7D used with "L" zooms and manual focus

I occasionally focus manually (most often when shooting macro), I had the 50D for a short time before getting the 7D and I believe the viewfinder on the 7D to be superior for manual focusing.

That said, I think if you take the time to learn the 7D's AF system, you will be delighted. You mention "the camera's programming cannot possibly know precisely what I want in any particular image." Check out page 89 in the 7D manual. The "Spot AF (manual focus)" is amazingly accurate. I have been able to focus on a bird's head that is surrounded by branches in the foreground and background.

And then when you try the 19 point AF auto selection (page 90) you will be blown away. You can pick up a moving target by locking in with a particular (pre-chosen) AF point in AI-Servo mode, then as the target moves, and you follow, it will keep focus on the subject as it moves between any of the 19 points (I start with the center, but by the time I take the shot, the subject may have moved to the left of the screen as I panned with it). I love it for my kids' sports!

Buy it for the big bright viewfinder and manual focus; but I bet you find yourself using AF more.

As far as interchangeable focus screens on the 7D, unlike the 20D, and many other bodies; there are none supported by Canon. My understanding is that they don't support it because the additional electronics built in to the screen makes it impractical for individuals to replace the screen themselves. But I would guess also because, with its superior AF system, Canon is betting that manual focusing is becoming more and more a thing of the past; the 7D's AF is that good!

Thanks to all for the answers so far. Are there any more comments about my question?

My next - and most serious - problem will be convincing the better half that I need to get a new camera. Being retired and on fixed income, we need to discuss purchases of "toys" a bit more seriously than before.

The 7D viewfinder is one of the most wonderful things about the camera. Big and bright. Comparison with the previous crop sensor VFs is fun in that it makes you wonder how you managed to put up with such a small dark viewfinder for so long. Might not be quite up to a FF viewfinder but it is pretty darn close. Manual focusing is therefore quite easy.

Having said that. If you are going to manually meter, manual focus and manually adjust exposure you might as well save yourself some money and buy a rebel. Use live view and zoom to 10x and your focus precision will likely be higher than you could do with even a really bright viewfinder (I use the 10x zoom on my 7D for macro work all the time). All the other features are a waste if you aren't going to use them.

Copidosoma wrote in post #13261156
Having said that. If you are going to manually meter, manual focus and manually adjust exposure you might as well save yourself some money and buy a rebel.

NO WAY. Have you ever used the controls on a Rebel when using manual mode? It gets awkward for sure.

It is true that I dream about a digital camera that is the functional equivalent of my Nikon F cameras. What I really want in a digital camera is the following:

Physical quality and build of camera and lenses on a par with the Nikon F/Nikkor family from the mid 1960s. They tolerated serious use easily.

• Super-quality lens and viewfinder optics.
  
• Very little or no exposure control automation. I would want a meter built in, of course. What would be nice is something that could detect a change in the light source but still not be affected by the color and reflectivity of the subject.
  
• Aperture control ring on the lens that could over-ride anything set in the body. This would be ideal for motion picture use among other things. I'd still want to see the aperture setting in the viewfinder and be able to set it through the body as well as on the lens (much like auto vs manual focus).
  
• Back-button autofocus.
  
• All lenses would have "full-time-manual" capability.
  
• Shutter release button that only releases the shutter.
  
• Very good sensitivity for low-light use.

For me using the Live View and magnify to x10 and manual focusing is definitely a tripod situation.
Handheld I find this to be very clumsy.

However, using it on a tripod you can get the focus perfect with that procedure.

SkipD wrote in post #13261310
It is true that I dream about a digital camera that is the functional equivalent of my Nikon F cameras. What I really want in a digital camera is the following:
[LIST deleted for brevity]

I know there is one more feature you need for the perfect camera: It needs to be able to search recent posts on POTN for the words DOF and FOV and automatically reply with "Look at my bear's feet!"

If it could do that, then you will have found your perfect camera!

Skip, does your 20D not have rear-button focusing? I don't know, which is why I'm asking -- I don't have the 20D but the 30D has it, and with the right Custom Function you can just use the shutter button to click the shutter, although you'd want to be in Manual Exposure to keep from doing a re-expose.

As to full-time MF, well, I don't know how many Canon lenses have it and how many don't. It's funny -- the 85L won't let you MF unless you have the shutter button half-pressed unless you have rear button focus! I didn't realize this until someone here brought it up!

tonylong wrote in post #13262696
Skip, does your 20D not have rear-button focusing? I don't know, which is why I'm asking -- I don't have the 20D but the 30D has it, and with the right Custom Function you can just use the shutter button to click the shutter, although you'd want to be in Manual Exposure to keep from doing a re-expose.

I have my 20D set up for rear button focusing, using the * button. I think that function replaces "exposure lock" or some such feature which was original for the * button.

tonylong wrote in post #13262696
As to full-time MF, well, I don't know how many Canon lenses have it and how many don't. It's funny -- the 85L won't let you MF unless you have the shutter button half-pressed unless you have rear button focus! I didn't realize this until someone here brought it up!

If you have the shutter release button activating autofocus, pressing the shutter release would change whatever manual focus adjustment you may have made. Thus, ALL "full-time manual focus" lenses need to be used with a rear-button autofocus setup if you want to be able to manually tweak focus at any time and not have that adjustment messed up by the camera's dumb brain.

SkipD wrote in post #13262859
I have my 20D set up for rear button focusing, using the * button. I think that function replaces "exposure lock" or some such feature which was original for the * button.

Yeah, the * is the AE Lock, AF and FE Lock button by default, .

The 7D is different because like other newer xxD/xD bodies it has a separate AF-ON button. When you set up the 7D to use rear button focus, you set two custom functions: one to move the AF from the shutter to the AF-ON button and then one you can use switches the AF-ON function to the * button. I use this, because that way I can use the * button with all my bodies, and I am not in the habit of using AE Lock, although I do have the CF set so that my shutter button locks exposure.

Yup, which is one reason why it's good to use the rear-button AF! Like I said, the 85L has some funny behavior when you are not using the rear-button AF, I had just never noticed it because I do use the rear-button AF! And, typically, if I want to MF I'll flick the lens switch but not necessarily every time...

Heh! I should say that I don't have a 7D, so I was going by my use of the 1D3 -- it has the AF-ON button but the 7D looks like it has more complicated Custom Functions for all this stuff, so maybe my description of setting up the * for AF were not "sufficient"...?

Manual focus woes

I've had a 7D for about 9 months. Compared to my old 35mm cameras with split image focusing screens, it totally sucks for manual focus.

In my opinion, none of the current DSLRs are suited to someone who wishes to focus manually through the viewfinder. I put the "e" focus screen in my 5D and it was a little better, but still poor. I was a very frustrated Canon photographer until recently. I wanted tack sharp images with my prime lenses wide open and it just wasn't happening with autofocus. (I am too old to start using the live view system to focus - LOL)

I finally got lucky and purchased two zoom lenses, via Craigslist believe it or not, that happened to focus perfectly with 5D and 7D. I expected the 7D to focus well with the fancy system it has, but even the old 5D is now a rock star in the autofocus department. So for me, the lens is the key.

One interesting thing to keep in mind. The 7D has micro-adjust so that you can compensate for a lens that consistently autofocuses in front or behind the subject. Combine that with a good lens and you are in for a treat.

Michael, I see you're here in Vancouver, greetings!

Have you seen our Pacific Northwest thread?:

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=836068

I'm curious: what were the two zoom lenses you got (they're not in your sig)?