Using animal eye detection, shooting raw, latest firmware. 100-500 has image stabilization enabled.
Frequently while shooting a sequence of bird shots, I'll get many if not most not quite in focus (the camera showing it has eye focus lock). Any thoughts on what could be causing this?
Of course sometimes I get perfectly-in focus shots....
It's difficult to determine that the bird is out of focus.
If that is a reduced version of the whole image then the bird is rather far away and the eye vs. the face may be too small. Use a longer lens or get closer. I'd use spot AF with a DSLR, but spot may be too large for that bird.
Sorry should have mentioned that is uncropped. If you zoom in you'll see it's not quite in focus. (I take lots of shots of very distant birds and I expect them to not be tack sharp...)
I am having the same issue. The image jumps from the very first shot, but sometimes it works just fine. I took the lens to Canon but they want to charge me $100 just for the diagnostics, and repairs will cost upwards of $500 so I didn't get it fixed. I am hoping the next firmware upgrade may resolve the issue. As I don't have any important shoot coming up I am reluctant to fork out $500+ to fix this issue. It only jumps when IS is turned on.
How is this for an image-stabilized shot? The clock face filled the whole frame before I pressed the shutter ... and then it jumps when I press the shutter.
Interesting, I usually prefer to crop myself, hadn't thought of it helping with AF. Worth a try.
Conveniently, I was shooting with a friend with the exact same camera, lens, settings. Will compare his shots to mine and see if they are "better" or the same...
outlawrock wrote:
Interesting, I usually prefer to crop myself, hadn't thought of it helping with AF. Worth a try.
Conveniently, I was shooting with a friend with the exact same camera, lens, settings. Will compare his shots to mine and see if they are "better" or the same...
I crop in post too, but this is a case where APS-C mode in camera can be useful. I've found with mirrorless that the camera basically sees what I see through the viewfinder. For example, if the image is underexposed and I can barely see the subject, the camera will have a tough time in servo AF. If the subject is so tiny that I can barely see an eye, the camera won't do much better.
Cropping in camera does not change the pixel density on the subject nor the AF capability. It might reduce the area that AF searches in, but you can cotnrol that in other ways.
I have used nine R5s and five 100-500s. AF is no miracle in the eyeball tracking mode and depends on the size of the eye, area around the iris and color/contrast difference.
This has nothing to do with the lens. It's simply that the subject is too far and too small in the frame. For something like this, I wouldn't even bother cropping. You'd need to get closer to the subject or use a longer lens.
outlawrock wrote:
This one was 1/800 f/7.1 handheld
This is a small subject. Moving up and down with the waves. And you are moving some if you are like me. Not a big depth of field at 7.1, and 1/800 is not enough to freeze the movement of subject and shooter. Others have given you some good points, but if you have to shoot this small a subject, try 1/2000 or faster in this condition and see what you get.
bobbytan wrote:
I am having the same issue. The image jumps from the very first shot, but sometimes it works just fine. I took the lens to Canon but they want to charge me $100 just for the diagnostics, and repairs will cost upwards of $500 so I didn't get it fixed. I am hoping the next firmware upgrade may resolve the issue. As I don't have any important shoot coming up I am reluctant to fork out $500+ to fix this issue. It only jumps when IS is turned on.
How is this for an image-stabilized shot? The clock face filled the whole frame before I pressed the shutter ... and then it jumps when I press the shutter....Show more →
That is not the same issue at all. Your unit seems to have an IS issue. The OP has a focusing issue that is most likely the limitation of the equipment. Are your lens and camera firmwares up to date?
Try the same shots without IS. I think the IS hasn't settled when the shutter was activated. And yes, that bird is far off, for 1/800 too, I'd try 1/2000 and no IS.
In my experience, eye focus only works reliably when the subject is much larger and closer. For a tiny subject like that, I'd use a single point or expanded point and manually place it on the target. You're so far away you could lock on any part of the bird and focus would be fine.
I think the latest firmware has improved on the AF. The eye-detection should have no problem locking on the eye of the bird at this distance. That's my personal experience, but no two situations are the same, of course.
I know nothing about canons R line
But can I ask do you have both lens IS and ibis running simultaneously?
Only I read mixed comments online that they sometimes react badly?? Not sure if there’s any truth in that.
