7D Saga

After months of blaming myself for the unacceptable results attained with my new 7D I finally spent some serious time with a great focusing chart, tripod and remote release(thanks to teamspeed and others here).
The results confirmed front focus issues and occasional extreme back focusing as well. My pics displayed as if they were out of focus and or blurred ranging from mild to severe.

I sent the camera in to Canon Service. Since I hadn't heard anything after about a week I contacted them as to it's status. Seems they couldn't find it. It had been "signed in" but not readily accessible! After a few more days they finally found it and included it into their system.

Three weeks + later I received the camera back from service with the work order which read in part:
"Your product has been examined and it was found that the adjustment of the part was incorrect causing the focus to operate improperly. Electronic adjustments were carried out on the part and product functions were confirmed."

I was able to get out today for a short time to see if I finally got the camera I paid for.
I took several shots with various great lenses on a Manfrotto with remote release and then took a look on the computer.

Much to my surprise the pics were actually WORSE than before servicing! More specifically the keeper rate was less than 10%. It's as if the camera either goes into (and rarely out of) some kind of focus crisis or there's a internal movement or instability.

I called Canon and as usual they were very nice and apologetic, however my camera is "on the road again".
I'm posting this because I said in an earlier thread that I would let those who are interested know my final result. Though I may be a ways from finality on this I offer this as a "thus far" progress report.
For those who genuinely believe they have issues with their 7D, know that it's not always "user error" or ignorance of the camera or failure to read the manual. It actually can be the freaking camera! Don't screw around with the timeliness on the warranty.
When there's more on this I'll post it!

Please keep us up on this saga, it's interesting

Irvine Center?

Nevermind.

kevindar wrote in post #13219803
Irvine Center?

Yes, Irvine! This has been ugly!
I can't say that as a result of this I failed to get a shot of bigfoot camping in my yard but I did miss out on multiply passes of the Air Force's Thunderbirds whose exhaust was thick throughout my yard. I waited several months for it! The good old Powershot A630 just didn't quite cut it.
I'll keep ya posted!

I had a similar experience with my 7D. After three months, sent it in to Canon in NJ. Rec'd it back with the exact SAME verbage on the repair order.

When it returned, it was much better. Less than one week turnaround.

Hope they get it right for you the second time.

Got mine back the other day. "camera adjusted for autofocus" was on the note. It took 7 working days, which I was kinda impressed with, at the Sydney service center.

Until I replicate the shoot I had problems with, I can't be sure it's fixed. Not enough hours in a day. Guess I might do it tomorrow...

Sorry to hear that you are having such problems. I know what it's like, and this camera is going to have to perform extra hard for me to be completely confident in what to expect from it!

Note to self - do not send anything to Irvine.

rick_reno wrote in post #13221843
Note to self - do not send anything to Irvine.

Actually, Irvine has, overall, a good rep, but they ain't perfect!

In fairness I should mention that the person I talked with is actually in Virginia but directs consumers to the geographically appropriate facility. After hearing my story she put me in touch with a supervisor who contacted Irvine with an assurance that a Mrg at the Irvine facility would oversee my in coming camera's repair this time.
In terms of perception it's all good. Performance?...... well........ so far not so good.

I try to put this whole thing in perspective. Two years ago a wildfire came through our rural neighborhood with 40 MPH wind gusts on a 107 degree day. Our house's roof was a blaze and all our outbuildings containing all our college age kids' memorabilia was destroyed. The fire retardant air support and 37 fire personal were successful in saving our home...not so good on the pool however. I learned then that some days you are in fact the dog and other days you're simply and helplessly the hydrant.

NU27D wrote in post #13219274
It actually can be the freaking camera! Don't screw around with the timeliness on the warranty.
When there's more on this I'll post it!

It can also be the lens ... or a combination of a lens and body, both being just within tolerance, but at opposite ends.

Bob_A wrote in post #13222155
It can also be the lens ... or a combination of a lens and body, both being just within tolerance, but at opposite ends.

Thanks! Yes it can. I feel reasonably sure I have eliminated the lens/lenses in my weeks if not months of trial and error. All lenses including a Canon 50 1.4, 28 1.8, Tam 28-75 and to a lesser degree Canon 70-200 IS F4 produced erratic/unacceptable results. Again, the issue is not constant.
It is however displaying poorly more frequently after repair than before.
There are at least two things at play here...lost money, sure, but in my case and more importantly, lost time!

Update:
Sent the 7D to Canon Service Center,Irvine for the second time on 10-7-11 after their failure to remedy the focus problem, in Sept. It was received there on 10-11-11. To date, 10-17-11, there has been no work/repair order issued. In other words it "ain't" even made it to the bench yet! I sure hope Canon had no difficulty spending the hard earned American dollars I shelled out for this POS! I realize some of the bills may have been wrinkled but surely they spent!!!!!!
Anyone who claims a one week turn around isn't dealing with Irvine!
The worst consumer product experience of my long life!

I sold my 7D, half-ass reliable AF. Many claimed it was user-error but its clearly poor design or manufacturing because "7D+AF issues" is a mainstay.

Whatever... unless you own a 1D series (which I do) you cannot expect Nikon AF accuracy... speed be damned if you cant nail it.

Never had an issue with autofocusing on either 7D body I owned and six L lenses ranging from 16-35 to 500. Guess I am just the lucky one.