Canon 5D Custom Functions??

Diane S

I want to set my <*> thumb button as the AF control, so I have been using the custom function C Fn-04 in the #'1' setting, which is AE lock/AF.

The #'3' setting is for AE/AF, no AE lock is better for Al servo AF mode (according to the manual)... but will it also work in 'one shot' mode??

What are the advantages to setting the focus custom function C Fn-04 to #1 or #3??

Custom function C-FN-19 ?? Right now i have it set at #1 AF Start... but I'm not sure which setting is best??

I've tried experimenting with these different choices... but would love some input from anyone. Thanks.

ChatKat

Didn't Chuck Westfall answer you on another forum?

Diane S

ChatKat wrote:

Didn't Chuck Westfall answer you on another forum?

Hi, yes Chuck did just answer me on the other forum... so I got my answers....THANKS. I posted here first, but now I have my answer.... so if a moderator wants to remove this thread they can.

Thanks

ziggy53

Diane,

Please feel free to share Chuck's response here, in our forum.

Thanks,

Diane S

Thanks Ziggy...

Here is the reply from Chuck.... hope it also helps others...

I wrote the following information for the EOS-1 class cameras, but it applies equally to the original EOS 5D: Custom Function 4 allows the photographer to control which button on the camera is used to start or stop AF. It also ties in with AE Lock when the camera is set to an AE mode.

• C.Fn 4-0 (the default setting) starts AF and AE when the shutter button is pressed halfway. AE Locks automatically upon focus completion when the camera is set for the combination of One-Shot AF and Evaluative Metering. With other AF modes or metering patterns, AE Lock can be initiated manually by pressing the AE Lock button on the back of the camera.
• C.Fn 4-1 switches AF start to the AE Lock button, and starts AE Lock in AE modes with any metering pattern when the shutter button is pressed halfway. This mode is popular with sports photographers and some photojournalists, especially those who originally learned photography with manual focus SLRs. It works particularly well with USM lenses that have distance scales, because such lenses feature full-time manual focusing even when the lens is set for AF. With C.Fn 4-1, the photographer can manually focus such a lens at any time, and then start or stop AF independently from 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. This mode is useful when shooting sports photography in changing light situations, because it updates the exposure automatically in AE modes as the subject moves from shadow areas to sunlit areas or vice versa.

Based on this information, the choice between C.Fn 4-1 and C.Fn 4-3 with the EOS 5D depends on the following conditions:

1. Manual exposure: If you set the camera for manual exposure mode, there's no functional difference between C.Fn 4-1 and C.Fn 4-3. Choose whichever one you like.

2. Auto exposure:
(a) In an AE mode like P, Tv or Av, C.Fn 4-1 will lock the exposure in any metering pattern as soon as you touch the shutter button. This is great for One-Shot AF with stationary subjects, because it lets you focus and recompose without losing the meter reading.
(b) In P, Tv, or Av, C.Fn 4-3 updates the meter reading constantly wherever you aim the camera. For this reason, it's a good fit for photography with moving subjects in AI Servo AF.

>>Another question....Custom function C-FN-19 ?? Right now i have it set at #1 AF Start... but I'm not sure which setting is best??<<

That one only applies to lenses that have an AF control button, such as the 200/2L IS, 300/2.8L IS, 400/2.8L IS, etc. Are you using any of those lenses?

Hope this helps!

Best Regards,

Chuck Westfall
Technical Advisor/Professional Products Marketing Division
Consumer Imaging Group/Canon U.S.A., Inc.

KA0TVO

Thanks for posting this. I found it very helpful.