7D vs 60D AF on 70-200 w/2x III extender

Today a friend and I went to a river to photograph birds. He has a 60D and I have a 7D. Since I am trying out my new Tammy 150-600mm, I let him use my 70-200 L II with the Canon 2xIII TC attached. I had already warned him that the focus was slow, and especially when you focus from a close target to a distant one and then back. He even got to see what I meant at a previous trip we made an I showed him how it slow focused.

So today when when he had the lens combo on his 60D he ask me, "Hey, I thought you said this focused slow from close to far and far to close." I said I did, and let me see. Wow, the 60D focused from far to close and back almost instantly.

Does anyone know what would cause that? The only difference we had in camera setup is he was using all focus points and I use center focus only. The 7D is supposed to be the AF king (so to speak). What is wrong with this picture?

Might be the switch on the lens switched on 2.5 meters to infinity instead of 1.2 meters to infinity so it auto-focus a way faster

Reservoir Dog wrote in post #17086509
Might be the switch on the lens switched on 2.5 meters to infinity instead of 1.2 meters to infinity so it auto-focus a way faster

Say that again now? Which focuses faster? I never knew that was what that switch was all about!

WilsonFlyer wrote in post #17086518
Say that again now? Which focuses faster? I never knew that was what that switch was all about!

The faster is the 2.5 to infinity, because it will focus from 2.5 meters to infinity instead to focus from 1.2 meters to infinity

Reservoir Dog wrote in post #17086611
The faster is the 2.5 to infinity, because it will focus from 2.5 meters to infinity instead to focus from 1.2 meters to infinity

Actually those setting haven't changed from the 7D to the 60D.

My guess is that the answer lies in the AF C. Fn. configuration on the 7D.

GeoKras1989 wrote in post #17087109
My guess is that the answer lies in the AF C. Fn. configuration on the 7D.

Hmmm.........my config has always worked well with my other lenses. I guess I will have to study into that.

Next time you are with your friend, try to put the 60D on single point also and focus on the same thing at the same distance.
You should be with the same AF config or similar, if there too much difference, like you was on single point and him all his focus points was activated you cannot fairly make a comparison IMO

guntoter wrote in post #17086501
Does anyone know what would cause that? The only difference we had in camera setup is he was using all focus points and I use center focus only. The 7D is supposed to be the AF king (so to speak). What is wrong with this picture?

GeoKras1989 wrote in post #17087109
My guess is that the answer lies in the AF C. Fn. configuration on the 7D.

Three years ago I bought a 650D (Rebel T4i) to upgrade my 1000D (Rebel XS).
Then I came across a guy who wanted to swap his 7D for a 650D, because the 7D was not good enough AF wise for his birding. So I swapped my 650D for his 7D.
I then found out (at POTN) that the 7D has multiple places to fiddle with AF. I guess he never discovered that.
I use my 7D mainly for shooting soccer and volleyball.

Here are my AF settings:

AF mode: AI Servo
Drive mode: High speed continuous
AF point selection : Manual select.:Spot AF (Checkout Andre's Blog why I chose this)
VF grid display: Enabled (to easily keep my horizon straight)

C.Fn I:6 0
C.Fn III:1 Fast (most right)
C.Fn III:2 0:AF priority/Tracking priority
C.Fn III:3 1:Continuous AF tracking priority
C.Fn III:4 0:Focus search on
C.Fn III:5 2
C.Fn III:7 0:Stops at AF area edges
C.Fn III:8 1:Enable
C.Fn III:9, 10, 11, 12, 13 set to 0

These settings are stored in C3 for easy access.
C3 is the last one on the dial so no chance for mistakes.

This is not *the* best setup, it is simply my setup.

I learned a lot from this explanation on YouTube:
Getting a Grip on Custom Functions by Rudy Winston