How important is having only 11 focus points on the 6D and using center focus? It really may be an issue for me using only the center focus. I shoot 3/4 shots, never macro or head...

canon Lee

It really may be an issue for me using only the center focus. I shoot 3/4 shots, never macro or head shots. I shoot studio lighting. Focus on the entire face is important to me, yet I do want a shallow depth of field to blur the background.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Lee,
I've used only one focus point, the split focusing screen on my Nikon F, for 40 some years. I still only use one focus point on my D700. Giving someone too many features is what makes all of this photographing complicated. Try to keep is simple. For your work, focus on the eyes, and have at it.
--Bob

canon Lee wrote:

It really may be an issue for me using only the center focus. I shoot 3/4 shots, never macro or head shots. I shoot studio lighting. Focus on the entire face is important to me, yet I do want a shallow depth of field to blur the background.

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

canon Lee wrote:

It really may be an issue for me using only the center focus. I shoot 3/4 shots, never macro or head shots. I shoot studio lighting. Focus on the entire face is important to me, yet I do want a shallow depth of field to blur the background.

AS you have a controlled environment shoot for the eyes as suggested and to maximize your shallow DOF use a DOF chart. I always keep one handy though I've gotten pretty good at guessing during wedding shoots. This should be easy for you in a controlled setting. Place the subject always in the same spot, have a pre-set location for your camera, it should be the same every time so long as your using the same settings.

BTW, I shoot a 6D ;)

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I only use center point or manual focusing.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

canon Lee wrote:

It really may be an issue for me using only the center focus. I shoot 3/4 shots, never macro or head shots. I shoot studio lighting. Focus on the entire face is important to me, yet I do want a shallow depth of field to blur the background.

Lee, if I get a chance to look at the focus points(fp) layout on the 6d I will, but I may not get a chance to, I'm in such a hurry and until late.
From what I've seen here, many do NOT agree with this.
I'm guessing, but I assume the 6D is far better with peripheral points than the 5ll even though they are the same pattern. The 5ll is barely worth using, and I'm sure I'll get plenty of pushback on that to! I used a 5ll for 5 years for everything for fast action sports to portraits and produced a slew of award winning shots!! BUT it was a REAL struggle I would NOT repeat.
IF you use single center-point you need to shoot loose and chew up 1/2 of your precious pixels. If you recompose, your focus hit-rate will absolutely suck, unless you do nothing but uncreative f8 and up shots. LoL
I struggled for years with re-composition. Let the pundits show us a highly re-composed shot with an 85mm at f1.2 from 3 feet that is razor sharp. Not gonna happen. and to even DO that they have to be shooting Canon!!! Good luck Lee

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

I use BBF and centerpoint focus and spot metering. I focus on the the spot I want and then compose and then shoot. As an escapee from split screen film, all those focus points just confuse me. ( I am constantly confused. The world is a confusing place. Futhermore anyone who thinks that he knows everything, is even more confused than me).

Beercat Loc: Central Coast of California

I agree with sharpshooter .......... the focus and recompose is a bit tricky, at least on a 6D, it pulls off the focus point. You get used to watching for it meaning pulling off the focus point. My 70D works great for recompose, much better than my 6D but most in the know already knew the 6D wasn't the best focus system for some shoots but for what I do it works fine.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

canon Lee wrote:

It really may be an issue for me using only the center focus. I shoot 3/4 shots, never macro or head shots. I shoot studio lighting. Focus on the entire face is important to me, yet I do want a shallow depth of field to blur the background.

I don’t know never used more than 1 or the expanded one for BIF. Neve occurred to me to do anything else.

James R. Kyle Loc: Saint Louis, Missouri (A Suburb of Ferguson)

Longshadow wrote:

I only use center point or manual focusing.

Yep!

Same here.

Also... When doing Landscapes - and some other work - I make use of the "Live-View" feature - Plus = The magnifier to X10 ... THEN I "tweek in" a hyper-focal distance (usually focus 1/3 into the frame) and use something from f-11 to f-18 = Depending on what I want. (i.e.= foreground and background to be In Focus)....

With portraits...

I like a 70 - 200mm 2.8 and focus face -- Let background fall .. Also I "play" a lot with the lighting I am making use of. (Also a 80mm 2.8 is great for portraits.)

Kuzano

Focus and recompose requires one focus point.

Furthermore, all these focus points do not mean that any image has different points in focus on any image. When you click the shutter, you get one point of focus on any image, and you get one exposure setting, governed by the shutter speed, aperture and ISO in place at the shutter click.

Yes, I know the OP was asking about focus.....

Like I said, you get one point of focus on the image, no matter how many points they paint on the view screen for you to choose to focus on.

Focus and recompose... If it was good enough for Grandpa... it's been good enough for me.

Every focus point crammed onto the screen seems to raise the price of the camera a few pennies. When we get to 747 focus points on the screen, will we be able to see the subject?

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

canon Lee wrote:

It really may be an issue for me using only the center focus. I shoot 3/4 shots, never macro or head shots. I shoot studio lighting. Focus on the entire face is important to me, yet I do want a shallow depth of field to blur the background.

I can't see a problem using the 6D for the purpose you intend. I thing about the only time more focus points can really be a benefit is when shooting wildlife. But portraits, landscapes, architecture, stills, still life, macro, realestate, fashion photography, should be fine for the 6D.

sirlensalot Loc: Arizona

Sharpshooter brings up a good point. Maybe consider using manual focus point, especially using wide angle lenses / shallow DOF?

PhotosBySteve

I find the 11 focus points on the 6D quite addiquat except for fast focusing on fast moving targets in poor light. It's quite easy to change which focus point to use with just your left thumb while looking though the viewfinder. I generally leave mine set to center or one either side of center depending on the subject matter.

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

canon Lee wrote:

It really may be an issue for me using only the center focus. I shoot 3/4 shots, never macro or head shots. I shoot studio lighting. Focus on the entire face is important to me, yet I do want a shallow depth of field to blur the background.

I always only use one focal point at dead center. I've found that allowing the camera to decide where to focus - which you do when using all the focus points - it'll always pick the spot you didn't want (Murphy's law perhaps).

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

canon Lee wrote:

It really may be an issue for me using only the center focus. I shoot 3/4 shots, never macro or head shots. I shoot studio lighting. Focus on the entire face is important to me, yet I do want a shallow depth of field to blur the background.

What are 3/4 shots?