Kahunaal

Hi. I’m a rookie with an old but rarely used canon 7D mark 1 camera combined with a canon 24-70 F2.8 or canon 100-400L mark 1 lense. No problem with 24-70 but getting soft images with telephoto even when using tripod. Would updating software from original that came on camera in 2009 help? What are the negatives? Or should I be thinking more about calibration of the 100-400? Thanks for your thoughts and advice. Kahunaal

kcooke Loc: Alabama

I will be waiting to see what the experienced hoggers say as I have the exact combination except my 24-70 f2.8 is a newer Tokina. Mine doesn’t have any focus issues but I do have the newest firmware update

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Go the support section of usa.canon.com (or your local Canon website) and find the firmware available for your original EOS 7D. No, there's no risk of updating the firmware, assuming you follow the instructions and correctly and successfully perform this maintenance.

All Canon brand EF and EF-S lenses should perform properly on the 7D. Rather than describing your issues, you should create some JPEG examples directly from the EOS body and attach some images demonstrating your issues and storing the originals. Your assessment of the issue and cause may appear differently to others when reviewing actual examples. Remove an filters from the lens before creating these examples, and if working from a tripod, turn off the Image Stabilization of this circa 1998 IS.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

I have the 7D and did have the M I lens as you do.
Yes update the camera as there have been some major changes in the updates.
Not sure about soft images.
Could be many things but a proper operating 7D with a properly operating lens should be very sharp.
No it will not please pixel peepers but for mere mortals the setup if all is working is tack sharp with photos to about 30 feet by 40 feet when viewed at the appropriate distance.
Post a sample of your issue

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Welcome to UHH Kahunaal!

It probably won't help with the soft image problem, but if your 7D doesn't have the version 2.x firmware installed, you definitely should update it. I used a pair of 7D for over five years (now use a pair of 7D Mark II, but still have the 7Ds as backup). Two or three years after the 7D was introduced, Canon released one of their largest-ever firmware updates for it.... more of a firmware upgrade than they've ever provided for any other camera that I'm aware of. Most firmware updates have minor fixes to address specific issues and don't make very much difference. But the 2.x firmware for the 7D made it behave like a "whole new camera" in many ways. In a sense the firmware upgrade extended the product life of the 7D by a couple years, keeping it competitive against other manufacturers' cameras. It's been some time since I updated mine, but I seem to recall an overall improvement in speed and performance, although a lot of the emphasis discussing the update was on the much increased burst capacity using the same image buffer. It was one of the most worthwhile firmware updates I've ever done to a camera. So look in your menu and see what it's running. If it's any of the 1.x versions, definitely update it to whatever 2.x version is currently available. (If you've never updated firmware before, be sure to follow the instructions carefully. It is possible to "brick" a camera if a firmware update isn't done correctly.)

But I really doubt that will solve the problem with the lens.

As to the 100-400mm lens softness.... Do you have a "protection" filter on it? That particular lens has an idiosyncrasy about filters. Even when a very good filter is used on it, images "go soft". I have no idea why that is.... something to do with the optical formula of the lens, I suppose. But many users who had filters on their 100-400mm "from new", thinking they were protecting the lens, were stunned to learn how much sharper the lens was after they removed the filter (besides, the nice deep lens hood does a great job protecting the lens... as does the len cap when it's not in use). If you have a filter on the lens, first thing I'd do is try some shots without it and see if that solves the problem.

It is also possible that the 100-400mm needs Micro Focus Adjustment fine tuning on your particular camera. It's a pretty simple procedure, described in the user manual (if you don't have the manual, a PDF can be downloaded from the Canon website.... which I'd recommend regardless because with most Canon the printed manuals are abridged, the PDF versions are far larger and more complete). There are also various third party tools that can be used to help with MFA, and even software that can pretty much automate the process (Reiken FoCal, for example).

You can fairly quickly tell if a lens will benefit from MFA simply by looking at your images taken with it. If they appear to always be focused a bit closer than or a little bit past the subject you're trying to focus upon, that suggests that calibration using MFA would be helpful. MFA corrects consistent error, but has limited amount of range to do those corrections. It's possible that a lens is simply out of calibration to the point that it's too much for MFA to correct.That might be due to damage or due to mis-adjustment or due to wear and tear... making the lens unable to focus accurately. Those things would require the lens be serviced professionally (not sure if Canon still works on it, but there are likely independent shops that do).

Another thing... Are you using the lens on a tripod? The original "push/pull zoom" version of the 100-400mm has the type of Image Stabilization that must be turned off when on a tripod, or in any situation where there's absolutely no movement for the IS to correct (i.e., not just when on a tripod, although that's probably the most likely scenario). A few Canon lenses, including the original 100-400mm (not the Mark II), have a type of IS that "freaks out" when there's no movement to correct. It goes into sort of a feedback loop where it actually creates image "shake" blur with rapid movements. This can be seen happening in the viewfinder... rapid jumping (not slow "drift", which is common with IS of all lenses, but does no harm in most cases). Try shooting without IS and see if that helps, but images that have been effected by this "phenomenon" (that's what Canon calls glitches and gremlins ) will show overall "shake blur", nothing or almost nothing appearing sharp.

If you think that might be the problem, simply try turning off IS. Of course, you'll need to use a fast enough shutter speed to be able to hand hold the lens.... something faster than 1/160 for the 100mm focal length setting to a shutter speed 1/640 or faster at the 400mm setting. (Of course, you may need a higher ISO to allow this... Alternatively, use a tripod or monopod to allow slower shutter speeds.)

In nearly twenty years using a number of Canon lenses, I've had one that had some of the autofocus components "go bad". It would focus fine at closer distances, but not on anything over about 25 feet. That requires a professional repair.

It also can be your particular technique with the camera and lens... Especially how you use AF and your particular skill holding a steady shot. Personally I use Single Point (manual selection) 95% of the time with my Canon cameras. Combined with Back Button Focusing and AI Servo focus mode, this is more work for me, but puts me fully "in charge" of exactly where the camera and lens focus. I get a pretty high percentage of shots acceptably in focus using that, even with faster moving sports/action subjects (especially with the very fast and good tracking AF systems such as the 7D use when they are combined with fast focusing USM lenses). When I'm in practice and shooting familiar subjects, I usually only miss focus on a few shots per session... and I bet most of those misses are my mistakes, not the camera's or lens' fault.

The 7D has a high performance AF system that's pretty sophisticated. It has five or six different "patterns".... Single Point, Expansion Points, Zone, All Points/Auto and Spot Focus. In general, the more AF points that are active, the greater the chance the camera and lens will focus somewhere other than where you want. For example, using a multi-point mode like Zone or All Points to photograph a bird flying past you, the focus is likely to be on the closest wing tip, rather than on the bird's head and body. Weigh that against the difficulty keeping a Single Point right on a rapidly moving subject as it flies past!

It's also easy to mix up Single Point AF (which is fast and very good tracking movement) and the more precise Spot Focus AF (which is not quite as fast or as good tracking). Spot Focus (not to be confused with Spot Metering) uses a single, AF point that's smaller than usual for higher precision. I've seen people use it successfully with butterflies... but I generally think of it for stationary or slower moving subjects and stick with the standard Single Point when shooting faster action.

FYI, the 7D has dual processors to support it's fast frame rate, as well as separate chip running the AF system. This is the same setup Canon has used in their top-of-the line 1D-series cameras for the most advanced, high performance AF. No other Canon DSLRs have this (the 5Ds and 5Ds-R have dual processors to handle their 50MP images, but not a separate AF chip). The 7D-series cameras also use the 1D-series' shutter release mechanism for long term durability and to reduce "shutter lag".

Finally, it sounds as if you've have the camera for a while. Have you cleaned the sensor lately? A dirty sensor reduces resolution and can even cause some blurring in images. I know the sensor is "self cleaning", but that can only do so much. After ten years, if the sensor has never been given a "wet cleaning", it likely needs it. This may not be the problem in your case, since you say that images shot with your 24-70mm lens are fine. When it comes to resolution and sharpness, I'd expect a dirty sensor to effect all images made with the camera, regardless of lens. Note: a wide angle lens and small aperture setting would show individual specks on the sensor more obviously... but that's not what I'm referring to. This is more of an overall loss of image quality, due to dust, oils, etc. on a sensor (actually on the protective filter that sits right in front of the image sensor).

Hope this helps! But if it doesn't, post some examples of "bad" images here and maybe we can tell more from looking at them. Be sure to "store original" so we can see an enlarged view and don't strip off the image's EXIF data.

RRS Loc: Not sure

Thanks, that's got to the best info I've ever seen on the Canon 7D. Very good point in regard to spot vs single pixel focusing too! All your reply's make for very good reading!

Kahunaal

thank you so much for the detailed and most informative answers to my questions. Very helpful advice which I will follow. I can't wait to take the filter off and see if that makes a difference. Kahunaal

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Let us know what you think. Other people I've talked to about it have been surprised by the difference.

The original 100-400mm is quite capable. I borrowed a friend's a few times and used it a little, but never bought one simply because I'm not a fan of push/pull zooms (That's just a personal prejudice from the olden days of film, when there were a lot of junky push/pull zooms.... which the 100-400 definitely ain't... it's a very good lens).

I now have the 100-400 II and it's one of the most impressive telephoto zooms I've ever used. It's sharper than a lot of primes! Built like a tank, too!

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind