocky.

Mishaps due to software have happened but mostly due to the fact that the crew were not aware of what the software would do in certain situations. Training should have taken care of such instances but this is where airlines have probably cut corners.

That said, there was no software error in this case ... it was the violation of test procedures that led to the crash -

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/violation-of-test-procedures-led-to-toulouse-a340-600-319969/

7

Lenses / Re: What is the next Canon lens you want or covet and why...

« on: June 18, 2013, 10:46:35 PM »

50f1.8 ?

 that is a great little lens.   for about three years it was my favorite lens.   now I have three L  lenses and a fisheye,  and while they are excellent,  most of my photos that hang on the wall are from that one hundred dollar  plastic lens.   but part of that might be laziness about printing out new prints and framing them.

And if you believe DXO, it is rated higher than the 600F4 V2...... And at only 1/80th the price.. 

That's why I don't believe DXO ... not saying the 50mm f/1.8 is a bad lens.

I do believe DxO.  But you have to uderstand what their numbers mean, and that's the problem - most people don't take the time to do so, and dismiss useful information out of hand.

The 600 II is better in terms of sharpness, distortion, vignetting, and CA.  The 50/1.8 has higher transmission...and a higher 'DxOMark Score'.  Why?  As they state, "The DxOMark Score is measured for defined exposure conditions corresponding to low-light scene with 150 lux illumination and an exposure time of 1/60s. These conditions were chosen as we believe low-light performances are very important for today’s photography and it is also important for photographers to know how well lenses perform at the widest aperture."  At 150 lux and 1/60 s, which will perform better - an f/1.8 lens or an f/4 lens?  That's why the 50/1.8 is 'better'.  For most of us, the 'Score' isn't often relevant.  However, the Measurements are a useful tool to compare lenses.

Thanks Neuro ... the measurements are good enough but I don't believe in the ratings and scores DXO sets out - in this case, I don't see the point as to why one would need to compare the 50mm vis-a-vis the 600mm.

8

EOS Bodies / Re: 6D Autofocus not impressive

« on: June 18, 2013, 10:17:58 PM »

J.R., I'm not sure what lens and what shooting situation you would be in, where you would need to use the outer focus points in low light.  In any case, don't do that, because they aren't meant for low light.

Are you in shutter or aperture priority, or manual?  I assume you're at some event or wedding with a wider angle lens or something?

The biggest trouble I face is when I'm shooting at wide open apertures. In low light you need those wide open apertures and I find too many of my shots out of focus with using the center point focus and recompose - kills the fun of it.

As Chuck mentioned, one can always crop later to get the composition right but it lessens the fun a bit so I am predominantly use WA on the 6D and wide aperture lenses on the 5D3.

I guess the main griping about the 6D AF comes from the fact that Canon intentionally crippled the AF and left it only as good as the AF of the 5D2 when it could have been better. 

9

Reviews / Re: By Request: Comparison between Canon 40mm "Pancake" and Tamron 24-70mm VC

« on: June 18, 2013, 02:08:38 PM »

The filter on the pancake makes it look huge!  imagine if it had a hood too...

Ha Ha ... the hood that Canon sells for the 40mm STM is a joke!

10

Site Information / Re: banning people for nothing at canon rumors

« on: June 18, 2013, 02:01:11 PM »

I received a ban a couple of months ago.  In my opinion, it is really up to the mood of the moderator.  If they want to ban you...they will warn you of course...but then if you post anything at all after that, it gets hyperfocused on by them...because well...they are in the mood to ban you.

Sorry Carl but I distinctly remember there was some name calling going on ... the posts were deleted by the mods - I remember in a few posts you were complaining about warnings that you got from the mods.

11

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 2nd Body - your thoughts?

« on: June 18, 2013, 01:56:16 PM »

Dylan, did you really pay full price? Canon refurbs at @ 2799$ plus, its a second body afterall.

Just a thought.

Yes...@ $3200. I paid $3500 for my 1st

My 4yrs daughter will graduate from pre-school this coming friday . The teachers & school principal have asked me to be " THE photographer" for this event . It seems like perfect timing for 2nd body.

I'm happy to see most of my photos were used in 2012-2013 school year book.

I also helped with the year book.   it  gave  me  something to do while I was bored  at  basketball and football games.   they used 28  of my photos...  and I'm still trying to figure out if that is a slight.  28  out of a thousand photos...  but really 28  out of 100  submissions...  because I didn't send them all. 

Heck,  it  could be 28 of 56  for all I know...  but still 28  seems like a small number.

How many total photos were there in the year book? Additionally, are you sure you were covering the "event" or primarily photographing your children? 

12

Technical Support / Re: Completely off topic but you gotta see this....

« on: June 18, 2013, 01:53:46 PM »

If they couldn't be bothered to read the manuals then what can one say.

Software programs overriding manual control is nothing unusual, it ends up saving lives more often than not - humans are humans after all. 

13

EOS Bodies / Re: Is This the EOS 3D?

« on: June 18, 2013, 01:46:28 PM »

This post is not worthy to be on this forum.
It is obviously not a test camera.
CR should be able to piece that together easily!

Five pages of comments and you come up with this??? 

The site is Canon "Rumors" after all and they MUST report all rumors however absurd, stupid, silly, bizarre or ludicrous they may be

14

EOS Bodies / Re: Is This the EOS 3D?

« on: June 18, 2013, 01:41:53 PM »

while people are pointing out that "why would he openly wear the strap of an unannounced camera", note that he is wearing the strap "upside down", with the lettering turned in. it is only because it is half twisted in this side on view that we can see it.

i.e the strap is being very deliberately worn in a non-traditional manner.

I guess the question is why would Canon make a custom strap for a camera that is not available in the market?

15

EOS Bodies / Re: 6D Autofocus not impressive

« on: June 18, 2013, 01:40:16 PM »

Actually Neuro, that last image that shows the autofocus spread that looks so small and narrow, is the one I was referring to as being incorrect.  Frankly both of those are incorrect.  Just pick up a 6D and do a side by side comparison.  True the viewfinder is not 100%, but in reality it is very close to 100%.  The spread of the AF array is nowhere near as small as that second image.

The one thing I've learnt with photography is that close is never close enough. The spread of the array is not that small but not particularly larger either.

Carl ... how are you getting on with the outer focus points in low light. Mine just seem to go bonkers so I'm left to focus recompose using the center focus point.