Focusing issue... perhaps..

JohnN

JohnN

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John
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Hi,

I've been using the old camera for a while now and have been playing with MA, charts etc but sometimes its still out of focus.

Today for example using the same lens and camera (7D + 85mm at 1.8) sometimes my focus would be spot on other times not, now I'm starting to wonder if its because I'm using the AF button/servo when perhaps I shouldn't be.

The subjects today were WWII re-enactors and of course my ever mobile daughter - the actors were relativity stationary or sometime walking about.

I realise that at 1.8 I have a narrow field which is of course not helping, but when I check the AF point in DPP it looks right, but the focus elsewhere.

Anyway what do you think?

Ta.

John
 
Lots of things point to user error, and expecting too much of the camera.

Shallow DoF, moving subject, servo tracking, the fact that it's sometimes right and sometimes not... 7D also has rep as being quite hard to master, though very good once you understand how it works and set it up accordingly.Those are far more likely problem areas than the AF actually being out.
 
according to lehmans the canon people in stoke.. a lot of 7ds have eratic focus problems.. he was telling me as he sent my 1dmkIV off to elstree canon for them to investigate why mine had the same thing
 
Richard, I do expect you;re right - I just have to figure out where my problems lie to work on them.

Kipax - I don't suppose they mention what if anything can be done (assuming its not me of course)
 
JohnN said:
...but sometimes its still out of focus.
....now I'm starting to wonder if its because I'm using the AF button/servo when perhaps I shouldn't be.

...the actors were relativity stationary or sometime walking about.

...but when I check the AF point in DPP it looks right, but the focus elsewhere.

Anyway what do you think?
Click to expand...

It could be that with multiple moving subjects in the frame and servo selected your focus point is picking up and locking on to something other than your intended target.

Also at 1.8 your depth of field is going to be very shallow.

Can you set up some trial shots to double check it is the camera before you send it off somewhere?

There is a weekly camera magazine on the shelves at the moment which has a free focus checker inside it. It will only be on the shelves today as the new one is out tomorrow. Might be worth a try perhaps?
 
Cheers and drat I missed that - I have been away on work :(

Thanks though - I may get my camera checked anyway, its only an hour and a half or so away from where I live and £60ish to get my 7D looked at - I'm also getting the focus looked at. (or plan to when I have enough time away from work!!)
 
Had the same with mine and sent it in, had the auto focus recalibrated and it's excellent now.
 
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