Mark IV AF Tip

[Arthur Morris]

This image was created with the tripod mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2 1/2 stops: 1/60 sec. at f/6.3 in Tv mode.

The trick here to getting a pleasing COMP was to use the two AF sensors below the central sensor. This is just one of the things you will learn in our MIV User's Guide (https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=286). It was just updated last week.

As for the image: don't be shy. All comments are welcome.

[denise ippolito]

Beautiful composition and this juvenile looks great against the foamy sea BG.

[Roger Clark]

Artie,
Can you show an image with the AF sensors overlaid, witht he active ones in red?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that the prevailing view here on BPN has been to use the central AF sensor (for its higher accuracy and cross type mode). I have never subscribed to that philosophy. I move the AF sensors to keep the active sensor on the eye(s) and that gives me the composition that I want, which is what I think you are doing here.

Roger

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Roger, Yes, most serious flight photographers advice the center sensor only for flight, some with and some without any surrounding sensors activated. I agree for the most part but in specific situations (like this) and in cases where the subjects are small in the frame and I want to get them out of the center, I will not hesitate to use other sensors to yield a more pleasing COMP.

Here is the BreezeBrowser (http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/baa-store/digital/breeze-browser/) screen capture. Note also the histogram pushed all the way to the right :)

[Mike Tracy]

In hindsight do you wish you had selected the two points below and to the right of your chosen ones ? Or would have a better panning technique yielded a sharper image ?

I find this is a pleasing composition. I really like the silkiness of the water and wing blur but I find the head and eye to be soft.

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Mike, I am happy with the selected points. A 1/60 with a flying bird I would expect some softness in the head and elsewhere. The only way to get the head really, really sharp when panning at 1/60 sec. is to match the bird's flight with your panning speed and I am not very good at that. Robert O'Toole is the best be far that I have ever seen at that. I have seen razor sharp on the head cranes with the 600 IS and a 2X TC....

I am happy to get the bird in the frame :)

[Andrew McLachlan]

Arthur, nice capture - love the blurred wings

[Charles Scheffold]

Hi Mike, I am happy with the selected points. A 1/60 with a flying bird I would expect some softness in the head and elsewhere. The only way to get the head really, really sharp when panning at 1/60 sec. is to match the bird's flight with your panning speed and I am not very good at that. Robert O'Toole is the best be far that I have ever seen at that. I have seen razor sharp on the head cranes with the 600 IS and a 2X TC....

I am happy to get the bird in the frame :)

Has a surreal look... interesting :)

Did you change the AF points while tracking? Or did you decide ahead of time to use those 2? I'm almost always on the center because I'm too busy tracking to try to change AF points. Just curious.

thanks
Charles

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Charles,

As the behavior was repetitive, skimmers coming by with their wings raised, I manually changed to the two below the center even before the first one came along :)

[Roger Clark]

Charles,

I practice changing the AF points while panning, so it becomes second nature without taking my eye from the viewfinder. Now, obviously the faster the action, the more difficult this becomes. I also try and anticipate the composition. For example if fitting the size of the subject in the frame, I'll decide where I want the eyes in the composition and set the AF points there. If the subject changes direction, the composition changes and I move the AF points. Here is my article on tracking action:

http://www.clarkvision.com/articles/tracking.action.with.autofocus/index.html
Notice for tracking the eagle, I used about the same AF position that Artie did in skimmer image.

Roger