Your Canon EOS 5D Mark III user tips

[bdunbar79]

Another cool feature is the "Register AF point", the way I use it is:
- Customize the AF-ON button to work as Registered AF point (pressing
- Select a focus point
- Press the "AF point selection" button (The one that looks like a cross) and LCD illumination button at the same time
- Move the focus point elsewhere

Now, with the half shutter you use your main focus point, and with the back focus point immediately shift to the stored one 

Pressing AF point selection + ISO speed will reset the storaged focus point

Note:
This will work too with the "Depth of field preview" custom setting that I already posted

Page 326
http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/8/0300007348/01/eos5dmkiii-im-c-en.pdf

pro tip:
unbind focusing from the shutter button and use af-on and * to focus.
getting used to it might take a day or two. but now even my girlfriend agrees.

I personally did that on my 1D4 and didn't like it.  Personal preference.

[SuperC142]

By default, the directional "multi-controller" is unassigned.  I assigned "AF point direct selection" to that.  This makes it super-easy to select a different focus point (and more likely for me to do).  Especially when using very wide apertures, I've learned that it's far better (more reliable) to focus with your shot already composed the way you want it, rather than center-focus and re-compose.

Thanks for starting this thread!  I'm very new to photography (in fact, my 5D3, which I received earlier this week, is my first SLR).  These sorts of tips are invaluable to someone like me.

[keithfullermusic]

DOF set to servo is the most useful thing ever in my opinion.

When doing sports, go to M, then setup your aperture and shutter speed and go auto ISO, and make sure to set the auto ISO range.

I also love the grid in the viewfinder.


Those are my basic tips.

What do you do when your subject is heavily backlit? Auto iso only lets you have 0 comp. This is one thing i wish canon allowed with auto iso, i often comp +1 stops over when backlit, i have even had to do 2 stops over but wit highlight tone priority it just smooths things out for you.

In cases like that I shoot in full M, AV, or TV.  With the last two I bump up the exposure compensation.  Usually at ground level you don't have to worry about it too much because there is usually something in the bg.  But yes, I agree that it's not perfect.

[bdunbar79]

DOF set to servo is the most useful thing ever in my opinion.

When doing sports, go to M, then setup your aperture and shutter speed and go auto ISO, and make sure to set the auto ISO range.

I also love the grid in the viewfinder.


Those are my basic tips.

What do you do when your subject is heavily backlit? Auto iso only lets you have 0 comp. This is one thing i wish canon allowed with auto iso, i often comp +1 stops over when backlit, i have even had to do 2 stops over but wit highlight tone priority it just smooths things out for you.

I do a spot meter shot.  Then if it's off, I use EC or read the ISO value and do it with ISO.  I'm going to check my 1D4 and 1DX tonight and see if auto ISO will utilize EC or not.  I don't think it does either.  Problem with 5D3 is you can't spot meter off any other point than the center.  This is where a 1D body is very useful.  It can be done, however, you just have to make sure to take your spot meter reading and then lock it.

[Bosman]

If you could exposure comp with auto iso in good light, it would rule! But...it doesn't...

[Bosman]

Oh, like many have done here you can make your depth of field button by your lens mount activate the camera to servo mode while holding the button down. I prefer this because most of my images at a wedding are single shot shooting style and when they walk down the aisle i can get them in servo mode until that is done. i highly recommend it.
I have tried doing focus with the af button on the back of the cam then activating the shutter  separately but i never liked pushing that button on my 1dm3 because it gets uncomfortable to do after a few thousand shots. I tried it again with the 5dm3 but again didnt like it so i do what works for me but there are advantages because if your subject doesnt move you hit the focus one time and after that just activate the shutter and the focussed area won't miss track or change. Its like turning the switch on a lens to af-off without having the trouble of forgetting you turned it off and fire off a bunch of images that are miss focussed.

[AlexB]

Long time reader, first time poster here. Might aswell try to make it something constructive and hopefully helpful.

My tip: AE lock & Hold

I normally shoot in manual mode, but sometimes it happends that I wander into the lands of Av.

My problem with Av (and any other auto-exposure functions) is that whenever there is a big variation in the amount of light on your subject and on the surrounding scene and background, it tends to either get overexposed or underexposed. Now I can always go in and use exposure compensation, and I will in most cases do that before I even take the first shot judging by the scene. Sometimes I'll go bingo and other times I'll take another shot.

With the 5D Mark III came a rather interesting feature - AE lock and Hold.

Like the normal AE lock function it will lock your exposure, Very handy to use with spot metering in the situation I described above. But unlike it, there is no auto cancel after a set period of time or after the shot is taken. It will simply lock your exposure untill you press the button again and unlock it. Fancy, eh?

The function can be set in the custom controls panel.

Video explaining it:

http://youtu.be/DY5LPX52d70
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[te4o]

AE lock and hold is exactly what I mentioned above - customised to the MF-n button next to the shutter button. Thanx Alex! Good point

[Bosman]

Long time reader, first time poster here. Might aswell try to make it something constructive and hopefully helpful.

My tip: AE lock & Hold

I normally shoot in manual mode, but sometimes it happends that I wander into the lands of Av.

My problem with Av (and any other auto-exposure functions) is that whenever there is a big variation in the amount of light on your subject and on the surrounding scene and background, it tends to either get overexposed or underexposed. Now I can always go in and use exposure compensation, and I will in most cases do that before I even take the first shot judging by the scene. Sometimes I'll go bingo and other times I'll take another shot.

With the 5D Mark III came a rather interesting feature - AE lock and Hold.

Like the normal AE lock function it will lock your exposure, Very handy to use with spot metering in the situation I described above. But unlike it, there is no auto cancel after a set period of time or after the shot is taken. It will simply lock your exposure untill you press the button again and unlock it. Fancy, eh?

The function can be set in the custom controls panel.

Video explaining it:
http://youtu.be/DY5LPX52d70

Nice vid, i shoot manual, so this probably doesnt help me. However, on a sunny and cloudy filled day exposure can drop 2 stops so i do use av. I can't seem to visualize how this plays out or think of scenarios in my mind and understand what this does...If someone uses it tell me how you use it and in what situations please.

[mdm041]

I usually shoot manual but I still use still because I'm so use to adjusting to proper exposure.  This gives me the chance outdoors to expose to the grass and then as I look around the sky doesn't afect me as much.  I know I could just not change but I'm just used to movign things around to get the exposure I can forget.

[kaihp]

Canon has released a series of downloadable tutorials for the 5D Mk III that can also be viewed on the LCD

http://learn.usa.canon.com/resources/products/eos_5d_markiii/5d_mark_iii_on_camera_tutorials_resource_list.shtml
Around 3.8GB in total