The 7D has landed!!! (2 Viewers)

[paulhillion]

1/640, f/5.6, iso800 using 800mm f/5.6 lens on bean bag, shot in RAW, man.exp. Looking at the 7 frames I took (it was a fleeting visit to say the least!) all show some 'lack of detail on the breast area. However on closer inspection at 100% in LR there is clearly detail there (and sharp) so I'm not sure why it appears like that in particular areas on the breast. I think maybe it's just the way the feathers appeared in the quite flat light? It was very windy so maybe the breast feathers were moving slightly?

One thing for sure I know it's not the lens or caused through movement as all 7 frames are spot on sharp where I focused, on the eye

 

[paulhillion]

Actually thinking about it I'm pretty confident it's a light issue and lack of shadow detail in that area. If I play with it in in LR more detail comes out.

 

[postcardcv]

1/640, f/5.6, iso800 using 800mm f/5.6 lens on bean bag, shot in RAW, man.exp. Looking at the 7 frames I took (it was a fleeting visit to say the least!) all show some 'lack of detail on the breast area. However on closer inspection at 100% in LR there is clearly detail there (and sharp) so I'm not sure why it appears like that in particular areas on the breast. It maybe just the way the feathers appeared in the quite flat light??? It was very windy so maybe the breast feathers were moving??? Or maybe because I've not yet upgraded my ACR or LR to the newer versions that accept 7D files?? Grasping at straws as I really don't know. Maybe the detail will improve on the breast area when I process properly.

One thing for sure I know it's not the lens or caused through movement as all 7 frames are spot on sharp where I focused, on the eye

thanks for the info, I was a bit concerned that it was NR issues, good that it's not...

 

[Gordon Ramel]

7D refusing to take a photo

OK - I have only read through pages 1-10 and 20-26 (last time here I did not notice the pages beyond 1) - it takes time, so I may have missed a relevent post. However my 7D just refused to take a photo several times. I was trying to photograph some Great Tits on a feeder up close for a small article to encourage Greek people to use bid feeders. 7d with 400mm f5.6 and 430EXII flash I was just within the minimum focus range with the camera set on manual - several time I tried to take the photo and the camera refused. Thinking it might be a setting problem (I am new to Digital SLRs) I flicked it to the 'P' setting to let the camera do averything. Still it wouldn't take the photo. I took a photo of a Jackdaw 40 metres away and then tried again. Nothing. But then later it did take the phot on 'P' but in Manual. What am doing wrong?

 

[tdodd]

Gordon, you say you were "within the minimum focus range" for the blue tit, which to me sounds like you were too close for the camera to focus fully. The blue tit would have needed to be beyond the minimum AF distance, not within it. Just to clarify, I take it that you could photograph the jackdaw just fine. My guess is that you had the camera in On-Shot AF mode and the camera could not get a focus lock (because you were too close) and thus refused to allow the shutter to be released.

Did you get focus confirmation, either audibly or visually? If you were to shoot with manual focus or in AI Servo the camera would have allowed the shutter to release, whether or not the subject was properly focused. One-Shot will lock you out if the camera can't confirm focus. This is not unique to the 7D. It is standard operation for all EOS cameras I've ever used (I have six different ones).

 

[senatore]

OK - I have only read through pages 1-10 and 20-26 (last time here I did not notice the pages beyond 1) - it takes time, so I may have missed a relevent post. However my 7D just refused to take a photo several times. I was trying to photograph some Great Tits on a feeder up close for a small article to encourage Greek people to use bid feeders. 7d with 400mm f5.6 and 430EXII flash I was just within the minimum focus range with the camera set on manual - several time I tried to take the photo and the camera refused. Thinking it might be a setting problem (I am new to Digital SLRs) I flicked it to the 'P' setting to let the camera do averything. Still it wouldn't take the photo. I took a photo of a Jackdaw 40 metres away and then tried again. Nothing. But then later it did take the phot on 'P' but in Manual. What am doing wrong?

Were you using spot AF? This can cause problems when hand holding.

Max.

 

[JohnZ]

I have the strangest feeling that I will not be getting a 7D. Instead I shall invest in a better lens. Something along the lines of that which RoyC bought.
I am not totally convinced about this camera and whilst it might be nice to take HD videos on it I am more of a walking about person and would find the prospect of trying to take an HD video on it fairly mundane. Plus, of course, you would then have to buy a tripod and all that goes with it.
However you can never say never ! And as soon as I see a decent HD video I may well change my mind ?

 

[Roy C]

I have had my 7D about three weeks now and have not even tried Video yet! I did, however, try some BIF a couple of days ago - I was using centre point expansion and slow tracking sensitivity, all I can say is Wow :t::t::t: . Coming from xxD cameras it is so much better to keep track of flyers. The real biggy as far as I can see is the slow tracking - you can lose the bird for several seconds without the focus going wildly out, this makes it very easy to lock back onto the target, plus the point expansion gives you a bigger AF area.
I frequently use a 2x tc with my set-up and with the 40D the AF can slow down a bit but with the 7D it seems to obtain focus so much faster, especially if using the focus limiter (I normally use 6.4mtrs to infinity). I even managed to get several BIF shots with the 2x attached, something that I found pretty difficult on the 40D.
For me the 7D is worth it just for the AF sytem alone.

 

[Schulz-Benick]

Roy, what is your peronal opinin about the 7d`s tracking capability of BIF before background with much structure (i.e. trees) in comparison to your 40D ? There are not many statements about this yet. I know, you`ve just got your 7D some few weeks ago, so that your experince about this might not yet be complete. nevertheless I am very curious...

Best wishes,
Andreas

 

[Roy C]

Roy, what is your peronal opinin about the 7d`s tracking capability of BIF before background with much structure (i.e. trees) in comparison to your 40D ? There are not many statements about this yet. I know, you`ve just got your 7D some few weeks ago, so that your experince about this might not yet be complete. nevertheless I am very curious...

Best wishes,
Andreas

Andreas, early days yet but I would say that the 7D is far better than the 40D in keeping focus of a bird that is flying through a busy background. As you probably know, the 40D is quite good as long as you keep the focus point over the bird but as soon as you lose the bird in the focus point then it will lock right on to something in the background, this makes it all the more difficult to get back on the bird as the focus can be wildly out - with the 7D you can set the tracking sensitivity to slow which means that it will not lock onto the background so quick if you lose the bird, this gives you enough time to get back on to the bird. Also if you use single point expansion you have a bigger area of focus for the bird, with this mode you still have to pick the bird up with a single nominated point but if you lose the bird it can be picked up in one of the other points. From what I can make out, the centre point with expansion gives you five AF points covering and area about the same size as the spot metering circle.
Hope this helps.

 

[Confusion_Circle]

Here is a mind-numbingly detailed review of the 7D and the 15-85mm kit lens written by a friend who works at Beau Photo in Vancouver, BC. Grab a cup of coffee or two.

http://www.beauphoto.com/frames/digital/news/eos7d.html

 

[Roy C]

For anyone coming from a 40D or lesser pixel camera here is something which Canon themselves put out a few years ago - I guess it would still hold good today. Particulary relevant for bird snappers I would have though.

'images from more recent EOS professional digital cameras can still look softer than those from earlier models. This is because recent models have more pixels, which means that pixel size is smaller (11.5µm on the EOS-1D; 7.2µm on the EOS-1Ds Mark II). Smaller pixels are more sensitive to camera shake, as a smaller movement will cause the image to move across more pixels. You need to hold the camera steadier - ideally on a tripod.

For the same reason, sports photographers also need to re-think their shutter speeds, as blur from subject movement will be more apparent on cameras with more pixels. Where possible, consider increasing the shutter speed, even if this requires an increase in ISO speed'

 

[GYRob]

Andreas, early days yet but I would say that the 7D is far better than the 40D in keeping focus of a bird that is flying through a busy background. As you probably know, the 40D is quite good as long as you keep the focus point over the bird but as soon as you lose the bird in the focus point then it will lock right on to something in the background, this makes it all the more difficult to get back on the bird as the focus can be wildly out - with the 7D you can set the tracking sensitivity to slow which means that it will not lock onto the background so quick if you lose the bird, this gives you enough time to get back on to the bird. Also if you use single point expansion you have a bigger area of focus for the bird, with this mode you still have to pick the bird up with a single nominated point but if you lose the bird it can be picked up in one of the other points. From what I can make out, the centre point with expansion gives you five AF points covering and area about the same size as the spot metering circle.
Hope this helps.

agree with all this too.
and will add haveing tracking speed control is one of the main resons i got the 7d ,my mk 3 has it too.
Rob.

 

[edenwatcher]

For anyone coming from a 40D or lesser pixel camera here is something which Canon themselves put out a few years ago - I guess it would still hold good today. Particulary relevant for bird snappers I would have though.

'images from more recent EOS professional digital cameras can still look softer than those from earlier models. This is because recent models have more pixels, which means that pixel size is smaller (11.5µm on the EOS-1D; 7.2µm on the EOS-1Ds Mark II). Smaller pixels are more sensitive to camera shake, as a smaller movement will cause the image to move across more pixels. You need to hold the camera steadier - ideally on a tripod.

For the same reason, sports photographers also need to re-think their shutter speeds, as blur from subject movement will be more apparent on cameras with more pixels. Where possible, consider increasing the shutter speed, even if this requires an increase in ISO speed'

Having come from a 20D I would say that this is absolutely correct. I need to get used to using higher ISOs!

Rob

 

[Neil-T]

Dull day, high ISO play

Not a very nice day today being very dull for most of it. Thought I would put my 7D through some high ISO tests. I have only had the camera for a couple of days so still getting used to it. I am basically using a similar method I used with the 40D and 50D. Shooting AV mode.

The 3 shots are all taken at 200mm with a 70-200mm f/4L. I have done absolutely no editing with the shots at all. They have been resized to 800x533 so they would upload here. All 3 pics were taken resting the camera/lens on a bean bag through the car window.

The Nuthatch: 400ISO 200mm f/4 1/400s -1EV
Blue tit 3200ISO 200mm f/5 1/320s
Coal tit 6400ISO 200mm f/4 1/500s

I must say that I am quite pleased with the outcome, even though the photo's are not great. My 50D at 800ISO was very similar to the Blue tit photo which was taken with the 7D at 3200ISO. I have also noticed that the grain effect is more prominent depending on background. Any comments welcome. Neil.

 

[hampers]

At last managed to get out with one as well. Given the lack of light, pouring rain and absolutely freezing really pleased with the results. These are all out of camera, just resized.

Phil

 

[Neil-T]

Hi hampers, did you use any high ISO settings at all? Not bad photo's considering the light today. Neil.

 

[hampers]

Der, forgot to add that, great tit 400, others 800. Realise the brambling is not pin sharp.


Phil

 

[HokkaidoStu]

I'm still loving the novelty of a really good BIF camera (after coming from one of the older xxxD models which had very hit and miss AI Servo and tracking). Like others have said the AF system is definitely the 7D's strongest point.

The eagle shots below were fairly heavily cropped but I'm happy enough with them. As you can see even with busy backgrounds they keep the bird on focus thanks to the 'slow' tracking.

All shots at ISO 400.

 

[Bob Thompson]

The attached shot was taken using the 7D, Canon 400mm f5.6 lens and 1.4x teleconverter