7D and front focusing problems

[pmack]

I've read lots of topics regarding 7D focusing issues, and a lot of the time it turns out to be user error. others not.

For the last 5 odd years, i've been using a 350D, followed by a 40D, and have had very little focus problems. I typically always use the center focus point.

Yet i got the 7D several months back, and have simply been unimpressed with it's autofocus.
particularly seeing as the focus system was one of its selling points.


First dissapointment, was when i took some group photos of visitors at work.
With a wide angle lens, i had it on 19 point AF (i used to like using all points with a wide angle).
The points it said it chose were not in focus, and ruined most of my shots.
I've since learnt to avoid the 19 point AF like the plague (have seen so many terrible examples of it not working on the net)


second time was shooting some small surf with tony abbot, using the 100-400L
not a great shot, but newsworthy (was front page image the next day from the camerman next to me), yet it comes up OOF. A lot more shots from this day were the same.

I had it on single center point. AI servo. first 3 in the burst were like this, final one found focus. so yes it is possible this is normal operation, but i have had many many shots like this, not just the first few from a burst.

exif data should be in all the crops



water in front is in focus



The next time was shooting a performance for a family member.
i used the 50mm f/1.4
was very unhappy with the results. many of the shots were OOF, mostly all front focussing.
I was shooting at f/2 the whole night.

This one was from about 10-12 consecutive (not continuous) shots, all front focussed. although this time it was set to "one shot" autofocus, my focus is activated by my shutter button so was not possible to be user error (finger was pumped not held down)



fairly clear where it is focused:



I shot some more surf today to further check the cameras (or my) performance.
Today i set it to center point expansion, just incase it was having trouble with the one point.

Results were not terrible, but it was certainly not consistant.
Def seemed to be front focussing here and there.

this is probably not the best example, as it is trying to focus with some shadow, but the previous shot in this sequence was in focus.










I've done some basic testing with the 100-400L and it seems to focus correctly for stationary subjects. but when i need it to perform with the 7D, i have been very unsatisfied. it's like a third of the time the shots are good, a third the focus is sorta ok, and the other third are bad.


i tested out my 50mm f/1.4 this avo, and discovered it CONSISTANTLY front focuses.

focused on the corner of the post, shot wide open to help show where it focussed:


all the shots focused about a foot in front of where it was supposed to be focussed:


I suppose i could try a "micro" adjustment for this lens, but yeah regardless i think that is pretty terrible.


I dunno, feeling pretty disheartened about the 7D. has done little but dissapoint me because of all this.

Should i get it checked out with canon?
unfortunately i got it grey imported so will be a pain if i go through the place i bought it from (plus they would likely just hold onto if for a few months and likely say that everything is fine - so not worth my time)

thanks