7D Mk2 Focus

There is a very long thread re 7D Mk2 focus issues of which I have scan read.

Simple question.
Are there still problems or is it now down to operator error?

It seems to me that opening a new thread threatens to put the same worms in a different can...

That having been said, my general sense of this is that:

1. Some people did and potentially do have faulty cameras - how many is unclear, but my personal guess (and that's all it is) is that the number is relatively small
   
2. There seems to have been or maybe there still is a problem using AI Servo to focus on static or near-static subjects, but whether this is a fault in the camera or a failure of expectation is unclear to me
   
3. The AF system in the 7D2 is complex and takes some understanding and a good deal of experimentation to adjust the camera to a photographers personal style and preferred method use - and to adjust that style and method to best match what the camera offers
   
4. The new version 1.04 firmware may have fixed or tightened up or just altered some aspect(s) of the camera's AI Servo system, although I'm personally unsure whether it has done anything at all or, if it has, what that something may have been
   

• I've posted once or twice on 'the big AF thread'
  
• My 7D2 has worked just fine from day one, mostly with my old 100-400 then my new 100-400II (with or without the EX 1.4 III), with no messing around and no need for MFA
  
• I've not in any way stressed the AI Servo focusing on mine though - I've mostly been shooting static or semi-static subjects in one shot mode, or big/easy subjects using AI servo
  
• I've not yet installed the new firmware
  

A percentage of people have sent them in and had them tuned up or the mirror boxes/AF sensors replaced and claiming success. No one will ever know if there is or was something going on because Canon has not announcement and likely will not.

Was there a glitch of some sort in the early batches that was resolved? No one knows. Are most AF issues due to the user - yes.

So it is pretty difficult to answer your question. I found this post very informative and it may help you.

https://photography-on-the.net …showthread.php?​p=17434408

Thanks.

I was asking because I really want a 7D Mk2 but have been holding off in case an issue with the camera existed or still exists.
I am enthusiastic about macro so accurate and repeatable focus is important to me.

I hate it when a shadow of doubt is cast over a camera, particularly one I want.

Well the percentage of cameras that were fine from day one is very high compared to ones that seemed off. So it is not a design issue like the 1D3 was. The design is sound. Every manufacturing process on the planet can have hiccups - if that was indeed what it was - which we will never really know for sure.

I used my 7D2 at a macro workshop very soon after I bought (a bit of a risk with an unfamiliar camera but I did take a 2nd more familiar body). It worked out OK I think:

http://flic.kr/p/pMBY2​d

...Mike

fordmondeo wrote in post #17582452
Thanks.

I was asking because I really want a 7D Mk2 but have been holding off in case an issue with the camera existed or still exists.
I am enthusiastic about macro so accurate and repeatable focus is important to me.

I hate it when a shadow of doubt is cast over a camera, particularly one I want.

A friend of mine bought a 70D in January. It appears to have focus issues. I have no idea how many OOF shots are caused by the user vs the camera. The point being that because the 7D2 was released seven months ago does not imply all the 'bad' cameras are taken. My 7D2 doesn't come close to my T3i when it comes to image sharpness. I just updated the firmware. Maybe that will make a difference.

The best advise I can offer is to make sure your retailer has a sufficiently long return window for you to test the camera and not get stuck with a bad one.

Rod

Fordmondeo, go for it, it's a excellent camera, and whatever the issues are, they are being worked on or have been for the most part fixed. Modern cameras always have their issues when they first come out. I did have to send mine in, but I would like to think any newer models would have had all those fixes added by now. Good Luck.

Ricky

Camera enthusiasts tend to be very vocal when they have problems - people who get great results out of the box, much less so. It's very likely that we've heard from the vast majority of people here who have had issues, whereas those who have not may not bother to post; I've seen that in my regional photo community to a certain extent as well. I was tracking the reported issues for months before buying my 7D2 and counted about 10 well-documented, credible reports of defective cameras across multiple forums. Many users, with all credit to them, resolved their own issues and acknowledged so. Others have sent units in for repair and reported success, indicating a probable defect. Clearly some units have had problems, and there is a process for rectifying them. Based on reports from users who have had repair, I strongly believe it's a manufacturing/QC issue, not a design problem. Likely there was a batch of cameras released with alignment/assembly issues and they've made their way through the system by now, especially if you buy a new unit from a dealer with good ethics and rapid turnover.

Projecting from typical sales levels of newly-introduced Canon systems, I'm estimating sales in the tens of thousands at this point, 8-9 months after introduction. Let's say 20 bad units as a starting point; that's roughly 0.1% defect rate. My call was that was low enough to "risk" buying a US-warranty camera from an established dealer for $1400. Your level of comfort with that is what you have to decide.

I think forums like these create a hypochondria affect around every new product as it seems people are already hyper-sensitive to any potential problem "their copy" might have. And the 7d2 is a perfect example of this.

Were/are there issues with some cameras? 100% Yes.
Was user error the cause of some of the other issues. 100% Yes.

And I think there is even a percentage of users seeing some kind of placebo effect post firmware update. And an equally large if not larger percentage of users that can't produce some of the results(photos) others post on the forums and blame the camera instead of the photographer. I see this in every hobby I'm in or ever been in from RC Car racing to shooting Glocks.

Another example of this hyper-sensitivity is when a user posted that he striped the treaded insert out of his 100-400 II foot. Then all of a sudden the design of the entire mount is called into question.

GregDunn wrote in post #17582564
Camera enthusiasts tend to be very vocal when they have problems - people who get great results out of the box, much less so. It's very likely that we've heard from the vast majority of people here who have had issues, whereas those who have not may not bother to post; I've seen that in my regional photo community to a certain extent as well. I was tracking the reported issues for months before buying my 7D2 and counted about 10 well-documented, credible reports of defective cameras across multiple forums. Many users, with all credit to them, resolved their own issues and acknowledged so. Others have sent units in for repair and reported success, indicating a probable defect. Clearly some units have had problems, and there is a process for rectifying them. Based on reports from users who have had repair, I strongly believe it's a manufacturing/QC issue, not a design problem. Likely there was a batch of cameras released with alignment/assembly issues and they've made their way through the system by now, especially if you buy a new unit from a dealer with good ethics and rapid turnover.

Projecting from typical sales levels of newly-introduced Canon systems, I'm estimating sales in the tens of thousands at this point, 8-9 months after introduction. Let's say 20 bad units as a starting point; that's roughly 0.1% defect rate. My call was that was low enough to "risk" buying a US-warranty camera from an established dealer for $1400. Your level of comfort with that is what you have to decide.

That is a good statement. "People who get great results out of the box". There is no reason why this can't be done if a user picks a simple AF mode, uses appropriate shutter speeds and technique for that pixel density, especially for a veteran photographer - for any camera when you think about it. No manufacturer will release a produce it takes weeks to figure out before you can start to get decent images. Aside from needing some serious MFA for a lens that is badly out (or possibly the body) a user should be nailing images out of the box. People did it and posted images. I'm not talking about trying to get a swallow in flight on your first day out. Not a good plan unless you have some experience. Stills or someone jogging by should be a cakewalk for this system with factory settings.

Some of it came from the 6 cases numbers and people thinking they needed to use them for basic shots and tweaked all over the place trying to compensate for something else. It can be tough to sift through all of that while helping someone out. There comes a point where you exhaust all options and have to make a decision.

As was said, if I get one with a 28 day return period, that should be enough to get a feel for the camera.

Thanks all.

Like many others, I was a bit leery of getting the 7D2. I read the manual before mine arrived and ordered a Kindle copy of this book: www.amazon.com/Canon-Mark-Experience-Photography-Operation-ebook/dp/B00R58CF7G/

$10 well spent.

After that, I took the suggestions posted by Pondrader (Jeff) because he shoots wildlife and birds as I do. I haven't played around with too many settings. I use Case 5 with the Tracking Sensitivity one notch to the left... so down one notch. I also set up back button focusing. That's it.... and I'm getting photographs that surprise me. I know people say that the gear doesn't matter as much as the person behind the camera, but I can tell you, I'm getting more keepers from my 7D2 combo than I ever did from any other combo I've owned. The closest was with my 70D and 70-300L.

I had one of the problem bodies. I sent it to Canon. They found a problem, and fixed it. The camera now gives me a higher percentage of keepers then any other body that I have owned particularly with locking on flying birds. It didn't happen immediately though. I had to do allot of trying various focus settings before I found the ones that worked for me. I would say buy it. It's a very good camera.

Larry,

I'm always glad when someone gives us a follow-up. Glad things worked out well for you.

I was so hyper when I ordered mine back in November last year. Knowing Canon has been able to fix the problems with many of the cameras takes away some of the trepidation.

Thank you for taking the time to share your own experience.