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This image was created with the hand held Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens, the 2XIII teleconverter (hand held at 400mm), and the Canon EOS-5D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. AI Servo Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to see the spectacular larger version. |
Free 5DIII Info
Many folks have e-mailed asking how to set up rear focus on the Canon EOS-5D Mark III. It is a bit hidden in the extensive Menu/Custum Functions screens. Here’s how you do it:
The last item on the 2nd Custom Function (C.Fn3: Display/Operation–Orange) Menu is Custom Controls. Select Custom Controls by scrolling down with the thumb wheel and then hit Set.
The first item in the left hand column is Shutter Button half-press. The default there is Metering and AF start. With the orange outline around this first item Press Set. You will see the orange outline around the Metering/AF symbol. Turn the thumb wheel one click clockwise that the orange outline is around the metering (only) symbol. Now press set again.
Next, scroll down to the second item in the first column, the AF-ON button. The default there is Metering/AF. Press set and turn the thumb wheel one click clockwise so that the orange box is around the * (exposure lock) symbol. Now press Set again. Only one more to go. Turn the thumb wheel one click in the clockwise direction to highlight the * button. The default there is the * button, i.e., exposure lock. Now press the Set button, turn the thumb wheel clockwise one click so that the Metering/AF symbol is outlined in orange. Press Set one last time and touch the shutter button lightly to exit the menu screen and you are good to go.
Metering will become active when you press the shutter button halfway but the camera will not focus. (That’s what rear focus is all about.) Focus by pushing the star button–the second button in from the upper right back corner of the body. And release the shutter button to create an image by fully depressing the shutter button. On the rare occasion that you need to lock the exposure you will use the AF-ON button as we have effectively switched the functions of the AF-ON and the star buttons.
When using rear focus you want to be in AI Servo AF all the time. You have One-Shot AF available by pressing the star button to set focus. You can then release the star button and recompose. To follow a swimming, walking, running, or flying bird simply press and hold the star button. In either situation, simply press the shutter button fully to create an image or press and hold the shutter button down fully to create a series of images. Remember: if you lift your thumb off the star button the AF system will stop tracking.
Two years ago I went to rear focus full time with all camera bodies and have never looked back. You can read the original rear focus tutorial here.
This is the type of information that will be available in spades in the upcoming EOS-5D Mark III User’s Guide. I hope to have it completed in one month but may be offering a pre-publication version at a discount soon.
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This image was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens and the 1.4X III TC (hand held at 115mm) with the Canon EOS-5D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering + 1/3 stops: 1/800 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. Central Sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus AF and re-compose. My elbows were braced on the railing to ensure that the lens did not move in relation to the subject after focus was set…. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version. |
Important Contest News
Only Four Days Left to Enter the Competition!
Only Four Days Left to Make Your Qualifying B&H Purchases!
Only Eleven Days Left to Upload Your Photos!
While you may upload images until 11:59pm eastern time on April 30, 2012, the very last day for registering for the contest and for making eligible B&H purchases will be Monday, April 23, 2012. This will give us time to process your registrations and verify your B&H purchases and will give you time to upload your images successfully. Good luck to all.
The BIRDS AS ART 1st International Bird Photography Competition has been going great guns. Additional folks are getting in on the fun each day. And many folks who had previously finished their entries have been taking advantage of the extension by uploading even stronger images. Thanks to those who responded to my Hand of Man pleas; it is now one of our strongest categories. While each of the following categories has some very strong images there is still room for improvement: Small in the Frame/Environmental, Pleasing Blurs, Youth, and especially Captive (photographs of captive, zoo, pet, or rehab birds).
Those of you who have been in the dark can learn more about the BIRDS AS ART 1st International Bird Photography Competition here or by visiting the main contest page here.
Save Your B&H Receipts
Do save your e-mail receipts for eligible B&H purchases made after Monday, April 23 as you will be able to use them for entry into the BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition; details will be announced in several months. Please remember, only B&H purchases made using the product-specific BAA B&H affiliate links in the Bulletins or on the blog or the more general link here qualify. See additional details by scrolling down to item 2 here. If in doubt, simply start your B&H searches by clicking here:
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Shopper’s Guide
Below is a list of the gear used to create the images in today’s post. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens. Man, I am loving this lens on my shoulder with the 2XIII teleconverter. I also use it a lot–depending on the situation–with the 1.4X III TC.
Canon EOS-5D Mark III. Man, I am in love with this camera body. Both the files and the AF system are superb. I cannot wait to get to Morro Bay.
And from the BAA On-line Store:
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
Hi Artie,
when will the prepublication version of the EOS-5D Mark III User’s Guide be available?
i’m eager to get one.
your other guides are excellent. i learn so much from the BAA Bulletins
& your blog. thanks ever so much for the invaluable information & education you provide to the
photography community.
Carl Zanoni
Carl, Thanks a stack for your more than kind words. I have been working on the guide whenever possible but have been super busy with Sam’s Bar Mitzvah (in two hours!), the contest, the blog, Bulletins, and two upcoming trips–San Diego and Trinidad and Tobago.
I know that you keep your eyes on the Bulletins so you will be the first to know when the pre-publication version will be available :).
Artie,
i appreciate that you are super busy. your guides are jewels
upon which i’ve become totally dependent.
Mazel Tov to you & Sam on his Bar Mitzvah.
Artie, I have a question I didn’t find answered here, or in the original rear focus article. Is your use of the star (*) button, rather than the AF-ON button just a personal preference, or is there a substantive reason? The AF-ON button seems to fit my thumb better, but I could very well have missed a good reason not to use that choice. Thanks.
Hi Ron, I have written that somewhere, probably in one of the camera User’s Guide. Anyhoo, for me, I am pretty sure that if I needed to reach around that indented corner with my thumb that the result would be a case of carpal tunnel syndrome in my right wrist. The position and motion needed to reach the AF-On button strains the ligaments in my hand and wrist. For me the star button is much more comfortable. If the AF-On button works for you, go for it. But do let me know if you develop any problems over time. 🙂
Thanks for your kind comments and for taking the time to post them.
Thanks for the rear button focus info. I have been reading a downloaded manual and could not figure it out. Are the dials on the 5D3 reversable both as to function and direction to allow them to be used in the same direction as the mark 4? If I am reading the manual right, they are but I am not sure. When I shoot in manual i use the top dial to adjust the aperture and turn it right to reduce exposure. The old 5D2 could not be set to mimick this action which killed it for me. I am heading back overseas so I had to cancel my 5D3 order for now while they are fixing the light leak issue. Plan to reorder when I get back.
How about offering your 5D3 user’s manual free to all who buy through your website? 🙂
How about not? B&H purchases are to thank me for the 100s of hours of work I put in each month with no compensation. The User’s Guides put food on the table. Not to mention that they take me more than a week of solid eight hour days to prepare or to mention that I already taught folks how to set up rear focus for free 🙂 artie
My 5D III has not been leaking any light… No matter what I do it keeps making great images…. Not sure on the reversible bit… And yes, the manual can be very hard to understand.
Neat flight image Artie. Sure is sharp. How did you get the nice lighting under the wings?
Just a good exposure with good processing :). There was not much reflected light and no flash was used.
We all realize Canon’s 1D Mark IV have been you workhorses for sometime now — but everything you’re shooting of late has been using the new 5D Mark III — can you share with your loyal followers what you like/dislike between the two cameras?
I love the 5DIII files. Relatively huge compared to the MIV files without the tiny pixel look BKGRs of the 7D. And I have much more confidence in the AF system. Get me a 1DX! Today I went out with two, count em, two, 5D III bodies. The Mark IV stayed in my Think Tank rolling bag and never saw the light of day…..
In addition, I need to really get to know the 5D III as the 5D III User’s Guide will produce considerable income for us.
Two nice captures. Where did you shoot the ‘gator and GBH? Elbows on the railing? We don’t have very many railings like that over here around Viera and MINWR, Gatorland is probably the closest and would have both well-fed ‘gators and GBH.
Thanks again for the blog.
YAW. You must be a pretty smart guy :).
“To follow a swimming, walking, running or flying bird simply press and hold the shutter button” – shouldn’t this be the star button?
Thanks Matthew. You are of course correct. I shall fix it. Thanks again. artie
Arthur, I gave my 5D I because of “focusing” shortcomings. I bought a 1D III. The 5D III appears to have overcome my objections. The Canon sales persons may want you to await the release of 1DX for your enthusiasm (wink, wink).
I tried to order a 1DX yesterday but could not…. The 1DX will be a 5D II on steroids… Can’t wait.
That alligator must be very well-fed, not hungry at all. Two beautiful shots, Artie, thanks for sending.