Canon 7D Focus

I have been a bit disappointed with some shots from my 7D. Still subjects are ok but moving targets (birds in flight, etc) have been soft. I had already posted these shots in the bird section but decided to try a bit more sharpening on them.
Do you think they are over sharpened or is a bit more sharpening than I did with my 30D what is needed with the 7D?

weeman750 wrote in post #9352120
I have been a bit disappointed with some shots from my 7D. Still subjects are ok but moving targets (birds in flight, etc) have been soft. I had already posted these shots in the bird section but decided to try a bit more sharpening on them.
Do you think they are over sharpened or is a bit more sharpening than I did with my 30D what is needed with the 7D?

Hard to tell with a low res image without EXIF data and only one example of a bird that has little fine detail

and the first two birds are in a very low contrast situation almost the same color as the background making it more tricky to focus properly

As stated the first couple shots contrast is very low making it tough for camera. The lack of exif information doesn't help.

On the sharpening, there are obvious sharpening artifacts in the remaining images, particularly easily seen in the coot image. The speckling seen in water is evident throughtout the plumage.

since there isn't any data for photos, what focus mode are you using? Not talking AF Servo, but Focus Fn. The 7D has several modes and also has tweak settings for the AF. In a low contrast subject you might not want Spot AF, just Single Point AF. Only saw one shot were focus looked ON.

The 30D has a lighter low pass (anti-aliassing) filter, so I can well imagine that the 7D might require more sharpening. On the other hand, it probably accepts sharpening better than the 30D.

It's difficult to judge the low res shots you've posted, but the first three seem fine, while four seems very soft.

I havent been too happy with my 7D focusing either. I'm wondering if something is wrong with my AF especially in AI SERVO. I've had lots of people tell me their 7D's are better than their Mark 3's which I find hard to believe cuz my Mark 3 was way better and responsive.

The 7D has very quickly earned a reputation for being a camera that has to be understood, particularly it's AF systems. Why that should be more so than any other new body I have no idea, maybe just more complicated?

Lowner wrote in post #9370858
The 7D has very quickly earned a reputation for being a camera that has to be understood, particularly it's AF systems. Why that should be more so than any other new body I have no idea, maybe just more complicated?

Thats a bunch of BS. There arent that many settings on the 7D for AF that would GREATLY affect the cameras ability to AF properly. It can either do it or it cant' SImple as that.

A lot of 1D Mark III guys like the AF from the 7D. Keep in mind that the APS-C workflow is a little different from FF. In DPP you need to slide the sharping setting up to 6. Take care.

Two thoughts:
1) There is substantial evidence that 7D images may need more sharpening than images from some other Canon cameras.
2) There is some evidence that a higher shutter speed may be needed using the 7D to maintain the same perceived level of sharpness as would result from a lower shutter speed on lower-resolution sensor cameras, especially with longer focal-length shots (a possible reason for this is that the higher-resolution 7D sensor "magnifies" camera/subject movement more than a lower-resolution sensor).

I've found that many sharpness complaints against the 7D come from the fact that since it's an 18mp crop camera it will mercilessly amplify every problem that might have occured when taking the shot. Such as atmosphere, motion blur, missed focus (whether it's user error or AF error etc.). So when people look at the 100% crops they are disappointed.
I've shot birds in flight with my 7D and was generally happy with the results. Still if I had a nice L tele prime, my pics would be much better. It's not the camera or the sensor that's soft, it's the other things. When someone uses a 30D, or XT with their 8mp sensor, these tiny flaws of the picture are not as much visible as on an 18mp image. They are there but not as visible, giving you a "it's much sharper than the 7D" impression.
Now you may ask then what's the point of the 18mp? Well, what's the point of a 190 mph Porsche when you can only drive 70-80 mph max on public roads... The 7D, when the lens, the conditions and everything is good is capable of very sharp 100% crops.

Sorry, I kinda got off topic here. but anyway, here is the 7D 100% crops thread with a lot of great shots that look sharp even at 100%

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=799284

stsva wrote in post #9371037
Two thoughts:
1) There is substantial evidence that 7D images may need more sharpening than images from some other Canon cameras.
2) There is some evidence that a higher shutter speed may be needed using the 7D to maintain the same perceived level of sharpness as would result from a lower shutter speed on lower-resolution sensor cameras, especially with longer focal-length shots (a possible reason for this is that the higher-resolution 7D sensor "magnifies" camera/subject movement more than a lower-resolution sensor).

Haha, you beat me. I guess I babble too much

gabebalazs wrote in post #9371069
I've found that many sharpness complaints against the 7D come from the fact that since it's an 18mp crop camera it will mercilessly amplify every problem that might have occured when taking the shot. Such as atmosphere, motion blur missed focus (whether it's user error or AF error etc.). So when people look at the 100% crops they are disappointed.


https://photography-on-the.net …read.php?t=7992​84&page=13

Then how come you dont see 5dmkII users or 1DsIII users complain? I hope one day all DSLRS are FF

AzzKicker wrote in post #9371080
Then how come you dont see 5dmkII users or 1DsIII users complain? I hope one day all DSLRS are FF

You're right they don't complain as much.
Year for one, 5DII: FF. So there is no 1.6x angle of view magnification factor. 1DIII: 10 mp, again point made above about magnifying flaws on the 18mp 7D.
Another big reason is that I don't think 5d shooters shoot as much sports and birds in flight as 7D users. So less potential for motion blur.

But they do complain too. Just check out all the 5DII pattern noise complaint threads floating around.