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do i have focus tracking

qaz
Contributor

hi

 

does anyone know if  i have focus tracking on my new 5d ll . Cant find mention of it on web

 

thanks

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

why do u say that? ....ive taught enough of them. do u also think i should improve my photograpy. What i need is to know how ai servo works , ill wait till i see a magazine or vid article on it [i did get some good video links here]

 

i think we should just leave it here before i get anymore comments from people like john sd

View solution in original post

28 REPLIES 28

You may find information about what you're looking for among this "quick guides" listed at the following link.

 

http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2011/quick_guides.shtml

 

There may be an existing video that explains exactly what you're looking for.  Then again, maybe not.  There is plenty of reading material that explains how most DSLR AF systems work.  Just remember though, the nuts and bolts details of how various AF systems work is proprietary information, which you may never find.

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

thanks very much for that canon link, will check it tomorrow or tonight. I was just thinking about such a site/place

 

i seem to having trouble conveying the amount of understanding of ai servo i want, i dont need to know the very tech stuff or proprietary information, just how it works on a intelligent user tech level

 

for instance why does only the center af point work well [good] to initially set af and then the surrounding points work for successive auto focusing [tracking]

 

thanks

 

 


@qaz wrote:

thanks very much for that canon link, will check it tomorrow or tonight. I was just thinking about such a site/place

 

i seem to having trouble conveying the amount of understanding of ai servo i want, i dont need to know the very tech stuff or proprietary information, just how it works on a intelligent user tech level

 

for instance why does only the center af point work well [good] to initially set af and then the surrounding points work for successive auto focusing [tracking]

 

thanks

 


You're demanding a low-tech answer to a high-tech question. That's not how reality works. As Albert Einstein is supposed to have once said, "Everything should be made as simple as possible – but not simpler."

Bob
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA


@qaz wrote:

i was hoping to find an explanation with diagram, maybe on video of what accually goes on behind the scenes in ai servo, then everything falls into place and there are no more questions . Thats the way my brain works:) 

 


What you're asking for should be addressed to the engineers at Canon, who would probably tell you that they are not allowed to reveal proprietary information. 
I would be more focused on learning how to use your camera, as well as how to become better at DSLR photography. 

well john sd ...2 things, ive been trying to explain that i dont want to go into it to that level and secondly ur comment "i would be more focused on learning how to use your camera, as well as how to become better at DSLR photography" is completely lame  as u dont know what my level of photograhy is and dont know how well i can use the camera [apart from the ai servo, which ive found is easy to use but not to understand]


@qaz wrote:

well john sd ...2 things, ive been trying to explain that i dont want to go into it to that level and secondly ur comment "i would be more focused on learning how to use your camera, as well as how to become better at DSLR photography" is completely lame  as u dont know what my level of photograhy is and dont know how well i can use the camera [apart from the ai servo, which ive found is easy to use but not to understand]


Maybe what you need is to take a photography class.  

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

why do u say that? ....ive taught enough of them. do u also think i should improve my photograpy. What i need is to know how ai servo works , ill wait till i see a magazine or vid article on it [i did get some good video links here]

 

i think we should just leave it here before i get anymore comments from people like john sd


@qaz wrote:

why do u say that? ....ive taught enough of them. do u also think i should improve my photograpy. What i need is to know how ai servo works , ill wait till i see a magazine or vid article on it [i did get some good video links here]

 

i think we should just leave it here before i get anymore comments from people like john sd


What you're really asking is how do AF systems work, because that is what AI Servo mode does.  Continuously Focus.

 

http://media.digitalcameraworld.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2013/11/Phase_detection_autofocus_c...

 

I hope that article helps.  Good luck, to you.

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

thanks for the link.

 

I already have limited idea about how af works , meauring contrast as one method etc. specifically i need to know how if u lock servo af on a point like an eye the surrounding af points pick it up on other parts of the screen, and how how [for instance] do they know to track the eye and not the ear

 

If i knew that i would understand its limitations. Im sure there will be an article or vid with a diagram somewhere

 

it would also be intersting to know why several experts say the center focus point is the only one to use when u set the initial af lock and that the surounding ones are only good for tracking, it seems that the surrounding ones are not acuate or...?. And then if u recompose u introduce a change in distance...u cant win!

 

ive still got to fully exlplore the helpful canon link i got earlier here. Ive dowloaded the manual as u suggested


@qaz wrote:

thanks for the link.

 

I already have limited idea about how af works , meauring contrast as one method etc. specifically i need to know how if u lock servo af on a point like an eye the surrounding af points pick it up on other parts of the screen, and how how [for instance] do they know to track the eye and not the ear

 

If i knew that i would understand its limitations. Im sure there will be an article or vid with a diagram somewhere

 

it would also be intersting to know why several experts say the center focus point is the only one to use when u set the initial af lock and that the surounding ones are only good for tracking, it seems that the surrounding ones are not acuate or...?. And then if u recompose u introduce a change in distance...u cant win!

 

ive still got to fully exlplore the helpful canon link i got earlier here. Ive dowloaded the manual as u suggested


You want to know if you lock focus with one point, do "surrounding AF. Points pick it up one other parts of the screen."

 

I have already answered this question.  Furthermore, a better description can be found in your instruction manual.  Your camera is better at tracking an object that stays under the same AF point, and is changing its' distance to the camera.  Imagine  someone running with a football towards you.  It is not so good at automatically switching from one AF point to the next.

 

The tracking behavior of AI Servo mode varies from one model to the next.  The more AF points you have, then the better the camera can lock on and track a moving subject from one point to the next.  Your camera has just a handful of AF points.  The more expensive DSLRs can have dozens of them.  They can track a subject moving around the viewfinder fairly well.

 

I suggest that you just go out there with your camera and experiment.  Like I said earlier, you will need a lot of practice using AI Servo mode before you can use it effectively.  Your results will be affected by your own skill with the camera.  No camera can read your mind, and lock focus on exactly what you want every time.  You need to learn how to "steer" it, so to speak.

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