Need Help Shooting in Manual with Manual Lenses and Canon 5D Mark III

[Standard]

I know this may be very simple to many of you using the 5D Mark III but I can't seem to figure it out so your help is greatly appreciated. I've spent a good few hours flipping through the manual and scouring Websites but can't seem to find anything.

I find myself at a lost today trying to take some architectural/environmental shots with the Mark III and the Samyang 14mm. Try as I might, I can't get the camera to take the shot. Pushing the shutter button does nothing. I have gone through the Live View menu and tried adjusting the various settings but they haven't helped. I have the camera on a tripod using Live View, ISO at 100, aperture at f/16 and is using both manual focus magnification along with hyper focal techniques. Normally, this is a non-issue with my 5D Mark II which I have been using exclusively for landscape/environmental photography up until today.

What I believe the problem maybe is that the camera is trying to focus with AF rather than letting me manually focus BUT since the Samyang 14mm lens is a fully manual lens and do not have a manual switch, I can't change to that to let the camera know that I want to focus manually.

What am I doing wrong? Do I need to activate mirror lockup (I'd assume that Live View is a better option since it reduces/eliminates vibration)? How do I go about setting the camera to manual focus?

Any help in shedding light to this is greatly appreciated.

EDIT: I've just tried this with the Canon 24L and was able to take shots. This helps confirm that the issue lies with setting the lens to AF/manual but how does one goes about using manual lenses that do not have AF/manual switches with the Mark III?

 

[neuroanatomist]

Do you have another camera on which you can test the lens? My TS-E 24 and MP-E 65 are manual lenses, I just mount them, focus, and shoot. Of course, they're Canon lenses...

 

[Standard]

Thanks for the reply John. Certainly. I have the 5D Mark II which shoots perfectly fine with all manual lenses, including vintage Takumars, Helios, Zuikos, Pentacons, as well as the Samyang/Rokinon 14mm...so I know the problem does not lie with the lenses.

I am guessing I need to somehow override AF focusing in the custom functions of the 5D Mark III in order to use full-manual lenses that are non-Canon lenses.

Anyone here successfully shot with non-Canon lenses with the 5D Mark III using Live View?

 

[Zv]

I use the Samyang on a 5D2 and I didn't have any issues. I know on the EOS M you have to change a custom function - release shutter without lens. Could there be a similar issue with the 5D3?

Have you tried releasing the shutter via remote? Or 10s timer?

You know I do think there is a custom function tied to AF lock and shutter release. I remember having similar issues once.

Silly question but is it in One shot mode not AI Servo right?

 

[Random Orbits]

Under the 3rd AF menu, there is a category, One-Shot AF release priority. Did you set it to Release Priority? According to the manual, setting it to "Release Priority" gives priority to getting the shot rather than achieving correct focus. It also gives the following note:

Note that the picture will be taken even if focus has not been achieved.

Also, what if you focus in LV and then exit LV to take the picture? Does that work?

 

[can0nfan2379]

I have a few Zeiss ZE manual focus lenses.....no special settings on camera, just manually focus and press the shutter. Not sure why your Samyang would be any different.

I know this may be very simple to many of you using the 5D Mark III but I can't seem to figure it out so your help is greatly appreciated. I've spent a good few hours flipping through the manual and scouring Websites but can't seem to find anything.

I find myself at a lost today trying to take some architectural/environmental shots with the Mark III and the Samyang 14mm. Try as I might, I can't get the camera to take the shot. Pushing the shutter button does nothing. I have gone through the Live View menu and tried adjusting the various settings but they haven't helped. I have the camera on a tripod using Live View, ISO at 100, aperture at f/16 and is using both manual focus magnification along with hyper focal techniques. Normally, this is a non-issue with my 5D Mark II which I have been using exclusively for landscape/environmental photography up until today.

What I believe the problem maybe is that the camera is trying to focus with AF rather than letting me manually focus BUT since the Samyang 14mm lens is a fully manual lens and do not have a manual switch, I can't change to that to let the camera know that I want to focus manually.

What am I doing wrong? Do I need to activate mirror lockup (I'd assume that Live View is a better option since it reduces/eliminates vibration)? How do I go about setting the camera to manual focus?

Any help in shedding light to this is greatly appreciated.

EDIT: I've just tried this with the Canon 24L and was able to take shots. This helps confirm that the issue lies with setting the lens to AF/manual but how does one goes about using manual lenses that do not have AF/manual switches with the Mark III?