7D focus mode question

I have a vague recollection of making the single centre focus point on the 7D quite small once, instead of the reasonably large box that it defaults to in single shot mode. I can't work out how to do it again. Does anyone know how?

The camera seems great, but there's a lot of functions/options.

You're looking for Sport AF mode, I assume.
Make sure it's enabled in Custom Function C.Fn. III-6, I believe.

Press the AF pattern selection button (The rightmost button on top with the -+- icon). Once that is done, the AF points glow red in the VF and the M-Fn button will cycle through the various AF modes. The one you are looking for is "Spot AF" and will show up a small box inside the normal sized AF area/sensor box.

int2str wrote in post #8809493
You're looking for Sport AF mode, I assume.
Make sure it's enabled in Custom Function C.Fn. III-6, I believe.

Do you mean spot? I'll check the CF, thanks

joove wrote in post #8809496
Press the AF pattern selection button (The rightmost button on top with the -+- icon). Once that is done, the AF points glow red in the VF and the M-Fn button will cycle through the various AF modes. The one you are looking for is "Spot AF" and will show up a small box inside the normal sized AF area/sensor box.

I've been playing with the M-Fn button, and I get to the single centre point focus mode. I just want that point to be smaller, which I don't think it does by default. It might be the CF above

Yes, spot, sorry.
And I just confirmed, it's enabled via C.Fn. III-6

Great i'll try it tonight, ta

As already mentioned, enable it in the Custom function.
Then to get to it, it's a 2 button process. The M.Fn button will toggle you through the various AF modes. Spot AF is the one with the smaller point within the rectangular box.

It works well...for its intended purpose.

I've got it now, thanks. What do you mean by "for its intended purpose" Nick?

For the intended purpose of focusing on a specific point, I presume.

I wouldn't imagine there's a huge difference between spot and regular focus, they seem to bracket the size of the 40D center focus point - or maybe it's just shown differently.

tim wrote in post #8811621
I wouldn't imagine there's a huge difference between spot and regular focus, they seem to bracket the size of the 40D center focus point - or maybe it's just shown differently.

The little red box on the 40D doesn't show all of the area covered by the focus point, just a small part of it. It's the same with the 7D in single point mode. In Spot mode the AF covers an area about the size of the big box.

Then if you for some reason do use the automatic modes on the 7D, they don't seem to exclude the bottom points, as they do on most other EOS cameras. I can somewhat understand this when using zone AF, but the fully automatic mode easily attaches the bottom point to the ground, and you end up with dramatic front focus.

I have yet to find a use for fully automatic AF - how could/should the camera know what you want to focus on - it's a gamble. This to me seems even worse than shooting in the so-called "idiot mode" with a camera (the green rectangle on the shooting mode dial). I use the single AF point with expansion and it works really, really well. I have shifted the single AF point to the left and right (instead of using the center point) and all my shots were in perfect focus. It really is quite amazing what Canon achieved with the 7F.

tim wrote in post #8811178
I've got it now, thanks. What do you mean by "for its intended purpose" Nick?

For making the focus area "finer" than the red box.
I've played around with it and it does help me achieve more critical focus.

5Dmaniac wrote in post #8812401
It really is quite amazing what Canon achieved with the 7F.

When was the replacement for the 7D released?