David E Loc: Southwestern Ontario, Canada

What is wrong here??? Happens too often for a camera of this calibre. Took this one set on Auto+, kit lens 24-105 L, leaves on left were in focus, but nothing else was. If it weren't for the leaves I would say it was camera shake. Auto+ chose f4, iso 100, 1/40 sec., focal lenght 47mm, no flash, auto WB. Once in a while I need a quick pic and resort to Auto+, this problem never happens when shooting in Manual. Comments welcome??? Dave

mdorn Loc: Portland, OR

I think Auto is what's wrong. You can just as easily take a "quick pic" in Program mode. This way you will have more control over your AF points. I don't own a 5D MK III, but I am a Canon user. I don't think this is a DOF problem. Perhaps your camera manual can shed some light?

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Your camera is focused on the foreground, lower left corner. I suggest that you enter your menu, and change focus from multi-point to small central spot. That way, your camera will focus only on central subject.

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

I don't see this as a DOF problem. The mark III has 61 AF points arrayed and you have to specify what AF zone or single point to focus on. The leaves look to be closest to you so that's the AF point that the camera focused on.

There are controls on the back and next to the shutter button to select and control AF points. Read the manual for details. Remember, this is not a point and shoot auto everything camera.

The Mark III is an amazing camera, but you have to select the parameters for the results you envision.

Mulachabu Loc: Sydney Australia

When you opperate canon in fully auto the camera usually will prioratise objects closest to the camera as the desired object to focus on. The 5DMk111 has so many potential focus points to choose, the whole field is active, not just the central area as was the case previously. The only way to guarantee that you can avoid this is if you take control over the focus points, and you have so many options with that camera it would be well worth mastering one of those options rather than relying on the auto option, you will experience fewer disapointments I'm sure.Good luck.

Granddad Loc: UK

You have a Canon 5D III and you are having problems on focusing?
i would go to manual focusing and not mess around with the metering until you know your camera inside out. It is a sophisticated piece of kit you have there and you need to get a good book on the Canon 5D iii, I would recommend getting a book on this camera by David D. Busch from Amazon.

CanonShot Loc: Lancaster County, PA

David, the info provided to this point is what you need to hear, except for the David Busch book which will not be out until early December. I have used that "thick" manual with the 60D because it is a "great read" for a specific camera. Definitely suggest you get it when it finally hits the shelf IMHO. I WIll have that manual even though I have worked with the 5Diii since April.

I use the 5Diii and the 24-205 often. Basically forget about the AUTO anything with this camera body. For the most part I use the Aperture Priority (Av) setting for shots like the one you were trying to capture above. Also, as suggested, change to "spot metering". There are other metering modes, but for now check your manual for spot metering.The Program mode is another good choice, but you need to get in sync with what the 5Diii will do. Send me a PM if I can help further with a question or two.

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

The problem, to me, isn't the camera it's your settings. Where are your auto focus points in auto? If, as I suspect, they're all over the screen, that's your problem.

All those auto focus points are useless for any camera and they will grab the closest object to the lens and focus on it - that, to me at least, would seem to be the problem.

In program and other settings do you have auto focus set to a single point? If so, is it dead center? Regardless of camera make or model, the camera can't do everything by itself - it's just a tool. You have to tell it what you want.

If, and I don't know the answer to this, your focal points are all over the screen for this shot then I'd have to say that's your problem because you're allowing the camera to make focus decisions and you should never do that. By setting to a single point, dead center, you'll be making all the focus decisions forcing the camera to focus where you want it to.

Regardless of the "caliber" of the camera it cannot know where you want focus unless you tell it... single point will do that for you. Once you get that done never shoot full auto - bad decision.

Best of luck.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Your autofocus focused on the leaves in front. Use single point focus to get a precise focus on the musician subject.

Mulachabu Loc: Sydney Australia

Be carefull changing to 'spot metering' this will not effect your focus problem but could cause serious exposure problems if not properly applied. As has been sugested already, do nor rely on full auto, switch to one of the other settings and select 'single point' focus, ideally the central one and get used to using that to achieve accurate focus. Good luck .

Larrie Loc: NE Ohio

There is nothing wrong with the caliber of your camera. That said a quick check of the AF points revealed one activated on the ladies black jacket which has no vertical or horizontal features to properly lock focus. It probaly jumped from the closest object (the leaf) just as you squeezed the shutter. Get out your manual and check your settings in C.FnIII to eliminate AF jumping from the main subject to the closest object. Your aperature was too wide open and shutter speed slow

Underwaterant

Yes. Like others said, change the point
of focus, not scattered like throwing a net
over everything.
I have owned a 5DMII, 70-200f2.8,
85f1.2 and 24-105f4 since November 2011
and have never used any of the auto modes.
I would never profess to be a pro. or
anything of the like, BUT you will do
yourself a great service to only use manual.
Just keep practicing, trial and error,
taking heaps and heaps of photos in
different lighting and DOF conditions.
And speedlighting.
Remember, digital is free, it's not film!
That is the only way it will be forced into
your head.
You want to control the camera, not
let it control you. It WILL take practice
and it will not be overnight.
Then you will easier understand what
is happening with your images better.
Soon when you have a fantastic
image you will be proud it was not the
computer, IT WAS ALL YOU !!

Greg Loc: Maryland

Funny, whenever I take a picture that doesn't come out the way I wanted, my first thought is what did I do wrong, not what's wrong with my equipment. If you want greater DOF, pick an aperture around F11, not F4. Granted, F4 will give you greater DOF then F1.8 or 2.8, but it's still pretty shallow for close subjects.

Crwiwy Loc: Devon UK

The foreground is pulling the focus to it. To get a good picture here I would have used manual focus and focus on the player.

This is where knowing about DOF is essential as you may think to set a small aperture in order to get a good DOF but this could make the foreground in sharp focus as well as the subject and this would be distracting.

Crwiwy Loc: Devon UK

Check these out for DOF:

http://www.dofmaster.com/doftable.html

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/depth-of-field.htm

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/dof-calculator.htm