1Dx Back Button Focus and Tracking

[Todd K68]

Hi Everyone-

I have done all the reading I can do, and I don't feel like I know an answer to a basic question.

I am shooting with Back Button Focus and am just testing with the different cases. Does the camera automatically track and keep focus on a moving subject (left to right/right to left) without moving the camera? Or once you acquire focus (I am mostly using single point to focus on a hockey player on the ice), can you keep moving the camera with Back Button pressed and it will maintain focus on the initially acquired subject even though the subject and camera have moved?

I am shooting with a 1Dx and 70-200 IS. Always at 2.8 and usually around 1/800 and 2000ISO. Many of my shots have been soft, so I feel like I am missing something. (Autofocus on the shutter is turned off)

Thanks

Todd

 

[GreatWhiteWing]

Hi Everyone-

I have done all the reading I can do, and I don't feel like I know an answer to a basic question.

I am shooting with Back Button Focus and am just testing with the different cases. Does the camera automatically track and keep focus on a moving subject (left to right/right to left) without moving the camera? Or once you acquire focus (I am mostly using single point to focus on a hockey player on the ice), can you keep moving the camera with Back Button pressed and it will maintain focus on the initially acquired subject even though the subject and camera have moved?

I am shooting with a 1Dx and 70-200 IS. Always at 2.8 and usually around 1/800 and 2000ISO. Many of my shots have been soft, so I feel like I am missing something. (Autofocus on the shutter is turned off)

Thanks

Todd

Assuming you're in AIServo.

Don't get the softness with static subjects?

I don't have a 1 but in my case all my photos got better after MF adjustments using FoCal. Got totally different numbers that Dot tune.

 

[hermit383]

READ THIS FIRST

Single point AF will NOT track the subject automatically.

The only modes that will track are Auto select AF, Zone AF, Large Zone AF,

Auto Select AF is very good, However note this:

Go to the 4th page in the AF menu( purple page) in the camera, go to " AFpt, ( - ) AI SERVO AF for "Auto Select AF" to be set to Manual,

This is "like" using single spot AF in that you can set the AF point anywhere you want with the joystick, but then if the subject moves, it will track it around the viewfinder beginning with the initial spot you placed.

READ THIS SECOND

Another tip, In the custom function menu ( orange pages) In the custom button controls,

I set the shutter half press AF+Metering start - AF Expand Surround, AI SERVO

I also set the AF-On button to AF+Metering start- Auto select AF- AI SERVO

I also set the * ( AE- Lock) button to AF+metering Start- Single spot AF- SINGLE SHOT

this allows me 3 totally different AF functions just by pressing different buttons, without having to change any settings,

 

[Schwany]

Hi Everyone-

I have done all the reading I can do, and I don't feel like I know an answer to a basic question.

I am shooting with Back Button Focus and am just testing with the different cases. Does the camera automatically track and keep focus on a moving subject (left to right/right to left) without moving the camera? Or once you acquire focus (I am mostly using single point to focus on a hockey player on the ice), can you keep moving the camera with Back Button pressed and it will maintain focus on the initially acquired subject even though the subject and camera have moved?

I am shooting with a 1Dx and 70-200 IS. Always at 2.8 and usually around 1/800 and 2000ISO. Many of my shots have been soft, so I feel like I am missing something. (Autofocus on the shutter is turned off)

Thanks

Todd

No and Yes. My 1DX won't track if I don't follow the subject. It will try in AIServo with the shutter button pressed, but if you want to maintain sharp focus you do have to keep button you are using for focus pressed and the subject in the ring of fire so to speak. If none of that makes sense, it wouldn't be the first time I didn't make any sense.

 

[dgumshu]

Single point still works best for me rather than using the other focus points to track.

Also, many people in my shooting club are now using sights like these for wildlife, but not sure if it will work for what you shoot.

https://flic.kr/p/RYQAEq

 

[dgovoni]

I have one of these. It's designed like a rifle scope (with cross-hairs) to help you quickly acquire a subject, but you need to move to the camera view finder and engage AF once you've acquired the subject. It does not actually do the AF for you. It has to be calibrated to the camera body you're using. Works best on long lens when trying to find your subject.

Dennis

 

[Todd K68]

Hi Everyone-

I have done all the reading I can do, and I don't feel like I know an answer to a basic question.

I am shooting with Back Button Focus and am just testing with the different cases. Does the camera automatically track and keep focus on a moving subject (left to right/right to left) without moving the camera? Or once you acquire focus (I am mostly using single point to focus on a hockey player on the ice), can you keep moving the camera with Back Button pressed and it will maintain focus on the initially acquired subject even though the subject and camera have moved?

I am shooting with a 1Dx and 70-200 IS. Always at 2.8 and usually around 1/800 and 2000ISO. Many of my shots have been soft, so I feel like I am missing something. (Autofocus on the shutter is turned off)

Thanks

Todd

Assuming you're in AIServo.

Don't get the softness with static subjects?

I don't have a 1 but in my case all my photos got better after MF adjustments using FoCal. Got totally different numbers that Dot tune.

I actually have not done that comparison or taken any true static shots. I will give that a try.

 

[Todd K68]

READ THIS FIRST

Single point AF will NOT track the subject automatically.

The only modes that will track are Auto select AF, Zone AF, Large Zone AF,

Auto Select AF is very good, However note this:

Go to the 4th page in the AF menu( purple page) in the camera, go to " AFpt, ( - ) AI SERVO AF for "Auto Select AF" to be set to Manual,

This is "like" using single spot AF in that you can set the AF point anywhere you want with the joystick, but then if the subject moves, it will track it around the viewfinder beginning with the initial spot you placed.

READ THIS SECOND

Another tip, In the custom function menu ( orange pages) In the custom button controls,

I set the shutter half press AF+Metering start - AF Expand Surround, AI SERVO

I also set the AF-On button to AF+Metering start- Auto select AF- AI SERVO

I also set the * ( AE- Lock) button to AF+metering Start- Single spot AF- SINGLE SHOT

this allows me 3 totally different AF functions just by pressing different buttons, without having to change any settings,

Wow, as usual, there is so much to learn. Good info about the single point though. I really need to spend some quality time understanding all of these modes. I'm a amateur/hobbiest, so I don't really spend much time with the customized settings, and don't use it enough to remember what I set the buttons to!

I appreciate the info and will definitely try these.

 

[Todd K68]

Hi Everyone-

I have done all the reading I can do, and I don't feel like I know an answer to a basic question.

I am shooting with Back Button Focus and am just testing with the different cases. Does the camera automatically track and keep focus on a moving subject (left to right/right to left) without moving the camera? Or once you acquire focus (I am mostly using single point to focus on a hockey player on the ice), can you keep moving the camera with Back Button pressed and it will maintain focus on the initially acquired subject even though the subject and camera have moved?

I am shooting with a 1Dx and 70-200 IS. Always at 2.8 and usually around 1/800 and 2000ISO. Many of my shots have been soft, so I feel like I am missing something. (Autofocus on the shutter is turned off)

Thanks

Todd

No and Yes. My 1DX won't track if I don't follow the subject. It will try in AIServo with the shutter button pressed, but if you want to maintain sharp focus you do have to keep button you are using for focus pressed and the subject in the ring of fire so to speak. If none of that makes sense, it wouldn't be the first time I didn't make any sense.

It does make sense, and thanks. I now know that I do need to follow the subject. Most of the time I am at the full 200 length and the subject is really only in the 'ring of fire' for fractions of a second.

I think just a part of what and how I am shooting is a high rate of bad images,

 

[Todd K68]

Single point still works best for me rather than using the other focus points to track.

Also, many people in my shooting club are now using sights like these for wildlife, but not sure if it will work for what you shoot.

https://flic.kr/p/RYQAEq

Thats pretty cool, but my subjects never stop moving, so it probably wouldn't work. Would love love to try a gimbal head one day though.

 

[John_Hoffman]

Loading…

cpn.canon-europe.com

 

[dgumshu]

Single point still works best for me rather than using the other focus points to track.

Also, many people in my shooting club are now using sights like these for wildlife, but not sure if it will work for what you shoot.

https://flic.kr/p/RYQAEq

Thats pretty cool, but my subjects never stop moving, so it probably wouldn't work. Would love love to try a gimbal head one day though.

My friends have these dialed in (zeroed like a rifle scope) and use them for moving subjects, mostly for action shots mounted on gimbal heads. And they're not using the viewfinder to focus. Pretty good hit rate too. I was at the lake the other day with six other photographers around me and all had these mounted... except me.

I have one on order to try for myself. I'm so accustomed to the viewfinder, it will seem a bit awkward, i'm sure.

 

[Todd K68]

https://cpn.canon-europe.com/files/education/technical/eos_1d_x_explained/AF_guide_EOS-1DX_eng.pdf

Thanks John. I purchased my camera used so I never saw this. This is a great explanation of everything AF.

 

[Zeee]

READ THIS FIRST

Single point AF will NOT track the subject automatically.

The only modes that will track are Auto select AF, Zone AF, Large Zone AF,

Auto Select AF is very good, However note this:

Go to the 4th page in the AF menu( purple page) in the camera, go to " AFpt, ( - ) AI SERVO AF for "Auto Select AF" to be set to Manual,

This is "like" using single spot AF in that you can set the AF point anywhere you want with the joystick, but then if the subject moves, it will track it around the viewfinder beginning with the initial spot you placed.

READ THIS SECOND

Another tip, In the custom function menu ( orange pages) In the custom button controls,

I set the shutter half press AF+Metering start - AF Expand Surround, AI SERVO

I also set the AF-On button to AF+Metering start- Auto select AF- AI SERVO

I also set the * ( AE- Lock) button to AF+metering Start- Single spot AF- SINGLE SHOT

this allows me 3 totally different AF functions just by pressing different buttons, without having to change any settings,

Wow, as usual, there is so much to learn. Good info about the single point though. I really need to spend some quality time understanding all of these modes. I'm a amateur/hobbiest, so I don't really spend much time with the customized settings, and don't use it enough to remember what I set the buttons to!

I appreciate the info and will definitely try these.

I use the 2 of the zone modes often. Zone and Auto. Zone because of the smaller array but I still need to move the camera around to keep the array on my subject.

I use Auto for BIF but it is not that great in a busy environment. For example tracking a soccer player with a whole bunch of other soccer players around. It can be set up to track a player but using single point or expansion mode is just easier. Zone AF can work in that situation as well.

I rarely use Large Zone.

I use the Zone modes in Cases 5 and 6 only. AF Switching increase so AF points react faster to the moving subject. I set AF switching to 2.

In the purple AF menus, Tab 4, you will find iTR AF (at the bottom). Page 147 of the manual. You can select face recognition. I'm still experimenting with it but for tracking people. Note that iTR only works in the 3 zone AF modes. It has been suggested to disable iTR if you are not working with one of the two modes it as it will change tracking characteristics.

Also in that same menu page just above iTR you will find Initial AF point. This is exclusive to full auto (61 AF points) only. You can select it so there is an initial AF point that you can move around with the AF area selection button. You use the initial AF button to pinpoint what you want to focus on. Once AF is achieved it drops out as the initial AF point and become's part if the 61 AF array. During this time there is no dedicated AF point to work with. Once you stop AF it re-appears and the cycle repeats. I use it often.

 

[Todd K68]

READ THIS FIRST

Single point AF will NOT track the subject automatically.

The only modes that will track are Auto select AF, Zone AF, Large Zone AF,

Auto Select AF is very good, However note this:

Go to the 4th page in the AF menu( purple page) in the camera, go to " AFpt, ( - ) AI SERVO AF for "Auto Select AF" to be set to Manual,

This is "like" using single spot AF in that you can set the AF point anywhere you want with the joystick, but then if the subject moves, it will track it around the viewfinder beginning with the initial spot you placed.

READ THIS SECOND

Another tip, In the custom function menu ( orange pages) In the custom button controls,

I set the shutter half press AF+Metering start - AF Expand Surround, AI SERVO

I also set the AF-On button to AF+Metering start- Auto select AF- AI SERVO

I also set the * ( AE- Lock) button to AF+metering Start- Single spot AF- SINGLE SHOT

this allows me 3 totally different AF functions just by pressing different buttons, without having to change any settings,

Wow, as usual, there is so much to learn. Good info about the single point though. I really need to spend some quality time understanding all of these modes. I'm a amateur/hobbiest, so I don't really spend much time with the customized settings, and don't use it enough to remember what I set the buttons to!

I appreciate the info and will definitely try these.

I use the 2 of the zone modes often. Zone and Auto. Zone because of the smaller array but I still need to move the camera around to keep the array on my subject.

I use Auto for BIF but it is not that great in a busy environment. For example tracking a soccer player with a whole bunch of other soccer players around. It can be set up to track a player but using single point or expansion mode is just easier. Zone AF can work in that situation as well.

I rarely use Large Zone.

I use the Zone modes in Cases 5 and 6 only. AF Switching increase so AF points react faster to the moving subject. I set AF switching to 2.

In the purple AF menus, Tab 4, you will find iTR AF (at the bottom). Page 147 of the manual. You can select face recognition. I'm still experimenting with it but for tracking people. Note that iTR only works in the 3 zone AF modes. It has been suggested to disable iTR if you are not working with one of the two modes it as it will change tracking characteristics.

Also in that same menu page just above iTR you will find Initial AF point. This is exclusive to full auto (61 AF points) only. You can select it so there is an initial AF point that you can move around with the AF area selection button. You use the initial AF button to pinpoint what you want to focus on. Once AF is achieved it drops out as the initial AF point and become's part if the 61 AF array. During this time there is no dedicated AF point to work with. Once you stop AF it re-appears and the cycle repeats. I use it often.

You have been doing this for a long time I assume. I need to spend some quality time with the camera. I am just realizing that selecting a focus point and using zones are not mutually exclusive. I was thinking after reading your post that I should try one of the zone settings and set a focus point and try letting the camera track the subject.

 

[Zeee]

READ THIS FIRST

Single point AF will NOT track the subject automatically.

The only modes that will track are Auto select AF, Zone AF, Large Zone AF,

Auto Select AF is very good, However note this:

Go to the 4th page in the AF menu( purple page) in the camera, go to " AFpt, ( - ) AI SERVO AF for "Auto Select AF" to be set to Manual,

This is "like" using single spot AF in that you can set the AF point anywhere you want with the joystick, but then if the subject moves, it will track it around the viewfinder beginning with the initial spot you placed.

READ THIS SECOND

Another tip, In the custom function menu ( orange pages) In the custom button controls,

I set the shutter half press AF+Metering start - AF Expand Surround, AI SERVO

I also set the AF-On button to AF+Metering start- Auto select AF- AI SERVO

I also set the * ( AE- Lock) button to AF+metering Start- Single spot AF- SINGLE SHOT

this allows me 3 totally different AF functions just by pressing different buttons, without having to change any settings,

Wow, as usual, there is so much to learn. Good info about the single point though. I really need to spend some quality time understanding all of these modes. I'm a amateur/hobbiest, so I don't really spend much time with the customized settings, and don't use it enough to remember what I set the buttons to!

I appreciate the info and will definitely try these.

I use the 2 of the zone modes often. Zone and Auto. Zone because of the smaller array but I still need to move the camera around to keep the array on my subject.

I use Auto for BIF but it is not that great in a busy environment. For example tracking a soccer player with a whole bunch of other soccer players around. It can be set up to track a player but using single point or expansion mode is just easier. Zone AF can work in that situation as well.

I rarely use Large Zone.

I use the Zone modes in Cases 5 and 6 only. AF Switching increase so AF points react faster to the moving subject. I set AF switching to 2.

In the purple AF menus, Tab 4, you will find iTR AF (at the bottom). Page 147 of the manual. You can select face recognition. I'm still experimenting with it but for tracking people. Note that iTR only works in the 3 zone AF modes. It has been suggested to disable iTR if you are not working with one of the two modes it as it will change tracking characteristics.

Also in that same menu page just above iTR you will find Initial AF point. This is exclusive to full auto (61 AF points) only. You can select it so there is an initial AF point that you can move around with the AF area selection button. You use the initial AF button to pinpoint what you want to focus on. Once AF is achieved it drops out as the initial AF point and become's part if the 61 AF array. During this time there is no dedicated AF point to work with. Once you stop AF it re-appears and the cycle repeats. I use it often.

You have been doing this for a long time I assume. I need to spend some quality time with the camera. I am just realizing that selecting a focus point and using zones are not mutually exclusive. I was thinking after reading your post that I should try one of the zone settings and set a focus point and try letting the camera track the subject.

Yes. In the spring after the 7D2 was released I went out my BIF practice grounds where there are hundreds of pelicans. They are not fast but I tried every Case number and every focus mode and was successful with them all. I have been mixing it up ever since just to have some fun while shooting.

Depending on the speed of the bird you still have to track and move the camera. There are just more AF points working for you to track it.

That test day from 2015. The system isolated the bird and behind it was a moving bus on a bridge. These are just screen shots.