Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

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Archive 2008 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

treebeard
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p.1 #1 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

This is the first time I have had an issue with my MkIII since I got it weeks ago. I have used my 17-40L, Sigma 70-200, Canon 70-200 2.8L, Canon 85 1.8 and this afternoon my Sigma 100-300 f/4. I have shot night football and soccer, day soccer and field hockey with no issues whatsoever. Yesterday I shot a bicycle race with my MkIII and 85 1.8 and 17-40L with bikes coming at me and the camera/lens performed as I expected. I don't know what to make of these shots. Now I know I used a slow shutter speed (1/250 at f/4) but I was quite close to the tree with the woodpecker on it. Look at the suet feeder and the bird. The suet feeder is sharp but the bird looks horrible. The second one is even worse and I shot it at 1/400 with the focus point on the middle of the feeder. I took about 30 shots using single shot and they all look like this. Is this the dreaded AF issue or could it be the lens/body combo? I am using the middle focus point with C.FnIII 8-2 (Enable, surrounding point assist) and 9-4 (Inner 9-points). Help?

I added one more to show how horrific the focusing is. Shot at 1/800 at f/4. Seems very bad if you ask me.

2012 © treebeard

Edited on Sep 22, 2008 at 09:34 PM · View previous versions

Sep 22, 2008 at 09:29 PM

Seth Tower
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p.1 #2 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

Are you sure you were focusing on the bird with the active AF point? That feeder is tack sharp, which makes it look like that was the focusing point.

Sep 22, 2008 at 09:33 PM

treebeard
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p.1 #3 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

No, both shots I was very close and I was focusing dead on the bird. The 3rd on I just added is even worse. It was shot at 1/800 at f/4. The focus point was dead on the bird. I have about 9 shots like this and the bird is OOF in every shot. I was quite close!

It has to be the lens. I just shot a bluejay on my feeder with my Sigma 70-200 2.8. I shot at 1/500 at f/4 and look how sharp the image is zoomed in at 100%. Anyone have any ideas what I should do?

2012 © treebeard

Edited on Sep 22, 2008 at 10:09 PM · View previous versions

Sep 22, 2008 at 09:35 PM

kjetils
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p.1 #4 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

as long bright details like the feeder is within the focus point area it is likely to shift focus to that area. You will see that with any camera. You need to get much closer

K

Sep 22, 2008 at 10:04 PM

treebeard
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p.1 #5 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

kjetils wrote:
as long bright details like the feeder is within the focus point area it is likely to shift focus to that area. You will see that with any camera. You need to get much closer

K

I disagree and no, that will not happen with any camera because I have taken almost the exact same shot of a nuthatch (much smaller) on the exact same tree and the exact same feeder this Spring with my 30D and my Canon 300 f/4 and it is has been spot on. Look at the bluejay photo. I was way far away from the feeder with my Sigma 70-200 2.8 and look how sharp it is. There is something not right with the lens/body combo.

Edit: MkIII and Sigma 70-200 2.8 from the same distance. Shot 1/400@2.8 ISO 1600. I took 25 shots and every single one was in focus. Yes, I got some motion blur at 1/400 but it's quite obvious how the shot is not only in focus but sharp. Zoomed in 100% and cropped.

2012 © treebeard

Sep 22, 2008 at 10:08 PM

kjetils
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p.1 #6 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

The blue-jay shot seems sharp to me - at least the feeder. Problem is that the feeder is very contrasty - and as long it is that close to or within the focus point is likely to shift to the feeder. It will be a hit and miss situation IMO

But if all your shots are oof you better get it checked. For perched birds I never get oof shots with mine.

all the best

K

Sep 22, 2008 at 10:31 PM

kjetils
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p.1 #7 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

BTW, always use center-point(or single af-point). I don't find extension much useful. On the contrary it will shift focus much more. Only situation extension might be useful is flying bird against sky

K

Sep 22, 2008 at 10:35 PM

Gary Petersen
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p.1 #8 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

How does it behave with surrounding point assist disabled?

Sep 22, 2008 at 10:50 PM

john660
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p.1 #9 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

A VERY typical 1D III AF problem from my experience shooting wildlife with the various 1D Mk III bodies I have owned. In general, the camera works fantastically well in almost all situations for One-shot AF (as everyone knows, the Al Servo is a different issue altogether), but it has at least one serious flaw in it that causes front focusing and I'm pretty sure Canon still has no clue what's causing it. I find it occurs most in subjects that are black and white in a coloured setting, for instance, a badger in a sunny green field.

I have put in a long and detailed research request to Canon and Canon research development here in Calgary, Alberta and am waiting for their analysis of my shots and my findings.

There are two ways to try to mitigate the AF problems in these types of situations. One, just use center point AF (I rarely use surrounding assist points unless it's an action sequence) and two, if you suspect your camera is not focusing properly, focus and refocus continually and take shots the whole time. This helps ensure that you get one or two sharp shots out of the series. It's not ideal, but then again, neither is the 1D III as it currently is.

Sep 22, 2008 at 10:57 PM

treebeard
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p.1 #10 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

I have used the MkIII and Sigma 70-200 2.8 for about 2 weeks and out of all the soccer, field hockey and football games I have shot I don't remember an OOF shot that would make me wonder if there is something wrong. All games were shot in AI Servo, high speed continous drive, C.Fn III 8-2 (Enable, surrounding point assist) and 9-4 (Inner 9-points) were activated. I always select the center focal point anyways. I was blown away by how well the lens/body performed at ISO3200 and even ISO6400. This is the first time I have picked the 100-300 f/4 up and used it. I will be getting a 30D on Wednesday so I will be able to test it on another body then, but I really don't think it's a 100% camera problem. Here is a shot from yesterday with my 85 1.8. I had 0 issues shooting the entire race.

2012 © treebeard

Sep 22, 2008 at 11:05 PM

treebeard
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p.1 #11 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

Gary Petersen wrote:
How does it behave with surrounding point assist disabled?

The shot of the woodpecker on the wooden feeder was taken with surrounding point assist disabled. All of those shots are OOF as well.

Sep 22, 2008 at 11:08 PM

treebeard
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p.1 #12 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

kjetils wrote:
The blue-jay shot seems sharp to me - at least the feeder. Problem is that the feeder is very contrasty - and as long it is that close to or within the focus point is likely to shift to the feeder. It will be a hit and miss situation IMO

But if all your shots are oof you better get it checked. For perched birds I never get oof shots with mine.

all the best

K

I am coming from a MkIIn and I have never really missed birds perched on feeders either. My 30D and 70-200 2.8L and even my 300 f/4 IS (turned off) produced super results. I have a 30D coming Wednesday so I will test the lens out on that body as well. Oh yeah, with the MkIII I always select the middle focus point.

Sep 22, 2008 at 11:11 PM

kjetils
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p.1 #13 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

Again If you have this problem I would send it back. The mkIII performs much better than my old mkII in AI-servo(not to mention the 30D). In all conditions of light (at least after the latest firmware)

K

Sep 23, 2008 at 01:04 AM

treebeard
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p.1 #14 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

I need to wait until I get the 30D and then see what happens. I am also going to contact Canon or Sigma to see what they say.

Sep 23, 2008 at 01:08 AM

Emile Gregoire
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p.1 #15 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

Micro-adjustment would seem in order here but I'm not sure it works on non-Canon lenses...

Sep 23, 2008 at 07:13 AM

Alistair Watson
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p.1 #16 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

I would say the AF assist is causing your problem. In some situations it is very useful but if your central (or other) point loses AF lock then the assist will activate, simple.

Sep 23, 2008 at 08:47 AM

morganb4
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p.1 #17 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

treebeard wrote:
Gary Petersen wrote:
How does it behave with surrounding point assist disabled?

The shot of the woodpecker on the wooden feeder was taken with surrounding point assist disabled. All of those shots are OOF as well.

I have exactly the same happen with mine. Its almost as if AF assist is permanently on. V Frustrating.

Sep 23, 2008 at 08:59 AM

treebeard
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p.1 #18 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

Alistair Watson wrote:
I would say the AF assist is causing your problem. In some situations it is very useful but if your central (or other) point loses AF lock then the assist will activate, simple.

I would like to blame it on that but it's hard to especially since I have shot so many games of soccer and field hockey and not had a single problem. When my 30D arrives tomorrow I will test the lens out on that body.

Sep 23, 2008 at 01:23 PM

Gary Petersen
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p.1 #19 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

Made me go out and check mine last night. Just pointed it out here and shot wide open with the 70-200mm f2.8 L.

2012 © Gary Petersen

Sep 23, 2008 at 02:23 PM

treebeard
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p.1 #20 · Dreaded MkIII OOF shots?

My MkIII has performed flawlessly in AI SERVO. I shot a h.s. football game in the pouring rain and I only had 1 OOF shot due to someone cutting in front of me and the camera just grabbed that player instead of the player I was attempting to aim for. However.....later on I was in single shot mode and I was quite surprised at the number of OOF shots I got while shooting kids coming at me and by me while learning to ice skate. I was at F/4 at about 1/500 and they were moving pretty slow. Should I just not use single shot mode?!?!

Sep 27, 2008 at 01:05 AM

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