I've used all 45 points occasionally. But generally, I prefer limiting it to one AF point. Sometimes I'll expand the AF around it, though.
The main times I've found all 45 points handy is when shooting birds, but only when the background is very clear of obstructions (basically, sky). It's also helpful for those times when I simply can't seem to predict where the action is going to be in the frame. For example, perhaps I'm trying to track a moving subject, but I want it to appear in the left part of the frame because it's moving to the right. So, I'd set the left AF point. But this only works if the subject continues to move that way. If it's in a situation where the subject might suddenly be going the other way, I can't seem to swith AF points fast enough to put it in the right part of the frame when it starts moving to the left. So, in cases like that, I'll use 45 AF points, and hope for the best, putting up with the camera sometime getting confused by the background.
Note: even when I use a single AF point, I'll still get the background confusing the AF, simply because it's very hard sometimes to consistently and precisely maintain the AF point over the subject.
Finally, I can see the shutter speed, aperture, etc in the display, even when outdoors. The 5D was HORRIBLE in this regard. The 1D-III is much better . . though it's probably the same as the 1D-II was in this regard. They REALLY need to fix that in the 5D.
Somebody (perhaps another thread) mentioned that the "flash blown highlights" option is way too sensitive on this camera. I have to agree. I even set up a custom JPG option that lowered contrast all the way and set the image to AdobeRGB. While this minimized the problem, there was still more indication of blown highlights than I see for the 5D in the same conditions.
Like david I use the 45 points sometimes (~15%) for tracking subjects. Most often for birds in flight and at airshows.
I find it extremely hard to track a jet on a strafing run moving at 250 knots with a 500/600 lens. I need the camera to keep tracking even if I'm slightly off the jet for a few seconds.
David - 1dII's have the user adj time interrupt for objects that get in your way for focus lock. Is there a new feature on the 1dIII that adds to that feature?
1) With high ISO noise reduction on, this only works with jpeg not RAW right? Or does it benefit RAW as well? Is the performance hit shooting jpeg only or also RAW?
2) Use point expansion where the subject is small and isolated in viewfinder? Don't use it if there's a lot of clutter near the point of focus? How about if subject is moving vs stationary?
It's looking like I'll want about a dozen entries in "my menu", not six
I received mine yesterday. While I was out last night (without the camera thankfully!) I have been experimenting this evening. It feels like the N but the operation is so much easier. While I will go out and shoot properly tomorrow, in setting up the camera I can say the menus work beautifully, and quite logically too!
The first small thing which I have discovered, which I really do love is the new button operation on top. I shoot motorsport and wildlife primarily, with either the 300/2.8 IS or 500/4 IS, handheld. This being the UK, the light levels change very quickly. On the N, if I needed to change the ISO, it was a case of either resting the end of the lens on something, or bringing the rig down and using 2 fingers to press the buttons while using the finger wheel by the shutter button, quite annoying sometimes. With the 3, I simply press the ISO button just behind the shutter, adjust with the wheel and keep on shooting, my left hand never moves! Fantastic!
Weird. Camera reset to defaults, for settings and cfn's. Set RAW, Adobe RGB. In viewfinder max burst is 30 shots. Set cfn 1-8 (safety shift) to 2 enable iso speed and the max burst figure immediately drops to 24 shots. Set it back to disabled and max burst goes back to 30. Any idea why this happens?
Here's an example of the AF-adjust feature of the 1D-3.
I took this in pretty low light (around ISO 3200, f/1.2, 1/1000), at a pretty close distance (near the 3 or 4 foot minimum focusing distance of the 85/1.2 Mk-II).
I hand-held each shot. I shot one with the AF adjust set to 0, one each with +/- 20 (the maximum offsets).
I had to refocus each time, of course, and clearly I wasn't at exactly the same distance each time. Plus, it looks like the -20 shot was underexposed relative to the other shots.
Still, I think you can see that the AF Adjust = 0 was the best image (as it should be).
These are 100% crops . . all images shot in RAW and converted in DPP with "0" for all settings (including sharpness and contrast).
DavidP wrote:
I second what Nill's suggesting. That's the way I've always done it.
Can you or Nill show a picture of what you are doing. I just dont see how that balances well?
Alistair101 wrote:
Weird. Camera reset to defaults, for settings and cfn's. Set RAW, Adobe RGB. In viewfinder max burst is 30 shots. Set cfn 1-8 (safety shift) to 2 enable iso speed and the max burst figure immediately drops to 24 shots. Set it back to disabled and max burst goes back to 30. Any idea why this happens?
I think because the numbers an estimate, and it's estimating the worst-case scenario. Does the number change to 24 when ISO is set to 3200 and no safety shift??
DavidP wrote:
I'm not sure . . I think BreezeBrowser is one program that can extract the embedded JPG . . but I'm sure it doesn't work on the 1D3 files yet.
I never look at it . . except for when I'm looking at the LCD on the back of the camera, that is.
Look back a few pages at a humungous post I did about processing RAW files using BreezebrowserPro and DownloaderPro. They do indeed work on 1D3 files (at least for pulling in images and displaying them- I do RAW conversion with ACR 4.1), and you can extract embedded jpegs no problem, they come out the samer size as the "S" size jpegs the camera can do.
