Why no AF assist lamp?

Eddzz!!

Eddzz!!

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Eddy
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I can't speak for Nikon, but why haven't Canon ever included a simple AF assist lamp on their cameras? Focusing in dim light can be a pain no matter what lens you use, and forking out so much money for an external flash or trigger seems crazy when a flash isn't needed. The AF strobe that Canon cameras use (those with a pop-up flash) is a minor annoyance. Half the time people think you've taken the picture before you've even grabbed focus. The little orange lamp on the front of the camera only ever seems to operate as a count-down when using a timed shutter release... Any ideas? Seems crazy to me :cuckoo:
 
Don't know if Canon is the same but on Nikon the the AF assist lamp doesn't work with servo (continuous) focus mode. Since I use back button focussing, the AF lamp never comes on. Could that be the case on your 7d I wonder?
 
Depends on the camera lens I guess, I've spent plenty of time shooting at gigs in low light and have had no trouble focusing with a 50D +11-16 f2.8, 35mm f2 and a 70-200 f2.8. I did struggle with the 50mm f1.8 but it's a cheap lens.

The last gig I did, I even used a flash trigger with a built in AF lamp because I thought it would help focus but I noticed no real difference.

This was a very quick focus to get the shot, as you can see it was very dark, it was 35mm f2 I believe.

1186874_10151774905603476_1445987659_n.jpg


You have decent kit so maybe your technique needs adjusting, how do you focus?

I personally use back button focus with the single mid point for most things. I find back button good, as in a busy environment like gigs you don't get at the opposite end of focus if something passes in front of you when you are shooting.
 
Nope - it's one of the only gripes I've ever had with Canons... The glowing orange light on the front is for countdown timing only not AF assist.

(Though if you have a Speedlight, then yes - the AF assist beam from this won't fire in servo mode.)
 
chris-red said:
You have decent kit so maybe your technique needs adjusting, how do you focus?

I personally use back button focus with the single mid point for most things. I find back button good, as in a busy environment like gigs you don't get at the opposite end of focus if something passes in front of you when you are shooting.
Click to expand...

Nice capture :)

I also use back-button focusing. The only one of my lens that is ever so slightly slow in dim light is the Sigma. It never hunts, just doesn't lock focus as quick as my 70-200 f/2.8. I also shoot gigs from time to time, but there is quite a bit of ambient light bouncing around the subjects, so I imagine that helps focus quite a bit?
 
Something i always wanted and liked on my Nikons.
 
chris-red said:
Depends on the camera lens I guess, I've spent plenty of time shooting at gigs in low light and have had no trouble focusing with a 50D +11-16 f2.8, 35mm f2 and a 70-200 f2.8. I did struggle with the 50mm f1.8 but it's a cheap lens.

The last gig I did, I even used a flash trigger with a built in AF lamp because I thought it would help focus but I noticed no real difference.

This was a very quick focus to get the shot, as you can see it was very dark, it was 35mm f2 I believe.

1186874_10151774905603476_1445987659_n.jpg


You have decent kit so maybe your technique needs adjusting, how do you focus?

I personally use back button focus with the single mid point for most things. I find back button good, as in a busy environment like gigs you don't get at the opposite end of focus if something passes in front of you when you are shooting.
Click to expand...


Looks like th focus is on the hand and not the face, was that the idea or is it just the low res image playing tricks
 
gad-westy said:
Don't know if Canon is the same but on Nikon the the AF assist lamp doesn't work with servo (continuous) focus mode. Since I use back button focussing, the AF lamp never comes on. Could that be the case on your 7d I wonder?
Click to expand...

I use BBF and my AF lamp comes on, although I do use centre point.
 
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