Inconsistant focus with MKII

[BAS1]

Below are some tests for focus, sharpness and DOF. MKII on tripod, with BH-1, Winberly Sidekick, manual exposure, no flash, ISO 200,lens 100-400 at 400mm, images in pbase with numbers ending 383, 384, and 385 F8 and shutter 250. Images in pbase with image numbers ending 386 and 387 F11 and shutter 200 which was +1/3 for both F8 and F11. Converted with EVU with in camera +1 contrast and +3 sharpness set on all. It is my understanding that when converted with EVU and in-camera settings are set, those in-camera settings will convert with the raw file.

I used the grass to display the DOF and where focus is. All focus was done with center only AF on eyes or on side of stuffed animal directly behind ears.

http://www.pbase.com/bas1/mkii

Since I do not know how to post images within my message, I have provided the link to pbase. These images have been resized to less than 1mb for web posting. Seems like focus is inconsistent, sometimes front focus, sometimes back focus.

All comments will be welcome and greatly appreciated. The above scenario is apparent with Canon 28-70 28-135 and 70-200F4.

Bev

[Haifidelity]

sorry, went over your post three times--but what AF mode were you in??

[BAS1]

sorry, went over your post three times--but what AF mode were you in??

Sorry, center AF only.

383Just rr of ear.
384, 385, and 386 same only 1" up vertically
387 same horizontal plane only rr about 2".

Bev

[Haifidelity]

BAS1, I meant AF Mode: One-Shot, AI SERVO.

[BAS1]

BAS1, I meant AF Mode: One-Shot, AI SERVO.

Sorry again, One Shot.

Bev

[Pekka]

sorry, went over your post three times--but what AF mode were you in??

Sorry, center AF only.

383Just rr of ear.
384, 385, and 386 same only 1" up vertically
387 same horizontal plane only rr about 2".

Bev

I thought those were shot on tripod, so why did focus area change? If focus area changes the focus distance changes. AF in Mark II is very sensitive - I get AF on tips of eyelashes with 1.2 when I focus to eyes if the eyes are not large enough to cover all the AF rectangle.

[BAS1]

sorry, went over your post three times--but what AF mode were you in??

Sorry, center AF only.

383Just rr of ear.
384, 385, and 386 same only 1" up vertically
387 same horizontal plane only rr about 2".

Bev

I thought those were shot on tripod, so why did focus area change? If focus area changes the focus distance changes. AF in Mark II is very sensitive - I get AF on tips of eyelashes with 1.2 when I focus to eyes if the eyes are not large enough to cover all the AF rectangle.

They were all shot on tripod with BH-1 ballhead and Wimberly sidekick. The AF point changed because I changed it. I refocused before each shot and checked exposure before each shot. I am concerned because in over 1300 shots, even though I prefocus with center AF point, focus is not consistent. I tried moving the AF point, in One Shot, refocusing to see if DOF would be an better. With focus this critical, I do not see how I will ever be able to get the good focus on sitting birds that I got with my D60. With the same settings outlined above I could focus on the head of the bird and everything in that plane would be in focus. This does not seem to be true with my MKII.

Bev

Comments will be greatly appreciated.