7D focusing question??

[marcm1]

I bought the camera when they first released them and also bought the 70-200 2.8 L lens non IS. I have tried micro focusing the lens but still get no sharp images from it. I also at times while taking pictures it will totally blur then after pushing the button down a couple of times it will refocus and seem to act fine. It is set up on the center focus and almost all pictures taken in manual mode. All I take is pictures of my daughters and some of their sports activites. Any ideas what I should look at doing as far as should I send it in for Canon to look at it? I have a friend who has a older 20D and it takes ALOT sharper images than this thing does. Any suggestions will help.

Thanks

 

[jepicard]

Having experienced foucusing issues out of the box with a 24-70 + another friend with similar issues with a 70-200 2.8 V II, and a friend who recently sent his 7D and lenses in for servicing, cut to the chase and send in the lens and body especially if they are under warranty.

Service is remarkably fast and in the cases cited above, solved the focusing issues.

J

 

[DockNorth]

I am going to assume you know your way around the camera but...before we go to far lets check. Are you pushing the button down halfway before you take a picture to give it a chance to focus on the subject? If you are doing this and the lens is still not focusing or it is possibly hunting a lot (in good light and with a stable, non-moving object to focus on) then you need to send the camera and lens back for a check and adjustment.

Manufacturers have tolerances to allow for small differences in lens/camera combinations but the allowable tolerances are very small and unless you are specifically looking for focus issues - very closely - you will not notice any problems on a set that is within tolerances.

If you are doing everything right and it is not focusing on a repeatable basis then the camera/lens have issues.

 

[K3nt]

Another thing to test is to enable the full 19 AF points and shoot in Full Auto mode. Can you get any sharp images that way? It is probably a silly test but...

 

[epsiloneri]

Re: 7D focusing question??

So many things could be wrong that it is very hard to help you in a forum short of you giving an extensive and detailed report. E.g.: Is it really AF that is poor, or is it something else? (motion blur, poor optics, too high expectations, etc.) Some things to consider:

* Is there a sharp focused point in the image that doesn't coincide with your intended location of focus?
* Are the 20D pictures actually sharper, or is it just that the pixel density of that camera is so much lower?
* Do you get sharp images if you use a tripod and focus with live view?

I'm not saying the AF isn't bad, it's just hard to judge without more info.

 

[DRD photo]

I have a similar issue with my Canon 7D and a 70-200mm f4 L lens in which the lens will lock focus about 30% of the time on auto-focus. I have tried several different lighting situations and contrasting images, but the lens hunts back and forth too much and when it locks focus, it has back focused when it beeps to shoot. In manual mode trying to catch sports, or kids in action would produce blurred images because you would have to constantly move the focus ring manually to keep focus and that is not easy. The lens is under warranty so I am sending both the lens and the body in to be re-calibrated together. This is the only lens that I have had focusing issues with, but as a whole I shoot with the center point selected at the widest aperture, of if there is enough light I stop down a little to get a sharper image. oddly enough I have a sigma 150-500mm lens which I have had no focusing issues with my 7D. Hope this helps a little.

 

[awinphoto]

marcm1, It may be a silly question, however what shutter speed are you shooting at. Keep in mind, with the 70-200, at 200, with no IS, the slowest you can handhold shoot is 1/200. If you are shooting indoors, it can be difficult balancing fast shutter, aperture, and iso. Also assuming you are shooting at high ISO and high shutter, what NR do you have your camera set at? In any case, do you use a supplemental flash unit to add more light or just shoot as is available light? It is easy for anyone to throw darts at the board and give advise without having a chance to be there to help you but either way, check those settings, shoot outdoors which may eliminate that low light situation JUST TO SEE if it is the lens or a camera setting. IF the lens still cant handle plenty of light and all AF settings are reset as needed, then it's the lens. If it works great outdoors or at least you can get a proper MA and good repeatable autofocus, then it's a light issue. I hope this helps

 

[Admin US West]

I bought the camera when they first released them and also bought the 70-200 2.8 L lens non IS. I have tried micro focusing the lens but still get no sharp images from it. I also at times while taking pictures it will totally blur then after pushing the button down a couple of times it will refocus and seem to act fine. It is set up on the center focus and almost all pictures taken in manual mode. All I take is pictures of my daughters and some of their sports activites. Any ideas what I should look at doing as far as should I send it in for Canon to look at it? I have a friend who has a older 20D and it takes ALOT sharper images than this thing does. Any suggestions will help.

Thanks

If I understand you correctly, You have owned the camera and lens for two years, so you know best what to expect of the lens. If your other lenses do fine, and that one has troubles, sent it in for repair.

 

[marcm1]

I do alot of cheerleading pictures of my girls and mostly all in manual and all above 500 speed, iso will vary due to lighting and aparture is usually in the 2.8 to 4 range, it's not that I have a sharp area in one spot which is due to it focusing on a wrong aboject or something it will just go totally blurred inside my window I'm looking through when I depress the button 1/2 way while trying to get it focused on where I am aiming.

But I just shot some picutres of a friend daughter for prom and used this lens and a 15-85 lens inside and outside in shadows and in light and I have never gotten since I have owned this camera a true sharp crisp picture from anything, I have messed around with the lens on my tripod and microadjusted for the best picture which is a -2 on the lens. If I need to send it off then now is the time during my off season on my girls.

 

[awinphoto]

Assuming there is plenty of light that you are able to use without dropping shutter speeds, and if you cant get focus on ANY lens as you said, I would suggest sending your lenses and camera into canon for them to take a look. What focus mode do you use? What setting is your NR set at? If you cannot even micro-adjust, then I would be grasping at straws without physically seeing your camera and settings and troubleshooting in person. Hopefully canon's techs can help. Sorry to hear about your problems.

 

[steven63]

You didn't state your camera knowledge so I'm not looking to offend you but try setting the camera on shutter priority and setting your shutter to at least 1/200th for action shots. If you are shooting indoor in low light up your ISO to compensate (don't worry about the noise just try to see if you can get a focused shot). Then set it to full auto and take another photo. If those both come out blurry you've likely got a calibration issue.

 

[marcm1]

My camera knowledge is very new, this is the first dslr camera I have ever owned. I do up the ISO all the way to 6400 if needed in some lighting and sometimes it will be alot lower it depends on the light, I try to keep ISO low so to keep the noise down and play with the aperture usaully at 2.8 because it doesn't matter if the background is fuzzy because I'm shooting up close cheerleading pictures and I try not to drop below 500 shutter speed for the action shots as long as I can keep the meter in the middle at the bottom of the window. The NR is set to default I have never messed with it. I have only used my main settings and not wandered into changing any major settings in the camera so I won't mess anything up. I will look at camera tommorrow and see what the NR is set on. As before in earlyer post I usaully have just the center focus dot up because I'm trying to get one person in focus most of the time.

But even with setting it to auto I still don't get sharp pictures, they are always kind of soft as I would discribe them. I know different lenses need to have the micro adjustment set up for each lens to match it to the camera. I try to do alot of reading and look at the forum post before I attempt anything.

I appreciate everyone's post and I hope I don't seem to stupid about this stuff just trying to learn as much as I can as I go by reading alot of stuff.

Thanks.

 

[maharzan]

Hi there,

I am so much on the same path. I am very new to photography. I bought 7D more than a year back because I heard its video capability (PAL/NTSC stuff) was very good. better than 5D MkII (at least the frame rates). I was looking to have a still camera with video capability back then as I was tired to carrying 2 cameras around (Still/Video). I never owned a DSLR as well so I just jumped in, risked by money to get a 7D. Who ever thinks, a 1800$ camera will have flaws??

I mainly used the camera for video and occasionally took photos. I was never professional so, all I did was manual focus, adjust aperture and shutter speed to I could get the meter to 0 (recommended exposure?). I always got soft image too and I blamed myself all this time as it was very difficult to focus. I mean, even if you feel its focused in the LCD or view finder, when you look into the computer, I always saw photos were out of focus.

Recently, I bought 35mm 1.4L Canon and videos / photos were soft with this lens too. Unfortunately, I live abroad and Canon warranty has already expired. I don't know what to do. I have learnt a lot during last 2 months as it was too much why a 1800$ camera isn't giving me sharp images as I see in flickr or other forums. I have been experimenting a lot but sometimes I feel like I get sharper images and sometimes it looks like its front focusing. At least when I shoot my MBP's keyboard, when I focus on say Y key, the focus is actually on the N key. I even did MA but then I just reset it to 0. I took several pictures outside and they seem good. I will still need to experiment more and practice focusing.

Anyway, the point is, can you post pictures of what you are getting? I might also take some pictures later and post. I am not sure what to do at this point. I can't take it to Canon for sure at least not without paying another 300-500 bucks. Any pointers is every helpful.

 

[maharzan]

Actually, can you do this? Get on a tripod, use 7D to picture same object and also use another camera you said, 20D and take a picture. I want to see how different they are. I am really considering getting another camera at this point. AF in 7D is complicated and even though they say its the best, who cares if a simple person cannot shoot a focused image.

 

[Viggo]

Are you using Ai Servo or One shot? If Ai Servo, what's your Custom Functions set up like? For instance, many people set the Sensitivity to +2 "to make it focus faster" this will only make your AF jump around and not track the subject at all.

The other thing often done wrong is using one single AF point with no assist-points, use surrounding points and sensitivty set to -1. Allow 0.5 second to lock and start tracking.

 

[maharzan]

I don't use auto focus. I am using AI Servo but all settings are default. I just tested few shots of an object and every time I hear that beep (half pressed), I take the pictures. I see that not all images are sharp. perhaps like 2 out of 5.

 

[neuroanatomist]

I don't use auto focus. I am using AI Servo but all settings are default. I just tested few shots of an object and every time I hear that beep (half pressed), I take the pictures. I see that not all images are sharp. perhaps like 2 out of 5.

This doesn't make sense to me. How can it be that you, "don't use autofocus," but are using AI Servo, which is an autofocus mode? Also, in AI Servo mode there is no focus confirmation, so when you half press the button there should not be a beep.

Ok, looking back at a previous post:

Who ever thinks, a 1800$ camera will have flaws??

Any piece of equipment can have flaws. Sometimes there's a defect, other times the flaw is with the design, or a lack of proper understanding of the capabilities of the device.

I was never professional so, all I did was manual focus, adjust aperture and shutter speed to I could get the meter to 0 (recommended exposure?).

Honestly, that sounds like how many pros shoot - full manual exposure and manual focus. They do it successfully because they've been shooting like that for a long time (I'm certainly not a pro, but I started shooting with film SLRs in the days before autofocus was even available - automatic aperture control was the latest and greatest innovation). But shooting like that takes skill and an understanding of the limitations of your gear (more below). The automatic and semi-automatic modes do make it easier for a novice/amateur to get better images.

I always got soft image too and I blamed myself all this time as it was very difficult to focus. I mean, even if you feel its focused in the LCD or view finder, when you look into the computer, I always saw photos were out of focus.

The resolution of your computer display is much higher than the camera's LCD. The on-camera review is a bad place to judge sharpness, as only significantly misfocused images will be obvious. Note that there's a substantial difference between actively focusing (either through the viewfinder or using Live View) and reviewing an image. Actively focusing (racking back and forth and centering on the best focal plane) can be quite accurate, especially in live view. But, depending on your lens, that process might not be very accurate using the viewfinder.

Recently, I bought 35mm 1.4L Canon and videos / photos were soft with this lens too.

This is one of those limitations I mentioned. Old film cameras had focusing screens with a split screen and microprism collar to aid in manual focusing. More importantly, current cameras are geared for consumers using consumer lenses and autofocus. One problem with slow lenses (e.g. kit zoom lenses with f/5.6 max apertures) is that the viewfinder is very dim with those narrow apertures. So, camera makers use focusing screens that are microetched to result in a brighter viewfinder. That sounds good, but the consequence is that the viewfinder can only show the depth of field of ~f/2.8. So, with your 35mm f/1.4L, the real DoF is much thinner than what you're seeing in the viewfinder (i.e. something can look perfectly in focus in the viewfinder, but actually be out of focus). Live View does actually show the true DoF for fast lenses, which is why it's better to use Live View for manual focusing. For some cameras, users can change the focusing screen (for my 5DII, I have the EG-S focusing screen, which shows the true DoF of fast lenses, but then slow lenses are dark). The 7D does not have a user-replaceable focusing screen (at least, that's Canon's position, although there are 3rd party screens available, great care is needed to avoid damaging the transmissive LCD).

Bottom line, with the 7D and a fast lens, meaning a wider max aperture than f/2.8, you're better off using a properly microadjusted autofocus, or manual focus with Live View and 10x magnification, than trying to manually focus through the viewfinder.

At least when I shoot my MBP's keyboard, when I focus on say Y key, the focus is actually on the N key. I even did MA but then I just reset it to 0. I took several pictures outside and they seem good. I will still need to experiment more and practice focusing.

Here's another area of not understanding exactly how the system works. You look in the viewfinder, put the AF point rectangle over what you want to focus on (the Y key), half-press the shutter button to AF, then take the picture. The problem is that the actual AF point on the AF sensor is larger than the little box that represents it in the viewfinder. You know what feature you're trying to focus on, but the camera does not. In your example, the actual AF sensor might be covering the from the F6 key down to the N key, and from the R key to the I key horizontally. The camera is going to lock onto an area of high contrast anywhere in it's sensitive area, but in your test the whole area has highly contrasting lines (black keys with a silver surround, at least on my MBP), so the AF systems doesn't know where to lock focus.

I posted some examples of this on another forum thread, where the issue was a fast lens (135mm f/2L) lens supposedly focusing inconsistently, but in reality the lens and AF system were doing their job correctly, but the 'test' was not set up correctly (just like yours wasn't).

Hope some of that helps...

 

[maharzan]

This doesn't make sense to me. How can it be that you, "don't use autofocus," but are using AI Servo, which is an autofocus mode? Also, in AI Servo mode there is no focus confirmation, so when you half press the button there should not be a beep.

Okay, that might not have been explained in photography terms. I am using AI Servo as I saw few people recommended that settings. But I guess I am not using it at all. I just had that settings. I am using manual focus/viewfinder and when I half press the button, if an item is in focus, I hear that beep sound and a green dot. Then I take the photo. In my last test, I found that out of 5 shots, only 2 were sharp. Its bit sad to have to shot a 5 times to get one good shot. If its that moment you want to shoot, you have a chance you miss it.

I now know that all products have flaws. I didn't know that before as I expected certain value of product to be perfect. Why bring it in the market if its flawed? Don't you think? Probably in the ideal world.

Thank you for the examples. I will keep trying it. I am a minimalist person. I mean, focusing on a viewfinder, and clicking a picture, should be as easy as that, you know. The only problem probably is the focusing beep I get. I need to ignore that lol. I really don't like the sound of that Servo motor on auto focusing nor I really like zooming 10x focusing and clicking. Its just too much of clicking, at least when you have that few seconds to take that picture and then in day time, you don't even see that LCD screen properly.

 

[maharzan]

Ok, another question. Does this happen on other bodies too? Since many people are actually saying I get sharper images in other bodies like the 20D. Wanted to know what difference there is.

The example you posted, neuroanatomist, seems to be happening on my keyboard tests. Its not an ideal test but in real world as you say, aren't perfectly aligned. I have shoot quite some pictures and I have been really sad that few of my 'best' pictures aren't focused due to the same reason. Like I shot a spider one time and the spider wasn't focused but the web was. When viewing in the LCD it seemed focused. When see that, you don't take another picture. Other few pictures which I like are the same. My wife on side of a statue and parts of statue are actually in focus instead of my wife. I mean its really ridiculous not being able to get that perfect focus you know. I have been hiding the fact that I own a 7D because when people invite to take pictures, I don't want to be ashamed of not getting a sharp picture.

 

[awinphoto]

Ok, another question. Does this happen on other bodies too? Since many people are actually saying I get sharper images in other bodies like the 20D. Wanted to know what difference there is.

The example you posted, neuroanatomist, seems to be happening on my keyboard tests. Its not an ideal test but in real world as you say, aren't perfectly aligned. I have shoot quite some pictures and I have been really sad that few of my 'best' pictures aren't focused due to the same reason. Like I shot a spider one time and the spider wasn't focused but the web was. When viewing in the LCD it seemed focused. When see that, you don't take another picture. Other few pictures which I like are the same. My wife on side of a statue and parts of statue are actually in focus instead of my wife. I mean its really ridiculous not being able to get that perfect focus you know. I have been hiding the fact that I own a 7D because when people invite to take pictures, I don't want to be ashamed of not getting a sharp picture.

There I think lies the problem... Focusing through the viewfinder on these large megapixel cameras manually and waiting for a beep, unless you got the focus on the spot focus within the focus point, it will generally get you "within the ballpark" however if you want to do manual focus, that's is why they created the live view mode with magnifications. That is probably the only way you MF with consistency. Remember, digital is getting beyond the capabilities of film and so every flaw in focus will be even more apparent.

Your camera has a great AF system, probably the best AF system except for the 1D cameras. I would recommend you would use AF to get more consistent focusing. If the AF doesn't quite get the precision in focus, thats when micro-adjust comes into play. This isn't necessarily a camera or a lens issue, it's a user situation knowing how to get the most of the equipment. Any under focus or over focus from when you manual focus and just slightly bump the focus ring milliseconds after hearing the beep, that will cause focus issues when zoomed at 100%.