Was the T2i a mistake?

I bought the T2i as my first digital camera, and it just seems the pictures and focus issues I keep having are preventing me from getting a good majority of the shots I attempt. Was the 7D the right choice and I failed?

What's your experience level with using an SLR? My T2i is a very capable camera.

no..maybe you just need to practice more and learn the camera.
Are you using the green box? and are you letting it select the focus points?

why would the 7d be better for you?

No it was not a mistake, you need to read the manual.

A family member just got a t2i and the kit lens (18-55) was set to Manual Focus instead of Auto-Focus out of the box. There's also learning to be done on the different focusing modes and techniques.

if you think the T2i is a mistake the 7D will be even a bigger mistake then, much more focusing points and much more of a learning curve....

as others have mentioned, read the manual, learn to use the camera first, the T2i can take just as good of pictures as a 7D or any other crop sensor camera Canon makes and has made....

As always, no one can offer any help until you post up a sample or two, together with details of the exposure settings.

Is this your first SLR type camera? They are a lot more "challenging", even "frustrating", than simpler cameras. Far more to consider at all stages. It might even be as simple as camera movement but its impossible to judge here and now.

My wife has a 450D (Rebel XSi) and it's a great camera. I can't imagine that the 550D (T2i) is in anway inferior to the 450D, so I think the others are right; probably not the camera.

Post some example pics and make it easier for us to advise...

I have read 2-3 books by Bryan Peterson, and taken around 6k photos now, and they just don't seem to be getting any better. I understand 10x the amount and have much better lenses now, but it just seems I have a ton of throw away shots. Maybe frustration is just setting in

what mode do you shoot in and what focus point..auto or center?

I only shoot in AV mode and adjust accordingly. AI Servo. It seems I only have two focus types in the camera, manual, and 9 point auto select.

NothingRemains10 wrote in post #10660297
I only shoot in AV mode and adjust accordingly. AI Servo. It seems I only have two focus types in the camera, manual, and 9 point auto select.

What are you shooting? Try using One Shot instead of servo.

If the subject isn't moving servo can give wierd results.

Samples with exif would help

NothingRemains10 wrote in post #10660297
I only shoot in AV mode and adjust accordingly. AI Servo. It seems I only have two focus types in the camera, manual, and 9 point auto select.

Wow!

Lots to learn here! Go back to page one and start again!

Why do you only shoot in AV mode and do you understand what the focus points do and how they work? Do you know the difference between the center point and the rest?

99% of the time is not the camera, as I've told my wife who went from a P&S to a DSLR recently, the camera will not make you a better photographer, I can guarantee you that if you practice correctly and learn to shoot a DSLR you will also get this point.

Yea servo mode should only be used for moving subjects..Stick with using the center focus point.
AV mode is fine..I pretty much shoot in AV probably 99% of the time.

I mainly shoot wildlife also.