Canon 5D markIII change M focus to Auto Focus

[christinelan111]

Hi there

  It's probably a very stupid question as I'm a total newb,

  but I'm trying to set my auto focus mode to "one shot" on my canon 5D mark iii but it's stuck in M focus. I've set it to reset to factory setting but it's still  the same. how to I change that? 

[cicopo]

You are describing TWO problems from my interpretation of your question. M focus is MANUAL focus & is controlled by a switch on the LENS. To change from ONE SHOT to MULTIPLE look in your manual for SETTING THE DRIVE MODE, which usually involves pressing a button & then turning a wheel while it's pressed. (could be the wheel on the back or the one under the shutter button, the manual will specify which.

[TCampbell]

The switch on the side of the lens barrel is labeled "AF" and "MF" (for auto focus and manual focus).  This is a physical switch and cannot be controlled by on-camera menus or settings.

Once you've put the lens into auto-focus mode using that swtich, the easiest way to make sure the camera body is using "One Shot" mode is using a button on the top of the camera.

On the top of the camera there are four button just in front of the top LCD display.  The 2nd button from the left is labeled "AF-Drive".  That means this single button will give you access to both AF (auto-focus) settings as well as "Drive" settings (single shot, vs. multiple-shot burst mode, etc.)  The first feature named (on the left side of the dash or dot) is controlled by the top dial (near the shutter button) and the second feature named (on the right side of the dash or dot) is controlled by the rear dial.

Press "AF-Drive" and the rear LCD screen will display "One Shot", "AI Focus", and "AI Servo" as the choices on the top half of the rear LCD screen.  Roll the dial on the top of the camera (near the shutter button) and you'll see that the selection changes.  Incidentally... if you look at the LCD display on the top of the camera you'll see that it mostly blanks out -- except for the words "One Shot" or "AI Focus" or "AI Servo" (it only displays the choice currently selected.)  You can use this LCD to display the focus mode even if you've disabled the rear-LCD screen (I sometimes disable my rear-display if I'm shooting in the dark and don't want the distraction of the rear-display illuimination.)

[christinelan111]

hi TCampbell, thanks for your thorough answer.

I got out of the M focus mode finally by reattaching the lense, then the focus mode changed to Al FOCUS.

I then pressed the AF-Drive botton and turned the dial near the shutter, but the Al FOCUS mode didnt change to ONE SHOT or Al Servo. What am I doing wrong here?

Again thanks for being patient with a total beginner

[amfoto1]

Hi,

Don't want to sound harsh because we all were in the exactly same place as you, at one time or another. But it's obvious from your questions that you have little experience with Canon DSLRs and the 5D Mark III is a complex and fairly advanced model. I'd hate to see you get frustrated and not have fun using it.    

So do yourself a big favor.... spend some serious time studying the camera manual and also consider buying and reading one of the guide books for your camera.  I always make a point of getting a guide book, anytime I get a new, unfamiliar camera. (Others are probably good, too, but I can recommend authors David Busch, Micheal Guncheon and Charlotte Lowrie from personal experience).

Further, if you have limited photography experience, you also might consider getting a copy of Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure". These will help you get up to speed with the camera and enjoy using it much sooner.

Another way to change those settings is by pressing the Q button on the back of the camera. This will call up a "quick access" panel on the rear LCD screen, showing all the major settings of the camera. Use the joystick to navigate to the "Autofocus" box on that screen, press "set" button to enter that section, then scroll through the choices (One Shot, AI Focus, AI Servo) until the one you want is highlighted, then press "set" once again. Now a half-press of the shutter release button or a tap on the AF-On button will take the camera out of this screen and setup mode, back into "shooting" mode.

***********
Alan Myers

San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7D(x2), 50D(x3), some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR & PRINTROOM 

[christinelan111]

Thank you for your recommendations, it will add them on top of some of the things I am doing to learn photography. 

I followed the manul on setting auto focus up to turning the main dial. I could change the continuous shooting with the other dial, but couldnt change the auto focus mode. 

After going in quick access mode, I do see the Al Focus option but it's not highlighted. The only highlighted options are: “drive mode, card seletion, and image quality/ size".

[amfoto1 · Accepted solution]

"After going in quick access mode, I do see the Al Focus option but it's not highlighted. The only highlighted options are: “drive mode, card seletion, and image quality/ size"."

1. Press the Q button to display the quick control screen on the rear LCD.

2. Use the "joystick" to navigate to the AF setting box (currently reads "AI Focus").

3. I was incorrect, you don't need to press the "set" button. Instead, after you have navigated to the AF setting box it will be highlighted. Now use the main (top) dial to scroll through the focus modes until the one you want appears.

4. Press Q button again to close the screen.... Or half press the shutter button..... Or tap the AF On button. Any of these will take you out of setup mode and back into shooting mode.

Important: Do you have the exposure mode dial set to A+? That's a highly automated mode and I suspect it only allows you to use AI Focus mode. Switch to P, which is fully automatic Program exposure mode too, but allows you to change other camera functions freely. (Av and Tv are also automatic exposure modes, by the way.)

***********
Alan Myers

San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7D(x2), 50D(x3), some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR & PRINTROOM 

[christinelan111]

I followed your instruction and solved the problem. I did have A+ mode on. I learned a lot thank you so much!