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Archive 2012 · 7D focus issues, my problem found

  
 
Carl Auer
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · 7D focus issues, my problem found


Like many, I have been having focus issues with my 7D. When I first got the camera, I sent it back to Canon 2 times for focus issues. Then talking on the phone with one of their CPS techs, we figured it out, but this was two years ago. Things were good with it until recently. In March of last year I had CPS clean my 7D and when they sent it back, it was focusing crappy. I would normally get a 20-30% keeper rate for high school shooting If I shot 300 photos at a football game, I would have up to 90 that I felt were good for my website. But after the cleaning, I was lucky if I got 5%. I knew it was the camera, and not the lenses. My 1D keeper rate was just fine. But the 7D was sucking. So, I move to Colorado and I am shooting a lot more high school (35 schools within 10 miles of me...In Alaska I had 2 high schools, I lot more college, and a lot more pro. But I was suffering with soft images. Then, during last weeks LA Galaxy and Colorado Rapids game, I wanted to be sure I was getting sharp images of Landon Donovan since he may retire, and David Beckham because, well because he was David Beckham. So, while I was grabbing soft images, like 1 out of 25 were sharp, I started going through the Custom Function Menu III looking through it to see what I might change that would help. I thought I had everything set the same way that CPS and I had walked through a couple years back. Everything looked fine and then I noticed setting III, AI Servo AF tracking method. It was on 0. 0 will change focus to whatever the focus point was on. I was using the expanded single point, and my images all looked like they had lost focus. Originally when I was having focus settings, I was going off the Sports settings that I found on SportsShooter in THIS POST where it says use 0 for C.F. III - 3. CPS and I figured out this was wrong and it should be set to 1. 1, combined with AI Servo sensitivity set to -1 (C.F. III - 1) focusing should be better. So anyway, I sat there staring at the 0 it was set on, and then on a whim set it to 1 and started shooting. Everything looked better right away. Turns out, when I had my last cleaning in March, they updated the firmware and some settings defaulted back to factory settings. Everything else was fine. But, to confirm it, I shot the San Jose Earthquake and Colorado Rapids game tonight with C.F. III - 3 set to 1, which continues trying to track your subject if one of the expanded points stays on the subject, even when someone or something comes between you and your subject. The -1 sensitivity lets it try to react to refocusing slower, helps here. Tonight I came back with 9 out of 10 shots spot on focus. I am happy I figured it out, but wish it would not have taken so long.....

Anyway, anyone shooting moving subjects, sports, birds in flight, whatever, and your 7D is not focusing correctly, try changing C.F. III - 1 to minus 1 and C.F. III - 3 to 1 and see if that helps.




Oct 07, 2012 at 12:09 AM
Yakim Peled
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · 7D focus issues, my problem found


Glad that your problem was solved. So, was it all just CF settings?

Happy shooting,
Yakim.



Oct 07, 2012 at 05:40 AM
bbasiaga
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · 7D focus issues, my problem found


I thought the correct answer to any focus issue was 'Canon is worthless and out of touch and you should immediately burn your gear and switch to Nikon'?



-Brian



Oct 07, 2012 at 11:02 AM
jchin
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · 7D focus issues, my problem found


Let me get this right:

CFnIII-1: set to -1 (just one to the left from middle)
CFnIII-3: set to 1 (instead of 0)

What did you sent CFnIII-2 to?

Thanks again.



Oct 07, 2012 at 12:58 PM
Monito
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · 7D focus issues, my problem found


Glad the focusing issues have been resolved. Thank you for having the courage to report back that it was not faulty equipment.

I've said it before: There are more soft users than soft cameras and lenses.

Now, on to the next issue, paragraphing.



Oct 07, 2012 at 01:15 PM
Gochugogi
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · 7D focus issues, my problem found


Monito wrote:
Glad the focusing issues have been resolved. Thank you for having the courage to report back that it was not faulty equipment.

I've said it before: There are more soft users than soft cameras and lenses.

Now, on to the next issue, paragraphing.


Yes, that was a tough read. My eyes lost focus lock about 1/3 the way through...



Oct 07, 2012 at 02:17 PM
Paul Gardner
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · 7D focus issues, my problem found


Hey I can't spell and paragraph either. I'm an Injunear.



Oct 08, 2012 at 12:57 PM
drbob
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · 7D focus issues, my problem found


Thanks Carl. I'm changing my III - 3 to "1" to see if that makes a difference.

bb



Oct 09, 2012 at 05:12 PM
riokid
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · 7D focus issues, my problem found


Interesting

I have to try this.

Thanks!

dan



Oct 09, 2012 at 10:55 PM
gschlact
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · 7D focus issues, my problem found


drbob wrote:
Thanks Carl. I'm changing my III - 3 to "1" to see if that makes a difference.

bb

Bob- definitely change it. I had the same experience with mine right when the firmware came out. It really sucked that some of the settings reverted but not all, and took crappy pictures to force us to review All settings again.

I agree the settings Carl indicate will help greatly. However I like -2 for sensitivity since I use single point with some bad aim at times. I don't use expanded single point because I find the expanded point give me a false sense of accurately being over the Player on the field, whereas single point i find more obvious to know I am on target.

Guy



Oct 09, 2012 at 11:06 PM
Carl Auer
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · 7D focus issues, my problem found


Sorry guys, been away for a while busy with moving and shooting....

First of all, really, going to get on my for paragraphing? Hey at least there were no run on sentences. I would expect that from Nikon shooters, but come on...

Yakim, so far it seems that it was just custom functions. I shot half of the first half of the LA Galaxy Colorado Rapids game before I change CF III -3 and you can see the images get sharper.

jchin, can not tell you right now what I have CFIII-2 set to right now, charging batteries for soccer in a few hours. I will let you know later.

Monito, I actually thought all along it was because I got spoiled using 1D focusing systems, because my MkII and classic files look awesome, and my one shot focus images and video look fine from the 7D. As Canon gets more technical with their cameras, they add more and more custom functions. After reading the CPS newsletter on the 7D custom functions and what each does, it makes sense.

Bob, hope it helped....and yes, this was always posted here, not in sports




Oct 15, 2012 at 01:41 PM





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