Canon Autofocus Options: I was in Bermuda on vacation and was shooting some Tropicbirds flying around the cliffs (out by St. David's Battery for the curious). I was using a Canon 7D2...

dglueck Loc: Rochester, NY

I was in Bermuda on vacation and was shooting some Tropicbirds flying around the cliffs (out by St. David's Battery for the curious). I was using a Canon 7D2 with a Tamron 150-600 zoom.

These birds are pretty darty, but not as much as a swallow or hummingbird. So once I had it in the frame I had a fair chance of following it.

The issue is: I could not find a satisfactory Autofocus setting. This is in the AF1 menu. I usually use the Case 1 multi-purpose setting, but I could not get the Autofocus to follow the bird very well, no matter what of the six Cases I tried. I did not play with the tracking or sensitivity settings. Attached is one of the lucky shots. I was using ISO 1000, 1/3000 sec, f5.6, 350 mm. Needed to back off the focal length or the bird would fly through the frame before I could follow it.

Any suggestions on settings to try? Perhaps greater DoF?

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

dglueck wrote:

I was in Bermuda on vacation and was shooting some... (show quote)

It could also be the inability of the lens to focus that fast!
Its been reported in several reviews of this lens, to be quite sluggish at the long end!

chaman

Check out my thread here:

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-471235-1.html

I must agree that the lens may not be the best one to get the most out of the AF and tracking capabilities of the 7d II. I used a Canon 100-400 Mark II L lens with mine.

dglueck Loc: Rochester, NY

Point taken.

dglueck Loc: Rochester, NY

I do have the Canon 100-400 LS II but I was also shooting the sail boats and wanted the extra reach and retain the full autofocus capability of the Tamron without an extender. And I had to prioritize what I wanted to bring on the plane. The Tamron worked fine for the boats, not so much for the birds.

Thanks for all the feedback, it makes sense.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Well it might be the AF is too slow, but, what focus points were you using, all, zone, extended single point etc?
Also, since the picture isn't showing, what was the background, clear sky, clouds, seascape and horizon. Anything but clear sky the AF could be diverted by other objects. Opps reread the post, cliffs, so lots of stuff to confuse the AF.

dglueck Loc: Rochester, NY

65 pts, auto selection. Clear sky with a few clouds, some whitecaps. Some haze. I was higher than the subject, so there was no sky in the photos.

There are some other AF choices to play with...

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

dglueck wrote:

65 pts, auto selection. Clear sky with a few clouds, some whitecaps. Some haze. I was higher than the subject, so there was no sky in the photos.

There are some other AF choices to play with...

Look at this discussion of the various AF modes and when they are useful:
http://www.timboyerphotography.com/2015/01/how-to-set-up-the-canon-eos-7d-mark-ii-part-3-auto-focus-and-flight-photography/

Since most of my birds are perched or coming in to land or just taking off I use spot, center point or expanded and often prefocus on the perch or feeder. With slow flying birds like Egrets I sometimes use expanded point but mostly zone. I did once do a circling Osprey with expanded, but he was 150-200 feet up and doing a lazy circle and figure 8. My camera and Tamron 150-600 were on a gimbal head and I was using a Red Dot sight on the flash shoe so I could follow with both eyes. Add in the great DOF at that range and f/8 most of the 200+ frames in about 8 separate bursts were in fairly good focus and about 1/2 were very good. However in culling things like head hidden, wings in awkward position, south end of north bound Osprey and photo bomb by a flock of large brown gulls just enough closer to be out of focus etc I got down to about 30 frames of keepers.

chaman

dglueck wrote:

I do have the Canon 100-400 LS II but I was also shooting the sail boats and wanted the extra reach and retain the full autofocus capability of the Tamron without an extender. And I had to prioritize what I wanted to bring on the plane. The Tamron worked fine for the boats, not so much for the birds.

Thanks for all the feedback, it makes sense.

The quality of the Canon 100-400 Mark II with a Canon 1.4 ext would still be better than the Tamron at 500mm IMO..

foathog Loc: Greensboro, NC

Check this out. When you buy other brand lenses you sacrifice focus speed.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=understanding+autofocus+on+canon+7DII

gwong1 Loc: Tampa, FL

I purchased the 100-400 II and the 1.4 extender due to this issue. I am completely satisfied. You loose 40mm on the long end, but it has not been noticed as and issue so far. Image quality is superb. Gary

dglueck wrote:

I was in Bermuda on vacation and was shooting some... (show quote)

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

[quote=dglueck] Attached is one of the lucky shots.

No image attached??

I have the same camera. I agree with some of the posts. 100 - 400 II with tele 1.4x might produce better quality images. My friend, a terrific BIF shooter, sent me these suggestions for BIF settings. Some may help. He shoots with the 7D MII and 100 - 400 with tele 1.4x
Mark

I use the C1, C2 and C3 setting for birds normally. I save the C3 with: manual exposure, aperture and shutter speed and ISO for proper exposure in trees or bushes with good light, 5 focusing points, back button focus. Then I change the focusing points to 15 auto and possibly the exposure and save as C2. This is for flying birds with the sky as the background. I like the advantage of more focusing points and auto selection because it is easier to lock on focus and there is nothing in the background to compete for the focus. I then change the settings to Aperture preferred, 5 or 9 focusing points, and save as C1. This setting is good for everything else and especially where the lighting and/or background is different than the more uniform lighting conditions for C2 & C3.

The secret is Always know what setting you are currently on so you quickly change the dial without lowering the camera from your face to see what setting to go to.

You can always use your regular Aperture preferred setting on the dial as normal so you can have 4 different settings by just changing the dial. The reason I use C3 as my main "go to" is because if I am on Aperture preferred, I can simply turn the dial all the way and I am "home" and then turn the dial one or two clicks to either of the other settings if preferred.

One other pointer, if it is cloudy and the sun goes in and out, remember to either keep changing the exposure for C2 and C3 and SAVE OR just go to C1. A second pointer is to remember that if you change anything (like exposure compensation on C1) and go to C2 or C3 and back to C1, the exposure compensation will resort back to the saved settings. I do use the C1 setting a lot and change the exposure compensation as needed for proper exposure. The C2 and C3 settings are especially useful for flying birds with consistent lighting.

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

chaman wrote:

Check out my thread here:

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-471235-1.html

I must agree that the lens may not be the best one to get the most out of the AF and tracking capabilities of the 7d II. I used a Canon 100-400 Mark II L lens with mine.

Me too plus I use AI-servo and point focus. Point is not easy if fast movement and why using continuous shooting will likely snag a good photo. In a burst of 3-5 you will be on. The first shot usually sucks till you get aimed.

RRS Loc: Not sure

[quote=markngolf]

dglueck wrote:

Attached is one of the lucky shots.

No image attached??

I have the same camera. I agree with some of the posts. 100 - 400 II with tele 1.4x might produce better quality images. My friend, a terrific BIF shooter, sent me these suggestions for BIF settings. Some may help. He shoots with the 7D MII and 100 - 400 with tele 1.4x
Mark

I use the C1, C2 and C3 setting for birds normally. I save the C3 with: manual exposure, aperture and shutter speed and ISO for proper exposure in trees or bushes with good light, 5 focusing points, back button focus. Then I change the focusing points to 15 auto and possibly the exposure and save as C2. This is for flying birds with the sky as the background. I like the advantage of more focusing points and auto selection because it is easier to lock on focus and there is nothing in the background to compete for the focus. I then change the settings to Aperture preferred, 5 or 9 focusing points, and save as C1. This setting is good for everything else and especially where the lighting and/or background is different than the more uniform lighting conditions for C2 & C3.

The secret is Always know what setting you are currently on so you quickly change the dial without lowering the camera from your face to see what setting to go to.

You can always use your regular Aperture preferred setting on the dial as normal so you can have 4 different settings by just changing the dial. The reason I use C3 as my main "go to" is because if I am on Aperture preferred, I can simply turn the dial all the way and I am "home" and then turn the dial one or two clicks to either of the other settings if preferred.

One other pointer, if it is cloudy and the sun goes in and out, remember to either keep changing the exposure for C2 and C3 and SAVE OR just go to C1. A second pointer is to remember that if you change anything (like exposure compensation on C1) and go to C2 or C3 and back to C1, the exposure compensation will resort back to the saved settings. I do use the C1 setting a lot and change the exposure compensation as needed for proper exposure. The C2 and C3 settings are especially useful for flying birds with consistent lighting.

Attached is one of the lucky shots. br br No ima... (show quote)

Thanks for the detailed info Mark. I will try to incorporate some of these settings after I have a chance to try them out. Right now recovering from major eye surgery on my right eye.

whitewolfowner

My son has the first generation Tamron 150-600 and I have used it on the D750 and have had no issues with it focusing. It has always been very fast and accurate. Just a thought; maybe it just doesn't work as well with some cameras?