bobbytan wrote:
I always use my flash in manual mode too. Here are 3 shots with the XTi in manual mode, bounced off a low ceiling, with the flash in eTTL mode .... at 0 compensation .... plus a half stop .... and plus a full stop of additional exposure. I find that it tends to under-expose by about half a stop in Auto.
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Thank you, bobbytan, for these examples, very helpful. The shots are nice by the way.
As for the TTL exposure, probably it's better a bit under exposed than over. As long as it can be consistent and predictable, I think I will get one.
That's what we are all here for - to share information and personal experience with others.
You are right about the under-exposure, as it means that you may not have to dial-in some under-exposure for fill flash .... unless you have a backlit situation and need more rather than less fill.
joykafka wrote:
Thank you, bobbytan, for these examples, very helpful. The shots are nice by the way.
As for the TTL exposure, probably it's better a bit under exposed than over. As long as it can be consistent and predictable, I think I will get one.
Here is an example of the antiquated AI servo system in the original 5D: Remember, this camera is reputed, by most people on this board, to be incapable of photographing anything moving faster than a glacier, or perhaps a fast snail.
5D, 300 f4LIS, 1.4X, under terrible overcast lighting conditions. The jets were going about 400mph. Overall image, plus 100% crops of the second f18 from the top.
The Blue Angel's shot is not a huge challenge for the AF system. I shot most of Fleet Week last year with manual focus because my 5D/100-400 was hunting too much. Also, a head on shot would test the AF system more.
Also, most of the AF issues people have been discussing are:
1) Inaccuracy/hunting using an AF point other than the center, especially with slow lenses
2) Low light focus
3) Wanting focus points spread out further. Also an issue with the 1Ds, D3, and D700
most complaints about the 5D focus system are in low light..
According Chuck Westfall, because the 5D has larger AF sensors, it performs BETTER in low than most Canon cameras. The 1D3 is supposed to be better in low light.
Some complaints are the lack of cross sensors on the outer 8 points, and a few complaints about poor performance of the outer sensors in low light.
No, the principal complaint is that the 5D can't track ANYTHING moving, even moving relatively slowly. Canon should have updated the AF sensor module in the 5D2, but they were penny wise and pound foolish. It could have competed much better against the D700 with an updated AF system.
The Blue Angel's shot is not a huge challenge for the AF system. I shot most of Fleet Week last year with manual focus because my 5D/100-400 was hunting too much. Also, a head on shot would test the AF system more.
The shot below, from the same show, was nearly head-on. It would have been absolutely impossible for me with manual focus. My camera and lens locked on instantly, without the slightest hesitation, and computed the changing focus as the jets rocketed across the stand in a surprise sideways approach, at perhaps 500 mph. I probably had less than one second to acquire focus and lock on. And the camera/lens did it time after time, not one lucky pass overhead.
Don Clary wrote:
Here is an example of the antiquated AI servo system in the original 5D: Remember, this camera is reputed, by most people on this board, to be incapable of photographing anything moving faster than a glacier, or perhaps a fast snail.
5D, 300 f4LIS, 1.4X, under terrible overcast lighting conditions. The jets were going about 400mph. Overall image, plus 100% crops of the second f18 from the top.
Thank you! A lot of us have been frustrated about some statements made here.
Thank you! A lot of us have been frustrated about some statements made here.
Quite often made by people who have never owned or used the system. It is human nature to comment based on what you have read, but I have tried to never comment on any camera or lens that I have not owned. I just bite my tongue and keep silent.
jerrykur wrote:
The Blue Angel's shot is not a huge challenge for the AF system. I shot most of Fleet Week last year with manual focus because my 5D/100-400 was hunting too much. Also, a head on shot would test the AF system more.
Also, most of the AF issues people have been discussing are:
1) Inaccuracy/hunting using an AF point other than the center, especially with slow lenses
2) Low light focus
3) Wanting focus points spread out further. Also an issue with the 1Ds, D3, and D700
If you read the posts from most other 5D owners, you will notice that we don't seem to have a low light focus problem. It's not been a problem for me. Certainly not more than for anyone with another camera.
Spreading points out seems to be more a personal matter than anything else. It also seems to be a question for every FF camera, not just Canon's.
Don Clary wrote:
Quite often made by people who have never owned or used the system. It is human nature to comment based on what you have read, but I have tried to never comment on any camera or lens that I have not owned. I just bite my tongue and keep silent.
I agree. i've had the camera for about two years, and have had a pretty good percentage of in focus shots. I can't complain.
Is it perfect? Well, no. but I don't know of a camera that is.
Considering that the camera wasn't designed for certain work as much as for other work, I think it does pretty good for moving objects as well.
If anyone expects the auto focus to work as well as that from a camera designed for sports, such as the 1D (once the problems were (are) fixed), then that isn't a fair comparison.
If the auto focus were as fast, then people would be complaining of missed shots because of the slow FPS rate.
And if that were faster, they would be complaining about something else.
What they really want is a 1D in FF, at a lower price than the 5D mkII.
I can easily say your manual focus is a lot better than mine. And your lighting adds so much to the quality of the picture. Sometimes heavy overcast makes the picture so muddy, that you want to put the lens cap on and go home.
Your 100-400 should not need manual focus on a 5D or a 1DII for most air show shots. I have lots of exposures with several lenses including the 100-400 on the 5D, the 1Dmk2, and the 1Dmk3, and nearly every shot is great with auto focus and Servo AI focus tracking. I can not imagine getting very many shots to come out with manual focus. The 5D can not keep up quite as well as the 1D cameras, but it does fine in most situations. I would guess you have some issue with your 100-400 lens or your 5D that is not normal. You might check your AF settings in the 5D. See how the lens does on the 1Dmk2 and go from there.
Don Clary wrote:
I can easily say your manual focus is a lot better than mine. And your lighting adds so much to the quality of the picture. Sometimes heavy overcast makes the picture so muddy, that you want to put the lens cap on and go home.
Thanks. I practice manual focusing quite a bit. I have never found a AF system that I didn't give me some level of trouble. Even my 1DMK2 paired with a fast lens like a 200 f1.8 can at time seem inaccurate.
Roland W wrote:
Your 100-400 should not need manual focus on a 5D or a 1DII for most air show shots. I have lots of exposures with several lenses including the 100-400 on the 5D, the 1Dmk2, and the 1Dmk3, and nearly every shot is great with auto focus and Servo AI focus tracking. I can not imagine getting very many shots to come out with manual focus. The 5D can not keep up quite as well as the 1D cameras, but it does fine in most situations. I would guess you have some issue with your 100-400 lens or your 5D that is not normal. You might check your AF settings in the 5D. See how the lens does on the 1Dmk2 and go from there.
I tried the 100-400 with both the 5D and the 1DMK2 and I find it is hit and miss. I had people drive at me with cars at 30-50 mph and got about 70% accuracy (very clear license plate) with the 1DMK2 and 60% with the 5D. With the 200 f1.8 it was a little better, but not that much,
That's a commendable performance for the 5D. I can certainly live with that.
jerrykur wrote:
I tried the 100-400 with both the 5D and the 1DMK2 and I find it is hit and miss. I had people drive at me with cars at 30-50 mph and got about 70% accuracy (very clear license plate) with the 1DMK2 and 60% with the 5D. With the 200 f1.8 it was a little better, but not that much,
Airshows are generally not a big challenge for an AF system, at least in my experience. Distances near infinity focus and only with small changes in focus distance, and with subjects occupying a fair portion of the frame against a clean background.
