Serious question here.

AnimalRights

A fellow gig 'tog has a D300 and has this beam of light that shoots out as he takes pics, he said it was auto focus assist but trying to get more information out of him was like trying to get Bertie to admit he was crookered.
He did say my Cam should have that but how do I turn it on if I do0 have it, I am a 5D mk II btw.

swingking

Think it's called the AF assist light. Enable it in custom options

charybdis

As far as I know, there isn't a dedicated focus-assist light on the 5D2 and there's no pop-up flash for it either. You should be able to use a hotshoe mounted Canon flash as a focus-assist light.

Serious business.

AnimalRights

Fair enough, obviously the gig tonight I couldn't use a flash.
It's a terrible thing not to have a focus assist light though.

Covey

You can configure a Canon Flash to emit the focus assist, but not to fire the main flash.

charybdis

As a matter of interest, why are you using a 5D? Considering this and another thread in which you said you were having trouble getting enough depth-of-field, it doesn't seem to suit what you want to do at all.

AnimalRights

charybdis wrote: »

As a matter of interest, why are you using a 5D? Considering this and another thread in which you said you were having trouble getting enough depth-of-field, it doesn't seem to suit what you want to do at all.

I never mentioned DoF problems, I did comment on it's slow AF.
Why I use it is because, 1 series is too large and 5D II is just the handiest FF, I cannot afford to change my whole system to Nikon and in any case I love my Canon L lens, Nikon lens are very expensive in comparison.
I hopefully will be happy when 5D III is released.

AnimalRights

Covey wrote: »

You can configure a Canon Flash to emit the focus assist, but not to fire the main flash.

This I must look into, oddd that the Nikon D300 has this feature without using an external flash.

charybdis

AnimalRights wrote: »

I never mentioned DoF problems, I did comment on it's slow AF.
Why I use it is because, 1 series is too large and 5D II is just the handiest FF, I cannot afford to change my whole system to Nikon and in any case I love my Canon L lens, Nikon lens are very expensive in comparison.
I hopefully will be happy when 5D III is released.

You expressed your confusion about controlling and getting enough depth-of-field in this thread.

I don't really see why you think you need a full-frame camera.

AnimalRights wrote: »

This I must look into, oddd that the Nikon D300 has this feature without using an external flash.

Many APS-C Canon cameras have this feature too.

AnimalRights

charybdis wrote: »

You expressed your confusion about controlling and getting enough depth-of-field in this thread.

I don't really see why you think you need a full-frame camera.



Many APS-C Canon cameras have this feature too.

1) Maybe it's late but I still don't see it!
What # post was it?

2) Far superior ISO performance and are you ready for this? Better DoF! also I like the extra wideness....

3) I did own a 40D but the darker view finder was a killer for the type of gigs I shoot 90% of the time, ie no lighting in small dingy pubs.

Covey

I know the lights poor but have you tried manual focus.

Do some test shots to determine what range (feet ) with a given aperature and iso you can keep in focus. I imagine you'll probably not be moving to far away from that distance most of the night.

AnimalRights

My shots were fine I was just curious at why ya mans D300 had focus assist and I hadn't!

Borderfox

Have you the assist points selected around the main centre point

AnimalRights

I have indeed Keith.

Slidinginfinity

AnimalRights wrote: »

My shots were fine I was just curious at why ya mans D300 had focus assist and I hadn't!

It's a Nikon thing

No, seriously most Nikons have AF assist light. I usually have mine turned off, though.

AnimalRights

The Slits.

hmboards

AnimalRights wrote: »

The Slits.

No focus issues there I like the colours. I see in the EXIF it's 50mm, is it a 1.8 or 1.4 lens ?

I know it's not as bright as a flash, but I'd find the red focus assist beam a bit distracting too. Maybe even more so as it flashes several times (on the 580EX anyway).

AnimalRights

I used 3 lens on the night, the pic above is the 50mm 1.4
I also used the 24-70L and the 135L 2.0

Lighting in the place was so so, the extreme left and right members I couldn't do as they were in the dark! The lights only covered the centre of the stage and not the sides, which was a pity.

Album is here.
http://pix.ie/punkrock/album/375896

hmboards

I think the IR transmitters used to trigger slave Canon flash units also act as focus assist. They would be smaller than a flash but aren't cheap.

On a related note (relating to focus in low light situations), has anybody tried the Canon alternative focus screens to make manual focus easier ?

thebaz

it wasn't me

AnimalRights

It was Cormac from PV Barry.

thebaz

AnimalRights wrote: »

It was Cormac from PV Barry.

never got to say good-bye

SinLight

Covey wrote: »

You can configure a Canon Flash to emit the focus assist, but not to fire the main flash.

Exactly,
Put on your external flash and then in the options of the camera simply turn the firing flash off - the beam to assist the AF would still be there. Nikons do have this build in - unfortunately Canon didnt find it useful for the members. Specially when this camera handles so well with iso - its the focusing that is the biggest issue, when you dont have time to use the lcd focusing

Borderfox

Would there be a lot of situations where a bright red light coming out of a camera will startle people/athletes/animals? I can remember somebody here being given out to at the Greyhounds for that.

Covey

Borderfox wrote: »

Would there be a lot of situations where a bright red light coming out of a camera will startle people/athletes/animals? I can remember somebody here being given out to at the Greyhounds for that.

Well yes of course, but if the Band were tolerating a Nikon beam they may well have stretched it to a Canon too :pac::pac:

SinLight

Borderfox wrote: »

Would there be a lot of situations where a bright red light coming out of a camera will startle people/athletes/animals? I can remember somebody here being given out to at the Greyhounds for that.

It might be the case where it looks dodgy as if Police Squad coming in

With Greyhound I wouldnt recommend using this if you are betting on the dog and you wish to shoot his best run

They may not allow to do this.

Its not that bright after all, but still is visible.

cnocbui

charybdis wrote: »

As a matter of interest, why are you using a 5D? Considering this and another thread in which you said you were having trouble getting enough depth-of-field, it doesn't seem to suit what you want to do at all.

Since when was depth of field determined by the camera body? It's strictly a lens issue.

Borderfox wrote: »

Would there be a lot of situations where a bright red light coming out of a camera will startle people/athletes/animals? I can remember somebody here being given out to at the Greyhounds for that.

Most animals can not perceive red light, so whoever was giving out was ignorant of that fact.

Slidinginfinity

cnocbui wrote: »

Most animals can not perceive red light, so whoever was giving out was ignorant of that fact.

The misconception on the thread here is that the light is red. The AF-Assist light on a Nikon body is a white light.

AnimalRights

Slidinginfinity wrote: »

The misconception on the thread here is that the light is red. The AF-Assist light on a Nikon body is a white light.

Yeah the light was white.

hmboards

Slidinginfinity wrote: »

The misconception on the thread here is that the light is red. The AF-Assist light on a Nikon body is a white light.

But the Canon solution will be red, so it could annoy any people/athletes/animals attending the gig, just not as much as the Nikon users though

CabanSail

I was told off by the Transport Police on the London Underground once for using Flash. I was using the D70 but did not have Flash on.

It was the AF Assist light they thought was a "Flash"

charybdis

cnocbui wrote: »

Since when was depth of field determined by the camera body? It's strictly a lens issue.

Strictly speaking, depth-of-field is determined by lens properties and what is defined as acceptably in focus; however, practically speaking, the size of the sensor affects depth-of-field because of the changes in subject distance or focal length required to achieve equivalent framing.