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AF selection process EOS 5D Mark IV HELP!

Deedee333
Apprentice

Hey guys, I need HELP!

 

I have just upgraded from the Mark III and I had the AF selection set up so when I half released the shutter all 61 points of focus boxes would appear in viewfinder and all I had to do was use my joystick to toggle to which singular box I wanted selected focus on and viola! shot taken.

Now with the Mark IV, I cannot seem to find a way in custom settings to allow me to have this process without first having to press the AF point selection button. I know it seems silly, but when photographing awake babies and toddlers, that extra second is critical in between. I certainly am not the most tech savvy and am hoping someone knows what I am talking about and be able to help.

Ive tried canon tech support which lets say...politely wasnt helpful with an offshore call centre reading me the user manual.

Really any help would be MUCH appreciated, Im going crazy here and would really like to use my newer model for my business, but this little problem is a huge issue for me.

 

Thank you in advance! 

11 REPLIES 11

Waddizzle
Legend
Legend

@Deedee333 wrote:

Hey guys, I need HELP!

 

I have just upgraded from the Mark III and I had the AF selection set up so when I half released the shutter all 61 points of focus boxes would appear in viewfinder and all I had to do was use my joystick to toggle to which singular box I wanted selected focus on and viola! shot taken.

Now with the Mark IV, I cannot seem to find a way in custom settings to allow me to have this process without first having to press the AF point selection button. I know it seems silly, but when photographing awake babies and toddlers, that extra second is critical in between. I certainly am not the most tech savvy and am hoping someone knows what I am talking about and be able to help.

Ive tried canon tech support which lets say...politely wasnt helpful with an offshore call centre reading me the user manual.

Really any help would be MUCH appreciated, Im going crazy here and would really like to use my newer model for my business, but this little problem is a huge issue for me.

 

Thank you in advance! 


The default behavior of the joystick needs to be changed in the Custom Control menus.

 

Canon_5D4_JoystickControl.JPG

--------------------------------------------------------
"The right mouse button is your friend."

ebiggs1
Legend
Legend

I would encourage you to do a factory reset before you go further.  You may have set something not knowing what.

Menus, tools clear all setting and also clear all custom settings.  Sometimes Canon changes the default behavior in newer models of cameras. Best to start form a known beginning.

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!


@Deedee333 wrote:

Hey guys, I need HELP!

 

I have just upgraded from the Mark III and I had the AF selection set up so when I half released the shutter all 61 points of focus boxes would appear in viewfinder and all I had to do was use my joystick to toggle to which singular box I wanted selected focus on and viola! shot taken.

Now with the Mark IV, I cannot seem to find a way in custom settings to allow me to have this process without first having to press the AF point selection button. I know it seems silly, but when photographing awake babies and toddlers, that extra second is critical in between. I certainly am not the most tech savvy and am hoping someone knows what I am talking about and be able to help.

Ive tried canon tech support which lets say...politely wasnt helpful with an offshore call centre reading me the user manual.

Really any help would be MUCH appreciated, Im going crazy here and would really like to use my newer model for my business, but this little problem is a huge issue for me.

 

Thank you in advance! 


Can you be more specific about what you're trying to do? As far as I've been able to tell, the AF points on my 5D3 and 5D4 appear to behave identically.

Bob
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA

Deedee333
Apprentice
Thanks Robert, sorry if it seemed confusing! On my 5D3 I never had to press the AF point selection button to be able to toggle between focus points. Now it seems the only way I can do it on my 5D4


@Deedee333 wrote:
Thanks Robert, sorry if it seemed confusing! On my 5D3 I never had to press the AF point selection button to be able to toggle between focus points. Now it seems the only way I can do it on my 5D4

The thing is, I have to push that button on my 5D3 in order to toggle the AF points. So I'd look for a non-standard setting in your 5D3, then see if setting it that way in the 5D4 gets you what you want.

 

I'd also check the firmware levels on both cameras. I suppose it's conceivable that the behavior of the 5D4 is what Canon intended, but that the 5D3 has to be at the latest rev in order for it to work that way. (I didn't check it, but I'm almost positive that my 5D3 is at the latest rev. FWIW, I'm almost sure that my 5D4 isn't.)

Bob
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA


@RobertTheFat wrote:

@Deedee333 wrote:
Thanks Robert, sorry if it seemed confusing! On my 5D3 I never had to press the AF point selection button to be able to toggle between focus points. Now it seems the only way I can do it on my 5D4

The thing is, I have to push that button on my 5D3 in order to toggle the AF points. So I'd look for a non-standard setting in your 5D3, then see if setting it that way in the 5D4 gets you what you want.

 

I'd also check the firmware levels on both cameras. I suppose it's conceivable that the behavior of the 5D4 is what Canon intended, but that the 5D3 has to be at the latest rev in order for it to work that way. (I didn't check it, but I'm almost positive that my 5D3 is at the latest rev. FWIW, I'm almost sure that my 5D4 isn't.)


I think a better idea would be to review my initial post.  Pay close attention to the lower part of the page.  

 

That page is from the Custom Controls setup menu.  The default behavior of the joystick is [DISABLED] until you press another button to, THEN the button comes to life.

--------------------------------------------------------
"The right mouse button is your friend."


@Waddizzle wrote:

@RobertTheFat wrote:

@Deedee333 wrote:
Thanks Robert, sorry if it seemed confusing! On my 5D3 I never had to press the AF point selection button to be able to toggle between focus points. Now it seems the only way I can do it on my 5D4

The thing is, I have to push that button on my 5D3 in order to toggle the AF points. So I'd look for a non-standard setting in your 5D3, then see if setting it that way in the 5D4 gets you what you want.

 

I'd also check the firmware levels on both cameras. I suppose it's conceivable that the behavior of the 5D4 is what Canon intended, but that the 5D3 has to be at the latest rev in order for it to work that way. (I didn't check it, but I'm almost positive that my 5D3 is at the latest rev. FWIW, I'm almost sure that my 5D4 isn't.)


I think a better idea would be to review my initial post.  Pay close attention to the lower part of the page.  

 

That page is from the Custom Controls setup menu.  The default behavior of the joystick is [DISABLED] until you press another button to, THEN the button comes to life.


OK, I finally see what Waddizzle is referring to: the "Custom Controls" menu in the next-to-last (orange) menu group. If you set the Multi-Controller button to "Direct AF point selection", you can use it to select the AF point. You still have to push the "AF on" button first (or the shutter button halfway), but it may give you what you're looking for.

 

EDIT:  And I've now verified that the same setting enables the same behavior on the 5D3 as on the 5D4. So your 5D3 must have been set that way, even though it isn't the default.

Bob
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA


@RobertTheFat wrote:

OK, I finally see what Waddizzle is referring to: the "Custom Controls" menu in the next-to-last (orange) menu group. If you set the Multi-Controller button to "Direct AF point selection", you can use it to select the AF point. You still have to push the "AF on" button first (or the shutter button halfway), but it may give you what you're looking for.

 

EDIT:  And I've now verified that the same setting enables the same behavior on the 5D3 as on the 5D4. So your 5D3 must have been set that way, even though it isn't the default.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------

By pressing the [SHUTTER] or [AF-ON] you are activating the metering timer.  When this happens, the joystick is normally disabled, by default.  You can reprogram the button so that when the metering is active, which is also when you can view your active AF point dynamically, you can now use the joystick to select an AF point.

 

Why is [DISABLED] the default behavior?  That's good question. 

--------------------------------------------------------
"The right mouse button is your friend."


@Waddizzle wrote:

@RobertTheFat wrote:

OK, I finally see what Waddizzle is referring to: the "Custom Controls" menu in the next-to-last (orange) menu group. If you set the Multi-Controller button to "Direct AF point selection", you can use it to select the AF point. You still have to push the "AF on" button first (or the shutter button halfway), but it may give you what you're looking for.

 

EDIT:  And I've now verified that the same setting enables the same behavior on the 5D3 as on the 5D4. So your 5D3 must have been set that way, even though it isn't the default.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------

By pressing the [SHUTTER] or [AF-ON] you are activating the metering timer.  When this happens, the joystick is normally disabled, by default.  You can reprogram the button so that when the metering is active, which is also when you can view your active AF point dynamically, you can now use the joystick to select an AF point.

 

Why is [DISABLED] the default behavior?  That's good question. 


I wondered that myself. There doesn't seem to be any compelling reason not to leave it on.

 

That said, I don't find the functionality very useful, since you get to see only the active AF point. I think the AF display button gives you a better look. But if it's what the OP wants, that's all that matters here. She's a professional, and there's every reason to suppose that she knows what she's doing.

Bob
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA
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