6D Autofocus not impressive

[siegsAR]

I don't know what the fuss is over. I was nailing keeper after keeper today with my supposedly horrible 6D and my completely unusable Tamron 70-200.
.....

That's nice, for a change. :

 

[Marsu42]

I don't know what the fuss is over. I was nailing keeper after keeper today with my supposedly horrible 6D and my completely unusable Tamron 70-200.

Which af points were you using?

All modern af system are usable, the differences should show a) when the tracked object is to the top/side (no af points on 6d), b) when the contrast/light is low (only up to 0.5lv and no outer cross on 6d), c) on difficult movement patterns (i.e. not simply something like a wave moving constantly in one direction).

However I expect the 6d to do just fine for me once I got it, I recently got frustrated by my 60d again because the af fields are just too far apart so it's center point only for tracking - which works, but at least on 6d the points are closer together so multipoint should be more usable.

 

[rizenphoenix]

I don't know what the fuss is over. I was nailing keeper after keeper today with my supposedly horrible 6D and my completely unusable Tamron 70-200.

Which af points were you using?

All modern af system are usable, the differences should show a) when the tracked object is to the top/side (no af points on 6d), b) when the contrast/light is low (only up to 0.5lv and no outer cross on 6d), c) on difficult movement patterns (i.e. not simply something like a wave moving constantly in one direction).

However I expect the 6d to do just fine for me once I got it, I recently got frustrated by my 60d again because the af fields are just too far apart so it's center point only for tracking - which works, but at least on 6d the points are closer together so multipoint should be more usable.

Center Point only, continuous shutter mode, one shot AF mode(because the Tamron lens does not function well in the AI modes)

 

[Marsu42]

Center Point only, continuous shutter mode, one shot AF mode(because the Tamron lens does not function well in the AI modes)

Well, in that case the shot could have been taken with just about any dslr or p&s, esp. since the light was good and the aperture small

 

[Skirball]

Center Point only, continuous shutter mode, one shot AF mode(because the Tamron lens does not function well in the AI modes)

Well, in that case the shot could have been taken with just about any dslr or p&s, esp. since the light was good and the aperture small

That could be said about a lot of the photos posted on here to show how great such and such a model is.

 

[Marsu42]

That could be said about a lot of the photos posted on here to show how great such and such a model is.

Absolutely, that's why I personally never post pictures in a tech thread, it doesn't man anything most of the time except if the full picture series without postprocessing is given for "keeper" evaluation and maybe 6d and 5d3 are used in parallel or after another for the same scene.

You can post "negative" problem pictures to show what went wrong or where you think a camera fails, but except for high speed action scenes or very bad shooting conditions (af lock, dr, iso noise) any recent dslr is able to produce decent pictures - just not with the same reliability or usability.

 

[J.R.]

However I expect the 6d to do just fine for me once I got it, I recently got frustrated by my 60d again because the af fields are just too far apart so it's center point only for tracking - which works, but at least on 6d the points are closer together so multipoint should be more usable.

I haven't been using the multipoint AF on the 6D much ... It's been focus and recompose for most of the time. I decided to put it to test earlier this morning and was pleasantly surprised with the number of keepers I got - I have derided the AF of the 6D at times in the past but I must say, it's reasonably good and people with more skill than myself will definitely get more keepers out of the system.

The multipoint AF works best in good light though. If the light is not good enough, it is difficult because the AF points other than the center AF point start to hunt back and forth and you lose possible shots in the process.

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

However I expect the 6d to do just fine for me once I got it, I recently got frustrated by my 60d again because the af fields are just too far apart so it's center point only for tracking - which works, but at least on 6d the points are closer together so multipoint should be more usable.

I haven't been using the multipoint AF on the 6D much ... It's been focus and recompose for most of the time. I decided to put it to test earlier this morning and was pleasantly surprised with the number of keepers I got - I have derided the AF of the 6D at times in the past but I must say, it's reasonably good and people with more skill than myself will definitely get more keepers out of the system.

The multipoint AF works best in good light though. If the light is not good enough, it is difficult because the AF points other than the center AF point start to hunt back and forth and you lose possible shots in the process.

That first image in particular is a very fine example of focus. Nicely done!

 

[CarlTN]

All you need to do to increase your keeper rate with the 6D, is set "second image" to more accuracy rather than speed (in the autofocus menu). It will slow the frame rate down, but so what? Basically all the frames will be razor sharp. I admit I'd like to have really fast frame rate and accuracy sometimes, but most of the time I don't need a lot of fps.

If you need more responsiveness on the 6D, set "C.Fn II:Autofocus" under menu #1, all the way to the right, "responsive". I'm also using "accel/dec" tracking all the way to the right. First image priority is set to the middle, but second image priority is set to "focus", again all the way to the right.

With these settings, and center point only selected, I was able to track my cat running at me in very low light with only an f/4 lens (ISO 25,600). My shutter speed was too slow (1/100), but in slightly better light, it would have nailed him.

Birds in flight are very difficult, but I've snapped quite a few. I congratulate those of you who do this! The smaller faster birds, are the difficult ones. Larger birds are easy. I've even snapped some bats in flight at dusk, with my 135 f/2...but the animal is not pleasant to look at. Of course it only works with sky as the background, unless they happen to come out early enough.

 

[captainkanji]

Finally had a chance this weekend to test out the horrible AF of my 6D. Used AI Servo with back button focusing in single shot mode.

The camera didn't have any issues taking these photos. The hard part was keeping the focus square in the right spot. Only issue with blur I have is shutter speed. I don't take pictures of this kind of activity very often anyway. The low light performance is why I bought this camera.

 

[silvestography]

One big thing to consider with the 6d is that they've put wifi and gps into the body, which adds up to be about $700-800 in accessories if these things were not to be added. Take that amount off the current price of the 6d and you've got yourself an $1100 full frame camera. I don't know about you, but I'm sure as hell not expecting a lot in terms of AF or anything for that matter when I'm paying that much for full frame. Just something to consider.

 

[dgatwood]

One big thing to consider with the 6d is that they've put wifi and gps into the body, which adds up to be about $700-800 in accessories if these things were not to be added. Take that amount off the current price of the 6d and you've got yourself an $1100 full frame camera. I don't know about you, but I'm sure as hell not expecting a lot in terms of AF or anything for that matter when I'm paying that much for full frame. Just something to consider.

A GPS chip typically adds somewhere between two and five dollars to a device's bill of materials, and Wi-Fi is not much more expensive. There is, of course, the additional cost of the antennas, but either way, it isn't $700-800 worth of hardware. Drop two zeroes and your estimate would only be slightly low.

 

[J.R.]

One big thing to consider with the 6d is that they've put wifi and gps into the body, which adds up to be about $700-800 in accessories if these things were not to be added. Take that amount off the current price of the 6d and you've got yourself an $1100 full frame camera. I don't know about you, but I'm sure as hell not expecting a lot in terms of AF or anything for that matter when I'm paying that much for full frame. Just something to consider.

I wish the 6D were available for $ 1,100 WITHOUT the GPS and the WiFi. Not everyone wants these features built into the camera.

I'd happily trade the WiFi in the 6D for a camranger. GPS is a bit iffy ... you may need it and you may not.

 

[whothafunk]

most of sport pictures i've seen from a 6D is when subjects are going in a strafe line, and not towards/away from you. the problem with 6D is its not-so-quick focus lock, which becomes a bigger problem when subjects are running towards you (football, basketball, handball, etc). by the time you lock on a target, he's atleast 1m away from the point you locked on.

 

[Kengur]

One big thing to consider with the 6d is that they've put wifi and gps into the body, which adds up to be about $700-800 in accessories if these things were not to be added. Take that amount off the current price of the 6d and you've got yourself an $1100 full frame camera. I don't know about you, but I'm sure as hell not expecting a lot in terms of AF or anything for that matter when I'm paying that much for full frame. Just something to consider.

A GPS chip typically adds somewhere between two and five dollars to a device's bill of materials, and Wi-Fi is not much more expensive. There is, of course, the additional cost of the antennas, but either way, it isn't $700-800 worth of hardware. Drop two zeroes and your estimate would only be slightly low.

Marketing heads don't work that way. Say $$ price of accessories (not bought) * number of potential buyers of these = Unrealized profits. I'd say $300 off that current retail offer from Canon point of view.

 

[AcutancePhotography]

I wish the 6D were available for $ 1,100 WITHOUT the GPS and the WiFi. Not everyone wants these features built into the camera.

Me too. I wonder if it would ever be economically viable for Canon to turn out a model like this?

 

[Skirball]

I wish the 6D were available for $ 1,100 WITHOUT the GPS and the WiFi. Not everyone wants these features built into the camera.

Me too. I wonder if it would ever be economically viable for Canon to turn out a model like this?

It's called a used 5d2.

Canon isn’t going to strip things off and offer a budget version unless their research tells them they are losing shares on a market. They did just that on the 6D to keep the same price point held by the 5d2 when they launched the 5d3 on a higher tier. Judging by the amount of people shooting 5d3s, I’d say they’re not worried about having their price points set too high on the 6D.

 

[tron]

I wish the 6D were available for $ 1,100 WITHOUT the GPS and the WiFi. Not everyone wants these features built into the camera.

Me too. I wonder if it would ever be economically viable for Canon to turn out a model like this?

It's called a used 5d2.

Canon isn’t going to strip things off and offer a budget version unless their market tells them they are losing shares on a market. They did just that on the 6D to keep the same price point held by the 5d2 when they launched the 5d3 on a higher tier. Judging by the amount of people shooting 5d3s, I’d say they’re not worried about having their price points set too high on the 6D.

True, but a used 5D2 is not much cheaper and it has worse high iso performance. But although I would like a stripped 6D I agree with you that it will not be in the interest of Canon to do so. With this reasoning someone would like to ask for an even more stripped 6D -one for stills only - which would be fine by me too. But this is simply NOT going to happen either.

Up to now I am used to the fact that there is no absolute superset in cameras. May be a camera is better that other in 90% or even 99% but it is never 100%. There is always something. We just choose the best we need and can afford.

 

[Chuck Alaimo]

I wish the 6D were available for $ 1,100 WITHOUT the GPS and the WiFi. Not everyone wants these features built into the camera.

Me too. I wonder if it would ever be economically viable for Canon to turn out a model like this?

It's called a used 5d2.

Canon isn’t going to strip things off and offer a budget version unless their market tells them they are losing shares on a market. They did just that on the 6D to keep the same price point held by the 5d2 when they launched the 5d3 on a higher tier. Judging by the amount of people shooting 5d3s, I’d say they’re not worried about having their price points set too high on the 6D.

True, but a used 5D2 is not much cheaper and it has worse high iso performance. But although I would like a stripped 6D I agree with you that it will not be in the interest of Canon to do so. With this reasoning someone would like to ask for an even more stripped 6D -one for stills only - which would be fine by me too. But this is simply NOT going to happen either.

Up to now I am used to the fact that there is no absolute superset in cameras. May be a camera is better that other in 90% or even 99% but it is never 100%. There is always something. We just choose the best we need and can afford.

That is so a never ending slippery slope...ohhh i don't need feature X and Y...make that for me for less $$$... So they strip that...what next...why don't they just make a $1300 one with no outer focus points (just the center point) ...or why not make one for $1500 with no gps, but keep the wifi...these things aren't custom made, they are mass produced. Like the comment said, find a used 5d2, ---but don't expect it to be much cheaper - expect to pay about $1500 used...if your looking for an $1100 camera you need to go a lot older or your looking at crop sensor bodies. FF and new at $1100 just isn't happening

 

[silvestography]

One big thing to consider with the 6d is that they've put wifi and gps into the body, which adds up to be about $700-800 in accessories if these things were not to be added. Take that amount off the current price of the 6d and you've got yourself an $1100 full frame camera. I don't know about you, but I'm sure as hell not expecting a lot in terms of AF or anything for that matter when I'm paying that much for full frame. Just something to consider.

A GPS chip typically adds somewhere between two and five dollars to a device's bill of materials, and Wi-Fi is not much more expensive. There is, of course, the additional cost of the antennas, but either way, it isn't $700-800 worth of hardware. Drop two zeroes and your estimate would only be slightly low.

Obviously manufacturing prices of these "amenities" isn't going to be that high, but if you're looking at the prices of canon's wireless file transfer grips and gps units, it does add to that. I was simply looking at it through the lens of "what if the 6d didn't have these things and I had to buy the accessories instead".