Awesome use of DOF preview button on 5dmk3

[@!ex]

Ok, so I don't really use the DOF preview button much, because I am A) shooting wide open, so what you see is what you get, B) stop down a bit and am not too critical of the DOF as in most of these cases I can just recompose if need be. I just realized that in the custom button function (accessed either through the menu or the quick menu) you can set the DOF button (which is in perfect position for quick access) to engage AI servo when you are in single shot mode. This make AI servo soooo much more accessible because you can turn it on at any point, if you subject begins moving, or if you have a moving subject on occasion, but you like the focus confirm of single shot most of the time. you do have to hold it to keep AI servo on, but that is even better because you can dynamically turn it on and off with the tip of your ring finger.

Also, I'm kinda bugged by people complaining about the speed of the AF in low light and missing potential shots. If you want less AF accuracy and more shutter release speed just change the third AF menu box "one-shot AF release prior." more toward shutter. The default is to max AF accuracy priority. Sorry for the rant. I have seen a TON of complaints about minor things that can be easily changed in the menus (I'm looking at you ken rockwell, "this ugly AF box is always getting in the way of my cat pictures" and "I am too busy fiddling with the AF mode to get a picture of my grandkid", learn to use the M-fn button with your pointer finger and the AF select button with your thumb).

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Also, I'm kinda bugged by people complaining about the speed of the AF in low light and missing potential shots. If you want less AF accuracy and more shutter release speed just change the third AF menu box "one-shot AF release prior." more toward shutter. The default is to max AF accuracy priority. Sorry for the rant. I have seen a TON of complaints about minor things that can be easily changed in the menus (I'm looking at you ken rockwell, "this ugly AF box is always getting in the way of my cat pictures" and "I am too busy fiddling with the AF mode to get a picture of my grandkid", learn to use the M-fn button with your pointer finger and the AF select button with your thumb).

This sounds like a plus. Now the user can chose how to set it, instead of the camera locking it into a certain behavior. Sometimes speed doesn't matter and it's annoying when it triggers quickly but poorly. Now you can set it as needed. Sounds like all plus to me.

 

[dswatson83]

Good point. The MK3 also has 3 custom modes to easily set each one for different focusing priority. That is a 1 button switch too. With 3 custom modes and 3 easily changed buttons (mfn, dof preview, set) and tons of custom settings, i'm sure you can adjust it to your liking.
I was a bit concerned at first with some people stating slow autofocus...then they posted their settings: 12,800 ISO 1/60 @f/1.4. Seriously, the fact that the camera will focus at all with those settings is AMAZING. If you are getting slow focus lock shooting under low-normal indoor lighting (3200 ISO 1/60 f/2.8), then i'll be a bit more worried. Still don't own one yet but i'll probably pull the trigger shortly.

 

[shizam1]

Also, I'm kinda bugged by people complaining about the speed of the AF in low light and missing potential shots. If you want less AF accuracy and more shutter release speed just change the third AF menu box "one-shot AF release prior." more toward shutter. The default is to max AF accuracy priority.

Well, you could have made that suggestion in those threads, instead of sitting on this information and making a separate post about it.

But I looked at your suggestion in the manual, and that just allows the user to take the shot before focus is achieved. So you can take an out of focus shot, or miss the shot because the moment passed before focus was achieved, you choose. That has no affect on people who use back button AF anyway, we can take a picture on one-shot whenever we want regardless of focus.

Just because you haven't experienced anything doesn't mean others aren't experiencing it.

 

[Daniel Flather]

learn to use the M-fn button with your pointer finger and the AF select button with your thumb).

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=5244.0

 

[Stephen Melvin]

That's what I've done with mine, though it'd be much more useful to be able to assign that to the "AF-on" button. I already have AF assigned to the "*" button, so all I'd have to do is move my thumb over a little bit to turn on AI-Servo.

Having to hold the DOF preview button, which is now in a really awkward position, while holding the * button and pushing the shutter release puts my fingers in a stressful position.

 

[RunAndGun]

I like the fact that there is a good degree of customization available on this camera, and being able to assign instant switching from One Shot to Servo is great, I just wish you could assign it to ANY button(i.e. the rear focus button), because the DoF Preview button just doesn't work for me(trying to hold it down pulls my trigger finger off of the shutter button). I did stumble across an article that brought "rear focus" to my attention(I feel dumb for not thinking of it myself) and it gives you basically the same results and works much better for me. You just have to retrain yourself a little if you have never "uncoupled" focus from the shutter button before.

As far as people complaining about the focus, I think a lot just haven't read the manual and played with the cam(or don't even have the cam). It's funny that KR was mentioned. I read his "review" and he doesn't know what he's talking about in regards to the focus system. I stumbled across his site about four years ago while doing research about the 5DMKII. At first I thought he was a jack @$$, but then I figured out that A LOT of what he writes is tongue-and-cheek and that he writes towards beginners and the importance of technique, de-emphasizng the importance of gear(at least that's the way I read it, because that's how he was years ago). So take what he writes with a BIG grain of salt. But there are times like this where he is just talking out of his un-informed @$$. It's kind of funny, though that he started slamming on the MKIII before he received his D800, not realizing that Nikon changed the AF selection on it(and the D4). I guess he was too busy to glance at the manual on-line before he received it.