Auto focus on the 5d mk2

rijit

rijit

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My apologies if this has been covered b4, searched but couldnt find anything, any way after a lengthy spell of being in the box i'm now using my 5 d mk2 with a 2.8 300m cannon is, shooting footie.
a good package? I would have hoped so, maybe the f.p.s would be a little slow but hey ho,
but thats not the issue,'I'm getting an awful lot of soft shots, really 2
many to put down to technique, it's beginning to drive me a bit nuts :wacky:any one had and sorted the issues out? any tips or advice barring spending huge lumps of wedge sorting it out, would very much be appreciated, thanks a lot folks
 
Yeah the AF on the 5DII is not the best. What mode are you using?

The best set-up I have found for moving subjects is to use the AF on button to focus, set the camera to AI-Servo and just hold the AF button down while shooting. I've found that you have to just use the centre AF point too to get the best results.
 
What lenses do u use ? But Yeah that's pretty much what i've found ,and admittedly the results have improved, but
tbh I'm still less than impressed, not a case of it should be better. 4 a kit priced at around
5/6000 £ a focus system that works as it should ie properly, shouldnt be 2 much to expect
 
Mainly use the 70-200 f/4L IS, sometimes with a 1.4 TC. Mostly though I shoot travel and landscapes. If I did shoot more sport I'd get a different body, even a 7D would be a big step in the right direction.
 
5D2's AF is really not cut out for servo-tracking action. There's nothing exactly wrong with it, but the AF is basically lifted from the consumer range cameras and just can't keep up.

Check a wedding photographer's kit and you'll probably find more 5D2s than anything else. Check the other togs on a football touch line and they'll all have 1DMk3 or Mk4, with maybe a 7D as back up.

5D3 makes a great all-rounder though. It has the 1DX's sparkling AF system, and can do 6fps.
 
I use a 5D2 with a Canon 300/2.8 for fast jets with no problems at all. Last outing I had 160 shots and probably only had to bin about 10 in total. The focusing is always quick and using either centre spot or all 9 focus spots, no problems.
Having said that, the 3.9fps isn't ideal and I believe the 7D has much newer and improved focusing with much faster fps. I've never used one though so can't make any comparisons.
 
wippers said:
I use a 5D2 with a Canon 300/2.8 for fast jets with no problems at all. Last outing I had 160 shots and probably only had to bin about 10 in total. The focusing is always quick and using either centre spot or all 9 focus spots, no problems.
Having said that, the 3.9fps isn't ideal and I believe the 7D has much newer and improved focusing with much faster fps. I've never used one though so can't make any comparisons.
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Even fast jets are probably not as testing for AF as football with relatively close range subjects changing distance quickly and unpredictably.

I've used my 5D2 quite successfully for motorsport, so long as you can nail that centre point on a nice contrasty area of the subject. But people running, or dogs, different matter altogether. Not useless, but certainly hit and miss.
 
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