p.9 #1 · 5d M III Viewfinder illumination and af points!
arbitrage wrote:
It does light up when you change points. But I agree it would be better to flash once when the AF starts like the 5D2 does. I think this would be a simple software fix. It is strange why they don't have it do this.
But I'm not sure what you are talking about the 5D2 lighting up when it is close to in focus. I just retested in light equivalent to f/2.8 ISO 6400 and 0.5 sec shutter speed and the 5D2 blinks once at the start and then hunts for focus and then blinks again and beeps only when it has focus locked. Other than the initial flash there is no difference between it and the 5D3 other than the 5D3 can focus in 1 stop less light....Show more →
Maybe I should have been slightly more specific. I've found that the 5d2 and 5d3 focus very differently. The 5d3 is much more particular and precise to focus, and sometimes can take extra time to make sure it hits 100% precise focus when it's dark. So in one week of using the 5d3, I've found the focus confirm of the 5d2 actually often lights up faster in dark situations, even if the 5d3 is more accurate and quicker to get in the ballpark. The 5d2 just either gives up or doesn't care if the focus is off a bit. This is actually a good thing for the 5d3 and exactly what I want in portrait situations. However, the 5d3 just keeps us in the dark until it achieves that 100% precise focus (which can take several extra seconds) and we unfortunately can't see what we're even focusing on until that point in time.
Like others have said, the workaround is to hit the upper right autofocus button on the back that can illuminate all the points. It kind of works, but is far from ideal since effectively you have to hit that button before you autofocus every shot in any dim lighting situations. Just my opinion
p.9 #4 · 5d M III Viewfinder illumination and af points!
AGeoJO wrote:
I don't know what else to say.... . I really don't recall any complaint about this particular issue in the 7D. Maybe 7D users are just too dumb to figure this out or they are less picky or simply they think that the whole viewfinder, including the AF points, simply works for them just fine. Take you pick!
If you don't like the 5D Mark III, either you sell it and get another one even switch to another brand, if you feel necessary or you find a way to work around it. While I can see the point of wanting to see the active AF point to be lit at the initiation of the AF process and lit again as it locks focus, which I believe can be done in a firmware update, but changing the screen or the way it illuminates the AF point(s) is just senseless, IMHO. ...Show more →
I don't know why you keep going back to 7D users and their opinions on how that camera functions. Maybe people that bought the 7D chose that over the 5D because of certain characteristics... maybe the 1.6x crop for reach, maybe the speed.... whatever the reason, it's probably wasn't because it was the best low light performer that Canon offers. And that's really where this AF focus point illumination issue is most apparent. (I'm specifically talking about the issue where the 5D3 does not illuminate the selected focus point at AF start, making it effectively invisible in low light until it flashes after it gets lock.)
I'm glad all the 7D users are 100% happy with their AF system (that's what I've been led to believe by this thread anyway). And I'm glad you are happy with the way the 5D III performs, I would be surprised if you weren't. You had positive experiences with your 7D, it probably matched your shooting style. Not everybody came to the 5D3 from a 7D and some people shoot differently than you. Don't take it personally when some people feel this is an issue while you don't. No one is saying 7D users are 'too dumb to figure this out' except you. Again, it's not us against you...
This is about a feature which MANY of us had and took advantage of on previous Canon bodies which is now gone or crippled.
p.9 #5 · 5d M III Viewfinder illumination and af points!
mtavel wrote:
I don't know why you keep going back to 7D users and their opinions on how that camera functions. Maybe people that bought the 7D chose that over the 5D because of certain characteristics... maybe the 1.6x crop for reach, maybe the speed.... whatever the reason, it's probably wasn't because it was the best low light performer that Canon offers. And that's really where this AF focus point illumination issue is most apparent. (I'm specifically talking about the issue where the 5D3 does not illuminate the selected focus point at AF start, making it effectively invisible in low light until it flashes after it gets lock.)
I'm glad all the 7D users are 100% happy with their AF system (that's what I've been led to believe by this thread anyway). And I'm glad you are happy with the way the 5D III performs, I would be surprised if you weren't. You had positive experiences with your 7D, it probably matched your shooting style. Not everybody came to the 5D3 from a 7D and some people shoot differently than you. Don't take it personally when some people feel this is an issue while you don't. No one is saying 7D users are 'too dumb to figure this out' except you. Again, it's not us against you... ...Show more →
The reason I keep on going back to the 7D is simple. The AF system between the 7D and 5D Mark III is similar to each other. You cannot possibly question my point there, can you?
Whether the 7D users are happy with the AF system - I assume that the majority are since we didn't hear anything indicating that they were not. Again, only the majority, of course as there are always folks that are perpetually not happy with their gear or even with their life.
I understand that it is "not you against us". I believe the discussion here has been very civilized. We are here to learn from each other to figure out the best way to operate the new camera .
mtavel wrote:
This is about a feature which MANY of us had and took advantage of on previous Canon bodies which is now gone or crippled.
You quoted my previous post and I hope you read it, too. Here it is again: AGeoJO wrote:
While I can see the point of wanting to see the active AF point to be lit at the initiation of the AF process and lit again as it locks focus, which I believe can be done in a firmware update, but changing the screen or the way it illuminates the AF point(s) is just senseless, IMHO.
It won't hurt to add that feature and I am sure it can be done in a firmware. Whether Canon actually does that or whether it can be actually done is beyond me. I hate to tell you this but it won't break my heart if it is not implemented for whatever reasons. That's just my opinion and your mileage may vary and the way it looks, it does.
p.9 #6 · 5d M III Viewfinder illumination and af points!
AGeoJO wrote:
The reason I keep on going back to the 7D is simple. The AF system between the 7D and 5D Mark III is similar to each other. You cannot possibly question my point there, can you?
Whether the 7D users are happy with the AF system - I assume that the majority are since we didn't hear anything indicating that they were not. Again, only the majority, of course as there are always folks that are perpetually not happy with their gear or even with their life.
I understand that it is "not you against us". I believe the discussion here has been very civilized. We are here to learn from each other to figure out the best way to operate the new camera .
You quoted my previous post and I hope you read it, too. Here it is again:
It won't hurt to add that feature and I am sure it can be done in a firmware. Whether Canon actually does that or whether it can be actually done is beyond me. I hate to tell you this but it won't break my heart if it is not implemented for whatever reasons. That's just my opinion and your mileage may vary and the way it looks, it does....Show more →
But you must agree there are shooting situations in both dim and bright conditions that make the current 5d3 and 7d focus frustrating to use. Fixing this situation surely won't hurt anyone's existing systems so I really don't understand why the arguments or even discussions on this matter. It is a flaw and fixing it will benefit those that have come across it and won't even affect those that have never noticed the problem. Am I missing something here?
p.9 #8 · 5d M III Viewfinder illumination and af points!
chez wrote:
But you must agree there are shooting situations in both dim and bright conditions that make the current 5d3 and 7d focus frustrating to use. Fixing this situation surely won't hurt anyone's existing systems so I really don't understand why the arguments or even discussions on this matter. It is a flaw and fixing it will benefit those that have come across it and won't even affect those that have never noticed the problem. Am I missing something here?
Well I for one do not agree with part of your statement. I have yet to find any situation in bright conditions that I can't easily see the black AF square/s. I do agree that in dimmer conditions and these have to be really really dim, then I would like a pre flash of the active AF point when I hit my AF-ON button. Canon can fix this if they choose. Canon will not fix the way the red light is produced and you will never see red in bright conditions. Get used to it or move to Nikon. Oh wait the D4 is the exact same!! The 1Dx is going to be the same also. And probably every future Canon other than the rebels.
So if you guys can't get used to it or make it work then either you are going to have to stay with your old gear or switch to a different team. Canon had a demo run since 2009 of this type of system and obviously didn't get many complaints so now they have it in their two big boy cameras.
Again, as a final note, I agree that in dark conditions it should pre-flash, I can sympathize with the complaint about the red light lighting up the lens and people seeing it (although I actually find this sort of ridiculous), however, I do not agree at all with anyone complaining about the system in normal and bright light even with dark backgrounds or forested hillsides or busy backgrounds. I just came back from 2hr x-country ski / photo shoot at the wildlife park and I just can't get over how good this camera is to use. If anyone of you guys really does want to sell, send me a PM because I'm planning on getting a second one.
p.9 #9 · 5d M III Viewfinder illumination and af points!
i used the 5d m3 all day today and I still think the af display/illumination sucks, the af is indeed pretty dang amazing, I shot cars moving towards me with 85 l wi5tde open at 1.2 and that thing tracked!!!! Center and outer cross points...
On the other hand, how many clicks does it take to manually change the af point if the cam is asleep? THREE!!! That's seriously bad, you should be able to change it anytime without having to click/use three buttons to achieve that. They call it intelligent viewfinder lol
p.9 #11 · 5d M III Viewfinder illumination and af points!
the joystick dont work by itself i have to wake the cam with half press hutter button, press the button all the way to the right to activate joystick, then move joystick...If I turn auto power off and assign to the multi controller that button with the af points (wat's the name of it?) than it is just like you saying yes! Thanks
p.9 #13 · 5d M III Viewfinder illumination and af points!
pompo wrote:
the joystick dont work by itself i have to wake the cam with half press hutter button, press the button all the way to the right to activate joystick, then move joystick...If I turn auto power off and assign to the multi controller that button with the af points (wat's the name of it?) than it is just like you saying yes! Thanks
In the camera controls section you can configure the joystick to work without pressing the extra button.
p.9 #15 · 5d M III Viewfinder illumination and af points!
Manual? What manual? I don't bother reading that dang manual. I will be able to figure out any camera that's out there... Is there there an option of switching from 22MP to 36MP in the manual or the menu to disable banding? If yes, then I just have to break the manual open then. Just kidding .
Seriously, this is the time right now for us to learn from each other while trying to figure this camera out and to customize the setting that will best fit our needs and requirement .
p.9 #16 · 5d M III Viewfinder illumination and af points!
tracking servo test today!
Af is great check how it tracks with 85 mm L! The 85 became a brand new lens! I even used the outermost af points and the cross ones are great as well, I just disable the non crosspoints period.
p.9 #17 · 5d M III Viewfinder illumination and af points!
This photographer below, Mr. Ryan Brenizer shoots 250,000 frames per year...and he actually loves the camera!
There are some niggling little details that trip me up as a Nikon user. No matter how you change the settings, most of the time the AF point is either invisible or black. That’s OK unless you’re trying to track people in a pitch-black wedding reception.
Most of my AF errors weren’t because of the autofocus system, but because I had no way of remembering exactly where I put the AF point unless I kept moving it around.
UPDATE: The more I use this, the more of a problem this is. I had to set the 5DIII aside at a recent dark reception because I could never see what I was supposed to focus on. Canon needs to address this in a firmware update. You should be able to make the point red all the time in dark scenes.
p.9 #18 · 5d M III Viewfinder illumination and af points!
Jim Heine wrote:
Maybe I should have been slightly more specific. I've found that the 5d2 and 5d3 focus very differently. The 5d3 is much more particular and precise to focus, and sometimes can take extra time to make sure it hits 100% precise focus when it's dark. So in one week of using the 5d3, I've found the focus confirm of the 5d2 actually often lights up faster in dark situations, even if the 5d3 is more accurate and quicker to get in the ballpark. The 5d2 just either gives up or doesn't care if the focus is off a bit. This is actually a good thing for the 5d3 and exactly what I want in portrait situations. However, the 5d3 just keeps us in the dark until it achieves that 100% precise focus (which can take several extra seconds) and we unfortunately can't see what we're even focusing on until that point in time.
Like others have said, the workaround is to hit the upper right autofocus button on the back that can illuminate all the points. It kind of works, but is far from ideal since effectively you have to hit that button before you autofocus every shot in any dim lighting situations. Just my opinion ...Show more →
This is how the 1D II worked in low light; it was a bit slower to acquire a lock in very low light than 20D and 5D, but it was invariably much more accurate. 5D II in low light will claim it's focused even if it turns out to clearly not be sometimes.
p.9 #19 · 5d M III Viewfinder illumination and af points!
chez wrote:
But you must agree there are shooting situations in both dim and bright conditions that make the current 5d3 and 7d focus frustrating to use. Fixing this situation surely won't hurt anyone's existing systems so I really don't understand why the arguments or even discussions on this matter. It is a flaw and fixing it will benefit those that have come across it and won't even affect those that have never noticed the problem. Am I missing something here?
arbitrage wrote:
Well I for one do not agree with part of your statement. I have yet to find any situation in bright conditions that I can't easily see the black AF square/s. I do agree that in dimmer conditions and these have to be really really dim, then I would like a pre flash of the active AF point when I hit my AF-ON button. Canon can fix this if they choose. Canon will not fix the way the red light is produced and you will never see red in bright conditions. Get used to it or move to Nikon. Oh wait the D4 is the exact same!! The 1Dx is going to be the same also. And probably every future Canon other than the rebels.
So if you guys can't get used to it or make it work then either you are going to have to stay with your old gear or switch to a different team. Canon had a demo run since 2009 of this type of system and obviously didn't get many complaints so now they have it in their two big boy cameras.
Again, as a final note, I agree that in dark conditions it should pre-flash, I can sympathize with the complaint about the red light lighting up the lens and people seeing it (although I actually find this sort of ridiculous), however, I do not agree at all with anyone complaining about the system in normal and bright light even with dark backgrounds or forested hillsides or busy backgrounds. I just came back from 2hr x-country ski / photo shoot at the wildlife park and I just can't get over how good this camera is to use. If anyone of you guys really does want to sell, send me a PM because I'm planning on getting a second one. ...Show more →
Arbitrage, I'm sorry but I don't support your post at all. All I see when I read your post is someone who is dismissive of other people's opinions (which is fair enough) but for some strange reason you are actively against Canon coming up with a fix. Why? Why do you even care about this if it isn't a problem for you? What part of Chez's post can someone possibly disagree with on a reasonable basis?
As Chez say, a fix (e.g. an option in CFn) would not impact existing users, but will benefit users who find it problematic. There is zero logical justification why anyone would want to argue against this - yet you do
If it doesn't affect you, then great (genuinely happy for you), but why then dismiss the issues other people are facing and suggest drastic options like switching gear systems rather than a simple firmware fix?
p.9 #20 · 5d M III Viewfinder illumination and af points!
Dawei Ye wrote:
Arbitrage, I'm sorry but I don't support your post at all. All I see when I read your post is someone who is dismissive of other people's opinions (which is fair enough) but for some strange reason you are actively against Canon coming up with a fix. Why? Why do you even care about this if it isn't a problem for you? What part of Chez's post can someone possibly disagree with on a reasonable basis?
As Chez say, a fix (e.g. an option in CFn) would not impact existing users, but will benefit users who find it problematic. There is zero logical justification why anyone would want to argue against this - yet you do
If it doesn't affect you, then great (genuinely happy for you), but why then dismiss the issues other people are facing and suggest drastic options like switching gear systems rather than a simple firmware fix?...Show more →
Please go and reread what I posted. Not just in my reply to chez but click on my name and look up all my posts in this thread. I suggested a fix via firmware many times but I just clarified that only 1/2 of the problems people have brought up in this thread can be fixed via firmware. I've said many times that Canon can and should fix it so that the focus point preflashes and they could probably have the active point stay illuminated because we know by pushing the AF selection button it can light up all the points for a while. What I said is that Canon isn't going to change the new LCD overlay type of focus screen and they can't change the way this screen works and the way the light is generated which gives the red glow when looking into the lens from the other side.
How was I dismissive.... here are some direct quotes that you just quoted and if you feel they are dismissive then we will have to agree to disagree...
"I agree that in dark conditions it should pre-flash"
"I can sympathize with the complaint about the red light lighting up the lens and people seeing it"
"Canon can fix this if they choose"
Then there is this that I said: "Canon will not fix the way the red light is produced and you will never see red in bright conditions."
Please tell me how you think Canon can fix this before the 5D4 or 1DX2? They would have to go back to a permanently etched focus screen where you would be looking though 61 small black squares all the time (that would get a lot more complaints then this system) or develop a new type of screen but there is no way they can change this in the 5D3 or 1DX without rebuilding the camera.
I guess that is all I can say in response. I think I've been fair and tried to help out pompo over 2 pages of postings to figure out if it was an actual defective LCD or just not what he was used to or expecting.
. I really don't recall any complaint about this particular issue in the 7D. Maybe 7D users are just too dumb to figure this out 
.