Yesterday I spent the afternoon at Oe wetlands, putting the new 1D X through some paces and testing out the different metering and AF options.
I tried the spot AF linked to AF point setting, but this didn’t work out too well so I reverted back to the default metering setting and just dialed in compensation as per usual.
I tried various AF point selection modes, usually using one of the two AF expansion options, but also just the single point AF and also spot AF.
As I am often shooting with a foreground in the frame, the 61-point AF mode is not that useful, as it tends to focus on the closest thing in the image.
So basically there is no “magic bullet” for AF – you need to change it depending on the situation for the best results just like on the 7D. I always leave the camera in Ai Servo focus mode and High Speed frame advance mode, as I have customized the camera to only AF if the rear AF-On button is pressed.
Happily there were quite a few different subjects around yesterday afternoon, with each requiring a different approach. That said, I used Tv and Auto ISO the whole time, as I wanted to be ready for any raptors suddenly appearing.I’ll be out testing the camera again all day tomorrow – the forecast is cloudy and rainy!
John Wright
John Wright is an Australian wildlife photographer and bird guide based in Kyushu, Japan. John became seriously engaged in nature photography while living in Japan and then Thailand. He returned to Japan in 2008 and has since concentrated on wildlife photography, especially birds. John visits Southeast Asia and Australia regularly, but usually travels within the Japanese archipelago, where he also guides visiting birders and wildlife photography enthusiasts.
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