Shot wedding with 5DIII, dissapointed in AF

[Ayelike]

I literally just read this post then turned the lights off and took a few shots in a dark room and my 5D3 was locking on very quickly, even in the dark corners of the room on low contrast objects. I've zoomed in all the way on the preview and they're in focus. That was using a 50mm f/1.4. ISO was on auto getting up to 16,000.

I got mine just last weekend so maybe the newer ones are better. Have you got the latest firmware?

[Hugo Fisher]

Four weddings in last month behind me and I have no problem at all with AF or anything else on my 5D mk3. AF is quick even in dark no light situations.

50/1,4 , 24-70/2.8, 70-200/2.8 IS II

[muldereric]

I got mixed results as well, but in think that has more to do with me struggling with the settings.
Compared to my old camera (400D) the 5d3 has lots and lots of options that can be altered to adjust the AF system. Still figuring out how everything works.
I am not up for doing wedding photography yet, but working hard on improving my skills. Practicing on concert photography mostly at the moment.
What I do miss though is the AF point being visible in the VF after focussing, but it depends on the program you are using.
Anyone got some tips for the AF settings? Like whether to use the full 61 AF points, or just go for center with expanding points etc.
Would love to hear what the pro's have to say about this

[mccallew]

Playing with the Mk3 in low light some this evening at home, I can say that using the Mk3 + 85 f/1.2 + 600EX-RT focus will lock much fast if I disable the AF assist beam as an earlier poster mentioned. I am going to try this at my wedding on Saturday and see if it works better. There is hope... Low light no flash seems to not be an issue... with flash there seems to be one.

[kevinhan]

Have you got the latest firmware?

Yes.

[pdirestajr]

I believe the MAJORITY of focus related complaints are user error.

[bigmag13]

My rebel often locks AF like lightning in low light.  I generally do a double-take and ask it "Really?!" - the result is usually an out-of-focus shot when viewed at large size.

I know I'm comparing 5Ds and Rebels here, but my point is faster isn't necessarily more (or equally) accurate.

here here!
No prob focusing with my 5d2.... hand held Zeiss 2/50 Makro @F3.5 1/125 iso 200

and just for thought, I do shoot weddings with this puppy.

[victorwol]

No problem at all with my 5D MKIII, very happy with the AF, it even made the 85 L 1.2 II feel like a brand you machine, not it is fast focusing... which was horrible on the MKII

[ramon123]

5D Mark III AF from what I've seen is incredible.

[kpk1]

Anything new ?
Even with the last firmware, 5D3  works the same bad way in low light. I still have de 5D2 and it locks faster.
Any answer from Canon ?

[glongstaff]

My wife and I shot a wedding yesterday, we brought two 5DII bodies, and one 5DIII body.  I didn't bring out the 5DIII until the reception because I didn't want to use it for the critical stuff until I've spent more time with it.  For the reception ( private room inside restaurant ) we were using the 85 f/1.2L II, 35 f/1.5L and 50 f/1.4.  I lost many good shots because the 5DIII took 2-3 seconds to focus.  I tested focusing in the low light with all the lenses, and the results were similar ( well, the 85 was even slower, because that lens is just slow focusing ).  For AF, I had "one shot" selected, and the center point with the 4 surrounding points.  I couldn't easily do a side by side because I didn't have two of any one lens, but I did switch lenses between the bodies and played around some.  The 5DIII was as slow, or possibly even slower than the 5DII to achieve focus.  The amout of natural light in the reception was around ISO1600, f/1.4 and 1/60.  Oh, and I had a flash on, putting out that red focus assist as well during all this testing!  Anyway, just giving people a heads up on what I experienced, and I've seen some others post the same.  I've also seen people post results of miraculous AF improvement with the 5DIII...

Theres a lot of discussion going on at the moment about the AF and the 5DMKIII - look here http://forums.usa.canon.com/t5/EOS/5D3-AF-assist-beam-slower-focus/m-p/2277#U2277

also:  http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=10275.0

[bdunbar79]

Even the 1D X will have some trouble in very low light.  You have to be reasonable.

[RLPhoto]

My 5D3 is the best low-light AF performing camera I've used. It just takes some trial-error to get correct settings.

To get good focus in no light situations, AF assitbeam + 9 point AF expansion is a bread and butter great.

[Radiating]

My wife and I shot a wedding yesterday, we brought two 5DII bodies, and one 5DIII body.  I didn't bring out the 5DIII until the reception because I didn't want to use it for the critical stuff until I've spent more time with it.  For the reception ( private room inside restaurant ) we were using the 85 f/1.2L II, 35 f/1.5L and 50 f/1.4.  I lost many good shots because the 5DIII took 2-3 seconds to focus.  I tested focusing in the low light with all the lenses, and the results were similar ( well, the 85 was even slower, because that lens is just slow focusing ).  For AF, I had "one shot" selected, and the center point with the 4 surrounding points.  I couldn't easily do a side by side because I didn't have two of any one lens, but I did switch lenses between the bodies and played around some.  The 5DIII was as slow, or possibly even slower than the 5DII to achieve focus.  The amout of natural light in the reception was around ISO1600, f/1.4 and 1/60.  Oh, and I had a flash on, putting out that red focus assist as well during all this testing!  Anyway, just giving people a heads up on what I experienced, and I've seen some others post the same.  I've also seen people post results of miraculous AF improvement with the 5DIII...

You don't seem to understand how focusing works. So the point of the 5D Mark III is to improve focusing accuracy in good light such as sports. In situations with bad light you should use something like a 6D.

You're doing the equivalent of saying "man everyone says this Ferrari F430 is so great, but it can't even tow a trailer, what a peice of a junk!"

[jonathan7007]

Radiating, your answer is a surprise. He reports slow or no focus in function room lighting, which many others have experienced. ...with the center focus choices. The 5D is said to have a good center focus point but rapidly lose in comparison to the Mk3 for any focus area except the center, and the 6D points are clustered closer to the center than the Mk3.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-lRkFQBlsQ
About halfway through the video he took the 5dMk3 and a 6D (same lens) into a very dark room and compared their abilities.

I am not very happy with my 5dMk3 either but it's not operator error. Have a 5dMk2, also and have been doing this for a long time. Another pro here reports the same. I am NOT talking about AF-assist difficulties. There is something flaky about some of the bodies.

jonathan7007