Best AF modes on a 5DIII or 1DX to shoot a wedding

To all,

Going to help out a family member with few funds and shoot their daughters wedding in about 6 weeks. I've done sports, events, and lots of landscapes but not really a wedding as a primary shooter. I will be using my 5D III and 1DX for the soot and was wondering if any experienced wedding shooter who uses these cameras has any recommendations for which AF modes and AF points you use and can rely on.

Typically I set up with back button focus, single shot mode, and use the center point with the 4 neighbors active. For sports I use AI Servo and depending on the event use a broader range of focus points.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Steve

I'd treat it like an event and add flash.

More than worrying about your gear and the AF mode to use, you might want to worry about how to shoot a wedding for starters. Even with inferior gear, you could get great images as long as you know what to shoot and how to shoot it.

If I may add, use the mode that is apt for the situation...and that means first identifying what needs to be shot at the moment.

deanedward wrote in post #17037231
More than worrying about your gear and the AF mode to use, you might want to worry about how to shoot a wedding for starters. Even with inferior gear, you could get great images as long as you know what to shoot and how to shoot it.

If I may add, use the mode that is apt for the situation...and that means first identifying what needs to be shot at the moment.

Take my word on it I'm worrying about a lot of things including the topics you mentioned. Just thought I would reach out on some issues I thought forum members could help with or might have better direct experience. If you can help thanks.

With back button focus, I would stay with AI servo continuously because it works just fine for static shots and is ready in case your subject starts moving. I will usually set the focus point above the center point and use 4 -8 neighbors.

I'd echo what geparry said, and add that in portrait mode also use an off center AF point at the upper edge when turned for portrait (right edge) ie: you want your AF point on the faces, and using center AF means a whole lot of wasted space above the subject.

Keep in mind with both cameras you can have two separate automatically selected AF points predesignated that kick in when you rotate the camera. (one landscape one portrait)

CyberDyne & Geparry,

Thanks for reminding me of moving the center point off center. USually do for events as well but forgot to mention it. Since both cameras are gripped a do a lot of portrait mode shooting and that is one of the grate features to assign two different focus point for the two shooting modes.

Stevd

Personally, I switch back and forth from zone AF to center with active neighbors. Since weddings are not usually fast like sports, I use one shot on my 5d3 since the confirmation light is useful on dark venus and AI servo on the 1dx

Beside gears, shooting a couple free weddings with wedding P from now until then could be a ton of benefits, imo Steve. Event is not the same as wedding as there are repeated moments at event but not wedding.

Tigerkn wrote in post #17037691
Beside gears, shooting a couple free weddings with wedding P from now until then could be a ton of benefits, imo Steve. Event is not the same as wedding as there are repeated moments at event but not wedding.

I've been volunteering to be a free second or third shooter for months with no takers. I'm not really looking to get into the market competitively. I just happen to have several family relations that really can't afford a true professional for their event. So they have asked for my help. My son got married last month and we used a professional because I really know how hard it is do well. I don't believe in the pray and spray approach to shooting events even if you have a beast like the 1DX.

geparry wrote in post #17037510
With back button focus, I would stay with AI servo continuously because it works just fine for static shots and is ready in case your subject starts moving.

Another quick tip with the 5D3 is that you can have the DOF preview button set as a "AI servo" button. I usually keep mine on one shot, but when people are moving I hold the DOF preview button to temporarily put it on AI servo.

Of course if you are expecting movement, having it on AI servo natively would be less of a pain.

swldstn wrote in post #17037858
I've been volunteering to be a free second or third shooter for months with no takers. I'm not really looking to get into the market competitively. I just happen to have several family relations that really can't afford a true professional for their event. So they have asked for my help. My son got married last month and we used a professional because I really know how hard it is do well. I don't believe in the pray and spray approach to shooting events even if you have a beast like the 1DX.

Most people don't want to expose their skills to people in the same market zone so maybe go out of your zone for better results. Just a thought, one could learn as just being an assistance instead of 2nd or 3nd shooter, so do not forget that in the mix of your request. Good luck and have fun!