Grrrr 7d keeps missing focus

I don't know why, I've checked all my focus setting to make sure I havnt accidentally changed anything..

I had a location shoot yesterday.. It was overcast, so not the brightest day but by no means dark either.. Just uploaded the images into Lightroom to discover only about 1 in 10 of my images are in focus!! What the fudge?! I've never had this problem to this extent before.. I used a number of different lenses on the shoot aswell, so it's not the lens.. Checked all the meta data.. Nothing untoward there... I have no idea what's gone on... I'm going to have to refund my client which also kinda sucks.

I usually focus on the centre point and recompose with longer lenses.. But select the focus point with the shorter lenses... Neither makes a difference... I just don't get it...

Any ideas why my 7d has suddenly decided to be like this? Or does anyone else have this problem?

What lenses? Some 3rd party lenses may have issues in less than stellar light for focusing accuracy.

In order to rule out some sort of messed up MFA or AI Servo II setting, I would start by completely resetting the camera (CF settings, etc). Also, did you load up the latest firmware from last year or so?

http://www.usa.canon.c​om …rd_display/EOS7​D_firmware

Is it possible that dust something has collected either on the second mirror or the AF array?

Could you post some examples, with EXIF intact?

Using L lenses..

Yeah I'm on the latest firmware.. Checked all the AF setting as all as should be..

I did a studio shoot the day before with no problems at all, every single image of the 800 taken pin sharp.. Yet it struggled in an overcast day... I would not consider it low light by any stretch...

I'm not able to post pictures up at the minute because it's a ( or was ) a paying client...

When I get chance I will try to post EXIF... But nothing seems out of place on the data as far as I can tell...

i've experienced the very same result\happening under the exact described situation...7d, canon l lens, drizzly, overcast days now for 2 years....repeatedly...​.. i shoot 99% related equine material..i hope a constructive find surfaces by the starting of this thread......does not happen often weather-wise but its a guaranteed outcome when it does

Rushmore wrote in post #16857811
Using L lenses..

Yeah I'm on the latest firmware.. Checked all the AF setting as all as should be..

I did a studio shoot the day before with no problems at all, every single image of the 800 taken pin sharp.. Yet it struggled in an overcast day... I would not consider it low light by any stretch...

I'm not able to post pictures up at the minute because it's a ( or was ) a paying client...

When I get chance I will try to post EXIF... But nothing seems out of place on the data as far as I can tell...

Your agreement should include your own ability to use images for personal or portfolio needs.

Just exif isn't going to be that useful.

What AF modes did you use? AI Servo or One Shot? Center AF, Spot AF, or Center AF with expansion?

Sounds to me like something was different in the focus settings between your most recent shoot and the other shoot where you got the 800 sharp images. Teamspeed's question about focus modes is very relevant, so I would be interested in the reply. It just doesn't make sense that the camera would produce OOF shots all of a sudden...