5d3 AF question from a nikon D200 owner

[michael_donald]

<p>As I have now upgraded from a Nikon D200, to a soon to be delivered from Adorama in a few weeks (I'm deployed overseas with the US Army), I am unsure where the AF updates in the past eight years have actually gotten me. As my current practice is to focus on a subject then recompose, what does the 5d3 offer AF wise that my old and venerable nikon does not? I've heard how it's 'a great upgrade' AF wise (aside from ISO, DR, noise, etc.) but... unless the camera knows what I'M looking at (90s tech anyone? E3 film camera I believe?)...... Can someone explain just what 8 or so years has gotten me in the AF realm?</p>

[paddler4]

<p>Not in a short posting. The 5D3 AF system is very flexible and complex, with 61 AF points (41 cross-type) that can be used in all sorts of combinations. And that doesn't even get into the various servo modes for tracking. To give you just one example: if you are doing candids of people, you can move the AF point (separately for landscape and portrait modes) well above center, so that you can have faces a third down without recomposing. You can tell the camera to use either 4 or 8 points around the selected point to assist the selected one. You can use a zone, or the entire 61. There are detailed but initially somewhat confusing directions in the manual (which is 400 pp long!), but you can also get an alternative explanation by googling EOS_5D_Mark_III_AF_setting_guidebook. Unless you learn faster than I do, be prepared to spend a few hours reading and playing with it. It's worth it--it's a remarkable system once you know your way around it.</p>

[michael_donald]

<p>This is why in my 8 years of pondering about Holga 120s, Roliflexs, and Canham 4x5 goodness, I 've always enjoyed coming to photo.net to figure out how to take pictures with the camera SHMBO cares about most (the one I have with me right now...not the iphone, though). Three small children in the most picturesque places on earth, still.... deserve/need 6fps. Not something easily done with a LF camera. I need more understanding. What is the technique I am missing? I refuse (until proven otherwise) that I can let a camera decide for itself whats inportant in the frame. </p>

[michael_donald]

<p>Dan!<br /> It's a Trap! Don't get sucked in! Mwherrrmwnherr......</p>

[Marcus Ian]

<p>Dan is oversimplifying the differences, and it will take some applied effort to learn how to use the system most effectively for how you shoot (although it's not rocket science).</p>

<p>However, if the system leaves you totally stymied, you can fall back on old habits... ie. focus/recompose still works (in the appropriate mode).</p>

<p>And... I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how good it is at picking (and tracking) the appropriate (correct) moving subject. The only thing that annoyed me was it's lack of AF point linked spot metering.</p>

[dcstep]

<p>The AF differences are huge, but needn't be if you don't need them. For sports and wildlife photographers there are all kinds of default and custom options regarding acquisition speed, tracking correction speed, etc. but it's not sounding to me like you're going to use those.</p>

<p>It'll be a simple matter for you to select a single-point expanded and either focus/recompose or move the AF around with the joystick on the back. All the other options mainly only come into use when you're tracking birds in flight against a variety of backgrounds, ranging from very contrasty to low contrast and consistent. With the 60+ point it's easy to see were the focus is and steer it around with the joystick, but for precision and getting eyes in focus, you'll want to limit the number of points.</p>

<p>The high-ISO performance will blow you away. Experiment with shooting at higher and higher ISOs. It'll liberate you. Of course, for best results, shoot in Raw, expose to the right and don't under-expose.</p>

[dan_south]

<p>Autofocus on the 5D Mark III is fast and reliable. I have rarely missed a shot due to autofocus "hunting."</p>

<p>The 5D3's AF is noticeably better than any other camera that I've owned, including several past and current Nikon bodies. I can't say enough good things about it.</p>

<p>It's been a while since I sold my D200, but I remember having some problems with the AF in low light. </p>

[savagesax]

Not related to your question.

 

MANY THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE IN THE ARMY.

 

Be safe my friend.

 

Post a few photo's if you get a chance!

[abbas_haider]

Michael

I have used d200, d300, d700 and d800 as well as

5dmkiii you will live in paradise of focusing system

that's what I can say

[shuvam]

<p>Marcus mentioned the lack of AF-spot-linked spot metering. Well, it doesn't exactly have that, but it has something pretty close, I thought -- in evaluative metering mode, if you use a single-AF-sensor AF mode, then it weighs the region close to the AF sensor much more than the rest of the frame. It's a kind of "soft" spot metering coupled with the AF spot. At least, that's what I had found.<br>

<br />I had written a page about my experiences with the 5DMk3 here: http://tcpip.dhandanought.org/eos5dmarkiiireview</p>