Hi - I have a Canon 6D, and it has performed very well for me and what I do, which is 95% Events, mainly Corporate. When I photograph something, my "technique" is to use the center point, hold the shutter button halfway to lock focus, and the re-compose if necessary, and shoot. It doesn't matter to me if the camera I'm holding has a miraculous, multi-cross-point AF system or not. This is the way I do things.
I just saw that Canon is releasing the 6D Mark II, and in the 20 seconds I had to read about it, it looks like the main improvement is a major upgrade to the auto-focus system (45 points, all cross type). This leads me to my question:
I can't think of any situations where, in the kinda-fast moving and changing situations I find myself in during an event, I would ever make use of a focus point other than the center one.
I would like to get some comments from people who make use of the "other" focus points, what the situation would be, what type or kind of photo you are going for, etc.
I am not a portrait photographer, and am just getting into business headshots. With this, I still can' envision a situation where I would be using a focus point other than the center.
Thanks - Dave
Comments
I always had a bad case of G.A.S. (gear acquisition syndrome). I always wanted to have the latest and greatest. I have learned little in the time I have been a photographer. LOL! I can tell you that most of todays cameras are fully capable of what you need to do including the one you have. I am sure that the 6DII will have better focusing capability in lower light and it has better low light capability in terms of image quality. Plus a few other bells and whistles. It is a business decision at this point. Will it make you more money? Will it offset your taxes? But hey I am guilty of buying gear without it making me more money. The cross sensor is helpful with action and if you don't want to recompose your portraits etc...I use the single point and recompose myself so that is really irrelevant to me but comforting to know I have it. Not sure how many camera bodies you have but I keep 3 with me and when something new comes along, I sell the oldest and rotate the new in. I usually wait for a while, just in case any problems arrive with people testing them in the first batch. Hope that helps!
-Jay
I would much rather pad my vacation savings than purchase more unnecessary (to me) stuff.
Anyway, this really wasn't a question about "should I buy?". It was more about using a focus point other than the center one, and what are the situations. From something I just read, if you are able to group some of the points together, it helps with moving subjects and AI servo. But that's really all I can get so far.
Dave
When you are far from subject, often safe to use centre point and recompose.
Close up, ie portraits or headshots and such like, I try to get a focus point where I want it. More critical as F no. goes from 4 towards 2 etc.
My Nikons have a joypad on the back which makes it easy to alter focus points, and quick.
HTH
Iain
If this doesn't make sense, look at the diagram that Hogan posted here: