1dx focus system update

[jaomul]

For those with pockets deep enough or wanting a 1dx but not wanting to lose AF on lenses with teleconverters, there is apparently a firmwire update enroute to make the centre cross point able to focus at f/8

 

[Overread19 7]

I can hear the bird photographers cheering!

 

[Derrel]

Was it released deliberately crippled, and only "enabled" by this firmware update, like so many Rebels have been? "Who" has written this update? Is this third-party or Canon?

 

[jaomul]

Was it released deliberately crippled, and only "enabled" by this firmware update, like so many Rebels have been? "Who" has written this update? Is this third-party or Canon?

I suppose we will never know that, but apparently it and the 5d iii can do f/8 with non-reporting teleconverters already. I think it is an official canon update

Re-found where I read and added link, its official canon update
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1238944

 

[Overread19 7]

Well any camera can do AF at f8 if the teleconverter isn't reporting to the camera - taping over the communication pins can help with this even on official canon teleconverters and its a well used trick on some lenses with teleconverters.

And yeah Derrel I suspect it was a hobbled and then enabled feature - sadly marketing are a pain for liking to drop features,

 

[rexbobcat]

Before, the 1DX was rated for f/5.6 I think.

 

[TCampbell]

It's a Canon update.

It's VERY hard to get accurate AF beyond f/5.6 on any camera (ok, I exaggerate... maybe f/6.3). If you run tests on a body, you'll likely find that the camera focus faster at lower focal ratios than it does at high focal ratios. In fact there maybe hidden/extended AF points that only activate at lower focal ratios.

When you're doing AF at f/8, you're really on the edge. The camera may be doing it, but it's probably not digging it. Nikon released the D800 with AF up to f/8. Canon released the 1DX and 5DIII but stated the AF is only spec'd for f/5.6. SOOOOO... after all the screaming subsided, Canon worked on an update that will let the computer do AF at f/8.

In reality this is a bit of a physics problem and no so much a "those cheap bastards were trying to screw us" problem. Like I said... EVERY camera will struggle at f/8 whether the body claims to support it or not. If you really need lightning fast focus on your super long telephoto lens, the solution is easy... just spring for the ludicrously expensive f/2.8 glass and you'll have no problem. Sigma makes a 200-500mm f/2.8 zoom and it only costs $25,000. Sure, you say... but I'll need two extra friends in good physical shape just to help me carry it and I can't use it for "hand held" shots and I have to shop for a tripod at the army surplus store by looking for a turret previously used for a howitzer. Hey, we all have to suffer for our art.

Frankly, the guys who can really afford a 1DX can also afford the glass to go with it. But if you're buying that "budget" f/4 telephoto and you want to use the 2x converter (because buying the focal length you needed in the first place was more expensive than the total value of the first five cars you owned combined) then you'd find you were at f/8 and had no AF in normal mode (you could switch to live-view mode -- totally different focus system.)

 

[TheBiles]

I just want the illuminated autofocus points with AF-servo on my 5D3.

 

[Dubaiian]

I was playing around with this subject this morning . I have found that my 5D3 auto focusses my 100-400 with 2x TeleconvertorIII at f11 which astounded me. As Tim rightly says above, this was through live view and very stable tripod mounted, but even so - WOW!