The focus on the 5D2 really isn't THAT bad...

The other morning it was snowing here and I wanted to get a shot of people huddled in the bus shelter with the Snowpocalypse all around them (I'm in the southern part of South Korea, about the same latitude as Los Angeles or northern Africa...snow here's pretty rare, especially THIS much).

Anyways...it was well before sunrise, so there was no light. For those of you who can picture it...I took the shot at 1/40sec, f2.8, ISO 3200...very, very little light.

I focused with a SIDE FOCUS POINT in a mass of dark grey people in the bus stop. Honestly, in this picture because it's such a high ISO and I bumped the shadows quite a bit, it doesn't look dark, but it really was...it hunted once, and locked focus a handful of times perfectly after that...(I took other shots in between, and then went back to take this shot again).

I was rather impressed...I generally avoid using the side points, but I think I might start using them...I don't think they get enough credit haha...

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LowriderS10 wrote in post #15417941
Anyways...it was well before sunrise, so there was no light. For those of you who can picture it...I took the shot at 1/40sec, f2.8, ISO 3200...very, very little light.

I take photos all day long at iso 6400, 2.8, 1/40 with my 7D and never ever have any issues with focusing even with outer points. The lady today lowered the lights down to crazy low and this came out to be F4, 6400, 1/20 (same exposure as you). focused on the hand. using outer point. I've focused much lower at 12,800 F2.8 and 1/20 with my sigma even using outer points. I think you need less light of a test

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Umm....congrats? I'm not saying the 5D2 is the world's best focusing camera...all I'm saying is that it's not as bad as a lot of people (usually ones who don't actually own the camera) make it out to be.

LowriderS10 wrote in post #15418061
Umm....congrats? I'm not saying the 5D2 is the world's best focusing camera...all I'm saying is that it's not as bad as a lot of people (usually ones who don't actually own the camera) make it out to be.

I agree. i recent pulled the trigger since the prices came down and im loving it isnt as bad as most made it to be.

Oh, definitely. When it was my main body, I had very few problems with autofocus. It's just in specific cases when all the details in the part of the scene that you want to focus on are arranged perpendicular to the point's direction of sensitivity.

IF you use center AF point you can make it work. Yes it can work and it don't miss every shot or anything like that. Once you use the 5D Mark III thought you will see ouch it just smokes it and the focus system is a little dated. Not saying the mark II is a bad camera by any stretch though.

The 5D mark III is just amazing, now for how most people use it is it worht 2x the cost.....I would guess no. If your a sports guy who makes his living on shots, then I would say its 100% worth it.

No issues here with AF on the 5d2... It's better than my 550D, so it was a step up for me.

On 5dc/5dmk2 outer points fail lot of times even when light is not low. This when shooting with faster primes. You see the issue when looking closer at the shots. Now this could be as those outer points are only sensitive in one direction. On 5dmk3 those same points nail focus all the time, just like the center point.

Definitely not as bad as the matrix metering. You definitely need something with the right contrast to use the outer points though.

I had it fail on multiple shots today while skiing. Skier was wearing a bright red jacket so plenty of contrast. This was using AI Servo and the center point. Red square in the image review confirms that the AF point was right on the skiers chest yet they are way OOF. Not saying it happens all the time but definitely happens. I've been shooting a lot of sports with my 5d2 and its done ok but I just upgraded to a 1d3 for sports, excited to see the difference in AF.

It's not that bad, but sometimes it can be frustrating, particularly wider apertures. Center point works most of the time, however It sometimes detects high contrast objects close to my focus points. I feel like I need and check for focus for many shots I take along with chimping.

Thanks OP. This is a good example of what the villainized 5DII outer focus points are capable of. I've taken many low-light shots with my 5DII and have rarely had a problem with AF, but I've never really tested the outer points. I think I might have to give 'em a try now (it's only been 4 years)

Talley wrote in post #15417956
I take photos all day long at iso 6400, 2.8, 1/40 with my 7D and never ever have any issues with focusing even with outer points. The lady today lowered the lights down to crazy low and this came out to be F4, 6400, 1/20 (same exposure as you). focused on the hand. using outer point. I've focused much lower at 12,800 F2.8 and 1/20 with my sigma even using outer points. I think you need less light of a test

Defensive much? I think most 5d2 owners will agree that while not the best at AF, the 5d2 is no where near as bad at focusing as most people make it out to be

I have only had my 5DMKII a few days, but the AF has lived up to my expectations. My understanding is that Chuck Westfall said the AF in the II was the same as the 5Dc. This would make it about on par with a 30D. I was expecting the MKII AF to fall right between my 20D and 40D and that is about what I am seeing. This meets my needs, I will continue to use the 7D for fast action sports. I think I could do some sports with the MKII, I did plenty with the 20D.

sharrowm wrote in post #15418530
Thanks OP. This is a good example of what the villainized 5DII outer focus points are capable of. I've taken many low-light shots with my 5DII and have rarely had a problem with AF, but I've never really tested the outer points. I think I might have to give 'em a try now (it's only been 4 years)

Thanks, that's what I thought! If you do test it, please post it, I'd love to see the results

oklaiss wrote in post #15418958
Defensive much? I think most 5d2 owners will agree that while not the best at AF, the 5d2 is no where near as bad at focusing as most people make it out to be

Exactly! My point isn't that the 5D2's focus is the best or anything...but simply that it's not AS BAD as people make it out to be. How many times have we all read that the outer points are "useless"...well...the​y're not I just wish they were spread a little farther out!

Edshropshire wrote in post #15418973
I have only had my 5DMKII a few days, but the AF has lived up to my expectations. My understanding is that Chuck Westfall said the AF in the II was the same as the 5Dc. This would make it about on par with a 30D. I was expecting the MKII AF to fall right between my 20D and 40D and that is about what I am seeing. This meets my needs, I will continue to use the 7D for fast action sports. I think I could do some sports with the MKII, I did plenty with the 20D.

Yup...I think it may be the EXACT system the 5Dc/20D/30D used...I shot news with a 10D, a 20D and a 30D for years...focus was never an issue...sure, the new systems are even better...but the system in these old cameras does the job as well!