Live View Shooting with AF In the EOS 40D,only Quic k Mode autofocus during Live View Function was available,and
Live View Function itself wasn’t even possible on the EOS 5D.Now, for both the EOS 50D
and EOS 5D Mark II,the Live Vie w mode can be turned on in any normal exposure mode
(including program,aper ture,shutter, manual, and even A-DEP) by pressing the Live View
mode activation button located to the left of the viewfinder.Image composition and viewing
in bright light has also been dramatically improved with the addition of the new 3.0-inch
920,000-dot Clear View LCD with anti-reflective coatings and super-wide 170° viewing
angle.This monitor also delivers a more accurate exposure simulation when that setting is
enabled via the custom function menu on either camera. In addition,there are now two
grid displays available to assist in scene composition and alignment.
As on the EOS 40D,the Silent Shutter mode, which utilizes the sensor’s 1st curtain electronic
shutter,helps to minimize noise during exposure, reduces shutter-cocking noise, and can be a
very useful feature when trying to get close-up wildlife shots without spooking the subject. In
combination with an optional remote trigger or when controlling the camera using supplied
software on a remote computer,the silent shutter mode can greatly enhance the value of either
camera for use in law enforcement or surveillance photography.Mode 1 in the Silent Shooting
menu quiets down the camera’s shutter noise when in Live View mode,and allows either
single-frame or continuous shooting up to the camera’s fastest advance speed.Mode 2 is
virtually silent, and delays re-cocking the 2nd shutter curtain until you remove your finger
from the shutter button.
There are now three types of autofocus for use in Live View mode compared to the EOS
40D’s single AF (and no Live View AF mode at all on the full-frame EOS-1Ds Mark III).
• Quick Mode AF is useful when you are holding the camera and you want to achieve
focus quickly.It’s activated by pressing the AF-ON button, and causes the Live View
Function to black out momentarily while the reflex mirror flips down and the camera’s
9-point phase detection autofocus engine locks onto the subject.
• Live AF mode uses Contrast Detection from the actual imaging sensor and is
slightly slower and less sensitive in low light but can be used without Live View
Function black-out.In this mode, the AF mode zone box can be moved around to
an area covering approximately 61% of the scene and centered on the subject of
interest,allowing precision focus for macro subjects and other off-center subjects.
Live AF mode is also possible during video recording with the EOS 5D Mark II;
however,focusing manually is an easier, quieter, and more precise technique.
• Face Detection Live AF utilizes the power of the DIGIC 4 Image Processor to detect
up to 35 faces in a scene.Af ter analysis,a border box appears around the closest, or in
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IV. PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY