My Canon 7D MKII is acting different (Page 2): Go to the AF Menu (RED) 2nd page and see whether the AI servo first image priority is set at focus priority. If it is, that may be the...

Lupane Loc: Gainsville, Ga.

Go to the AF Menu (RED) 2nd page and see whether the AI servo first image priority is set at focus priority. If it is, that may be the cause of the delay, Change it to equal priority. Hope this may help.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Do a reset of your camera as see if it persists after the reset. If it does, then call Canon. You may need to send it in.

tbetress Loc: Skippack, Pa

You might want to try a factory reset and see if that helps (if you already didn't)

Factory Reset:

To restore your Canon EOS 7D Mark II to its factory settings, follow these steps:

Put the Camera in Manual Mode
Press the [Menu] button
Scroll over to the third subsection of the third set of menu options.
Scroll down to the “Clear all Camera Settings” option by using the quick control dial
Click the [Set] button. Scroll over to the [OK] button and click [Set] button again.
When the factory reset has been completed, pull out the battery
Look in the battery compartment, and you’ll see a little slider you can pull it.
Behind this slider are the backup-battery hidden. Take this battery out for at least an hour, replace the backup-battery, and the “normal” battery.

don26812 Loc: South Bay of Los Angeles, CA

I do not have an answer to your question, even though I also have a 7D Mk II. But I do know that the camera has a wide range of options to use its excellent and very fast AF system. There are multiple menus and sub-menus to tweak the settings. I downloaded a 50+ page document that went into each of the AF settings and their options. I'm sorry I am not where I can give you more details on getting the document. It might be that one of these options got changed.

FWIW

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

First, make sure you aren't accidentally set to "AI Focus" mode. Use either One Shot or AI Servo. (Between those two, it shouldn't matter.) AI Focus isn't really a focus mode at all... It's automation where the camera is supposed to detect whether or not the subject is moving, then switch to using either One Shot or AI Servo, whichever the camera thinks is appropriate. (AI Servo for moving subjects, One Shot for stationary.)

You mention "Spot Focus"... if that's what you have set recently, it's slightly slower than standard Single Point. Change back to Single Point and see if there's a difference.

I like Boberic's idea.... Try using the AF-On button to focus... without touching the shutter release button at all (shouldn't need to set up Back Button Focus, it's already enabled by default... but you can "unassign" AF from the shutter release to have BBF if you wish... either way the AF-On button should activate AF). If there's still a similar delay when using only the AF-On button, then there's likely something set incorrectly or a failing component in the camera. (Lens is probably okay, since the same thing is happening with two different lenses).

Before sending the camera in to be checked and repaired, I agree you might want to do a "Reset" in the menu, as described in previous response.... This will put the camera back to most of it's default settings. This is in case something got changed that's causing the delay. If you do a full reset and that resolves the problem, be aware you're likely going lose some other settings you use and will need to go back through the menu to reset them.

All the above fail, if it were me, before I sent it in I'd double check that the battery or charger isn't failing, that the battery is getting a good, full charge. And I'd also probably re-install the Firmware (a fresh copy can be downloaded from the Canon website). One more thing I'd do is puff some air into the mirror box with a bulb blower (with shutter closed... NOT in sensor cleaning mode or with a long exposure or Live View activated). There may be a speck of something laying on the AF sensor array. Yes, this is a long shot.... but it's free and easy to try.

I haven't heard of it occurring with 7D-series... but a very common problem with 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D and possibly later models in that series was a shutter release switch that gets gunked up with finger oils and dirt from use and eventually starts to cause a delay exactly like you're seeing. Of not fixed, the delays gradually get longer and eventually the shutter release button won't do anything at all... the shutter won't release. It's a fairly easy fix to clean the switch in those cameras, though to be done properly the camera needs to be partially disassembled by a professional repair tech. If the camera is out of warranty, an independent repairer might be able to do that fix. But if sent to Canon for service they will instead completely replace the switch with a new one, at higher cost since parts are involved. That's just the nature of "factory" repairs... they usually replace entire modules or sub-assemblies, rather than trying to fix them.

Not sure this is the issue anyway...I know 7D-series use a different shutter release than those other series cameras and thought it was better sealed up to prevent those types of problems. I've personally used a couple original 7D for over five years and about 150,000 shutter actuations apiece and a pair of 7DII for around a year and a half, roughly 40,000 actuations apiece... never saw any of them do this (have seen it in other peoples' 30D, 40D and 50D... but never my own). But, hey, who knows!

Depending upon settings and conditions, original 7D do noticeably slow down frame rate at times for focusing and/or metering.... there's still some of that, but it's less pronounced in 7DII. However, this is not the same as delay in AF starting up. Similarly, the focus/shutter release priority settings that someone mentioned above also shouldn't effect AF start up, though they might delay shutter release until focus is clearly achieved.

TREBORB

Have a look at your setting . Is it on AUTO or other setting. If you read the manual it tells you that on AUTO you must press the shutter half way , and it will focus, you then press alll the way . On the other settings, ( P, S, or A) it focuses instantly. The reason for the delay on Auto is to allow you to decide how you want to compose.
I also thought there was something wrong with my camera. READ THE MANUAL
Good luck

LensWork

Is it possible that the camera is set to 2-second self-timer?

boomboom Loc: Stow, Ohio

Thanks for that suggestion. I will try.

Joludean wrote:

I don't know much about Canon cameras as I use a Nikon, and I don't know if this will help or not, but have you tried setting up your camera to use back button focusing to see if it would eliminate the problem.

boomboom Loc: Stow, Ohio

I checked that and it's ok. Thanks though.

TriX wrote:

Any chance you have the autofocusing distance setting (on the lens) at the longer distance and you are closer than the minimum distance for that setting?

boomboom Loc: Stow, Ohio

Thanks very much for the suggestion. I'll dig deeper.

don26812 wrote:

I do not have an answer to your question, even though I also have a 7D Mk II. But I do know that the camera has a wide range of options to use its excellent and very fast AF system. There are multiple menus and sub-menus to tweak the settings. I downloaded a 50+ page document that went into each of the AF settings and their options. I'm sorry I am not where I can give you more details on getting the document. It might be that one of these options got changed.

FWIW

boomboom Loc: Stow, Ohio

Good point, but it's not. Thanks

boomboom Loc: Stow, Ohio

I usually use S or A or sometimes Manual. This just started happening in the last day or so. I'll did deeper into the manual and see if I come up with anything else. Thanks much.

TREBORB wrote:

Have a look at your setting . Is it on AUTO or other setting. If you read the manual it tells you that on AUTO you must press the shutter half way , and it will focus, you then press alll the way . On the other settings, ( P, S, or A) it focuses instantly. The reason for the delay on Auto is to allow you to decide how you want to compose.
I also thought there was something wrong with my camera. READ THE MANUAL
Good luck

boomboom Loc: Stow, Ohio

All great advise. A lot of food for thought. I have a 40D and a 50 D sitting in the closet with that shutter release problem. I was hoping this wasn't going to be a problem with the 7D. Thank you for all the advise and I'll see what I can do.

amfoto1 wrote:

First, make sure you aren't accidentally set to "AI Focus" mode. Use either One Shot or AI Servo. (Between those two, it shouldn't matter.) AI Focus isn't really a focus mode at all... It's automation where the camera is supposed to detect whether or not the subject is moving, then switch to using either One Shot or AI Servo, whichever the camera thinks is appropriate. (AI Servo for moving subjects, One Shot for stationary.)

You mention "Spot Focus"... if that's what you have set recently, it's slightly slower than standard Single Point. Change back to Single Point and see if there's a difference.

I like Boberic's idea.... Try using the AF-On button to focus... without touching the shutter release button at all (shouldn't need to set up Back Button Focus, it's already enabled by default... but you can "unassign" AF from the shutter release to have BBF if you wish... either way the AF-On button should activate AF). If there's still a similar delay when using only the AF-On button, then there's likely something set incorrectly or a failing component in the camera. (Lens is probably okay, since the same thing is happening with two different lenses).

Before sending the camera in to be checked and repaired, I agree you might want to do a "Reset" in the menu, as described in previous response.... This will put the camera back to most of it's default settings. This is in case something got changed that's causing the delay. If you do a full reset and that resolves the problem, be aware you're likely going lose some other settings you use and will need to go back through the menu to reset them.

All the above fail, if it were me, before I sent it in I'd double check that the battery or charger isn't failing, that the battery is getting a good, full charge. And I'd also probably re-install the Firmware (a fresh copy can be downloaded from the Canon website). One more thing I'd do is puff some air into the mirror box with a bulb blower (with shutter closed... NOT in sensor cleaning mode or with a long exposure or Live View activated). There may be a speck of something laying on the AF sensor array. Yes, this is a long shot.... but it's free and easy to try.

I haven't heard of it occurring with 7D-series... but a very common problem with 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D and possibly later models in that series was a shutter release switch that gets gunked up with finger oils and dirt from use and eventually starts to cause a delay exactly like you're seeing. Of not fixed, the delays gradually get longer and eventually the shutter release button won't do anything at all... the shutter won't release. It's a fairly easy fix to clean the switch in those cameras, though to be done properly the camera needs to be partially disassembled by a professional repair tech. If the camera is out of warranty, an independent repairer might be able to do that fix. But if sent to Canon for service they will instead completely replace the switch with a new one, at higher cost since parts are involved. That's just the nature of "factory" repairs... they usually replace entire modules or sub-assemblies, rather than trying to fix them.

Not sure this is the issue anyway...I know 7D-series use a different shutter release than those other series cameras and thought it was better sealed up to prevent those types of problems. I've personally used a couple original 7D for over five years and about 150,000 shutter actuations apiece and a pair of 7DII for around a year and a half, roughly 40,000 actuations apiece... never saw any of them do this (have seen it in other peoples' 30D, 40D and 50D... but never my own). But, hey, who knows!

Depending upon settings and conditions, original 7D do noticeably slow down frame rate at times for focusing and/or metering.... there's still some of that, but it's less pronounced in 7DII. However, this is not the same as delay in AF starting up. Similarly, the focus/shutter release priority settings that someone mentioned above also shouldn't effect AF start up, though they might delay shutter release until focus is clearly achieved.

First, make sure you aren't accidentally set to &q... (show quote)

Bill Emmett Loc: Bow, New Hampshire

boomboom wrote:

Thanks for your response. Once in a while I push that minimum focus distance also and get similar results as you. This problem seems to be no matter what distance. I was kind of thinking maybe the shutter button is dirty and is not relaying the request to the camera. Like I say, I've never really experienced this delay until just recently. I do appreciate your thoughts and recommendations. I love the camera and lens combo.

Usually when something in the digital world malfunctions, it is a total failure. As far as dirty contacts, who knows? Does this phenomenon happen every time you take a shot? Make sure you are shooting in good light, and at a target with good contrast. Try shooting at a known focusing target and see how the camera responds. I just took a shot with my 7D MII, it snapped into focus. I de-focused it and again it snapped into focus. My 70-200mm f4L IS USM is the mounted lens. I also tried the Tamron SP 24-70 with the same results. I'd send the camera back to Canon for a cleaning and test and check.

B

TREBORB

boomboom wrote:

Hi all. I have a question that I would like to get... (show quote)

i CHECKED MY CAMERA 7d mark ii and the same problem. I phoned Canon USA and asked fot technical support. The problem was under Customn controls. The lady guided me and I chaNGED THE SETTING AS SHE SAID, AND IT WORKS FINE. I SUGGEST YOU PHONE THEM AS WELL AND GET THE GUIDANCE. it solved mine, I am sure it will solve yours. IT is under custom cxontrols
robert