windshoppe Loc: Arizona

I'm rather new to the Canon 7DII

I'm unable to set the drive to continuous shooting at 10fps. The drive selection button doesn't give me that option. I get the option of AI Servo, but not AI Servo H. Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

10 fps is a maximum capability given ideal situations / configuration. Check page 141 of your manual for the High-Speed Continuous 'Drive Mode'. Page 439 discusses setting some custom configuration limits.

To get to 10 fps, you need to use the fastest CF card your camera supports, not the fastest card overall. This site gives you statistics on tested card types: https://www.cameramemoryspeed.com/canon-7d-mark-ii/fastest-sd-cf-card-comparison/

windshoppe Loc: Arizona

Thank you. I'm on it.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

This is an easy one...

You're confusing AF mode and Drive mode. AI Servo is an auto focus mode. "H" is a 10 frame per second drive mode and a separate function.

When you press the "DRIVE-AF" button on the top of the camera, move the main dial (on top of the camera, behind shutter release) to change the AF mode: One Shot > AI Servo > AI Focus.

Press the same button, then use the rear dial (around the "Set" button on the back of the camera) to change the Drive mode: Silent Single > Silent Continuous > 10 sec self timer > 2 sec self timer > Single Shot > High Speed Continuous > Low Speed Continuous.

All three top buttons adjacent to the monochrome LCD "settings" screen work this way... Each is dual purpose, depending upon which dial you use in conjunction with it.

Another way to change these settings is to use the "Q" button, right between the "joystick" and the back dial/"Set" button.

Pressing the Q button calls up all the major camera settings on the camera's LCD screen. You can navigate between the different setting boxes using the joystick. Once you've navigated to one of the setting boxes, you can change the setting within it using either the main (top) dial or the back dial. There's a brief description of the setting box or the current selection shown at the bottom of the screen, which can come in handy when trying to select settings in dark situations.

BTW, it pays to know about the Q button if you ever use Auto ISO with M mode (which makes manual into another auto exposure mode)... Because the two dials are needed to control shutter speed and aperture in M mode, the Q screen is the only way to dial in any Exposure Compensation when using Auto ISO + M.

Hope this helps!

P.S. Personally FWIW, I use Back Button Focusing, which allows me to use AI Servo by default, for both moving and stationary subjects. One Shot is for stationary subjects only. AI Focus isn't really a focus mode at all... it's automation that tries to determine whether the subject is moving or not, then is supposed to choose the correct mode... One Shot or AI Servo. I never use that mode. Tried it years ago on older camera models and found it to be slower and sometimes not choose correctly.

windshoppe Loc: Arizona

Thank you for your very detailed and helpful response. I don't use this particular camera often enough to remember where all of the various settings are. I do use BBF and auto ISO with manual so I especially appreciate your reminder about the Q screen. Will have to spend more time with this beast in order to save time in the long run. Thanks again!

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

AI Servo is the auto focus setting nothing to do with shutter.
You push the button for DRIVE-AF and the top control wheel by the shutter button changes the AF mode settings and the rear wheel controls the shutter mode settings.

Guess I should have read all posts before I posted - like I usually do - amfoto1 beat me to it with a full explanation while I did the Cliff Notes version.

windshoppe Loc: Arizona

Thanks!

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Now I get to pretend I am still a teacher: go on Canon's support site and under the downloads for the 7DII in addition to the almost 600 page camera manual is a 50 page downloadable manual just about the AF system. That is your homework for the next forever or two.

NormanTheGr8 Loc: Racine, Wisconsin

You also have to have a shutter speed faster than 1/10th of a second 😉

warent Loc: E Hampstead, NH

[quote=amfoto1]This is an easy one...
...
BTW, it pays to know about the Q button if you ever use Auto ISO with M mode (which makes manual into another auto exposure mode)... Because the two dials are needed to control shutter speed and aperture in M mode, the Q screen is the only way to dial in any Exposure Compensation when using Auto ISO + M.
...]

But if you press the SET button and then use the main dial (on top behind shutter release) you can adjust the Exposure Compensation (instead of the shutter speed). Much faster then going to the Q screen.

I've been doing this for so long I forgot to mention that you need to use the Custom Controls menu screen and set the SET button to adjust Exposure Compensation. Great way to configure Auto ISO + M for rapid adjustments - birding photography in my case.

windshoppe Loc: Arizona

Didn't know about the 50 page AF system manual. As a former teacher myself I'm really excited about getting that one. I'm sure it's far more interesting reading than my current recreational fare. Hope it's author is different from that of the 600 pager which is at times less than engaging and even less helpful.
Thanks again!

windshoppe Loc: Arizona

[quote=warent]

Even better. Reading this with camera in hand and doing the setup you suggest. Totally forgot that I had used that setup in South Africa for wildlife. Thanks again!

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

Sent you a PM with a PDF manual attached - specifically for the 7D MII Auto Focus system. (I have one too)
Mark

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

That's an interesting alternative. I agree it would be faster than using the Q button.

But it depends upon whether or not you've done other camera control customization (and one of the great things about it is that the 7DII has tons of user customizability!)

For example, your method won't work for me because I use the SET button to recall the last image, histogram, etc.

I turn off the default automatic image review both to avoid the constant distraction and temptation to "chimp", as well as to reduce battery power usage. Instead, I occasionally I recall the last image to confirm I got an important shot or to check that my exposure settings are still correct or for any number of other reasons. I just don't care to have the camera to automatically display every image. Sometimes when shooting sports I'll go for half an hour, possibly hundreds of shots, between pauses to check images.

By having the SET button assigned to do image review I can recall that last image with either thumb, regardless of which hand I'm holding the camera with. In fact, I probably use the SET button for image recall far more often than the actual image review button.

Because I have the SET button re-assigned for that purpose, I don't have it available to do as you suggest.

But it's certainly a good idea and may be something I'll try sometime, because I find myself using M + Auto ISO more and more often.

There are so many different options and ways to set up our cameras for various purposes... Every once in a while I have a brain fart and forget the most basic stuff. I recall one early morning after insufficient black coffee I couldn't for the life of me remember how to get the camera into Auto ISO, so used the Q screen to do it. D'oh!