7D Focusing Issues? Look in here for answers

snyderman wrote in post #9565188
Mike:

your symptoms are exactly what I've been experiencing. Even with static unmoving targets, which is even more frustrating! And of course, I'm shooting basketball with the camera in vertical position as well.

My next course of action is to call Canon and speak to a technician who is knowledgeable with the 7D to see if I'm not correctly understanding the capabilities of the camera. If this person can't correct me, next step is to send it back.

I'm with the others who feel that centerpoint only focusing should be producing tack sharp shots when aimed correctly and the camera responds by focusing the lens. Mine is definitely NOT doing this!

However, the shots I posted here initially are tack sharp using the centerpoint expanded mode. Definitely a head-scratcher for me.

dave

I called Canon today. They email me a label to cover shipping and are treating it as if it was not repaired properly the first time. The first time it was severly back focusing. Now the tracking is too unpredictable, off more often than on target. I have too many shots that I cannot use from a Track & Field championship, dance competitions and basketball.

I'll post an update when I get the camera back, for now I'll use my 40D

Mike R wrote in post #9570383
I called Canon today. They email me a label to cover shipping and are treating it as if it was not repaired properly the first time. The first time it was severly back focusing. Now the tracking is too unpredictable, off more often than on target. I have too many shots that I cannot use from a Track & Field championship, dance competitions and basketball.

I'll post an update when I get the camera back, for now I'll use my 40D

Interesting.. I have been struggling with this myself and totally thought my OOF shots were all user error. I have been taking pictures of my friends kids football games the past few weekends primarily to use different AF settings. My problems only seem to be using AIServo. I sent mine in today for look at by Canon. Hopefully they will find a problem, because if not, then it's back to me being the problem. Funny though I didn't have this many problems with my XSI..

-AP- wrote in post #9570469
Interesting.. I have been struggling with this myself and totally thought my OOF shots were all user error. I have been taking pictures of my friends kids football games the past few weekends primarily to use different AF settings. My problems only seem to be using AIServo. I sent mine in today for look at by Canon. Hopefully they will find a problem, because if not, then it's back to me being the problem. Funny though I didn't have this many problems with my XSI..

Proof that it's not user error and my 40D was perfect. At an event, another photographer let me use his 85 f/1.8 (Which is what I was using) and the problem didn't go away which confirms that it's not a lens issue. I told the Canon rep that I would get better results with my old Digitial Rebel then with the 7D (AI Servo was horrible on that body). He laughed!

http://blog.photoframd​.com …ocusing-customize-the-af/

LTZ470 wrote in post #9570947
http://blog.photoframd​.com …ocusing-customize-the-af/

There is some good information there but I already use center point and it switches points when I switch camera to vertical, AI Servo for sports, focus removed from shutter button and put on back button (both AF and *) Half press of shutter button disabled.

One shot focusing is great, AI Servo has serious problem regardless of the focus point used. I'm confident that Canon will repair it. The AI Servo was fine until they repaired the severe back focusing issue the camera had. I'll just use my 40D for a couple of weeks.

They can probably fix this issue for us with a firmware upgrade.

I have problems with mine, resulting in oof shots and thought it was me.
Shooting hockey, in AI center point.
Called Canon, and they emailed me, instructing me to take some test shots, and email them back.
Now they want me to send it in, shipping paid.
Looks like its a wide spread problem.
But first, I want to take some hockey shots in AI, center point expanded and see if that makes a difference for me.
Next game is Saturday night.
I'll follow up.
Thanks

carshop wrote in post #9585890
I have problems with mine, resulting in oof shots and thought it was me.
Shooting hockey, in AI center point.
Called Canon, and they emailed me, instructing me to take some test shots, and email them back.
Now they want me to send it in, shipping paid.
Looks like its a wide spread problem.
But first, I want to take some hockey shots in AI, center point expanded and see if that makes a difference for me.
Next game is Saturday night.
I'll follow up.
Thanks

Even if it does make a difference, send it in. It can seem Ok then a minute later act up.

Mike R wrote in post #9570506
Proof that it's not user error and my 40D was perfect. At an event, another photographer let me use his 85 f/1.8 (Which is what I was using) and the problem didn't go away which confirms that it's not a lens issue. I told the Canon rep that I would get better results with my old Digitial Rebel then with the 7D (AI Servo was horrible on that body). He laughed!

Got mine back yesterday..

This is what they said in the repair order..

We'll see what happens....

-AP- wrote in post #9626210
Got mine back yesterday..

This is what they said in the repair order..


We'll see what happens....

Good luck AP. Hope it performs flawlessly in centerpoint only in AI Servo mode!

Let us know.

dave

-AP- wrote in post #9626210
Got mine back yesterday..

This is what they said in the repair order..

We'll see what happens....

That seems like the standard reply. I'd love to know what's this electrical adjustment is.

I to have had troubles with both of my 7D's. I'm on my second one because of this focus issue. I have spoken to Canon about this. As a matter of fact, my second body is on it's way back to Canon as I write this. When I called them the tech told me to always use One Shot AF on a static subject. Use AI Servo and AI focus ONLY if the subject is in motion or you expect it to move. The examples he used were as follows: Car on a showroom floor...One Shot AF. Drag car waiting at the line....AI Focus (you know the car is going to move) Race car during a race....AI Servo. He went on to explain that using AI Servo on a static subject would produce an OOF shots every time...his words, not mine. He also admitted everyone, including the techs, is having a difficult time understanding the 7d's new AF system.

My 1D Mark II in AI Servo is good on static objects as well. While technically what he says is true, it should NOT produce OOF shots just because it is on AI SERVO. AI SERVO just means it will continuously focus. If it is predicting motion on inanimate objects then it is broken.

I've had a completely different experience with my 7D thus far. Coming from a 40D, I've found that using the expansion AF to yield almost a 70% keep rate on indoor track and field where with the 40D, I'd be lucky to have 40% in perfect focus

putch wrote in post #9700841
He went on to explain that using AI Servo on a static subject would produce an OOF shots every time...his words, not mine.

Thats a crock--I'm on my 8'th digital body--all Canon-and AI servo in combination with back button focusing is all I've ever used except for macro.