Canon 1DX Mark II No Continuous Focus in Live View?

[LSXPhotog]

So I had an opportunity to use my 1DXII on an automotive shoot this week and I typically stick to the 5D4 because of the larger file size and smaller form factor. Well this was specifically an action sequence for the magazine cover and I felt action was the 1DX2's bread and butter. So I'm hanging out of the back of my car with this thing hanging from my neck and I decide to turn on Live-View and track the subject as I wanted to drop the camera lower and compose a shot where I could no longer look through the viewfinder - Dual-Pixel to the rescue! Wrong.

This is when I discovered that the 1DX Mark II DOES NOT allow for continuous focus during live view. It will track the subject, but the camera will not track the moving subject even if you hold down the AF-ON button or assign it to anything else..or change the frame rate, etc. I was really disappointed. This feature is something that exists on the 5D4 and 80D, but has been removed from my $6000 sports camera that I might want to track a subject in Live View...

So I'm making this post to see if anyone knows if I'm wrong and can tell me - "do this!" or if I'm right, knows why they would remove it from the camera. I was pretty excited to try this out and never really thought to even try it until that moment on the 1DX2...I've been using the feature a LOT with the 5D4 for overhead shots at weddings. Looks like the 1DX2 won't be the weapon of choice for those shots. :-(

Oh well...

Regardless, I got some spectacular shots and immediately ignored the issue and worked around it.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I don't think they knew how to make it work reliably, it states in the manual that continuous AF in live view is not possible.

I'd think that a firmware update would be a boost, assuming that it can be done in firmware.

 

[Jack Douglas]

From Canon Canada:

Dear Mr. Jack

Thank you for your E-mail inquiry.

Because you still have to press the shutter to take the picture, the tracking is starting when you press the shutter half way (or the Af-ON button) Face tracking also works automatically, and working only when a human face is facing the camera, so to avoid tracking wrong subjects, you can touch and select the AF point / AF area where your subject is.

As comparison, in 5D Mark IV (that came after the 1D X Mark II), touch shutter is possible and touch functions are more diverse and focus is acquired where the touch was made.


They offered nothing more than this. I really believe 1DX2 owners should start pestering Canon. While not having the feature initially is understandable, not upgrading it, is not.

Jack

 

[Jack Douglas]

LSXPhotog, very nice shot!

Jack

 

[AlanF]

Dear Mr Jack

One up for the 5D IV

 

[Jack Douglas]

Dear Mr Jack

One up for the 5D IV

Me thinks I will have a 6D2 in the not too distant future if it's anything like the 6D-5D3 situation when I opted for the 6D 3 years ago and never regretted it. That way I have lighter and heavier not heavy and heavier. Now, the question is, can the 6D2 possibly be "better" than the 5D4 at a few things; that'll influence the decision. For sure it must have f8 AF and better overall AF. We shall see.

Jack

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

From Canon Canada:

Dear Mr. Jack

Thank you for your E-mail inquiry.

Because you still have to press the shutter to take the picture, the tracking is starting when you press the shutter half way (or the Af-ON button) Face tracking also works automatically, and working only when a human face is facing the camera, so to avoid tracking wrong subjects, you can touch and select the AF point / AF area where your subject is.

As comparison, in 5D Mark IV (that came after the 1D X Mark II), touch shutter is possible and touch functions are more diverse and focus is acquired where the touch was made.


They offered nothing more than this. I really believe 1DX2 owners should start pestering Canon. While not having the feature initially is understandable, not upgrading it, is not.

Jack

I really doubt that they understood the issue. You have a customer service person who probably did not understand the issue trying to explain to a technical person, there is no chance they would get it right.

The company I worked for had technical persons on the production line writing up problems for the mechanics, and sending them to engineering for resolution, in some cases, the production worker wrote up the problem. But, explaining a issue in writing is very difficult, and is easy to misunderstand.

I always told my engineers to go see for yourself what the problem actually is, because written communication is so difficult, half the time you will give a answer that does not fit the real issue. Its frustrating for the mechanic with the problem, and a huge waste of time and money when you guess the problem from a short paragraph.

Canon does not let you talk with the engineers, and they probably speak Japanese in any event. Does this give you a hopeless feeling? A letter to someone like Chuck Westfall who will understand the issue and can explain it to the engineers might stand a chance.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckwestfall/

 

[AlanF]

Dear Mr Jack

One up for the 5D IV

Me thinks I will have a 6D2 in the not too distant future if it's anything like the 6D-5D3 situation when I opted for the 6D 3 years ago and never regretted it. That way I have lighter and heavier not heavy and heavier. Now, the question is, can the 6D2 possibly be "better" than the 5D4 at a few things; that'll influence the decision. For sure it must have f8 AF and better overall AF. We shall see.

Jack

1DXII = 1530g, 5DIV = 890g, 6D = 755g. There are only 5oz between the 6D and 5DIV and then a large jump of 22.6oz to the 1DXII, so it doesn't really look like heavy vs heavier vs not heavy and heavier. If you want something really light then it's the M5 (+ Sigma 100-400).

If Canon comes out with a cheaper 6D II that has as good AF as does the 5DIV, then it will kill the sales of the 5DIV.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Dear Mr Jack

One up for the 5D IV

Me thinks I will have a 6D2 in the not too distant future if it's anything like the 6D-5D3 situation when I opted for the 6D 3 years ago and never regretted it. That way I have lighter and heavier not heavy and heavier. Now, the question is, can the 6D2 possibly be "better" than the 5D4 at a few things; that'll influence the decision. For sure it must have f8 AF and better overall AF. We shall see.

Jack

1DXII = 1530g, 5DIV = 890g, 6D = 755g. There are only 5oz between the 6D and 5DIV and then a large jump of 22.6oz to the 1DXII, so it doesn't really look like heavy vs heavier vs not heavy and heavier. If you want something really light then it's the M5 (+ Sigma 100-400).

If Canon comes out with a cheaper 6D II that has as good AF as does the 5DIV, then it will kill the sales of the 5DIV.

Its a safe bet that a 6D II will be a FF version of the 77D with some 80D features like AFMA as well.

 

[Jack Douglas]

It's a safe bet it'll get dumped on like the 6D for "having GPS and wifi" and generally being useless. I remember reading all the initial comments but here we are with many 6D fans including myself for the past 3 years. The IQ has been great and I wouldn't be surprised if the 6D2 does eat into 5D4 sales a wee bit.

Regarding weight, before purchasing as a newbie I handled the 6D and the 5D3 and there was a noticeable difference that swayed me to the 6D. The 6D and 24-70 F4 is a nice sized combo.

Jack

 

[AlanF]

It's a safe bet it'll get dumped on like the 6D for "having GPS and wifi" and generally being useless. I remember reading all the initial comments but here we are with many 6D fans including myself for the past 3 years. The IQ has been great and I wouldn't be surprised if the 6D2 does eat into 5D4 sales a wee bit.

Regarding weight, before purchasing as a newbie I handled the 6D and the 5D3 and there was a noticeable difference that swayed me to the 6D. The 6D and 24-70 F4 is a nice sized combo.

Jack

And now you heave around a 1DXII + 2xTC + 400mm DO II!