7D AF issues with birds in flight

Started Oct 5, 2009 | Discussions
Arash Hazeghi Contributing Member • Posts: 967
7D AF issues with birds in flight

Hi guys,

I would like the hear from bird photographers about their finding about 7D tracking performance of avian species (preferably raptors) against foliage. I just came back from a 2-day shoot with 7D and other gear. 7D keeper ratio was very low, I had tried all permutations of AF setting the day before and also during the shoot and didn't have much luck. Please see the full story here http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=46748

I want to see if other bird shooters had better luck and the possibility of my unit being defective.

Thank you.

altenae Regular Member • Posts: 377
Re: 7D AF issues with birds in flight

Like someone else already mentioned:

The subjects used in those examples don't even occupy 10% of the frame, more like 5%. Even if they were to be in focus, the image quality would greatly suffer due to the sizable cropping you would have to do.

What do you expect from the 7D ????????????????

Ed

(unknown member) Contributing Member • Posts: 873
Re: 7D AF issues with birds in flight

You did not read his entire thread did you?

altenae wrote:

Like someone else already mentioned:

The subjects used in those examples don't even occupy 10% of the frame, more like 5%. Even if they were to be in focus, the image quality would greatly suffer due to the sizable cropping you would have to do.

What do you expect from the 7D ????????????????

Ed

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Richard, NC
Never comment on something you don't know about

altenae Regular Member • Posts: 377
Re: 7D AF issues with birds in flight

Yes I did.
So what are the AF issues ???

SteveDude Senior Member • Posts: 2,485
I actually wonder if he needs to adjust MF on his lenses

Just a thought.

Steve
--
My galleries are at http://www.GrillosView.com , Equipment on profile page

rwbaron Forum Pro • Posts: 14,345
Re: 7D AF issues with birds in flight

I have a 7D and played with some BIF yesterday in poor overcast late afternoon light at ISO 800. I left everything at the default with the center zone selected with all points active in that zone on AI servo. I used my 70~200f4LIS and 300f4L. I was mostly shooting gulls against a gray sky with little contrast difference. I have to say that my initial impressions of the AF compared to my 50D were positive. My 300f4L requires +6 AF micro-adjust on my 50D to be really sharp and I have not performed any test or adjustment with the 7D.

The first question I would ask is did you check AF micro-adjust and verify that the camera and lens are working together properly. If not, and you've seen this with several lenses, the camera itself may be out of calibration.

Bob
--
http://www.pbase.com/rwbaron

 rwbaron's gear list:rwbaron's gear list
Fujifilm X-T2 Fujifilm X-T20 Fujifilm XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS Fujifilm XF 55-200mm F3.5-4.8 R LM OIS Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R +8 more
bronxbombers Forum Pro • Posts: 18,226
Re: 7D AF issues with birds in flight

Arash Hazeghi wrote:

Hi guys,

I would like the hear from bird photographers about their finding about 7D tracking performance of avian species (preferably raptors) against foliage. I just came back from a 2-day shoot with 7D and other gear. 7D keeper ratio was very low, I had tried all permutations of AF setting the day before and also during the shoot and didn't have much luck. Please see the full story here http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=46748

I want to see if other bird shooters had better luck and the possibility of my unit being defective.

Thank you.

what about trying CF3 set to 0, main point priority, it says it help to avoid focusing on the background and it sounds like it might be good for birds unless you have them flying behind lots of poles or something? maybe use center+expansion (with normal sensitivity to let it lock on faster??)?

anyway i haven't gotten it onto the field yet so I don't really know.

bronxbombers Forum Pro • Posts: 18,226
Re: 7D AF issues with birds in flight

bronxbombers wrote:

Arash Hazeghi wrote:

Hi guys,

I would like the hear from bird photographers about their finding about 7D tracking performance of avian species (preferably raptors) against foliage. I just came back from a 2-day shoot with 7D and other gear. 7D keeper ratio was very low, I had tried all permutations of AF setting the day before and also during the shoot and didn't have much luck. Please see the full story here http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=46748

I want to see if other bird shooters had better luck and the possibility of my unit being defective.

Thank you.

what about trying CF3 set to 0, main point priority, it says it help to avoid focusing on the background and it sounds like it might be good for birds unless you have them flying behind lots of poles or something? maybe use center+expansion (with normal sensitivity to let it lock on faster??)?

anyway i haven't gotten it onto the field yet so I don't really know.

arrrrrr. editing is gone again.

i also meant to add what about micro-focus adjust at typical bird shooting distance? this can make a HUGE difference for sports and stuff like this.

altenae Regular Member • Posts: 377
Re: 7D AF issues with birds in flight

Also today BIF with 7D

Second picture taken with BAD weather and a giant crop.

altenae Regular Member • Posts: 377
Re: 7D AF issues with birds in flight

Sorry here is the second one taken with BAD weather

B6878 Regular Member • Posts: 174
Nice shot.

I also like the position. It appears as if you were up high for this shot. Where were you standing?

JerryCanon10D Regular Member • Posts: 428
Re: 7D AF issues with birds in flight

altenae wrote:

What do you expect from the 7D ????????????????

Looking at the entire thread at:

http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=46748

He was expecting it to be at least almost as good as the D700 - the Nikon got much better pics under the same conditions. Like Arash, I hope he has a faulty example

chinch Senior Member • Posts: 1,731
defective use of the 7D

is what you should examine.

Arash Hazeghi wrote:

Hi guys,

I would like the hear from bird photographers about their finding about 7D tracking performance of avian species (preferably raptors) against foliage. I just came back from a 2-day shoot with 7D and other gear. 7D keeper ratio was very low, I had tried all permutations of AF setting the day before and also during the shoot and didn't have much luck. Please see the full story here http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=46748

I want to see if other bird shooters had better luck and the possibility of my unit being defective.

Thank you.

 chinch's gear list:chinch's gear list
Canon EOS 5D Mark III Canon EF 85mm F1.8 USM Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Canon EF 70-200mm F4L USM Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM +4 more
altenae Regular Member • Posts: 377
Re: Nice shot.

I was standing on a dike.

If have taken many pictures today with the 7D and 500mm with and without extender.

I am very happy with the results.

rwbaron Forum Pro • Posts: 14,345
Looking again at the first shots against blue sky

you definitely have either an AF micro-adjust issue or simply a body that's out of spec. Do some static tests with good contrast targets at about 50x FL on a tripod and see if you get anything sharp.

Bob
--
http://www.pbase.com/rwbaron

 rwbaron's gear list:rwbaron's gear list
Fujifilm X-T2 Fujifilm X-T20 Fujifilm XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS Fujifilm XF 55-200mm F3.5-4.8 R LM OIS Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R +8 more
(unknown member) Contributing Member • Posts: 873
no you did not

he mentioned full frame cameras had no issue tracking the birds in the same conditions despite the bird being even smaller in the frame, look at his harriers shots with 1DSMKIII or D700(?) they are amazing, he must know what he is doing.

altenae wrote:

Yes I did.
So what are the AF issues ???

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Richard, NC
Never comment on something you don't know about

OP Arash Hazeghi Contributing Member • Posts: 967
Re: 7D AF issues with birds in flight

Thaks for positng samples, would you care to post 100% crops? The hawk shot is nice since you got the head turn, but it seems to lack quite a bit of feather detail. Also do you have something against busy BG?

Thank you,

altenae wrote:

Also today BIF with 7D

Second picture taken with BAD weather and a giant crop.

altenae Regular Member • Posts: 377
Re: 7D AF issues with birds in flight

Hi, will post later this evening.

About the feather details of the second pic:

Like I said it was a huge crop (you have to pay for huge crops in sharpness)

By the way NICE bird gallery you have.

OP Arash Hazeghi Contributing Member • Posts: 967
Re: 7D AF issues with birds in flight

Thanks, I look forward to seeing your crops, please, if possible, also include the C.Fn settings that you used for the shot. It is possible that I got a defective unit.

Thanks for you compliment on my portfolio

altenae wrote:

Hi, will post later this evening.

About the feather details of the second pic:

Like I said it was a huge crop (you have to pay for huge crops in sharpness)

By the way NICE bird gallery you have.

mseabroo Regular Member • Posts: 138
Re: 7D AF issues with birds in flight

The OOF results look very similar to the problems discribed in the following thread by a camera sales person, who had tried several bodies with similar results.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1019&thread=33193832

Just before the end of the thread there are a number of DPP captures which leave no doubt where the AF sensor was positioned but with an OOF subject behind. Very very much the same as the bird examples here.

I wonder if there is an inherent issue with some models, which may also explain the variability in results that we are seeing, as other examples seem to be spot on and tack sharp.

BTW the poster of the referenced thread has raised the issue with Canon Tecnical Support.

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