5D Mark III & 1D X Black Focus Point in AI Servo Information

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Sorry if this has been covered, I haven't read all the posts. I use the joystick to select the AF point on my 5Diii, then if I want the point I've selected to light-up red I only have to half press the shutter.
 
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I'm with the people who wish the AF points where easier to find in low light conditions. A thought, if the black af points where getting it done, then why let us use red ones on image review on the lcd? perhaps those should be black as well. :P my other canon cameras use some variation of red points. The 5dmk3 is the first camera i've used that is good enough to very reliably use AF points other than the center. And that's great, as often i don't want to slap the target dead center. that meant cropping. So now it's great, I have 22mp and i get to use more of them.
 
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bloodstupid said:
The light doesn't need to be on all the time. Just a short flash upon AF-start..as it was with the 5D. And light metering can happen before and after the short AF point flash.
I don't know if you shoot fast action sports but it's valuable and highly productive to have the red AF point stay illuminated on as it does on the 1D4 when shooting AI Servo with a single selected focus point or cluster. You simply have to keep sight of your selected point and keep it on the part of the action you're tracking. It all happens blindingly fast. By the time you re-activate a disappearing focus point the touchdown or goal has happened, the hurdles race has flashed past you, the race car has vanished...you get the idea? Constantly visible AF points are one of an action shooters prime productivity tools.

PW
 
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Ya well i never worked with a 1 series so i dont know about that much comfort. But if the illumination is affecting light metering i would be happy enough to have that short AF point flash as soon as i hit the AF button. Just as it was with the MII. But having nothing at all sucks just as having to push the AF selector button as a workaround before pressing the focus button.
 
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pwp said:
bloodstupid said:
The light doesn't need to be on all the time. Just a short flash upon AF-start..as it was with the 5D. And light metering can happen before and after the short AF point flash.
I don't know if you shoot fast action sports but it's valuable and highly productive to have the red AF point stay illuminated on as it does on the 1D4 when shooting AI Servo with a single selected focus point or cluster. You simply have to keep sight of your selected point and keep it on the part of the action you're tracking. It all happens blindingly fast. By the time you re-activate a disappearing focus point the touchdown or goal has happened, the hurdles race has flashed past you, the race car has vanished...you get the idea? Constantly visible AF points are one of an action shooters prime productivity tools.

PW

Action shooter AND wedding shooters alike!
 
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pwp said:
... You simply have to keep sight of your selected point and keep it on the part of the action you're tracking. It all happens blindingly fast. By the time you re-activate a disappearing focus point the touchdown or goal has happened, the hurdles race has flashed past you, the race car has vanished...

I can't imagine how it will be possible to shoot ballet without having the selected AF point always visible:

  • The position of the subject relative to the frame changes constantly, and in the blink of an eye.
  • Using automatic AF point selection is not an option. For my shooting conditions, DOF is so shallow that if the AF locks on the male dancer standing immediately behind the woman he is partnering, instead of on the woman, the shot is ruined. Even if the intended subject is a single dancer, there are often other dancers nearby in the frame, at varying distances from the camera.


  • Even using the center AF point would often be difficult without it being visible, because in many cases, everything is dark -- the dancers' costumes, the stage, the backdrop, and the house. In such conditions, one can't see the edges of the viewfinder frame -- making it hard to tell where the center of the frame is.
 
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Re: ordered a 3 stops ND filter for bright daylight shootings

I have just ordered a 3 stops ND filter for bright daylight shootings, the black af points should be as visible as when using a 2.8 lens with it, hopefully the AF won't lose too much speed...

It isn't a fix but if it should improve shooting in daylight quite a bit with fast primes at least.
 
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I've just used a 5D3, and my fears were confirmed. The display of AF points cripples this camera for much of my dance work.

Now I'm really depressed. My 1D4 is aging; there are no new 1D4s to be had (as the model is discontinued); and the 1DX won't work for me.
 
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Cyrano said:
I've just used a 5D3, and my fears were confirmed. The display of AF points cripples this camera for much of my dance work.

Now I'm really depressed. My 1D4 is aging; there are no new 1D4s to be had (as the model is discontinued); and the 1DX won't work for me.

same here on movie sets where is dark I cannot see the dang af points, I don't think I'l get the 1Dx either, I just hope canon will go back to the "regular" non-intelligent(!) viewfinder next round! I still cannot believe how crippled this is...
 
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pwp said:
I don't know if you shoot fast action sports but it's valuable and highly productive to have the red AF point stay illuminated on as it does on the 1D4 when shooting AI Servo with a single selected focus point or cluster. You simply have to keep sight of your selected point and keep it on the part of the action you're tracking. It all happens blindingly fast. By the time you re-activate a disappearing focus point the touchdown or goal has happened, the hurdles race has flashed past you, the race car has vanished...you get the idea? Constantly visible AF points are one of an action shooters prime productivity tools.

PW

Is there no option to keep the point from disappearing during continuous focus? When I saw this video, I thought that the point would stay visible during AF tracking:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=frTjF-qIuVg#t=96s

...but if the point disappears once you start tracking, I'm going to call in right now and cancel my 1DX order.

Trevor
 
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Zouk said:
pwp said:
I don't know if you shoot fast action sports but it's valuable and highly productive to have the red AF point stay illuminated on as it does on the 1D4 when shooting AI Servo with a single selected focus point or cluster. You simply have to keep sight of your selected point and keep it on the part of the action you're tracking. It all happens blindingly fast. By the time you re-activate a disappearing focus point the touchdown or goal has happened, the hurdles race has flashed past you, the race car has vanished...you get the idea? Constantly visible AF points are one of an action shooters prime productivity tools.

PW

Is there no option to keep the point from disappearing during continuous focus? When I saw this video, I thought that the point would stay visible during AF tracking:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=frTjF-qIuVg#t=96s

...but if the point disappears once you start tracking, I'm going to call in right now and cancel my 1DX order.

Trevor

you better hurry up and cancel it then! I use the 85 1.2 in bright daylight and even then the af are so freaking hard to see that is a joke! With a 2.8 lens its gets easier BUT the red in serve disappears no matter what....
 
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Pompo said:
you better hurry up and cancel it then! I use the 85 1.2 in bright daylight and even then the af are so freaking hard to see that is a joke! With a 2.8 lens its gets easier BUT the red in serve disappears no matter what....

Okay, just so I have this straight:

The red illumination turns off, but the black AF point + surrounding assist points stay?

Fortunately the lens that is going to live on my 1DX would be my 400 2.8... but still. :-X

Trevor
 
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Read the review her the vf is just like the 5d3 http://blog.martinbaileyphotography.com/2012/06/27/podcast-341-canon-eos-1d-x-digital-slr-review/

No Illuminated Focus Point in AI Servo

"There is one annoying thing that was fixed in the 1D Mark IV, but is currently regressed in the 1D X, and that is that the focus point that has focus is not illuminated as the subject moves around the frame. I really liked this functionality in the 1D Mark IV, but it’s gone again. The Canon Rumors Web site says it’s something to do with the red light affecting the exposure calculation, and that Canon may be working on a fix, but no details are available as of June 2012."
 
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Pompo said:
Read the review her the vf is just like the 5d3 http://blog.martinbaileyphotography.com/2012/06/27/podcast-341-canon-eos-1d-x-digital-slr-review/

No Illuminated Focus Point in AI Servo

"There is one annoying thing that was fixed in the 1D Mark IV, but is currently regressed in the 1D X, and that is that the focus point that has focus is not illuminated as the subject moves around the frame. I really liked this functionality in the 1D Mark IV, but it’s gone again. The Canon Rumors Web site says it’s something to do with the red light affecting the exposure calculation, and that Canon may be working on a fix, but no details are available as of June 2012."

That tells me it's not illuminated - but my question is, does the black square on the VF that represents the AF point go away, or is it just no longer illuminated?

I've never been able to glean that information - the SNR of threads discussing it is too unfavorable.

Trevor
 
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Zouk said:
Pompo said:
Read the review her the vf is just like the 5d3 http://blog.martinbaileyphotography.com/2012/06/27/podcast-341-canon-eos-1d-x-digital-slr-review/

No Illuminated Focus Point in AI Servo

"There is one annoying thing that was fixed in the 1D Mark IV, but is currently regressed in the 1D X, and that is that the focus point that has focus is not illuminated as the subject moves around the frame. I really liked this functionality in the 1D Mark IV, but it’s gone again. The Canon Rumors Web site says it’s something to do with the red light affecting the exposure calculation, and that Canon may be working on a fix, but no details are available as of June 2012."

That tells me it's not illuminated - but my question is, does the black square on the VF that represents the AF point go away, or is it just no longer illuminated?

I've never been able to glean that information - the SNR of threads discussing it is too unfavorable.

Trevor


It doesn't actually go away but if you are shooting in a dark scene it's like it does! It becomes almost invisible when placed over a certain color or texture...so you have to worry where your dang thing is and you endup missing the shots
 
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Pompo said:
It doesn't actually go away but if you are shooting in a dark scene it's like it does! It becomes almost invisible when placed over a certain color or texture...so you have to worry where your dang thing is and you endup missing the shots

Okay - that's exactly what I wanted to know. Thanks. :)

Trevor
 
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briansquibb said:
The 5DIII I borrow uses expansion so you get the cluster of points

You have many options for setting AF points, single and clusters as well, but they are all difficult to see in low light, and when using just one, nearly impossible.

I'd like to place the select point over the subject, not half press the shutter just to find out its missed the subject. When the subject is moving, its useless to try it that way.
 
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Mt Spokane Photography said:
briansquibb said:
The 5DIII I borrow uses expansion so you get the cluster of points

You have many options for setting AF points, single and clusters as well, but they are all difficult to see in low light, and when using just one, nearly impossible.

I'd like to place the select point over the subject, not half press the shutter just to find out its missed the subject. When the subject is moving, its useless to try it that way.

Bring back the tried and tested ways. Little red dots work even in a low light disco like this one from last night where even the smoke machine didn't stop the 1D4 AF. Got low ISO as I was using my 3 x 580EX light stick plus 580EX on shoe
 

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