7dmk2 AF Tracking Question

Not sure what I am doing wrong, but I tried setting my AF to "Case 2", selected it, but it didn't seem to work for me. Focus won't lock on to one subject.

Settings I had were manual, AI servo. I'm guessing there is a step I am missing to actually select "Case 2". Probably highlighted but not selected maybe?

Today I tried shooting a soccer game and the AF would not lock on the player.

If you selected it properly, case 2 will be shown on the menu screen.
There could be a number of reasons why you didn't get AF to lock on. How many focus points do you have activated? What lens are you using. Can you post a photo.

1) As requested, are you controlling which AF points, or do you have all points turned on?
2) Is your lens AF switch set to on?
3) Do you have AI Servo or One Shot turned on?

TeamSpeed wrote in post #18249850
1) As requested, are you controlling which AF points, or do you have all points turned on?
2) Is your lens AF switch set to on?
3) Do you have AI Servo or One Shot turned on?

- Yes, I am controlling which AF points I am using.
- AF selected on lens (70-20mm 2.8L)
- AF Servo selected

My camera is focusing; it's just not locking focus. I had way too many shots focused on the background instead of the players.

Also, I tried an experiment. I focused on an object 20 feet away from me. I left my finger pressing the shutter release button, panned the camera away but the camera refocused on whatever I pointed at despite leaving my finger pressed on the shutter release button. In other words, it did not lock focus.

Larry Johnson wrote in post #18249846
If you selected it properly, case 2 will be shown on the menu screen.
There could be a number of reasons why you didn't get AF to lock on. How many focus points do you have activated? What lens are you using. Can you post a photo.

It shows on the menu screen, but for some reason it is not letting me select it.

If you haven't taken focus off the shutter button, then half-pressing the shutter would engage AF the entire time, wouldn't it? That means it would shift focus where you put your AF point.

When you say you want focus locked, do you mean you want to focus on something, then not have it not change as you aim at other things? That sounds like you want to turn off AF from the shutter, then use AF-ON on the back to set your focus, then let off AF-ON to keep focus where it was. If so, that is not case 2, you want to customize your buttons. Case 2 is used for more fast paced action where the object is obscured for very short times, and then comes back into focus. If it doesn't see that object again in short order, it will refocus. You also have to be very good at keeping the AF point on the subject, even as it is temporarily obscured.

Some links:
http://learn.usa.canon​.com …os7dmk2_afGuide​book.shtml
https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=pYFMVnCDqig

My own use of the 7D2 and its AF system to track players during a game.

If I understand the 7D2 properly, which Case you have dialed in means nothing. Cases are only storage bins for the slider-settings they contain. If you set up all Cases the same, they will all behave the same. Case is not the problem.

This video may have the answer. I didn't watch it all.
https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=NpFezdEC4d4

It has nothing to do with case numbers. Case numbers kick in after the initial AF acquisition. They control tracking characteristics. Something else is going on.

I am still hung up on this comment... The behavior described is exactly what the camera should be doing. No set of AF settings will stop focusing as the scene changes while in AI Servo mode and AF is active. Those settings are very discrete and only are effective during bursts of action, but also depends how good you are at tracking your subject with the AF point. I am a bit confused on what the expectation really is.

snegron wrote in post #18249867
Also, I tried an experiment. I focused on an object 20 feet away from me. I left my finger pressing the shutter release button, panned the camera away but the camera refocused on whatever I pointed at despite leaving my finger pressed on the shutter release button. In other words, it did not lock focus.

Are you saying that only Case 2 has this behavior?

Will the focus lock on a stationary object?

Where is your focus selection set to? I use the center group of AF points on mine most often and works well.

I don't have the 7DII but I sincerely doubt if the AF philosophy is different than my 5DIII...

The OP said that he selects the AF point and as he pans, the AF point picks up focus at where its new position is.

There are two ways to use the AF point.

One is to select a single point for AF and then move it around the matrix of AF points (with the joystick or whatever the 7D is using to move things around).

The other is to select ALL points. You then use the joystick to select your INITIAL AF point and that point will lock onto the subject and move around the AF point matrix automatically.

I suspect that the OP used the first way of doing things, but he expects the results of the second.

^^Initial focus lock is the same AFAIK.

The 'Cases" affect how the locked focus point stays locked onto the subject despite it moving around.

If the OP has messed around with some of the settings inside the case setting that may be throwing things off.

snegron wrote in post #18249867
- Yes, I am controlling which AF points I am using.
- AF selected on lens (70-20mm 2.8L)
- AF Servo selected

My camera is focusing; it's just not locking focus. I had way too many shots focused on the background instead of the players.

Also, I tried an experiment. I focused on an object 20 feet away from me. I left my finger pressing the shutter release button, panned the camera away but the camera refocused on whatever I pointed at despite leaving my finger pressed on the shutter release button. In other words, it did not lock focus.

There might be an issue here of what is meant by "lock". AF Servo means continuous focus. It won't lock. It will refocus when the AF points are over other things.

Archibald wrote in post #18250291
There might be an issue here of what is meant by "lock". AF Servo means continuous focus. It won't lock. It will refocus when the AF points are over other things.

^ I took it to mean it locks on a subject and constantly maintains that focus.

unless he's pushing the focus lock button in which case that would render the servo case 2 lock inoperable.