Why I love the spot focus of 7d

mellofelow wrote in post #13116312
This is fantastic!! I'm not worthy because I have the same combo and don't think I have to skilz to even get those images. :::: sigh ::::

Totaly agree, I have a 7d+100-400 and my dragons dont look like thses . . . .

rdmello wrote in post #13116250
I'm using an XSI, and I guess I'm using "single point". I usually just leave it on the center single point and then recompose. When should I use the other focus points? I think there are 9.

what you are doing is perfectly fine and acceptable.

Milutiche wrote in post #13116575
Totaly agree, I have a 7d+100-400 and my dragons dont look like thses . . . .

LOL Milutiche. I tried, and came out like this.

Byte size: ZERO | Content warning: NOT AN IMAGE

amfoto1 wrote in post #13116394
Interesting results, considering Canon's recommendations how to use Spot Focus. They say the smaller sensor is slower than other focus modes, so recommend it for static subjects, rather than moving ones. Just the opposite of how OP is using it.

I've used it to focus on a bird in a tangle of branches, a type of shot that otherwise would have been impossible.

I'd have used a standard single point with the dragon flies. They are quite hard to catch in flight!

well, these were shot when they were hovering. they are reasonably cropped. the ones with the busy background (the leaves) were very had to focus with just single point focus, as they would shift to the background easily.

Milutiche and Mellofelo, you guys are too kind. Luck had a lot to do with it. I did try these a few days ago, and found it impossible. the dragons were however, spending enough time hovering to allow me locking, and having a few of them around helped a lot. it was just the right location.

kevindar, I'm curious. You mentioned the first shot was 1/250. However, it looks like you were able to almost freeze the wings. So, I'm guessing it was nearly frozen by the strobe? If so, it had to be pretty dark. Did you happen to catch it while it was hovering?

they were all caught while more or less hovering. yes the strop was just about the sole source of light in that one.

Great work!

rdmello wrote in post #13116250
I'm using an XSI, and I guess I'm using "single point". I usually just leave it on the center single point and then recompose. When should I use the other focus points? I think there are 9.

You're asking a legitimate question, so rather than ignore you I'll just point out that a discussion about this should happen outside of this thread!

You could start a thread, with a title that could get attention, something like "AF on the XSi: Center Point or outer point?"