7D Mark II - Focus Discussions

TeamSpeed wrote in post #17843031
There may be an AF issue that plagues some 7D2s. Who knows for sure? I know last night, I had several photos where I was tracking somebody making a dash for the basket, and I had several where it seemed like NOTHING was in focus. I had the crowd in the stands all the way to a player near me, and when I go through the image, I can find where there is a plane of the frame that is mostly in focus, however, nothing was sharp.

Hosted photo: posted by TeamSpeed in
./showthread.php?p=178​43031&i=i235062816
forum: Canon Digital Cameras

Hosted photo: posted by TeamSpeed in
./showthread.php?p=178​43031&i=i184244084
forum: Canon Digital Cameras

I would say after following this thread, that this is probably what others were seeing. It at least sounds similar. It was would somewhat concern me that at 1/2000 nothing was very sharpnin any of the frames.I was always a believer that this problem is bigger than the naysayers think. My opinion is forms from multiple people having multiple bodies with this problem

I may go back to firmware 1.0.4 and see if the situation is improved. It is hard to tell, I also have to look at my first and second priority settings for AF to make sure it says focus for both. There are many different AF settings, and one can get lost in all the settings to find that it is nothing more than a series of settings that was causing the issue.

I don't know the ins and outs of the 7dii settings. It almost sounds too complex to a degree. I am not at all saying you are incorrect, but at 1/2000, there should be something sharp in the frame, just from my experience. Hopefully its something simple you can sort out.

Frodge wrote in post #17843130
I don't know the ins and outs of the 7dii settings. It almost sounds too complex to a degree. I am not at all saying you are incorrect, but at 1/2000, there should be something sharp in the frame, just from my experience. Hopefully its something simple you can sort out.

The 7D2 has a 1D-like setup as does the 5D3. If you shoot with a 1D, you have many different settings, you can either put priority on FPS or on focus, etc, for example. There are 3 or 4 menus just for AF settings. I am very comfortable with the amount of configurability, but each generation seems to require a bit of research to get the right combination. I will see if I can find one of my binned images where I see my concern depicted.

Here is one such shot: https://teamspeed.smug​mug.com …ics/7D2-Tests/i-9z26Bj5/O

It seems that the floor several feet back might have focus, which means the lens was shifting to a new AF point (probably to the crowd) as the shot was being taken. This leads me to believe my first/second priorities might need tweaked, or since I had 8 point expansion turned on, they decided to take over because something in the crowd caught the camera's "attention".

TeamSpeed wrote in post #17843023
I am not sure. I use DPP and my own recipes wrapped around Imagenomic/Noiseware.

Per my comments earlier, here is a sample ISO 12800 from the game last night. This is a JPG right out of the camera, full size, then a 100% crop.

Hosted photo: posted by TeamSpeed in
./showthread.php?p=178​43023&i=i264982187
forum: Canon Digital Cameras

Hosted photo: posted by TeamSpeed in
./showthread.php?p=178​43023&i=i235092605
forum: Canon Digital Cameras

I saw the two comparison shots. I think you definitely needed 2-4 clicks of +sharpening for the in-camera jpeg. Yes, it's noise was already worse than your processed raw, but possibly might have more facial sharpness with camera sharpness processing than your resulting raw.

Unfortunately, it isn't quite my method.
Maybe I'll send you a shot one of these days to process the cr2 and along with it, my jpeg I processed from the SooC jpeg. At least to me, it would be interesting to see any difference.

I break my higher ISO photos into 3 methods
A. Absolute best processing which might entail painting nr onto background and separate value for subject.
B. Quick global nr + masked sharpness
C. Don't bother with any jpeg for Web viewing.

Do you handle a and b differently in your equivalents.

Guy

TeamSpeed wrote in post #17843031
There may be an AF issue that plagues some 7D2s. Who knows for sure? I know last night, I had several photos where I was tracking somebody making a dash for the basket, and I had several where it seemed like NOTHING was in focus. I had the crowd in the stands all the way to a player near me, and when I go through the image, I can find where there is a plane of the frame that is mostly in focus, however, nothing was sharp.

This shouldn't happen, especially when the IS is turned off, and I am shooting at 1/2000th. This tells me that the issue, if there is one, has something to do with the lens assembly being driven even as the shutter is being opened and closed. This is not a good situation.

The other explanation is related to some of the comments provided back from, Canon repair centers related to Azf/mirror box fix or replacement. To me it would indicate some mechanical issue during servo tracking and high fps. . Was you specific shot during high fps?

TeamSpeed wrote in post #17843031
It is the only conclusion I can come up with on several of my photos last night. I also just installed 1.0.5. I might go back to 1.0.4. I won't rule out an issue, and again IMO if there is a problem, it is that the lens is being driven while the frame is being exposed. I have done this for years now, and 1/2000th is enough to stop sweat in the air on a hit, and I should not have an image where there is an area that is somewhat in focus in the image, but even that isn't very clear.

Some people claim that moving from 1.04 to 1.05 created the same result, soft image even at plane of focus on target.
Keep us posted please.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #17843118
I may go back to firmware 1.0.4 and see if the situation is improved. It is hard to tell, I also have to look at my first and second priority settings for AF to make sure it says focus for both. There are many different AF settings, and one can get lost in all the settings to find that it is nothing more than a series of settings that was causing the issue.

Fwiw- I think it was on FM, that one person thought his turning off of ITR helped this situation. He however was able to notice a twitchiness of servo even pointing at a static high contrast object. I wouldn't put high likelihood, but easy enough to do quick test shots. Also, I realize it isn't even pertinent for non Zone modes, but this is what he observed.

I would think if there is a mechanical issue, I would see problems all the time, but I am not. I had a couple of 1D3s, and one of them needed the mirror box replaced, so I am a bit experienced with what that issue produces. As I change a few of the settings, the performance became better, like going to 4 expansion instead of 8. I will see what changing the 1st/2nd priorities to focus will do for me, but that will be another week yet.

Here are the results from last night, all at ISO 6400 or higher, I believe. There are some good shots amidst the average ones.

Frodge wrote in post #17843130
I don't know the ins and outs of the 7dii settings. It almost sounds too complex to a degree. I am not at all saying you are incorrect, but at 1/2000, there should be something sharp in the frame, just from my experience. Hopefully its something simple you can sort out.

Not really. If you break down how the components work it is pretty simple. It only does a few main things and rest are tweaks. If you're doing everything right it either focuses or it doesn't, especially a veteran shooting static objects.

gschlact wrote in post #17843479
Fwiw- I think it was on FM, that one person thought his turning off of ITR helped this situation. He however was able to notice a twitchiness of servo even pointing at a static high contrast object. I wouldn't put high likelihood, but easy enough to do quick test shots. Also, I realize it isn't even pertinent for non Zone modes, but this is what he observed.

I haven't touched ITR but I do get the AF twitching in AI servo when used on a static object. Focus won't settle. Don't think TS had this issue at a game.

Rod

TeamSpeed wrote in post #17843140
The 7D2 has a 1D-like setup as does the 5D3. If you shoot with a 1D, you have many different settings, you can either put priority on FPS or on focus, etc, for example. There are 3 or 4 menus just for AF settings. I am very comfortable with the amount of configurability, but each generation seems to require a bit of research to get the right combination. I will see if I can find one of my binned images where I see my concern depicted.

Here is one such shot: https://teamspeed.smug​mug.com …ics/7D2-Tests/i-9z26Bj5/O

It seems that the floor several feet back might have focus, which means the lens was shifting to a new AF point (probably to the crowd) as the shot was being taken. This leads me to believe my first/second priorities might need tweaked, or since I had 8 point expansion turned on, they decided to take over because something in the crowd caught the camera's "attention".

TS,
I tend to believe as you indicate in this last paragraph.(Rogue contrast picked up somewhere under the active Af point(s). It is One of the reasons I often shoot Spot focus for sports, with quite successful tracking. These uniforms with their letter place, eat etc would / should be fine for contrast.

RodS57 wrote in post #17843492
I haven't touched ITR but I do get the AF twitching in AI servo when used on a static object. Focus won't settle. Don't think TS had this issue at a game.

Rod

ITR only works in the 3 zone modes.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #17843486
I would think if there is a mechanical issue, I would see problems all the time, but I am not. I had a couple of 1D3s, and one of them needed the mirror box replaced, so I am a bit experienced with what that issue produces. As I change a few of the settings, the performance became better, like going to 4 expansion instead of 8. I will see what changing the 1st/2nd priorities to focus will do for me, but that will be another week yet.

Here are the results from last night, all at ISO 6400 or higher, I believe. There are some good shots amidst the average ones.

I agree.

RodS57 wrote in post #17843492
I haven't touched ITR but I do get the AF twitching in AI servo when used on a static object. Focus won't settle. Don't think TS had this issue at a game.

Rod

Rod,
Twitching is NOT good.
Did you try reverting to 1.04 firmware?

digital paradise wrote in post #17843497
ITR only works in the 3 zone modes.

I know. I was only repeating what was claimed.