5D3 owners, help please.

Not long had my 5D3 and have a question.
I do a lot of macro work and feel I need pinpoint precision for focussing.
On page 75 of the user manual this is discussed. What I can't seem to find is how to actually set it.

It is called Single-point Spot AF (Manual selection).

Just below it in the manual is:

Single-point AF (Manual selection).

I'm confused!

If I understand your requirement, you can view the focus selection using the top right hand button at the rear of the camera. With that showing press the M-Fn button (next to the scroll wheel at the top of the camera) and it will change modes for each press.

Thanks for that.
When you say change, will it say spot AF as opposed to single point?

Thanks in advance.

fordmondeo wrote in post #17276606
Thanks for that.
When you say change, will it say spot AF as opposed to single point?

Thanks in advance.

The options are:
Manual Selection Spot AF
Manual Selection 1 Point AF
Expand SF area
Expand AF area surround
Manual select Zone AF
61 point auto.

This may help
http://cpn.canon-europe.com …rkIII_eng_Janua​ry2013.pdf

Just curious, do you use AF or MF when doing macro?

Personally I manually focus, by moving back and forth.

My MP-E lens only has a zoom (no manual or auto focus), so it forces that technique for a given zoom level.

Thanks Bas, personally I also think that in macro no method of AF will ever be pinpoint enough, so to the OP whatever it's worth my method is as follow,:

Use Live view, get the comp reasonably final on screen, push magnification button once, the focus square that appears can then be moved to the point where you want to focus with the joystick, push button again once or twice for 5x or 10x magnifications and focus manually.....

Cassiedup wrote in post #17276624
Just curious, do you use AF or MF when doing macro?

For static subjects I normally use MF. I do this as I sometimes stack multiple images to increase DOF.

I'm old and a bit shakey so for bugs I have to rely on AF.

BasAndrews wrote in post #17276618
The options are:
Manual Selection Spot AF
Manual Selection 1 Point AF
Expand SF area
Expand AF area surround
Manual select Zone AF
61 point auto.

This may help
http://cpn.canon-europe.com …rkIII_eng_Janua​ry2013.pdf

I had no idea the AF system was so complicated.

Thanks.

This video tutorial explains how to get Spot AF: https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=0i2_CHhp9Q4

fordmondeo wrote in post #17276490
Not long had my 5D3 and have a question.
I do a lot of macro work and feel I need pinpoint precision for focussing.

Single point spot AF isn't what you want. It isn't more precise, if anything it can be less so as the SF point is so small and it is hard to ensure it is on target. It is specifically designed for when you are you trying to focus on something that may be partially obscured by something in the foreground, such as focusing on a bird in a cage, something seen through the branches of a tree or through a wire fence.

For Macro work most people use manual focus in Live View mode (on a tripod) as this allows you to enlarge the view using the LCD to clearly see what you are focused on. IN addition they may use a focus rail that allows tiny movement of the camera to adjust focus. Especially useful if you want to take multiple shots for focus stacking.

Dan Marchant wrote in post #17276997
Single point spot AF isn't what you want. It isn't more precise, if anything it can be less so as the SF point is so small and it is hard to ensure it is on target. It is specifically designed for when you are you trying to focus on something that may be partially obscured by something in the foreground, such as focusing on a bird in a cage, something seen through the branches of a tree or through a wire fence.

For Macro work most people use manual focus in Live View mode (on a tripod) as this allows you to enlarge the view using the LCD to clearly see what you are focused on. IN addition they may use a focus rail that allows tiny movement of the camera to adjust focus. Especially useful if you want to take multiple shots for focus stacking.

The AF point isn't that small, it is just reduced from the normal single AF point. In fact Canon calls out that the AF point is still minimally as large as the outer AF box in the display. Focusing, in many situations, will be a bit slower as to try to improve the accuracy.

But I agree, macro work seems to be better when the body (or live view manual focusing with a tripod) is used as the focusing mechanism, and not the AF system of the camera and lens.