Renting a 7D this weekend

[Joerg Rockenberger]

I'll be renting and testing a 7D this weekend. Emphasis is of course on evaluating the AF performance. Given the limited time though I'll probably focus (pun) on the simple center focus point only - maybe with the expansion option turned on at times.

What other settings, especially the custom functions, would people who own the 7D already recommend as a starting point?

Thanks, JR

[Doug Brown]

For BIF, I recommend AF expansion points (the central diamond configuration) with AI Servo tracking sensitivity set to slow. Spot AF is very good for getting the eye sharp on more static subjects. Look forward to your image posts and impressions. Have fun!

[Michael Pancier]

read the manual on setting the a/f configurations. I didn't and thought it was like every other Canon camera and was going nuts trying to figure out how to set it to center sensor only. there's an extra button mf which you need to use and then check the custom functions to make sure that the various a/f tracking methods are not disabled.

[William Malacarne]

This may have already been posted on BPN....it is an article from Canon on 7D AF.

http://www.usa.canon.com/dlc/controller?act=GetArticleAct&articleID=3049

Bill

[Joerg Rockenberger]

Thanks for the tips so far. I've downloaded the manual and I am considering the following settings:

C.Fn III-1 (Tracking Sensitivity): slow
C.Fn III-2 (1st/2nd image priority): 0 (AF priority/Tracking priority)
C.Fn III-3 (Tracking Method): 1 (continuous af track priority) - I wonder though if that can make it difficult if the focus jumped to the background to get it back on the bird. Anyone with experience?
C.Fn III-4 (Lens drive when AF impossible): 1 (focus search off)
C.Fn III-5 (AF microadjust): 0 (disable)
C.Fn III-6 (AF area selection mode): Single point, Expansion, Spot
C.Fn III-7 (Manual AF point selection): 0 (stop)
C.Fn III-8 (VF illumination): 0 (auto)
C.Fn III-9 (Display all AF poitns): 0 (disable)
C.Fn III-10 (Focus display in AI servo/MF): 0 (enable)
C.Fn III-11 (AF assist beam firing): 1 (Disable)
C.Fn III-12 (orientation link): 1 (Different)
C.Fn III-13 (mirror lockup): 0 (disable)

Please let me know if you see anything which doesn't make sense or doesn't work well in your experience. Any other tips are of course also appreciated. Thanks, JR

[arash_hazeghi]

John, these are the settings I used too, let us know how it works for you, I assume you are renting from barrow lenses (?)
I would use it with more than one lens just in case and also test static AF accuracy the day before the shoot to see if any micro-adjust is needed.

[Joerg Rockenberger]

Encountered a minor hickup. DPP 3.6 can not read the 7D raw files. Should have anticipated this but... Anyone can help me out? DPP 3.7 does not yet seem to be available from the Canon support site...

So, as far as first impression go: most of the images I took this afternoon sure looked nice on the camera display.:cool: Not sure though what it means at the moment.

PLEASE. ;)

Thanks, JR

[Doug Brown]

If you have Lightroom 2.5 you can view and process 7D RAW files. If you want a preliminary idea of performance, shoot RAW + JPEG. Look at the JPEGs now and save the RAW files for later.

[Dug Threewitt]

Encountered a minor hickup. DPP 3.6 can not read the 7D raw files. Should have anticipated this but... Anyone can help me out? DPP 3.7 does not yet seem to be available from the Canon support site...

So, as far as first impression go: most of the images I took this afternoon sure looked nice on the camera display.:cool: Not sure though what it means at the moment.

PLEASE. ;)

Thanks, JR

I think there is a link floating around on POTN with DPP 3.7. It may be from a flaky site, but many people say it's good. You may also check canon's site and say you have a 7D or the latest G series(11 I think).

[John Blumenkamp]

John,

FYI.. DPP 3.7.2 is now available on the Canon website.

[Joerg Rockenberger]

JB, thanks. JR :)