Camera Woes and the DTM

Fireproof Creative

Fireproof Creative

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Jonny
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Hey all,

Here's a few of mine from the DTM...

My concerns that the 7D is under performing seem inaccurate

....it turns out its a steaming pile of C**P. Couldn't focus on a barn door covered in dead Zebras. I'm so glad I bought a grey import :rules:
(not your fault digitalRev) time to test the warranty:puke:


Anyway I guess this isn't the place for that :) moving on...



P.S I laugh at your aspect ratio conformity
(probably to the detriment of my photos)

1. Sparks? yea good luck with that ;)

1 by Fireproof_Art, on Flickr

2. Low speed into the sun...I suck :(

3 by Fireproof_Art, on Flickr

3. Because there just aren't enough shots of Paddock Hill
(great drive by this guy though)

6 by Fireproof_Art, on Flickr

4. Oh look......another one

2 by Fireproof_Art, on Flickr

5. Guess I should put at least one sharp shot in here...

5 by Fireproof_Art, on Flickr

6. Here's another one - cut with Marmite

7 by Fireproof_Art, on Flickr
 
#1 has easily the most impact here.

What sort of grief were you having with your 7D? I know nothing about them, but maybe someone else can give you some pointers?
































(i'm not going to even mention the aspect ratio.... ooops.... doh!)
 
I'm not using a 7D for motorsport any more as I've gone the mirrorless route, but when I did use one, it was very, very good at it - easily as good as my 1D mk II that it replaced. These are the custom settings I used to use (copied from a post in a different site): -

I mostly use a Single AF point and Evaluative metering. .
These are all within C.Fn III

1. Moderately slow
2. AF Priority / Tracking Priority
3. Continuous AF track priority
4. Search off
5. Disable
6. I've already said the focus modes I use.
7. Stops at AF area edges
8. Auto
9. Disable
10. Enable
11 Disable
12 Same for horizontal and vertical shooting
13. Disable.

I settled on these after a lot of experimentation. Hopefully, they may be of use to you.

If it is as bad as you describe, then perhaps a warranty return / replacement may be your best (only?) option.

Hope this helps.

Simon.
 
I had trouble with my 7D, it was back focusing. I tried to sort it in camera but it still did it. This was about 2 years ago, I thought they would have had them sorted by now. I took it back in the end and swapped it for a 5D2 which is IMO a lot better.

Print off something like this http://tinyurl.com/q2w96vm, set your camera up on a tripod, focus on something manually and take a few shots. Review them on your computer and you should see why you can't get anything in focus.
 
Last edited:
desantnik said:
#1 has easily the most impact here.

What sort of grief were you having with your 7D? I know nothing about them, but maybe someone else can give you some pointers?

(i'm not going to even mention the aspect ratio.... ooops.... doh!)
Click to expand...

Thanks Andy it was generally shocking for me so decided to get experimental with crops and granted they are a fail. As for the 7D it's just so soft in servo, the AF just can't get it right on any setting

Thanks all for the tips I have already setup focus targets and calibrated the lens and its had no positive results, the noise at ISO 100 destroys fine detail even when exposing to the right and shooting in raw. They look ok at web sizes but above 1024 wide I might as well have Vaseline all over the lens even shooting at optimal f stop and shutter speeds of 1000 plus.

I get a return of about 1/30 sharp shots at this shutter speed

Maybe I've got a lemon or I expect different things from my camera to other people, but I would rather have my 40D back. It's dec 12 model as well.

I have tried messing with focus settings, I will post up an original with exif intact just in case anyone can discern if I'm missing something, but I fear it's a lost cause :(

Thanks again for the responses
 
I use 7D for me I find it pretty decent, even after nearly 300k shots :LOL:

Do you know anyone else with a 7D? Perhaps try theirs. If you are at Brands I'm happy to let you try mines etc if it helps.

Like anything it takes a bit of getting used to and the glass that's bolted to it makes a big difference. Seems to work particularly well with my 400 5.6. Only thing that annoys me is the ISO performance above 400, gets a bit grainy for my liking.
 
Az_GTi said:
I use 7D for me I find it pretty decent, even after nearly 300k shots :LOL:

Do you know anyone else with a 7D? Perhaps try theirs. If you are at Brands I'm happy to let you try mines etc if it helps.

Like anything it takes a bit of getting used to and the glass that's bolted to it makes a big difference. Seems to work particularly well with my 400 5.6. Only thing that annoys me is the ISO performance above 400, gets a bit grainy for my liking.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the offer Az I'm based at Silverstone so another brands trip is unlikely anytime soon. I do need to find someone with another copy.

Same lens as me but also behaves the same with the. Mk2 70-200 2.8 :( mine is very patchy on noise at 100, 200, 400.

If you wouldn't mind posting an original up at ISo 100 I'd like to compare especially as light was good at the DTM
 
Hi there,

I will be at Silverstone this weekend if you would like a look at mine - drop me a DM.

I've only had my 7d a couple of months so not really played with the AF too much yet...

I'll be on my tod - fancied visiting a different track :) to Croft...
 
srhmoto said:
I'm not using a 7D for motorsport any more as I've gone the mirrorless route, but when I did use one, it was very, very good at it - easily as good as my 1D mk II that it replaced. These are the custom settings I used to use (copied from a post in a different site): -

I mostly use a Single AF point and Evaluative metering. .
These are all within C.Fn III

1. Moderately slow
2. AF Priority / Tracking Priority
3. Continuous AF track priority
4. Search off
5. Disable
6. I've already said the focus modes I use.
7. Stops at AF area edges
8. Auto
9. Disable
10. Enable
11 Disable
12 Same for horizontal and vertical shooting
13. Disable.

I settled on these after a lot of experimentation. Hopefully, they may be of use to you.

If it is as bad as you describe, then perhaps a warranty return / replacement may be your best (only?) option.

Hope this helps.

Simon.
Click to expand...

7D owner here too...thanks for those settings above. There are quite alot of different settings to try out by the looks of things! Will definitely try the above when iam on track again.
 
I wouldn't recommend just blindly copying someone else's settings...each of the functions have differing results...I'll take a look at the manual later and try to interpret the function later for you...it's much easier with Nikon I have to say!
 
desantnik said:
I wouldn't recommend just blindly copying someone else's settings...each of the functions have differing results...I'll take a look at the manual later and try to interpret the function later for you...it's much easier with Nikon I have to say!
Click to expand...

I have ventured into the different custom settings a few times and changed a few things-but no where near as many as above!

Well ok please do! Ive still got loads to learn on the 7D so still trying to master the basics 100% first them slowly try the custom modes!
 
desantnik said:
I wouldn't recommend just blindly copying someone else's settings...each of the functions have differing results...I'll take a look at the manual later and try to interpret the function later for you...it's much easier with Nikon I have to say!
Click to expand...

Sage advice!

Those settings worked for me, and I arrived at them after many weeks of experimentation. They suited my shooting style, but may not suit how others like to shoot.

Simon.
 
Thanks all for the continued feedback, It's very useful getting some insight directly from people using the 7D for motorsport. My main issues appear to be rooted in AI servo being wholely inconssistent and low ISO noise.

Also I am sensing that people use their camera very differently to myself, in that I require sharp focus at 100% - I have been able to get decent shots after alot of post sharppening and noise reduction but this all becomes too obvious at real print sizes.

I have seen many examples on flickr where folks have enabled originals where the same soft focus and noise is easily identifiable, this is an issue, certainly for some bodies. There is also a large proportion of users that jump on the user failure bandwagon without acknowledging the evidence. I fear however after researching the issue that there is no guaranteed fix as many people who have returned both body and lens for direct calibration to Canon have seen no improvement as well as some people who have had multiple bodies who can see obvious differences in image quality and focusing performance between bodies.
 
srhmoto said:
Sage advice!

Those settings worked for me, and I arrived at them after many weeks of experimentation. They suited my shooting style, but may not suit how others like to shoot.

Simon.
Click to expand...

I came to pretty much the same result as those settings, works for me too.

Takes a little sharpening and noise reduction in post (non in camera), but not a lot, and fine at 100%.

These are nice shots btw! :)
 
Ok, so here is what I see looking at the Canon 7D manual:

The basics:

AI Servo mode

AF Point expansion mode (for most things - single point AF when focusing on drivers eyes when they wear crash helmets!)

Drive mode - low speed continuous shooting - give the AF the maximum time to think about the job. Sure you only get 3fps, but 8fps of rubbish is no use.



From the Custom Function III Menu:

1) AI Servo Tracking Sensitivity

This is how long before it gives up on the current thing its tracking and starts the process again. If you say panned a car but someone's head got in the way part of the way around, setting this slower will mean that the focus won't jump out to the person's head but delay aquiring the new target. Personally, I set this as fast as possible ("off" in my case). Tracking is all well and good, but it can and does get it wrong and never recovers. The only time I use this function is to keep focus on someone's face through a champagne shower display.

2) AI Servo First/Second Image Priority

I'd go with 0 on this one - AF Priority/Tracking priority - your priority is getting a good clean shot, the other modes are all about just getting lots of shots. You don't want tons of OOF shots, you want clean sharp ones.

3) AI Servo Tracking AF method

Similar to #1 but I'd go with 1 for this - continuous AF track priority. Would need to experiment to check this out though. May be a toggle however to the sensitivity set in #1, in which case 0 would be the equivalent of my Nikon settings (AF track OFF!)

4) Lens Drive when AF impossible

This will stop your lens from hunting when it can't find focus. If you set this to 1 then if it can't get a focus it will just stop. Set this to 0 would be my suggestion.

5) AF Micro Adjustment

Unless you need it, leave it the hell alone!!

6) Select Area AF selection mode

Sets which types of AF mode are available

7) Manual AF point selection pattern

Set this to 0 unless you like chasing stuff around the screen as you rapidly fiddle with AF point changes

8) VF Display illumination

I like to use all the visual queues the manufacturer gives me, I'd choose 1 to enable it at all times - lights up the grid pattern to help you compose your shot.

9) Display all AF points

0 for sure - don't light up things you aren't using. This lights up the active AF point, not the rest!

10) Focus display

Gives you a confirmation light when AF is achieved. Set it to 0 - you might never spot it, but if you need it, the light is on when AF is locked.

11) AF Assist beam firing

Unless you are shooting in closeup and low light, disable by setting to 1. Most of the time this won't help one jot, the built in AF assist lamp is very weak. Set it to 2 if you use a Canon Speedlight so when its connected it does use it.

12) Orientation linked AF point

This could be really cool or really annoying. The theory is that you can have two different AF point selections depending on the orientation of the camera (portrait or landscape). Probably setting this to 0 (disable) will eliminate the system screwing things up if you tilt the camera slightly too far and it thinks you've flipped to vertical.... personally, I'd keep it manual!

13) Mirror Lock Up

0 Disable. Unless you are shooting static subjects with really vibration sensitive issues, this isn't for motorsport basically.


LASTLY! If you are using f5.6 glass don't expect to get miracles from the outer focus points. If you have f2.8 glass then these should be fine.
 
Thanks Andy for the detailed manual translation - i think that will be very useful for some. Sadly everything was set as you advised and I was still not happy with the focus reliability at 2.8 IS and Center point only :(- it may well be me being too critical but I'm not convinced

Thanks for the image feedback too, only the head on shots of dtm cars were taken with the 7D I abandoned it after I moved from paddock hill
 
What about back button focus (disable the af on the shutter release) and is turned off?
 
Really weird Jonathan.

Repair centre time?
 
sounds like my 7d
I bought another one and tested them side by side they were both equally as good at getting OOF pics lol
 
Andy many thanks Goethe help :)


Are you a Nikon man?
 
Yes James, I roll with the Nikonz ;-)
 
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