canon 10d users?

[Osmer_Toby]

any canon 10d users out there who have real slow autofocus?

 

[markc]

Mine's pretty snappy. What lens are you using? Is it a USM?

 

[Osmer_Toby]

ya i bought the showcase lens when i bought the cam- 28-135. so i cant even blame it on a re-chipping problem.
today, for instance, got frustrated as hell trying to keep the damn seagulls in focus as they flow around me. if you picture yourself in a similar scenario, would your af work fast enough to keep up with the birds as they wheeled around you, or am i expecting too much?

 

[markc]

The only current 28-135 lens I can find data on is the image-stabilization lens. That's not the one you have, is it? That one is a ring-motor USM, which is as good as it gets for Canon. My 50mm 1.4 is also a ring-motor USM. I don't know if it could keep up with fast circling birds, though. That's a bit much.

 

[markc]

What focus mode are you using? One-shot, AI Focus, or AI Servo?

 

[Osmer_Toby]

ya, i have image stabilizer- great feature. allows me to shoot as low as 1/30th hand held with no real blur.

i shoot in 1 shot mode

 

[markc]

ya, i have image stabilizer- great feature. allows me to shoot as low as 1/30th hand held with no real blur.

Nice! I want!

i shoot in 1 shot mode

Since they're moving, I'd try either AI Servo or AI Focus.

AI Servo will track the moving subject. You don't get the focus lock beep, since it's always tracking and never really locked. I think it will help a lot since you can't usually get a good focus with One-Shot if the subject is moving. It's already moved away by the time the lens gets to focus where the subject was a moment before, and the lens doesn't know what to do next, so it just sits there at that spot where the subject no longer is.

AI Focus is kind of neat, as it will function as One-Shot most of the time, but if the subject moves, it will act like AI Servo momentarily to track it.

I'd be interested to hear if it works for you if you try it. I found it useful for those ever-mobile kids.

 

[photogoddess]

For moving subjects, I use AI Servo AND isolate the focusing to only one of the sensors. The 10D will take longer to focus (and have more out of focus shots) if you let the 7 sensors fight it out.

 

[vonnagy]

good info! good question T, was having the same probs... lucky i recently recovered my d10 manual i'll be reading up on this stuff shortly.

thanks for the tips Mark and Goddess!

 

[markc]

For moving subjects, I use AI Servo AND isolate the focusing to only one of the sensors. The 10D will take longer to focus (and have more out of focus shots) if you let the 7 sensors fight it out.

Oh yeah; good point. I have just the center one active on mine too (pretty much all the time), and I moved the focus trigger from the shutter button to the asterix button under the thumb.

I put the subject in the center of the view, push my thumb to focus, recompose, then trigger exposure and shutter with my finger. It sounds a little complicated, but it's habit for me know and I can do it rather quickly. My eyes don't do well with manual focus, and I've had the sensors pick the wrong subject, so this just gives me more control without having to do it manually.

 

[photogoddess]

Oh yeah; good point. I have just the center one active on mine too (pretty much all the time), and I moved the focus trigger from the shutter button to the asterix button under the thumb.

I put the subject in the center of the view, push my thumb to focus, recompose, then trigger exposure and shutter with my finger. It sounds a little complicated, but it's habit for me know and I can do it rather quickly. My eyes don't do well with manual focus, and I've had the sensors pick the wrong subject, so this just gives me more control without having to do it manually.

FYI - just about everyone complains about the focusing issues of the 10D Believe it or not, it's WAY better than most cameras. It was the main reason I replaced my E-20. I haven't tried back focusing yet but I've been reading up on it though.

 

[urameatball]

For moving subjects, I use AI Servo AND isolate the focusing to only one of the sensors. The 10D will take longer to focus (and have more out of focus shots) if you let the 7 sensors fight it out.

Oh yeah; good point. I have just the center one active on mine too (pretty much all the time), and I moved the focus trigger from the shutter button to the asterix button under the thumb.

I put the subject in the center of the view, push my thumb to focus, recompose, then trigger exposure and shutter with my finger. It sounds a little complicated, but it's habit for me know and I can do it rather quickly. My eyes don't do well with manual focus, and I've had the sensors pick the wrong subject, so this just gives me more control without having to do it manually.

Yup, that * button does wonders!!!

as for the slow focusing, it maybe the lens. Some focus faster than others. my 28mm focuses twice as fast as my 50mm. my 300mm is even faster!

 

[Osmer_Toby]

all of mine seem to be slow- at least two slow for a fast moving subject like birds.

good to hear others observer the same, tho. i was getting a little worried about it...

(have center cf isolated, also)

thanks for all comments!