5D II Manual Mode Auto-ISO workaround

[inernets]

Hello all, i have a problem i am trying to figure out. I use my 5D II with my 100-400mm all the time and in order to get sharp shots i usually have to shoot in f7.1 or higher. When i shoot in aperture priority mode, and i am using the 400mm range, it wants to shoot at 1/100-1/250 sec most of the time which produces a lot of blurred shots. If i shoot in shutter priority, i can shoot at 1/320 of a sec with auto ISO but it will shoot at 5.6 or 6.3 which does not produce sharp shots at 400mm. And when i shoot in manual mode, auto ISO is fixed at 400 (rage) which is ridiculous because that is the worst "auto" range i have ever heard, not ISO 100 to ISO 400, but stuck at ISO 400.

So does anyone know a good work around?

The reason i want this: When i do wildlife, i am usually walking through the woods, or the cloud cover changes (since i shoot on overcast days a lot) so shooting in manual can be very hard to quickly get shots. I have to get the shots as quickly as possible because i am stalking animals and i can't be fiddling with the ISO, it just takes too much time in certain situations. Thanks!

[Numenorean]

It's called set your ISO to what you want to use, not Auto. Then use shutter priority if you want a specific shutter speed. Or just full manual.

[inernets]

The problem with using shutter priority is that it sets my f-stop too low at 5.6 which is not sharp enough. Also i stated that i did not want to set my ISO, i want the ISO to be the only floating number of the three.

It would be like if i were photographing on a beach with woods directly behind me. If i were shooting a shorebird at f8 and 1/320sec at ISO100 and all of a sudden a hawk landed in a tree right behind me, if i turned and focused i would have to change the ISO by pressing the ISO button, scrolling and attempting to QUICKLY set my ISO to the right exposure, make sure it's correct and fire. That adds about 1-3seconds which is ridiculously long in wildlife and birding photography. Most birds land and fly off within seconds when you are close to them so anything that can help in these situations would be greatly appreciated. Nikon does it, i just want a work around.

[Numenorean]

So why not set the ISO higher than you need, use aperture priority in f/8 and then you can just shoot and use EC as needed? This way you keep your shutter speeds within a range that you want. Or again just use manual but keep the shutter speed higher than you need so that you can adjust it lower if needed but still have it fast enough for stopping motion. Or vice versa depending on your situation.

Would ISO 400-800 work for the shorebird thing? You would be at a higher shutter than 1/320. But then moving to a darker situation you can go back to 1/320.

I can't see the situation and you're not describing the light so I can't help you all that much without that.

[tonylong]

I don't have a 5D2, but can't you set the ISO upper limit higher? I know that when I'm out shooting in anything less than great light I will often use ISO 1600 as my "norm".

[PlasticCrystal]

Not sure on a 5d. But can you not shoot in M mode and set your shutter and aperture to whatever you like and then leave iso to auto to get the correct (centred needle) exposure?

[Kronie]

The auto ISO on the 5d just sucks. You also need to crank up your ISO WAY past 400. Probably past 1000 or 1600 to get the shutter speed you want at that F/stop...

[tonylong]

Originally Posted by Kronie

The auto ISO on the 5d just sucks. You also need to crank up your ISO WAY past 400. Probably past 1000 or 1600 to get the shutter speed you want at that F/stop...

Well, that's called getting the exposure you want. In low light, you need a high ISO if you want a fast shutter speed and you need a "narrow" aperture. It's nothing specifically to do with the Auto ISO.

With cameras that have a functional Auto ISO, you may be able to set a "limit", and with the 5D2, setting a limit of ISO 1600 should not be a problem at all. If you are going to stick with a limit of ISO 400, well, you get that in the Auto mode, but I don't find that very useful!

To the OP, go to your manual and look for the Auto ISO function and whatever Custom functions work with it! I don't have the camera/manual, but if you can't find things in the index, try downloading the pdf and doing a Search for "auto iso", "iso", etc.

[professorman]

Are you sure that the Auto ISO is stuck to 400 in Manual mode? I know auto ISO is limited to 400 WHEN you have a flash on. I do not have my 5D2 with me now to check, but it would not be Auto ISO if it is stuck to 400.

Please verify that you do not have a flash on the camera. When you have a flash on the camera, Auto ISO is stuck to 400 in EVERY mode. If you are using flash, the theory behind it is that the power will vary to increase or decrease your exposure. If you change ISO as well as flash power, that is too many variables to change without knowing what you want to do, so the camera just fixes the ISO and varies the flash power.

By the way, there is no way to set limits on Auto ISO of the 5D2.

EDIT: I just checked my 7D, and Auto ISO varies to zero the exposure meter when I am in M mode, but if I put the flash on it, auto ISO is stuck at 400, as I said before.

If you absolutely need to shoot flash, then set your ISO to the lowest you would accept (maybe 800 in shaded ares? ) and just use flash power to light the rest of the way. I wonder if auto ISO would work if the flash is in Manual mode with fixed power? Canon should implement that if they do not have it.

[tonylong]

OK, I just got the manual from Canon!

In P/Tv/Av modes Auto ISO can range from 100-3200.

In M, Bulb and with a flash, Auto ISO is "fixed" at ISO 400, although it notes that it can change the behavior with Flash.

I personally would not use Auto ISO with Manual, but that's just me. I'd say that Auto ISO was a "new" technology when the 5D2 came out. I believe that the 7D and other newer bodies do give more flexibility than the 3+-year-old 5D2.

[professorman]

Originally Posted by tonylong

In M, Bulb and with a flash, Auto ISO is "fixed" at ISO 400, although it notes that it can change the behavior with Flash.

Interesting. Yes, that does not sound very much like an Auto to me.

Anyway,

Originally Posted by inernets

The reason i want this: When i do wildlife,

I see that you have a 1D2. May i ask why dont you use that instead? Or are you using a 2 camera setup? Its just that the 5D2 has never been known as a fact action camera. It doesnt do sports well, and I am pretty sure it doesnt excel at wildlife either. The 5D2 will keep up with motions of people, but with wildlife, I think your AF and other aspects of the camera will be struggling.

Your 1D2 should be awesome at wildlife, but I do not know if you will still have the exposure problem that you have now.

If wildlife is a huge part of what you do, you should consider picking up a 7D instead.

[tzalman]

Originally Posted by Kronie

The auto ISO on the 5d just sucks. You also need to crank up your ISO WAY past 400. Probably past 1000 or 1600 to get the shutter speed you want at that F/stop...

Auto ISO in M does not exist in the 5D2. It doesn't suck, it doesn't blow, it doesn't stink, it isn't anything because it isn't, period, full stop. Unless you are shooting video, then it magically appears.
There is no workaround other than learning to change ISO quickly. Or to buy a 5D3.

[Kronie]

Originally Posted by tzalman

Auto ISO in M does not exist in the 5D2. It doesn't suck, it doesn't blow, it doesn't stink, it isn't anything because it isn't, period, full stop. Unless you are shooting video, then it magically appears.
There is no workaround other than learning to change ISO quickly. Or to buy a 5D3.

Where did i say it did? I said the auto iso in the 5d sucks, which it does. Period.

[inernets]

Originally Posted by professorman

Interesting. Yes, that does not sound very much like an Auto to me.

Anyway,


I see that you have a 1D2. May i ask why dont you use that instead? Or are you using a 2 camera setup? Its just that the 5D2 has never been known as a fact action camera. It doesnt do sports well, and I am pretty sure it doesnt excel at wildlife either. The 5D2 will keep up with motions of people, but with wildlife, I think your AF and other aspects of the camera will be struggling.

Your 1D2 should be awesome at wildlife, but I do not know if you will still have the exposure problem that you have now.

If wildlife is a huge part of what you do, you should consider picking up a 7D instead.

Thanks for the reply. The reason i don't use the 1D II and i use the 5D II is because of the megapixels and no auto ISO. The no AUTO ISO is not that big of a deal, but the 8megapixels compared to 22 megapixels is a big difference, i have so much cropping power it's not even funny. I honestly have not even really tried it, i have always used my 5D. I got the 1D II for my professional photography job which i needed a super water sealed camera because my 5D II got knocked out during a very heavy storm (i have to shoot in all conditions and the poor weather sealing of the 5D couldn't handle it).

I will give it a shot. I will attack my 100-400mm and 1.4x III extender and see what i can get.

As for the 5D II for sports and wildlife, it's certainly not the greatest but i get by. I almost always use the center focus point, or one of them, to focus on the eye. I have not had very good luck with wildlife and AI SERVO but i should practice more with it. I wanted the 7D but at the time it was not available. I am seriously considering getting the 7D for sports and wildlife, my roommate is a professional motorcycle racer so i'm sure it will help with that. Here are a few action shots i have done with the 5D II:


IMG_9241 by Evan Animals, on Flickr

with the 1.4x extender

Red-winged Blackbird 100-400mm 1.4x III by Evan Animals, on Flickr

another 1.4

Flying Egret 100-400mm w/ 1.4x III by Evan Animals, on Flickr


Great Blue Heron - Action by Evan Animals, on Flickr


Motorcycle Wreck - Summit Point Motorspeedway - CCS Racing - August 28th, 2011 by Evan Animals, on Flickr


Kayaking Close-up by Evan Animals, on Flickr


Prairie dog fight by Evan Animals, on Flickr


Elephant Side Kick! *More Photos by Evan Animals, on Flickr

Since the price of the 7D has come down, i am wondering if i should buy now. The only concern i have is if i will have problems hand holding my 100-400mm L IS and still get sharp shots at the 300+ range, especially with my 1.4x III. Also i am wondering if i should just spend a few extra thousands and get a 1D III, or wait for the 1DX to come out so i can possibly get a 1D IV for cheaper. My boss is happy with the photos i am producing and doesn't think i need to upgrade, but he is commenting on our job and not my wildlife stuff. The main thing he cares about are mainly weather sealing and a few other features.

Back on topic, it looks like my only option is to try to figure out if the C1, C2, and C3 can be programmed to do this.

Once again, the reason i want to do this is because in AV mode, shooting at f7.1 or f8 will cause me to have too slow of a shutter speed for my long zoom shots, it wants to shoot at 1/100 or 1/200 and i need 1/320. If i shoot in TV mode, when i set it to 1/320sec my f-stop is always f5.6 and at 400mm range it is not sharp all the time (this is with using auto ISO).

The reason i want to use AUTO ISO in manual, is because when i zoom in tight on subjects or turn around to focus on a bird that flies and the subject is in a different lighting area, and if i quickly turn to shoot i HAVE to change my ISO or i will miss the shot, and in wildlife photography every second counts. If i can't do this in custom mode, this severely limits my shooting style. Even while i am doing my professional job i need this, because there are moments when the lighting changes and i am so focused on getting the shot framed correctly that i just can't think of all the settings.

[ejenner]

I totally understand why you want auto ISO in M, but it cannot be done with the 5DII. Even with the 5DIII there is no EC with that setup, so you cannot for instance choose partial or spot metering with a +1EC (with M and auto ISO).

Canon wants you to buy a 1D series for these 'professional' features.