6D focus issues

My 6D is really starting to get my goat, I went out with my son yesterday using the 40mm pancake in the park, most shots soft, but a few sharp ones. I also used my 24-105L, again, most soft with a few sharp, and today using my 50mm ART indoors, some really out of focus, but a few blisteringly sharp. I can't have three duff lenses, and I know the 6D focus isn't great, but surely it's not that poor, is it?? I don't remember it being this bad, it just seems to be getting worse??

It's either camera, or technique.

Once checked with locked down tripod shots, you can confirm which one it is...

If you don't know how to do this:
Light subject properly
Camera on tripod
Aim at subject
Set focus to minimum or infinity
AF (viewfinder)

Flip to liveview, zoom in 10x to check focus.
If you need to take a photo, make sure you use delay or release to take out camera shake and make sure IS is off.

Do this multiple times.

If LV / photos are in focus... then it's you.
Needless to say focus on a high contrast area that is parallel to plane of focus to take out any possibility of focusing on wrong part of target.

Should take literally 5 minutes or less.

welshwizard1971 wrote in post #17552037
My 6D is really starting to get my goat, I went out with my son yesterday using the 40mm pancake in the park, most shots soft, but a few sharp ones. I also used my 24-105L, again, most soft with a few sharp, and today using my 50mm ART indoors, some really out of focus, but a few blisteringly sharp. I can't have three duff lenses, and I know the 6D focus isn't great, but surely it's not that poor, is it?? I don't remember it being this bad, it just seems to be getting worse??

My take on '6D focus isn't great'. I recently compared my 6D to a used 7D. WRT the center point, the 6D is more responsive in AI-Servo than the 7D, both at switching subjects, and at staying on the same subject. I also use several fast (f/1.4-1.8) primes, and have never needed MFA on my 6D. My 6D can focus in light I can't see in. I am either very lucky, or the 6D is pretty darn good at focusing.

Have you checked your firmware version?
My first 6D was iffy to say the least where focus was concerned.
With the latest firmware I get about a 75% hit rate which, in my book, is pretty good.

There are a million other reasons for missing focus but the above would be one off the list.

GeoKras1989 wrote in post #17552644
My take on '6D focus isn't great'. I recently compared my 6D to a used 7D. WRT the center point, the 6D is more responsive in AI-Servo than the 7D, both at switching subjects, and at staying on the same subject. I also use several fast (f/1.4-1.8) primes, and have never needed MFA on my 6D. My 6D can focus in light I can't see in. I am either very lucky, or the 6D is pretty darn good at focusing.

I guess I'm really lucky too. Mine hits most every time and if it doesn't I know why.....operator malfunction.

fordmondeo wrote in post #17552893
Have you checked your firmware version?
My first 6D was iffy to say the least where focus was concerned.
With the latest firmware I get about a 75% hit rate which, in my book, is pretty good.

Kind of amazing to me that anyone would be pleased with a camera of this caliber that only focuses properly 75% of the time. But hey, to each his own.

saea501 wrote in post #17553132
I guess I'm really lucky too. Mine hits most every time and if it doesn't I know why.....operator malfunction.

Kind of amazing to me that anyone would be pleased with a camera of this caliber that only focuses properly 75% of the time. But hey, to each his own.

Kind of amazing someone infers they have never mis-focused. Each to their own.

Firmware updated, was always quite happy the problem wasn't me as well ( auto, manual, live view, all the same )

Did some hunting around on the net, turned off the camera settings for chrom abb correction and lens correction ( don't remember turning them on?? ), all seems OK now??

welshwizard1971 wrote in post #17553148
Firmware updated, was always quite happy the problem wasn't me as well ( auto, manual, live view, all the same )

Did some hunting around on the net, turned off the camera settings for chrom abb correction and lens correction ( don't remember turning them on?? ), all seems OK now??

I have to admit I prefer to process raw images.
I had not considered the in camera correction until you mentioned it.

I see you're a Southampton man. Just up the road from me.

Indeed, and I once had a Mondeo

For my hobby stuff I always shoot raw, but for family stuff I always do JPEG, just far too many to process!!

A RAW one from this morning...

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/sGWL​AU

Well that picture looks in focus to me.

On the point of processing raw, I've found that if the lighting has not changed much throughout any given session.
The copy and paste recipe function in Canon DPP saves a lot of time.
But I'm guessing you knew that anyway.

saea501 wrote in post #17553132
I guess I'm really lucky too. Mine hits most every time and if it doesn't I know why.....operator malfunction.

Kind of amazing to me that anyone would be pleased with a camera of this caliber that only focuses properly 75% of the time. But hey, to each his own.

I am just a bit curious. If I don't get the capture I intended, I blame myself first. But I grew up on all-manual film (Av, Tv, ASA, focus, film-advance) cameras. Forty years ago, there was no automation to blame things on. If I got it wrong repeatedly, it was proof that I lacked some skill or knowledge. I'm not saying all problems today are operator error, but that is usually not the first place folks go with blame. Did you grow up using film cameras?

fordmondeo wrote in post #17553144
Kind of amazing someone infers they have never mis-focused. Each to their own.

Not sure where you got that. If you will reread what I said.......I said when there is a missed focus the fault was mine, not the camera's. That's what operator malfunction means.

GeoKras1989 wrote in post #17553222
I am just a bit curious. If I don't get the capture I intended, I blame myself first. But I grew up on all-manual film (Av, Tv, ASA, focus, film-advance) cameras. Forty years ago, there was no automation to blame things on. If I got it wrong repeatedly, it was proof that I lacked some skill or knowledge. I'm not saying all problems today are operator error, but that is usually not the first place folks go with blame. Did you grow up using film cameras?

I did. I bought my first real camera in1969.

I have noticed that most here place the blame on their equipment first. That, to me, is what makes this place so interesting and entertaining. Make no mistake, there are some extremely talented people here. There are also a much greater number that think they are in that group of extremely talented people and that think they know more about Canon cameras than Canon does. Again, those are the ones that build the entertainment value.

I know this, as most of my posts, won't be very popular and that's fine. I guess I'm just more of a realist than many here and I try to relate my experiences with my equipment for those that care to listen.

I noticed too that the very few truly great photographers that come here don't join in discussions like these. I wonder why?

Actually, I know why.

saea501 wrote in post #17553299
Not sure where you got that. If you will reread what I said.......I said when there is a missed focus the fault was mine, not the camera's. That's what operator malfunction means..

No, you said that to someone else.

saea501 wrote in post #17553299
I noticed too that the very few truly great photographers that come here don't join in discussions like these. I wonder why?

.

Kinda shot yourself in the foot there!

fordmondeo wrote in post #17553407
Kinda shot yourself in the foot there!

I know you might have liked that but sorry, no, I didn't.

I most certainly do not include myself among the very few really good shooters on this forum. I shoot because I enjoy it. If I sell some things and get a few published then so much the better.