Recently acquired this classic lens and looking to get the best out of it. One shot AF seems to give me the best results(very sharp). AI Servo seems to miss the focus when wide open. Shooting with original 5D and 1d Mark 2n, both seem to show similar improvement with one shot (shooting portraits). Thanks for any additional tricks you might have regarding this hunk of glass.
mttran wrote:
1dseries AI servo AF @ f1.8 or larger - works great with all AF points. I have always used 5Ds for 1 shots AF, i don't trust 5D's outer points.
so, do you avoid AI even on the 1 series wide open with 85L?
If you are shooting at 1.2, one shot is fine but once it has "acquired focus" you better be still or your focus is going to be off.
The best thing to do is shoot a bunch with that lens. I just sold mine and dropped it of at fedex today but it it is a wonderful tool. You have to learn your lens. Mine was sharpest from 1.6 on. If a friend wanted to try out my 85L, no problem but they always seem to struggle with it. You really have to shoot with to get the feel for it.
The biggest help to me was to put a EE-S screen in my 5D and manual focus. This is how I shot my 85L probably 90% of the time. Again, once you get used to that, it is no problem. I had alott more keepers than trying to let the camera/lens hunt for AF, esp. in a dark environment.
Good Luck with your new lens. It is a really nice piece of glass.
AI Servo just introduces another potential source of error as the camera is trying to track focus when that's not necessary for what you're shooting. One-shot is the way to go unless you are compelled to rely on manual focus. AI Servo was not intended for the application you have described (unless your subject is moving and I just missed that in your OP).
Russ Isabella wrote:
AI Servo just introduces another potential source of error as the camera is trying to track focus when that's not necessary for what you're shooting. One-shot is the way to go unless you are compelled to rely on manual focus. AI Servo was not intended for the application you have described (unless your subject is moving and I just missed that in your OP).
Thanks Russ. Let me know how your Mk IV works with the 85L wide open. The kids are always moving even when told to "Stay still!"
docnlaw24 wrote:
Always use * for AF, but AI servo still couldn't handle the 85 wide open. One shot seemed to be much better though.
I use One Shot when I need AF Assist from my 580EX - have tried it in broad daylight as well, though it didn't seem to improve my keeper rate. If in AI Servo, you'll hear the lens doing tiny little adjustments as you or your subject sway back and forth. One shot will not even register those so either way you're not going to get an f/2.8 keeper rate at f/1.2
Russ Isabella wrote:
AI Servo just introduces another potential source of error as the camera is trying to track focus when that's not necessary for what you're shooting. One-shot is the way to go unless you are compelled to rely on manual focus. AI Servo was not intended for the application you have described (unless your subject is moving and I just missed that in your OP).
AI Servo may not be intended for stationary subjects, but when there is no movement to predict because there is none, it will not predict any movement either. On the other hand, with the 85L wide open, there is constant movement in the form of your natural swaying back and forth unless you are shooting from a tripod. I find AI servo seems to help me here, but then maybe the root cause is all that beer I drink before noon.
cogitech wrote:
Your compositions must suffer terribly.
No, not really. At least not because of the AF I have an Ee-S for the alt lenses I shoot, and I use MF on the 85L when shooting completely stationary subjects which is seldom. It does help immensely when double-checking AF accuracy through the viewfinder though.
I'm using focus recompose most of the time, except for moving subjects where I'll crop in post. Before I hear all the comments on how bad focus recompose is, take a DoF calculator, work in the numbers for general head&shoulder or full body shots on a 5D/85L and then realize that for most real world shooting scenarios it's not the issue it's made up to be.
Shooting wide open, on a tripod, with a stationary subject, then one shot works great. If you are hand holding it then Servo helps take care of the body sway. That said, MFing it is the way I go most of the time and do a focus bracket.
So why do you suppose that some cretin needs to insult my intelligence and skill by insinuating that I have no experience?
All I am doing is presenting my perspective, after many years of shooting plenty of ultra-fast glass with both AF and MF. Some numbskull who hasn't even tried MF has the audacity to accuse me of not knowing what I'm talking about?
