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Focussing issue with 5D Mark III

crockny
Enthusiast

I am using my relatively new 5D Mark III with my old 400mm 5.6 lens for bird photography.  It often will not grab focus.  I have to manually focus closer before it focuses.  It doesn't seem to matter which distance setting I use on the lens.

 

So I am missing quite a few bird shots.  I have no problem when using my old 7D.

 

I don't know if this is a full-frame issue, my particular copy of the camera issue, the combination of lens and camera, or something in my setup, even though I followed an online tutorial for setting up the 5D Mark III for bird photography.

 

Anyone have experience with this issue?

 

 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

diverhank
Authority

I have the 5d3 and the 400mm f/5.6L and often shoot with the combo and I never had any problems like yours.  There is one thing you should check...the option called "Lens drive when AF impossible" -purple AF4 - make sure this option is set to ON:continue focus search.  Setting it to off will often stall the focusing

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Diverhank's photos on Flickr

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24 REPLIES 24

kvbarkley
VIP
VIP

Are you sure you are using the f/5.6 focus points?

Do you have a teleconverter installed?

Not sure what you mean by the 5.6 focus points...
No teleconverter - it wouldn't work with this lens.

From the online specs:

"61-point (up to 41 cross-type points)
* One to five cross-type AF points at f/2.8, 10 to 20 cross-type AF points at f/4, and 15 to 21 cross-type AF points at f/5.6. (The number of cross-type AF points will differ depending on the lens.) "

ebiggs1
Legend
Legend

"Anyone have experience with this issue?"

 

This type thing is almost always the lens.  If you have other lenses, do they focus OK on the 5D3?

I would for sure turn off all the other focus points and use just the center one.  That could be the problem right there.

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

Waddizzle
Legend
Legend

"I don't know if this is a full-frame issue, my particular copy of the camera issue, the combination of lens and camera, or something in my setup, even though I followed an online tutorial for setting up the 5D Mark III for bird photography."

 

Remember your settings, and clear them out of the camera, or reset the camera.  I suspect you're just climbing the learning curve with the camera, which is a big jump in auto focus over a 7D. They could conduct a class at a junior college on how to use it.

 

Go back to square one [green square mode], back to the basics, and see how well the lens performs on static subjects.

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

Interesting - I did try auto and had no problem going from a "close" subject to "far" and vice versa. But in manual with my settings I had to "nudge" them both ...

diverhank
Authority

I have the 5d3 and the 400mm f/5.6L and often shoot with the combo and I never had any problems like yours.  There is one thing you should check...the option called "Lens drive when AF impossible" -purple AF4 - make sure this option is set to ON:continue focus search.  Setting it to off will often stall the focusing

================================================
Diverhank's photos on Flickr


@diverhank wrote:

I have the 5d3 and the 400mm f/5.6L and often shoot with the combo and I never had any problems like yours.  There is one thing you should check...the option called "Lens drive when AF impossible" -purple AF4 - make sure this option is set to ON:continue focus search.  Setting it to off will often stall the focusing


Personally, I like setting it to OFF.  It makes a difference when the lens is lost, and cannot lock focus.  It saves battery life, as it continues hunting.  You get less noise from the lens, as it continues hunting.  It saves time. 

 

I don't mind giving the lens the manual assist.  Just about the only time it happens is when I am switching from one extreme to the other, meaning very close subject at close to the shortest focal length, to one at near infinite focus at close to the longest focal length.

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


@Waddizzle wrote:

@diverhank wrote:

I have the 5d3 and the 400mm f/5.6L and often shoot with the combo and I never had any problems like yours.  There is one thing you should check...the option called "Lens drive when AF impossible" -purple AF4 - make sure this option is set to ON:continue focus search.  Setting it to off will often stall the focusing


Personally, I like setting it to OFF.  It makes a difference when the lens is lost, and cannot lock focus.  It saves battery life, as it continues hunting.  You get less noise from the lens, as it continues hunting.  It saves time. 

 

I don't mind giving the lens the manual assist.  Just about the only time it happens is when I am switching from one extreme to the other, meaning very close subject at close to the shortest focal length, to one at near infinite focus at close to the longest focal length.


I hear you but not when the difference is make or break getting a once in a season shot... there's simply no time to nudge the lens

================================================
Diverhank's photos on Flickr
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