7D AF getting frustrating

[Paulstw]

Some may know I've been going on about the 1D mkiii of late, and with good reason. It looks fantastic, but I've been trying to iron out what frustrates me about the 7D, so that I have a solid reason in my head to switch.

I want to know that it's just not me that is either getting this wrong or it's just the camera.

AF Tracking in AI Servo in a burst run

C.Fn III:1 - AI Servo Sensitivity - Set to halfway between Slow and middle
C.Fn III:2 - 0:AF priority/Track priority (It'll focus first then focus for every shot in burst after that)
C.Fn III:3 - 1: Continuous AF track priority

Now, if my understanding is correct with theses settings, if i lock onto a moving subject it will focus on the subject on the first shot and subsequent shots. The knock on effect will be the decrease in burst rate.

Also if anything comes into the scene, the continuous AF track priority will ignore this, and coupled with AI Servo Sensitivity probably won't even get to see it.

I have been trialling this for a few days now and I'm lucky if I get 1 or 2 shots in a 10-20 shot burst run.

One thing of note is that I don't use Zone AF. I turned it off on the advice of another wildlife photographer, saying to stick to Single Point AF and keep the subject in the middle.

I tried this last night and got my GF to walk towards me from the kitchen to the living room on a 45 degree angle away from me using Zone AF. It was a little better with 3-4 in focus, however the conflicting advice not to use Zone AF has me concerned.

What's everyone doing? I can't truly discount the 7D until I've tried everything, and the evidence of this working is everywhere, and I'm guessing it's my lack of understanding of how this works rather than the camera. Going to a 1D mkiii is not going to solve this issue for me, if that's the case.

Cheers for the help,

Paul

[the black fox]

Re: 7D AF getting frustrating

right paul just had a look at the settings on mine ,which were changed by my lad the other day (he has had 3 years with a 7d and knows it inside out for wildlife ) i haven't tried these settings yet due to the id3 ,but if ash says there right they are .
so
C.FNIII;1 should be set half way between the 0 centre mark and slow

C.FNIII;2 is the correct setting

C.FNIII;3 should be on main focus point priority


so you had one right out of 3 ,let me know how you get on with these ,his advice as well is ALWAYS check your exposure on the histogram as the 7d needs expose sing to the right quite a bit

[Paulstw]

Re: 7D AF getting frustrating

Cheers Jeff. I had the third one set up till last night. Does he use Zone AF or Single point? Heard the auto AF points select the closest contrasting edge in the zone it's focussing on, and might not be the subject your trying to capture.

[MX5]

Re: 7D AF getting frustrating

You might find this useful (or not) ... EOS 7D: Sophisticated, Customizable AF System (From Canon DLC).

[Paulstw]

Re: 7D AF getting frustrating

You might find this useful (or not) ... EOS 7D: Sophisticated, Customizable AF System (From Canon DLC).

That's odd I read all that yesterday and watched the videos on the canon site. Part of the reason I have it set up the way I do. Cheers for the share, as I was reading it on my phone lol

If I don't get this AF system right I'll flounder with a 1D mkiii and look like a tool when it's needed.

[wayne2418]

Re: 7D AF getting frustrating

Interesting thread PAUL .. I will be watching intently .....

[Paulstw]

Re: 7D AF getting frustrating

After watching and reading a few things from Rudy Winston, I've realised that it's user error. I don't think I've been giving this camera a chance to do what it can do, and in the right lighting conditions with the correct AF point and taking into account DOF on telephoto lenses, I'm not really giving the 7D a chance in hell of latching onto the subject and following it, in the 10th of a second it's got to AF in between shots.

This video, where he lectures a room full of photographers on the EOS AF system really drove home the errors in my own thinking of how it worked.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_F7lCvp5DI

I think I got lucky yesterday with the shot below. It's a massive crop as usual for these, and on all the shots that missed the centre point was used and I didn't track it very well. The bird was in the bottom third most of the shots.

Steep learning curve all this stuff man lol


Kingfisher in Flight by Campsie Photography, on Flickr

[Paulstw]

Re: 7D AF getting frustrating

Also I've set the multi controller to direct mode. Can't believe I haven't used this so far. Now means I can just switch the AF point instantly by moving the joystick instead of pressing the AF selector switch.

*facepalm*

[Malcolm]

Re: 7D AF getting frustrating

I've struggled with the AF zones on the 1DX, and have used single point as well as zones, both with mixed results. From what I've read, I think it works best with all 61 points selected then it should lock on and follow the subject (I think this only works if your subject is the size of an elephant).
I'm still not sure which is the best, I tend to use 9 selection points but sometimes the focus just doesn't seem to be spot on.
I'll be interested to see how you get on
Malcolm

[the black fox]

Re: 7D AF getting frustrating

single point paul and just juggle the position .i find the 7d is not that forgiving though having to be more or less bang on to be accurate (not yet tried the new settings though) and completely different to the 1d3 in how it does it i.e the 1d seems to pick up on surrounding a/f points even though set on one point a/f


the eyes have it by blackfox wildlife and nature imaging, on Flickr

as in this picture which to me looks dead sharp ,the focus point is over and above the bird to the right ,but its still pulled back a decent focus obviously picking up on the other unseen focus points .not sure how its been set up and i,m not gonna mess with it as it works well .
i have heard from the other guy that was with me when i shot this and he was using a 7d and 100-400 L lens and he says that none of his pics were in focus or were to noisy to use .its interesting though to see different points of view on this .as like you i shall be firmly back in the 7d boat once i return the 1d3 .still want to try out my other big lens on both cameras the sigma120-400 and see if it makes any difference

[the black fox]

Re: 7D AF getting frustrating

following on this i have just done a comparison between the two cameras and lenses to see what if any differences there are so heres the first
1d3 with the sigma 120-400 ,iso 1600 f7.1 hand held

1d3 & 120-400 sig by blackfox wildlife and nature imaging, on Flickr

next 7d and 400mm f 5.6 iso 1600 f7.1 hand held


7d & 400 5.6 by blackfox wildlife and nature imaging, on Flickr

both shots cropped till the bird was relatively the same size in frame /crop ,both p/p exactly the same .very marginal difference in quality etc has the 7d shot gained from a extra m/p ,smaller crop ,use of a L Lens i don't personally think so .makes you wonder what REAL improvements have been made in the last 6 or 7 years

[Paulstw]

Re: 7D AF getting frustrating

I've went out purposely to catch ducks in flight coming across the frame in a panning motion. They don't fly that fast, not as fast a kingfisher, and not one picture in focus. NOT ONE! Single Spot AF used and not one or even a part of the scene in focus. I'll post an example in a sec.

[Paulstw]

Re: 7D AF getting frustrating

I had deleted the flying ducks, but here is a classic example of what I mean. A mail goosander, with no areas that AF could be troubled with, it's all contrasting edges. Totally soft.

_MG_2313.jpg

If you press ALT+ L in DPP you can see the AF point used.

googsander.JPG

Can't even blame shutter speed either.

ISO1600
f.2.8
1/750

I used this bird as an example to see whether it could just track it swimming along, and nothing is in focus. Pretty simple task for this camera, but I nearly threw it in the river after viewing these on the LCD.

[Paulstw]

Re: 7D AF getting frustrating

I can't even blame back or front focussing because in single point AF, and in ONE SHOT I get this result.

_MG_2336.jpg

ISO1600
f/4.5
1/1000th

Focus point is halfway between the eye and undereye on this one. Perfectly in focus.

[Chris_R]

Re: 7D AF getting frustrating

I've went out purposely to catch ducks in flight coming across the frame in a panning motion. They don't fly that fast, not as fast a kingfisher, and not one picture in focus. NOT ONE! Single Spot AF used and not one or even a part of the scene in focus. I'll post an example in a sec.

Very interesting Paul, Unfortunately I have the exact same problem as you. One minute I get a shot that is perfect and the next the focus is way off even though the subject is in the AF Point.

Chris