Canon 7D Mk II is announced and available for pre-order (1 Viewer)

[dandsblair]

New body is excellent

As one of those who stuggled with a duff model, there is hope after repair or swap out.
Finally managed to find time to do some real world birding on Sunday, prior to that it was a week of controlled stuff in garden with a Tripod. I did a mix of hide, walk about and birds in flight shots all in less than great light. I used a monopod for some longer exposure shots.
I used 100-400 Mark ii lens and for half the time had a 1.4 Mark iii Ext attached, good news was that of 343 shots, very few out of focus shots - less than 10 (and easily attributable to me) rather than the 80% plus I was getting and pretty much all OK as record shots even with ISO of up to 4000.
So really looking forward to using the Combo in good light.
Also I don't know how I managed to go back to Mark i for a couple of shoots as I really missed the new features.

 

[Bananafishbones]

I have decided to jump in now. I have spoken to HDEW who assure me everything will be ok with the camera, with any service, with any aftersales issues.

I have convinced myself that there is no reason why I should get a Lemon anyway but if I do I have my trusty mk1 to fall back on while in Columbia while I sort out any issues.

Happy, nervous and excited..... oh, and skint.

roll on Columbia

 

[opticoholic]

Hello,
I'm still a Nikon guy but I happened to notice that Nasim Mansurov recently shared the settings that he uses on a 7DII, including what "worked well for him on birds." He's just one user of course and he's a bit of a Nikon cheerleader (that may be an understatement). But I've enjoyed the detailed write-ups on his web site.

https://photographylife.com/recommended-canon-7d-mark-ii-settings

Amazing how many menu options you have to play with. I'm sure it takes time to learn which settings work best.

Now that the camera has been out for a while, would anyone care to summarize in one post what the overall reaction has been by most users? I can see that a few people have had bad experiences, but are most of you happy, and why?

Dave

 

[colincurry]

I have decided to jump in now. I have spoken to HDEW who assure me everything will be ok with the camera, with any service, with any aftersales issues.

I have convinced myself that there is no reason why I should get a Lemon anyway but if I do I have my trusty mk1 to fall back on while in Columbia while I sort out any issues.

Happy, nervous and excited..... oh, and skint.

roll on Columbia

Ordered mine from HDEW yesterday afternoon with the same qualms and reservations. Somewhat encouraged by the endorsement of RoyC. Email received today giving tracking advice - apparently camera is in Croydon with delivery '1 day'. Watch this space......

Hoping for lots of posts with hints on settings, etc and will have to work out best way to convert RAW with CS6. May also have to get a cheap 7D charger to charge up all my 7D spare batteries. Still have the Mk1 at this stage.

Colin

 

[Barred Wobbler]

I had an email from WEX yesterday afternoon.

They seem to think I'll be happy to sit around waiting for an assessment and a repair rather than getting a replacement.

They seem to be claiming ignorance of any focusing issues with the model, which I find hard to believe. They are hiding behind the phrase in their second sentence; 'As far as I am aware Canon UK had not announced any official issue or advisory on this camera regarding the issues you have reported, although I have forwarded details of your email to our Canon contact requesting his own opinion.'

They are also saying that in their terms and conditions any problems after 28 days will normally be repairs rather than replacement; 'Normally we would offer a replacement within 28 days of purchase, or in some circumstance a week or so after our stand returns period has ended, however due to the length of time since you received the camera, being around 3 months, it is unlikely that a replacement would be offered, and repair would be the only option.'

This rather neglects the fact that for two weeks of that (less than) three months - actually 2 months and three weeks - I was on a different continent, discovering and confirming the problem, and that the two weeks before that was the Christmas and New Year holiday period, hardly the time to be getting into returns with a major foreign trip looming.

Also continuous gloom throughout the first month of the period prevented a proper assessment.

I've sent them photos illustrating the problem (the ones I posted here a couple of days ago) and last night I scoured my Recycle Bin and found some photos that I took on one of the few sunny days in November, one week before their 28 day deadline. They show much the same thing. A five shot sequence of a static red squirrel, all out of focus and a long-tailed tit photographed with spot focus with the entire frame out of focus, save for a twig at the extreme top and another at the extreme right - both out of even the maximum focus zone.

I've sent those off this morning. Let's hope they see sense.

I've been using WEX for over 12 years now. I'd be disappointed to be dispensing with their future services now, but that's the risk. I don't take kindly to being messed about.

 

[colincurry]

Ordered mine from HDEW yesterday afternoon with the same qualms and reservations. Somewhat encouraged by the endorsement of RoyC. Email received today giving tracking advice - apparently camera is in Croydon with delivery '1 day'. Watch this space......

Hoping for lots of posts with hints on settings, etc and will have to work out best way to convert RAW with CS6. May also have to get a cheap 7D charger to charge up all my 7D spare batteries. Still have the Mk1 at this stage.

Colin

Camera received today. Whilst battery was charging, inserted a generic 7D Mk 1 battery which worked fine. Haven't tried to charge it using the new charger as yet. Brief field test in the garden - if that is not a contradiction in terms, largely importing my BIF settings with increased ISO from the Mk 1 and also some Manual shots. Seems OK so far but will now have to RTFM assiduously. Used my 100-400 Mk 1. Jury out on the 100-400 Mk 2 - or should I say Bank Manager.

Have downloaded two guides from links on this topic and have also updated CS6 to convert the RAW images.

Colin

 

[Barred Wobbler]

I must say I'm not too impressed with WEX's customer service these days.

I've praised them on these boards in the past, but something seems to have changed.

I got back from India, knackered and in a daze from an overnight flight, followed by a drive from Manchester, on Friday and reported my fault on Saturday morning as soon as I got up, to get the wheels in motion. I noticed at the time that their website said it could take up to two working days for them to respond, but even so I was mildly surprised when it took them almost to their deadline to respond - a reply came at quarter to three on Tuesday afternoon.

I responded as soon as I could (an hour later). I'd been checking my emails throughout the day for their reply, but had to go out briefly in the afternoon, hence the hour's delay.

I backed this up with another email yesterday morning at 8 am with further photographic evidence.

Over 24 hours later from that second email and into the second day since my first - silence. No response. I wonder if they have a policy of taking two working days to respond to any e-mail, as they say they do with initial contacts.

Very disappointing from a company with such fast response times for deliveries.

Anyone else had problems?

 

[Dave Williams]

I must say I'm not too impressed with WEX's customer service these days.

I've praised them on these boards in the past, but something seems to have changed.

I got back from India, knackered and in a daze from an overnight flight, followed by a drive from Manchester, on Friday and reported my fault on Saturday morning as soon as I got up, to get the wheels in motion. I noticed at the time that their website said it could take up to two working days for them to respond, but even so I was mildly surprised when it took them almost to their deadline to respond - a reply came at quarter to three on Tuesday afternoon.

I responded as soon as I could (an hour later). I'd been checking my emails throughout the day for their reply, but had to go out briefly in the afternoon, hence the hour's delay.

I backed this up with another email yesterday morning at 8 am with further photographic evidence.

Over 24 hours later from that second email and into the second day since my first - silence. No response. I wonder if they have a policy of taking two working days to respond to any e-mail, as they say they do with initial contacts.

Very disappointing from a company with such fast response times for deliveries.

Whilst I have every sympathy for the frustration of having a new camera body that doesn't appear to function I do think WEX are treating you fairly. 3 months is a long time to decide the camera isn't right even if at first you were not aware that others seemed to be suffering similar problems. It would be interesting to know exactly how many 7d2's have been sold and how many people think theirs isn't working properly. If you had agreed to have the body looked at first to see if there is something wrong with it it may well have been on it's way back by now.If it still isn't right then a replacement should be made.
I would imagine in 3 months there are a fair few clicks on the camera now.
Ever since I have had my 1DX I have had a love hate relationship... well not hate but I have been disappointed but it's down to me not the camera for most things.
I still haven't found the best AF modes to use for each situation but I do have all shots on focus priority. I have just returned from a trip to The Gambia so I have had 2 weeks of solid use and the one thing I have come to the conclusion on is that the the camera doesn't pick up AF on small moving subjects if the contrast is not good. BIF in open skies or alternatively large in the frame are not a problem but the other major factor is which lens and or TC combination you are using. My f4 lens performed much,much better without a TC in acquiring focus on moving targets as there are more AF points available. When it comes to static subjects the lens performs very well with both TC's but again, it helps to have a solid platform as the smallest movement of the AF point can make an image out of focus especially when you are firing bursts and have told the camera to keep on shooting as it tries to refocus.
Could your shots of the White-bellied Sea Eagle be down to the fact you were using single point AF on a moving platform ? The boat ( I presume it was the superb Zuari river trip?!) rocks no matter how little you notice it. Expanded centre point might have been a better option but there again, I don't know if you were using that !
Anyway, hope you get your problems resolved amicably and you are back to being delighted with you new purchase.Dave.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

It was the Zuari river trip. Using a 400/f5.6 without converter. My new converter had to stay in the bag since the microfocus adjustment on the camera wasn't enough to stop it rear-focussing even at -20!

The water was mirror smooth, no wind, a very slack flow and the boat was steady. And I used a variety of focus point settings. I'm not a novice. See the eagle shot I posted that was in focus. It's an intermittent fault. At times the camera works as it should.

And that eagle was only one of dozens of subjects that returned the same inconsistent results, in various circumstances. What about the red-wattled lapwing? What about the shrike? What about the close range perched black kites and a host of other examples that I haven't posted?. In various circumstances. Even supporting the lens or tripod-mounting didn't help. On a camera that is supposedly designed for sports and wildlife.

The number of shutter-clicks gained in India is irrelevant, since a large proportion of them were unusable because of the fault, a fault which it is clear has been present since manufacture. I've been provided with a faulty product and the Sale of Goods Act is there for a reason.

As I explained above, there were almost no opportunities in the month of November (for a camera that was received on the day of issue, 30th October) because of poor light throughout the month to test the camera properly (look back through this thread at my contributions on the subject - it was driving me round the bend).

I began to have suspicions when the sun came out in early December (outside the 28 day limit), but even then I was fooled by the intermittent nature of the problem (see my post with the oystercatchers).

Then it was pre-Christmas (with Christmas post), Christmas holidays and the New Year, followed almost immediately by the trip. It took the trip to confirm that the problem wasn't user-induced. Little opportunity there for redress.

I've since found that I still had photos in my recycle bin (taken using a monopod, as in the long-tailed tit) from one of the few sunny days we had in November that also show the problem, within their 28 day limit, if only I'd been aware at the time, but it was one of the first chances I had in good daylight and the camera was still new to me. I've sent them to WEX.

I don't think I'm being unreasonable at all, just expecting a decent service from a supplier and an acceptance that a problem exists, rather than hiding behind 'Canon hasn't told us' and not replying to emails.

I don't deny that the majority of bodies are faultless, and good luck to those that have them. I want one too.

 

[Roy C]

As far as the AF setting goes on the 7D2 I do not see anything radically new for the bird photographer - hopefully the main gains will come from a quicker/more consistent AF, a better high ISO noise performance and also AF at f8. when compared to the 7D1 or other xxD Cams.

If you are shooting perched birds in one shot mode then single point or spot focus are still going to be best IMHO.
Even if you use AI servo all the time (like I do) then single point is still best for perched birds IMHO although I would always set the 1st and 2nd priority to 'focus'.

If shooting flyers in AI servo mode then I still think single point expansion is the best. Using multi AF points for flyers (such as zone or expanded zone) can have its uses but you always run the risk of the focus point not being on the eye/head but on,say, a wing tip. I would, however,try a multi point option for very fast flyers where it is almost impossible to get on with a single point in the hope of nailing one of the the shots from a burst.

As far as the the AI servo cases goes, for general readiness for a flyer I have always found case 1 to be the best. If you have a specific target in mind then you can always use another case of course but for general use Case 1 is fine IMHO.


As previously mentioned I would always use 'Focus' for 1st and 2nd image priority myself - you will not get 10 frames per second but whats the point in getting the first shot in focus followed by 9 soft shots!.

 

[David Whitaker]

I thought that I would just carry out a wee experiment with my 7D2. I don’t possess a 400 mm f5.6, so I stuck a 1.4 converter on to my 300 mm f4 with the IS off and the camera set to AV. Hand holding a few frames of birds perched in the garden in the snow produced soft mushy de-focused images, just like the ones that folk are complaining about. A focus problem, I think not. Just image blur or to put it another way good old fashioned camera shake.
Regarding focus settings I always have the camera set to focus priority and case 2, continue to track subject ignoring all others and left it at that. Frankly I have never thought that any of the focus tracking settings really differed much in the real world. Toys for the boys to enable Canon to sell a few more units.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

I've done all of that Roy, with the exception of Focus on 1st and 2nd image priority. I did it for a while, but changed it back to equal priority one night when I was out doing star shots and never changed it back. I don't think that's the problem anyway.

This doesn't explain the circumstances where the first shot is in focus and the second one isn't, such as in the shrike and lapwing shots, as shown above.

I chose those shots specifically for that reason, to illustrate that it wasn't a case of the camera firing before focus was achieved.

I've tried to eliminate all spurious causes (wrong focus mode, camera shake etc) and only concentrate on finding the real cause. It's something I'm trained to do. I used to deal with multi-million pound contract claims where evidence was important.

 

[Roy C]

I thought that I would just carry out a wee experiment with my 7D2. I don’t possess a 400 mm f5.6, so I stuck a 1.4 converter on to my 300 mm f4 with the IS off and the camera set to AV. Hand holding a few frames of birds perched in the garden in the snow produced soft mushy de-focused images, just like the ones that folk are complaining about. A focus problem, I think not. Just image blur or to put it another way good old fashioned camera shake.
Regarding focus settings I always have the camera set to focus priority and case 2, continue to track subject ignoring all others and left it at that. Frankly I have never thought that any of the focus tracking settings really differed much in the real world. Toys for the boys to enable Canon to sell a few more units.

David your handholding example here is of no use whatsoever unless you tell what shutter speed you were using also adding a 1.4x tc to the 300/4 is not going to be anywhere near as responsive as the bare 400/5.6.

I do agree about the varies focus tracking options not making that much difference in the real world though (that is from my experience with the 5D3 at least).

 

[Roy C]

I've done all of that Roy, with the exception of Focus on 1st and 2nd image priority. I did it for a while, but changed it back to equal priority one night when I was out doing star shots and never changed it back. I don't think that's the problem anyway.

This doesn't explain the circumstances where the first shot is in focus and the second one isn't, such as in the shrike and lapwing shots, as shown above.

I chose those shots specifically for that reason, to illustrate that it wasn't a case of the camera firing before focus was achieved.

I've tried to eliminate all spurious causes and only concentrate on finding the real cause. It's something I'm trained to do. I used to deal with multi-million pound contract claims where evidence was important.

Not referring to you with that post but just making a general comment about the AF setting with the Camera. I have no doubt that you have a 'lemon' from what you have been saying.

Having said that, my understanding of the 1st and 2nd image priority is that if you set, say the 1st to focus and the 2nd to something else then the 1st shot will be in focus but subsequent ones from the burst may not be (perhaps I am wrong but this is what I have always thought).

 

[Roy C]

Just seen this on another site re a 7D2 - Mine, once returned from canon, preformed excellent. However, the note said "sensor realigned to match focal plane". So even Canon have acknowledge that there was a problem here but all the wise guys were probably saying 'user error'!!!!

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Just seen this on another site re a 7D2 - Mine, once returned from canon, preformed excellent. However, the note said "sensor realigned to match focal plane". So even Canon have acknowledge that there was a problem here but all the wise guys were probably saying 'user error'!!!!

Very intersting Roy.

Thanks.

I've just called WEX and they were apologetic about not having the courtesy to respond to my email in the two days since my reply.

They are looking at my reply now and I'm awaiting a phone call.

EDIT

Well, after another rather rancorous exchange of emails, WEX phoned me this evening. A courier is coming tomorrow. We shall see what transpires; maybe repair, maybe replacement. They didn't seem impressed with my mitigation that given the weather in November it was impossible to test the camera thoroughly and that the problem was only clear in the past couple of weeks, nor that I'd sent them photographic evidence that the camera was already faulty before the 28 day deadline.

I told them I also wasn't very impressed with their email offer to replace my camera with another 'as new', with a one year warranty from those that had been returned to them by other customers in their 'Returned stock/Open box range' in lieu of repair. One lemon is plenty to be going on with for the time being.

It remains to be seen whether they will get any more custom from me. At the moment it's unlikely.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

I see HDEW are selling the MkII for £1199.

It hasn't taken long to drop.

Still £1599 at WEX

 

[Roy C]

I see HDEW are selling the MkII for £1199.

It hasn't taken long to drop.

Still £1599 at WEX

Yes, it is even cheaper with Panamoz (£1083 with bank transfer), this is more or less the starting price for the grey importers. The are a few folk in this thread that have bought from HDEW in the last week (I will defo buy from them if I get one).
I am surprised that none of the UK Canon dealers have not drop the price yet - the original 7D dropped from £1800 to £1200 in around 10 weeks from launch.
p.s. I have just had an email from HDEW and they are taking off another £25 until the week end for orders over £500 so that's £1174 with a 3 year warranty.

 

[dabut101]

I have just had an email from HDEW and they are taking off another £25 until the week end for orders over £500 so that's £1174 with a 3 year warranty.[/QUOTE]

Had the same email as you roy

 

[Farnboro John]

Very intersting Roy.

Thanks.

I've just called WEX and they were apologetic about not having the courtesy to respond to my email in the two days since my reply.

They are looking at my reply now and I'm awaiting a phone call.

EDIT

Well, after another rather rancorous exchange of emails, WEX phoned me this evening. A courier is coming tomorrow. We shall see what transpires; maybe repair, maybe replacement. They didn't seem impressed with my mitigation that given the weather in November it was impossible to test the camera thoroughly and that the problem was only clear in the past couple of weeks, nor that I'd sent them photographic evidence that the camera was already faulty before the 28 day deadline.

I told them I also wasn't very impressed with their email offer to replace my camera with another 'as new', with a one year warranty from those that had been returned to them by other customers in their 'Returned stock/Open box range' in lieu of repair. One lemon is plenty to be going on with for the time being.

It remains to be seen whether they will get any more custom from me. At the moment it's unlikely.

If you see a suitable moment you might remind them of a commercial truism that a previous boss of mine had on his wall:

"The customer is not always right, but there is no profit in proving him wrong."

Wex's rep has been rather good, and I would have thought of them - but I am reconsidering now, and I may not be the only one.... how many orders do they want to let slip?

John