Auto focusing mode on the 7D compared to other models

<p>How good is the fully auto focusing mode on the 7D compared to other models? Ie. 50d or 5d mk2 I do a lot of shots where I don’t have time to define the focus point and rely on full autofocus, let me know your experiences?</p>

 

<p>I moved from 450D to 7D and I simply love the AF. I now feel spoiled without it.<br>

But it's very much a personal opinion, it really depends on how much you rely on it. I have at least one friend who disable everything but the single center point on his camera.<br>

Ideally you should try to go to a shop and test/compare it.</p>

<p>Found the auto focusses on the closest object very quickly which is not always appropriate. Personally, I use the spot AF and recompose, but I have assigned AF to the AEL button and not the shutter release button. This works for me, but it may not work for you. The AF system in general is far better than any previous EOS I have used (5D, 450D, 50E, 30E...)</p>

<p>Theres more points and they are all cross type. More chances of a hit in Ai Focus mode.<br>

If you are able to track your subject for a half second with a pre-defined point then you open up the rather fantastic world of AiServo, with mucho tweakability, for example you can define how easily AF shifts between focus planes (i.e. you can stop the AF hunting for the nearest subject, when it locks, it tracks, even if your primary subject is momentarily obscured)<br>

If you want easy mode, as said the extra points and cross sensors make life a little better.<br>

If you can adapt your style by using say a cluster of AF points (I agree it is difficult to track with a single point) and allow that cluster to move around it's main point, either accross the full AF range or within a defined zone, combined with Ai Servo (with its own dedicated processor by the way) then you'll double or triple your hit rate.</p>

<p>I haven't noticed a significant difference in how auto focus point selection works on my 7D vs. how it worked on my 20D (and on my Elan 7E before that). It generally picks the closest thing that's covered by an AF point, so if that's not what you want, it won't get the job done.</p>

 

<p>I do like the variety of AF point selection methods available, though I would have liked if they'd kept one feature of the 20D (the ability to shift instantly from whatever mode you're in to manual selection mode simply by playing with the joystick, instead of having to press one button, then press another button one or more times before the joystick becomes active). I have been playing with the various modes (other than spot, which doesn't seem useful for the pictures I take) and found that auto is the least useful for me. Manual selection is probably the most useful, with zone next and manual with expansion third. But as someone said above, it's very much a personal preference.</p>

It usually guesses right for me, say 75% of the time: closest or brightest significant object. So okay for casual use but I

use one of the manual selection methods for important shots. I have spot AF assigned to the DOF button for quick access.

Zone focus is sorta a reduced auto selection mode where you pick the general area and the camera guesses at the

intended subject within that zone. Reduces the misses over using all the points.

 

I suspect it a little better at guessing than my old 40D and 5D.

<p>The 7D AF is very impressive it is pretty close to me EOS 1DIIN in real world use (except for slow lenses where the 1D is better). With F4 or faster lenses the 7D is very good except in very low light. I personally don't find the full auto AF systems much use as I want to know where I am focusing - especially with wide apertures. From playing with the full auto it does not seem bad but appears to focus on the closest most central object. I generally use a single AF point or add the expansion points with fast moving targets. I have played with zone but generally do not find a need for it. The macro mode is quite impressive - especially if shooting handheld with the 100 f2.8 LIS although it is not as good as live view, a focusing rail and a tripod.</p>

<p>I own and use the 7D and 5D2 and find the AF pretty much the same when I use single-point AF. However, for birds in flight, I often use the 7D's expanded mode with 9-points. With birds flying straight at me I have a higher keeper rate with the 7D vs. the 5D2, so I think that the 7D tracks better, but it may be because I find it easier to keep the AF point on subject in the 7D because the subject is larger in the crop sensor's viewfinder.</p>

<p>I think that of Canons prosumer models the 7D has the best AF scheme. With all of them, particularly for tough subjects like birds in flight against almost any background, you'll need to understand how the AF scheme works and work within it. There's no such thing as point and shoot when you get out into the telephoto reaches. For shorter lenses I hardly notice the AF on either of my camera bodies, since they both lock on quickly and easily and seldom hunt.</p>

<p>I shoot HS football at night, under weak lighting, and have found that the AF on the 7D is very good/excellent. I also shoot a 5D II, which can't keep up, but isn't bad. I shoot in servo mode using multi-point AF with the center point as the initial "lock" point. It locks quickly, and tracks very nicely. I'll post an example, if you want.</p>

<p>"I shoot in servo mode using multi-point AF with the center point as the initial "lock" point"<br>

what do you mean? how do you do it?</p>

<p>David,<br>

I like both of you own the 5DII as well as the 7D and a few older 1 series bodies. I actually find that for action sports the 7D is notably better than the 5DII (although the 5DII is at least as good as my old film 1NRS which was Canon's top sports body until the 1V was launched in 2000)</p>

<p>Christopher,<br>

When in servo mode (continous AF) the 19 focus points act differently than when in single focus mode. When multi point is selected in servo mode, you see brackers around all 19 points with the center point lit up since it is, be default, the initial acquisition point. You can move the initial point using the joystick, if you want. When shooting, the subject is acquired by the center point, and then the AF "follows" the subject around as it moves within the 19 point AF area.</p>

<p>The 7D AF is pretty impressive, especially with something like the 70-200/2.8 IS, it's very accurate and very fast. I'm still coming to terms with what points I need under what conditions.<br>

For equestrian sport, I think the center spot with the assist spots is pretty good, for cricket, centre spot is the one to go with and for birds in flight, if I have time, then all points seems to work well. For a big bird like an egret or heron or red kite, centre with assist seems to work well.<br>

The one feature that really pleaes me is the ability to AF in live view when using a 100-400+1.4x, I know that I could do that with the 40D, but I never did. Having the single button on the back to go live view makes it so much easier.</p>

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<p>How good is the fully auto focusing mode on the 7D compared to other models? Ie. 50d or 5d mk2</p>

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<p>It's better. You can go to any of the review sites and read about the differences. 7D af is more sophisticated and powerful than the 50d or 5d2. 5d2 in servo mode is pretty weak.</p>

<p>Steve,<br>

I use the 7D in rock climbing photography and its autofocus works great for me. I usually shoot at 2.8 and the focus is always dead on. The zone AF gets the most use from me. It's basically the AF area divided into 5 zones and you select the zone that you need to focus in on. Once, I brought an XTi as second body so I didn't have to switch lenses and I found its AF almost unusable compared to the 7D. Of course, apples and oranges. If you don't mind me asking, what will you be shooting?<br>

-Jonn</p>