Focus point: Am I having an issue with focusing. I am shooting BIF. CANON 7d mk ii Tamron 150-600 G2. Back focus using a center focus extended. I am having a problem locking on. Though...

whitehall Loc: Canada

Am I having an issue with focusing.

I am shooting BIF. CANON 7d mk ii Tamron 150-600 G2. Back focus using a center focus extended.

I am having a problem locking on. Though the focus points are on the bird, when Look at the image in review, I see a single focus but not on the bird.

This seems to happen even if I shoot a stationary object but in that case the image is sharp.

Should the focus point in review be the same as when shooting.

Thanks.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

whitehall wrote:

Am I having an issue with focusing.
I am shooting BIF. CANON 7d mk ii Tamron 150-600 G2. Back focus using a center focus extended.
I am having a problem locking on. Though the focus points are on the bird, when Look at the image in review, I see a single focus but not on the bird. This seems to happen even if I shoot a stationary object but in that case the image is sharp.
Should the focus point in review be the same as when shooting. Thanks.

Yes, it should.

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

whitehall wrote:

Am I having an issue with focusing.

I am shooting BIF. CANON 7d mk ii Tamron 150-600 G2. Back focus using a center focus extended.

I am having a problem locking on. Though the focus points are on the bird, when Look at the image in review, I see a single focus but not on the bird.

This seems to happen even if I shoot a stationary object but in that case the image is sharp.

Should the focus point in review be the same as when shooting.

Thanks.

To ensure it stays locked on make sure your using AI servo!

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

whitehall wrote:

Am I having an issue with focusing.

I am shooting BIF. CANON 7d mk ii Tamron 150-600 G2. Back focus using a center focus extended.

I am having a problem locking on. Though the focus points are on the bird, when Look at the image in review, I see a single focus but not on the bird.

This seems to happen even if I shoot a stationary object but in that case the image is sharp.

Should the focus point in review be the same as when shooting.

Thanks.

Like mentioned above, the camera needs to be set to AI Servo for sure. With back button focus, are you holding down the focus button through shutter release, or are you focusing, releasing that button, then pressing the shutter button?

I'm not sure exactly what center focus extended is, but I'm guessing it's one of the smaller auto focus area selections. So you might be doing everything needed, but the subject is getting out of that very small auto focus area just enough to throw focus out. You could try to expand to AF Point Expansion, or one of the zone auto focus (Zone AF, Large Zone AF).

whitehall Loc: Canada

Thanks. Yes I am using bb and I keep it pressed while pushing the shutter release. I am using a nine point cluster and 1/1200

PaulR01 Loc: West Texas

Whiteall, this was an issue with many of the earlier 7D11s. Mine had the same issue. I sent it into Canon under warranty and they said it was fine.Right after warranty was out the focal point display went out. They replaced it and one of the processors. I was going to sell it after repairs. It's spot on now. I use it as my travel and backup camera.

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

whitehall wrote:

Thanks. Yes I am using bb and I keep it pressed while pushing the shutter release. I am using a nine point cluster and 1/1200

I hope this means you are using AI-Servo AND burst mode.

gene 58

try spot metering, just for fun you might like it

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

gene 58 wrote:

try spot metering, just for fun you might like it

Just out of curiosity, did you mean the zone auto-focus selections?

Large Zone AF in conjunction with AI Servo keep the subject in focus as long as the subject is within the zone selected.

Metering might help, but excluding any mechanical or software malfunctions, it seems like the subject is not staying in focus while shooting, possibly moving out of the 1 or 9 focus points the OP is using.

whitehall Loc: Canada

Thank you all. I will attempt spot focus.

Alafoto Loc: Montgomery, AL

PaulR01 wrote:

Whiteall, this was an issue with many of the earlier 7D11s. Mine had the same issue. I sent it into Canon under warranty and they said it was fine.Right after warranty was out the focal point display went out. They replaced it and one of the processors. I was going to sell it after repairs. It's spot on now. I use it as my travel and backup camera.

Just out of curiosity... Did you intend to tell prospective buyers that the camera had problems?

Shoeless_Photographer Loc: Lexington

whitehall wrote:

Am I having an issue with focusing.

I am shooting BIF. CANON 7d mk ii Tamron 150-600 G2. Back focus using a center focus extended.

I am having a problem locking on. Though the focus points are on the bird, when Look at the image in review, I see a single focus but not on the bird.

This seems to happen even if I shoot a stationary object but in that case the image is sharp.

Should the focus point in review be the same as when shooting.

Thanks.

On my 7D, I typically use large zone focus area to help it track.

Also, check your menu under Autofocus/Drive.
Look for:

AI Servo tracking sensitivity - Mine's currently set to 0 (middle).
AI Servo 1st/2nd img priority - Mine's currently set to AF priority / Tracking priority)
AI Servo tracking method - Mine's set to Main Focus point priority

Yours may differ some since it's the newer version, but those or something very similar are probably on yours, too. Mine misses occasionally, but most of the time I can capture a heron as it flies away and it'll track it on all or most shots.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

pithydoug wrote:

To ensure it stays locked on make sure your using AI servo!

jackm1943 Loc: Omaha, Nebraska

I think the focus point on review shows up where it was when the shutter was pushed, not necessarily where it was when it locked on to the subject. So if you move the camera after locking in the focus, the focus point will have also moved on the review image. The camera will still be focused on the original subject however.

johngault007 Loc: Florida Panhandle

jackm1943 wrote:

I think the focus point on review shows up where it was when the shutter was pushed, not necessarily where it was when it locked on to the subject. So if you move the camera after locking in the focus, the focus point will have also moved on the review image. The camera will still be focused on the original subject however.

OP mentioned using back button focusing and holding down focus throughout, so it would be a focus point when the shutter releases. It may not be focused on what he wanted (AF zone too small), but it focused on something at the time of shutter release.