New 7D has back-focussing issues

[dakkon76]

Loving this camera now that my battery finally got charged. Thew on my 2 primes and back-focusing problems appear to be pretty consistent with both. This was something I didn't have a problem with on my XSi. Luckily, during the image viewing on the camera, it will show you where autofocus was locked. On one 2/3 body shot of our neighbor kid with him doing a side profile and looking at the camera, the focus point is locked on his far cheek when reviewing a specific image... but the area of sharpest focus is his shoulder, nearest the camera. So this is off by a good 4 inches or so.

I can micro-adjust for each lens, but I'm concerned this is quite a bit and worry that while the micro adjust may work great with my primes... maybe not so much with a zoom?

I still need to do some more focused tests and I'm off tomorrow so that's my priority. Just wondering what other owners have done if they've run into similar issues. I guess I'm wondering if it turns out to in fact be that far off... do I bother micro adjusting, or do I contact the seller and ask for an exchange.

EDIT: For those of you that want to skip Darrel's "fanboy" drama, read no further (there, I tried to spare you). The issue was resolved by a hard reset, which seems to be fixing most of the 7D's back-focusing problems.

 

[MLeeK]

You can micro adjust by each lens, or universally the same amount for each lens.

If you are certain it is the camera? I'd send it to be calibrated. There were some focus glitches in the early batches of the 7D. By sending to Canon you will have it 100% and tested.

 

[K8-90]

Slightly off topic, but how do you check the focus? I'd love to be able to do that - didn't know it was possible

 

[Derrel]

The type of lens-to-body miscalibration you are experiencing is the reason Canon developed and invented AF micro-adjustment. Good luck with whatever course of action you choose to pursue.

 

[dakkon76]

Kate, go into the menu, select the second image menu and select "AF point disp." (display) enable that. What that does is when you review your shots, you can see which focus points were locked when each image was taken. Then, leave your images on your card after you transfer them to your computer. Pick an image you want to check focus on... like one where you locked focus on an eye... and then look at the same image number on your camera so you can have it highlight your focus point. The area with the red box on your camera display should be the sharpest thing on the same image viewed on your computer. If it's soft at all, then something is off.

So this morning, I think I'll just set up a ruler and focus on the 6" mark from a tripod. I'll take several shots while changing my micro-adjust and see what sort of results I get. I also heard that doing a hard reset, which involves taking the watch battery out for at least an hour, also cured the problem for most. My battery and watch battery were out overnight, so we'll see if that improves anything.

 

[Big Mike]

Slightly off topic, but how do you check the focus? I'd love to be able to do that - didn't know it was possible

In this case, they are checking the focus by looking at a portrait and seeing what is in focus and what isn't. Another way to do it, would be to print a focus test chart, or just shoot a page with lines of text on it. You shoot the chart/page at 45 degrees. The line that you focused on, should be the sharpest. If it's not, then you have a front or back focus issue.

If you use the software that comes with the camera (Canon Digital Photo Pro), it has the ability to show you which one of the AF points was used when you took the shot.

 

[dakkon76]

The type of lens-to-body miscalibration you are experiencing is the reason Canon developed and invented AF micro-adjustment. Good luck with whatever course of action you choose to pursue.

You're aware that this feature is available on Nikon bodies as well, right? Lots of Nikon users say they never have to micro-adjust. Lots of Canon users say the same thing. If Nikon lenses are exclusively without flaws, and have much tighter tolerances (say, down to nanometers) than anyone else on the market... I guess we know who's using that mystical alien technology.

 

[Derrel]

Canon developed and invented micro-adjustment. Simple fact. Why did they invent it? Because so many thousands of their users were complaining on internet message boards, and were returning badly out of calibration equipment. Sorry if the facts bother you...but this was a Canon technology invention. it is still one of the biggest "features" of buying and using Canon equipment. How do you think Canon managed to keep the prices of its lenses so far below that of other makers for so many years? It's called "lower standards".

Sometimes, Canon fanboys do not want to take credit for the things Canon developed.

So, let us get this straight: your brand-new Canon 7D has serious backfocusing issues...and you're trying to blame that problem on Nikon, fanboy?

 

[Overread]

So Canon invented micro focus adjust and Nikon copied canon cause - - manufacture tolerances are a universal law no matter what camera firm you purchase from

 

[dakkon76]

I guess I'm just dumbfounded as to why Nikon would implement such a piece of sleazy tech. According to their fanboys, they have zero need for this, as well as lots of other compensatory tech... Why even use image stabilization? Surely that was built to compensate for something.

 

[Derrel]

Overread is actually correct: Nikon copied Canon's idea...back when the web was being flooded with newbies buying their very-first digital SLR, the feature quickly became a buzz-word. "AF micro-adjust" became a huge buzzword...just like "how many megapixels does it have", But then again, I've been shooting digital SLR Cameras since early 2001, with the original "affordable model", the $5,000 Nikon D1....and dakon76 is probably using his first-ever one, bought last year...he probably missed out on the entire decade of development of the digital SLR as a popular item,so he has no historical perspective on what actually happened several years ago.

When d-slr bodies were sold only at high price, to experienced shooters, AF microadjust did not exist...it was not needed...but then the market grew, and Canon-shooting newbies kept posting on the Canon section of dPreview and complaining that their Canon lenses were BACK FOCUSING...and they were returning the lenses, often multiple times in a row...it became a PR nightmare for Canon...so, Canon developed AF microadjust...simple historical FACT. Canon developed AF micro-adjust in response to hundreds of complaints about badly-performing Canon lenses and bodies. FACT.

If one wishes to be a fanboy, one sometimes needs to take credit for dubious inventions as well...like the initial E-TTL...what a fiasco...or the initial Canon D60...yes, the "D60"...the model that fopcused so,so poorly it lasted less than six months on the market.

 

[MLeeK]

Canon developed and invented micro-adjustment. Simple fact. Why did they invent it? Because so many thousands of their users were complaining on internet message boards, and were returning badly out of calibration equipment. Sorry if the facts bother you...but this was a Canon technology invention. it is still one of the biggest "features" of buying and using Canon equipment. How do you think Canon managed to keep the prices of its lenses so far below that of other makers for so many years? It's called "lower standards".

Sometimes, Canon fanboys do not want to take credit for the things Canon developed.

So, let us get this straight: your brand-new Canon 7D has serious backfocusing issues...and you're trying to blame that problem on Nikon, fanboy?

On the flip side of that there are times between having equipment serviced that you bump a lens and it does mess with the calibration. Micro adjusting let's you continue to use it until its time for annual servicing or however often you have your gear serviced.
I'd love to be able to say I take perfect care of my gear and that doesn't happen. Realistically? I shoot sports. I have taken a spike to a lens; I run from charging players with 2 cameras on me. It happens. In which h case? I am incredibly thankful for micro calibration!! I don't care if it was invented for sloppy tolerances or not! LOL!

 

[Overread]

Um Derrel you're argument is totally one sided and slanted totally against Canon. You seem to be ignoring the fact that many camera companies have services setup for professionals for which they get discounted services - such as a full body+lens calibration. Furthermore you seem to be ignoring the fact that increasing your number of produced products increases the chances for calibration tolerance conflicts within the market - this is true for nikon, canon - heck any camera brand.

You also appear to be putting great stock in web complaints against canon but ignoring those from nikon whilst also totally ignoring the much bigger number of people who are not complaining because their gear works.


so since I'm not sure what your on about, save anti-canon marketing I'll just post this from Lens Rentals
LensRentals.com - “This Lens Is Soft” and Other Facts

 

[dakkon76]

The definition of fanboy... I'd guess.

 

[dakkon76]

When d-slr bodies were sold only at high price, to experienced shooters, AF microadjust did not exist...it was not needed

So, you're using the logic that if it didn't exist in the first rendition of DSLR, that it's useless rhetoric? If anyone knows useless rhetoric, it would be you... so I'd better take this as gospel.

... maybe you need to take your insightful quote (the one in your signature) to heart. Lighten up. Stop being so myopic and ignorant and attempt to consider that the minutia that separates these two brands does not make one far superior to the other. Compared to you, I'm a newbie. I can guarantee you it wouldn't be hard to find countless "Canon fanboys" who produce much better images than you are even capable of... I'd love to hear you try and argue yourself out of that embarrassment.