Testing Canon’s latest flagship model, the EOS 1Dx MkII under some of the most arduous conditions possible during the Isle of Man TT races.
AF IMPROVEMENTS
With the number of opportunities being so limited, thanks to the length of the lap, it is important to maximise each location and with the scenery playing such a big part in making TT shots different, it is possible to get maybe four or even five different angles at some spots – scenic shot, front ¾ or side pan, rear ¾ and finally a shot as the bikes disappear from view. Use of the focus pre-set and playback ring are often employed and are extremely useful features in this type of situation.
My personal experience has been that the change of the subject direction in relation to the camera has led to in-camera confusion and focus has been slow to work out that the subject is travelling away from the camera rather than towards it meaning that the hit rate in these situations fell. This appears to have been addressed with the 1DxMkII.
With more cross type sensors and wider focus point coverage the options for more varied compositions is also increased.
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Words: James Wright 2016
Images: © Double Red
Not for publication
