1D MK IV: AF Tracking and Skiing.
Here's a few shots form my Ski Trip to Killington, Vermont.
These are tracking head on at a pretty decent speed, which is usually difficult for a camera. These are obviously handheld while I'm on my own skis with my back facing down the mountain, with my skis in a reverse snow plow.
Last year, there were some reports of the MK IV having difficulty tracking head-on when a red color jersey was worn in bright sunlight.
http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=7-10048-10484-10500
Excerpt from the article:
"Two of those tops are shown in the downloadable runner sequences: blue (the PV singlet), and as you'll see, the results are good to great, plus red, where there is more than one instance of the dreaded EOS-1D Mark IV frontfocus shift. We shot other tops too, but it was really only the red that set off any alarm bells. Still, how the camera performed with the runner wearing the red top was not anywhere near as poor as in other more real world situations, such as sunny soccer."
The above article was written over a year ago, so it looks like Canon listened to their customers and they have appeared to improve/fix any problems that this body may have had initially.
Even, Bryan as mentioned in his review, had some sporadic results and inconsistent AF tracking early on, however he mentioned that Canon had addressed some initial concerns and that the MK IV was improved over time.
Here are a couple of other articles and testing regrading the Canon Mk IV.
<div>http://www.prophotohome.com/news/2010/03/01/rob-galbraith-says-canon-1d-mkiv-auto-focus-still-unreliable-is-it-true-2/</div>
http://www.prophotohome.com/news/2010/03/01/autofocus-torture-test-updated-canon-1d-mkiv-nikon-d3s-added/
So.., I would just like to share some of my personal experiences so far.
The photos below look much better on Flickr, where the entire series may be viewed in sequential order. If you hit next button quickly once you're on the link, it looks like a slow motion movie.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53022431@N03/5611498895/in/set-72157626376005130/lightbox/
Although my testing wasn't as scientific as the others, I could comfortably say that in real world usage and in bright light with a red top, I am very pleased with the results.
Canon MK IV: 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II @f/4, 1/3200sec, ISO 200, CPL (No post processing and No cropping)
I started at 200mm and I zoomed out slowly to 70mm as my friend, the Skier was approaching me.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5025/...973f715b_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5225/...34880855_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5108/...771d900a_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5182/...f435ff60_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5187/...792ee67b_b.jpg
Thanks for viewing!
C&C always welcome!
Rich
Re: 1D MK IV: AF Tracking and Skiing.
Re: 1D MK IV: AF Tracking and Skiing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Lane
This is how I check out my AFMA!
Rich
I think this takes care of 3 AFMA settings, now just 66 more to go and you have them all.
Nice Shots
Re: 1D MK IV: AF Tracking and Skiing.
Nice series Rich, the MarklV is a peerless action camera. But it has got to have someone skilled pushing the buttons.
Great shots.
Re: 1D MK IV: AF Tracking and Skiing.
Thank You Rick and Steve!
It
Re: 1D MK IV: AF Tracking and Skiing.
Wonderful series of shots, Rich! I
Re: 1D MK IV: AF Tracking and Skiing.
Thanks for the feedback "D", it
Re: 1D MK IV: AF Tracking and Skiing.
Rich, nice pics!
As a 7D owner, I am not sure I want to know the answer, but you recently posted two series of tracking pictures (both good BTW), one taken with the 7D and one taken with the 1D IV. Any thoughts or comments on how the two cameras performed?
Re: 1D MK IV: AF Tracking and Skiing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kayaker72
Rich, nice pics!
As a 7D owner, I am not sure I want to know the answer, but you recently posted two series of tracking pictures (both good BTW), one taken with the 7D and one taken with the 1D IV. Any thoughts or comments on how the two cameras performed?
Hey Brant,
Mucho Gracias!
At 3 times the price the MK IV has been blessed with a larger sensor, higher dynamic range,better contrast, thinner DOF, lower noise, faster frame rate, better weather sealing, a 2nd media card slot for back-ups on the fly, wider focal range, snappier auto-focus, more AF points (39 cross-type sensor points on the MK IV vs. 19 cross-type senor points on the 7D) , and a more advanced tracking algorithm that Canon calls AI Servo II.
When I saw the price of the MKIV drop to $4750 at newegg shipped, then I figured I would sell one of my 7D's, and apply that money towards the MK IV. So, I will be selling one of my 7D's within the next 2 weeks, however I sent it to Canon today for a focusing screen cleaning (some lint behind the focusing screen drives me nuts even though it doesn't affect the pictures), under warranty. I didn't want to sell something that was not 100% perfect. The sensor is perfectly clean though.
The 7D is 1/3 the price of the MKIV, but not 1/3 less effective, it is much smaller and lighter (if you don't have the battery grip mounted) which I see as an advantage when hiking, biking or traveling, it has the pop-up flash and longer reach too.
If I would rate them from 1-10, with 10 being the best. I would give the 7D an 8, and give the MKIV a 10.
I originally bought the MKIV for better low light performance at outdoor night games and for indoor Gyms, which is kind of ironic, because after one of my 4 football teams that I follow, made it deep into the playoffs then I was kind of burnt out, so I took the basketball season off. You know, this is only a fun hobby for me with some local sales and, now that I'm getting into the whole BIF thing, I'm getting out of the house more and going to preserves and parks, so it has really been a wonderful thing.
I was waiting for a FF Sports Camera form Canon, but it never happened. Nikon has the reputation of having a slight edge over Canon in regards to FF sports body, which is better in lower light, but I'm so invested in Canon and I loved the 7D so much, that I decided to just go for the MKIV and I am so absolutely in love with it.
Both bodies track very well in AI Servo and tracking priority. Both bodies take about a 1/2 sec (perhaps a little quicker with the MK IV) to lock focus and then they don't let go, but lets just say that the MKIV, holds onto the subject a little better, as it has more tracking points. I would say that when I do my job right and I'm paying attention to the action, then my keeper rate with the 7D is about 80%, and with the MKIV it is about 95%. By keepers, I'm not referring to award winning shots with perfect composition, but I am referring to sharp shots with good focus. I also use very fast lenses and very fast CF cards. I shot most sports with a monopod when it's feasible to do so. If I'm not doing what I should be doing and I miss the first shot and I don't recover, then usually the moment is lost and the entire burst may be ruined, but I blame that on user error, namely "me".
Both cameras also track very well, even when an obstruction gets in the way, as long as you have the tracking sensitivity set properly.
Another important consideration is to use fast f/2.8 lenses hopefully with enough reach, that you won't require an extender, and this is also easier achieved on the 7D, due to the longer reach.
I hope that helps!
Rich
Re: 1D MK IV: AF Tracking and Skiing.
Rich
I think you are dead on with your description. The 7D has only a few things over the 1D IV, a little over 30 hundred dollar bills left in your account if you get it instead of the 1D, it is a lot lighter and if for some odd reason you really wanted the 1.6 crop for a specific purpose you might want it.
I bought my 1D IV to go with the 500mm and I really like it. I thought about selling my 7D, but I have been thinking about outfitting it to use as a video camera and keep it.
Rick
Re: 1D MK IV: AF Tracking and Skiing.
Thanks Rick!
I think your 5D would probably be better for Video, due it
Re: 1D MK IV: AF Tracking and Skiing.
Football Tracking All with the 7D:
You may see the same photo with version 2 next to it, which is just a mild crop.
If you take a look at these shots, #4982 the runner was running slow and then he took off, I missed the shot in #4982, so the camera missed the next frame which was #4983 (I was right on the runner, so he must of out ran the sensor [:P])and was a little OOF, but then the 7D locked in again and the next ones were are all good.
In #4987 we have an obstruction (blue jersey #81) and then a soft shot #4988, and then the camera recovers and everything is sharp again.
In #4994 as the players were falling to the ground and the ball handler was being tackled, I was a little slow and the sensor was aimed in between the 2 blue jerseys, but then on the next shot #4995, I was able to lower my aim and hit my target and everything was sharp again.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53022431@N03/5617408381/in/set-72157626368860853/lightbox/
Here's another example:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53022431@N03/5617421477/in/set-72157626368820155/lightbox/
The running back takes the handoff and then gets lost behind the blockers #4928 and then he comes out the other side #4929 you could see his hand poking through but white jersey #1 is an obstruction and then the 7D picks him up again in #4930.
Then #4931 is OOF due to an obstruction that comprised 3 frames, so the runner was lost and then #4931 was OOF. A fast or fixed obstruction is usually no problem, however white jersey #1 was running along side the subject as an obstruction for 3 frames. The tracking sensitivity could be tweaked to be slower, but I find that it works in most cases, where I have it which is in the middle.
The 7D recovers in #4932 and then locks focus again and all of the rest of the shot s were good, until the Ref got in my way at the end or his end got in my way.
Here's one more that you could check out if you want. I think these are a little soft, but his determination is not.
I'll tell ya' that this dude was one determined runner, check out his facial expressions!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53022431@N03/5618020128/in/set-72157626368838175/lightbox/
I hope you enjoyed it!
Rich
Re: 1D MK IV: AF Tracking and Skiing.
Rich
There was a tutorial on the canon website a while back, it may still be there. There was a wedding shooter that did video and he used the 7d over the 5d. He would pair it with the 14mm F2.8L II and he would get a very deep depth of field at a really wide open aperture. Which means easy to keep in focus. He also used the 24mm F2.4L II as well.
I guess the real reason I haven
Re: 1D MK IV: AF Tracking and Skiing.
I guess if you want a deep DOF, then that would work, but I told my friend who wanted to buy one of my 7D's to make Videos, that he should get a used 5DII because it has a larger sensor, thinner DOF, better low light AF, and less noise. More like TV network cameras.
Rich
Re: 1D MK IV: AF Tracking and Skiing.
Rich,
Thanks for the detailed response. BTW, love all of the sequences, in particular, 4932. Great football shot with the two defenders converging on the runner. But I am really impressed that the 7D held onto the runner as well as it did as he made his way through the pack.
Thanks again,
Brant
Re: 1D MK IV: AF Tracking and Skiing.
Thanks Brant!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53022431@N03/5617421477/in/set-72157626368820155/lightbox/[/b]
You can take a look at one more concept, in #4921 the quaterbacks "back" and #4922 quaterbacks "left arm& ball" are in focus, then the runner emerges, #4923 and is soft because it takes the camera 0.5 sec to re-lock onto the runner and let go of the quarterback (you can sometimes do this faster by letting go of the Af-On button and re-lock the runner, or wait for the camera to do it automatically if the sensitivity is not set "too slow" , then once it does that, the next runner shots #4924 will start to be very sharp.
Some people will look at these and say, wow the 7D missed #4923 or the 7D is soft, when in actuality the camera did exactly what I have it set-up to do. If I wanted #4923 to be very sharp, then I would need to increase the AF tracking sensitivity to faster, this way the camera would let go of the quaterback sooner and lock onto the runner in #4923 faster and then it would be sharper, however then everytime a blocker or referee gets in the way of the subject (very common in football) that your tracking, then AF would move to the new subject and you would loose the main subject (not good in my opinion).
Since the MK IV has a higher burst rate I probably would of had 2 shots with the runner getting the ball and then I could discard the 1st one.
I just wanted to point out that the camera is doing what it is supposed to do.
Different sports will require different tracking sensitivities.
Rich
Re: 1D MK IV: AF Tracking and Skiing.
Rich,
Nice sequence. The grass does a great job showing the focal plane. #4923 the runner is just on the very edge of the focal plane while the QB is still in the middle.But as far as I am concerned, the 7D did a great job.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Lane
Different sports will require different tracking sensitivities.
This is something I haven't played with yet.Maybe I'll find some hawks and see how much influence the tracking sensitivity has on BIF.
Brant
Re: 1D MK IV: AF Tracking and Skiing.
Thanks Brant!
Just keep in mind that the "tracking sensitivity" will hold onto the subject longer with the slower setting (to ignore obstructions or if you lose your target for a couple of seconds) or it will let go of your current subject faster to lock onto the new subject, if you set the sensitivity to faster.
Also note that the "slow setting won't make the camera focus slower", it will focus just as fast no matter which sensitivity you select. If the sensitivity was set too slow and you would like to focus on a new target quicker, then you can take your finger off the focus button and re-focus on your new target.
Rich
