Canon, please fix that disappointing AI-Servo

I've always been a fan of Canon cameras. The controls are user friendly and the build quality is high, at least for the 400D and 30D I used. However, I shoot cars most of the time, and inconsistency of the AF really puts me off when I start chasing race action or panning.

The 40D has some nice gimmicks over the 30D, but all I really need are:

1) higher resolution screen so that I can actually check the sharpness of my shots on the spot;

2) AI-Servo that stays on target during continuous shooting, and not wander off after the first shot. 3FPS or 10FPS means nothing if I can't keep the object in focus. I don't use continuous shooting anymore for this reason.

It's ok that the 40D AF is not as quick as the 1D (for capturing approaching cars etc.), but at least it should be accurate. It'd be nice to add the AI servo sensitivity adjustment function to the next crop sensor DSLR.

Canon, please work on what's important. The D300 is tempting cos it offers what I need without having to spend 1D3 prices, but I really don't want to switch my lenses and learn new controls from scratch.

Am I alone?

Below are some extracts from another thread. Make a search in the forum and you will find many suggestions. Daniella made many beautiful photo using ai servo
tetapunto

A)"If you use all focusing points with the AI servo, make sure that your initial AF lock is right on your target, as if you start a burst sequence with the wrong subject acquisition, it will be hard to correct without refocusing."

B)"Your suggestion to use Auto Focus Points on AI Servo rather than just Center Point Focus increased my keeper rates from a dismal 20% to over 90% with the same subject: "Weimaraners in Flight"!"

C)"I would only use the center AF point alone if I had a bird that was so large in the frame that I would not be afraid of losing it from the main AF point.

The camera is quite fast to pick up something behind if all the active points get off the subject.

So..in that reguard if you only use the center point and it drop off the target during a tracking (like with a bird that is small in the frame), then the AF will probably wander around.

with all focusing points, as long as you keep at least one on the target, your chances of keeping the tracking are better. That is from my own experience though."

Hi Bob,

I use single point AF for all the pics I take, and I pick the AF point depending on how I frame each pic. I don't recall using the centre point to be significantly more in focus. It'd be great to have other motorsports photographers to confirm on this.

I've seen reviews of 40D for motorsports, but I don't think the 9 cross sensors have improved on the success rate for this task.

AI servo works great in my 40D (as well as my 30D and 1DmkII). I've had no complaints shooting in AI Servo AF mode (I use this shooting mode a LOT) and have to wonder "if" there could be something wrong with your equipment. If possible, you might try shooting your lens/body on a borrowed body/lens from a friend to help isolate the cause of your problem(s).

Regards,

Joe Kurkjian, Pbase Supporter

SEARCHING FOR A BETTER SELF PORTRAIT

The LCD's resolution is about the same as a typical computer screen, perfectly fine for judging focus, etc... The problem is Canon only gives us a small preview image to look at... your inability to judge focus has little or nothing to do with the LCD's resolution.

Others have also explained that the AI Servo in the 40D is actually quite good....

Hubs wrote:

I've always been a fan of Canon cameras. The controls are user
friendly and the build quality is high, at least for the 400D and 30D
I used. However, I shoot cars most of the time, and inconsistency of
the AF really puts me off when I start chasing race action or panning.

The 40D has some nice gimmicks over the 30D, but all I really need are:

1) higher resolution screen so that I can actually check the
sharpness of my shots on the spot;

2) AI-Servo that stays on target during continuous shooting, and not
wander off after the first shot. 3FPS or 10FPS means nothing if I
can't keep the object in focus. I don't use continuous shooting
anymore for this reason.

It's ok that the 40D AF is not as quick as the 1D (for capturing
approaching cars etc.), but at least it should be accurate. It'd be
nice to add the AI servo sensitivity adjustment function to the next
crop sensor DSLR.

Canon, please work on what's important. The D300 is tempting cos it
offers what I need without having to spend 1D3 prices, but I really
don't want to switch my lenses and learn new controls from scratch.

Am I alone?

Thank for your advice. Will try to borrow a 40D for testing next time.

Thanks. Unfortunately the LCD resolution just doesn't do it for me. There're many occasions where the car decals look sharp in the LCD screen, but turns out to be a bit off in the com. Same when I do lens comparison tests with tripods and mirror lockups, where I cannot possibly judge from the LCD. Anyway, this is less of an issue compared to the AI problem I've been experiencing. I really hope that I have a faulty camera, then I'll have the excuse to upgrade

After trialing the 40d and finding it not quite ready for prime time sports, it went back. In addition to the AI servo issues the AWB isn't on par. Most of the time, I'm shooting in manual mode but on the occasions I rely on AEX, it wasn't there either.

Save yourself some grief and buy a good used 1dmkII. Use it for a couple of months and if you don't like it then you can sell it for virtually no loss. Hopefully, the 50d will offer improved AF and address the other issues and perhaps I'll revisit the xd line.

Thanks Dale, it's great to know how AI-Servo works!

However, say if I want to pan a car that is approaching at an angle, like this pic here:

http://www.fotop.net/Hubspace/20070324e/IMG_5922

if I use auto focus point, I would probably end up getting the door area in focus, as it is closer to the center focus point, rather than the front bumper, right?

My AI Servo works just fine with all the AF points enabled using the 70-300 DO IS. The resolution of the screen is not the problem as the OP said. The sample image we are viewing on the LCD is very low res compared to the actual image file. Canon would do well to implement the ability to switch between view the full image or the thumbnail in the menu options. The user then could chose between viewing speed or accuracy as they please.

All in all not many complaints about my 40D!

switch to Nikon..lenses are no problem you can sell them..

it is really amazing what we read in this forum..if the resolution of an LCD could be a reason for switching between top of the line camera. hmmmmm

Hubs wrote:

I've always been a fan of Canon cameras. The controls are user
friendly and the build quality is high, at least for the 400D and 30D
I used. However, I shoot cars most of the time, and inconsistency of
the AF really puts me off when I start chasing race action or panning.

The 40D has some nice gimmicks over the 30D, but all I really need are:

1) higher resolution screen so that I can actually check the
sharpness of my shots on the spot;

2) AI-Servo that stays on target during continuous shooting, and not
wander off after the first shot. 3FPS or 10FPS means nothing if I
can't keep the object in focus. I don't use continuous shooting
anymore for this reason.

It's ok that the 40D AF is not as quick as the 1D (for capturing
approaching cars etc.), but at least it should be accurate. It'd be
nice to add the AI servo sensitivity adjustment function to the next
crop sensor DSLR.

Canon, please work on what's important. The D300 is tempting cos it
offers what I need without having to spend 1D3 prices, but I really
don't want to switch my lenses and learn new controls from scratch.

Am I alone?

other camera in its class. Including the D300.

I've seen nothing, nor read anything that shows or says that the D300 does indeed have better AF tracking.

Sure it has more options and is more configurable which may or may not help in certain circumstances.

But there is no definitive proof that says you'll get more in focus shots with the D300 than you will with the 40D.

If you want the AI Servo "fixed" step up to a 1D or D3.

Gene

Thanks for clarifying that it's the preview image size rather than the LCD resolution that I'm less happy with. I'm not familiar with the technical aspects behind the camera.

try this one i think its the best for you

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Panasonic/panasonic_dmctz5.asp

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1019&message=27365724

Thanks but I don't think this is funny.

Hubs wrote:

Thanks. Unfortunately the LCD resolution just doesn't do it for me.
There're many occasions where the car decals look sharp in the LCD
screen, but turns out to be a bit off in the com.

Since the camera will pretty much provide a 100% view on the LCD, the resolution is not the problem. It's enough to see every single pixel of the review image. The problem is the review image itself, which is not a full-resolution image. You are viewing a downsampled thumbnail on the LCD, which is why you are finding it poor for judging sharpness.

Canon needs to provide a full-res review image for it to even make sense to allow 10x magnification on the LCD.

David

Hi David,

thanks for correcting my mis-understanding

unfortunately I can't edit my top thread to correct this...