6D AI Servo

I remember glancing at a thread a while ago where someone was having issues with their 6D shooting in AI Servo mode.

I am getting a lot soft pics now that I am trying to shoot my kids and a little BIF. Seems like about only 2 out of 10 are very sharp.

I found under the custom menu where you can make adjustments to the AI Servo mode and played a little tonight with some settings but was wondering if anyone else has been having issues and if they have found a particular setting that has helped with the keeper rate?

Are you using center point only? What lens/aperture did you use? Any samples to show us?

kin2son wrote in post #16219951
Are you using center point only? What lens/aperture did you use? Any samples to show us?

Tonight I was using a Tamron 70-200 2.8 vc shooting my kids running. It was set with all points, not center only at 2.8. I would share the pics of my Kids but my wife has a very strict policy of (she will kick my ***) if I post any pics of the family on the net.

I will get a series of shots of a collared dove in flight and post it up. I was shooting with a canon 100-400L with all points at 5.6.

redlable wrote in post #16219990
Tonight I was using a Tamron 70-200 2.8 vc shooting my kids running. It was set with all points, not center only at 2.8. I would share the pics of my Kids but my wife has a very strict policy of (she will kick my ***) if I post any pics of the family on the net.

I will get a series of shots of a collared dove in flight and post it up. I was shooting with a canon 100-400L with all points at 5.6.

Using all points was the problem.

Always use center point only and plant the point on your kids.

Here are the BIF pics. They are SOOC and cropped about 50%.

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE

kin2son wrote in post #16220052
Using all points was the problem.

Always use center point only and plant the point on your kids.

Ok I will give that a try tomorrow. Thank you!

I would do center point only and if you are using f2.8 the DOF will be very shallow thus increasing your chance of missing focus.

Try shooting at 5.6 or 7.1 if you have enough light.

jhayesvw wrote in post #16220094
I would do center point only and if you are using f2.8 the DOF will be very shallow thus increasing your chance of missing focus.

Try shooting at 5.6 or 7.1 if you have enough light.

Will do and thank you both!

redlable wrote in post #16219990
It was set with all points...

Ka-ching...
There's your problem right there.
You've told the camera that it's smarter than you are and that it should know what you want it to focus on.
Usually it will focus on one of two things...either the thing closest or where the best contrast is -which in most cases not where you want it to focus.

Select the focus point that best suits the composition you want to achieve - this doesn't have to ALWAYS be the centre point.
As it happens, I very rarely use the centre point, and that applies to whichever body I'm using - from one of my 1 Series' to my 20D.

The 6D's centre point is great for AI Servo, and like the 5D2 it includes 6 hidden AF points around the centre that are used only for AI Servo.
The 6D's focus system is good enough to keep up with its 4.5 FPS. I find the 7D 8FPS really pushes lenses and technique harder.

philwillmedia wrote in post #16220151
Ka-ching...
There's your problem right there.
You've told the camera that it's smarter than you are and that it should know what you want it to focus on.
Usually it will focus on one of two things...either the thing closest or where the best contrast is -which in most cases not where you want it to focus.

Select the focus point that best suits the composition you want to achieve - this doesn't have to ALWAYS be the centre point.
As it happens, I very rarely use the centre point, and that applies to whichever body I'm using - from one of my 1 Series' to my 20D.

Well some cameras those outer points are what I would call "no good". Try shooting some action with outer points of 6d and post results here.

Mornnb wrote in post #16220535
The 6D's centre point is great for AI Servo, and like the 5D2 it includes 6 hidden AF points around the centre that are used only for AI Servo.
The 6D's focus system is good enough to keep up with its 4.5 FPS. I find the 7D 8FPS really pushes lenses and technique harder.

So sure? I don't see no custom function to enable/disable these unlike 5dmk2.

OP - It was probably me you mentioning who was having issues with 6d outer points in AI servo. Couldn't find any fix except get a 5dmk3 or use center or why you using f2.8 like some one mentioned above. It is not DOF problem like some think.

Mornnb wrote in post #16220535
The 6D's centre point is great for AI Servo, and like the 5D2 it includes 6 hidden AF points around the centre that are used only for AI Servo.
The 6D's focus system is good enough to keep up with its 4.5 FPS. I find the 7D 8FPS really pushes lenses and technique harder.

Sorry... The 6D doesn't have "hidden AF points". When set on "Automatic AF" and AI Servo the 6D will initially focus with center point and shift to various outer 10 points as required when subject shifts. (P. 93 of the users manual)

Bakewell wrote in post #16221253
Sorry... The 6D doesn't have "hidden AF points". When set on "Automatic AF" and AI Servo the 6D will initially focus with center point and shift to various outer 10 points as required when subject shifts. (P. 93 of the users manual)

Wonder why they no longer have the assist points around the middle point, either they don't need it, or that is a feature reserved for higher models?