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Help with focus: Canon EOS R with EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II and adapter ring

cdisimone
Contributor

I had been using the EOS 5D Mark II for quite sometime until I recently bought the Canon EOS R. Today I tried my EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II for the first time with the EOS R. Admittedly, this is my most underutilized lens so I don't have a lot of shots to compare to, but I got some seriously disappointing results today when just shooting objects in my yard. I had a lot of trouble focusing using the center focus point on the smallest setting. Maybe I am doing something wrong... looking for some guidance.

 

I have had tack sharp images with the other EF lenses I have tried with the EOS R so I'm hoping it is something I am doing... and that there is nothing wrong with the lens. My test shots were all handheld but on a pretty fast shutter speed, wide open and zoomed in at 200mm, and I was sitting and leaning my back against a wall so I should have been pretty still as well. I used single shot focus in the center and just snapped the photo.. no recomposing, no al servo, no choosing alternate focus points. Just center the subject and shoot. 

 

Can anyone tell me what is going wrong here? I didn't get one clear shot of the squirrel, or the bird.

 

Photo 1 (squirrel): https://flic.kr/p/2iNDbwc

Photo 1 Focus Point: https://flic.kr/p/2iNEVdP

 

Photo 2 (bird): https://flic.kr/p/2iNEUEV

Photo 2 Focus Point: https://flic.kr/p/2iNEVdo

 

If there's a better way to share photos here or if it's better to load right into this window, please let me know. I'm new here!

 

Thanks!

 

 

39 REPLIES 39


@Waddizzle wrote:

 

I strongly suggest that you use a "normal" point, instead of whatever type of Spot AF the EOS R uses.  Again check your lens switches, most especially the distance switch.  It can make a world of difference.


Just read this again... Maybe there is confusion on my part between "normal" AF point and "spot" AF point. I am using them interchangeably and maybe they aren't, but on both of my cameras, to my knowledge, there is no difference between a "normal" AF point and a "spot" AF point (only "spot" metering point but that's exposure and we're not talking about that!)

 

There is no way to toggle between using a single "normal" focus point (which looks like a square) to using something that looks like a "spot".. they're all squares and what it sounds like you're referring to as "normal" AF.

 

Maybe I should consult the manual!

 

 


@Waddizzle wrote:

 

I strongly suggest that you use a "normal" point, instead of whatever type of Spot AF the EOS R uses.  Again check your lens switches, most especially the distance switch.  It can make a world of difference.


OK so my mistake, I never knew spot AF was a separate thing because neither of my 2 cameras have it (5D Mark ii and EOS R). I googled and see that the Mark iii has that, and it's like a spot within the the center focus point. I don't have that. When I was saying spot AF, I meant "single point" AF. 

 

Also, I think I already replied to this somewhere else, but the switches were on the 2.8m-infinity setting, IS On, Mode 1. I think that's what I would want in this situation.

 

Thanks for your feedback.

From the EOS R Advanced User Manual

 

8148BAC3-D826-44DC-B47A-21F14C7E5EFA.jpeg

 

Every camera sold today has this type of focusing ability, including your 5D2.  Use the default normal setting.  As I explained in a previous reply, the "spot" may not be where you think it is.  Besides, your subjects seem smaller than the spot.  Use the normal AF point mode, evaluative metering, keep it simple.  Try Ernie's tests.  Use a tripod, or your table.  The timer delayed shutter is a good thing.  If the lens works on the 5D2, then there is nothing wrong with it.

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

"... the switches were on the 2.8m-infinity setting, IS On, Mode 1."

 

This is not and was not the problem.

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


@ebiggs1 wrote:

"... the switches were on the 2.8m-infinity setting, IS On, Mode 1."

 

This is not and was not the problem.


If the switches do not make a difference, then why are they there?  

 

One switch sets MFD at 1.5m, while the other sets MFD at 2.5M.  The lens focuses a little faster and sharper on distant objects in the 2.5M position.  When it is set to 1.5M, the result is shots that look like these.  Sharp, but not quite tack sharp. 

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

"The lens focuses a little faster and sharper on distant objects in the 2.5M position.  When it is set to 1.5M, the result is shots that look like these.  Sharp, but not quite tack sharp."

 

Now you and I both know that is ridiculous and nonsense.  The lens may and does focus slower when on 1.5m~inf. compared to 2.5m but not any less sharp. A lens does not can not change it's "sharpness".  They are what they are from day one and on.

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


@ebiggs1 wrote:

"The lens focuses a little faster and sharper on distant objects in the 2.5M position.  When it is set to 1.5M, the result is shots that look like these.  Sharp, but not quite tack sharp."

 

Now you and I both know that is ridiculous and nonsense.  The lens may and does focus slower when on 1.5m~inf. compared to 2.5m but not any less sharp. A lens does not can not change it's "sharpness".  They are what they are from day one and on.


No, the lens doesn't change its sharpness. But that doesn't necessarily guarantee, in any given situation, that it will exhibit the same focusing accuracy in both switch positions. It may in fact be so, but to dismiss as "nonsense" the possibility that it isn't, seems a bit of a stretch.

Bob
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA


@RobertTheFat wrote:

@ebiggs1 wrote:

"The lens focuses a little faster and sharper on distant objects in the 2.5M position.  When it is set to 1.5M, the result is shots that look like these.  Sharp, but not quite tack sharp."

 

Now you and I both know that is ridiculous and nonsense.  The lens may and does focus slower when on 1.5m~inf. compared to 2.5m but not any less sharp. A lens does not can not change it's "sharpness".  They are what they are from day one and on.


No, the lens doesn't change its sharpness. But that doesn't necessarily guarantee, in any given situation, that it will exhibit the same focusing accuracy in both switch positions. It may in fact be so, but to dismiss as "nonsense" the possibility that it isn't, seems a bit of a stretch.


In my experience the lens is not as sharp (meaning focus is not as accurate) at distant objects in the 1.5M position compared to the 2.5M position.  This AF is slower to focus on objects more than 4 meters away with the switch in the 1.5M.  

 

This is readily apparent when you shoot in continuous drive mode with high fps body like the 7D2 using AI Servo focus mode.  With 2.5M, the lens focuses keeps up with the 10 fps on distant subjects, beyond 10 meters.  With 1.5M, the lens does not quite keep up with the 10fps frame rate.  I have switch Image Priority to Focus Priority.

 

Maybe, I have a bad copy.  I had issues with the first one, which I had ordered online through Best Buy, and had to return it for an exchange.  The lens was making a clicking sound because it would seat snugly in the camera mount.  Turns out that it was missing the rubber sealing ring.

 

[EDIT]. But, like I pointed out earlier.  If the switch position does not make a difference, then why did they add it?  

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

"It may in fact be so, but to dismiss as "nonsense" the possibility that it isn't, seems a bit of a stretch."

 

Not to me. Not a bit. 

I have shot as many super telephoto shots as anyone. I have or have owned all the current super 150-600mm zooms. Any lens can misfocus but that is not the same thing as saying it isn't as sharp. Its sharpness can not change, it can misfocus.

Personally none of mine or at least none I have noticed missed focus because I had it on 2.5m vs 1.5m or whatever limits the lens has.  They focus slower for sure.   It is nonsense!

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

Regarding the statement "ISO 1000 is an odd number"...  I believe that was probably made in reference to the situation where the "in-between" ISO values may be more noisy.

 

It's important to say may since it's not true that all cameras exhibit this.  When I first read such statements made years ago, I ran my own tests (several others have well over the years).  And the answer ultimately depends on your camera.

 

For my older EOS 6D and now EOS 5D IV, the "in-between" values don't have higher noise than the next higher "integral" setting.  i.e. noise strictly increases from ISO 100, 125, 160, 200, etc.

--
Ricky

Camera: EOS 5D IV, EF 50mm f/1.2L, EF 135mm f/2L
Lighting: Profoto Lights & Modifiers
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