AF assist for using primes - ideas?

[adam*]

Hey,

I like to use primes with flash quite often but usually have the lights off in a room which makes focusing very hard at f/1.4-2. Also I'd quite like better AF with primes in low light. Never tried it before but I guess I could use the 580ex2 and turn off the flash and just get AF assist. The only problem with this is it means i'm a) using one of my flashes and b) it's heavy on top of the camera. So.. this leaves the obvious option of the ST-E2 which is stupidly expensive.

You guys know of any alternatives / third party / ebay etc?

Cheers

Adam

edit: That said I probably then won't be able to use my triggers as well which is annoying as the hotshoe will be taken up. So maybe it would just be a solution for primes and no flash.

 

[Musicman]

Depends exactly what you're taking photos of.

When it's very dark and I'm taking photos of static objects (usually cars at night) I use a hand held torch to get a focus point, switch to manual to fix the focus and then expose.

 

[adam*]

People. I don't fancy shining a torch in their face I'm not talking total darkness. Just in someones kitchen or something but I want to shoot at f/2 with flash.. I have to kill all ambient normally which makes AF very hard.

 

[Assassin]

So.. this leaves the obvious option of the ST-E2 which is stupidly expensive.

You guys know of any alternatives / third party / ebay etc?

Cheers

Adam

edit: That said I probably then won't be able to use my triggers as well which is annoying as the hotshoe will be taken up. So maybe it would just be a solution for primes and no flash.

I thought the ST-E2 was actually a reasonable price for what it does. I can get you a new one for around UKP154 plus postage, but if you look on eBay, you can find them second hand from time to time... with the ST-E2 you can use two flashes with ratio as well, the downside is that it uses infra red which doesn't always trigger the flash....

 

[Assassin]

Sometimes I think technology goes backwards... Thinking about it, I have an old Minolta 7000i 35mm, and the auto focus on this camera is amazing.... it can focus (pin sharp) on a plain smooth white wall in total darkness, and I mean total darkness.... the camera is probably 25+ years old !! even my old 1D MkII N struggles in low light, as does my MkIV and 5D2.... go figure!!