p.1 #1 · 1DIII AF problems at distance and in sunlight
Ok, I've read all of RG's comments on the 1DIII, and maybe I've missed something or maybe my body is simply different, but I have AF problems when not in AI Servo mode (simple point and shoot off a tripod), particulary in bright sunlight (and even after downloading the latest firmware), very low light and at a distance. I've shot extensively with film bodies and my 500 off a tripod before and have never had the same AF problems I'm currently having with my 1DIII.
Today I was out shooting wild wolves (lucky to have them where I live) and had a gray/black wolf walk across a snowy field about sixty yards in front of me...popped off an array of shots with my 500 4 IS and 1.4x converter off a tripod and only about 1 in 4 is actually acceptably sharp...maybe not even 1 in 4. Worse yet, the ones that are most out of focus are the ones where the wolf was at a complete stop staring directly at me. How can a camera (ANY CAMERA) have a problem with AF on a gray/black subject on white snow? To me that seems as easy as it gets for a camera to lock onto something, yet I've got snow in the foreground ten feet in front of the wolf that is sharpest. Stranger yet, a pure black wolf followed the gray one and almost all of those images are sharp. Same settings on both sets of shots, but I have noticed in the past few months that my camera cannot AF very well on this one gray/black wolf or the two pure gray ones in the pack that I see often, whereas it has no problems with the rest of the pack that are all black.
As would be expected with wild wolves, many of my shots are not from 60 yards, but more like 200+ yards and I notice a significant drop-off in overall image sharpness at these distances. Most of the time the 1DIII simply misses the focus altogether...and this is not in Al Servo mode, just normal AF. I take extreme care to try to get it to AF on the subject in the distance, but it hunts around all over the place and/or settles its AF slightly off. Anyone else have the same problems, or is this a general digital camera thing, as my 5D does the same thing for long distance shots. Maybe it's a general Canon thing??
Anyways, not sure a sub-mirror fix is going to fix any of this, has anyone else experienced similar problems? And sorry if I've rehashed a topic that's come up often lately, just haven't seen anything quite like my problems posted before.
p.1 #3 · 1DIII AF problems at distance and in sunlight
Some samples would be nice. Honestly, I don't know what's up with this camera. I have not noticed any problems in ONE SHOT or SERVO modes. I just took mine on a trip to Singapore where I encountered temps of 32C and bright sunlight. I took about 20 AI SERVO sequences (over 600 shots total) of cars approaching at 30-40 mph with very few OOF. I did initially have issues with files being soft at narrow DOF. I sent the camera to Jamesburg where it was adjusted. It's performed flawlessy ever since. I have not noticed any problems with any firmware version. My serial number is 508xxx and well within the affected range. I believe any problems in ONE SHOT may be symptoms of some other problem and I would not assume the sub-mirror fix will make a difference. Best of luck getting it resolved, talk to Canon.
p.1 #4 · 1DIII AF problems at distance and in sunlight
Actually foucsing on a fury animal like a wolf on snow is not a easy task. At 200+ yard away, the wolf must be very small inside the frame, even with a 500+1.4X. From your description of the AF point going all over the place, it is a clear indication that the camera has problem locking AF. From my past experience with wolf at similar distance and lighting, all my cameras inlcuding my 1Ds, 1DMk2 & 1DMk3 will have problem locking AF, single point or Al Servo. If the ambient condition is less ideal, it makes a long distance shot like this even more difficult. I am just sharing my own experience. Your situation may be very different. I only have experience with Canon DSLR (5 of different models in last 5 years) and cannot comment on Canon film camera's AF performance. Have you tried to MF under those situations?
Please post a full frame uncropped shot to show the relative size of the animal inside the frame and then a 100% pixel crop to show how soft the image is will definitely be helpful in the discussion. Don't worry about RG's report which has nothing to do with your type of shooting at all.
p.1 #5 · 1DIII AF problems at distance and in sunlight
Your experience is EXACTLY the same as mine with MY 500 f4 L.
It's been absolutely horrible...missing focus by YARDS/METERS...rather than feet or cm. Truly pathetic. Even the cheapest, most basic point and shoot should nail focus in such circumstances.
And like you...this is even in one-shot mode...not AI.
My 1D3 is with Canon right now, and I await its return. If it's still doing this ridiculous stuff...I think I'll have to let out a yell or two...
By the way... My experience includes non-furry animals...and/or objects ANY camera can easily lock focus on. -Even static objects. Ouch...
john660 wrote:
Ok, I've read all of RG's comments on the 1DIII, and maybe I've missed something or maybe my body is simply different, but I have AF problems when not in AI Servo mode (simple point and shoot off a tripod), particulary in bright sunlight (and even after downloading the latest firmware), very low light and at a distance. I've shot extensively with film bodies and my 500 off a tripod before and have never had the same AF problems I'm currently having with my 1DIII.
Today I was out shooting wild wolves (lucky to have them where I live) and had a gray/black wolf walk across a snowy field about sixty yards in front of me...popped off an array of shots with my 500 4 IS and 1.4x converter off a tripod and only about 1 in 4 is actually acceptably sharp...maybe not even 1 in 4. Worse yet, the ones that are most out of focus are the ones where the wolf was at a complete stop staring directly at me. How can a camera (ANY CAMERA) have a problem with AF on a gray/black subject on white snow? To me that seems as easy as it gets for a camera to lock onto something, yet I've got snow in the foreground ten feet in front of the wolf that is sharpest. Stranger yet, a pure black wolf followed the gray one and almost all of those images are sharp. Same settings on both sets of shots, but I have noticed in the past few months that my camera cannot AF very well on this one gray/black wolf or the two pure gray ones in the pack that I see often, whereas it has no problems with the rest of the pack that are all black.
As would be expected with wild wolves, many of my shots are not from 60 yards, but more like 200+ yards and I notice a significant drop-off in overall image sharpness at these distances. Most of the time the 1DIII simply misses the focus altogether...and this is not in Al Servo mode, just normal AF. I take extreme care to try to get it to AF on the subject in the distance, but it hunts around all over the place and/or settles its AF slightly off. Anyone else have the same problems, or is this a general digital camera thing, as my 5D does the same thing for long distance shots. Maybe it's a general Canon thing??
Anyways, not sure a sub-mirror fix is going to fix any of this, has anyone else experienced similar problems? And sorry if I've rehashed a topic that's come up often lately, just haven't seen anything quite like my problems posted before.
p.1 #6 · 1DIII AF problems at distance and in sunlight
As I have said, I have had similar problems in One-Shot but I don't see why people would think that a sub-mirror fix would only impact AI Servo. If the mirror assembly is out of kilter, it is probably out of kilter for both modes.
p.1 #7 · 1DIII AF problems at distance and in sunlight
Thanks for the feedback so far everyone, I was out again this morning and noticed AF having trouble locking on two bull elk fighting. Granted, it was snowing a bit and the light wasn't optimum (1/250th at 2.8), but I still thought it was having more problems focusing than it should have.
I will try to post some samples of the wolves later tonight when I have a moment.
p.1 #8 · 1DIII AF problems at distance and in sunlight
Didn't you guys read the op that he also have the SAME problem with his 5D Are you guys implying there is also AF problem with John's 5D ? Or you are implying it is common among all Canon DSLR as John suspects ?
John, you may not get what you expect from the Canon AF system. Either you are expecting too much or having too high an expectation, or there is something wrong doing the image capturing process (i.e. camera/lens problem , user error, etc.). Unless you have been able to capture tack sharp images and has no AF problem before under the same condition, I don't know how do you know "it was having more problems focusing than it should have".
Since you have the same problem with your 5D, I really doubt it is the problem of the 1DMk3. Definitely not all 1DMk3 are problemetic, speaking from my own personal experience with over 25K images with my 1DMk3 under all kind of conditions and subjects.
p.1 #10 · 1DIII AF problems at distance and in sunlight
Hi Richard and Slau, yes, there are other photogs doing the exact same thing with the exact same equipment having the exact same problems (one other guy). Same distance problems, so maybe we just have too high of expectations coming over to digital from film, though you would think (and you certainly read) that digital and today's AF technology should be far superior to the old film body's performances. Same AF problems in general (the other shooter and I), of which the most interesting note is that my EOS 3 film body had better and more reliable (or maybe more reliable is the better term since there are certainly times when the 1DIII has phenomenally quick and accurate AF) AF capabilities than either of my digital bodies (5D and 1DIII) and that my 5D actually outperforms the 1DIII on many occasions in terms of One-Shot AF. Particularly in bright sunlight.
p.1 #11 · 1DIII AF problems at distance and in sunlight
Slau, in regards to the "it was having more problems focusing than it should have" I know that because I was shooting with the 5D and the same lens, then switched the lens over to the 1DIII so I could shoot at a higher ISO and have the 1.3x crop factor...instantly I noticed a decline in the AF locking ability compared to the 5D.
p.1 #12 · 1DIII AF problems at distance and in sunlight
John,
As I have no experience in either the 5D or the EOS 3, I cannot comment on how they behave when they have slight problem locking AF.
With some cameras, locking AF does not mean it have acquired accurate focus. Even with the 1D series cameras (1D, 1Ds, 1Dm2 & 1DMk3 which I use), there are custom function that you can have the camera stop hunting if they cannot lock AF. I think the true thing is the end result: the image. Even though the 5D can lock AF, does the image look sharp? With film cameras, I really doubt too many people will look at the images as closely as at digital at 100% true pixel. I do recall reading that the Canon EOS 3 still is the king when it comes to AF.
Thank you to all the negativity posted in FM regarding the 1DMk3 AF, I have tested the camera to death after I got the camera. Compared to my other 1 series bodies and my D60, the 1DMk3 is at least as good as my 1D or better. I have been using my 1 series bodies mainly for wildlife and bird-in-flight for the last 5 years. I believe that I kind of know what I am talking about and know the limitation of my cameras. The 1DMk3 surprised me with its AF ability. I am posting a few images to show first how small a subject takes up in the image and then a 100% true pixel corp during real life shooting. The Kingfisher was only 60 ft away but it was so small that usually AF would fail, especially with such a contrast and busy background. The shots were taken with tripod and very careful with all the long lens technique that I know. 500mm +1.4X + 1DMk3, single AF center AF point, Al Servo, f5.6, ISO 1000 & with a -10 Micro AF Adjustment.
I will assume that the wolf in your shot will take up more space than the Kingfisher in my shot. Assuming the ambient condition was not too bad, your wolf should look at least as sharp as my Kingfisher if everything worked.
p.1 #13 · 1DIII AF problems at distance and in sunlight
slau wrote:
John,
I will assume that the wolf in your shot will take up more space than the Kingfisher in my shot. Assuming the ambient condition was not too bad, your wolf should look at least as sharp as my Kingfisher if everything worked.
Stephen
John, looks to me like the camera "probably" locked on the fence and not the bird, just my $0.02, YMMV.
