Isn't the 1DmarkIIN supposed to have SUPERIOR autofocus?????????????

So I finally got upset with having only 9 focus points and slow autofocus with the 5D so I broke down and picked up a 1d2n.

I must say I am VERY un-impressed thus far with the 1d2n's performance. Maybe I just got a bad copy or I don't know how to use it yet. But overall the image quality is not hardly comparable to the 5D. At ISO800 the grain is clearly visible where the 5D it is not so much. Also I don't know but the 5D images are more crisp and life like.

So doing weddings I thought the 1d2n would be a good tool because of the superior autofocus.

Here is my issue / question:

I select my autofocus point and when the subject comes into play I place the focus point on my subject then click. Elementary photography 101. So then riddle me this. If I'm shooting 1/100 at f/8 why can't I get the subject in focus!! It's not like I'm doing auto racing, it's just wedding pictures, the fastest movement where these settings could be used is walking down the isle in a well lit room. What is the deal? And I know it's not the lenses, I try the lenses on my 5D and everything is fine.

Here are some tack sharp motion shots from the 5D

http://www.adaptiveod.​com/dddance.jpg
http://www.adaptiveod.​com/ddddance.jpg

Here is a cropped sample of the 1d2n awesomeness.....
Notice the subject (moving) is out of focus and the walls and people in bg are in focus..?
At 1/100 second at ISO500 and f/5.0 she should be TAAACK SHARP! I don't care if it's servo or single shot mode!

http://j.b5z.net/i/u/2​116004/f/wtf.jpg

It's easy to see that there is alot more motion in the reception photos taken with the 5D. Not to mention the lighting in the room is much darker.

Here is the run down:

Reception shots = 5D
Dark room - Lots of motion
shots shown are taken without roomlight
probably at 800ISO - shutter usually around 1/50 - aperture usually around f/5.0

Ceremony shot = 1d2n
Shot taken in a well lit room, subject motion is slow
500ISO - 1/100sec shutter - f/5.0

You would really think that the 1d2n has the advantage and should have the better shot. HAAA

What is going on? Don't tell me the 5D is better than the 1D2N???

Someone please help me I'm going crazy trying to figure out if I should just go back to the 5d or not....

I can't answer your questions, not having either camera, but the door hinge sure is in sharp focus in the last picture.

^^ correct, the camera's focusing on the wrong thing there.

The 5D and 1DII are different beasts when it comes to focusing. You just need to practice more with the 1D to get the best out of it.

Also, the image size limits are 1024px on the longest side. Please resize your shots and edit your post accordingly.

I think that the 5D have a little bit better image quality...

Reservoir_Dog wrote in post #4613172
I think that the 5D have a little bit better image quality...

The 5D and 1DII are different cameras with different strengths. For me, the 5D gives excellent results, the 1DIIN is there for sports work. I'd much rather use my 5D indoors and for portrait/events work than the 1DIIN.

I do wish it had more AF points though...

stupid question, What focus point where you using

The 5D shots, the subjects are further away and are largely static within their movement (not moving toward or away with any degree of speed). Also being further away, the depth of field at f/5 is larger.

The 1D shot, the subject is closer (rendering a narrower depth of field at f/5) and also moving toward you.

If you weren't using AI Servo AF mode, this result would defintely happen.

Adamora wrote in post #4613202
stupid question, What focus point where you using

Center top circle. I got the confirmation lock light right on her pearly whites when I clicked the shutter. She should be super sharp.

I also tried using the custom function to auto expand max 13 and max 7 af points. I also tried servo tracking sensitivity on standard, slow, and fast.

I was thinking it was a back focusing issue, but there is no way because with all my expensive L glass there is no way ALL of them are messed up...

Pete wrote in post #4613223
The 5D shots, the subjects are further away and are largely static within their movement (not moving toward or away with any degree of speed). Also being further away, the depth of field at f/5 is larger.

The 1D shot, the subject is closer (rendering a narrower depth of field at f/5) and also moving toward you.

If you weren't using AI Servo AF mode, this result would defintely happen.

The 1d image is a crop to demonstrate the out of focus subject and the in focus background. Without being cropped you can't really tell it is out of focus. The distance to the subject in the 1d photo is about the same as the distance to the girl in the black dress on the second 5d photo. And yes the motion in the 5d photos is greater, the motion in the 1d photo is more steady/predictable.

Measurebate your camera with it on a tripod. Once you're happy that the camera isn't back-focusing, generally you'll get better results (it's a trust issue).

Also, try using the "ring of fire" AF points when in AI Servo mode.

Are you using AI Servo for that specific 1D IIN image? If so, you can't focus-recompose as it looks like you've done.

Having said that, there are times my 1D II does miss focus. It's man-made equipment so it's not going to be 100% spot on 100% of the time.

Does look like it has back focussed to me.. maybe as suggested get a tripod and test chart to check it is focusing correctly. May need to be sent in for callibrating

If you focused using the centre top focus point, what AF mode were you in?

It's a bit puzzling, because the centre top focus point in this shot would be roughly on the partition in the middle of the photo (which looks quite sharp), unless you cropped the photo rather heavily. If you focused and recomposed, by the time you did that she could certainly have moved position. This looks more out of focus than any motion blur, even though it was a fairly slow shutter speed for someone moving towards the camera.

Adaptive wrote in post #4613232
Center top circle. I got the confirmation lock light right on her pearly whites when I clicked the shutter. She should be super sharp.

I also tried using the custom function to auto expand max 13 and max 7 af points. I also tried servo tracking sensitivity on standard, slow, and fast.

I was thinking it was a back focusing issue, but there is no way because with all my expensive L glass there is no way ALL of them are messed up...

Adaptive wrote in post #4613232
I was thinking it was a back focusing issue, but there is no way because with all my expensive L glass there is no way ALL of them are messed up...

No, but it might be the camera that needs adjusting...

Took awhile for me to get used to the IIn. And for what its worth I still think my IIn is faster than my 1Ds mkII.( both low light and outside bright ) I found my IIn had a hard time focusing on sand colored things like our pets in lower light were the 1Ds will focus. It might be worth checking your settings. Its a great body and can focus.