I don't mind it here (and I'm just the OP, not the moderator), but I do think you'll get more and better help in your own thread. I have a feeling this is technique-specific in at least one and perhaps several ways.
...but interesting point regarding diffraction. With the Mark IV's smaller, tighter pixels, will diffraction effects start to be apparent sooner as we stop down?
Breitling65 wrote:
Good question, actually back in Russia we called this bird different.
Leonid, in my books "Kingfisher" makes more sense than "Zimorodok" ("Zimorodek"). The poor bird can hardly fish in winter on frozen bodies of water, let alone being "born of winter" etc, to try to paraphrase the Russian/Ukrainian term in English.
Edit: I've just realized that another loose translation could be "winter giver" or "winter bringer/harbinger".Hmmmm
PetKal wrote:
Leonid, in my books "Kingfisher" makes more sense than "Zimorodok" ("Zimorodek"). The poor bird can hardly fish in winter on frozen bodies of water, let alone being "born of winter" etc, to try to paraphrase the Russian/Ukrainian term in English.
Edit: I've just realized that another loose translation could be "winter giver" or "winter bringer/harbinger".Hmmmm
Right, Zimorodok. I didn't say it is better but somehow completely different in meanings. Also I never saw them in Russia, can't say how different they are in look.
Great idea for a thread, Nill. I'll definitely be reading this one. I'm particularly interested in whether MkIV BIF shooters are using only the center AF point or some degree of expansion. I noticed that with the MkIII people seemed to think you could do better with a bit of expansion and am wondering if that trend continues with the MkIV (given certain comments. ) Thanks to everyone who's already posted their shots and custom functions. Great stuff.
Leonid, in my books "Kingfisher" makes more sense than "Zimorodok" ("Zimorodek"). The poor bird can hardly fish in winter on frozen bodies of water, let alone being "born of winter" etc, to try to paraphrase the Russian/Ukrainian term in English.
Edit: I've just realized that another loose translation could be "winter giver" or "winter bringer/harbinger".Hmmmm
Right, Zimorodok. I didn't say it is better but somehow completely different in meanings. Also I never saw them in Russia, can't say how different they are in look.
Well, they look like that most common European kind.....orange breast, turquoise backs.....whereas your Belted Kingfisher looks like a Blue Jay.
Nill Toulme wrote:
You know about leading the AF slightly to let the AI servo catch up to the subject before releasing the shutter? This is because, unlike in one shot where the shutter won't fire until the AF thinks it's locked on, in AI servo it will fire that first frame whether it's acquired focus or not.
Nill
Well, that's the way AI Servo prior to the III used to work (first frame release priority, following frames AF priority). I can't find reference to it at the moment, but recall reading Canon's claim that the IV's advanced abilities don't require much, if any AF acquisition time prior to the first image in a sequence... though I think any of us will, when possible, give the camera a moment to lock on and track a moving subject. The setting of C.Fn. III-3 to options 2 or 3 can affect first frame sharpness by allowing release without focus lock. But the default setting for the IV now in C.Fn. III-3 is AF priority/Tracking priority.
Nill Toulme wrote:
...but interesting point regarding diffraction. With the Mark IV's smaller, tighter pixels, will diffraction effects start to be apparent sooner as we stop down?
Nill
According to the IV review at the-digital-picture.com it's f/9, but also read the fine print for a better description. It's not that image quality suddenly drops off dramatically.
One of the earlier samples in another post by mdbassman indicated an aperture of f/16. At that point, combined with a small, distant bird and strong cropping, image quality due to diffraction will be an issue.
The impression I have after seeing a lot of BIF samples (but not being a BIF photographer) is that many like to shoot at middle apertures when possible to optimize depth of field. This will be a sweet spot in terms of lens sharpness and to some degree will mask minor AF tracking problems. Obviously there's nothing wrong with this, my point being that such factors need to be taken into consideration by photographers who perhaps will use a camera like the IV for other action, such as high school night football games, amateur league hockey, etc.
rscheffler wrote:
Well, that's the way AI Servo prior to the III used to work (first frame release priority, following frames AF priority). I can't find reference to it at the moment, but recall reading Canon's claim that the IV's advanced abilities don't require much, if any AF acquisition time prior to the first image in a sequence... though I think any of us will, when possible, give the camera a moment to lock on and track a moving subject. The setting of C.Fn. III-3 to options 2 or 3 can affect first frame sharpness by allowing release without focus lock. But the default setting for the IV now in C.Fn. III-3 is AF priority/Tracking priority. ...Show more →
I do remember reading that this changed on the Mark III. And I think I vaguely recall seeing that it had changed again on the Mark IV. In fact, didn't they change it on the Mark III so that the only way you can't set it is the way it's set by default on previous bodies (which, as you say, is first frame release priority, following frames AF priority)? And did I see that they added that option back to the Mark IV, and maybe even made it the default again? Or did I dream that?
In any event, they're definitely preaching the practice again. They actually devote two entire illustrated pages to it (pp. 28-29) in the Mark IV AI Servo AF Custom Function & ISO Speed Settings Guide, starting with "Reliably raise the probability of focusing the first image by tracking the subject for 0.5 sec. before the shutter is released."
As for my ill-informed diffraction question, I've been advised offline that diffraction effects vary not with pixel size, but with sensor size.
Nill
p.s. Thanks again to FM'er Rui Leal for making that Canon document available to us.
so far so good here as well, except for low light. If i try to lock in ai servo at say 3200iso 100th 1.4 it will just not lock. one shot will, but it takes forever. are any of you guys seeing the same?
Just to make sure Chris — and this is probably just a matter of terminology — you know AI servo doesn't "lock?" I.e., you never get a focus confirmation in AI servo, under any circumstances...
What you say is troubling as I shoot that way a fair amount myself (successfully, with the II-series). And I've seen at least one other mention of difficulty with extremely low-light focusing on the Mark IV. As I recall that person was hoping or thinking that spot AF would help, and frustrated that that feature is only (inexplicably) available via the stop button on the BWL's.
Nill Toulme wrote:
I do remember reading that this changed on the Mark III. And I think I vaguely recall seeing that it had changed again on the Mark IV. In fact, didn't they change it on the Mark III so that the only way you can't set it is the way it's set by default on previous bodies (which, as you say, is first frame release priority, following frames AF priority)? And did I see that they added that option back to the Mark IV, and maybe even made it the default again? Or did I dream that?
In any event, they're definitely preaching the practice again. They actually devote two entire illustrated pages to it (pp. 28-29) in the Mark IV AI Servo AF Custom Function & ISO Speed Settings Guide, starting with "Reliably raise the probability of focusing the first image by tracking the subject for 0.5 sec. before the shutter is released."
As for my ill-informed diffraction question, I've been advised offline that diffraction effects vary not with pixel size, but with sensor size.
Nill
p.s. Thanks again to FM'er Rui Leal for making that Canon document available to us....Show more →
Yeah, on the III there was no longer an option for first image release priority, following images AF priority. On the IV it's now option 3 in C.Fn. III-3. I initially set the IV to that option thinking it was great to have it back.... I'm not sure it made a huge difference but seem to think too many first frames were soft, so reset it to the default AF priority for all images.
I'll have to read through the guide you linked, but specifically remember early product info on the IV stating that it's fast enough to acquire and calculate tracking near instantly... maybe they've backpedalled a bit on that claim.
OK, I found it: http://www.canon-europe.com/eos1dmk4/ click on in-depth then AF System. It's in Flash and can't directly copy the text so here's a screen grab:
Chris Anderson wrote:
so far so good here as well, except for low light. If i try to lock in ai servo at say 3200iso 100th 1.4 it will just not lock. one shot will, but it takes forever. are any of you guys seeing the same?
Yes, I experienced the same thing and mentioned it in my post on pg. 3
Ron
Nill Toulme wrote:
Just to make sure Chris — and this is probably just a matter of terminology — you know AI servo doesn't "lock?" I.e., you never get a focus confirmation in AI servo, under any circumstances...
What you say is troubling as I shoot that way a fair amount myself (successfully, with the II-series). And I've seen at least one other mention of difficulty with extremely low-light focusing on the Mark IV. As I recall that person was hoping or thinking that spot AF would help, and frustrated that that feature is only (inexplicably) available via the stop button on the BWL's.
rscheffler wrote:
...early product info on the IV stating that it's fast enough to acquire and calculate tracking near instantly... maybe they've backpedalled a bit on that claim.
...
Sounds like the usual disconnect between marketing and engineering. ;-)
Nill Toulme wrote:
Sounds like the usual disconnect between marketing and engineering. ;-)
Nill
Probably. I don't see this claim made in the IV white paper, on the Canon USA IV site or in some of the initial press releases I re-read.
I think the IV's AF acquisition in good light so far has been very positive, but would agree that giving it a half second or so to properly evaluate subject movement would be a good idea.
Paul B wrote:
... I'm particularly interested in whether MkIV BIF shooters are using only the center AF point or some degree of expansion. I noticed that with the MkIII people seemed to think you could do better with a bit of expansion and am wondering if that trend continues with the MkIV ...
Just a heads up. Forgive me if this has been already been posted on this thread. I know it has appeared elsewhere on FM. Just in case it was missed. This afternoon I downloaded it and went through it line by line. A lot of good information here and I understand the CF settings better as a result. Well worth the read. It is a Canon PDF publication and looks like it was meant for the Olympic Photographers. I cannot understand why Canon would make this so hard to come by? "1DMarkIV AF Custom Manual......."
Thanks Chuck. That is indeed a slightly more direct link to the same "Mark IV AI Servo AF Custom Function & ISO Speed Settings Guide" that I linked (slightly more indirectly) just a bit upthread.
I have seen a few posts about the 1d4 going through batteries faster than other cameras. I have only had mine for 10 days. I recharged it when I first got it and because the battery icon was about the 1/3 level I recharged it yesterday before I left to shoot an opening for an art show last night. Not quite 3k stills and a good dozen videos with lots of chimping and playing the videos.
What do you guys thing about battery life, or is it too soon to say.
) Thanks to everyone who's already posted their shots and custom functions. Great stuff.