1DS MK ii low light focusing issues

[gerfoy3]

<p>I have a 1DS MK II and have just come back from my most recent wedding. I looking over some of the shots in the reception and the first dance, once again is depressing. Once the ambient drops I can not focus with the camera. I have given it to another photographer and he has the same issue but with his 5D MK ii he nail focus in low light every time. It just refuses to lock onto anything for focus.<br>

I had the same problem when I was working as a press photographer, man the winter nights were a case of me focusing on a spot manually setting a flash manually bumping up the ISO and setting am F6 or something so I'd have a small range to grab a few shots.<br>

Its starting to get really frustrating, I really don't want to go out and buy another body, esp just for low light. Even sticking a flash on and using the focus assist bean does nothing for it.<br>

Any ideas?<br>

Anyone else with similar issues?<br>

Am I doing something or is there some setting I'm missing (I don't see one in the menu for auto focus assist)</p>

[zml]

<p>Well, this will not help you much but, although AF on my 1Ds3 is more accurate and faster in low light than on my recently sold 1Ds2, 1Ds2 was not THAT bad. I could nail focus pretty well under "standard household lights." Perhaps a swift trip to Canon (with lenses...) may be in order..?</p>

[roger krueger]

Lock to the center point, use 2.8 or faster glass, find contrasty bits to pick up focus from. Lens choice matters too. For my

1dsII in ISO 3200–1/60-f1.4 small-club darkness my 24/1.4 is kind of usable on the center point, my 50/1.4 a little less so,

but even in 3-4 stops better light it's a real struggle to make my 135/2 give a lock.

<br><br>

Haven't used a 1ds3 myself, but what I've heard from others is that while it is more likely to lock in darkness it's also more

likely to give a false lock.

<br><br>

It's not implausible you got some crud on your AF unit (at the bottom of the mirror box). I brush mine off whenever I'm

cleaning my sensor.

[steve_crist]

<p>I've never used the 1DS2 but I have the 1DS3. Does the 1DS2 allow you to set a custom feature to allow focus assist points to follow your selected focus point? I have this set on my 1DS3 and you get 6 smaller focus points surrounding the selected focus point. This helps a lot it getting a good quick focus lock. Also are you using 2.8 lenses or faster? Slow zooms and low light don't help. You can also try resetting all your custom features back to "normal". Sometimes a feature may be set that impacts another mode of shootiung. As others have stated, if this doesn't work perhaps sending you camera in to Canon for a check-up would be in order. Good luck.</p>

[gerfoy3]

<p>I totally forgot, I shot the Kings of Leon with a fast prime and there was no issue so I think it might be the zoom element that is my weak link..I used a 85 1.2 for the Kings but I think thats too long for a first dance shot something under 50mm would be better, say around 24mm<br>

Fast wide prime...What do people reckon?</p>