1 D Mark II - Low Light AF problems?

[scottbergerphoto]

There has been alot of disapointment expressed on Rob Galbraith's Forum about the Mark II's low light AF capability. Many people have complained that it can't focus in low light. I suspect that this is related to the difficlty I had using AI Servo in low contrast/heavy overcast skies. There are over 95 posts in this thread about problems with low light AF:
http://www.robgalbraith.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=235922&page=1&view=collap sed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1&vc=1
Are this forum's members experiencing similiar problems? I did.
Regards,
Scott

[NILOLIGIST]

That is strange. I took a whole dance performance in low light and it outperformed my wildest expectations. I will post some shots when I can. It was fast, dead on with AF once it did get focus. I used the 50 1.4 and I shot some wide open AV and some I shot TV for the blur. I had a fast speed there wasn't a problem. The light was extremely low and the camera really performed. I thought I would have a problem but didn't have any.

NiL,

[scottbergerphoto]

That is strange. I took a whole dance performance in low light and it outperformed my wildest expectations. I will post some shots when I can. It was fast, dead on with AF once it did get focus. I used the 50 1.4 and I shot some wide open AV and some I shot TV for the blur. I had a fast speed there wasn't a problem. The light was extremely low and the camera really performed. I thought I would have a problem but didn't have any.

NiL,
Hi Nil,
I think the fact that you used the 50/1.4 made a big difference. I was using the 100-400 IS L 4.5-5.6.
Regards,
Scott

[AllenGC]

I too am having problems with low light focusing, although there is a fault on the camera and I am waiting for the replacement, so perhaps mine is not a fair comparison.

However, I thought I had left the lens (100mm) on manual at first, but on checking I discovered that it was on auto. The camera didn't do anything, it just sat there.

At other times it will fish about and eventually confirm focus, but the shot is totally out of focus when played back, and I don't only mean in low light.

I am not that impressed with the auto focus on my MK2. My old 1d was so fast and so accurate that I find the MK2 rather disappointing in both departments. What good are 8.5fps if they are all out of focus? The MK 1 didn't do this.

I hasten to add once again that as mine has another fault, one cannot be sure that the whole thing isn't out of sync, and therefore not a general problem, unlike the reds and under-exposing.

[CyberDyneSystems]

I have to say my MkII definately has faster AF than my 1D...

BUT,

This past weekend was my first time using it in low light (in a dark theatre)

There were a few times wher I thought I had bumped the af/mf switch (not hard to do on the 70-200mm IS)

..But no.. it just refused to even try to focus....

At these times I was NOT using the centr focus point.. but I do not know if I was using one of the more sensitive ones or not (I think I was)