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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Custom Function Settings Mark III
Robert Klein, Photographer
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South Easton | MA | USA | Posted: 2:11 PM on 09.10.09 |
| ->> I am looking for the optimal Custom Function settings for shooting football. My Mark III is plagued with focus issues, I think, but I am not sure and I will be using it this weekend and would like to have the optimum settings. Also, is it a good idea to use the center dot for focusing with football or to have the entire matrix lit up? I seem not to have similar problems getting it right with my Mark II, but the III has a few extra bells and whistles in its settings and I think I need a bit of assistance. Thanks. |
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Luke Sharrett, Student/Intern
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Forest | VA | United States | Posted: 3:10 PM on 09.10.09 |
| ->> I've heard that you get better servo focus if you turn your AF sensitivity down, ironically. |
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Nick Morris, Photographer
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San Marcos | CA | United States | Posted: 3:52 PM on 09.10.09 |
| ->> Hey I'll second that question. I've had mine for two years and I've tried dozens of settings and still get frustrated with my Mark III. I have the link to the custom settings and the link that mimics the Mark II. Any other input from MIII owners? |
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Rick Osentoski, Photographer
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Jody Gomez, Photographer
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Murrieta | CA | USA | Posted: 9:47 PM on 09.10.09 |
->> Here's a great pdf file put out by Canon called EOS-1D Mark III Tailoring The Camera For Different Situations
http://tinyurl.com/34fcgr
Jody |
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Dan Root, Photographer
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Portland | OR | USA | Posted: 10:47 PM on 09.10.09 |
->> I second what Luke says. i have mine turned to the lowest possible. Works the best, although the camera still has issues, but I found that during my last big soccer shoot, I changed it to the lowest setting and it helped a lot. But the camera still has tracking issues. Let's hope the Mark IV will be better or I will be a Nikon shooter for sports.
Dan |
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Michael Durisseau, Photographer, Assistant
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Santa Fe/Houston | TX | USA | Posted: 10:53 PM on 09.10.09 |
| ->> There is another file on the Canon website, that is even more specific. Drop me a note and I will send it to you via e-mail in a .pdf format. I don't have the web address, I don't think... |
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Michael Durisseau, Photographer, Assistant
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Santa Fe/Houston | TX | USA | Posted: 10:57 PM on 09.10.09 |
| ->> Sorry! Mr. Osentoski had the website I was talking about!! I didn't bother to check! |
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Paul Alesse, Photographer
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Centereach | NY | USA | Posted: 11:26 PM on 09.10.09 |
->> Honestly speaking, I don't know if CFs are the root of your problem. My experience with custom functions is that they can minimally impact your shooting one way or the other, but if you are having severe focus issues, I don't think it's in the settings... it's in the company that made the camera.
Having been an exclusive Canon shooter in the past and now, in switching to Nikon, I had no idea how bad the Canon system was performing UNTIL I saw how good the Nikon system performs. I am not joking when I tell you that Canon made me question my abilities as a photographer. Here I'm thinking... "What am I doing wrong???" I changed settings, read books, changed focus points, totally changed my entire paradigm and thought process in shooting sports and I still left the end of the day thinking that I was a loser and that my career was over. I was irritable, uptight and no fun to be around.
I bring all this up because it kinda sounds like you are trying to search for the answers that I was searching for less than a year ago. I'm here to tell you... they aren't out there man! It's not custom functions, it's not focus settings, it's not the weather, it's not my Cousin Vinny. It's Canon. You have a bum camera and if you are still not convinced... pick up a D3 and just shoot for it for one weekend. If it performs as badly as the Canon... then change all your Custom Functions to even numbers... go for it and knock yourself out. But, if you even have a splash of happiness with the Nikon in your hands... accept the fact that it's NOT you, dump the camera, and make love to your wife worry free like you did when were a complete man back in your pre-Mark III days. |
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Jeff Mills, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Columbus | OH | USA | Posted: 1:33 AM on 09.11.09 |
->> I went through three different 1D mk3's and the CF settings aren't the issue.
The AF sensitivity really doesn't make a difference in how it tracks. All that does is affects how quickly it will try to shift to a new subject when something comes into frame. Now that is a very useful CF, especially for something like swimming where the camera will keep trying to focus on the splashes otherwise, but its not the solution to focus issues the camera.
My Canon bodies that didn't work just plain didn't work. I tried every setting possible and even in ideal conditions, such as shooting track with subjects in good light, and moving at a steady pace, I'd still get a series of sharp, sharp, oof, oof, sharp, oof, sharp......
That is why its so frustrating, there is no rhyme or reason for why it doesn't work like it should. Bad lighting, low contrast, erratic subject motion sure, makes sense, but it still doesn't work reliability under ideal conditions.
Like Paul I switched to Nikon and the D3 just amazed me. Not so much because it did anything the mk3 didn't when it worked right, but simply because it worked as I expected all the time.
Such a novel idea, taking a shot and being confident that its going to be in focus and if you shoot additional frames they would be as well.
It just blew me away editing shots from the first football game I shot with it. I'd have a 55 yd TD run and as I flipped frame after frame they were all sharp. None of that sharp, oof, sharp, oof business of the mk3.
I'm not trying to turn this into a pitch to sell you a D3, but rather just to illustrate the fact that the camera has issues no matter what you do, lord knows why, and you have to accept that or move on. Otherwise you'll just drive yourself crazy thinking that each CF tweak might solve your problems only to be disappointed all over again. |
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Robert Klein, Photographer
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South Easton | MA | USA | Posted: 8:40 AM on 09.11.09 |
| ->> I was secretly hoping that the last two posters would have something else to say than what they did. SI dumped their Canons for the D3 and I know why, but I am not in a position financially to make another switch. I went to Canon from Nikon when the D2H proved to be such a piece of crap and Nikon refused to admit there was a problem. Their customer service and PS program was poor and they had an attitude. Of course, that changed when the Canon stuff blew them away. Now the tide is reversing on Canon with the focus problems of the Mark III. In fact, Canon replaced my old one with a new one and I set it up the way they suggested (thank you to those who sent the links for the PDF's etc, but I have been there and done that.)and still the camera does not handle the tight end (Kevin Boss scampering 59 yards with a Manning pass against the Patriots in the final exhibition game) running across the field and then down the field. I shot twenty or so frames and got two, maybe three that were in focus. That is a really poor percentage. If I had the funds, I would consider the move, but it is just not in cards, let alone my bank account. Thank you to all who posted!! |
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Nick Morris, Photographer
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San Marcos | CA | United States | Posted: 10:49 AM on 09.11.09 |
| ->> +1 Robert!! |
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Nick Doan, Photographer, Assistant
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Scottsdale | AZ | USA | Posted: 12:54 PM on 09.11.09 |
->> I'm so going to show my wife this quote!!
"and make love to your wife worry free like you did when were a complete man back in your pre-Mark III days."
but like, Robert, I'm not in a position to switch. A camera body is easy, a 400/2.8 Nikon lens costs almost as much as two camera bodies though. :P but with the announcement of the 7D, can we hold out for the next 1D series by Canon? Can they fix their focus issues? I dislike my markIII alot, but I can still make decent images with it. I just take three shots of everything now instead of one...
I've shot a lot of football with my markIII, and I did set my focus sensitivity lower...but that doesnt help a lot. You can make all the changes you want to Custom and Personal Functions, but it all comes down to the fact that one out of three shots, for no fathomable reason, comes out blurry. I've shot in an Ice Rink switching between a Canon and a Nikon in low light (500/2.8 at ISO6400) conditions, and more than 90% of the Nikon images were in perfect focus. The Canon percentages weren't even close. Sorry, but that's just the facts. |
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David Rossiter, Photographer
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Dan Root, Photographer
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Portland | OR | USA | Posted: 9:19 PM on 09.11.09 |
->> THe last few posts are right on, and Canon knows that the Mark III is a piece of, well I don't think I can say that here. But I am waiting to see what the MK IV is all about because I am so vested in Canon prime glass. I will tell you that my 1Ds Mark III focuses way better that the 1D Mark III. So the last posts are dead on, but there are a few settings that can get you by before the next camera. I won't let my 1Ds go, but I will buy or rent Nikon for sports if the MK IV is not as promised. Basically Canon over promised and under delivered on the MK III
Cheers,
Dan |
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Adam Heller, Photographer
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Grafenwöhr | DE | | Posted: 4:18 PM on 09.12.09 |
->> I'm going to have to agree with Robert and Nick here. I was just out using my mk III as a P&S around Amsterdam, Brussels, Bastogne, Normandy, Berlin, and quite a few other cities...Even with a 16-35 f/2.8 II, center point AF...It was having issues. But then again, my serial # is right in the middle of the known AF problem range...
To the ex-Canon shooters, is it worth the switch? Does the ease of use truly increase that much for me to switch ~$10k worth of gear?
-Adam |
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Colin Heyburn, Photographer
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ARMAGH | NI | United Kingdom | Posted: 2:49 PM on 09.13.09 |
| ->> You should check out the Canon Professional Services website where you can get some great video insight from sports shooters in respect of settings, preperation etc. |
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Michael Durisseau, Photographer, Assistant
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Santa Fe/Houston | TX | USA | Posted: 3:06 PM on 09.13.09 |
->> Mr. Heyburn,
Link, please? |
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Nick Morris, Photographer
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San Marcos | CA | United States | Posted: 1:02 AM on 09.14.09 |
->> Okay so in 2007 I was shooting with a Nikon D70 and a D70s. I was doing amazing with my gear but when it came to sports I struggled with the 3 FPS. Time to upgrade I told myself and if I was going to upgrade I'd get better glass too. At that point there was rumors of Canons Mark III so I figured why not hold out and see if it was true. Sure enough they unveiled it and I was taken hook line and cash! I dropped $20,000 in my switch (back) to Canon. I loaded up with a 5D a Mark III and a PJ kit of L series glass and accessories. Now at first that camera (MarkIII) was the cats meow. It was friggin fast. And the 5D... well it speaks for itself. But alas after a few months of shooting I started to notice that not all was rosy in my world. My keeper rate fell off the charts and I started to second guess my skills. I attributed it to new gear. It'll take some time to get used to the switch I told myself. But, I noticed my keeper rate with the 5D was hovering around 90%+-. Then I started to hear the whispers, then the talk followed by confirmation. The Mark III was flawed. I sent mine in and got it back with a note saying we are sorry but your all good now. I continued to struggle with it and even tried to adjust but it just doesn't work.
I shot Southern Utah vs San Diego State football last night and I'm friggin PISSED right now. I look like a hack shooting that game. I got home and started going through my shots and I mean really looking at what I can send to the agency and to be honest I'm screwed! I may be able to salvage 15% of what I shot and that's only because photoshop had a pretty amazing unsharp filter. There is nothing to get used to anymore as far as the switch back goes and no excuses to offer up other than this camera is straight up a POS!. Canon I can no longer stand up for you in the proverbial Nikon vs Canon wars. You lost... I mean WE lost. Thanks you jackass'! |
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Colin Heyburn, Photographer
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Louis Lopez, Photographer
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Fontana | CA | USA | Posted: 5:10 AM on 09.15.09 |
->> These excerpts from the above posts just amaze me.
Why would you put up with this kind of performance? Regardless of the manufacturer...Obviously not every one of these cameras is as bad as some of the other ones, but with no confidence in your tools how can you perform to your best?
excerpts from posts:
"So the last posts are dead on, but there are a few settings that can get you by before the next camera."
"but I can still make decent images with it. I just take three shots of everything now instead of one..."
Wow, kinda tells you were standards have fallen lately, I have a broken clock that is correct twice each day... |
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