Focus on timer

Quick question for you guys in the know.

I have a 5D. Is there a way to set my camera on a timer and have it auto focus when the shutter is released? Assuming it is not refocused.

Thanks!

If you use a remote controller like Canon's TC-80N3 (ridicuously expensive), it will allow you to set an arbitrary time delay, and also time between successive shots, if you want more than one. The electronics inside that remote does the half-press some seconds before actually taking the picture, to allow the camera to wake up from sleep mode and also focus, as required.

EOS Utility also allowes timed remote control, but not all features are available for older cameras, so I don't know for sure about your particular model.

Thanks, i'm gathering from other posts that this question has been asked before.

I do remember a technique that some photographers were using where they'd set the camera on a timer and throw it up in the air (yeah really).

Once when i was shooting a wedding with another photographer we experimented with this technique. This was with 1DmkIIn. And it did auto focus.

Not sure if it can even be done with a 5D or a 30D.

Well, as I said, any timer that uses the electrical remote control socket (N3) properly, will indeed initiate a focusing operation prior to the actual triggering of the shutter.

But if you are hurling your camera around in the air (ouch!), then I assume One Shot AF will probably not be good, as focus will have changed between focus operation and exposure.
Whether AI Servo AF, or perhaps better the new AI Servo II AF, algorithm will handle that would be interesting to know.
Anyone volunteering their 7D for hurdling?

Anyone?