DPP Not showing AF Points?

jemdna

jemdna

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Bryan
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Hey everyone :)

Following on from another thread, tried to get DPP to show AF points so I can start working out why I keep missing focus (Besides me being useless :lol:)

However, even after updating to latest software (as far as I can tell) It doesn't show the active AF points...

Here is a screenshot of DPP with view option open, so people can see (the lack of) AF point selection thingymaboby... :lol:

Picture-2.png
 
is the image a RAW or JPEG file? i'm not in front of a machine with DPP on it, so i'm kinda fumbling in the dark so to speak :naughty:
 
just noticed on the screenshot.. it's a RAW.
 
Aye RAW straight from the camera :)
 
I think it's in zoombrowser
 
Fantastic Jim cheers :D (Not quite Zoom Browser but "Image Browser)

So with that in mind... why is it telling me it was MF and no AF point selected (Although it shows the possible ones now)

(Btw I know it was AF because I am useless with MF :lol:... something to do with liveview?)
 
Ok more research shows if I use viewfinder, it shows the AF point but live view (with autofocus) it doesn't show any point?
 
I don't use the Canon software so was using my memory and it's no too good

Live view is manual focus only.
 
This one shows AF points used...

Picture-3.png


Where as this one doesn't (Live view)

Picture-4.png
 
Even though it does actually Autofocus?
 
Unless things have changed since I last used live view it doesn't autofocus but I could be wrong!
 
Live view autofocus is done by doing contrast detection on the little square that comes up on the liveview screen. This can be moved arbitrarily in the image and doesn't correspond to any focus point, so it can't display the focus point if you used live view in live view mode focus.
 
I see so I can move it around the frame to aid focussing but in all truth it probably still isn't that accurate?

Perhaps ditch live view and stick to viewfinder/AF for portraity type stuff.?

Bry
 
Live view is generally the most accurate way of focusing - it just takes a time and is pretty useless if the subjects move (e.g. kids...)
 
So ok... second idea based on your idea Andy...

Use Liveview/contrast detect to focus but utilize a variety of machette's, Handcuffs, Anthrax etc to make sure kids dont move during focus...

Bry
 
jemdna said:
Use Liveview/contrast detect to focus but utilize a variety of machette's, Handcuffs, Anthrax etc to make sure kids dont move during focus...
Click to expand...
Sounds like a plan, but please make sure they don't move after otherwise all that will will have been in vain ;)
 
10X focus is bloddy hard to keep still is what ive found :(
 
Clarify my above message. When your working at the full range of the lens (55mm) and then zoomed in 10X say onto the eye, its very very hard (IMO) to keep it still enough to actually get any idea if its in focus (Tripod comes in handy but not practical on walk abouts)

Bry
 
I understand your dilemma with live view and has you pointed earlier in the thread it will have to be viewfinder with AF on walkabout and fast moving portraits, so it’s back to the AF method of your choice, shutter button AF or back button AF, which ever you choose it’s a practise that makes perfect. Since I changed to back button I have found it so much easier and very rarely suffer with soft images due to wrong focal point.
 
Back button focusing... as in the same button usually used when using live view?

*Wears numpty hat*

Bry
 
Just a shame EOS magazine is subscription only, as in the current issue there is a full article all about how and when to use Live View and the various focusing methods available.

There are 3 auto-focusing mode with live view (on most EOS models)

Live Mode : The camera measure the contrast of the image at the sensor.

Faces Detect: As above but it searches for faces.

Quick Mode: The camera will drop the mirror so that light can reach the autofocus sensors. This interrupts the live feed for a moment, but focus is achieved much faster than other modes. Unfortunately it will still not show the AF point in DPP using this method.


arad85 said:
Live view is generally the most accurate way of focusing - it just takes a time and is pretty useless if the subjects move (e.g. kids...)
Click to expand...

That should be "Live view is generally the most accurate way of MANUALLY focusing"
 
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Having a look at the first image posted of DPP, that is not the latest Version 3.10.1 (3.10.1.0)
You can tell this by the lack of a sharpness button in the tools menu, which would allow unsharp mask to be selected.

Screenshot2011-04-29at020123.jpg
 
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whiteflyer said:
That should be "Live view is generally the most accurate way of MANUALLY focusing"
Click to expand...
No, it's the most accurate way of autofocusing too as it uses a the CPU to phase detect from the data on the chip (i.e. exactly what you capture) rather than using whatever autofocus system you have elsewhere in the camera. It takes a LOT longer, but for static subjects with some contrast, it is the most accurate autofocus method too...
 
arad85 said:
....It takes a LOT longer, but for static subjects with some contrast, it is the most accurate autofocus method too...
Click to expand...

Not sure about that and I'll quote from this months EOS magazine on Live View

EOS Magazine April - June 2011 Page38 said:
Live View has three autofocus modes - quick mode, live mode and face detection live mode.

None of the three modes works perfectly, nor are they as precise as either manual focusing or the camera's autofocus when your not using live view
Click to expand...

Personally I would have thought using the live view 10x magnification would be the most accurate for manual focusing, (you can see what your really focusing on ) but I do trust what the mag says 99% of the time.
 
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whiteflyer said:
Not sure about that and I'll quote from this months EOS magazine on Live View
Click to expand...
From the Contrast Measurement section on Wikipedia... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autofocus

Wkipedia said:
As it does not use a separate sensor, however, contrast-detect autofocus can be more flexible (as it is implemented in software) and potentially more accurate.
Click to expand...

If you select an area of the image to focus that has contrast, it should be 100% accurate focusing as you are getting critical sharpness information directly off the sensor you are using to take the image. No good for anything moving though...
 
Cheers for the link and the details, I've definitely got some reading up to do :lol:
 
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