My frustration level is at its peak right now!

[Richard Lane]

If you set all of these settings as described above, and then you have a bird in a tree, all you have to do is change the AF point selection from; AF Point expansion or Zone AF to..., Single Point AF or Spot AF.

Rich


With the 1D IV I can use AI servo mode and get really good focus on sitting subjects. That wasn't always the case on the 7D or the 5D II. Single Shot, single point was always more accurate than AI mode. So for me I would switch from AI to single shot if I thought I had a subject sitting for a while. Then switch back to AI servo if I were thinking it was getting ready to bolt.


Or maybe I am miss understanding your wording of single point or spot af and that is what you were saying.


Rick


<span style="font-size: 11.6667px;"]

<span style="font-size: 11.6667px;"]Hi Rick,


<span style="font-size: 11.6667px;"]I'll try to clarify. The reason that I had suggested to switch to Single AF Point or the smaller Spot AF was so that the camera would not focus on a branch, which the AF expansion point or the Zone AF would do (if the bird was in a tree). It had nothing to do with AI Servo vs. One Shot.


When I use the AF-On back button for focusing and tracking I can effectively go from AI servo mode to One Shot by lettting go of the AF-On back button when focus is locked, and then just compose and press the shutter button for capture only, this affectively behaves as ONE SHOT since tracking has been suspended when you take your thumb off of the AF-On back button.


Are you using the AF-On for tracking? Because another advantage is that it is much easier to track by fully pressing the AF-ON button, then it is to track with a half-press shutter button.





Rich


<span style="font-size: 11.6667px;"]

[HDNitehawk]

Are you using the AF-On for tracking? Because another advantage is that it is much easier to track by fully pressing the AF-ON button, then it is to track with a half-press shutter button.

No, I will give it a try though. Especialy if I use the 7D or 5D since they are lacking when it comes to AI servo. The 1D IV I don't think it will matter either way, I have been getting sharp shots out of AI servo both moving and sitting.


Thanks


Rick

[HDNitehawk]

When I use the AF-On back button for focusing and tracking I can effectively go from AI servo mode to One Shot by lettting go of the AF-On back button when focus is locked, and then just compose and press the shutter button for capture only, this affectively behaves as ONE SHOT since tracking has been suspended when you take your thumb off of the AF-On back button.


Are you using the AF-On for tracking? Because another advantage is that it is much easier to track by fully pressing the AF-ON button, then it is to track with a half-press shutter button.

Rich


Which setting would allow you to do this on the 5D II. I have tried it and in AI servo mode if you release the AF-ON and recompose and once you touch the shutter button it takes over and AF hunts the new target, even if your very quick.


Which it seems like some of the functions offered in the 7D and 5D aren't the same in the 1D Mark IV. For instance the AF stop button on the 300mm we both have, can be programed in the 1D IV to go to spot focus which shrinks the focus point using the AF stop button on the camera. That same button can be programed to switch from AI to One Shot mode. However on the 7D you can do spot focus but its a setting you have to change in CFn III 6, I guess I need to try this and see how it actualy works, if you can change from spot to full point easily. But still, that gives the 7D the option to do both of those functions. But with the 1D IV you could only choose one, unless there is a setting in the 1D IV I haven't found yet that would make the point to spot focus and keep it that way until changed or assign it to a diffrent button. The spot focus on the telephoto's on the 1D IV seems like an almost have to have button, it seems to me that the AF area is much larger on the 1D IV single point than it is on the 5D and 7D. I have been using it alotto focus on bird in the bush.


Rick

[Richard Lane]

Hey Rick,


In order to get the benefit of the AF-on button you are correct in that you have to shut off the AF feature that is linked to the shutter button.


I don't have a 5D, but I can explain how it is done on the 7D and the MK IV.





On the 7D; go into the Custom Function Menu:


C.Fn IV: Operation/Others


press set, now you're in C.Fn IV: 1


then press set, the first icon is the shutter button half-press, now press set again, then turn the control dial and deselect AF, and select metering start which is the middle choice for Shutter butt. half-press.


You now must use the AF-ON button for focusing and just prior to pressing the shutter button, you will get your correct meter reading.


The AF-ON Custom Control Menu Button should be set to the first choice (AF) which is Metering and AF start





On the MKIV: It's C.Fn IV-1-2


OR


C: Fn IV Operation/ Others (Press set)


You will see,


C: Fn IV Operation Others


Shutter button/ AF-On Button


you will see choices 0-5, press set again


use the control dial and select choice


2: Metering start/ Meter + AF start





I hope that helps,


Rich

[Richard Lane]

<span style="font-size: 11.6667px;"]But with the 1D IV you could only choose one, unless there is a setting in the 1D IV I haven't found yet that would make the point to spot focus and keep it that way until changed or assign it to a diffrent button. The spot focus on the telephoto's on the 1D IV seems like an almost have to have button, it seems to me that the AF area is much larger on the 1D IV single point than it is on the 5D and 7D. I have been using it alotto focus on bird in the bush.


Rick

You are correct, unfortunately the MKIV doesn't have a separate Spot AF button, other than the one you mentioned on the AF-Stop button on the Super-telephoto lenses with IS. We're all hoping that a firmware update will rectify this omission in a future update.


However, even though the Spot AF indicator on the MKIV is the same size as the Single AF indicator. The Spot AF covers an area approximately equal to its actual size, whereas, the Single AF indicator, comprises an area approx. double its own size.


Rich

[Deva207]

Thank you very much, Richard, I appreciate it.


Anri