T2i Focus

Shouldn't a T2i beep when focus is achieved , set at AI Servo whether and center point focus whether its live view or looking thru the viewfinder ?
Thanks

Mine does. It can be turned off in the menu. Check the manual.

It beeps on live view but not thru the viewfinder. If the beep is enabled shouldn't it beep for both ?
Thanks

I've never used a rebel, but none of the other Canon DSLRs I have used will beep in AI servo. The beep is to signal that the focus is locked, and it only locks in one shot. In AI servo, it is continuously focusing so there is no point at which it will beep.

Are you sure that the lack of a beep isn't just because you are not in one shot focus?

sandpiper wrote in post #15824547
I've never used a rebel, but none of the other Canon DSLRs I have used will beep in AI servo. The beep is to signal that the focus is locked, and it only locks in one shot. In AI servo, it is continuously focusing so there is no point at which it will beep.

Are you sure that the lack of a beep isn't just because you are not in one shot focus?

The camera is definitely set at AI Servo, I just double checked as I type this. Why do I have a beep in live view but not thru the viewfinder ?
I question all this focus because I'm not impressed with some of my pics of late
They are blurry
Using a 100-400 mm lense, shooting at 1/640 sec, ISO at 1600
Thanks

Ontario55 wrote in post #15824555
The camera is definitely set at AI Servo, I just double checked as I type this. Why do I have a beep in live view but not thru the viewfinder ?
I question all this focus because I'm not impressed with some of my pics of late
They are blurry
Using a 100-400 mm lense, shooting at 1/640 sec, ISO at 1600
Thanks

Can it use AI servo in live view? DSLRs normally need the AF sensors in the mirror box for servo mode, which are blocked off when the mirror lifts for live view which has it's own AF sensor.

I imagine that the AI servo only works when using the viewfinder, so no beep, and when you switch to live view the camera defaults back to one shot and so beeps when focus is locked.

When are you getting blurry shots? If shooting in live view under the assumption the camera is tracking the subject in servo, but is actually locking focus in one shot, it is easily understood as the subject will be moving out of focus.

Camera is set to AI Servo
I switch to live view and focus on 2 items in the room, camera beeps
I switch to viewing thru the eyepiece viewfinder and it will never beep
Sounds like its trying to find focus
Blurry shots are outside like today
I was shooting a Golden Crowned Kinglet bird
Bird was anywhere from 10 ft to 35 ft away
The red dot was definitely on the bird at all times the pics were being taken
The shutter speed is fast enough at 1/ 640 and with IS on that there should not be any movement

There will be no beep on AI Servo thru the eyepiece. That's normal. Not sure with the live view though.

Suggest to clean your mirrors and try again. Dirty mirror could end up not so sharp pics. Also, are you using centre point or one of the side points. Dirty mirrors will likely to affect side points more.

Edit: the little mirror behind the main mirror is the one that can affect the focus.

little johny wrote in post #15824620
There will be no beep on AI Servo thru the eyepiece. That's normal. Not sure with the live view though.

Suggest to clean your mirrors and try again. Dirty mirror could end up not so sharp pics. Also, are you using centre point or one of the side points. Dirty mirrors will likely to affect side points more.

Mirrors are clean, they were just done
Definitely using center point

Ontario55 wrote in post #15824606
Camera is set to AI Servo
I switch to live view and focus on 2 items in the room, camera beeps
I switch to viewing thru the eyepiece viewfinder and it will never beep
Sounds like its trying to find focus

The whole viewfinder part sounds perfectly normal for AI servo. It should sound like it is trying to find focus, that is the whole point of servo mode. It never locks focus (which is why it doesn't beep) and is constantly refocusing on whatever is under the AF point.

As for the beep in live view, I think that will be because it is in one shot mode, not AI servo. Check the manual to see if live view can use servo mode, I don't think it will be able to, so will not track the subject and will lock focus (which will be why it does beep). If you want to check that out, go out and point the camera at some traffic coming towards you, focusing in AI servo mode. Through the viewfinder, AI servo should keep the cars in focus as they approach. In live view, if I am correct, the focus will lock onto a car at one point, it will beep, then the car will go out of focus as it gets nearer.

Ontario55 wrote in post #15824606
I was shooting a Golden Crowned Kinglet bird
Bird was anywhere from 10 ft to 35 ft away
The red dot was definitely on the bird at all times the pics were being taken
The shutter speed is fast enough at 1/ 640 and with IS on that there should not be any movement

The 100-400L isn't the fastest focusing lens, in fact it is quite slow to focus, and the rebel class cameras have never been known for fast AF either. That won't be helping matters, but should still be able to cope with a fairly stationary bird (the lens can cope with fast moving birds in flight, but needs to be locked on and tracking for a second or so before you take the shots, to give it time to do the initial focusing). There could be other problems too, are you giving the IS plenty of time to spin up? If you don't allow time at half shutter press for it to start up and settle down again, the IS can cause blur in the image.

Can you post an image or two showing the problem? That should make it easier to help diagnose the problem (leave the exif intact).

Here's an example

http://www.flickr.com …8647244544/in/p​hotostream

There is no beep in AI Servo mode. In LV, I believe it works as one shot only. There could be a variety amount of reasons it may not be focusing as well as you would like and unfortunately there is no MA if that is the issue.

Ontario55 wrote in post #15824716
Here's an example

http://www.flickr.com …8647244544/in/p​hotostream

That doesn't look too bad to me. You seem to have missed focus on the face and caught the trailing edge of the wings, they don't look bad, just need a little sharpening in post, the face is definitely soft though. You were almost wide open and the DoF at that range is pretty shallow, you are likely to struggle to get the whole bird in focus.

It could be a little sharper overall, but there are many factors that could have caused that. The 100-400L does take a little getting used to, in order to get the best from it.

sandpiper wrote in post #15824755
That doesn't look too bad to me. You seem to have missed focus on the face and caught the trailing edge of the wings, they don't look bad, just need a little sharpening in post, the face is definitely soft though. You were almost wide open and the DoF at that range is pretty shallow, you are likely to struggle to get the whole bird in focus.

It could be a little sharper overall, but there are many factors that could have caused that. The 100-400L does take a little getting used to, in order to get the best from it.

Ok, sounds like I need to spend more time in setting DOF and see where it goes from there. That will hopefully eliminate one cause of this quality of pic
Thanks everybody for your help
Ontario55

sandpiper wrote in post #15824755
That doesn't look too bad to me. You seem to have missed focus on the face and caught the trailing edge of the wings, they don't look bad, just need a little sharpening in post, the face is definitely soft though. You were almost wide open and the DoF at that range is pretty shallow, you are likely to struggle to get the whole bird in focus.

It could be a little sharper overall, but there are many factors that could have caused that. The 100-400L does take a little getting used to, in order to get the best from it.

I'd agree with this. If you look at the photo, you can see that the tail of the bird is the area of greatest contrast. Against the background. The AF will pick on that. I've found that LV is quite a bit more accurate in situations like this. Especially when the light is not the best. I've had instances where through the viewfinder, the camera will focus on an object just in front of the subject, no matter what I try, but LV will nail it every time. Just a bit slower though.