Maybe I messed up a setting Canon 1DMk3?

shoshone

shoshone

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Jamie
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Folks,

Admittedly I played around with the CF settings on my Canon 1DMk3 a few days ago... trying some other togs settings I found.

Subsequently (though only a few days later having taken some shots in between times), I noticed that my lenses refused to autofocus from a near to far subject or vice-versa?

For example I first noticed that the 100-400 just wouldn't achieve focus until I helped it manually to get into the zone, the it snapped in just fine.

I then noticed the same thing today with the 100 macro.

Neither of these lenses were close focus limited at the time...once I helped it get some way towards in focus they both snapped in.

This must be something I messed with on the body, well at least I hope it is.

Any pointers would be appreciated...

Jamie
 
hi does it happen with all the different settings, you could just restore factory settings and start again to re do your CF's
 
there must be a reset to default-there is on most decent dslr's-I have done this before and reset and works fine-but thats on a d300 and I had used the autofocus finetune tool which wasnt set correct and was focusing badly.

Hope this helps-read the manual and see if it has such a thing.
 
Dave / DigitalManiac, Thanks....yes no probs I can go back to shipped setting not a problems. Didn't think of that at the time today when it happened on the 100 2.8 macro.

I'll try that tomorrow, though would have really liked to know just which CF III setting did it....don't learn a lot just resetting I think. HOWEVER it will prove whether or not it's me that has messed it up I'll read up again on the 17 options in CF III.

Thanks

Jamie
 
Well you ruled out the obvious problem - the focus limiter, so I'd suspect a custom function problem.

On the 40D, under the AF Custom Functions, if a lens gets really out of focus, it can either stop trying or keep on trying to focus depending on whether you have the custom AF function set to OFF or ON. I'm sure there'll be a similar setting on the 1DMK3.
 
Custom Function III-1 on the 40D
 
CT said:
Custom Function III-1 on the 40D
Click to expand...

Thanks for that prod CT. Got it! Its CF III #5 'Lens drive when AF impossible' I've set this to 1 = Focus search off.

I clearly didn't understand what this meant I mean surely it was possible....

I'll check that out in daylight...thanks for the suggestion.

Jamie
 
Sounds like you've cracked it. :)

It can happen with long lenses particularly, that you haven't lined up that bird on the branch in the viewfinder, and you have nothing from infinity at the far end of the range, and the closest focus distance on which the AF system can focus. In this situation, the lens will search back and forth like crazy, imposing a huge drain on your battery, particularly with a long lens. In this situation, you're far better off just focusing manually sufficiently to get that bird in the viewfinder, and then reverting to AF, when it will focus easily.

It doesn't happen that often, but with the CF set to OFF it eliminates the problem.
 
I'm glad you have sort this out, but after reading this and Kipax's posts I'm starting think the mkIII is a very hard camera to set-up, starting to put me off having one now.
 
whiteflyer said:
I'm glad you have sort this out, but after reading this and Kipax's posts I'm starting think the mkIII is a very hard camera to set-up, starting to put me off having one now.
Click to expand...


Nah, Don't be put off...In this case I knew I had caused the problem by setting CFs but I goofed twice over.

I still had hunting on the brain with my 100-400 with the 1.4x II on with the pins taped. The 1DIII solved that problem as it AFs up to F8.

I was trying some other suggestions for shooting BIFs and set this on erroneously. Lesson learnt..I see it as a lesson I won't forget but it certainly wouldn't put me off buying a 1DIII!

There are a lots of CF settings though (about 57 in total), however quite a lot of them are fairly straightforward.

There is also loads of Canon download material especially on AF.

Jamie
 
Thanx CT for the help. Sorted now. I confess to a few minutes puzzlement at the time first thought is somethings broken, then realised I'd messed up some setting. Seems funny now but not that funny at the time. I must have completely overlooked this setting on the 40D when I had it though.

Jamie
 
to be fair all 1d cameras have setting that you can set that really mess things up if you use it in the wrong way - just like photoshop....

it's a bit of a learning curve if in doubt reset to default settings...
 
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