-= 1D MkIII Owners discuss =- and Post Your Pics

Rai33 wrote in post #13419303
Tareq, the AF system even in the 1 series is fallible even when working perfectly. Perhaps it's your technique? When shooting wide open it's imperitive to find areas of high contrast on the subject to give the AF system its best chance. Not saying something might well be wrong with your equipment (we all know the 1D3 is notoriuous) but if you haven't already done so it be worthwhile researching the techniques top sports photographers use to maximise their keeper rate.

Yes, i shoot wide open, and it could be my technique, so yesterday game is gone and i deleted most of OOF shots, today there is a soccer game and i am planning to go and shoot, should i try to shoot there without deleting anything and come back later to check and count how many OOF shots from overall are there?

SUB1IM388 wrote in post #13419308
are you using AF-on button? also are you holding the button down well shooting your series? I cant imagine that 4-6 of your series of 10 photos on all you bodies can be OOF.... is it possible to see some examples? from what your explaining sounds like user error.

Ah ok, no, i don't use AF-ON button, i use the shutter half buttom, sometimes i use those Zoom + - buttons next to AF-ON button, which one do you recommend me to use? using the shutter or the zooms buttons no i don't keep holding the buttons, i release them when tracking and when i nearly to shoot i press half for the shutter or hold the zooms to shoot and move with players, should i use a panning [Stabilizer Mode 2 on the lesn] set? I will post example later, but i can't be sure if i get first 8 shots almost 6-7 in focus then next 8 shots almost 6-7 OOF, which 8 shots series i have to post as example then?

PixelMagic wrote in post #13419424
The fact that you're getting a large number of OOF shots with both bodies leads me to think it could be your technique.

Have you had the 1D Mark III fixed when recalled by Canon?
What is CF III-3 setting?
What are you predominantly shooting when getting these OOF shots?

Maybe, it could be my technique, also i should know what if OOF i mean, it could be that most shots are in focus but all soft and not sharp at all, i think i mean the softness not OOF, so is it different if i get so soft shots rather than OOF shots?

- I didn't send my 1DIII to service at all since i bought it, first time it was off most of the time but later it worked fine but then i feel it is still not perfect as it should be, could be me wrong.

- CF III-3 is set at 0

- I shoot Soccer games

I love my 1D3. Images below taken with Sigma 50mm f/1.4 lens!

Son (Needs a haircut)

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Tareq, it's your technique. Ai servo needs to focus for a bit before you shoot that's why you need to keep the shutter 1/2 pressed while tracking. When you stop tracking (i.e. holding the shutter 1/2 way) the focus could be off and then when you depress the shutter you have an OOF shot. So continue tracking (i.e 1/2 press shutter) while shooting. Do not us IS it will create focus problems because it needs time to spool up. You can also try focus point expansion (left/right focus points) to see how you like it.

Ah ok, no, i don't use AF-ON button, i use the shutter half buttom, sometimes i use those Zoom + - buttons next to AF-ON button, which one do you recommend me to use? using the shutter or the zooms buttons no i don't keep holding the buttons, i release them when tracking and when i nearly to shoot i press half for the shutter or hold the zooms to shoot and move with players, should i use a panning [Stabilizer Mode 2 on the lesn] set? I will post example later, but i can't be sure if i get first 8 shots almost 6-7 in focus then next 8 shots almost 6-7 OOF, which 8 shots series i have to post as example then?.

I'd try to improve on your technique and if the problem still persist then send it to Canon.

300 2.8 on both

2783 x 2210

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2512 x 2306

EMBED PREVENTED, IMAGE TOO LARGE: http://img32.imageshac​k.us/img32/2580/744r00​62.jpg Click here to see our image rules.

After a few adjustments to the custom settings and despite really poor weather, the camera actually performed better than I'd expected today. Light was poor and not helped by a heavy drizzle which took the edge of the floodlights.

/\/\/\ thats an amazing shot!

I agree; he would be even better off using the Back Button AF while tracking.

Methodical wrote in post #13423587
Tareq, it's your technique. Ai servo needs to focus for a bit before you shoot that's why you need to keep the shutter 1/2 pressed while tracking. When you stop tracking (i.e. holding the shutter 1/2 way) the focus could be off and then when you depress the shutter you have an OOF shot. So continue tracking (i.e 1/2 press shutter) while shooting. Do not us IS it will create focus problems because it needs time to spool up. You can also try focus point expansion (left/right focus points) to see how you like it.

Ah ok, no, i don't use AF-ON button, i use the shutter half buttom, sometimes i use those Zoom + - buttons next to AF-ON button, which one do you recommend me to use? using the shutter or the zooms buttons no i don't keep holding the buttons, i release them when tracking and when i nearly to shoot i press half for the shutter or hold the zooms to shoot and move with players, should i use a panning [Stabilizer Mode 2 on the lesn] set? I will post example later, but i can't be sure if i get first 8 shots almost 6-7 in focus then next 8 shots almost 6-7 OOF, which 8 shots series i have to post as example then?.

I'd try to improve on your technique and if the problem still persist then send it to Canon.

Why didn't you answer me earlier yesterday, hehehehe, i went to a match yesterday, again have the same problems, but let me put this question: with your technique you use, how many OOF shots do you get per game overall? Also the problem is not with OOF, i decided of the game yeaterday that i will not delete any shot only test shots to count how many OOF shots i've got, but the main problem as i can see is the softness of the shots, with 70-200 or 300 even in focus i don't get any sharp image, for web size [600-1200pxl] the shots look fine or a bit sharp, but when i zoom or have them at larger size say around 2000px then i can see that no sharp shot there as i want, say maybe 3-8 shots are sharp only out of 100-200.

I will post examples or photos either here or in separated thread about the game and then see what is the problem actually, but i will try next game to use your recommended technique and hope it will help.

So i will start to question about the settings:

- Should i put IS on or off when i am using speed shutter minimum 1/500?

- What should i put Stabilizer Mode at, 1 or 2?

- How much the monopod help in the shoot? I was using monopod but it was like no much gain for me, i do get keeper shots and i do lose more as well, the movement with monopod are limited because i don't have the right head, the lens attached to the monopod direct and no movement in all directions so many times i can't point the camera or the lens to a direction without moving the monopod all the way [Up, down, left, right], it just help me to handle the weight, and about the sharpness not much as well, and with shutter speed minimum 1/500 up to 1/1000 even with handheld i should get sharper shots.

- So if i don't use that half press shutter for focusing, what i should use, AF-on? or something else?

- What about the CF settings? are there something i should do there for better shooting?

- I don't know about the lens micro-adjustment, do you think this may help me to get sharper or better in focus shots? the test must me done with tripod and still with one shot modes? and does that mean each lens has different micro adjustment? What will happen if my 70-200 have different MA than 300, will both settings be saved on MKIII or i have to make each again if use one to another on the body?

Anything else that may help me please let me know, as i really want to get better sharper in focus shots of sports.

I would like to see more soccer[football] shots taken by 1D3 and 300 2.8IS or 70-200 2.8IS mk1, where i can see those results as it will take me long time to check all the pages in this mk3 thread.

Tareq try these settings:
All settings default except the following

Picture style:
Standard but with sharpness set at 6 and contrast 1

Custom Functions:
CFn 1:
3 -enable 100:H
7 - 1: Enable use active AF point
8 - 2: Enable (ISO speed)

Cfn 3:
2 - 1 point above Slow
4 - 1 continuous AT track priority
6 - 4 One Shot- AI Servo
7 - 2 adjust as required for lens (0) in my case
9 - 4 Inner 9 points
11 - 2 direct:enable/enable
16 - Enable: 3 shots (low) and 10 shots (high)

Cfn 4:
1 - 3 AE lock/Metering + AF start
2 - 1:Enable
4 - 3:ISO speed


Time will tell whether these will work under bright sunlight conditions I've had in the previous 2 weeks, but it certainly was better yesterday under floodlight and heavy rain. OOF shots reduced to about 20% compared to 50% the previous 2 matches.

Tareq wrote in post #13425188
I would like to see more soccer[football] shots taken by 1D3 and 300 2.8IS or 70-200 2.8IS mk1, where i can see those results as it will take me long time to check all the pages in this mk3 thread.

http://www.flickr.com …x/sets/72157628​054759403/

From yesterdays game

Red Dog wrote in post #13425197
Tareq try these settings:
All settings default except the following

Picture style:
Standard but with sharpness set at 6 and contrast 1

Custom Functions:
CFn 1:
3 -enable 100:H
7 - 1: Enable use active AF point
8 - 2: Enable (ISO speed)

Cfn 3:
2 - 1 point above Slow
4 - 1 continuous AT track priority
6 - 4 One Shot- AI Servo
7 - 2 adjust as required for lens (0) in my case
9 - 4 Inner 9 points
11 - 2 direct:enable/enable
16 - Enable: 3 shots (low) and 10 shots (high)

Cfn 4:
1 - 3 AE lock/Metering + AF start
2 - 1:Enable
4 - 3:ISO speed


Time will tell whether these will work under bright sunlight conditions I've had in the previous 2 weeks, but it certainly was better yesterday under floodlight and heavy rain. OOF shots reduced to about 20% compared to 50% the previous 2 matches.

Thank you very much!

I did adjust them as you stated above now except that i didn't microadjust by lens yet and i will do that later soon before the next game, and also the last one for ISO, hope this will help better next time.
I shoot under floodlights, sometimes we start before the sunset about 1 hour which causes a strong contrast between the shadow and highlight on the playground field, so i don't like to shoot this time much and i wait for the second half when it is dark and under floodlights.

Red Dog wrote in post #13425206
http://www.flickr.com …x/sets/72157628​054759403/

From yesterdays game

Nice shots, not bad, but i feel they are not what i really think want to have, they are not so sharp as mine, i think those are cropped, if so then same as mine, if not then mine is way better uncropped.

Which lenses you were using here? 300 f2.8 and sigma 120-300?

I have one more question:

If the floodlight is good enough that you can use minimum shutter speed 1/500, will you prefer to use ISO 1600-3200 with Shutter speed 1/640-1/1000 f2.8-3.2? or you just keep ISO 800-1250 and shutter speed say at 1/500 up to 1/800 and f2.8 only? The floodlight in our club i can use ISO 3200 with speed 1/800 or even 1/1000 and f3.2 or 2.8, will you go with this settings? one friend from the newspaper told me he will not go above ISO 800 or 1000 with mk2 and mkIII and he fixed his shutter speed at 1/640 [not sure if he is using 1/800 sometimes] and f2.8, what will you do if you are in same condition?