Can we all send a complaint to Canon to fix the AF-Assist focusing on the 5D3?

[RayValdez360]

I went to every major Canon forum and a lot of people are saying that the 5D3 focuses slower with the AF-Assist beam on when using at least a 600ex with the camera in dim or dark situations when this topic is brought up. I do club photography and I find it embarrassing to stand around for a long time trying to get a focus lock. Sometimes people walk away from the shot or look at me like I am crazy. The only way I know how to focus faster in situations is to play with the AF-point and move it towards the red light on the subject. Lets make a petition or something because I also own a 7D and it focuses in an instant with the same flash. It is the camera!

 

[bycostello]

and the canon m... big let down..

 

[pwp]

There is absolutely no question about this 5D3 low light AF assist performance issue with either 580EXII or 600EX-RT. It's real. It's embarrassingly slow. In some situations it's approaching professional suicide.

Everything else about the 5D3 AF is stellar and a huge improvement over the 5D2 & 5DC, but this particular issue is nothing short of excruciating for photographers and their increasingly impatient subjects. My hope is for the promised 5D3 firmware update scheduled for sometime next year to deliver a solution.

There are suggested work-arounds including switching off AF-assist and the one outlined by the OP. Very clunky and a serious diversion from the creative process of squeezing off the killer shot of that perfect moment.

To quote Peter Finch's character Howard Beale in the brilliant movie Network, Beale galvanizes the nation, persuading his viewers to shout out of their windows "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!".

-PW

 

[zim]

How much slower? Is it possible to put a time or percentage against this?
I have to admit I was unaware of this issue. I want to get a 5D3 next year but I will absolutly be using it in low light flash situations, off camera lighting not an option. Is this a show stopper?

 

[RayValdez360]

I would say a normal af time is less than a second and this problem makes it last a few seconds. maybe 2-5. Once it gets a focus lock it is good for the next few shots. The percentage is almost 100% of the time. I am almost afraid to use that combo at the club. This shot right here took too long to take then I wanted to do one more shot and the "Luigi" got impatient and left. The images are beautiful from the camera, so i hope they recognize and fix this problem.

 

[zim]

Thanks for the info Ray
2 - 5 seconds!!!! I can manual focus quicker than that. Maybe the tape from the light leak fix is interfering with AF assist
For me that's getting on for not fit for purpose. I look forward to seeing if/how this is addressed

 

[pwp]

How much slower? Is it possible to put a time or percentage against this?
I have to admit I was unaware of this issue. I want to get a 5D3 next year but I will absolutly be using it in low light flash situations, off camera lighting not an option. Is this a show stopper?

It's not a show stopper, but certainly something to be aware of if your work involves shooting with flash in very low light venues. The other significant slowdown factor with the 5D3 in very dark shooting environments is the non-illuminated AF points. So while hunting & waiting for AF, you've got to somehow keep track of your black focus point. In a situation where people are moving even slightly, the black AF points and the slow AF adds to the degradation of the spontaneity that is so vital in event photography.

But lets be clear. This scenario only kicks in when you're shooting in very low light locations. Just about everywhere else, the 5D3 AF is just fantastic.

-PW

 

[RayValdez360]

Thanks for the info Ray
2 - 5 seconds!!!! I can manual focus quicker than that. Maybe the tape from the light leak fix is interfering with AF assist
For me that's getting on for not fit for purpose. I look forward to seeing if/how this is addressed

I wish I could manually focus in the dark. LOL

 

[DB]

Get a Yongnuo YN565 flash instead - AF assist light is very effective - and won't look out of place in a Nightclub (if you've ever used one you'll know what I mean )

 

[dr croubie]

Does this happen also with Live-view Contrast-detect?
Normally contrast-detect is a lot slower than phase for most situations, but maybe it's an answer?
(yes, i know holding a camera at arms' length instead of to your face doesn't look as 'professional' but if it gets the job done...)

Or, seeing as you're using flash anyway, how about just a near-enough-MF and f/11?

 

[risc32]

i missed a fair bit of shots for this very reason at a wedding shoot a week or two back. I only tried it with my 580. maybe i should have swapped that out for another model? i wouldn't have thought so, but between this and the black AF points, i'm about ready to try anything. I still can't believe that owners of the 7d were never bothered by the black AF points. that's just silly.

 

[dr croubie]

I still can't believe that owners of the 7d were never bothered by the black AF points. that's just silly.

Then silly I am.
Or maybe that's just me, I've never shot much low-light where black AF points would be a problem (focus just hunted too much, now I always MF in the dark, much better hit-rate).
Or maybe it's because having 3x the amount of AF points, they're just more crammed together so they're taking up too much space in the VF?

 

[bvukich]

Get a Yongnuo YN565 flash instead - AF assist light is very effective - and won't look out of place in a Nightclub (if you've ever used one you'll know what I mean )

Lol... for sure. When I had one people weren't sure if I was taking a picture or lasing a target for an airstrike!

 

[tron]

Thanks for the info Ray
Maybe the tape from the light leak fix is interfering with AF assist

;D ;D ;D

 

[DB]

Get a Yongnuo YN565 flash instead - AF assist light is very effective - and won't look out of place in a Nightclub (if you've ever used one you'll know what I mean )

Lol... for sure. When I had one people weren't sure if I was taking a picture or lasing a target for an airstrike!

;D Special forces in Afghanistan use them to light up targets....in the daytime!...so the A10 Warthogs know where to aim their 30mm cannons (cuts down on friendly-fire )

 

[bvukich]

Get a Yongnuo YN565 flash instead - AF assist light is very effective - and won't look out of place in a Nightclub (if you've ever used one you'll know what I mean )

Lol... for sure. When I had one people weren't sure if I was taking a picture or lasing a target for an airstrike!

;D Special forces in Afghanistan use them to light up targets....in the daytime!...so the A10 Warthogs know where to aim their 30mm cannons (cuts down on friendly-fire )

And if they miss with the cannons... at least the bad guys will be blind!

 

[Louis]

Im so happy I found this thread! I recently wrote a post about this and no one replied, thought I was mad, god, I did a job a month ago and I couldn't focus, I was sweating, praying to get focus in time, this really needs to be fixed, does anyone know if the problem exists with the new 600 speedlite?

 

[Mehmetski]

Check page 77 of the manual. There is a mention of this, I think:

* With Single-Point Spot AF, focusing with the Speedlite's AF-Assist beam may be difficult
* If the camera cannot focus with the EOS-dedicated Speedlite's AF-Assist beam, set the AF area selection mode to Single-Point AF (Manual Selection) and select the center AF point to focus.

This sucks

 

[westr70]

How much slower? Is it possible to put a time or percentage against this?
I have to admit I was unaware of this issue. I want to get a 5D3 next year but I will absolutly be using it in low light flash situations, off camera lighting not an option. Is this a show stopper?

It's not a show stopper, but certainly something to be aware of if your work involves shooting with flash in very low light venues. The other significant slowdown factor with the 5D3 in very dark shooting environments is the non-illuminated AF points. So while hunting & waiting for AF, you've got to somehow keep track of your black focus point. In a situation where people are moving even slightly, the black AF points and the slow AF adds to the degradation of the spontaneity that is so vital in event photography.

But lets be clear. This scenario only kicks in when you're shooting in very low light locations. Just about everywhere else, the 5D3 AF is just fantastic.

-PW

That's been my experience too. I do BIF and miss those great shots with darker backgrounds which I used to get those with my 7D. Thanks to the OP, because I thought I was being too critical of my own skills or was missing some setting.

 

[Louis]

Canon really need to address this issue, I'm hoping they get to see this complaint,