Ditching One Shot and shooting AI Servo fulltime

[BL]

So I've never owned a camera I felt confident enough to trust in AI Servo until I started shooting with the 1Dx. Old habits die hard though, and I'd still been toggling between one shot and AI-Servo based on subject matter. I've always held this pre-conceived, personally unfounded notion that One Shot would be more accurate than AI Servo on stationary subjects. Given how amazing I found AF accuracy to be on the 1Dx, I decided to test my theory by exclusively using Servo mode for all non moving subjects.

In the past month I've shot mostly portraits, some landscape, and quite a bit of macro. At the pixel level, I can't tell any difference in regards to focus accuracy between shots taken using One Shot vs. AI-Servo based on my real world use. Granted, I have my shutter release priority biased towards focus as opposed to release. I don't see myself using One Shot ever again as far as I'm concerned, and I appreciate not having to press a button or switch modes to engage Servo if something does start to happen unexpectedly.

Can anyone think of any cons to using AI servo fulltime and ditching One Shot if I I'm able to achieve the same level of accuracy? (ok yes, as a concession I'm taxing the battery, but battery life has become a total non issue for me having moved to a 1D body)

Thanks in advance!

 

[Logan]

if you focus/recompose how long do you have to hit the shutter before the af readjusts? how do you get it to focus on what you want? are you manually picking focus points? i have not tried a 1dx but i dont feel like that would work for the kind of shooting i do. if the horizon is low in the frame with a lot of sky, how do you deal with that?

 

[Loswr]

I've considered doing such a test myself, to see if that true for my usual subjects. The theoretical drawback is that AI Servo relies more on the f/5.6 sensor lines, since they acquire focus faster than the more accurate f/4 and f/2.8 lines. But if there's no difference in the images....

@ Logan - back button AF takes care of those issues.

 

[BL]

if you focus/recompose how long do you have to hit the shutter before the af readjusts?

Yes, I use back button focus and have left and right AF points customized to get triggered with user programmed buttons.

I've considered doing such a test myself, to see if that true for my usual subjects. The theoretical drawback is that AI Servo relies more on the f/5.6 sensor lines, since they acquire focus faster than the more accurate f/4 and f/2.8 lines. But if there's no difference in the images....

In regards to f5.6 sensor lines and AI servo, I did not realize that was the case. Took a quick glance at my exif and I didn't shoot anything wider than 2.8, although my use of apertures were all over the place from 2.8 through 16.

In retrospect, perhaps I spoke too soon since I haven't tested anything between 1.2 or 2.0. I'll give it a whirl and let you know how it goes.

 

[Loswr]

Regarding the f/5.6 lines, your selected aperture is irrelevant, all that matters is the max aperture of the lens. Most f/2.8 and faster lenses (there are exceptions) activate the central 5 dual cross AF points that are more accurate. Most f/4 lenses activate the 20 f/4 lines (two columns of 5 on each side, which when combined with the f/5.6 lines make those points crosses). In terms of AF point accuracy, f/2.8 > f/4 > f/5.6; AF speed is the reverse order.

 

[axtstern]

Can't compete with your guys' heavy guns like the 1dx but:

my 2 year old son dropped my 60D together with the Sigma 18-35 1.8 minutes before a trip.
Next Chance to test it was last friday during dutch carneval. I thought the lens was damaged because I got less than 30% of sharp Pictures when shooting at that evening (in very very dim light).

Next morning I found out that my son had not broken the lens but switched the camera to AI Servo.
Did a test the same morning in an closed down coal mine a few hundred feet under ground. Again almost darkness only interupted by the helmet lights of our Group: 90% perfect focus with one shot, not even 30% with AI Servo and if I got a picture proper than with a big delay. So for me in any situation with Little light AI servo is a no go.

 

[mackguyver]

I haven't used single shot AF for anything other than FoCal in at least 5 years. Back button AF & release. 'Nuff said.

 

[wickidwombat]

So I've never owned a camera I felt confident enough to trust in AI Servo until I started shooting with the 1Dx. Old habits die hard though, and I'd still been toggling between one shot and AI-Servo based on subject matter. I've always held this pre-conceived, personally unfounded notion that One Shot would be more accurate than AI Servo on stationary subjects. Given how amazing I found AF accuracy to be on the 1Dx, I decided to test my theory by exclusively using Servo mode for all non moving subjects.

In the past month I've shot mostly portraits, some landscape, and quite a bit of macro. At the pixel level, I can't tell any difference in regards to focus accuracy between shots taken using One Shot vs. AI-Servo based on my real world use. Granted, I have my shutter release priority biased towards focus as opposed to release. I don't see myself using One Shot ever again as far as I'm concerned, and I appreciate not having to press a button or switch modes to engage Servo if something does start to happen unexpectedly.

Can anyone think of any cons to using AI servo fulltime and ditching One Shot if I I'm able to achieve the same level of accuracy? (ok yes, as a concession I'm taxing the battery, but battery life has become a total non issue for me having moved to a 1D body)

Thanks in advance!

i shoot my eos m in servo full time its faster to focus and accuracy is good however i still shoot single shot 99% of the time on the 5Dmk3 and use the Dof preview button to engage servo on demand IMO this is the most awesome feature of the 5Dmk3

 

[wickidwombat]

Can't compete with your guys' heavy guns like the 1dx but:

my 2 year old son dropped my 60D together with the Sigma 18-35 1.8 minutes before a trip.
Next Chance to test it was last friday during dutch carneval. I thought the lens was damaged because I got less than 30% of sharp Pictures when shooting at that evening (in very very dim light).

Next morning I found out that my son had not broken the lens but switched the camera to AI Servo.
Did a test the same morning in an closed down coal mine a few hundred feet under ground. Again almost darkness only interupted by the helmet lights of our Group: 90% perfect focus with one shot, not even 30% with AI Servo and if I got a picture proper than with a big delay. So for me in any situation with Little light AI servo is a no go.

servo requires you to shoot differently if you think you are in one shot and are actually in servo and continue to shoot as you would in one shot you will get very very few keepers, for servo Back button focus helps you have to hold focus on the subject a little before taking the shot to let it track so it works very differently to one shot.

 

[jiphoto]

Servo is great for USM lenses or smaller apertures, but just try using Servo with something like the nifty fifty. It hits focus about 20% of the time at best, and sounds like a cricket on steroids. However, servo is fantastic for pretty much everything else with good USM lenses.

 

[digital paradise]

I find when event shooting I tire out trying to continually see if the focus is locked on where I need it to be so I shoot one shot most of the time for focus confirmation. When people are moving towards or away I switch to AI Servo. I agree that AI Servo works well for static objects and many people leave it on.

I still to this day wonder with the technology out there why Canon could not provide a dedicated button or an assignable one that when you press and release switches to the other shooting mode. Maybe an indicator in the viewfinder. Even if you can assign another button yo have to hold it which I find uncomfortable. I just usually use the Q screen. It is typically on the FEC setting as I'm always tuning the flash so it takes a few extra seconds and is still a bit of a pain.

 

[wickidwombat]

I find when event shooting I tire out trying to continually see if the focus is locked on where I need it to be so I shoot one shot most of the time for focus confirmation. When people are moving towards or away I switch to AI Servo. I agree that AI Servo works well for static objects and many people leave it on.

I still to this day wonder with the technology out there why Canon could not provide a dedicated button or an assignable one that when you press and release switches to the other shooting mode. Maybe an indicator in the viewfinder. Even if you can assign another button yo have to hold it which I find uncomfortable. I just usually use the Q screen. It is typically on the FEC setting as I'm always tuning the flash so it takes a few extra seconds and is still a bit of a pain.

the 5Dmk3 qnd 1Dx you can program the Dof preview button to do this its the best feature ever so it toggles between 1 shot and servo on demand

really awesome feature

 

[climber]

I find when event shooting I tire out trying to continually see if the focus is locked on where I need it to be so I shoot one shot most of the time for focus confirmation. When people are moving towards or away I switch to AI Servo. I agree that AI Servo works well for static objects and many people leave it on.

I still to this day wonder with the technology out there why Canon could not provide a dedicated button or an assignable one that when you press and release switches to the other shooting mode. Maybe an indicator in the viewfinder. Even if you can assign another button yo have to hold it which I find uncomfortable. I just usually use the Q screen. It is typically on the FEC setting as I'm always tuning the flash so it takes a few extra seconds and is still a bit of a pain.

the 5Dmk3 qnd 1Dx you can program the Dof preview button to do this its the best feature ever so it toggles between 1 shot and servo on demand

really awesome feature

But you have to keep pressing on the Dof button to switch let say from 1 shot to servo. It's not enough to make only 1 press.

 

[wickidwombat]

I find when event shooting I tire out trying to continually see if the focus is locked on where I need it to be so I shoot one shot most of the time for focus confirmation. When people are moving towards or away I switch to AI Servo. I agree that AI Servo works well for static objects and many people leave it on.

I still to this day wonder with the technology out there why Canon could not provide a dedicated button or an assignable one that when you press and release switches to the other shooting mode. Maybe an indicator in the viewfinder. Even if you can assign another button yo have to hold it which I find uncomfortable. I just usually use the Q screen. It is typically on the FEC setting as I'm always tuning the flash so it takes a few extra seconds and is still a bit of a pain.

the 5Dmk3 qnd 1Dx you can program the Dof preview button to do this its the best feature ever so it toggles between 1 shot and servo on demand

really awesome feature

But you have to keep pressing on the Dof button to switch let say from 1 shot to servo. It's not enough to make only 1 press.

yeah but the way it works is perfect for being able to quickly switch between servo and one shot especially where subject move and then stop for example weddings events fashion runway etc its a brilliant system IMO

 

[rs]

I find when event shooting I tire out trying to continually see if the focus is locked on where I need it to be so I shoot one shot most of the time for focus confirmation. When people are moving towards or away I switch to AI Servo. I agree that AI Servo works well for static objects and many people leave it on.

I still to this day wonder with the technology out there why Canon could not provide a dedicated button or an assignable one that when you press and release switches to the other shooting mode. Maybe an indicator in the viewfinder. Even if you can assign another button yo have to hold it which I find uncomfortable. I just usually use the Q screen. It is typically on the FEC setting as I'm always tuning the flash so it takes a few extra seconds and is still a bit of a pain.

Custom modes. You can have a whole raft of settings saved, available to you in an instant. Personally I use C1 for portraits/landscape etc - one shot AF, central AF point, AV mode (defaulted to wide open) etc. C2 is for action - AI servo, all AF points, Tv 1/500th etc. C3 is for flash - M etc.

 

[mackguyver]

This thread brings up a thought - how many of you wait for the sound or watch for the green focus lock light?

I turned the sound off and haven't used it since the first day I bought my first SLR, and with the USM lenses, I don't watch for the light - I can just tell when it locks. I'm not trying to say it's some special skill, but you can feel it/hear it stop. I use AI Servo all of the time because of that and just wait for the lock and lift my thumb off the AF button and press the shutter. Surely I'm not the only one who shoots this way.

 

[digital paradise]

I listen to the beep and have activated the red light/s on the focus points. I will turn off the beep at a wedding and put my 5D3 to silent shooting mode.

I know both my 7D and 5D3 have several programmable button options, I just can't figure out why Canon makes us hold them. Even provide the option for one or the other. Not hard with todays tech.

 

[wickidwombat]

This thread brings up a thought - how many of you wait for the sound or watch for the green focus lock light?

I turned the sound off and haven't used it since the first day I bought my first SLR, and with the USM lenses, I don't watch for the light - I can just tell when it locks. I'm not trying to say it's some special skill, but you can feel it/hear it stop. I use AI Servo all of the time because of that and just wait for the lock and lift my thumb off the AF button and press the shutter. Surely I'm not the only one who shoots this way.

Like i said on the EOS-M you can feel the USM lenses vibrate when focusing in servo and when the vibration stops shoot, its MUCH faster to AF than single shot

with the 5Dmk3 in servo i dont lift off the AF button (back button focus) i just hold it all the time while tracking and shoot on demand

 

[apersson850]

You don't get any AF assist light from the flash if you don't use One Shot AF mode.
In the past, One Shot AF was also well known for being better in low light, but with the last firmware update (2.0) for the 1DX, Canon have employed some of that same technology for the first image in a sequence. When shooting sequences in continuous drive mode, it doesn't matter, since One Shot AF wouldn't give you any focus update anyway.

 

[mackguyver]

So much for ditching One Shot for AI Servo semi-permanently - BOTH times I have shot sports in the last couple of months I have accidentally set One Shot until I realized that NO frames of my moving subject were in focus