Canon 5D Mark III: Superior Auto Focus

Introduction
This is one of those articles I’ve been looking forward to, and dreading, at the same time. I knew going into this one, that it would be a somewhat technical article at times. There’s also a lot of ground to cover on top of that. I’m going to try to keep the technical details from getting too overwhelming, and stick to the basics. At the same time I hope to bring to light enough of the power of this aspect of the 5D Mark III, that you can see what it’s capable of.

The Auto Focus system in the 5D Mark III is a huge step forward from the previous iterations of the 5D series of cameras. Gone are the hit or miss focusing in low light, and the poor performance for fast action. Aside from a few minor differences, this is the same system found in Canon’s flagship camera, the 1Dx. What this does is to provide the owner with high end camera features, at roughly half the cost of a 1Dx. This makes it one heck of a bargain when you start comparing. Sure the 5D Mark III isn’t cheap either, but when you start to notice you have nearly everything the 1Dx offers, and a slightly high pixel count on top of it, the value really starts to become apparent when you stack it against the price tag of the 1Dx.

Focus Points

The heart of the Canon 5D Mark III’s AF (Auto-Focus) is the 61 available focus points. Tightly packed around the center of the imaging frame, these points are selectable in several configurations. 41 of these points are high precision cross type points, and these points provide even more accuracy with lenses up to f/4. These cross type points improve accuracy for still photography, as well as predictive focusing when shooting fast action. The latter is territory that was previously considered the domain of the 1D-series of full frame cameras. It should be noted that with some lenses, with a minimum aperture higher than f/4, the number of available focus points may be less. For more information about how lens selection affects available focus points, see page 79 of your owner’s manual.

Focus Modes/AF Area

You have several options at your disposal for choosing how many focus points you wish to use. The first of these options is the tried and true Single-Point mode, allowing you to choose a single focus point out of the points available to you. There is also a similar option called Single-Point Spot mode, which is the same as Single-Point except is covers an even smaller area than Single-Point.

Single-Point Spot will work best in situations that the focus point is extremely small, such as when you are shooting through a fence or similar obstruction, or focusing on a small point a detail a good distance away. In those cases, the larger single point might not be quite small enough. Both of those options are very useful when using a very narrow depth of field, as multiple focus points may have problems deciding exactly what you actually want in focus. The focus system is very accurate, but it doesn’t read minds.

Other options include AF Point Expansion, AF Point Expansion with Surrounding Points, and Zone. The two AF Point Expansion options are similar with the former starting with a single point and then using the focus points above, below, left, and right of the center point. Think of a “+” sign made out of focus points. AF Point Expansion with Surrounding Points again uses a single point to start with, but also picks all of the other points that immediately surround it. This ends up as a 3x3 grid of focus points. Zone AF builds even further upon this, giving you a block of focus points that is 4 points wide and 3 points tall.

The last option is Automatic Selection mode, which surveys all the available focus points, and uses the ones it deems necessary for what it thinks you are phtographing. In all modes except for Automatic Selection, you can move your set of focus points to any of the available points. This is obviously useful, as what you want to focus on isn’t always going to be in the same place in the viewfinder. Think of the differences when shooting between landscape and portrait modes as an example.

Canon is pretty smart when it comes to setting the focus points and zones. They knew when they set this system up that you may want to use differing points depending upon whether the camera is in portrait or landscape mode. So by using Orientation Linked AF Point (AF Tab Section 4), you can control how the 5D Mark III handles being oriented in different ways. If you frequently flip back and forth, this can be a very useful setting. I change this setting depending upon what I’m shooting.

The default method of changing the AF Area is to look through the viewfinder and continue to tap the M-Fn button until you arrive at the mode you wish to use. I have enabled Area Selection Method on the fourth panel of the menu’s AF tab, so that I can use the Main Dial. This allows me to tap the M-Fn button once, and the scroll the Main Dial to switch to the AF mode I wish to use. This is much more intuitive to me, as opposed to continually tapping the M-Fn button repeatedly.  In addition, I also employ Select AF Area Selection Mode and disable the AF Area modes I don’t normally use. This way I don’t have to scroll past them. Typically I only disable the selection of Auto-Selection, as I have yet to use it as an option. You’ll find the ability to set this option in the fourth group of the AF tab.

To manually select the AF point, or zone, you press the upper-right hand button on the back of the 5D Mark III to place the camera in the manual selection mode. Then you use the Main Dial to move the point, or zone, left or right, and the Main Dial to move it up or down. You can also use the Multi-Controller, which I find is much easier than the former method. Note than on the fifth group of the AF tab, you are provided an option for the selection pattern. This controls whether the point selection stops at the edge of the AF area or wraps back around to the other side.

AF Subject Tracking Cases

Now that I’ve covered the basics of focus points, let’s step through the 5 sections of the AF menu, and hit on what we haven’t touched. The first of these menus is a list of predefined settings that you can choose from when shooting various forms of action. I‘m using predefined loosely here, because you can actually tailor each of these to suit your needs better if you find the need to fine tune. These options are numbered from Case 1 to Case 6, and they are set up for the following purposes:

• Case 1: Versatile multipurpose
• Case 2: Continue to track subjects, ignoring possible obstacles
• Case 3: Instantly focus on subjects suddenly entering AF points
• Case 4: For subjects that accelerate or decelerate quickly
• Case 5: For erratic subjects, that move in any direction
• Case 6: For subjects that change speed and move erratically

What you’ll want to do is to match what you’re shooting with the case example that best matches your subject matter. Case 1, 4, 5, and 6, are fairly self-explanatory. However, you may be a little confused with what Case 2 and 3 are. It has to do with objects that come between you and the subject you are tracking. Just remember that Case 2 will try and ignore the object that came between you, while Case 3 will begin to instantly focus on the object that came in between you and the original subject. So it’s a matter of following the original subject, or setting focus on the new one.

As an example let’s use the example of receiver running a football down the field for a touchdown. As they pass a defensive player that is closer to the camera. The receiver is obscured briefly when the defensive player comes between you and the receiver briefly. If you are using Case 2, the focus should not lock onto the player in between you and the receiver, unless you start actively tracking that defensive player.

Now let’s say you are shooting a track event, and you are focusing on the lead runner, when the second place runner passes them coming between you and the runner you had been focusing on. If you were using Case 3 Tracking, your camera would immediately start to focus on the new runner doing the passing.

All of this translates into a very versatile way to allow you to tailor the camera’s autofocus system to suit your needs. It extends to much more than sports, by the way. I’ve used this extensively for shooting photos of birds in flight. Case 2 Tracking works extremely well for this, allowing you to track the birds as they fly behind power poles or other similar obstacles. If you find that the setting doesn’t suit you exactly right, you can change the tracking parameters for each of the Cases.

If you decide to alter these settings, you have the ability to adjust three parameters:

• Tracking sensitivity
• Accel./decel. Tracking
• AF Point Auto Switching

The first option, Tracking Sensitivity, controls how responsive the camera is to objects that come between you and the subject you are currently tracking. Accel./Decel. Tracking controls the sensitivity of the camera to notice subjects that start or stop suddenly. The last option, AF Point Auto Switching, determines the camera’s sensitivity to using different AF points, out of the ones you have selected. This is helpful should you be tracking an object that may suddenly step outside of a currently locked on focus point, but can still be picked up by another of your selected focus points. It helps to remember that just because you have enabled a focus point, it’s doesn’t mean it is always being used. One of the other points may have been locked on. All of these options make the first section of the AF tab, a very important place to start when setting your focus operation.

AI Servo Priority

For the second group of settings on the AF tab, you’ll find two lone options. These are the AI Servo image priority parameters. I told you this camera is perfect for shooting action, and this is another example of why. When in AI Servo mode, as you should be when shooting action, you can set what is most important for the camera to consider before taking the shot. The first image priority options are Release, Focus, or Equal Priority. So you get to choose which is more important, taking the shot or nailing the focus. After the first shot, you have a second set of parameters that come into play. These are the AI Servo second image priority options. The choices for this is Speed, Focus, or Equal Priority, which allows you to tailor the subsequent shots to keeping the burst rate high, or getting a good focus for each shot. As with the first option, you can also set an equal priority between the two.

One-Shot Priority 

Just so you know that One-Shot AF isn’t left out, I’ll mention that on the third section of the AF tab, you’ll find an option that tailors the One-Shot AF mode between Release and Focus. Other items on the third group for the AF tab, allow you to turn the AF-Assist flash on and off, for low light shooting, and whether to use the electronic focusing ring on lenses that have one.

AF4 Menu Items

Next we’ll move on to section 4 of the AF tab, and the first item controls what happens when the camera doesn’t gain focus. It’s called Lens Drive When AF Impossible. You can have the camera quit trying to focus, or continue to hunt for focus. I leave this set to On, which will allow it to continue to try and focus. This way as I’m moving the camera around when in AI Servo mode, it may lock focus as I’m tracking an object. If you have a very long telephoto lens, you may prefer to set this to off, as longer telephotos can become extremely out of focus if they are hunting too long. That would make gaining focus take even longer the next time around. I’ve had that happen a few times with my 400mm and 1.4x Extender, but not enough to make me switch this to off yet.

The next option allows you to alter the number of available AF points. You can choose between all 61 points, only the cross-type points, 15 points, or 9 points. This affects all AF Modes except Automatic AF Mode, which still uses all of the AF points. I leave all of the AF points available to the camera, but of the available options I could see restricting the camera to use only cross-type points due to their greater accuracy.

The last three options I’ve already mentioned earlier. The first is Select AF Area Selection Mode. It allows you to disable certain AF Area Modes. Then there’s AF Area Selection Method, which changes between multiple presses of the M-Fn button and a combination of the M-Fn button and the Main Dial to change the AF Area Mode. The last option sets whether you want separate points to be used for portrait and landscape modes.

AF5 Menu Items

On the last section of the AF tab, you find four options. The first one I’ve already mentioned as well. It is called Manual AF Point Selection Pattern, and controls whether the manual selection of points, or zones, stops at the edge of the AF points or scrolls through to the other side.

The next option is named AF Point Display During Focus. This setting controls when the focus point is shown in the viewfinder. You have options as follows:

• Constantly display focus points
• When selecting the AF point(s)
• When the camera is ready to shoot (before AF)
• During AF operation
• When focus is achieved

In addition, you can also control when the focus points will illuminate in red, as opposed to the standard black. You can choose between:

• Auto: AF Points and grid automatically illuminate in red under low light
• On: AF Points and grid always illuminate in red
• Off: AF Points and grid never illuminate in red

The last option allows you to micro adjust your lenses focusing operation. This allows you to fine tune your lenses individually, providing extremely precise focusing capabilities. For most people this is not necessary, although it is available for those that what to go the extra distance to get exacting results. Make sure you have a firm understanding of micro adjustment before you attempt this. If you don’t know what you are doing, you could end up having your lens focusing worse, not better.

Other AF Items To Consider

We’ve covered the menu, but there are a few more things to cover regarding the AF system in general. First is the AF Mode. You have three options:

• One Shot: For still subjects
• AI Servo: For moving subjects
• AI Focus: Switches from One Shot to AI Servo if the subject starts moving

I do all of my shooting in either One-Shot or AI Servo modes. While the 5D Mark III may be better in AI Focus mode than its predecessors, I have been trained to think in those two modes only. AI Focus just hasn’t worked well for me in the past, so I avoid it. It’s not like AI Servo won’t focus on a still object anyway, and the only reason it would lose focus would be if you move the camera off of the target yourself.

A Couple of AF Tips and Customization Options

One thing I typically do, to help switch modes quickly if needed, is to enlist the help of my DOF (Depth Of Field) preview button. Most of the time it is set so that it switches between One-Shot and AI Servo when pressed. This way I have instant access to the other mode if it is quickly needed. You’ll find this option under the Custom Functions mention in my Canon 5D Mark III:  Menu Basics and Highlights, Part 3 article.

One last helpful item I want to cover briefly is registered AF points and zones. Should you want quick access to a certain AF point or zone, you can register that to a camera button as well. The couple of times I’ve used this, I’ve assigned a registered point to the DOF preview button that I just mentioned. You’ll do this through the Custom Functions as well, and it will take the place of the One-Shot/AI Servo toggle I just mentioned if you decide to use it. Once you set it in Custom Functions, select the AF points, or zone, you wish to select. Then press the ISO and AF point button (upper righthand button on the back of the camera) together until you hear a beep. Now whenever you hit your DOF preview button, you’ll be set back instantly to your registered AF point setting.

My Experiences

There’s been a lot of information that has been discussed here, and I know I’ve only given you a brief walkthrough. However the best way to learn is to get out there and start shooting with your camera. I practice that mantra, and rest assured after shooting plenty of action in the form of soccer games and wildlife, I am seriously impressed with how well this camera performs when it comes catching the action. My rate of keeper images has jumped dramatically, leaving me to choose between the shots I like the most, not shots of varying degrees of focus.

The 5D Mark III has impressed me, especially with how well it can ignore those obstacles that briefly come between you and your subject. This was very important for wildlife, but it was especially so for when I photographed a local soccer game. Even with players constantly running between me and my subject, the 5D Mark III did an excellent job of maintaining the task of following the subject.

In addition, tough lighting and contrast conditions haven’t seemed to phase the 5D Mark III either. While at Carolina Beach a few weeks ago, I took some photos of jellyfish. The dark water and low contrast of the jellyfish didn’t trip up the AF system one bit. Also one should note, that the sample photo provided is at 25,600 ISO!

Outside in the sun and sand, I knew the lighting was more than adequate, but I found tracking the coastal pelicans an easy task. This was even true when using my 400mm f/5.6 and 1.4x III Extender combo. This forced me to shoot at an aperture of f/8, which gives me only the center AF point to use instead of multiple focus points. It’s nice to know that a single AF point can still track extremely well.

The AF capabilities found in the 5D Mark III are so much better than the 5D Mark II’s I’ve played with. While the image quality from the 5D Mark II was incredible, if it had a fault, is was the AF system in general. This was especially true under low light. Canon has cured this perfectly, by using this incredibly capable AF system. The ability to catch action is simply one of the strongest points of this camera, so experiment with it and don’t be afraid to exploit its capabilities. That’s what it is there for.

I know I plan to give the 5D Mark III one heck of a workout in just a few weeks at Mustang Week in Myrtle Beach. While they’ll be car shows that any camera could easily catch, I’ll also be there at some of the more action packed events trying my hand at panning and stopping the action. Practice makes perfect, and I plan to get as much practice as I can! 

Canon 5D Mark III: Menu Basics and Highlights, Part 3

Intro
After having covered the other menu options in the last two articles, this time around I’m going to cover

the Custom Function settings on the Canon 5D Mark III. Unlike with the other two articles, this one will cover practically every option within the custom functions. Given that most of these are very useful to me at some point, I thought that all of the options were worthy of mention. I will also briefly cover the last tab on the 5D Mark III’s menu as well.

The Custom Functions further tailor the camera to how you want the camera to operate, so in many cases these settings may be more of a personal preference. However, these functions are quite different from the previously mentioned menu items, as the settings here will sometimes affect more than one aspect of the camera. There are four sections to the Custom Function tab. These are: Exposure, Display/Operation, Others, and finally a section that allows you to reset all the Custom Function settings.

First of all, Canon makes it easy to determine if you have changed a Custom Function. All you need to do is to simply note the color of the setting option. If the setting is in white, it is set to the default. If the setting is in blue, you have altered the setting from its default. This gives you the ability to quickly determine what you have changed, and what you haven’t. However, don’t be confused once you are actually in the menu for a particular setting, as the meanings change. Blue is the currently set option, while white are the alternative choices.

Exposure Section

In the Exposure section, you’ll find the function to allow you to specify whether you want to increment the exposure level adjustments in 1/3-stop or 1/2-stop increments. I prefer to keep the default setting here, as I like to have as granular control of the exposure as possible. However, some people prefer to have to scroll less to adjust the exposure, so a 1/2-stop setting would be more preferential for them. This setting will affect nearly every aspect of camera, since setting the exposure is vital to things such as Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB), Flash Exposure, and Exposure Compensation. Note that this will also affect shutter speed and aperture selections.

Closely related to the Exposure Level increment function, is the ISO speed increment setting. However, the increment options are different, allowing you to choose between the 1/3-stop and 1-stop options. Considering the wide range of ISO speeds available to the 5D Mark III, which range from 50 to 102,400 with ISO expansion on, I could see some photographers really wanting to change this to the 1-stop option to help speed up changing between the lower and higher ISO range. However, I leave this set at the default of 1/3-stop.

The next option is Bracketing Auto Cancel. This setting determines whether the bracketed series persists when the camera is switched off. I use this setting in its default setting of On. This means that when the camera is turned off or switched to movie mode, and bracketed series you are shooting will be cancelled. This way I can cancel a bracketed series of shots by turning the camera off, should I not wish to continue. If you prefer to change this behavior, so the bracketed series will persist through camera power cycles, simply change this setting to Off.

Bracketed sequence is next on the list of Custom Functions. Bracketing sequence controls the order in which the bracketed shots are taken. As you should know by now, for AEB, you’ll take a series of underexposed, overexposed, and normal shots. This order can be set to:

• Standard, Underexposed, Overexposed
• Overexposed, Standard, Underexposed
• Underexposed, Standard, Overexposed

I have my camera set to the underexposed, standard, overexposed (- 0 +) option.

I do not use white balance bracketing, but this option will also control the exposures for it as well. As with AEB, this allows you to control the order in which the shots are taken, from the standard white balance to the two bias shots. This holds true for both Blue/Amber and Magenta /Green white balance options.

The next item you’ll run across controls the number of bracketed shots for both AEB and White Balance bracketed series. You can choose between 2, 3, 5, and 7 shots. This is helpful, as many photographers know that you sometimes need more shots to capture the results you desire, especially when shooting an AEB series where you need a really wide dynamic range. This allows you to tailor the number of shots, expanding the captures when needed, but reducing them when you don’t need as many shots to process later. I use a value of 5 here. If I run into a scenario where I need more shots, I’ll change it then.

The last option in the Exposure section is Safety Shift. Safety shift provides you a level of cushion. Should your shot be overexposed, the camera will adjust the shot settings in an attempt to bring the shot back to the proper exposure. There are two modes you can chose from: Tv/Av or ISO. Tv/Av will work in both Aperture and Shutter Priority Modes, while ISO will work in both of those modes, but also P (Program Mode). The way these two options work is slightly different. Tv/Av will adjust the aperture or shutter speed in an attempt to correct the exposure, while ISO will change you ISO setting.

For ISO mode, the minimum and maximum values you have set for Auto ISO will be in effect, although a higher manually value will override the ISO setting. You should be aware of this, as higher ISO settings can lead to more noise in the image. One last gotcha for Safety Shift is you should be aware that the shift will take place even if you are using a flash.

I normally do not use Safety Shift, as I check my image using Highlight Alert and the histogram after I shoot anyway. So if the image is overexposed, I can readjust the settings myself. I prefer to know that my settings stay fixed where I set them. If something isn’t exposed correctly, I’ll take care of adjusting the settings myself.

Display/Operation Section

The next section on the Custom Functions tab is the Display/Operation section. The first of these operations controls if warnings appear in the viewfinder. You can set each of the following warnings individually, allowing you to fully tailor what you wish to be warned about. The list of warning options is as follows:

• When Monochrome is Set
• When White Balance is Corrected
• When One-Touch Image Quality is Enabled
• When ISO Expansion is Enabled
• When Spot Metering is Enabled

All of these items have the potential to really ruin a photograph. However, so does other settings being set as well… right? In this case these items are different, as looking through the viewfinder you may not know that these items are set. Take monochrome being enabled for example. You can be happily taking shot after shot, never knowing from looking through the viewfinder that you are in monochrome mode. The only time you may notice it, would be if you happened to review the image in the viewfinder.

The same could be said for when you are using a corrected/custom white balance. While if you were shooting RAW you could correct the image in post-processing, it would be much easier to get the shot right in the camera. One-Touch being set merits a warning due to the fact you could easily change the image quality setting, affecting an entire day of shooting. One-Touch makes it easier to swap image quality settings, but can have disastrous results should you inadvertently change it.

ISO Expansion being on would sometimes be really tough to spot on the rear LCD. I’ve yet to need to enable the two higher ISO settings, as even 25,600 has worked extremely well on the occasions I’ve needed it. The 5D Mark III produces exceptionally low-noise images at ISO settings up to the normal range. However, if you did enable ISO Expansion the images could end up with excessive noise and you wouldn’t necessarily see that until you downloaded and viewed the images later.

Spot Metering is another useful option the 5D Mark III provides, but it isn’t the ideal metering option most of the time. Usually one of the other options is a better fit, and the use of Spot Metering could easily cause most of the image to be overexposed. Thus the ability of the camera to also warn you that Spot Metering is enabled.

I have all of these warnings enabled, and if one of these conditions causes an error you’ll see an exclamation mark surrounded by an octagon (stop sign). This indicates you have a setting selected that could adversely affect your image. You’ll have to train yourself to notice the warning symbol, as it is not extremely obtrusive. However, since you may intend to shoot this way, having it light up in red wouldn’t be ideal either. I’d suggest expanding this custom function to include the ability for the warning to be black or red.

Live View Shooting area involves how the view is displayed on the rear LCD screen of the 5D Mark III depending upon how the aspect ratio is set. You have the choice of an outline or black bars. I don’t use the Live view option, nor is video is not a concern of mine with the 5D Mark III, as I bought it for still photography. It takes excellent video from what I understand, and at some point I may explore that option. However, until I have a reason, I have left this option on its default setting.

The next item you’ll run across is Dial Direction During TV/AV. When in Aperture or Shutter Priority modes the Main Dial next to the Shutter Button controls either the aperture or shutter speed depending upon the mode you are in. The dial direction option allows you to reverse the operation of that dial, if you prefer that it operates in the reverse fashion. I employ this option, as it just makes more sense to me for the camera to stop the aperture down as I move the dial to toward the lens (counter-clockwise). My old film cameras used to be controlled by the aperture ring on the lens rotating counter-clockwise, so this just makes more sense to me. It’s a matter of personal preference though.

With the Multi-Function Lock setting, you can lockout one, or all, of three things on your camera. These are the Main Dial, Quick Control Dial, or the Multi-Controller. The lockout button is found below the Quick Control Dial, and its behavior will be completely determined by this setting. Note that this only affects you while you are outside the menu system. Even with the dials locked out, you can still use them to navigate the menus.

This solves a problem that users of other Canon models complained about for quite some time, the Quick Control Dial getting bumped allowing the settings to change. I never had a huge issue with the Quick Control Dial, but did have problems with my auto focus point getting changed if I bumped the Multi-Controller while I was shooting. With this option, Canon allows you to lock them down. I prefer to lock down both the Quick Control Dial and the Multi-Controller.

Custom Controls is a rather large item with a couple of sub-menus. What it does is allow you to tailor many of the items on the camera to suit your needs, assigning your most used camera functions to something that wouldn’t normally control it. This option is the single biggest personalization available to you on the 5D Mark III. The manual provides a full chart of what you can set the controls to on page 322, and all of the settings are really a matter of personal preference. My current settings are as follows:

·         Shutter Button: Metering Start

·         AF-On Button: Metering and AF Start

·         AE Lock Button: AE Lock

·         DOF Preview Button: One Shot/AI Servo

·         Lens AF Stop: AF Off

·         Multi-Function Button: Viewfinder Level

·         Set Button: Review Image

·         Main Dial: Av in Manual Mode

·         Quick Control Dial: Tv in Manual Mode

·         Multi-Controller: AF Point Selection

Other Items

In the third section of the Custom Function tab, you have the option to add cropping information. This option does two things. First, if you use Live View, you’ll see vertical lines on the screen indicating the aspect ratio for what you are shooting. This helps you to better compose the shot. Secondly, the cropping information is also stored with the shot, allowing capable software to use that information to crop the shot to the aspect ratio you selected.

The last option with in the Custom Functions is the default Erase Option. This setting lets you change which option is preselected when you hit the delete button when reviewing images. You can choose between cancel or erase. I have changed mine to default to erase, as choosing this allows me to delete a photo without having to change from cancel to delete in the box that pops up after hitting the delete button.  The only downside to this is the fact it is easier to accidently delete an image if you aren’t paying attention.

After three articles on the Canon 5D Mark III menu system, we’ve arrived at the end of the menu. Well, we didn’t cover the Auto Focus menu yet, but that is coming soon (I promise)! What you’re probably thinking now is that the menu offers an array of possibilities, but yet it is sometimes going to be hard to quickly find those options that are most important to you. Well you’re in luck, because Canon has that covered as well!

My Menu

Enter the My Menu tab. This tab allows you to set up to six menu options to display on this tab, providing you quick access to them. This would be the options that you deem the ones that you use the most. While I’d love to have the option for more than six, six is certainly better than none. What I currently have set for quick access here is as follows:

·         Mirror Lockup

·         Exposure Compensation/AEB

·         Zoom Magnification

·         Battery Info

·         Sensor Cleaning

·         Format Card

If you go into the My Menu Settings option, you’ll find that you can add/delete options, as well as sort them in any manner you wish.

So it’s finally time to close this lengthy article down. Next time around we’ll cover the Auto Focus system of the Canon 5D Mark III.

Canon 5D Mark III: Menu Basics and Highlights, Part 2

General Options
Moving on to the General Options menu, the first option you’ll see determines how the 5D Mark III will handle multiple memory cards. It can fill one up and then roll over to the other, mirror the images on both cards, or write RAW to one and jpg to the other. These are valuable options to have available, depending upon your exact needs. I’ve got some more thoughts as to the ins and outs, as well as the gotchas, of utilizing this feature, but I’ll reserve those for an upcoming article since we’re just covering the menu basics right now.

Below that you’ll find a menu setting that allows you to change the prefix for the images you capture. However, this is another area that Canon left a useful option on the drawing board in my opinion. If you’ve ever shot both single and bracketed images in a single outing, it can be a little time consuming to go through them when post processing and pick the two types apart.  Sure I can snap a photo of my fingers or the ground before and after the bracketed series, but Lightroom can’t automatically find the shots between those and place them into a collection of their own. It would be nice to have an easier way to automate the process of pulling out the bracketed images.

When I first started using the camera and noticed the prefix could be changed, I was excited thinking I could utilize this to delineate between the two types of images using a Custom Mode and having the prefix set differently. Thus giving me a method to do exactly what I just described. Unfortunately, the image prefix is set for the entire camera, and you can’t assign an image prefix to a single Custom Mode, leaving the rest of the camera untouched. How nice would it have been to have Custom Mode C1 throw a prefix of AEB on all the bracketed images on a card, while images shot in Av, Tv, Or Manual use a different prefix? 

So, with my tail between my legs, and excitement deflated, I set my prefix to be 5D3_, to help distinguish the 5D Mark III shots from those taken by my Canon 40D. At least that provides some benefit to being able to change the prefix. I’d previously being using Lightroom to change the 40D prefix to 40D_ upon importing those images.

You’ll also find “Format Card” in this section. I would always recommend formatting a card after downloading the images and before reusing it. It’ll set the card structure up, and prepare it for capturing more images. Swapping memory cards in and out of the camera, into card readers, and deleting images using the computer can sometimes mess up the card’s file structure. Formatting the card is a quick operation, and I’ve seen more than a few cards with corrupted photos from owners that don’t follow through with this simple step before reusing the card again.

In the second section of the General Options tab, you’ll find an option entitled “VF Grid Display”. This setting toggles the viewfinder grid on and off. I set it to on, as it is off by default, as I find it helps me keep my horizons straight. It also helps me with my composition of elements within the scene. I should point out that the 5D Mark III does have a built in viewfinder level that utilizes the auto focus points, but I find that the viewfinder grid eliminates the need to use the leveling function most of the time.

Skipping on to the third section you’ll find two other noteworthy items, “Battery Info” and “Sensor Cleaning”. Battery info is just what it sounds like, but provides you a great deal of more information than the viewfinder or top LCD battery indicator provide.

You’ll first register the battery’s serial number with the camera, so that it can track the historical performance of the battery. Then, as you are using the camera, you can reference the battery info to see remaining charge, shots taken with this battery, and recharge performance. Recharge performance is pretty slick, helping you to identify a battery nearing the end of its lifespan before you go out shooting a long session with it. For cameras equipped with a battery grip, such as mine, you’ll see this information provided for both of the installed batteries.

Sensor cleaning options have been around for quite some time now, as sensor dust is a common issue with a DSLR camera. In the film days, the film would slide across the backplate, exposing a new ‘sensor’ with every shot. Not with a DSLR. That sensor sits there from the day the camera is manufactured until the day the camera is no longer used. That will likely be tens of thousands of photos taken. It used to be that getting rid of the dust required a trip to a camera repair shop, or a camera owner with the nerve to perform the cleaning on their own.

So a few years ago manufacturers tried to address this problem. They created a way for the sensor’s backplate to shake itself, which would hopefully knock the dust off. This technique does work, although stubborn dust may require a more complete cleaning by a repair shop. The 5D Mark III offers you the ability to have the camera automatically perform a sensor clean when the camera is turned on or off, as well as the ability to perform an on-demand cleaning cycle. The on-demand cycle is labeled “Clean Now” in the menu.

I have the on/off cleaning enabled, it’s already on by default, and I use the on-demand cleaning right after I change lenses as a precaution. There is also a manual cleaning mode, which would be used if you wanted to use something like a bulb blower or swab the sensor. Note that sensor is a loose term here, as you’re not actually touching or blowing off the sensor. There is a low pass filter placed in front of the sensor. The result of messing up the filter would be the same as messing up the sensor however, as it would result in a very costly repair. I should also mention that I’m not encouraging or condoning either activity. You’re on your own if you use a blower or swab the sensor. I will stress that you should never use compressed air to clean the sensor. You’d think it would be common sense, but I’ve heard of it being done more than one with disastrous results.

Custom Shooting Modes

Moving on to section 4 of the General Options tab you’ll find yet another of one of my favorite tools, Custom Shooting Modes. These have been around for a while now, but are another item that many people tend to overlook. Using this section of the menu, you can set the camera for a certain style of photography by making your own mode, clear all the modes, and have the ability to choose whether the setting reset, or not, each time you leave the mode. I’ll be discussing the Custom Shooting Modes further in an upcoming article, when I discuss some of the HDR benefits of the 5D Mark III. I have a Custom Shooting Mode on my 5D Mark III set up specifically for shooting bracketed images to be merged into HDR photos.

The last noteworthy item on this tab is “Firmware”. At first glance, it would appear that the camera is just telling you the firmware version of the camera. Well it is, but if you select it you’ll find a menu that allows you to update the firmware on the camera as well. This is how you would update the camera to use the newest firmware that allows focusing with f/8 lens combinations, if you didn’t have that firmware previously installed on the camera. As of the time of this writing, the most current firmware for the Canon 5D Mark III is version 1.2.1.

That wraps up the General Options tab. Next time we’ll dive into the Custom Functions on the 5D Mark III…

Canon 5D Mark III: Menu Basics and Highlights, Part 1

Intro
Looking through the menus on the Canon 5D Mark III, I can see that much has changed since my 40D was originally introduced. Many of the items that used to be Custom Functions with the 40D are now regular menu items. I’m assuming much of this came about due to the fact that a camera such as the 5D Mark III has so many different options and capabilities, a new method of organizing it became necessary. The menu itself is divided into 6 tabs, and each tab has multiple sections.

The easiest way to navigate the menu is using a combination of the Quick Control button and the Multi-Controller. Use the Quick Control button to quickly change tabs, while using the Multi-Controller to change the sections on a tab and move up or down. Press down on the Multi-Controller to change an option. You can also use the Quick Control Dial and Set button to navigate up and down a set of menu items. Squares at the top of the settings indicate which group of settings for a tab you are currently in.

I won’t cover each and every item in the menu, as the manual already does that and there is no need for me to reinvent the wheel. However, I’ll run through some of the options that I deem significant to me or that may prove most useful to you. It should be noted, that I’m going to skip completely over the Auto Focus menu tab for now. I’ll have a whole post devoted to the AF system found in the 5D Mark III, as it is really deserving of detailed coverage.

Camera Operation

So starting with the first tab, Camera Operation, you’ll come across “Beep” and “Release Shutter Without a Card”. Beep seems like an insignificant option, until you’re using your camera in a quiet environment. I can’t tell you the number of times I see photographers in what should be a quiet environment leave this setting on. A wedding is a perfect example. Not only does it scream you have no clue what you’re doing with this expensive camera and you probably have the camera in Full-Auto mode, it is plain annoying to those around you. I always set this option to off in every camera I have.

The next option regarding shooting without a card is much more important. There is no valid reason for someone to have their camera set to allow this. Its purpose is to allow the camera to be fired in the store, should you want to test it, and leaving it that way will only provide you a headache later. Imagine spending a little time out in the field shooting some of the most majestic Bald Eagles, or those once in a lifetime shots of your child. Now imagine opening up the memory card door only to find out that you forgot to put the memory card in. With this option set to off, the camera will not take photos in that type of circumstance and will warn you that the card is missing.

The “External Speedlight Control” menu comes in really handy for adjusting an external flash from the camera, as opposed to the flash’s buttons. I’ve used a similar menu with my 430EX and 40D. The 430EX isn’t the easiest flash to set, as it lacks the thumbwheel of its bigger brother the 580EX. This menu makes things much easier for some flashes.

One of the most under-utilized menu options, for some photographers, I’ve come across is “Mirror Lockup”. This option, and a camera remote, is essential for long exposure and nighttime photography. Just the slightest shake will blur the details in those types of shots, even on a good sturdy tripod. Any camera movement will do this, even the click of the mirror being raised, which is what you a using this option to avoid. So I always use mirror lockup in long exposure situations, to raise the mirror, and then allow a few seconds to pass before pressing the button on the remote again to take the actual photograph. This has been available on camera for years, but as I’ve said it is quite often under-utilized.

On the next section of the Camera Operation tab, you’ll find “AEB” and “Exposure Compensation” in the menu. I’ll cover AEB more in depth in an upcoming article involving the 5D Mark III and how I shoot HDR, although I did want to mention it though. In regards to exposure compensation, I usually set it by using the Quick Control Dial but it can also be set via the menu as well.

I should mention that I tend to do as much as I can with the various buttons on the camera, including exposure compensation, while looking through the viewfinder. You have to get used to it, but once you do I find it’s much quicker to make adjustments on the fly. Regardless of how you set exposure compensation, it is a vital tool for the photographer.

Likewise, I don’t usually set my ISO speed by the menu, even though you can. However, the “ISO Speed Settings” option in the menu does offer access to the Auto ISO parameters. I’m not a big Auto ISO user, as I prefer to change the ISO speed myself as needed. I don’t like having unknown variables introduced by the camera. Some people may find it useful in low light, so that they keep the shutter speed high enough to avoid camera shake.

There is one situation I could see myself using Auto ISO, but unfortunately Canon seems to have left that possibility on the drawing board. There are times I’m forced to handhold a long zoom lens, and being able to force the camera to have a minimum shutter speed of 1/500 or 1/1000 would be very helpful in those situations. Unfortunately Auto ISO is limited to a minimum shutter speed of 1/250 of a second. I could see this even being useful when the camera is used in conjunction with a monopod. I could be wrong, but I would think this change could be easily addressed via firmware if Canon would explore it as an option.

Moving to the next section, since I normally shoot raw images, I set my picture style to Neutral. This helps keep the histogram output as close to the raw image as possible. The histogram is based off of the jpg preview embedded in the raw file, and the jpg preview is created using the picture style you have chosen. From what I can tell, Neutral and Faithful are the two styles that process this jpg preview as closely to what was captured as possible.

On the last section of the Camera settings menu, I find the Meter Timer option very helpful. Since the camera always meters at the center focus point when any mode other than evaluative metering is used, I sometimes find myself pointing the center focus point somewhere, setting the Exposure Lock, and then recomposing my shot. Setting the Metering Time allows me more time to recompose, I don’t feel as rushed. This is especially handy when I’m trying to re-position the 5D Mark III when it’s attached to a tripod that is low to the ground as it is sometimes a little awkward to get it re-positioned.

Playback Menu

Moving on to the Playback Menu, you’ll find the bottom option on the first section is Raw Image Processing. I haven’t used this option, but I do find the possibilities interesting, especially if you shoot using either RAW or RAW+jpg. This option allows you to create jpgs, in camera, after the shot has been taken. This could prove useful had you forgotten to enable RAW+jpg mode, or simply needed a quick jpg after the shot had been taken. Similar to that ability, is the ability to resize images in the camera. This option only works on certain jpg sizes, but could prove useful if you were caught with a nearly full memory card. You could resize several images, freeing up some room on the installed memory card.

The next section has one of the most important settings I could ever recommend changing, outside of not allowing the camera to shoot without a card. This option is Highlight Alert, or the ‘blinkies’ as it is sometimes called. 

When enabled, this will blink areas of the image that are overexposed, alternating them between white and black. The image must be in either histogram or fullscreen views for the Highlight Alert to notify you. This option on my cameras has saved me more times than I can count, allowing me to retake an overexposed shot after checking it on my rear LCD! To compliment Highlight Alert, I also enable the Histogram Display to show me brightness instead of color.

One last noteworthy item in this menu is Magnification. If you routinely find yourself checking the focus of an image on the camera’s LCD screen, setting the magnification to a higher value here will instantly zoom you into the image further without the need to use the Main Dial. All you do is press the magnifying glass button to be whisked into a much deeper zoom level!

Next time, we’ll dive into more of the menu options…

Canon 5D Mark III: Out of the Box Basics

Mode Dial
Right after taking the Canon 5D Mark III out of the box, I noticed some glaring differences from my previous Canon cameras. First thing I noticed was the locking Mode Dial at the top, as well as the new Power Switch location.

If you’ve ever had issues with the Mode Dial getting bumped and moved while carrying your camera, and then shooting several images at the wrong setting without realizing it, you’ll quickly appreciate this change that locks the Mode Dial in place. To turn it, you push the center of the button down while turning the knob. I’m actually surprised it took this long for this to be implemented in Canon’s current crop of cameras. Nikon has used this setup for years, and many older film cameras did as well.

I should also mention that Canon offers a conversion to switch out the existing Mode Dial on the 7D and 5D Mark II to this newer style. This allows older cameras to benefit in this new change as well. Pricing for this conversion is set at $100 per camera. For more information see this page on Canon's website.

Power Switch

The Power Switch location isn’t new to some camera owners, like those who have a 7D, but it was a stark difference coming from the 40D like I did. The switch being placed in this location is much more naturally found by my thumb as opposed to being positioned under the Quick Control dial. I’m usually holding the body with two hands when initially pulling it out of the bag and setting it up, which places my thumb directly at the new Power Switch location.

Playback Buttons

Again, not new to all camera owners, but new to this 40D owner was the position of the Playback Buttons. I like how Canon moved them from under the preview screen to the left of the screen. It’s a small change, but it makes a big difference.  It is much easier to press the buttons with my thumb, as opposed to using my index finger on buttons under the LCD screen.

Rear LCD Screen

When it comes to LCD screens, the one on the 5D Mark III is easily viewable. Even outside in bright light. It completely blows away the LCD on the back of my 40D. Measuring 3.2 inches, and just over 1 million pixels, it is sharp and crisp. The anti-reflective coating on it really plays a significant benefit with outdoor use. All of this makes it a snap to check a photo after it had been taken.

Adjustment Buttons

The buttons to change the ISO, White Balance, Auto-Focus, and so on, offer no real surprises. They are placed in what has become a standard position for most of Canon’s lineup. However the Depth of Field preview button has been relocated to the opposite side for the lens. Canon also has made this button’s function customizable as well.

Top LCD Panel

Up on the top of the camera, you’ll find the settings LCD panel.  If I’m not looking though the viewfinder when changing my settings, this is where I’ll typically look while adjusting the camera. It’s rare for me to change settings using the main rear LCD, unless the camera is mounted on a tripod and it’s easier to look at the back. Most of the items shown in this LCD are standard fare, remaining unchanged throughout several camera iterations. In the cases of the setting location being stable, that’s not a bad thing at all, as it helped get me up to speed quickly!

I was happy to see that the remaining shot counter on this LCD screen has a max number of 1999, as opposed to 999 like found on my 40D. When you throw that high capacity memory card in for a shooting session or trip, and all you see is 999, you don’t know exactly how many shots are remaining. It could actually be 999, or a whole lot more. So so you pack, or buy, more memory cards? Who knows in that scenario!

Quick Control Button

A new button to me is the Q (Quick Control) button, found right under the Multi-Controller. It is very helpful when navigating through the menu system, as it swaps between tabs. The Multi-Controller will flip you though individual sections within each tab. The Q button will also bring up the camera settings on the rear display, should you prefer to set them via the rear of the camera.

Quick Control Dial

The Quick Control Dial remains on the back of the camera, just as it has for years. I can’t say enough about how much I appreciate this single control as opposed to the various buttons used on the Rebel camera line that continue today. The usefulness of the Quick Control dial when going through the settings and during playback mode is very useful. So much, that it is often one of the items I point out when someone is deciding between a Canon Rebel or the Prosumer line.

Lock Switch

Right under the Quick Control Dial is a lock switch. It’s a simple two-way switch that locks the control that it is associated with. Using the Custom Function Settings, you can set this lock to work for the Main Dial, Quick Control Dial, or the Multi-Controller.

Dual Card Slots

The last camera-specific items I’ll mention is found under the memory card door. You’ll notice that there are two card slots here, one for Compact Flash, and the other for SD cards. In addition to maintaining a wider memory card type compatibility, you have the option of using these cards in a couple of different ways. There are some benefits, and disadvantages, to some of these options though. I’ll cover those in another article more specifically geared towards that topic.

Final Thoughts

If I had any gripe with the button layout/option on the 5D Mark III, it would be with the Rate button. I’m sure it may be useful to some people, but I have no use for it. I personally know of no one who really uses it either, as most photographers simply aren’t going to rate images in the field. I suppose it may help in rare scenarios when you know which shot you really want to use, but again for me that would be rare. The Rate Button is customizable between rating the photo and protecting the image, but more customization options for it would be very useful to me.

I’d like to add that the Canon Battery Grip feels great in my hand, and matches the camera very well. It should, as the grip is pretty pricey! However, I wanted a grip that would provide me access to all the AF and Exposure Lock buttons like the camera has, as well as a Multi-Controller. In short, I wanted the camera to operate in portrait mode, just as well as it operated in landscape mode. I feel the Canon grip does that, while maintaining good build quality, which many of the aftermarket grips fall short in. The battery packs slide in from the side of the camera on a tray, and the grip comes with the option to power it using standard AA batteries. I’ve never had the need to operate in this manner, but if one was in a pinch it could be a handy option to have available.

One last thing I should point out, is the Canon 5D Mark III has no built-in flash. This isn’t a surprise to anyone familiar with Canon’s lineup, but I thought I should point this out for anyone who isn’t up to speed with the 5D and 1D series cameras. Once you step up to the upper echelon of Canon’s camera line, they assume you have an external flash and wouldn’t utilize a built in flash anyway. I know I could count the number of times I used my built-in flash on my 40D on two hands.

I also imagine the exclusion of the flash has a lot to do with the extra space need for the larger sensor and electronics within the camera. Regardless, I want this to serve as a reminder to anyone shopping. Make sure you have an external flash available to you when stepping up to a camera like the 5D Mark III.

Next time, we’ll go through the menu system and I’ll point out some useful settings.