Getting sharp pictures with 7DII - need advice please

[picturefan]

Hi all!

I´m often reading posts in this forum concerning the newer 7D MkII. Decided to get this cam instead a FF because of some wildlife photography and the crop-factor. For me the cam is alright, also for other subjects that I do a lot, also for some semi-pro use.
My problem: for me it is not possible to get a single sharp picture at higher distances (e.g. 20 metres away, like birds etc.)
But: at shorter distances it´s ok. ???

I tried many things to find out, what the problem is: different cams, lenses, adjustments...
Here´s my spec: Iso 200, back-button focus, raw, shutter-speed 1/250 +/-, tripod, 100-400II, liveview, is-off.
That is how to get super-sharp pics with other cams - but not here. There is always some kind of haze instead of sharpness in the pics, especially when magnifying.

How do you all manage to get these sharp pics I´ve seen?
I think afma is not needed because of liveview (contrast-detection) -> no back/frontfocus.
S.th. wrong with cam? Some kind of distorted technique? Send to Canon? Other ideas?

Thank you for your replies.



PS: Maybe others have the same problem with that pix-monster (effec. 50mpix) ?!

 

[j-nord]

Can you post some examples of the pictures in question? There could be many things going on here.

 

[picturefan]

Yes, sure. Will post soon.

To exclude some reasons in advance:
1) with liveview-setting it should not be back- or frontfocus.
2) with tripod or sandbag it should not be camera shake.
3) with other lens being tested and having the same problem, it should not be the lens.
4) with is-off, it should not be is
5) with raw, it should not be jpg-settings etc.
6) the only things that stayed the same in the setting is me, so it should not be...

Please tell me when thinking s.th. wrong in these points above (espc. point 1 is right, isn´t it?)

 

[Yiannis A - Greece]

Hear friend,

i'm afraid you've been trapped in the very well known problem of 7D Mk2, called "soft images". It's been going on since the first day of it's launch and i've been a "victim" myself...3 times!!! I sent back the first and the replacenet camera after almost starting a fist fight with the local Canon "technical supervisor" (the official importer "Canon Greece" pretended they knew nothingabout the issue although already it had been allover the internet for weeks) and finally, sold the third one to someone who only wanted it for video for an extra loss of 650 Euros, two months of my lifetime and a permanent visit to the shrink or the mental health clinic (well...almost)!
I believe the problem is generic, it's the AF system probably. I don't know how many of the 7D Mk2s have the issue (a lot i'm afraid); all you have to do is get rid of it and try your luck with the newer 80D (it's cheaper too).

No matter what you decide, it was just my 2c; you can do whatever you like but, google it a little bit and you'll find tons of discussions referring to the problem.

Wishing you all the best.
Yiannis.

 

[picturefan]

Dear Yannis, dear 7DII users,

thanks for your description. Yes, I found out (google etc.) that many have had these focus problems. Really sorry for that. Some said that with an firmware-update to 1.05, espc. with 70-200, the problems should be solved.
I did the update, but still have the sharpness-problems with the 70-200 ???

But anyway, as I can´t get sharp pics, whether by using liveview, "normal"-af nor MF, I think that it is not the AF-system. Don`t know if that´s better :-\

 

[monsieur_elegante]

I'm a fellow 7DII user and I know exactly what you're talking about. I asked about the exact same issue on this forum about a year ago, when I got my 7DII.

To this day, I still haven't fully figured out what exactly is wrong -- I've sent in my 7DII twice to Canon, both times it returned with the repair note "It was determined that the AF assembly was misaligned, electrical adjustments were carried out and full function confirmed," which I believe is Canon-speak for "We didn't find anything wrong, but did some stuff so you'll feel better."

The strange thing is, my 7DII *is* capable of getting really sharp pictures -- just not consistently: (1) I get extremely sharp pictures consistently with wider lenses such as the EF-s 24mm f/2.8 STM (Pancake); (2) The problem really shows up the most when I use telephoto lenses (including 100-400mm II and Sigma 150-600 C). HOWEVER, I consistently get sharp pictures with those lenses at closer distances (and I mean really close, especially near minimum focus distance -- see attached hummingbird example). I can't explain it, but at longer distances, the "haze" and smudged details start to show up regardless of lighting condition and camera settings -- even with extremely high shutter speed of 1/2000 and faster. That is not a problem I've noticed on my 6D using the same lenses -- and even with 6D's lackluster focus system, when it does report that it achieved focus, I can almost always trust that it actually did. My 7DII...not so much.

OP, I would love to hear if you notice the same things -- are you able to get any sharp pictures, especially in the situations I mentioned (really close shooting distance and/or with wider lenses)?

 

[Yiannis A - Greece]

Dear Yannis, dear 7DII users,

thanks for your description. Yes, I found out (google etc.) that many have had these focus problems. Really sorry for that. Some said that with an firmware-update to 1.05, espc. with 70-200, the problems should be solved.
I did the update, but still have the sharpness-problems with the 70-200 ???

But anyway, as I can´t get sharp pics, whether by using liveview, "normal"-af nor MF, I think that it is not the AF-system. Don`t know if that´s better :-\

Yes, some people to flock to forums, with multiple user names, to post the same thing over and over. "I Googled that the product has problems, and my experience proves that. Some day I'll post an example."

This is called the FUD attack on competitors, spreading Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt in subtle and blatant ways.

Now, as for the OP, who described more or less the same problem over six months ago (see below), my first impulse would be to compare how it works with lenses that are fine on other cameras, on the simplest of subjects, and if it were off, SEND FOR REPAIR. But that's just me. And you've "had" the camera, you claim, since the fall of 2015? : 8)

"Technical Support / Re: EOS 7DII firmware versions question.
« on: December 31, 2015, 07:38:44 AM »
Hello all!
Interesting question, been in the same situation before. As I am new to the forum (been before as a guest), think I can contribute to the topic. Bought 7D MKII this fall, but still was firmware 1.02. Was thinking how long the cam was in stock of the seller?! First, I updated to 1.05. Camera works fine - most of the times, except that there are still problems with 70-200 2.8II as AF often does not work with this lens. It's just not focussing. Sometimes this appears with other lenses too, but very rare. Thougt 1.05 should fix that problems...
Greets and happy new year!

PS: afaik 1.04 was introduced in may, no 1.03, but still try to find out release date of 1.02..."

I have a small yard, but I am constantly pulling weeds in the summer. It's a bit OCD, but it keeps the beds looking nice. When I see the equivalent of a weed in posts here, I pluck. I might be pulling up an innocent flower seedling, but not often.

@Picturefan: i had all kind of problemas with apertures <5.6 (especially 3.5 downwards were complete hell on all 3 camera bodies i had), no matter which focus point i used (most users had problems with the center focus point). After almost fist fighting at the beginning (i just could not keep calm hearing them say "there is no problem that we're aware of"), threating to sue them afterwards and finally coming to a somehow peaceful conversation, Canon Greece told me that my bodies had electrical problems (???) that affected the already problematical AF system (how can this happen three times, i got completely puzzled...).

Anyway, what was most frustrating dear friend was that, i woke up in the morning, took 100 pictures and i had around 60 keepers; i then switched off the camera and after 10 minutes i shot another let's say 100 pictures and had...5 keepers!!! This went on for about 3 1/2 month and three camera bodies in total until i got completely disgusted, the third one and bought a second 5D Mk3!

I had updated the firmware to 1.02 with no success regarding the AF issue (it was released somewhere between February and March 2015 i think because, immediately after the update "fiasco" i sold the 7D Mk2 and bought the second 5D Mk3 on April 2nd, 2015).

@YuengLinger: I'm a lifetime "enthousiast amateur" user of Canon cameras my friend so, when it comes to congrats or complaints, it's all from personal experience with no personal goals, no beef against Canon and no "googling" observations! I just found it very strange for 3 camera bodies to malfuction almost the exact same way and started thinking "either i'm crazy or we have a major issue here"! Then i started "googling" and ...voila; many others, including professionals like "Michael the Mentor" and "CameraRec Toby", had also some same kind of trouble with another model, the 70D!

All my best wishes, be strong be safe, live life with those you love the most.
Yiannis, Athens, Greece.

 

[Travelintrevor]

There will be a number of 7D MK II users that will tell you that you don't know how to use the camera, that the AF system is complex, etc. I went through the same problem with the 7D; It worked great for some time and the the AF system went to crap but Canon said it was fine. It took an act of Congress for them to fix it and many harsh words were exchanged. Some engineer got involved and decided to fix it himself and the camera was fine after that.

They won't shoot wide open with primes at the repair center and they shoot under controlled lighting so they can't always replicate a problem so you will need to continue to provide evidence.

The 7D MK II is a fine camera but it has its faults. I think the AF points are too large and this is why it has a more difficult time hitting critical focus under certain conditions. The AF point just covers too large of an area and then it pick the object that is closest to the camera.


Imagine a situation where you are trying to focus on an eye but the AF point covers the eye and part of the nose (just the edge). The focus is then set at nose distance instead of eye and this can cause problems when shooting wide open.

I would not give up on the 7D MK II-it is my favorite camera ever and I prefer it over the 5D MK III for everything except wedding/high ISO.

Try using DPAF and see if it can nail the focus that way. If not, then it might be the lens.

 

[EvvPhotog]

The strange thing is, my 7DII *is* capable of getting really sharp pictures -- just not consistently: (1) I get extremely sharp pictures consistently with wider lenses such as the EF-s 24mm f/2.8 STM (Pancake); (2) The problem really shows up the most when I use telephoto lenses (including 100-400mm II and Sigma 150-600 C). HOWEVER, I consistently get sharp pictures with those lenses at closer distances (and I mean really close, especially near minimum focus distance -- see attached hummingbird example). I can't explain it, but at longer distances, the "haze" and smudged details start to show up regardless of lighting condition and camera settings -- even with extremely high shutter speed of 1/2000 and faster. That is not a problem I've noticed on my 6D using the same lenses -- and even with 6D's lackluster focus system, when it does report that it achieved focus, I can almost always trust that it actually did. My 7DII...not so much.

OP, I would love to hear if you notice the same things -- are you able to get any sharp pictures, especially in the situations I mentioned (really close shooting distance and/or with wider lenses)?

I have owned the 7D Mark II since launch. Had a 60D prior to that (never had soft focus on it). From day one I had soft focus issues but wrote it off to user error for several months (because it would hit focus sometimes). After getting a 6D and NOT having any issues with same lenses, I finally got annoyed and sent it off to Canon. They did the same "fix" that you reported but things did seem a little better. When the 7D2 hits, it is super sharp. Problem for me is the inconsistency with it. I've since gotten a 5Dsr and even with it's high resolution I still get super sharp images under same conditions as I shoot the 7D (handheld, wildlife with a 500 f/4). Now the 7D is for sale. ;-)

 

[Act444]

Had this issue with my 7D2, sharp shots with telephoto lenses/tracking were infrequent if not rare altogether. So much so that for me, the extra reach (compared to my 5D) no longer mattered...

There are some serious AF consistency issues with the 7D series that I just haven't had with other cameras... :-\

 

[Sabaki]

Your problem is real.

I was an early adopter and went through 3 bodies in a few weeks, with each body being glitches enough for Canon to acknowledge and replace.

The informal reasoning given me by Canon's people was a possible batch issue but I pointed them to various reviews (Fro Knows Photo etc) citing similar problems. But that being said, there are people with good bodies that are taking exceptional photographs, my 3rd body is great.

Don't sit on your purchase, take it in to CPS and see what comes of it.

 

[East Wind Photography]

Had this issue with my 7D2, sharp shots with telephoto lenses/tracking were infrequent if not rare altogether. So much so that for me, the extra reach (compared to my 5D) no longer mattered...

There are some serious AF consistency issues with the 7D series that I just haven't had with other cameras... :-\

I absolutely concur with other responses here. Mine had a mis mounted AF sensor which required a mirror box replacement. They recalibrated everything and returned in about 3 days. It now tracks almost as good as my 1dx2 and ive been very happy with it. If you are not getting what you expect out of it, call them and explain that its been an issue from day one.

 

[monsieur_elegante]

Had this issue with my 7D2, sharp shots with telephoto lenses/tracking were infrequent if not rare altogether. So much so that for me, the extra reach (compared to my 5D) no longer mattered...

There are some serious AF consistency issues with the 7D series that I just haven't had with other cameras... :-\

I absolutely concur with other responses here. Mine had a mis mounted AF sensor which required a mirror box replacement. They recalibrated everything and returned in about 3 days. It now tracks almost as good as my 1dx2 and ive been very happy with it. If you are not getting what you expect out of it, call them and explain that its been an issue from day one.

Hi East Wind Photography - I remember reading your post in another thread regarding your success in getting your 7DII repaired -- it's actually what ultimately made me decide to send mine in to get it checked out. Unfortunately -- even after sending it in twice -- things have not improved with my 7DII. Each time I got the same "electrical adjustments were carried out and full function confirmed" note from Canon.

Any tips regarding what steps you took (if any) in getting Canon Service to take a closer look at your 7DII?

Of course, I'm always open to the possibility that nothing is wrong with my 7DII -- but based on what you described regarding your post-service 7DII, and based on the disparity between my 7DII and my 6D (with respect to AF consistency), I am still inclined to think there is something not quite right with my 7DII.

 

[PhotoGuy]

Your problem is real.

I was an early adopter and went through 3 bodies in a few weeks, with each body being glitches enough for Canon to acknowledge and replace.

The informal reasoning given me by Canon's people was a possible batch issue but I pointed them to various reviews (Fro Knows Photo etc) citing similar problems. But that being said, there are people with good bodies that are taking exceptional photographs, my 3rd body is great.

Don't sit on your purchase, take it in to CPS and see what comes of it.

Had the same problem with the original 7D and the 70D (dont ask about my opinion on the 19 point af).
Canon does seem to have its problems regarding AF reliability. My 6D ist spot on perfect though. Good to know they learned their lesson and acknowledge the problem. 70D users were left in the rain - to this day ...

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

If your camera is still in Warranty, send t or take it Canon for repair. Include photos as a example. The samples should be of stationary objects that are large enough so AF will lock on. A brick wall at 20m for example.

 

[picturefan]

I´m away without my camera, so ´til now I could not post any picture yet, also the test-pics are not on my stick.
So until I can post the pics, I can only describe: the results look blurry like from a very cheap lens with cheap resolution figures (not like 100-400II).

@ monsieur_elegante: Bonjour! What you described sounds a bit like the problem I have. When shooting portrait or close distance or macro, all seems fine. When I have some OOF here, than I´ve done s.th. wrong.
But when it comes to distance shots, it all goes into "haze". Ap. 5.6/8.0, 1.4Conv. or not, makes nearly no difference. So yes, it is real! but I can´t explain.
When using normal zoom or wideangle, I also get sharp pics. Same thing as you told us. It´s just the telezooms at longer distances with problems. But that is the very reason for buying the 7DII.

@ Yiannis: I can´t tell any differece between the focus points I use. The "haze" appears also in MF-mode. Have you tried yours in MF and liveview? How were the results?

@ yuenglinger: Nice to meet you, even if I don´t know what you´re complaining about. Sorry for not have taken animal shoots in winter (distances far beyond 20m), so the problem was not evident that times. Problem with 70-200: failure is not consistent, so what to tell Canon? Please tell me your ideas! Thank you.

@ Travellintrevor: Yeah, but "complex AF" is a belittlement . Never read a manual so proper... But still trying to find my "allround-case" for 80% of all situations. I think it´s not a lens problem, as other lenses are also affected. Maybe it´s a lens-body-thing?

@ Sabaki: Yes, it is real and maybe it´s a batch issue, some kind of mechanical displacement.

@ Eastwind: Gives me hope that it can be repaired. How you found out that s.th. was wrong? How did your pics look like?


@ all: Do you think it is a AF-problem - because unsharp results (haze) also appear in MF and liveview??

 

[picturefan]

@ monsieur_elegante: Pictures like this were the reason for me to buy the 7DII. Head of the hummingbird is really sharp (colors and so on are very cute). But: my pics look more like the bird´s feet, one can see on the limb.

 

[Act444]

Had this issue with my 7D2, sharp shots with telephoto lenses/tracking were infrequent if not rare altogether. So much so that for me, the extra reach (compared to my 5D) no longer mattered...

There are some serious AF consistency issues with the 7D series that I just haven't had with other cameras... :-\

I absolutely concur with other responses here. Mine had a mis mounted AF sensor which required a mirror box replacement. They recalibrated everything and returned in about 3 days. It now tracks almost as good as my 1dx2 and ive been very happy with it. If you are not getting what you expect out of it, call them and explain that its been an issue from day one.

Glad to hear you got yours fixed. Unfortunately at the end of the day I just couldn't be bothered and sold it (as a trade in). Seriously, the 5D3 shots were so much better and the AF, although far from perfect, is the best I've ever used - consistent and reliable, for the most part.

It also troubles me a bit to hear AF issues with the new 1DX II as I may be in that market now...

 

[picturefan]

By the way, I´m really satisfied with the overall quality of the 100-400II. Great lens.
Also with TC the IQ is great (unfortunately not on my 7DII), with 1.4 TC its also significantly sharper than 100-400I and still on par with 70-200.

So I´m looking forward to find the right explanation and maybe help others with that "hazy" results.

 

[tron]

I have been using my 7DII for a little less than a year. I do not think my experience will be of help to you but there it is:

1. It works fine with my 500 4LISII. I had to set AFMA to +5. It works more or less OK with 1.4XIII too (again with +5) but only when I put the combination in tripod and focus at the target carefully. Even so not all shots are spot on. Still a tripod and an AFMA of +5 gives the best overall results.

400DO: It behaves very nice. AFMA is not required.

100-400 I have used it once with BIF. It was OK but the birds were far away so it wasn't fair for the zoom to compete (still decent results)

Impression 1: In many cases when shooting BIF using all 65 points the camera many times seems lazy at first even with an easy target (even when set to automatic AF point selection and tinker case 6 for fast reaction)

Impression 2: I am not 100% sure that the AF points are aligned perfectly with what we see through the camera but I cannot prove it. Maybe it's a user error since a tripod improves AF considerably.

Fact: You have to shoot a well lit subject otherwise bring a FF camera.