ragebot wrote:
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.
I have noticed the same things. The IV uses batteries faster then the III. I never had to carry the extra with me for the III.
I bought an OEM battery from Calumet $20 before I got the IV and it comes in very handy now
I've noticed going through batteries more quickly, but have two thoughts on it.
First, that big, detailed LCD screen is probably pulling more current than the one on the Mark III. Ditto processing larger files. So some increase in battery usage is to be expected.
Second, I always find myself chimping more frequently with a new/unfamiliar camera. As I become more comfortable with the equipment, that decreases. After a month with the Mark IV, the battery already seems to be lasting longer.
Not only that, but I find I leave the info screen up on the rear LCD all the time. I don't think simple content like that would have a large power draw, but there has to be some effect.
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
It happened when I was tracking with AF button active before releasing the shutter.
Deborah Kolt wrote:
I've noticed going through batteries more quickly, but have two thoughts on it.
First, that big, detailed LCD screen is probably pulling more current than the one on the Mark III. Ditto processing larger files. So some increase in battery usage is to be expected.
Second, I always find myself chimping more frequently with a new/unfamiliar camera. As I become more comfortable with the equipment, that decreases. After a month with the Mark IV, the battery already seems to be lasting longer.
Very possible that new 2x digic IV processors are required more current too.
Deborah Kolt wrote:
I've noticed going through batteries more quickly, but have two thoughts on it.
First, that big, detailed LCD screen is probably pulling more current than the one on the Mark III. Ditto processing larger files. So some increase in battery usage is to be expected.
Second, I always find myself chimping more frequently with a new/unfamiliar camera. As I become more comfortable with the equipment, that decreases. After a month with the Mark IV, the battery already seems to be lasting longer.
I, too, have noticed a marked decrease in the number of shots per charge that I got used to getting with the 1D Mark III. I'd say that I'm getting about half as many shots with the 1D Mark IV as I did with the 1D Mark III. At first, I was ready to dismiss the possibility of the higher resolution screen accounting for more power draw because I have mine set with review turned off. On the other hand, I know that I, too, do chimp a lot more with a new camera. Once I'm completely comfortable with a camera, I rarely chimp at all. With the new camera, not only am I chimping more, but I'm also zooming in to examine the pictures more carefully. My guess would be that there have to be other factors, too, causing fewer shots per charge, but I'm hoping that, once I get past the chimping stage, there will be a significant improvement. I'd also guess that another factor, for me anyway, is that I've been shooting outside with temperatures around 0 degrees F.
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.
I've had my 1dIV for a couple of weeks; when I first shot with it, I was like, "Wow" look at that extra detail. I sold my Mark III, and the extra detail is apparent. The ISO was not what Canon represented, but I honestly wasn't expecting it to be. Mine came with firmware 1.04. I did not notice any issues; I've upgraded to 1.06. More testing tomorrow.
I'm finding the Mark IV a real joy to use and I haven't mucked with the CFs as of yet. Ring of Fire AF is working a treat for me as can be seen in these examples from last weekend. I don't know if anyone else has experienced this but I'm finding my 500 f/4 is now shooting consistently sharper with this body than any other body I've shot it on. Do extra MPs count? I have no other explaination.
Canon 1D Mark IV + 500 f/4 latest firnware and all handheld. ISOs ranged from 400 - 800 except where otherwise noted.
Mr Zoom wrote:
I'm finding the Mark IV a real joy to use and I haven't mucked with the CFs as of yet. Ring of Fire AF is working a treat for me as can be seen in these examples from last weekend. I don't know if anyone else has experienced this but I'm finding my 500 f/4 is now shooting consistently sharper with this body than any other body I've shot it on. Do extra MPs count? I have no other explaination.
Canon 1D Mark IV + 500 f/4 latest firnware and all handheld. ISOs ranged from 400 - 800 except where otherwise noted.
Regarding battery capacity vs. the III, Canon explains it in the white paper on pg. 83:
The number of possible shots has decreased compared to the EOS-1D Mark III.This is due to the much higher power consumption required by the increased image processing performance, for the increased pixel count, and faster memory card access speed.
However, to minimize the decrease in the number of possible shots, low voltage is used for the circuits and power is minimized for each module when not in operation. Thanks to such meticulous power-saving measures, a professionally useful number of possible shots is still the order of the day.
Based on my own observations so far, it appears that shooting in RAW has a much higher power drain than JPEG (which I suppose is related to writing much larger files to the card) and extensive use of live view will also drain the battery fairly quickly.
It's all relative to experience with the III, where it wouldn't be uncommon to get 2,000+ RAW captures with minimal chimping and not even break 50%. I've gotten as few as a few hundred and already hit 50%, but that would also be with more on-screen evaluation than usual and perhaps some live view as well. Worst so far was hitting 50% for under 200 captures with a lot of live view.
OK guys here is another question for 1d4 owners. I basically shoot with only with CF cards and have seen lots of threads on the merits of different flavors of CF cards so I feel comfortable with the ones I use.
Several years a go I got a few SD cards for my Panny P&S, a 1gig and two 2 gigs and that is what I have been using in my 1d4. What are you guys doing about putting something in the SD slot of your 1d4?
JimN wrote:
The images below were made with the Mark IV plus the 500mm F4 or 500mm F4 plus 1.4xTC.
Great stuff, Jim.
Obviously, those fine images show your experience and skill with that type of photography. You were getting similarly good stuff with your MkIIs and MkIIIs, if I remember right.
However, you are also in a very good position to compare AI Servo performance of MkIV vis a vis the previous models, as it applies to bird in flight photography.
ragebot wrote:
OK guys here is another question for 1d4 owners. I basically shoot with only with CF cards and have seen lots of threads on the merits of different flavors of CF cards so I feel comfortable with the ones I use.
Several years a go I got a few SD cards for my Panny P&S, a 1gig and two 2 gigs and that is what I have been using in my 1d4. What are you guys doing about putting something in the SD slot of your 1d4?
I have an 8GB SDHC and two 16GB CFs. I'm shooting RAW to the CFs and M2 Jpegs to the SDHC. My theory is that the SD should hold just slightly above that of the two CF cards. I shoot weddings and this is a backup strategy in the event of a failure.
