AF Focus Point on 5D Mark II...

[canon23]

Ok All, I just got my 70-200 2.8 II and so far it's awesome! I had a chance to shoot a few portraits in natural light, when sun is almost setting and the lens just blows me away.

However, when I was indoor and had my aperture wide open at 2.8 and tried to shoot a couple zoomed in, the picture was focused on only 1 of the couple...the other person was out of focus.

I had my camera set at Evaluative Metering & chose Center Point focus. What settings should I set it if I desire to shoot at f2.8 but have all parties, be it a couple or a group of people, focused? What methods do you suggest?

Thanks for your input!

 

[lintoni]

Make sure they're all in the same plane of focus? ie All the same distance from the lens. All camera body based settings will be irrelevant to getting an expanded plane of focus. At f2.8 there will be a relatively small area in focus, and this area will diminish zoomed out (at 200 mm compare to 70mm). You may have to use a smaller aperture if you want more than one person in focus, unless you direct them to be the same distance from the lens.

 

[Dylan777]

Try f5.6 next time and slow down your shutter speed maybe 1/40 to 1/60. I'm not sure f2.8 is a right aperture for group picture.

 

[CharlieB]

Almost anyone coming from a APS-C sensor camera will notice the reduced DOF on a FF body

 

[elflord]

Ok All, I just got my 70-200 2.8 II and so far it's awesome! I had a chance to shoot a few portraits in natural light, when sun is almost setting and the lens just blows me away.

However, when I was indoor and had my aperture wide open at 2.8 and tried to shoot a couple zoomed in, the picture was focused on only 1 of the couple...the other person was out of focus.

I had my camera set at Evaluative Metering & chose Center Point focus. What settings should I set it if I desire to shoot at f2.8 but have all parties, be it a couple or a group of people, focused? What methods do you suggest?

Thanks for your input!

If one of the couple was focused, your problem is that you don't have enough depth of field, so the solution is to stop down (f/4-f/8 for this kind of shot) If you need more light, increase the ISO, use a flash, or use a slower shutter speed if possible.

 

[Loswr]

Just go with it. Maximize the effect. Sell the 70-200 II, get an 85/1.2L II and shoot at f/1.2. Then, instead of one of the two people being in focus and the other one being out of focus, you'll have 7 eyelashes of one eye of one person in focus, and everything else will be a beautiful, creamy blur.

 

[Tcapp]

Just go with it. Maximize the effect. Sell the 70-200 II, get an 85/1.2L II and shoot at f/1.2. Then, instead of one of the two people being in focus and the other one being out of focus, you'll have 7 eyelashes of one eye of one person in focus, and everything else will be a beautiful, creamy blur.

Or, get that 85 1.2, and throw an extension tube on there. Shoot at 1.2 as close as you can. You'll get a couple cells in focus then. The background won't be creamy. It will be a solid color.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Get back away from the subject to get more depth of field. You might have to crop, but your subjects will be in focus. A longer focal length lens can also help you get back and have more depth of field, but prices go up with wide apertures at long focal lengths.

 

[kennephoto]

Almost anyone coming from a APS-C sensor camera will notice the reduced DOF on a FF body

So true!! I sure noticed it!