Why does 7D II seem COMPARATIVELY soft with certain lenses?

[Jack Douglas]

Auto Focus manual adjustment - if you didn't do it then that could at least in part explain the results. I have had settings up to 10 or more in deviation from the factory 0. A +ve setting reduces front focusing and vice versa. Lots of threads on this topic, many of them exaggerating the complexity of the process as if it's rocket science.

Jack

 

[takesome1]

I tested the two cameras last month. I saved no images.

What does AFMA mean???

Auto Focus Manual Adjustment.
You have a setting in camera you can adjust the AF system.
Its a way of calibrating your AF system.

My 7D II with the 500mm I had to set it at +4 to get good results.
At 0 I would get only a few in focus pics.

 

[East Wind Photography]

I have both the 7D and the 7dii. I had the 7D for nearly a year and the 7Dii was supposed to be an upgrade for me.
Both cameras were set to the same exact settings (or as close as possible given that the shutter speeds have slight variations, etc.). I was shooting horse races using both the 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II and the 3oomm f/2.8 L IS prime lens. On day one I used the 7D and 7Dii with the 70-200 lens alternating cameras one race after the other. On day two I alternated cameras race by race using the 300mm. RESULTS: Both the 7D and 7Dii shot identical quality shots using the 70-200mm. Using the 300mm prime lens, only the 7D shot in-focus shots one after the other. Nearly every shot taken by the 7dii was blurry. I spent a solid week testing and retesting. Same results.

There is something inherently wrong with here. Compatibility issues? Maybe? I sent the 7Dii back to B+H which honored their 30-day return policy.

Now my search for an upgrade to the 7D continues. I thought the 7Dii would be that upgrade but it turned out to be a huge disappointment!

If it's any consolation, my 7d2 is back at canon being checked for AF issues. In my particular body even afma was not being honored properly. I could get fairly consistent in focus shots using one shot AF but in servo AF it required a different afma...and would not be consistent from one day to the next.

Though they are full frame, the 5d3 or 1dx are the next options. For crop sensor the option would be the 70d.