The 7D has landed!!! (1 Viewer)

[hampers]

I am having the opposite trying to focus with the taped 1.4, I can't get focus at all with any focus points it just hunts.

Christine
That is the same for me, did focus intermttently, I'm going to try the method Roy outlined tomorrow. Raining here today just for a change, good forecast tomorrow. Will report back my findings tomorrow.

Phil

 

[GYRob]

I am having the opposite trying to focus with the taped 1.4, I can't get focus at all with any focus points it just hunts.

just a thought.
Have you got the limit switch if your lens has one set right .
Rob.

 

[hampers]

Def was on mine. As said going out tomorrow, weather permitting, to try out again.

Phil

 

[Saphire]

I have just looked the trial was done at 8 mtr and the switch is on the short range. I haven't switched off focus search in custom functions will that help.

 

[GYRob]

I have just looked the trial was done at 8 mtr and the switch is on the short range. I haven't switched off focus search in custom functions will that help.

with focus search off it stops it hunting but stops it from doing anything if it carnt find focus.
I leve it on all the time as it will at least then try to focus.
Rob.

 

[Saphire]

Thanks Rob, I thought it may work better with it switched off, I tried that setting once on my 50D but just couldn't get used to it, I kept missing shots having to remember to manually focus first if I had been doing a different distance..

Here is a test image with the 1.4 attached manually focused. The IQ isn't bad at all considering the light levels and the fact that I had the ISO 12,800. First time I have used above 3200 for birds and not lost much detail and without any banding, it was very easy to clean up the chroma noise.

Another added with a bit more of the noise toned down.

 

[JohnZ]

Without wishing to offend Christine I think both pics are fairly ordinary. The noise in both pics somewhat overpowers the content.

 

[Saphire]

No Offense taken John, I was just a bit surprised how much detail was still there considering how high the ISO was. Its good to know that if I was out and something special came along I could get that shot that otherwise I wouldn't even bother trying.

 

[JohnZ]

Thank you very much Christine.

 

[peteh]

Thats impressive iso imo especially considering thats the extended level.
Shows you can get a decent enough record shot when in terrible light.
A useful thing to know you have in your camera I think.

 

[hampers]

I'm impressed that you can get any image at that level, thanks for posting Christine.

Phil

 

[JohnZ]

This was NOT a slight on Christines pics ! It was an observation.

 

[Rob Hutchinson]

Thats impressive iso imo especially considering thats the extended level.
Shows you can get a decent enough record shot when in terrible light.
A useful thing to know you have in your camera I think.

Agreed, thats about the same quality as I get on my old 20D at 800 iso, really useful for getting record shots in terrible conditions

 

[hampers]

This was NOT a slight on Christines pics ! It was an observation.

and my post relates to the capabilities of the camera NOT your post.

 

[hampers]

Well went out today in the forecasted clear blue sky and sun, or in reality overcast, freezing and snowing on and off! Anyway tried my 400 f5.6 with taped pins in zone af (centre block) and it worked fine. Given the light and lack of contrast I am really impressed. Just need to try stacked tc now.
Some images attached, these are out of the camera, converted to jpeg and tuftie, mandarin_1 saved at 100%, mandarin_2 is 90%. All from Lightroom 3. The tuftie was taken at 1/125 at 800 iso, as other 2, in really bad light and snow. Given lack of contrast when looking at the birds I'm amazed at how well the camera focussed.

 

[Saphire]

Fantastic photo's hampers, it looks like you have a winner with that combination.
I am still struggling to get consistent focus on any subject with the taped converter.

 

[hampers]

Christine
Are you using Kenko or Canon? Which af mode are you using?

Phil

 

[Saphire]

Phil, I am using Kenko pro 300 1.4 with taped pins and I have a Kenko 1.5 non reporting if I ever want to stack.

 

[hampers]

That's same as me, how about af settings. I haven't tried it on smaller birds the ducks easier for it to lock onto I guess. Set my camera to Zone af as Roy suggested (thanks Roy). It was so quick that I'm not sure I need 2 bodies now and 1D may be sold.

Phil

 

[peteh]

After watching that b and h video about the 7d, I was dieing to try out zone af too.
Got a chance today with extremely difficult subjects in flight. (distant gulls with land in the background and my 1.4tc on my 500f4) My mk3 wouldnt have stayed on any of them (its too fast for its own good)
Anyway the zone af which is supposed to go for the closest object in the zone rarely locked on so I tried af with assist points that didnt work either, both were getting the background rather than the bird so in the end I switched back to the total af area (not sure what its called)
and unbelievably it was locking on about 70% of the time then hanging on to the subject about 80-90% of the time. For BIFS ill be using that mode everytime now.

My mk3 has gone in my bag as a 2nd body for the time being!