Question for 1DMK2/N Owners

I have a 30D right now and use center point focus 80% of the time (100% of the time if in AI Servo), if I have a stationary subject thats pretty close I'll use one of the other focus points to avoid focus/recompose problems. I'm curious though, what do you guys use the 45 AF points on the 1DMK2 for? I know there are a few more cross type sensor points that you can use for AI Servo tracking, but besides that, how often do you find yourself actually using one of the other focus points? Do you ever just activate all the AF points and let the camera figure it out in one shot mode? I can't remember the last time I tried this with my 30D..

Up until I had the 1DMKIIN I always did the same - 95% centre-point with occasional usage of the outer points. This was usually because I never trusted the camera to focus on what I wanted quickly enough!

This all changed when I used the MKIIN - I was then so impressed with the focusing that I left it on 45-point auto most of the time, and configured the pre-selected focus point button to be centre focus only. A lot of my grabshots were spot-on with the 45 point focus even in tricky conditions.

By also using CF4 this allowed me to switch between 45-point (using the * button) and centre-point (using the button to the left of *) seamlessly and quickly without having to think about it.

Prior to the MKIIN I'd been a user of the Canon 20D, D30 and EOS 100 along with the Nikon D100, and the focusing on the MKIIN blew the others out of the water, making the 45-point a great benefit.

Others may have a different opinion though

I have the home key set to the center point - so I can select 45-point when I want but quickly return to the center point (kind of backwards from the norm I guess, but I use center more than 45). That's not to say I don't select my AF point - it's not always just in the center... But personally I'd rather have one point than 45.

It's more accurate (you know exactly what is being focused on) and faster (in the case of BIF or sports, for example).

I have my 1Ds set so that if I push the assist button I use all 45 points. If I press the * button I use the last selected AF point. I usually have the AF point set to center.

I just manually select the best AF point for my composition unless I'm shooting action.

I have the center as a default and then the second is selected as required using the FEL button...very versatile....I can switch to almost any focus point instantly....

It was one of the key features I liked when baling on Nikon.

I started out with the CFn 4 set to 3 using the * button for focus activation, and typically left it in center point all the time, AIServo, all the time,,

Then a couple of weeks ago (yes it does help to read the instructions) I found (okay ,,yes Im an idiot),, CFn 18-2,,Wow,,love it

Now,, I am parked on center point only, with the back focus (*) button activating focus,, and when the action moves up field and gets in your face,, I hit the assist button to activate AF and it goes to my registered "45 point Automatic Point Selection" ,,works great.

This set-up rocks!!!,, now I cant wait for my 300 2.8 to get here for the cross field (Lacrosse) action

I manually choose my focus point from the 45, but recently I've trying to use the automatic selection to see the accuracy of it. It's actually pretty good at focusing on the points that I want!

sumnrfam wrote in post #5010773
I started out with the CFn 4 set to 3 using the * button for focus activation, and typically left it in center point all the time, AIServo, all the time,,

Then a couple of weeks ago (yes it does help to read the instructions) I found (okay ,,yes Im an idiot),, CFn 18-2,,Wow,,love it

Now,, I am parked on center point only, with the back focus (*) button activating focus,, and when the action moves up field and gets in your face,, I hit the assist button to activate AF and it goes to my registered "45 point Automatic Point Selection" ,,works great.

This set-up rocks!!!,, now I cant wait for my 300 2.8 to get here for the cross field (Lacrosse) action

I just got my 1dmk2 and I have set it up like mentioned above. I have also enabled C Fn. 17 -1 to increase the focus points when doing birds in flight.

I actually used the 45pt af for a college bball game. I got bored and wanted to try it instead of the single af pt. but it worked well for basketball. I was also able to wait on the play and it gave me the right af pts for the player that I wanted to focus on. even with players running in front of me, it still acted the same as single pt would but I like how I didn't need to be exact on since the last couple times I shot single af I would miss a play because i was behind in my panning and it would focus on the bg instead cause I'm slow :-/

disneydork06 wrote in post #5013115
I actually used the 45pt af for a college bball game. I got bored and wanted to try it instead of the single af pt. but it worked well for basketball. I was also able to wait on the play and it gave me the right af pts for the player that I wanted to focus on. even with players running in front of me, it still acted the same as single pt would but I like how I didn't need to be exact on since the last couple times I shot single af I would miss a play because i was behind in my panning and it would focus on the bg instead cause I'm slow :-/

Can you post some shots when using the 45 points.

I have the centre point as default, and occasionally change the active point to a single point somewhere else on the AF sensor, and if I need the centre point again, I hit the ‘‘WB’’ button left of the ‘‘*’’. I’ve almost never used all of the 45 points, but might try to see if it works better for me...

I have my MK II mainly set to 11 focus points.

I then will choose the focus point that is one space to the right of the center point. Main reason for that is when I turn the camera sideways to shoot that point is now on the face (which is what needs to be in focus) of my subject when shooting sports.

When Im shooting in regular mode I will set the focus point 1 space up so the same happens.

Ross