I have to say that at first examination, I am impressed with both the quality of the lens, and the images, for a lens of this focal-length range and price.
A very foggy day here, so not great for testing.
For a 50% crop at 600mm, wide-open at 1/200 & handheld, pretty good IMO.
Some of the BIF shots from Sunday. It was a cloudy day with very little light to work with. Not ideal for this lens
I used both Canon 5D3 and 7D
For 5D:
I started with Zone Auto Focus (Center Zone) - It did NOT go very well. Unless the subject is hitting the center point of the zone... Camera/Lens was missing the subject (absolute no movements)
I resorted back to the Center Focus Point and this seems to be the most reliable option for bird in flight. Camera/Lens was able to focus - I guess it was comparable to my Canon 400mm 5.6 with 1.4x III extender (which is not bad I guess)
My setting for AI Serve, Continuous Hight Speed shooting, Center Focus Point, Case 4 in the AutoFocus settings, Lens drive when AF impossible = ON
For 7D:
I started with the zone autofocus and camera continuous focus on the subject but subject stays out of focus in most of the shots (probably require Micro Adjust)
I did not get the chance to try with only the center point but guess that should work fine - its just the zone autofocus had some issues.
Still early days, I am still trying to understand the lens behavior in these situations. I am OK if the behavior is predictable as I can plan for but things gets messy when it's random.
Imagemaster wrote:
I am pretty sure that most people here are aware of "AF Point Expansion", regardless of what model lens they are using.
I didn't realize that a poll was taken on the knowledge of what folks know or don't know. I also wasn't aware that attempting to provide helpful information is frowned upon by some/most people. Most people know what they are doing wrong in their golf swing too. The trick is to learn how to stop doing those bad things.
ox0312 wrote:
Some of the BIF shots from Sunday. It was a cloudy day with very little light to work with. Not ideal for this lens
I used both Canon 5D3 and 7D
For 5D:
I started with Zone Auto Focus (Center Zone) - It did NOT go very well. Unless the subject is hitting the center point of the zone... Camera/Lens was missing the subject (absolute no movements)
I resorted back to the Center Focus Point and this seems to be the most reliable option for bird in flight. Camera/Lens was able to focus - I guess it was comparable to my Canon 400mm 5.6 with 1.4x III extender (which is not bad I guess)
My setting for AI Serve, Continuous Hight Speed shooting, Center Focus Point, Case 4 in the AutoFocus settings, Lens drive when AF impossible = ON
For 7D:
I started with the zone autofocus and camera continuous focus on the subject but subject stays out of focus in most of the shots (probably require Micro Adjust)
I did not get the chance to try with only the center point but guess that should work fine - its just the zone autofocus had some issues.
Still early days, I am still trying to understand the lens behavior in these situations. I am OK if the behavior is predictable as I can plan for but things gets messy when it's random.
Are these uncropped original frames? If not, can you post the uncropped originals for comparison? Is it possible for you to open the RAW files using DPP, zoom in to 100% and with active focus point shown and post a screen capture (see example below)? Thanks!
Are these uncropped original frames? If not, can you post the uncropped originals for comparison? Is it possible for you to open the RAW files using DPP, zoom in to 100% and with active focus point shown and post a screen capture (see example below)? Thanks!
These are cropped version (close to 60-70%) of the original image. I ll post the focus point later tonight.
sfink161 wrote:
I didn't realize that a poll was taken on the knowledge of what folks know or don't know. I also wasn't aware that attempting to provide helpful information is frowned upon by some/most people. Most people know what they are doing wrong in their golf swing too. The trick is to learn how to stop doing those bad things.
Hmmm, it appeared to me that you assumed most people here did not know how to use the AF options of their cameras.
Maybe next time you are golfing you should tell every golfer how to swing correctly.
Imagemaster wrote:
Hmmm, it appeared to me that you assumed most people here did not know how to use the AF options of their cameras.
Maybe next time you are golfing you should tell every golfer how to swing correctly.
Given the proliferation of shooters flocking to this lens, maybe posting detailed AF settings might help bridge people's understanding?
I'm interested in this lens, perhaps more than saving up for a 70-200/2.8, yet I spend most of my time below 200mm and my 6D isn't really an 'action' camera. So, while I could research and intuit most of what I'd need to get started, a few tips and tricks from veterans might help, for example .
Imagemaster wrote:
I have to say that at first examination, I am impressed with both the quality of the lens, and the images, for a lens of this focal-length range and price.
A very foggy day here, so not great for testing.
For a 50% crop at 600mm, wide-open at 1/200 & handheld, pretty good IMO.
OK, real dumb question here: What do you mean by "50% crop"? - A section cut out (cropped) from an image that is at 50% of its original resolution? (So there is one pixel on screen for each of 4 (2x2) original pixels?)
I kind of feel the same .
Before I retired , I would tell new hires to listen , afterwards say to them selves I know / knew that .
I figure I can use all the help I can get - getting info I already know just refreshes memory .
Most of the reviews are from pro's and assuming everyone knows everything will not help - @ least me .
AJSJones wrote:
OK, real dumb question here: What do you mean by "50% crop"? - A section cut out (cropped) from an image that is at 50% of its original resolution? (So there is one pixel on screen for each of 4 (2x2) original pixels?)
Thanks, that's simple enough - so the 0.8 MP crop posted is half of the captured image after being resized so each pixel on-screen now represents ~10 original pixels right? (I have often seen "100% crop" meaning a small piece of the image at 100% of its captured resolution - i.e. no resizing. Hence the form of my question ).
johnctharp wrote:
Given the proliferation of shooters flocking to this lens, maybe posting detailed AF settings might help bridge people's understanding?
Certainly, just like reading their owner's manual explains the AF settings you can use with all lenses, not just this specific lens.
I'm interested in this lens, perhaps more than saving up for a 70-200/2.8, yet I spend most of my time below 200mm and my 6D isn't really an 'action' camera. So, while I could research and intuit most of what I'd need to get started, a few tips and tricks from veterans might help, for example .
Below 200mm or above 200mm, 6D or 7D, the same AF settings apply.
There are many threads discussing the best AF settings for BIF shots and they are not, nor do they need to be, specific to one lens. Nor is there only one AF setting that is the best under all circumstances.
I don't recall any person specifically asking what AF settings should be used for this lens. Some have already said what settings they have tried. Anyone that does not know what the purpose of different AF settings are for should their manual.
ox0312 wrote:
Some of the BIF shots from Sunday. It was a cloudy day with very little light to work with. Not ideal for this lens
I used both Canon 5D3 and 7D
For 5D:
I started with Zone Auto Focus (Center Zone) - It did NOT go very well. Unless the subject is hitting the center point of the zone... Camera/Lens was missing the subject (absolute no movements)
I resorted back to the Center Focus Point and this seems to be the most reliable option for bird in flight. Camera/Lens was able to focus - I guess it was comparable to my Canon 400mm 5.6 with 1.4x III extender (which is not bad I guess)
My setting for AI Serve, Continuous Hight Speed shooting, Center Focus Point, Case 4 in the AutoFocus settings, Lens drive when AF impossible = ON
For 7D:
I started with the zone autofocus and camera continuous focus on the subject but subject stays out of focus in most of the shots (probably require Micro Adjust)
I did not get the chance to try with only the center point but guess that should work fine - its just the zone autofocus had some issues.
Still early days, I am still trying to understand the lens behavior in these situations. I am OK if the behavior is predictable as I can plan for but things gets messy when it's random.
...Show more →
It's good to know that Center Zone won't work, thanks! Is VC on or off? Is the AF Point Expansion on or off?
Imagemaster wrote:
Surrounding AF points activated. Would have preferred shooting at 1/2000 sec., but due to poor light had to shoot at 1/1000 sec. at ISO 3200.
Second shot is crop of first shot.
Good shot! Proves that BIF shots can be taken. Was VC on or off? I'm curious as to the fact that you shutter speed was fast enough and VC may slow down AF a little bit.
Tony... Very encouraging to see the tracking ability and IQ of your DIF's... starting to get a glimpse of what the lens is capable of. That makes me happy.
Imagemaster wrote:
Certainly, just like reading their owner's manual explains the AF settings you can use with all lenses, not just this specific lens.
Well, there's theory, and then there's practice, to put it simply. With a lens like this bringing capabilities to an ever lower price point, being able to cross reference the various fine-grained controls with other shooters might be helpful, unless those are trade secrets .
mitesh wrote:
^^^ why would VC slow down AF?
Doesn't the camera have to incorporate with the lens and use the processor to do so? The processor has more processes to perform with VC (IS) on. I've actually seen speed test in the past on this and yes it definitely takes longer with it on. It's no different then the processor on your computer or phone. The processes, the longer it takes to complete it's task.
sfink161 wrote:
Doesn't the camera have to incorporate with the lens and use the processor to do so? The processor has more processes to perform with VC (IS) on. I've actually seen speed test in the past on this and yes it definitely takes longer with it on. It's no different then the processor on your computer or phone. The processes, the longer it takes to complete it's task.
I don't believe that's entirely accurate, at least not according to Canon:
).
