Custom Functions

I was reading on the CPN website about LAT photographer Steven Tee and some of the custom functions he uses.

Quoting from the CPN site

"More predictably, he ups the AI servo tracking sensitivity (C.Fn III -2) in order to keep the focus point fixed on the racing target. “It’s a bit of a placebo effect,” he says openly. “Since it’s been available, I’ve always had it, so I’m not sure if it’s any better or any worse. It just works for me.”

The most critical adaptation for Steven is making the AF-ON button initiate autofocusing (C.Fn IV -1). “I use the shutter button just to fire the camera and my thumb operates the autofocus on the AF button on the back. It’s a bit like a driver learning how to left-foot brake; when you first use it, it feels a bit alien but it gives you an instant on/off for the autofocus that you control rather than having to hold the shutter release button half-pressed. It’s by far the best custom function for what I do. All the F1 photographers use it.” "

I was wondering whether anyone on here had tried them or had any thoughts about the usage.

Hope it's OK to quote from the page. It can be found here.

Robert

I find it funny when people start pontificating on "the best custom function settings" for any given shooting scenario. Custom functions are there to mould the camera to the way you want to use it and the "best" settings differ from photographer to photographer.

My custom function settings have been tailored to suit the way I take motorsport photos and they change during the course of the day depending on what I am shooting, which technique I am using, the effect I am trying to achieve, the lighting and the type of car I am trying to shoot. They would be as much use to someone else as a chocolate teapot.

I'll have to give that AF-on thing a go, I don't know much about custom functions

Like the idea of the af on function. Thanks for the link.

I still can't see why pressing two buttons is better than just half pressing the shutter to start focus. Surely using the one button is simpler, non?

'Keep it simple' I think is the way to go. God knows how I would get on trying to left foot brake either !! I agree with big Dave that its easier pressing one button to operate A/F than training your brain to press two. Horses for courses I guess. I read the article last week and could not see the benefit. Maybe I am missing a trick ?

Since I switched to Canon I've been using it. Just feels natural now. However, it's what works for you, I'm not sure he's speaking for ALL F1 photographers!

BigDaveTheMighty wrote in post #8054581
I still can't see why pressing two buttons is better than just half pressing the shutter to start focus. Surely using the one button is simpler, non?

Wait until the day when you use a lens that has Full Time Electronic Manual Focus and you want to tweak the focus some.

BigDaveTheMighty wrote in post #8054581
I still can't see why pressing two buttons is better than just half pressing the shutter to start focus. Surely using the one button is simpler, non?

The biggest advantage for me is that if I want to start tracking my subject when it is in the shade, but want to take the photo in full sun. I can start to track by pressing the * button, but not lock my exposure by half pressing the shutter button until just before taking the shot.

restyles wrote in post #8056590
'Keep it simple' I think is the way to go. God knows how I would get on trying to left foot brake either !! I agree with big Dave that its easier pressing one button to operate A/F than training your brain to press two. Horses for courses I guess. I read the article last week and could not see the benefit. Maybe I am missing a trick ?

Maybe you are and maybe your aren't. There are many ways to deprive a cat of its skin and probably more ways of taking motorsport photos than that!

As far as using a button on the rear of the camera to initiate AF goes, there are some motorsport photographers whose work I greatly admire who think it's great and some motorsport photographers whose work I also greatly admire who think it's absolute cobblers.

For me the principal advantage is that it allows me to leave the camera permanently in "AI Servo mode" and yet still have "one shot AF". When I am in a pit lane I can make the camera focus by pressing the "*" button and then release it and recompose the shot as per one-shot AF. Yet the camera is still in AI Servo and if I spot something interesting driving along the pit lane my tracking focus is there immediately without any fumbling around to change AF modes.

I also enjoy having metering decoupled from AF. In "out of the box mode" on an EOS Camera half depressing the shutter button in AI Servo AF sets the metering and starts focus tracking / focuses. Setting CFn IV.2 (Mark III) CFn 4.3 (Mark II) allows me to initiate tracking AF independently of metering and ensures that the scene is metered at the instant the shot is taken, not when I started tracking the subject. Since the content of the scene may have substantially altered from the point at which I began tracking the car to the point at which I take the shot, this is useful.

Of course, because I am a real weirdo I often use one of the AF-Stop buttons on the 600mm lens itself to initiate AF and not the button on the back of the camera. In addition to me doing it just because I am strange, I find that gives a better balance when tracking subjects at low shutter speed.

Oh.. and yes, I know the Mark III has an "AF" button but I've swapped that over with the "*" button. It keeps it consistent with my Mark II.

Cadwell wrote in post #8061452
I also enjoy having metering decoupled from AF. In "out of the box mode" on an EOS Camera half depressing the shutter button in AI Servo AF sets the metering and starts focus tracking / focuses. Setting CFn IV.2 (Mark III) CFn 4.3 (Mark II) allows me to initiate tracking AF independently of metering and ensures that the scene is metered at the instant the shot is taken, not when I started tracking the subject. Since the content of the scene may have substantially altered from the point at which I began tracking the car to the point at which I take the shot, this is useful.

That's what I was trying to say, only this is expressed far better than I managed

Simon.