I am tired of my 7D markII

[Mikehit]

What Canon should have done was evaluate the first cameras reporting this issue and then publicly announce a mass recall for certain serial numbers and also make sure that all Canon service centres around the world were aware of the situation.

You are making the assumption there is a fault.

When Canon finds a reproducible problem they seem to be usually pretty quick in acknowledging it and fixing it. I think it was the 1D3 that had AF problems on release and they resolved it pretty quickly.

There are many cases where doctors prescribe aspirin (acetominophen) for no other reason than to keep hypochondriacs happy. I am fairly sure the big manufacturers 'fix' non-existent problems for no other reason than customer relations.

 

[Kerry B]

Interesting thread. Recently took the plunge and bought the 7dii and have to say I am more than happy with the results. Never liked the original 7d and exchanged for the 5diii which I still have. This is my workhorse camera body but needed something better suited for wildlife hence the purchase of the 7dii.
Having been used to the autofocus system on the 5diii the new 7dii is similar and I find that in most situations focus is spot on.
Image quality is very good and whilst not scientific I have posted two images taken with both camera bodies and the new 100-400ii Canon lens. The 5diii image has been cropped to make it similar in size to the 7dii image.

 

[Larsskv]

I just read this insightful analysis of the differences and similarities of the AF systems in the 7DII, 5DIII and 1DX:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Comparisons/Canon-EOS-7D-II-1D-X-5D-III-AF-Comparison.aspx

 

[Go Wild]

I am not saying that this is a bad camera, i do believe the ones that got good copies don´t complain, because the camera is a good camera. However, i am not getting that results from it! And yes, sometimes, and i mean reaally sometimes it gives me a great shot. The problem of the camera is the inconsistency of focus and just get 1 good shot in a 10 photos and sometimes not even one shot....it´s just unpredictable!

Let me put you another example:

In this situation, i was shooting in a sturdy tripod, in a confortable position, no fast movements, the reindeer was walking and eating but in a slow movement. I got enough light, i was shooting at 1/2000 F4 no teleconverter. The animal was close to me, the photos are without cropping. I was not interested in getting the whole body in focus so i choose F4 to give me only the head in focus.
I shot 10 frames. only the 3rd one was in focus and even that one is not good. So please tell me....in this scenario, is it my fault?? And is it my fault that it happens every, every, every time the same in lots of different situations?? And is it normal that when i shoot with other cameras nothing of this happens??? So sorry....1 year is enought.....i am not blaiming myself anymore!!

Examples:

1 . original image, third one taken in 10 photos. Just some correction in luminosity.

2 - Same image cropped

Now another one representative of the another 9 photos taken. They are like this.

3 - Original photo

4 - Cropped photo

if i don´t see the setting i would say that this is motion blur due to slow shutter speed. The problem is....that the shutter speed was 1/2000!!!

 

[Go Wild]

And i put one more, again slow movement, good light, 1/2000 shutterspeed....again around 10 shots, not even 1 got good!

I only going to put the cropped image:


1 - This is the better one even not good:

2 - This is the following one, just 0,2 secs after and the other 8 ones also like this:

 

[Don Haines]

I am not saying that this is a bad camera, i do believe the ones that got good copies don´t complain, because the camera is a good camera. However, i am not getting that results from it! And yes, sometimes, and i mean reaally sometimes it gives me a great shot. The problem of the camera is the inconsistency of focus and just get 1 good shot in a 10 photos and sometimes not even one shot....it´s just unpredictable!

What lens were you using?
What were your AF settings?

 

[monsieur_elegante]

I am not saying that this is a bad camera, i do believe the ones that got good copies don´t complain, because the camera is a good camera. However, i am not getting that results from it! And yes, sometimes, and i mean reaally sometimes it gives me a great shot. The problem of the camera is the inconsistency of focus and just get 1 good shot in a 10 photos and sometimes not even one shot....it´s just unpredictable!

Let me put you another example:

In this situation, i was shooting in a sturdy tripod, in a confortable position, no fast movements, the reindeer was walking and eating but in a slow movement. I got enough light, i was shooting at 1/2000 F4 no teleconverter. The animal was close to me, the photos are without cropping. I was not interested in getting the whole body in focus so i choose F4 to give me only the head in focus.
I shot 10 frames. only the 3rd one was in focus and even that one is not good. So please tell me....in this scenario, is it my fault?? And is it my fault that it happens every, every, every time the same in lots of different situations?? And is it normal that when i shoot with other cameras nothing of this happens??? So sorry....1 year is enought.....i am not blaiming myself anymore!!

Examples:

1 . original image, third one taken in 10 photos. Just some correction in luminosity.

2 - Same image cropped

Now another one representative of the another 9 photos taken. They are like this.

3 - Original photo

4 - Cropped photo

if i don´t see the setting i would say that this is motion blur due to slow shutter speed. The problem is....that the shutter speed was 1/2000!!!

@Go Wild, this is exactly consistent with my experience with my 7DII. 9 out of 10 (roughly speaking) pictures would end up like #4 from your post. On the rare occasion where it nails it, it looks great (sharp and great IQ)...but it's just too rare.

I blamed myself for the longest time too -- but after using it for over a year (and comparing it to my 6D), I'm certain there's something wrong with it. Sent it to Canon twice, both times Canon said they found a misaligned AF sensor and made "electrical adjustments." Right now I'm contemplating whether to send it in one last time, or to simply give up...

 

[pvalpha]

@Go Wild - Did the firmware update do anything for you? My 7DII is performing better for me since. I am using the 70-200 2.8L IS II. I get fairly consistent sharpness from that. Its when I put on the TC 2x III that things get a bit disappointing. Except today - it nailed focus every time. Granted there was still some minor issue with the TC IQ, but at least the focus wasn't crap. I might even be able to do AFMA and get the last few points of inconsistency hammered out.

I am definitely hoping that the 7D series sees an update next year. I think they have to in order to address the gap between the D500 and the 7DII. I will sell off mine and go for that instead.

 

[Mikehit]

And i put one more, again slow movement, good light, 1/2000 shutterspeed....again around 10 shots, not even 1 got good!

I only going to put the cropped image:


1 - This is the better one even not good:

2 - This is the following one, just 0,2 secs after and the other 8 ones also like this:

If you look at the soil, in almost every case it seems the grass is in focus in front of the reindeer. This suggests a front focus problem.

 

[Larsskv]

If you look at the soil, in almost every case it seems the grass is in focus in front of the reindeer. This suggests a front focus problem.

+1

 

[Loswr]

If you look at the soil, in almost every case it seems the grass is in focus in front of the reindeer. This suggests a front focus problem.

+1

AFMA. The rare shots that are in focus as far as Go Wild is concerned are actually misses as far as the camera is concerned.

 

[whothafunk]

I'm not satisfied with my 7D2 also. Like others, mine too suffers from focus inconsistency. Sometimes it just nails everything I throw at it (top division soccer, volleyball, basketball,..), and sometimes a standing horse will be out of focus even in burst. The "firmware" didn't do anything for me.

I'm just gutted and hate it, especially since I bought a 1DX.

 

[Go Wild]

If you look at the soil, in almost every case it seems the grass is in focus in front of the reindeer. This suggests a front focus problem.

+1

If you look at the soil, in almost every case it seems the grass is in focus in front of the reindeer. This suggests a front focus problem.

+1

AFMA. The rare shots that are in focus as far as Go Wild is concerned are actually misses as far as the camera is concerned.

And i put one more, again slow movement, good light, 1/2000 shutterspeed....again around 10 shots, not even 1 got good!

I only going to put the cropped image:


1 - This is the better one even not good:

2 - This is the following one, just 0,2 secs after and the other 8 ones also like this:

If you look at the soil, in almost every case it seems the grass is in focus in front of the reindeer. This suggests a front focus problem.

Yes i look at it, and yes, i have considered so many times that was a AFMA problem. I have lost hundreds of hours in AFMA and i do think it can also be a problem of AFMA.

However....2 considerations. If you see the soil, not even the soil is sharp! If it was simply a problem of AFMA and the focus hit another point, that point should be sharp. And it just don´t happens at all, not in this example, and not also in every situations.

I use a 500mm F4 IS L II with the 7D MKII and i tryed everything. The afma that gave me better results was +3 but no even that solve the problem so i tried with everyones....+5 (seems like this one is the better with the teleconverter), +7, +1, +2 and so on....With Tamron lenses well.....it´s the hell on heart! With tamron 90mmF2.8 VC i got a AFMA of +18 and even so, at distances bigger than 20 meters it just give me auful images!! This is because i sometimes use this lens in weddings.

This is just insane and of course get´s you mad when you splash about 10.000 euros in a combo! This never happen to me with previous Canon bodys, and i use the previous lens Canon 500mm F4 series 1 with Canon 5d markII and canon 5d markIII...
Well...i just wish i could afford a 1D series body. In the meantime, i am going to try once again to do an AFMA to see if i get more consistan results and i will send the camera to Canon to see what they say.
However, i do think the camera have some shaking problem inside, you can see in the polar bears photos, the reflexions in the snow, the light is "dancing" like it was a slow shutterspeed.

In resume....i am sad and i have lost a huge amount of time trying to put this camera working, and most important....i have lost a huge amount of photos...photos that i wont be able to do at least for some years....And this is hard to accept.....

 

[ykn123]

I had a 7DMII for a short little while (a few months, bought it as a 1DX backup camera). I was never really happy with it - it's a great camera in terms of ergonomics and i had some good shots - however i never had 100% tack sharp shots. I sold it and bought a second 1-DX and never looked back.
I'm not blaming the 7DMii in general , maybe i had a bad model, maybe Canonservice would have it fixed for me (well, the posts here suggest that this would not be the case) - but i could not trust the camera. It ended up me thinking on whether i should really use the camera for a job or not and that is not working (for me). I pick up the 1DXs or my 5DM3 any time and get the results i want.

 

[zim]

If you look at the soil, in almost every case it seems the grass is in focus in front of the reindeer. This suggests a front focus problem.

+1

Honestly I don't see any part of those examples in focus, would be better to see the original raw files though.

@ go wild was IS on or off? Wondering if there is something faulty between camera and lens rather than AF as such

 

[Deleted member 7828]

That's exactly the way I felt - not being able to trust the camera. That is NEVER a good feeling to have, EVER.

Although my issue was more with AF consistency rather than having the image be completely un-sharp. But this seems to be a bigger(?) issue than I previously imagined...lots of folks coming out of the woodwork...

Canon has not yet acknowledged any issue, though, which has me wondering why...

 

[Go Wild]

If you look at the soil, in almost every case it seems the grass is in focus in front of the reindeer. This suggests a front focus problem.

+1

Honestly I don't see any part of those examples in focus, would be better to see the original raw files though.

@ go wild was IS on or off? Wondering if there is something faulty between camera and lens rather than AF as such

Hello Zim, in fact they are not in focus. Didn´t make anything with the photos, only compression to jpeg and some adjust in light in the first one to see better the focus area.

I´ve tried everything....with IS on, Is off, with IS in modes 1, 2 and 3....and the results are always the same....And this happens with all the lenses I use so the problem is definitly in the camera. All the lenses in Canon 5D markIII just act marvelous! 500mm F4 IS II L performs amazing in 5D3!!!

Well, i thank you all for your advices and concern...i am going to send it to Canon and let´s see what they say...I think i have no other option unless to wait for some new model because ther is no alternative to this camera in Canon. I look now to the 80D let´s see the first reviews to see if somehow it can be a solution. Or i just pray i have some significant job with good profit to see if i can get a used 1Dx or something.....

That's exactly the way I felt - not being able to trust the camera. That is NEVER a good feeling to have, EVER.

Although my issue was more with AF consistency rather than having the image be completely un-sharp. But this seems to be a bigger(?) issue than I previously imagined...lots of folks coming out of the woodwork...

Canon has not yet acknowledged any issue, though, which has me wondering why...

Hello Act444

Yes, mine gives me this results and I cannot figure why.... My complains are mostly about inconsistancy and this blurried images like slow shutterspeed efect or shaking camera....sometimes it looks like front focus, but that don´t justify the soft images and the problem that sometimes nothing gets in focus, even in absolutely easy shots...

And the BIG problem here is what you say...I cannot work properly if i can´t trust the camera...All the situations i pray only for a good shot and this can´t happen....

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Act444.
My thoughts on why canon is not reacting is that of all the cameras sold it is a small percentage of owners that notice this problem, and an even smaller number that go on to complain (to Canon rather than each other). Of the complainers, some are seen at each service centre, the service centres possibly don't report to any regional location, particularly as they are only seeing small numbers. Then I bet the service centres in UK don't talk to USA etc.
How can Canon HQ know when the problem is most often passed off as needing adjustments.

Cheers, Graham. (Desperately trying to convince myself that my camera is not affected.) ???

That's exactly the way I felt - not being able to trust the camera. That is NEVER a good feeling to have, EVER.

Although my issue was more with AF consistency rather than having the image be completely un-sharp. But this seems to be a bigger(?) issue than I previously imagined...lots of folks coming out of the woodwork...

Canon has not yet acknowledged any issue, though, which has me wondering why...

 

[Mikehit]

Hi Act444.
My thoughts on why canon is not reacting is that of all the cameras sold it is a small percentage of owners that notice this problem, and an even smaller number that go on to complain (to Canon rather than each other). Of the complainers, some are seen at each service centre, the service centres possibly don't report to any regional location, particularly as they are only seeing small numbers. Then I bet the service centres in UK don't talk to USA etc.
How can Canon HQ know when the problem is most often passed off as needing adjustments.

Cheers, Graham. (Desperately trying to convince myself that my camera is not affected.) ???

And that could well be at the core of it.
Any manufacturing company will set their own quality limits both during manufacture and post-sale. If after-market problems are below that critical level they will be assessed at local level. Above that level they get escalated as a systemic problem.
The 1D3 focus problems were dealt with quickly because it because obvious a high proportion of users were having problems. The 7D2 is selling in far greater numbers.

 

[Mikehit]

If you look at the soil, in almost every case it seems the grass is in focus in front of the reindeer. This suggests a front focus problem.

+1

If you look at the soil, in almost every case it seems the grass is in focus in front of the reindeer. This suggests a front focus problem.

+1

AFMA. The rare shots that are in focus as far as Go Wild is concerned are actually misses as far as the camera is concerned.

And i put one more, again slow movement, good light, 1/2000 shutterspeed....again around 10 shots, not even 1 got good!

I only going to put the cropped image:


1 - This is the better one even not good:

2 - This is the following one, just 0,2 secs after and the other 8 ones also like this:

If you look at the soil, in almost every case it seems the grass is in focus in front of the reindeer. This suggests a front focus problem.

However....2 considerations. If you see the soil, not even the soil is sharp! If it was simply a problem of AFMA and the focus hit another point, that point should be sharp. And it just don´t happens at all, not in this example, and not also in every situations.

I disagree. The blades of grass in front of the reindeer's nose are much sharper than the reindeer itself.
Where was the focus point and which focus mode were you using?

When you try the AF on a tripod with a static subject in good light (something like a lamp post) what is the outcome, using single-point AF at the centre, with successive apertures ?