Your Canon EOS-1D X user tips

[Bosman]

While I do not own a EOS-1D X, I would like to start two threads for the new EOS cameras. This thread is here for you to offer shooting tips be it lighting and exposures with the 1dx, focus points, Autofocus Case settings, Iso's, anything that you select in camera to get your best image captures for what you do. Please be generous with your tips, this will be a big help for all who own the camera!

[Bosman]

I have included the Autofocus guide for the 1dx and 5dm3 for easy access to the info. They use the same system so the info provided can be used for both cameras. The file is 3.5 mg as opposed to 12.

[bdunbar79]

Set to Av Mode
ISO Safety shift = ON
Set aperture to say, f/6.3
Set Min shutter speed to 1/500
ISO = AUTO

Shoot away

[Richard Lane]

Set to Av Mode
ISO Safety shift = ON
Set aperture to say, f/6.3
Set Min shutter speed to 1/500
ISO = AUTO

Shoot away

bdunbar,

Safety shift is not necessary with Auto ISO.  In AV or TV mode, Safety shift is protection when you're using a fixed ISO.  It's used to allow you to keep your ISO and noise low (as opposed to Auto ISO), but still offer exposure protection.

Rich

[bdunbar79]

Set to Av Mode
ISO Safety shift = ON
Set aperture to say, f/6.3
Set Min shutter speed to 1/500
ISO = AUTO

Shoot away

bdunbar,

Safety shift is not necessary with Auto ISO.  In AV or TV mode, Safety shift is protection when you're using a fixed ISO.  It's used to allow you to keep your ISO and noise low (as opposed to Auto ISO), but still offer exposure protection.

Rich

Hmmm.  The above is how I shoot auto ISO AND EC at the same time.

[Virgil Quick]

Does Canon offer a printed and bound version of the revised autofocus guide linked above or is it just available in PDF?

Sure would like to have a printed and bound version to keep in my bag along with the camera owners manual.

[bdunbar79]

Set to Av Mode
ISO Safety shift = ON
Set aperture to say, f/6.3
Set Min shutter speed to 1/500
ISO = AUTO

Shoot away

bdunbar,

Safety shift is not necessary with Auto ISO.  In AV or TV mode, Safety shift is protection when you're using a fixed ISO.  It's used to allow you to keep your ISO and noise low (as opposed to Auto ISO), but still offer exposure protection.

Rich

Oh my Richard, I'm so sorry.  I see I do have ISO set to AUTO in my settings above.  Of course, I usually set my ISO in the gym to 1600 with either +1/3 or +2/3 EC with ISO safety shift ON.  Sorry, I got you now

[Richard Lane]

Set to Av Mode
ISO Safety shift = ON
Set aperture to say, f/6.3
Set Min shutter speed to 1/500
ISO = AUTO

Shoot away

bdunbar,

Safety shift is not necessary with Auto ISO.  In AV or TV mode, Safety shift is protection when you're using a fixed ISO.  It's used to allow you to keep your ISO and noise low (as opposed to Auto ISO), but still offer exposure protection.

Rich

Hmmm.  The above is how I shoot auto ISO AND EC at the same time.

ISO Safety shift only works for a fixed ISO.  When you're shooting with the above settings and EC and the light is limited, then the EC is increasing the Auto ISO, up or down.  The safety shift isn't doing anything.

However, lets say that you use your above settings; AV: f/6.3, Min. SS 1/500sec, but with a fixed ISO of 400 in order to keep your ISO and noise levels as low as possible, and then the light on the field starts to decrease, then once your Shutter-speed bottoms out to 1/500sec, then the ISO safety shift will kick in and raise your Fixed ISO from 400 to 640 or 800, or as high as is necessary to get the proper exposure.

Does that make sense?

[Richard Lane]

Oh my Richard, I'm so sorry.  I see I do have ISO set to AUTO in my settings above.  Of course, I usually set my ISO in the gym to 1600 with either +1/3 or +2/3 EC with ISO safety shift ON.  Sorry, I got you now

Sure, no problem, as I wasn't sure if you were aware of that.  I would still keep your ISO Safety Shift set to on by default like you have it, otherwise, you may forget to put it back on again.

[Richard Lane]

Does Canon offer a printed and bound version of the revised autofocus guide linked above or is it just available in PDF?

Sure would like to have a printed and bound version to keep in my bag along with the camera owners manual.

You could print it out on your printer.  I'm not sure if the same AF Guide is in the LCD Tutorials below, but there's a lot of them.

If anyone's interested here are some 1DX tutorials that can be downloaded and played back on the Cameras LCD screen:

http://learn.usa.canon.com/resources/products/eos_1d_x/1dx_on_camera_tutorials_resource_list.shtml

Rich

[Viggo]

Does Canon offer a printed and bound version of the revised autofocus guide linked above or is it just available in PDF?

Sure would like to have a printed and bound version to keep in my bag along with the camera owners manual.

You could print it out on your printer.  I'm not sure if the same AF Guide is in the LCD Tutorials below, but there's a lot of them.

If anyone's interested here are some 1DX tutorials that can be downloaded and played back on the Cameras LCD screen:

http://learn.usa.canon.com/resources/products/eos_1d_x/1dx_on_camera_tutorials_resource_list.shtml

Rich

Thanks for tips here! I value that AF-guide and these tutorials. It's hard to just try different Cases when out shooting, because there are so many other factors. What I would like is an auto-switch between the cases, lol.

For example shooting kids would require all of them within a split second timedifference.

I would very much appricate if someone had a better explanation of what does what when these three settings are combined. I feel Canon only says what one does over the other, but for instance with the mk4, if you chose that, than this had no effect and so on.

I feel like I can't really get the hang of something to fit shoot running kids. They are often but not always erradic, often stops and skips to the side, then run again. I tried the erradic setting but found I loose focus much more than with Case 1. I like to use 4 or 8 surrounding points, mostly 4, it works very well for normal movement, but when things happen right left really fast I would like to adjust to improve, any hints are greatly appriciated!

Ps. I tried Zone AF and ALL 61 and found it to be as useless as the previous 1d's

[Bosman]

I will have to try the safety shift since it now includes iso. My 5d & 1DM3 don't have it so its new to me. I remember trying it in 2007 and found at the time if it was underexposed at least i can work with it but if its blurry its useless. I shot Aperture priority then but use manual for most my work now.
Viggo, i thought the guide was pretty good at explaining it plus in camera you can check info for each setting and it will explain what it does. If you guys go to like an office supplies place it can  be printed but i would use the 12mg version of this document because i downsized this one for posting. I'd try case 5 or 6 for kids!
For instance i wanted bikes case 3 for shooting bikes @ triathlons, when you select the case the info button explains its use then when you go to adjust tracking sensitivity, Accel./decel tracking, or af point auto switching you can press and hold the info button and it further explains what changes to the sensitivities will mean. I kept it the same but changed the accel/decel to zero from 1 because i wanted it to track better than switch subjects. This setting means quick refocussing for each new subject but hold the tracking down so as not to end up focusing on another bike without your intent if the focus point moves slightly off your subject.

[Bosman]

safety shift isnt idea for me. It only really worked the way id want it to in Shutter priority but if i want to keep my aperture higher then i'd have to set the limit of say F4 in camera but then i'd hate to forget i did that! lol. Not sure i have a use for it. I prefer shooting manually. I only wish auto iso let you choose to expose +1 stop when using it.

[bdunbar79]

safety shift isnt idea for me. It only really worked the way id want it to in Shutter priority but if i want to keep my aperture higher then i'd have to set the limit of say F4 in camera but then i'd hate to forget i did that! lol. Not sure i have a use for it. I prefer shooting manually. I only wish auto iso let you choose to expose +1 stop when using it.

Yeah, that was one of the new features the 1D4 had that the 1D3 didn't.  I usually shoot basketball with auto ISO on, in Av mode with a minimum shutter of 1/500.  If I hate the lighting conditions, I use ISO 1600, min shutter 1/500, with ISO safety shift ON, and then shoot +EC.  Instead of moving ISO around, I just dial EC back and forth.  It's just a personal preference and neither way is better or worse.  Of course it works well if you are spot metering off either the jersey or face, depending on exposure needs.

[Viggo]

I will have to try the safety shift since it now includes iso. My 5d & 1DM3 don't have it so its new to me. I remember trying it in 2007 and found at the time if it was underexposed at least i can work with it but if its blurry its useless. I shot Aperture priority then but use manual for most my work now.
Viggo, i thought the guide was pretty good at explaining it plus in camera you can check info for each setting and it will explain what it does. If you guys go to like an office supplies place it can  be printed but i would use the 12mg version of this document because i downsized this one for posting. I'd try case 5 or 6 for kids!
For instance i wanted bikes case 3 for shooting bikes @ triathlons, when you select the case the info button explains its use then when you go to adjust tracking sensitivity, Accel./decel tracking, or af point auto switching you can press and hold the info button and it further explains what changes to the sensitivities will mean. I kept it the same but changed the accel/decel to zero from 1 because i wanted it to track better than switch subjects. This setting means quick refocussing for each new subject but hold the tracking down so as not to end up focusing on another bike without your intent if the focus point moves slightly off your subject.

Thanks, I just watched the video, I didn't have time to read the AF-guide through yet. But the info on the display is okay I guess, but I feel like I'm just trying stuff and going back to case 1 as that gives the best results, however it doesn't work when there's a very sudden change of speed or direction. I'll give the other cases a more thorough try and read through the guide.

On a happy sidenot I shot my son indoor in okay, but not great light with the 85 L II, and shot off 8 pictures at 12 fps and it tracked his face hidden under a cap VERY nicely! All of them same level sharp.



Middle of the burst, I liked this one because of the mid air capture and his face being a victim to gravity