Servo-tracking AF with Canon 1DMk4

HoppyUK

HoppyUK

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Richard
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Next month I will have a Canon 1D4 for a few days, specifically to shoot puffins in flight on Skomer island. Lens will be the wonderful new 400L 2.8 Mk2, plus 1.4x and 2x Mk3 extenders.

I'll have no more than one day to get used to everything, and since I have very little experience with this kind of thing, any help with AF set-up will be very gratefully appreciated.

Puffins are smaller than a pigeon and fly fairly straight and predictably, and quite fast. They will be heading mostly towards the camera, rather than across it, in good light hopefully. Any tips for the best AF settings with servo-tracking? Thanks!

PS, camera might change to a 1DX if Canon get loan stock in time. AF is simililar to 5D3, so any advice on that would also be very welcome.
 
Getting a loan of a 1Dx on Tues till Thurs, should be interesting and suspect I'll have the same problems, funnily enough just booked to go to the Isle of May for Puffins on Wed so looking forward to it.
Guy there said they are pretty close, not sure if I need the 300 or just 70-200.
Be very interested in the 400/with 2x TC, I am not convinced about the quality of the mk3 TC although the only mk 2 lens I have is the 70-200 2.8.
 
wierd.. I would have thought the BIF poeple would ahve sorted you by now.. I dont even do a lot of tracking in sport photography and only use the left/right assist points... your subjects will go in various directiong I guess... not much help I am afarid :(
 
I already provided a few links to Richard in reply to a PM, although I don't have a 1D4 and they aren't actually for that camera, but may help anyway.

Birds with the 7D - http://www.garyluhm.net/bio/tips_0310.html

Birds with the 7D - http://www.deepgreenphotography.com/2009/12/setting-up-your-new-canon-7d

Birds in general - http://www.digitalbirdphotography.com/contents.html

Here's another which might be helpful, explaining 1D4 AI Servo custom setup in more detail - http://www.canonrumors.com/files/1dm4cfnguide.pdf
 
Thanks to all. I also PM'd a couple of likely people, just to makes sure they didn't miss the thread really, but they were kind enough to respond by PM. I have plenty to go on now, cheers all :thumbs:
 
Take some smaller lenses too as the puffins are very close. Set af to servo, back focus and follow the flight, shoot when ready....
 
Flamez said:
Take some smaller lenses too as the puffins are very close. Set af to servo, back focus and follow the flight, shoot when ready....
Click to expand...

good point about the back button focus.. I am guessing you already use this method ..but not 100% sure? its gotta be the biggest change for anyone using tracking... as i say i dont track much but do tend to have to stay focused on somthign too long... back button makes a massive difference

thinking baout it.. its gotta be the way to track BIF
 
Ha ha ha - good luck with the puffin thing. I was on Skomer with a 300 2.8 and found it to be an absolute nightmare trying to follow the damn little things in flight. They are like baked potatoes that have been shot out of a cannon. Bloody impossible.

Make sure you've got a good strong monopod.
 
Flamez said:
Take some smaller lenses too as the puffins are very close. Set af to servo, back focus and follow the flight, shoot when ready....
Click to expand...

KIPAX said:
good point about the back button focus.. I am guessing you already use this method ..but not 100% sure? its gotta be the biggest change for anyone using tracking... as i say i dont track much but do tend to have to stay focused on somthign too long... back button makes a massive difference

thinking baout it.. its gotta be the way to track BIF
Click to expand...

Yes, I'll be back-button BIF-ing, with L lenses from 17mm to 800mm including extenders. Mrs will have my 5D2, mostly with 70-300L I think.


Tobers said:
Ha ha ha - good luck with the puffin thing. I was on Skomer with a 300 2.8 and found it to be an absolute nightmare trying to follow the damn little things in flight. They are like baked potatoes that have been shot out of a cannon. Bloody impossible.

Make sure you've got a good strong monopod.
Click to expand...

Hahaha! Thanks! Love that description :eek: Yes, monopod, tripod, gimbal, the lot.

I'll not be short of the right gear, so no excuses there. And I'm borrowing as many big/fast memory cards as I can lay my hands on.

It's for a magazine feature, along the lines of can you 'buy' good pictures of difficult subjects by throwing money at it? Or by blagging/hiring the best kit. We shall see. I just need to hit the ground running/stumbling with camera and AF set-up. The fact that this is well outside my comfort zone is all part of the plan.
 
Last edited:
KIPAX said:
good point about the back button focus.. I am guessing you already use this method ..but not 100% sure? its gotta be the biggest change for anyone using tracking... as i say i dont track much but do tend to have to stay focused on somthign too long... back button makes a massive difference

thinking baout it.. its gotta be the way to track BIF
Click to expand...

I'd have thought everyone uses Back button focusing, to me much more easy to work with rather than the front button.

Just need to work out the CF to give me that in the 1Dx tomorrow...looking forward to it.
 
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