Canon EOS 5D Mark III AI Servo AF Point Annoyance Firmware Fix Coming

[armando]

This is why I'm waiting 2+ years to upgrade from the 5d Mkii after all these issues are out of the way

[Viggo]

This is why I'm waiting 2+ years to upgrade from the 5d Mkii after all these issues are out of the way

What you fail to realize is that I have already gotten thousands of images I never could have gotten with the mk2. These issues are only to perfect the camera that already kills the mk2. Just the fact that my images aren't all center composed anymore is worth the upgrade as it has A LOT to say.

[zim]

Would love to see the handling reports all those pro photogs handed in when they were testing the 5D3 wonder if they were of the same opinion about these issues? what a lame interview.

[briansquibb]

I agree with the black AF point not lighting up red.  CR provided us with a way of letting Canon know what our frustrations/concerns/recommendations are so I recommend we all flood them with these requests and put pressure on them to respond and if possible correct it in a firmware update.

Yeh - having a 5DIII as backup will get you lots of 'pro points' 

[jrista]

I'm curious how this would actually work. I use the 7D, which also uses the Transmissive LCD in the viewfinder (TVF, to shorten it). I use AI Servo pretty much exclusively with back-button focus for BIF, and even use it for focusing on stationary birds and slower moving wildlife. The focus system is continually adjusting focus for you, maintaining tracking, etc. Even between each frame it is adjusting AF for  you. Outside of shooting a dark subject against a dark background (which definitely makes the AF points hard to see), I've never really had any problem actually keeping focus and tracking my subjects with the selected AF point(s).

I am kind of at a loss as to exactly how AI Servo focus confirmation would work. Would it only blink red and beep the first time it gets focus? What about when it gets slightly out of focus for a short moment and re-locks...which can happen fairly frequently with chaotic subjects and subject tracking...would it blink and beep every time it determines it has reacquired focus lock? What about between each frame...does it blink and beep there as well? When using AF point expansion and af shifts to a neighboring point for a moment...do you want/get a red bleep there?

Personally, I'd prefer they find a way to make the AF points more visible at all times WITHOUT them blinking red all the time. A black AF point against a dark subject should maybe turn white...or become a white box with a small dark outline so it stands out...without blinking or turning red, which would be rather distracting and more intrusive to actually tracking your subject than an otherwise static AF point.

[Jared]

6.  The abillity to use the multi controller to choose submenues and the small top wheel to scroll top menues (without     
     going through every single submenu.

There is already the ability to skip over menu groups. To do this, press the [Q] button!

[pwp]

I am kind of at a loss as to exactly how AI Servo focus confirmation would work.

Do it just like the 1-Series bodies. You don't necessarily get confirmation, but you need to see where your AF points is, especially if you are tracking a moving subject, and keeping the AF point on the subject.

Personally, I'd prefer they find a way to make the AF points more visible at all times WITHOUT them blinking red all the time. A black AF point against a dark subject should maybe turn white...or become a white box with a small dark outline so it stands out...without blinking or turning red, which would be rather distracting and more intrusive to actually tracking your subject than an otherwise static AF point.

Red has always worked fine and it's what we're used to. I can't think of a situation where the red AF point is not immediately  apparent. On 1-Series bodies I choose to max the brightness of the AF display points. Maybe you'd like the simple option of dimming the points.

You know I'm wondering if the prolonged delay of the 1DX might have something to do with the black AF point issue. Sports shooters would be beta testing the 1DX and they would be blistering in their criticism of the black AF point issue.

Alternatively it may be a deliberate design decision to partially cripple the 5D3 to make the 1DX more attractive to action shooters.

Paul Wright

[swampler]

There is already the ability to skip over menu groups. To do this, press the [Q] button!

Thanks, I'll have to try that!

[Janco]

What I found most interesting (not having the 5DIII yet) was his comment about the lack of sharpness in the images. Does it imply that 5DII and other cameras apply some kind of sharpening to the raw, what would result in a loss of detail and that stronger sharpening during or of course at the end of postprocessing instead would give better results?

[Janco]

What I found most interesting (not having the 5DIII yet) was his comment about the lack of sharpness in the images. Does it imply that 5DII and other cameras apply some kind of sharpening to the raw, what would result in a loss of detail and that stronger sharpening during or of course at the end of postprocessing instead would give better results?

Sorry, listening to it again I realised it was only about video. But still, doesn't it apply to stills too?

[pedro]

"Red has always worked fine and it's what we're used to. I can't think of a situation where the red AF point is not immediately  apparent. On 1-Series bodies I choose to max the brightness of the AF display points. Maybe you'd like the simple option of dimming the points.

You know I'm wondering if the prolonged delay of the 1DX might have something to do with the black AF point issue. Sports shooters would be beta testing the 1DX and they would be blistering in their criticism of the black AF point issue.

Alternatively it may be a deliberate design decision to partially cripple the 5D3 to make the 1DX more attractive to action shooters.

Paul Wright"

Waiting to upgrade from a 30D I would feel kinda strange if they'd "crippled" AF points for such a purpose on the 5D3. If they can do it in my 30D, why here ? Cheers, Pedro

[Viggo]

6.  The abillity to use the multi controller to choose submenues and the small top wheel to scroll top menues (without     
     going through every single submenu.

There is already the ability to skip over menu groups. To do this, press the [Q] button!

Oh my ! I'm giving you a standing ovation!! Thank YOU!! 

[pwp]

Alternatively it may be a deliberate design decision to partially cripple the 5D3 to make the 1DX more attractive to action shooters.

Waiting to upgrade from a 30D I would feel kinda strange if they'd "crippled" AF points for such a purpose on the 5D3. If they can do it in my 30D, why here ? Cheers, Pedro

Pedro, as it turns out the 1DX will have precisely the same black focus point feature, identical in behavior to the 5D3. Grrr.

But in the far greater scheme of things I wouldn't let it stand in the way of upgrading from your 30D. The 5D3 does almost everything extremely well and delivers great files. The black AF point thing is just one of those bewildering design/functionality/UI bombs.

Paul Wright

[Christian_Stella]

6.  The abillity to use the multi controller to choose submenues and the small top wheel to scroll top menues (without     
     going through every single submenu.

There is already the ability to skip over menu groups. To do this, press the [Q] button!

I too was looking for a way to do this!  What an unintuitive decision to use the Q button. With two scroll wheels, a multicontroller joystick, and a 4 way touch pad-- you press a button to skip forward in menus?  Want to skip backward to the last set of menus?  Simply hit the Q button 4 times!  Skipping forward is better than nothing though and I am thankful for the tip.

As far as firmware updates, I think they should really expand the rating thing. I actually like the rate button, but wish there was a way to sort photos by rating on the camera.  Or a way to delete all unrated photos.  Or a way to move all rated photos into a new folder.   

[facedodge]

I shot a low light event on Saturday. I don't think I mind the dark AF point. I think I'd prefer it over a bright red dot that covered my subject's face.

I was using bounce flash and didn't want to take too many shots, so timing them was important. If I had a bright red dot covering my subject's face, it would have been a crap shoot trying to get a good expression out of them.

If they add this feature, it better be optional.