6D and moving kids...

6D | AI servo | Automatic (center point) | NP!

lostinthe619 wrote in post #16598108
And thus begins yet another 5D3 vs 6D debate thread...

Normally plays out as follows:

"How many people shoot action at F1.2 with an off center AF point?"

Not many people does it because most people aren't using a capable enough camera to achieve exactly that with a reasonably high success rate.

Once you use a 5D3/1Dx your whole perception of what can do done will forever change...

It's similar to the advancement of high ISO performance of modern DSLR, people can shoot in much darker condition with great results, something unimaginable a few years ago.

Bakewell wrote in post #16598162
6D | AI servo | Automatic (center point) | NP!

And when the center point isn't the right point for your intended composition, then what?

I was there with my old 5D. It meant lots of shooting wide and cropping in post.

mike_d wrote in post #16598168
And when the center point isn't the right point for your intended composition, then what?

I was there with my old 5D. It meant lots of shooting wide and cropping in post.

That's the initial focus point which is then passed off to whichever point is necessary to continue tracking the running child, dog, whatever. You aren't seriously saying you initially grab a running around object with a point in the corner of your frame and keep it there? Why would anyone do such a thing? It's always easier to grab focus with the center point first and then recompose if necessary.

Bakewell wrote in post #16598200
That's the initial focus point which is then passed off to whichever point is necessary to continue tracking the running child, dog, whatever. You aren't seriously saying you initially grab a running around object with a point in the corner of your frame and keep it there? Why would anyone do such a thing? It's always easier to grab focus with the center point first and then recompose if necessary.

I don't think that's how it works... Maybe the 1Dx can do that, but I don't think the 6D or even the 5d3 can...

Bakewell wrote in post #16598200
That's the initial focus point which is then passed off to whichever point is necessary to continue tracking the running child, dog, whatever. You aren't seriously saying you initially grab a running around object with a point in the corner of your frame and keep it there? Why would anyone do such a thing? It's always easier to grab focus with the center point first and then recompose if necessary.

That's exactly what we are talking about, something that you never think of and thought possible yea?

Now show me a sample @ f1.2 with bang on focus, initially using center point then recompose with a dog running straight ahead towards you at full speed

We are talking about tracking with one point only....Not passing or changing to any other points whilst tracking.

Tracking = ability to continuously follow your subject accurately and reliably with ANY one point.

ilumo wrote in post #16598207
I don't think that's how it works... Maybe the 1Dx can do that, but I don't think the 6D or even the 5d3 can...

I take that back. I've never used that mode. Interesting, but still I'm not sure if 11 pts of AF will have enough resolution vs 61 AF points. I usually use a cluster of 9 AF points when I do my servo, and it works great.

Bakewell wrote in post #16598027
Of course you're correct...but some need a reason to justify a 5D3.

Justify a 5d? Whats to justify? It is fantastic, it can do it all except make my coffee in the morning.

milleniumking wrote in post #16598246
It is fantastic, it can do it all except make my coffee in the morning.

Don't worry, Magic Lantern is working on fixing that last part.

Bakewell wrote in post #16598200
That's the initial focus point which is then passed off to whichever point is necessary to continue tracking the running child, dog, whatever. You aren't seriously saying you initially grab a running around object with a point in the corner of your frame and keep it there? Why would anyone do such a thing? It's always easier to grab focus with the center point first and then recompose if necessary.

I have 41 cross-type AF points. So yes, I will use an outer AF point and keep it on the subject as it moves if that's the composition I need. Even the edge AF points on a full frame Canon aren't exactly in the corners of the frame.

For example, the subject is running and about to kick a ball. He's moving right to left and approaching the camera at a 45 degree angle. You want to focus on their head, but give plenty of space to capture the ball in flight. I'd select the upper-right AF point, stick it on their head, and fire away. If the only AF point worth a damn is the center, that's going to be a terrible composition unless you shoot wide and crop later, which is what I did when I had the original 5D. Focus and recompose is not going to work in a situation like this and line-type AF points aren't reliable enough.

I must admit I was a bit uneasy about the AF performance of the 6D after reading all the internet experts comments. However, after using it in the real world, it's fine. Plenty fast enough for kids running around in my experience. But then again, I'm not trying to focus on a running kids eye @ f/1.4. And can't see any reason to do so either. But that's just me. Anyway, a few shots of my mates sons radio controlled at full speed. Shutter speed is deliberately high, to factor out any blur, other than AF misses. About 95% success rate.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …s/speedync30/11​705086963/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …s/speedync30/11​705253144/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …s/speedync30/11​705570986/

milleniumking wrote in post #16598246
Justify a 5d? Whats to justify? It is fantastic, it can do it all except make my coffee in the morning.

It's also $1K more than the 6D. If the additional performance is worth it to you, by all means go for it. By the same logic, everyone should be shooting with a 1DX.

Scrumhalf wrote in post #16598351
It's also $1K more than the 6D. If the additional performance is worth it to you, by all means go for it. By the same logic, everyone should be shooting with a 1DX.

Except a 1Dx is a lot more than $1000 more than a 6D or even a 5DIII.

The point is that you don't buy a camera just because it has a bunch of whiz bang features. You need to determine if they matter to you or not.

speedync wrote in post #16598335
I must admit I was a bit uneasy about the AF performance of the 6D after reading all the internet experts comments. However, after using it in the real world, it's fine. Plenty fast enough for kids running around in my experience. But then again, I'm not trying to focus on a running kids eye @ f/1.4. And can't see any reason to do so either. But that's just me. Anyway, a few shots of my mates sons radio controlled at full speed. Shutter speed is deliberately high, to factor out any blur, other than AF misses. About 95% success rate.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …s/speedync30/11​705086963/
Drift3 by speedync, on Flickr

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …s/speedync30/11​705253144/
Drift4 by speedync, on Flickr

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …s/speedync30/11​705570986/
Drift2 by speedync, on Flickr

One shot, servo AF. Car is only about a foot long, shot @ 105mm so I was pretty close to try and fill the frame, which meant I was swinging around like a mad thing trying to follow the car

Did you crop heavily on any of these? looks like you don't have too much of a DOF problem. you have plenty of DOF in front/back of the car in these pics. I'm sure that the 6D can do servo, but these examples don't seem too difficult to me, since they are going in the horizontal axis, so it doesn't affect your DOF much, and don't think the AF has to work as hard as going from front to back.
IE. this shot would probably be very hard to capture on the 6D...
off center, shallow dof, subject moving fast towards and at an angle...