fotoman150

I don't want to use autofocus points! I just want to focus on the center and recompose. I was shooting a wedding a week ago and I was using the Mark III for the second time. I focused on the bride during the ceremony with the groom slightly out of focus in the distance and every time I try to recompose the camera would refocus on the center autofocus point.

I had to switch to my old camera because I couldn't deal with the Settings during the ceremony. What are the proper settings for auto focus that will allow me to focus just on the centerpoint and recompose and shoot. I can't find any straight answers online anywhere and no luck in the search function here. I even bought a book on the instructions and there is only talk about using the different focusing points

James Van Ells

To avoid that I use back button focus. I can focus on what I want recompose to my hearts content.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Press the AF button (or menu) and move the AF mode to one shot - that will allow you to choose the focus point with a half press of the shutter button and then recompose. For details, read page 70 of the manual.

fotoman150

Thanks everyone the back button focus is a possibility thank you and thank you for pointing out what page in the manual I needed to go to. I thought I had the one shot set so. The first time I use the camera everything was fine the second time I used it I had messed with the settings and then I messed up the auto Focus

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

Back button focus will become your best friend in those situations and many more.

You will also soon be seeing posts wondering why you are shooting weddings without thoroughly knowing your camera beforehand.

I don't know what camera you had prior, but it's a good thing you had a backup for just this type of problem. Luckily, it was an operator error rather than a camera meltdown.

fotoman150

I practiced with the camera before hand. The first time it worked the way I wanted it to. I also went through the manual twice. It was a rental so I couldn't practice with it as thoroughly as I wanted to beforehand. I had both cameras on me at the time so I just immediately switched to the old camera. I very carefully went through the Settings one by one but I missed something. The camera is very complicated.

fotoman150

By the way, I'm rebuilding my portfolio after a long sabbatical. So I was not charging for the wedding. It was a low stress small backyard wedding and thank you to whoever is on here who recommended the black rapid double strap. I had my other camera on my other hip with that strap so the switch was very seamless

fotoman150

Sorry I keep adding to my reply. There were two other shooters at this wedding who were learning the camera and wedding photography at the same time and building a portfolio. So there was another photographer on the brooms side photographing from his perspective and another shooter in the back behind the guests. It was a learning experience for us all. I've done many weddings but it's been 10 years. I'm very rusty and the newer cameras are more complicated than the first digital cameras. I have a 1D Mark II. So I rented the other camera and gave myself a crash course on it and also went through it with the other photographers. I have six more weddings booked like this.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

It sounds as if you've selected Single Point AF and manually selected the center AF point (using the joystick or other controls).

There are two ways (at least!) to do focus and recompose technique:

1. Use "One Shot" focus mode. That's designed for stationary subjects only. As soon as focus is achieved, AF stops and locks, and the camera gives you Focus Confirmation (green LCD in the viewfinder, an audible "beep" if you have it enabled... which I do because it alerts me when I'm in this focus mode... some cameras also can give confirmation by briefly flashing red either the active AF point or the entire display in the viewfinder, which can be enabled or not on many models that have it.) The "problem" with One Shot is that if the subject or you or both move... if the focus distance changes at all for any reason... the camera can't respond. It's focus remains locked for some short period of time or until you release the button and reapply pressure on it.

2. Use "AI Servo" focus mode AND Back Button Focusing. This mode is designed for continuous focusing and tracking of moving subjects. It never stops and locks, until you stop pressing the button. Without Back Button Focusing it's impossible to use focus and recompose technique because the AF will refocus on the background or whatever, as soon as the AF point is moved off the subject when you recompose. With BBF, you disable AF control at the shutter release button, so that it's only controlled by the AF On button under your thumb (optionally can swap the function of AF On and */AE Lock buttons, if preferred). Then you can start and stop AF any time you wish, using your thumb. Takes a little practice, but soon becomes second nature. This allows leaving the camera in AI Servo all the time, ready to use with either stationary or moving subjects.

AI Servo with BBF is a sports/wildlife photographer technique, but can be used for almost anything with reasonably high degree of precision.

For really critical focus, such as close portraits with shallow depth of field effects that need to be extra precise, you still might want to switch to One Shot and select a single AF point that's exactly where you want the camera to focus.

Note: There are settings that a.) give the joystick direct access to AF point selection (normal/default you have to press the AF selection button in the upper RH corner of the camera first) and b.) set up the joystick so that pressing ("clicking") it causes the AF to immediately return to a pre-determined point (most people set this as the center point). If these are set up on your camera, bumping the joystick can cause the AF point to switch.

Note: DO NOT use AI Focus... a third possibility besides One Shot and AI Servo. AI Focus actually not a focus mode at all. It's sort of "point n shoot" automation where the camera is supposed to decide for you whether or not the subject is moving, then switch to AI Servo or One Shot, whichever the camera "thinks" is appropriate. In my experience, this sometimes works well... other times it doesn't or causes a slight delay or fails to respond correctly if a stationary subject starts moving... or a moving one stops. I avoid it, if for no other reason, because it gives up a lot of your control over AF.

Note: Many zoom lenses today are "varifocal" designs that don't maintain focus when zoomed. This is done to allow more compact, lower cost designs... more complex "parfocal" designs that maintain focus are less necessary with today's high performance AF systems. HOWEVER, varifocal zooms can cause problems if using One Shot: If you focus, then zoom the lens to a different focal length, the image will no longer be focused correctly.... unless you remember to release the button fully, then reapply causing the lens to re-focus. Instead using AI Servo with BBF solves this possible problem too... Continuously updated focus when running AI Servo will instantly correct any loss of focus caused by a varifocal design lens being zoomed. You might test any zooms you're using, to see if they are varifocal or parfocal designs. It's easy to tell with a couple test shots. Just focus on something normally and take a shot... then zoom the lens without any effort to re-focus (turn off AF, if necessary) and take a second shot. Check to see if both are in focus, or if it shifted after zooming.

fotoman150

Very helpful thanks. I'm old school. I just can't see myself fiddling with AF points while I'm shooting. My old Canon was complicated but nothing like the 5D mark III.

I'm saving for a Mark IV. Much of that junk on the cameras never gets used. Just give me a focus ring an aperture shutter and ISO and turn me loose.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

As others have pointed out, BBF is the the best way to go. It's not the only way though.

1. BBF - remember to set camera for one focus point and use AI Servo focusing
2. Use single or one shot focus and one focus point. Simply focus on the subject with half press of the shutter, keep it half pressed, recompose and shoot
3. Use IA Servo and one focus point and learn to move the focus point using the joy stick so that if the subject isn't in the center you can simply keep the composition the way you see it in the view finder.

Use whatever you are comfortable with.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

All the features can be overwhelming, but extremely useful in some situations. When you get the 5D4 (or with your 5D3), you can always turn the AF off (on the lens) and put the camera in full manual, and that will take you back 30 years to manual focus, shutter, aperture and ISO

fotoman150

Thanks guys all the suggestions are very helpful I'm going to try both ways and see which one I like best. I may have to get used to the back button focus thing. Happy shooting.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

There is no need to "deal with the Settings" as you put it, just use the focus-point dial button, chose the center point and you good to go (don't even have to take your eye off the viewfinder for that)!

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

This is first rate info on autofocus. I especially appreciate the tip on maintaining focus while zooming using BBF. And the explanation of varifocal lenses. Kudos.