A7RII + Canon EF/Metabones IV AF Early Results/Questions

[josha]

I just received my A7RII a few hours ago (yay!) and started playing around with a Canon 24-70 2.8 (latest version) and a 100-400 MkII with a Metabones IV.  My results have been so bad that I'd love to get your opinion and to see if my expectations were too high or if something's funky!

 

For context, I shoot a lot of landscape/wildlife and kiteboarding.  See joshanon.com.  I've written a few photo books, teach, and know what I'm talking about  I currently shoot Canon although I used a D800E for an astro project you might have seen.  I'm disappointed with the 5DS' low-light performance, and I really wanted a Canon equivalent of the D810 (resolution + image quality).  The A7RII seemed perfect.

 

I'm heading to Svalbard and South Georgia shortly and was hoping to use the A7RII with my Canon glass given the AF results with adapted lenses I'd been seeing.  I know I could get a Sony-native 16-35 and 24-70, but there's no good 100-400 or 500+ alternative, hence why I care about adapted lenses working.

 

I've set the camera up for back button AF only, and I've explicitly set the AF system to use Phase Detection.

 

* With the 100-400, at 400, with flexible spot AF, I was focused close to the camera and went to focus on something far away.  It never actually moved the motor/focused.  I switched to wide AF, and it moved incredibly slowly (so slowly I double-checked I had phase detection picked) but did eventually focus on the tree.

 

* There was a tree blowing in the wind much closer, and I focused on its leaves (400mm with the 100-400), and it never locked focus.  It just kept shifting in and out of focus.  I think I had wide AF picked.

 

* I had a stack of dark jewel cases on a shelf in my maple bookcase in my brightly-lit office.  I positioned myself so they made a V with the edge of the bookcase and tried focusing there (tons of contrast!) with the 100-400 around 300mm.  I used flexible spot and had it right over the contrasting area, even trying different size spots.  It got close but never quite focused.  For kicks, I switched to contrast AF.  It went out of focus and never even made it close to being in focus.

 

* With the 24-70 and trying various setups, it didn't seem to search quite as much, but anytime I was focusing on a lower contrast area (for example, on the black speaker grille on a black subwoofer) or on something thin (like a cord hanging a distance away from the background), the AF got close but just kept hunting/never nailed it.  That was true with both flexible spot (with different sized spots) and wide.

 

I tried my 5D MkIII in each of these situations, and it handled them perfectly.

 

I'm going to try some real situations this weekend and will share some photos.  I'm also meeting up with a friend who has FE-native lenses to compare.

 

What do you all think?  Is there a hidden setting I've missed, or is this just what I should expect?  If it's to be expected, I think I have an A7RII, RRS plate, and Metabones IV that I'd sell for my cost...

[Asmundma]

I will be able to tell you later today, when my camra gets here.

[cengell]

Hi Josha, question were you in the AF-C mode for AF? If yes just try AF-S AF mode, it won't do continuous focusing but maybe it will lock on much better and faster in the AF-S AF mode.

 

Also you might need a newer Firmware as I think it's at .041 and maybe Metabones IV may need a FW to fix those issues your having?

 

I hope to have mine on Fri/Sat.

 

Let us know.

 

Thanks

Christopher

[Jamooche]

There is a firmware update for the Metabones IV that makes it work better with Canon lenses.  I did the update before I tried my Canon lenses and they seem to work really great.  

 

More info here:  http://www.metabones.com/article/of/MARK_IV_Firmware_mac

 

 

I'm confused about the display of the green square focus confirmation.  With Sony FE lenses, when something is in focus, the big bracketed area turns green.  When I use a Canon lens via the Metabones IV, it shows me the tiny squares that it chose for focus that are inside the bigger bracketed area.  Why don't FE lenses show this?  It seems to be much more accurate in terms of knowing which exact location it chose to focus on. 

 

 

 

 

[josha]

I'm running the latest version of the firmware.  Switching to AF-S didn't make any difference.

 

Oddly, in some cases, it doesn't ever find focus if I use flexible spot (even changing the size), but when I switch to wide AF, it does eventually lock on to where I had the spot.

[Asmundma]

Just got the camera - Yes (!) it focus quite ok with the canon 24-70 2.8 ii in reasonable good light, even in AF-C mode it works. Metabones 0.41 version v4- Also working on 70-200 2.8

Be sure to mount adapter to the lense before putting it on the camera.  I doubt it will work good for sport, but regular shooting can work. However, I also had the A7 and there it did not work to good, so I have started to buy some FE lenses. I will use Sony for sure for video and regular photos, but will keep the 1DX for sports - thats the plan. 

 

Sorry to hear you have issues

[dhazard]

This is disappointing as I too planned to use this camera and the metabones adapter with my big Canon glass (500mm). I mostly shoot burds - so a slow focus will not work at all...guess I'll see soon enough, the camera arrives today.

[Wesley]

I think I've read awhile ago that flexible spot focus doesn't work on adapted lenses. 

[chardonet]

Greetings!

 

There is testing and discussion going on at the Fred Miranda site on Canon lenses with Metabones IV with software update:

 

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1379624

[josha]

Thanks for the FM link.  Wesley, where did you see that flexible spot doesn't work with adapted lenses?  It sort of works for me, but wide AF is often better.  Unfortunately I never know what wide AF is picking to focus on...

[Wesley]

Thanks for the FM link.  Wesley, where did you see that flexible spot doesn't work with adapted lenses?  It sort of works for me, but wide AF is often better.  Unfortunately I never know what wide AF is picking to focus on...

Okay, maybe it was continuous tracking using flexible spot that didn't work.

It was just one of the articles on the main page awhile back.

[3dit0r]

Has anyone tried the Canon 35mm f/2 IS yet, please?

[Mark K]

I have....not received A7rII yet but my current non metabone adapters have never had any good focusing accuracy in any of my e mount cameras up to a6k

[bwud]

I think I've read awhile ago that flexible spot focus doesn't work on adapted lenses.

I have been using flexible spot. It's hit and miss. Works fairly well with some adapted lenses, provided the spot is centered. Off center, it generally hunts (my experience).

 

EF50 f/1.4 = no go

EF16-35 f/4L IS = decent to good

EF24-70 f/2.8L = decent to good

EF100 f/2.8 macro = poor

Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 APO OS = decent at 70mm, poor at 200mm

Tamron 150-600 = poor at 150mm, no go at 600mm

 

The user guide is pretty... light in descriptions. I'm assuming flexible spot is akin to a single AF point, and that S, M, and L change the size of the spot. I know with my 5D3, using spot is often problematic. Perhaps I should try flexible spot L instead of S.

 

Otherwise, what would you guys recommend for focusing say on a person's eye?

[josha]

FWIW, I posted my experience here: http://joshanon.com/blog/2015/08/09/from_canon_to_sony_almost  To cut to the chase, if you mainly shoot landscape/slower subjects, I think the A7RII is awesome.  If you need fast AF for wildlife, it's not ready for prime time.

[Wesley]

I have been using flexible spot. It's hit and miss. Works fairly well with some adapted lenses, provided the spot is centered. Off center, it generally hunts (my experience).

 

EF50 f/1.4 = no go

EF16-35 f/4L IS = decent to good

EF24-70 f/2.8L = decent to good

EF100 f/2.8 macro = poor

Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 APO OS = decent at 70mm, poor at 200mm

Tamron 150-600 = poor at 150mm, no go at 600mm

 

The user guide is pretty... light in descriptions. I'm assuming flexible spot is akin to a single AF point, and that S, M, and L change the size of the spot. I know with my 5D3, using spot is often problematic. Perhaps I should try flexible spot L instead of S.

 

Otherwise, what would you guys recommend for focusing say on a person's eye?

 

Yes, flexible spot is single point AF. Medium size seems to work the best for my native lenses on A7 II. Mind as well try medium on the adapted lenses also.

[bwud]

I tried medium. It did tend to focus on *something* more readily, but as often as not, it missed what I wanted (for example an eyelash rather than a retina).

 

Shrug.

[Wesley]

I tried medium. It did tend to focus on *something* more readily, but as often as not, it missed what I wanted (for example an eyelash rather than a retina).

 

Shrug.

 

It seems adapted lenses don't have the precision yet.

 

Native lens + eye AF would be real nice for you on portraits.

[bwud]

Yah, I need to try native glass soon to decide whether to keep the body.

[Jamooche]

Has anyone tried the Canon 35mm f/2 IS yet, please?

 

I could...I have one for sale, but once you compare the size and weight of the FE 35mm 2.8, you will want to sell it too.  About the only negative of this lens compared to the Canon is that the close focus distance is about 10cm longer.   

 

Here's a comparison of the size with both hoods in shooting position.  Canon will be even longer with the Metabones adapter:

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[storyteller]

I've heard that eye-AF doesn't work with adapted lenses but does face detect work?

[3dit0r]

@Jamooche - would you mind trying if you have the facility, please? The Canon f/2 might be larger than the Sony 2.8, but it's nowhere near as large/heavy as the Sony f/1.4, even with the adaptor, which is my only faster AF option!

[Jamooche]

@Jamooche - would you mind trying if you have the facility, please? The Canon f/2 might be larger than the Sony 2.8, but it's nowhere near as large/heavy as the Sony f/1.4, even with the adaptor, which is my only faster AF option!

Seems to work ok without any issues, but not as good low light focusing as the FE 35mm 2.8.   It's also 10x+ noisier focusing than the FE35.  

[3dit0r]

Thanks for testing, good to know it at least works without issues.

 

I will try to go to a store and at least hear the AF on the Canon 35 f/2 IS, I think.

 

I might consider Sigma Art 35 1.4, or 24-35 f/2, but need to wait for adapter results first.

[TheCrazyLudwig]

I've heard that eye-AF doesn't work with adapted lenses but does face detect work?

Eye-AF is a no go but Face Detect does work.