C J C GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR EOS-1 CLASS DIGITAL SLR TIPS AND TECHNIQUES: CAMERA HANDLING & MAXIMUM IMAGE QUALITY
OVERVIEW Canon’s EOS-1 class digital SLRs (EOS-1D, EOS-1Ds, EOS-1D Mark II and EOS-1Ds Mark II) are clearly the company’s highest quality and most powerful digital SLRs to date. Thanks to their key attributes of EF Lens compatibility, Canon CMOS sensor technology and DIGIC/DIGIC II Image Processors, EOS-1 class digital SLRs produce images with exceptionally low noise, excellent detail and superb color.
QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE Camera Operation Tips Select focusing points manually: Selecting the focusing point manually speeds up the autofocus system because the camera does not have to decide which focus point or points to use. Manual focusing point selection also allows you to control exactly where the camera is focusing. If you would like to select two focusing points at once, you can shift the focusing point up or down one row. Use Custom Functions to improve AF control and speed up camera operation: • C.
Avoid unintentional motion blur: Assuming an accurately focused subject, you can maximize image quality by eliminating unwanted motion blur. To reduce the effects of camera shake, use a tripod when possible. Use an Image Stabilizer lens for handheld photography. To eliminate unwanted blur caused by subject movement, use faster shutter speeds or electronic flash.
CONTENTS I CAMERA FEATURES AND OPERATION The 45-point AREA AF Sensor The Evolution of AF Speed & Predictive AF Control AF Modes AF Point Selection Methods AF Performance According to Subject Contrast & Detail AF Performance According to Light Levels Shutter Release Techniques: Half-Press vs. Mash Autofocusing Techniques: Off-Center Focusing Points vs.
I. CAMERA FEATURES AND OPERATION 45-point Area AF Sensor EOS-1 class digital SLRs use an improved version of the 45-point Area AF CMOS sensor unit that was originally introduced in 1998 with the EOS-3. The pixel density and layout of sensor elements together with the patented design of the camera’s sub-mirror and separator lenses gave rise to the name “Area AF” and resulted in a coverage area of 8 x 15mm with 45 selectable focusing points.
The EOS-1D and EOS-1Ds had the fastest AF systems available among EOS SLRs when they were introduced, but the EOS-1D Mark II now has the most powerful AF system of any EOS camera released to date (2004). The EOS-1D Mark II was the first Canon camera to feature two dedicated CPUs for AF: one for detection and calculation, and another to control lens drive. EOS-1 class cameras prior to the 1D Mark II used a single dedicated CPU for all AF operations.
AF Modes One-Shot AF: This mode is intended for use with stationary subjects. It locks focus upon completion of lens drive, allowing the photographer to recompose if desired. One-Shot AF is also recommended for maximum performance in extreme low-light situations. AI Servo AF: This mode is intended for use with moving subjects. It operates continuously up to the instant of exposure, and it also operates between exposures in burst mode shooting.
When the camera is set for MFPS, the manually selected focusing point illuminates in the viewfinder display when the shutter button is pressed halfway. This occurs in both One-Shot AF and AI Servo AF. The illumination can be turned off or made brighter with Custom Function 10. The AF system tends to work slightly faster when the focusing point is manually selected than during AFPS, but there is a trade-off between the wider coverage area of AFPS and the comparatively narrow coverage area of MFPS.
focus manually until you are “in the ballpark,” then try using AF for fine-tuning. Additionally, this is an instance where the distance range selector switch on “white” lenses like the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM can reduce the length of time the AF system spends hunting for focus, if your subject distance happens to be beyond the range stated on the lens switchboard.
Some might think that it’s a good idea to keep the shutter button half-pressed all the time, but battery life will be shortened significantly by that technique. The best balance between power consumption and AF performance is to anticipate picture-taking opportunities and do not press the shutter button halfway until just a second or two before pressing all the way for the shot. Autofocusing Techniques: Off-Center Focusing Points vs.
shutter release simply by pressing or lifting the thumb off the AE Lock button. • C.Fn 4-2 keeps AF start on the shutter button, but allows the photographer to stop AF temporarily by pressing the AE Lock button. AE Lock is unavailable in this mode, but it doesn’t make any difference when the camera is set for manual exposure as it often is for professional sports photography. • C.Fn 4-3 is almost the same as C.Fn 4-1, except that there is no AE Lock.
focusing points results in faster manual selection, and linking spot metering to the manually selected focusing point comes in handy under certain circumstances, particularly with off-center subjects. • C.Fn 13-2 also reduces the number of manually selectable focusing points to 11, just like C.Fn 13-1, except that spot metering is fixed at the center of the frame.
• C.Fn 18-0 is the default setting. The camera can “register” (memorize) a user-specified focusing point or even automatic focusing point selection, then switch immediately to the registered focusing point by pressing the focusing point selector button and the Assist Button. • C.Fn 18-1 lets users switch to the registered focusing point simply by pressing the Assist Button. • C.Fn 18-2 switches to the registered focusing point only while the Assist Button is pressed.
photography when another subject or obstacle temporarily blocks the original subject. The default setting is 0.5 seconds, but with this Custom Function it can be tweaked faster or slower according to the photographer’s personal preference. • C.Fn 20-0 is the camera’s standard setting. It programs the AF to remain at the most recently focused distance for up to 0.5 seconds while an obstacle is blocking the original subject. • C.
Personal Function 15 disables the AF-Assist beam of compatible EX-series Speedlites. This can be helpful when working with other photographers, to prevent your AF-Assist beam from appearing in their photos. The downside is that you lose the benefits of the AF-Assist beam for your own photos. Personal Function 16 allows the camera to fire automatically when autofocus is achieved and the shutter button is fully depressed.
Use the normal method for choosing either a specific focusing point or AFPS. When you’ve made your selection, hold in the Assist Button and simultaneously press the FEL button near the Shutter Release. The LCD panel on the top of the camera should now confirm the registration of that focusing point by displaying the letters HP until you’ve taken your finger off the FEL button. Using the Assist Button C.Fn 18-1 and 18-2 make it easier to recall the registered focusing point(s) via the Assist Button. When C.
Background Traditionally photographers have used the FLR (focus, lock, recompose) method when interfacing with their camera and their subject. This is how it had to be done with manual focus cameras and the early auto-focus models with a single focusing point. Almost everyone knows how to use FLR, but it can cause problems. First, it’s not nearly as fast as some of the methods we’ll discuss here. Metering is less precise, particularly flash metering.
the main subject is the closest and most prominent object in the frame and, in One-Shot, this is where AFPS works best. The Bonus Feature is that the QCD is now part of your focusing system rather than your exposure control. The exposure controls are relocated to the AF Point Selection Button. Hold the selection button in and turn the Main Dial on top of the camera to adjust exposure compensation in AE modes, or f/stops in Manual mode.
Background Both AFPS and Single Point AF are useful in shooting sports. A single point is generally best in team sports like football, basketball, soccer, and hockey. AFPS is good for sports like baseball, some track and field, and many individual sports like skiing, skating, etc. AFPS is also useful in team sports like football or soccer where the player has broken free of a large pack and the main scene is composed of only one or two players.
General Purpose Combo This isn’t really a combination, except that we included C.Fn 17-1 as an option so it’s a little more reliable when you’re using a single focusing point in poor lighting. But, it is a very useful combination of settings because it gives more versatility to the photographer. Shooting Situation Examples AF Mode C.Fn Set Function 18-2 While being pressed, changes the focusing points or pattern that the camera uses to the HP setting.
and let you experiment knowledgeably with other combinations that might be better suited to your specific needs. Personal Function 00 Once you get a combination of Custom Functions that works best for you, it can then be saved (along with any other C.Fns you use) as a Custom Function Group by registering it with Personal Function 00. P.
II. LENS ISSUES AF Speed According to EF Lens Vintage Just as EOS cameras have improved over time in terms of AF calculation speed, EF lenses have improved in terms of lens drive speed.
III. IMAGE QUALITY SETTINGS RAW vs. JPEG EOS-1 class digital SLRs allow photographers to shoot RAW files, in-camera JPEGs, or RAW plus JPEG simultaneously. The RAW file setting records image data directly from the image sensor at maximum resolution without JPEG compression artifacts, thus resulting in maximum image quality at the expense of relatively large file sizes on the memory card.
The Level 10 setting for JPEG quality produces the highest image quality level for in-camera JPEGs, while Level 1 yields the highest compression ratio. The higher the compression ratio, the greater the potential for image quality degradation, and vice versa. Therefore, when preservation of fine detail is important, we recommend shooting RAW files or high-quality JPEGs.
image detail as possible with in-camera JPEGs. (In-camera sharpness settings do not apply to RAW files because they can be overridden during conversion.) The default “no sharpening” setting allows maximum latitude for post-processing. In commercial printing for example, sharpening is best applied after the image is converted to CMYK. However, photographers who wish to reduce the need for post-processing of in-camera JPEGs should explore the use of higher in-camera sharpness settings.
the in-camera setting at Level 0 and apply sharpening during post-processing in a computer. See Unsharp Mask. Contrast & Saturation: With EOS-1 class digital SLRs, Contrast and Saturation can be adjusted on a 5 step scale from -2 to +2, with the default setting at 0 (mid-scale). Although neither of these settings directly affects the sharpness of an image, they can very significantly affect its apparent sharpness and overall appearance.
IV. SHARPNESS EVALUATION Reviewing Images on the Camera’s LCD Monitor The first step in evaluating image quality for most EOS Digital SLR users is checking the LCD monitor during Review or Playback. The Mark II cameras are equipped with a zoom function that magnifies captured images up to 10x with a scrolling function to examine specific details.
bound to look softer than it would at greater viewing distances or lower magnification. Therefore, if printed output, especially at 8.5" x 11" or less, is the final objective, it’s best not to rely completely on monitors to judge image quality. To prove this point, we encourage you to compare your printed images to the on-screen versions. Motion Blur When high-resolution images are enlarged to 100% magnification on screen, image defects of any kind are accentuated.
V. SHARPENING METHODS IN POST-PROCESSING Adobe Photoshop’s Unsharp Mask Filter If little or no in-camera sharpening has been applied prior to viewing an EOS-1 class Digital SLR image at 100% magnification, especially with the EOS-1D Mark II, most photographers will agree that the image looks soft, even if it has been properly focused and exposed. This is mostly due to the detail-softening effect of the camera’s anti-aliasing (AA) filter, which is permanently mounted in front of the image sensor.
finely-detailed landscapes and architecture, etc. usually need more sharpening) and noise levels. (Sharpening accentuates noise, especially in shadow areas.) There are many other Unsharp Mask “tricks” such as applying sharpening in the Lightness channel in the LAB mode in Photoshop rather than the entire image in RGB. There is no “right answer” for sharpening. What looks great for one viewer may seem excessive to another, and vice versa.
Vendor: Noel Carboni Software Title: dSLR Fractal Sharpening Web Page: http://actions.home.att.net/dSLR_Fractal_Sharpen.html Vendor: www.thepluginsite.com Software Title: FocalBlade Web Page: http://www.thepluginsite.com/products/photowiz/focalblade/ RAW Converters There are almost as many RAW converters on the market as there are 3rd-party sharpening filters. Some RAW converters provide sharpening adjustments prior to conversion.
VI. EQUIPMENT CALIBRATION ISSUES AF System Calibration If the camera and lens are being operated correctly, but images remain consistently out of focus, there is always the possibility that the camera or lens is not performing according to factory specifications. EOS cameras and EF lenses are precision instruments, and as such they require precision adjustments to perform at peak efficiency.
SLRs.) If you are using an IS Lens, turn off the Image Stabilizer. 3. Select a focusing target with adequate detail from center to edge. A newspaper page is a good choice. 4. Make sure that the target is totally flat and as parallel as possible to the camera. 5. Set the camera to One-Shot AF and manually select the center focusing point. 6. Compose the picture so that the test target fills the frame from edge to edge. 7.
Canon, EOS and DIGIC are trademarks of Canon Inc. Adobe Photoshop is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated and its subsidiaries in each country. The other product and brand names appearing in this document are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. This document was prepared by: Technical Marketing Dept. Camera Division/Consumer Imaging Group Canon U.S.A., Inc.
