Just got my Refurb 80D.
I did a little testing with it in the house, it looked like my most used lenses were close to the zero micro adjustment.
After taking it out with my Sigma 150-600 C, I moved the it to +2 for the long end. I think it's pretty close.
Cropped to 3000 on the long side, then resized to 1800 long side.
This image looks like I used a plug-in but it's a straightforward puddle reflection of neon lights and people walking on Fremont Street after midnight. The yellow bands are the 4 Queens Casino. A few contrast and vibrancy tweaks and now it looks like a crayon drawing I made in elementary school...
Just got mine, did a quick test run. Enjoying it. AF while not tested under any difficult circumstances definitely on par with and likely better than my old 7D (Mk I) which is more than sufficient for me. Scored a few shots of the ever elusive white peregrine falcon too!
Recently brought a Canon 80D to supplement my 6D which is used for landscapes but it's not ideal for fast action, hence getting this and so far I like it especially the image quality.
If there is any downside then maybe the focusing isn't quite as fast with birds in flight than what I was hoping for or maybe my expectations were too high or I simply need more time practicing. I had been using a Canon 1d MkIII and the focusing feels no better. I would be very interested to hear the views on those who use it for birds in flight and have success.
What lens are you working with?
There are quite a lot of factors that go into AF speed - power reserves from the battery, processor, how the lens talks to the camera, extenders, light levels....
The 5D4 uses the same battery as the 80D and the 7D2 and the 5D4 beats 7D2 beats 80D and my guess there is still some element of power management at work as well as the processors and AF programming.
But the 80D is still a very fine camera as your images show.
I have a battery grip for it and my first attempt at birds in flight at the Farne Islands, was probably not going to be a fair assessment, with overcast conditions. I used the Canon 400mm f5.6 which in past visits with the 1D mkiii gave decent results.
I've also tried under more controlled conditions at a bird of prey centre with bright sunny conditions and ended up deleting all those images.
As you say it is a very fine camera and I don't regret getting it, and it could be I just need to try continue experimenting more with the settings but it is frustrating.