Al Focus vs Al Servo

ldevincentis · 14th of December 2008 (Sun)

New to the group, Hello everybody. I own a Canon 40D and I am wondering what is the difference between Al Servo and Al Focus. One of my favorite subject to shoot is birds and I am wondering if anyone of these setting will help me in my picture taking. thanks

chauncey · 14th of December 2008 (Sun)

When you link on your question, it will show a series of posts of similar questions.
Reading those, at the lower left, should answer your questions.

RichSoansPhotos · 14th of December 2008 (Sun)

One is mainly for moving objects, ok, so sport is mainly a moving object, but it is unpredictable, this is why we choose AI Servo

Ook · 14th of December 2008 (Sun)

Check page 77 in the manual for a detailed answer. AI Focus is more or less the "auto" mode for focusing type. It will engage AI-Servo if it detects movement in the subject, but otherwise stays with One-Shot.

JeffreyG · 14th of December 2008 (Sun)

AI Focus is for people who enjoy frustration.

hollis_f · 15th of December 2008 (Mon)

AI Focus is a combination of One-Shot and AI Servo. Unfortunatley it combines the bad points of each.

neilwood32 · 15th of December 2008 (Mon)

AI focus is where the camera tries to guess whether One shot or AI Servo is the best focusing type. Unfortunately, cameras are never as good as humans for deciding this and have a tendancy to get things wrong (addition to Murphy's law - when it does decide to go wrong it will do so in the worst possible way.)

My thoughts for Focus type for birding - AI Servo for Birds in flight, One shot for Birds at rest. Thats certainly the best in my experience with motorsport (not done birding but similar high speed objects)

britt49 · 28th of February 2010 (Sun)

so for a concert shooting which is best? AI focus, one shot, or AI servo?

neilwood32 · 28th of February 2010 (Sun)

If there is a lot of movement, AI Servo.

If the artists are fairly static, One Shot.

If you want to be frustrated, AI Focus

FlyingPhotog · 28th of February 2010 (Sun)

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilwood32

If there is a lot of movement, AI Servo.

If the artists are fairly static, One Shot.

If you want to be frustrated, AI Focus

Word...

Jon · 28th of February 2010 (Sun)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffreyG

AI Focus is for people who enjoy frustration.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hollis_f

AI Focus is a combination of One-Shot and AI Servo. Unfortunatley it combines the bad points of each.

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilwood32

If there is a lot of movement, AI Servo.

If the artists are fairly static, One Shot.

If you want to be frustrated, AI Focus

All that. AI Focus tries One Shot until it discovers that's wrong, then it goes to AI Servo, just as your subject decides to stop, so it goes back to One Shot as it starts up again and . . . Well, you get the picture.

SoundsGood · 28th of February 2010 (Sun)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon

Well, you get the picture.

Umm... no. Actually, you don't.

neilwood32 · 28th of February 2010 (Sun)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoundsGood

Umm... no. Actually, you don't.

Yeah you get a bundle of blurred frames.

Pmolan · 28th of February 2010 (Sun)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoundsGood

Umm... no. Actually, you don't.

Veemac · 28th of February 2010 (Sun)

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilwood32

If there is a lot of movement, AI Servo.

If the artists are fairly static, One Shot.

If you want to be frustrated, AI Focus

That about sums it up. AI Focus is about as useful as Auto AF point selection - letting the camera choose what it wants to do, which often has nothing in common with what you're actually trying to do.

14th of December 2008 (Sun)	#1
ldevincentis Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 1	Al Focus vs Al Servo New to the group, Hello everybody. I own a Canon 40D and I am wondering what is the difference between Al Servo and Al Focus. One of my favorite subject to shoot is birds and I am wondering if anyone of these setting will help me in my picture taking. thanks

14th of December 2008 (Sun)	#2
chauncey Cream of the Crop Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: MI/CO Posts: 7,684 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Al Focus vs Al Servo When you link on your question, it will show a series of posts of similar questions. Reading those, at the lower left, should answer your questions.

14th of December 2008 (Sun)	#3
RichSoansPhotos Goldmember Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: London, UK Posts: 4,908	Re: Al Focus vs Al Servo One is mainly for moving objects, ok, so sport is mainly a moving object, but it is unpredictable, this is why we choose AI Servo __________________ Bodies: Canon 50D, Canon 5DMKII Lenses: Canon 50mm 1.8, Canon 85mm 1.8 USM, Canon 16-35mm 2.8L USM II Canon 24-70mm 2.8L USM, Canon 70-200mm 2.8L IS USM II Compact: Canon G12

14th of December 2008 (Sun)	#4
Ook Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 648 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Al Focus vs Al Servo Check page 77 in the manual for a detailed answer. AI Focus is more or less the "auto" mode for focusing type. It will engage AI-Servo if it detects movement in the subject, but otherwise stays with One-Shot. __________________ John-Allan 40D \| 11-16mm f/2.8 \| 17-55mm f/2.8 IS \| 100mm f/2.8 macro \| 430ex \| A650IS

14th of December 2008 (Sun)	#5
JeffreyG "my bits and pieces are all hard" Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 13,486	Re: Al Focus vs Al Servo AI Focus is for people who enjoy frustration. __________________ My personal stuff:http://www.flickr.com/photos/jngirbach/ Commercial sports:http://girbach.zenfolio.com/ I use a Canon 5D and 1DIV and a Panasonic GF-1 Gear List: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...postcount=1550

15th of December 2008 (Mon)	#6
hollis_f Cream of the Crop Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sussex, UK Posts: 8,269 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Al Focus vs Al Servo AI Focus is a combination of One-Shot and AI Servo. Unfortunatley it combines the bad points of each. __________________ Frank Hollis - Retired mass spectroscopist Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll complain about the withdrawl of his free fish entitlement. Gear Website

15th of December 2008 (Mon)	#7
neilwood32 Cream of the Crop Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Sitting atop the castle, Edinburgh, Scotland Posts: 6,121 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Al Focus vs Al Servo AI focus is where the camera tries to guess whether One shot or AI Servo is the best focusing type. Unfortunately, cameras are never as good as humans for deciding this and have a tendancy to get things wrong (addition to Murphy's law - when it does decide to go wrong it will do so in the worst possible way.) My thoughts for Focus type for birding - AI Servo for Birds in flight, One shot for Birds at rest. Thats certainly the best in my experience with motorsport (not done birding but similar high speed objects) __________________ Having a camera makes you no more a photographer than having a hammer and some nails makes you a carpenter - Claude Adams Keep calm and carry a camera! My Gear

28th of February 2010 (Sun)	#8
britt49 Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 73 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Al Focus vs Al Servo so for a concert shooting which is best? AI focus, one shot, or AI servo? __________________ http://www.flickr.com/photos/41842651@N07/ \|canon 50d \| sigma 24-70 \| 50 f/1.8 \| 28-80 f/3.5-5 \|

28th of February 2010 (Sun)	#9
neilwood32 Cream of the Crop Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Sitting atop the castle, Edinburgh, Scotland Posts: 6,121 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Al Focus vs Al Servo If there is a lot of movement, AI Servo. If the artists are fairly static, One Shot. If you want to be frustrated, AI Focus __________________ Having a camera makes you no more a photographer than having a hammer and some nails makes you a carpenter - Claude Adams Keep calm and carry a camera! My Gear

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
AI Focus vs AI Servo	mdao	Canon EOS Digital Cameras	20	24th of February 2011 (Thu) 06:30
AI-Servo or AI-Focus AF?	Jimlevitt	Canon EOS Digital Cameras	25	6th of December 2008 (Sat) 03:37
AI servo/AI focus	shutter_blitz	General Photography Talk	8	6th of August 2008 (Wed) 09:44
A1 Focus or A1 servo	tongard	Canon EOS Digital Cameras	5	28th of April 2008 (Mon) 17:03
Servo focus (20d) - centre focus point only?	Molydood	Canon EOS Digital Cameras	19	8th of August 2007 (Wed) 20:15