Problems with AF on birds @ R5

[YuengLinger]

The percentage of subjects in focus is about half of the shots , if the background is plain colured. If there is some "troubled background" like trees, grass, e.g., it drops to one quarter or less. This is just feeled, not counted.
Today, the service center wrote, they will check my R5 and the lenses. Canon recommends for good AF performance using Rf lenses - or with the long telephoto lenses Mark III versions. (600 III and 400 III).

I hope it works out so you don't feel as if your older lenses aren't reliable. A lot of photographers with expensive, legacy glass would hold off moving to mirrorless.

I wonder how the older lenses are working on the ef 1DXIII? What would it be specifically about the mirrorless AF system that doesn't work as well with the older glass?

Have you tried using a slower burst rate just to see if the lens needs time to keep up with the R5's focus system? That's just a brainstorm idea.

 

[XL+]

I hope it works out so you don't feel as if your older lenses aren't reliable. A lot of photographers with expensive, legacy glass would hold off moving to mirrorless.

I wonder how the older lenses are working on the ef 1DXIII? What would it be specifically about the mirrorless AF system that doesn't work as well with the older glass?

Have you tried using a slower burst rate just to see if the lens needs time to keep up with the R5's focus system? That's just a brainstorm idea.

Yes, I tried almost every setting. One thing, I could not change is the adapter (I use the one with the turnable ring). This will be checked by Canon

 

[DavidJoarnt@gmail.]

The focusing works great with my EF 600mm iii on the R5 it is more accurate and faster then on the 5DMK IV check out this Goose coming in for a landing. i was using animal eye focus.

 

[XL+]

The focusing works great with my EF 600mm iii on the R5 it is more accurate and faster then on the 5DMK IV check out this Goose coming in for a landing. i was using animal eye focus. View attachment 193628

Wonderful bird (in real also so golden?). You are using MK III. Mine is MK II. So, I am in fear, the Canon support could be right and MK II works not so well on the R5. But I am waiting for the RF version to get an genuine system.

 

[DavidJoarnt@gmail.]

Wonderful bird (in real also so golden?). You are using MK III. Mine is MK II. So, I am in fear, the Canon support could be right and MK II works not so well on the R5. But I am waiting for the RF version to get an genuine system.

This was with the EF 600mm ser 3 and the adapter. I also have the 100-500 RF lens it is not as sharp as the 600 but it focuses faster

 

[XL+]

This was with the EF 600mm ser 3 and the adapter. I also have the 100-500 RF lens it is not as sharp as the 600 but it focuses faster

Thanks. After I´ve got back my equipment, I´ll lean one to see, if my MK II version is the reason for my AF problem. If so, I would be very unhappy. Buying the MK III version - and knowing that in 2021 or 22 an again improved and GENIUNE RF version of this lens will appear on market - would make me rethink if this is´nt too much money for an hobby.
But I am in hope, Canon can improve the AF performance of my body/lens combo

 

[DavidJoarnt@gmail.]

Thanks. After I´ve got back my equipment, I´ll lean one to see, if my MK II version is the reason for my AF problem. If so, I would be very unhappy. Buying the MK III version - and knowing that in 2021 or 22 an again improved and GENIUNE RF version of this lens will appear on market - would make me rethink if this is´nt too much money for an hobby.
But I am in hope, Canon can improve the AF performance of my body/lens combo

Photography is my retirement hobby it gets me outdoors for some long walks and I meet some really nice people. The big glass gets a lot of comments and questions.

 

[XL+]

Photography is my retirement hobby it gets me outdoors for some long walks and I meet some really nice people. The big glass gets a lot of comments and questions.

Indeed . But my retirement ist still 20 years off and there are some familymembers that are not amused if their Daddy spends all his money for photographc equipment

 

[DavidJoarnt@gmail.]

Indeed . But my retirement ist still 20 years off and there are some familymembers that are not amused if their Daddy spends all his money for photographc equipment

Better to spend money on photo equipment then going to the bars or many other things. Besides it is more fun, take your kids out for a walk with you just leave there phones at home they will learn some things without the internet. :}

 

[XL+]

Better to spend money on photo equipment then going to the bars or many other things. Besides it is more fun, take your kids out for a walk with you just leave there phones at home they will learn some things without the internet. :}

. Yess, Sir. It was hard work, but now, they do so often. All three are very active in their sports clubs. So, a big percentage of my wage goes in this in my opinion important spare time management and school fees.......

 

[PunkRawkJay]

Wonderful bird (in real also so golden?). You are using MK III. Mine is MK II. So, I am in fear, the Canon support could be right and MK II works not so well on the R5. But I am waiting for the RF version to get an genuine system.

I took my ancient 500mm IS out with my R5 and even with a 2x and the focus worked well. Animal eye everything worked even w/ a TC.

 

[YuengLinger]

Better to spend money on photo equipment then going to the bars or many other things. Besides it is more fun, take your kids out for a walk with you just leave there phones at home they will learn some things without the internet. :}

One day, after ten years of marriage, my wife brought up a blast from the past. (And by this time we had two kids.)

"Can you believe," she said, "that you used to take me with you when you played poker, and I sat in the casino lounge to study organic chemistry? Can you believe we used to do that?"

Poker was such a cheap pastime compared to photography, but she never complains about new gear. But I fear for my life if I ever go near another cardroom!

 

[Jenzzel]

Beautiful evening!

I need the help of experienced R5 users, please! My R5`s AF fails, when I want to shoot birds that are not format-filling. The AF always focusses on infinity and stays there, even if the selected AF field (spot AF, extended spot AF) is pointing sufficiently on the bird. The subject meets all needs on contrast and size to cover the whole AF-points. To solve this problem, I´ve to rearrange and point the AF field on much nearer object, then it focusses correctly in most cases.
But this is not satisfacting. These days I lost a lot of shots, when an kingfisher fetched fishes mnultiple times out of the water.

Any advide to solve this background fixation?
Thank you!

Hi, i have the same problem, if the AF miss and hits the background or is set on something like 3 meters further away it won't focus on a bird closer to me, not with the eye AF and not with the "normal" AF, even its like 15 cm at 5 meter with 600 4.0, I never had this with any camera. In my opinion this camera is not useble for this type of photography , my camera is at Canon repair atm, if this is "normal" I'm gonna sell it, I'm realy disappointed.. Waited for months..

Eos R5
600mm 4.0 IS II or 300mm F2.8 (same issue)
Newest firmware
Spot AF op af on button(tried all, and front button too)
Animal af on star button
All af cases

Gr Jens

 

[DavidJoarnt@gmail.]

Here is another shot of the R5 with my Canon 600mm iii on a Wood Duck coming at me. I was using animal eye focus.

 

[AlanF]

Hi, i have the same problem, if the AF miss and hits the background or is set on something like 3 meters further away it won't focus on a bird closer to me, not with the eye AF and not with the "normal" AF, even its like 15 cm at 5 meter with 600 4.0, I never had this with any camera. In my opinion this camera is not useble for this type of photography , my camera is at Canon repair atm, if this is "normal" I'm gonna sell it, I'm realy disappointed.. Waited for months..

Eos R5
600mm 4.0 IS II or 300mm F2.8 (same issue)
Newest firmware
Spot AF op af on button(tried all, and front button too)
Animal af on star button
All af cases

Gr Jens

I have Animal eyeAF on AF-ON button and Spot AF on * button and am not experiencing your problems to any extent that it makes the camera not usable, and I spend all my time taking these type of shots. Maybe your camera is faulty.

 

[Jenzzel]

Here is another shot of the R5 with my Canon 600mm iii on a Wood Duck coming at me. I was using animal eye focus.View attachment 193830

This is not the problem, this are the easy ones. , i had Buzzard flew behind trees, AF stayed on for seconds, when I came back it glued on the eye and most of them where (almost) sharp. Bu when I use a hide, or blind and make a setup, with just a stick/perch, then we have a (big) problem. If the AF hits the background, it won't come of, even when the bird is like 20% of the screen, it stay just a blur, i can refocus, switch focus(normal/aeaf) it's just won't auto focus, I can prcocus on the ground(mf is not een option, my af ring is outside the hide/blind) I don't have the time to refocus, it's not a landscape of building. So unusable for this kind of photography in my eyes.. I really wished I never bought this camera, I just had too stay at the 1 serie... Maybe the 1R is going to be better...

 

[Jenzzel]

I have Animal eyeAF on AF-ON button and Spot AF on * button and am not experiencing your problems to any extent that it makes the camera not usable, and I spend all my time taking these type of shots. Maybe your camera is faulty.

The camera was at the Canon Repair center, got it back yesterday, this was "normal " and they said it was a known problem and Canon have to fix this with a firmware update, only according to, Canon, they don't have a problem with the R5 autofocus..... Asked my retailer, he had already 3 complainers and canon just told hem, he was the only retailer.... I have it just when I photograph at this specific way.. Thanks for your answer..

 

[AlanF]

The camera was at the Canon Repair center, got it back yesterday, this was "normal " and they said it was a known problem and Canon have to fix this with a firmware update, only according to, Canon, they don't have a problem with the R5 autofocus..... Asked my retailer, he had already 3 complainers and canon just told hem, he was the only retailer.... I have it just when I photograph at this specific way.. Thanks for your answer..

There is a problem with all the top mirrorless cameras, Sony, Nikon etc, in that they don't have close subject priority - that is, they don't automatically focus on what is closest and can get stuck on the background. DSLRs often do have close subject priority, and especially the Nikon series, and focus on what is closest. But, I am not finding this much of a problem with my R5. If the animal eyeAF doesn't lock on, then I press the * button programmed to use centre spot, and that has always worked for me. I also find the R5 picks up a flying birds easily against a background.

 

[Jenzzel]

Yes, i just read it, it's a pitty you don't see that in any reviews, I had tried the 1dx mk3 and that was awesome, just no animal eye af, so without trying, I ordered the R5, sometimes it does an amazing job, especially flight shots, but i do 90-95% hide/blind work, and it isn't working that wel for me.. If I switch between one spot and animal eye AF and back it does noting if its already on the BG. I have to pre-focus on te ground or screen filling tree orso.

Thanks for your reply

 

[DavidJoarnt@gmail.]

This is not the problem, this are the easy ones. , i had Buzzard flew behind trees, AF stayed on for seconds, when I came back it glued on the eye and most of them where (almost) sharp. Bu when I use a hide, or blind and make a setup, with just a stick/perch, then we have a (big) problem. If the AF hits the background, it won't come of, even when the bird is like 20% of the screen, it stay just a blur, i can refocus, switch focus(normal/aeaf) it's just won't auto focus, I can prcocus on the ground(mf is not een option, my af ring is outside the hide/blind) I don't have the time to refocus, it's not a landscape of building. So unusable for this kind of photography in my eyes.. I really wished I never bought this camera, I just had too stay at the 1 serie... Maybe the 1R is going to be better...

on stationary birds i use center spot focus then go to animal eye it normally locks on the bire then the eye. buttons set AF on as center spot, * as eye. if it does not lock on i switch from spot to eye. sometimes when there is lots of other high contrast or berries this takes a few times. The AF can be tricked and is not perfect but there is nothing else that comes close. you can use manual but most of the time the AF locks on faster then i can and is more accurate. I have just learned to work with the quarks of the system. There is nothing else out there that is better or faster.