6d Focusing Problems

[perklax]

Hello,

I've recently purchased a 6d. It's a great camera and I love the look it has, but I'm having all sorts of troubles focusing. I mainly do portraits, and that requires me to consitently hit sharp focus on the eyes. For the life of me I can't do that. I'll focus on the eye using the middle autofocus point and then will recompose and take the picture, but it still won't work. It works half the time, but that's not good enough at all. It's been driving me crazy and I can't confidently go into a shoot. I'm getting paid for shoots also, so this isn't acceptable. 

[Waddizzle]

"Me too."

Well, in that case, your focus is not all that "PRECISE" because you're relying on the camera.

[perklax]

Exactly. That's why I've been choosing the point manually. 

[TTMartin]

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@Waddizzle wrote:

Well, in that case, your focus is not all that "PRECISE" because you're relying on the camera.

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Why do you think people make such a big deal about Micro Focus Adjustment. Properly adjusted the PDAF system will be just as precise as manual focus in LiveView. And when you use the DotTune method that is exactly what you are doing, matching the cameras PDAF system to something that has been focused in LiveView.

[Waddizzle]

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@RobertTheFat wrote:

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@Waddizzle wrote:

"So if you need PRECISE focus, you need to use an alternative method. There is a reason Pro cameras have over 60 AF points instead of just one. You can use the closest AF point to where you need the focus to be. " 

Somehow, I don't think that is the primary way how the extra AF points are used.  Sure you can use them that way.  But who does it that way looking through the viewfinder, anyway?  ...

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I do, usually.

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And, give up all of those center focus point features?  If you have the time to switch back and forth between random points, fine.  Go for it.  I think that approach is in the minority.

I don't think it makes any significant difference, as long as you're within the same DoF. We're not talking about a significant change in distance when you focus on the eyes [center point], and then pan the camera slightly away.  If you want that critical of a focus, you should be doing it manually, anyway, IMHO.  I know I would, and do.

[perklax]

I guess my question is should I be manually selecting the autofocus point, focusing on the eye, and then recomposing or just compose and let the autofocus select the point/points? I just want to confidently be able to hit focus in most situations. 

[Peter]

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@perklax wrote:

I guess my question is should I be manually selecting the autofocus point, focusing on the eye, and then recomposing or just compose and let the autofocus select the point/points? I just want to confidently be able to hit focus in most situations. 

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Aim with your closest af point and remember that the focus af point is bigger than point you see in the viewfinder.

If you want to try you can also change your focus screen to one for manual focus.  It is really easy to do. It will give you a darker viewfinder but you will be able to focus manually and will never need to recompose or try to find the closest af point. I used that for one year in Japan together with my 5D and Helios 58/2.

[TTMartin]

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@Peter wrote:

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@perklax wrote:

I guess my question is should I be manually selecting the autofocus point, focusing on the eye, and then recomposing or just compose and let the autofocus select the point/points? I just want to confidently be able to hit focus in most situations. 

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Aim with your closest af point and remember that the focus af point is bigger than point you see in the viewfinder.

If you want to try you can also change your focus screen to one for manual focus.  It is really easy to do. It will give you a darker viewfinder but you will be able to focus manually and will never need to recompose or try to find the closest af point. I used that for one year in Japan together with my 5D and Helios 58/2.

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I have the Super Precision (S) viewfinder screen in my 7D Mk II, and had it in my 50D. It was one of the things I missed with the classic 7D.

[Peter]

The problem in the beginning of this thread was a focus issue. Recomposing, if you don't use Hasselblad or if you don't calculate the distance/cos (degrees of your camera shift) and move your camera backwards for correcting the new focus plane, is the wrong thing to start with. Instead that will makes it harder to find out the problem.

[perklax]

what do you suggest then?

[Peter]

It is also possible to use Hasselblad and only use one (you can only use center) focus point and recompose. H4D uses distance/(cos θ) to correct the focus shift after recomposing.

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@Waddizzle wrote:

OFF TOPIC:  Did you know that the EOS M3 has focus peaking built into it?  It's a fantastic little camera.  Forget G-Series.

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Same as my 6D has...well,  not built into it.