There's something really going wrong here. 7D

[Riggers]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

OK so at 1/640th, F5.6, ISO 4000 the bigger problem with the above is noise but the eye is nowhere near as sharp as I had expected. I was only about 15 to 20 feet away, using AI Servo, BBF, centre point, (and other CF settings same as you). I had every reason to expect this to be pin sharp but it wasn't. This is just one example of many.

[Riggers]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D


1/500, 420mm F6.3, ISO 3200.

[rajjayaraj]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

I owned 4 different camera and never had any problem with Mico-adjust, i wonder only because we have this facility now in camera that we worry too much and fiddle a lot?, Raj

[Nathaniel]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

I owned 4 different camera and never had any problem with Mico-adjust, i wonder only because we have this facility now in camera that we worry too much and fiddle a lot?, Raj

This is what I thought.

[Paulstw]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

Raj, this whole MFA thing started to fester in me when a Greater Spotted Woodpecker landed on my neighbours peanut feeder the day I brought my 400 5.6 home. It's never been seen in our street. I got the camera, and adopted my usual stance of leaning on the kitchen worktop and got some shots. On review the bark on the tree on the left of the tree was sharper than the bird on the feeder, and I knew right away that the lens was back focussing.

_MG_3705.jpg

At 1/400th shutter I'm pushing the boundary with this shot, but I was pretty secured on the worktop. You can see the left of the image is sharper. The focal point, Single point AF with One Shot focus. Focus confirmed beep was right on the feeder. The bird is softer than its cuddly toy variant.

I had just paid £915 for this lens 3 days before. I was instantly disappointed and felt I had made the biggest mistake of my life selling my 70-200 2.8. However, I thought, I can just correct for this. In an albeit poor attempt at trying to calibrate it, I think i got it close to what it should be.

This shot from yesterday with the +8 adjustment totally threw me off balance because although I used one of the outer focal points on the head and neck of the swan in AI Servo, the focus is actually on it's foot and back feathers. Head is soft.

_MG_4044.jpg

I then sat with my head in my hands in the hide baffled. I reset the MFA back to zero in the tent and just went on regardless for the rest of the day. The pond pictures above were taken several hours after this swan shot with the MFA set to zero again.

One thing I haven't considered above all, is the temperature. It was pretty cold yesterday. It never got above 3 degrees C. My camera wasn't in a bag at all. I carried it around on the tripod over my shoulder on the 6 miles I walked. The hide folds up into a back pack thing, and carrying my camera bag would have too much to take.

[MX5]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

Paul ... having had a 7D for quite a few years and having started off with disappointment I can empathise with you. What I did was to adopt the following methodology:

1a. Revert Camera to Defaults
1b. Clear all custom functions
2. Remove both batteries and leave for 24 hours
3. Replace both batteries and set clock. Repeat 1a and 1b.

-- Not sure how much of the above is really necessary (but humour me) ... you'll also have the image counter starting at 1 again. So take care not to overwrite your extant images.

4. Take camera, remote release, 400mm (in your case) and sturdy tripod to somewhere you can see a car (front or rear) at a distance such that it does quite fill the frame.
5. Set up camera/lens (Av [ f/5.6 in your case], AI Servo, Drive Mode to low-speed and select mirror lock up, IS OFF) nowt else!
6. Take a few photos with release.
7. Now find moving cars and repeat ... but this time take a series of shots.
8. Examine results.

Now change one CF (say the C.Fn III-1) and repeat moving car sequence. try a different value and see what transpires. Then move to C.Fn III-2 etc. Keep a note of how you get on.

I'm sure this rigorous (some might say anal) approach will give you a steer.

[rajjayaraj]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

Paul, if you have another body working well then try the 400mm and see if the repeat happens also follow MX5 suggestion to see if it was camera or the lens that causing this problem. Raj

[Paulstw]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

I measured the distance of my last attempt at micro adjust and it was 5m. Not enough so 10-20m is right out of the house so it's going to need to be an outdoor thing. I can't wait till it stops raining. It's really lashing it down today.

Going to rest the camera over the 24 hours, because I noted that the setting from C.Fn 111 didn't change to the middle notch. And my images didnt return to one. They just incremented. This could be my issue.

[the black fox]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

went through all this crap with mine to paul ,being slightly luckier i had my own 60d to play with ,no problems sharp shots right away ,a borrowed 1dmkiii no problems ,sharp shots right away ,my sons 70d ,no problems ,sharp shots right away .
this put to bed any chance that it was a lens issue .so it could only be the 7d playing up . in all other respects the camera is fine i inspected shots that my lad had taken when he had his 7d and 400mm set ump and they were the same as my efforts soft on download but sharpened up o.k in p/p .
so we now have a scenario where by the lens works 100% perfect with 3 different camera bodies and types but will not perform as needed with the 7d unless you put tons of work into finishing the images .sadly in my case it was a no brainer i made my decision as i said i would after giving myself enough time and effort to gel with it .
i got more for my 7d body on e/bay than i thought i would and my new one was the deal of the century .and i now feel content and more importantly confident that i can pick up my gear and get decent photos .and thats far more important than a few extra m/pixels

[Hereford_EOS]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

Hi Paul

I am sorry to read all your woes with the 7D.
I have owned the 7D since it was launched and can not fault it.
All my images are sharp except the user error ones.
My camera settings are pretty much factory default with the odd tweak.
In AIServo I always use the "expanded" centre point when shooting BIF. [centre focal point (without the dot)]
C.Fn III-1 Tracking sensitivity is set in the middle.
I also shoot in "M" mode 90% of the time.

[Paulstw]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

There's plenty of folk who deliver consistent results with the 7D. I think up to now I have managed to knock off quite a few images that still have me smiling. However, when that niggling nag sets into your head and you start to believe there's something not quite right, it's amazing how much of an impact it has. Not just on your confidence, but your drive to go out and get the shots.

Been reading all morning about the correct procedure for hard rest, and the 7D is currently without both batteries. I cleared custom settings before I did that, and have downloaded Firmware 2.0.5 so that's going in. CF has been formatted.

I do like how close I am to my subjects now, and there's times I do believe I'm not close enough even at 400mm and 1.6 crop. I could easily go out and buy a 1D mkIII today, and sell my 7D later, but I want to persevere with this to eliminate user error.

I can change the 7D settings without taking the camera away from my eyes. I can switch from One shot and Ai Servo in two clicks. High burst and single shot in the same. Buying a new body will upset everything and probably throw me back a few months.

I still might buy the 1D mkiii and have them both side by side for a while. It's the sensible option.

[the black fox]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

that would be sensible paul if you have the funds ,i had a few offers of good 1d3's last weekend plus the for sale ones on e/bay and T/P .and if you noticed i still have my 60d for the reach if needed .

[Riggers]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

Hi Paul

...In AIServo I always use the "expanded" centre point when shooting BIF. [centre focal point (without the dot)]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think that is what is called Single Point AF. With the dot is called Spot AF. Expanded AF is where multiple additional focus points are enabled next to the selected (usually centre) point.

[Riggers]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

So a 1D III would be preferable to a 5D3?

[rajjayaraj]

Re: There's something really going wrong here. 7D

If you ask between 1D III vs 5D3, i would go for 5D3 if you can afford. Raj