5D3: Which AF settings for birds in flight?

Most of what I have read about the new AF settings in the 5D3 (and 1DX) is restricted to examples from sports. (For example, THIS.) But there are plenty of other moving subjects.

I would appreciate advice on AF settings for birds in flight (BIF):

1. Which of the 6 "cases" would suit BIF best?
2. Tracking sensitivity? (may be 0 best?)
3. Accel./decel. tracking? (may be greater than 0?)
4. AF pt auto switching? (may be greater than 0?)

Thanks for suggestions!

I'm interested in this...BUMP!

Hmmm... no help so far?
Meanwhile, I found some relevant info HERE, although not specifically on BIF. Case 6 might be the most useful for BIF.
Please post if you come up with something useful. Thanks!

For birds in flight I'd think that you want the camera to auto select the subject on case 6 if the bird is against the sky.

If the bird was flying against trees or rocks or hills, I'd think you'd want to switch to case 2 to ignore the background stuffs.

This is speculation (and I don't own a 5d3) but from reading the manual, you might have to use the setting for adjusting the tracking acceleration of the subject. Small birds = high, big birds = low would be my guess.

And also there is a setting for ignoring foreground objects in case there are branches in the way.

I would love to give the 5d3 AF a try. I hope it drops in price at some point then I may get to find out.

Arthur Morris mentions on his blog http://www.birdsasart-blog.com …5d-mark-ii-flight-images/ that he's working on a 5DIII user's guide (with a pre-publication discount), so you might want to keep an eye out for that.

I used case 5 with no tweaks and with autoselect from all 61 focuspoints with success with my 400 mm f/5.6L lens.

I know this would be pure speculation, but anyone want t guess how accurate that guide book will be for the 5D3?

mafoo wrote in post #14359172
I know this would be pure speculation, but anyone want t guess how accurate that guide book will be for the 5D3?

What is that supposed to mean?

tommykjensen wrote in post #14359190
What is that supposed to mean?

Meaning are the AF systems on the 1Dx and 5D3 so similar, that the guide book for the 1Dx applies 100% to the 5D3?

mafoo wrote in post #14359292
Meaning are the AF systems on the 1Dx and 5D3 so similar, that the guide book for the 1Dx applies 100% to the 5D3?

Well I read the Canon pdf on the af for 1Dx and found it to be pretty accurate for 5D3 too. I think the actual settings you can change is the same but the 1Dx focus system is assisted via the meetering system (as I remember from memory).

tommykjensen wrote in post #14359319
Well I read the Canon pdf on the af for 1Dx and found it to be pretty accurate for 5D3 too. I think the actual settings you can change is the same but the 1Dx focus system is assisted via the meetering system (as I remember from memory).

Ahh, so while in some cases, the focusing will be better on the 1Dx, the setting you applied to the 5D3 (if accurately chosen from the guide) was probably still the right setting.

Good to know the menu options are the same... thanks!

http://www.garyluhm.ne​t/bio/tips_0512.html

DarthVader wrote in post #14372837
http://www.garyluhm.ne​t/bio/tips_0512.html

Perfect, thank you!

cfibanez wrote in post #14373226
Perfect, thank you!

I was going to recommend same link.