JimH Loc: Western South Jersey, USA

You should thank Jerry - he's the one with the 7D screen to show you. I knew the 7D had more AF points but didn't know what the screen looked like, exactly.

pandoany115 Loc: Los Altos, CA

If you want to test by the method suggested by JIMH, you can have a look at page 88 of Canon 7D manual.

debbiesweds

will do! thank you!!

debbiesweds

you also uploaded the photo to help - so im very very thankful to both of you!!!

pandoany115 Loc: Los Altos, CA

If you want to experiment area focussing as JimH suggested, you can have a look at page 88 of Canon 7D manual.

debbiesweds

Thank you so much for taking time to download - upload? those photos to help me understand - a picture is worth a thousand words - and I can tell you - those photos really helped me understand - thank you to you and jim for your time and all your help!! you guys are awesome!

andys3211 Loc: Santa Barbafra

What ISO setting were you using. Did you try a highr iso setting. I've even shot sporting events with F2.8. Be sure to use a higher shutter spped to freeze the action. Perhaps TV (Shutter Speed Priority on your 7D.

debbiesweds

i will have to go back and check the picture - but was not an action shot was just the people in the crowd my family - was really no movement

zzzgeok

If your camera has adjustable f-stops you need to set it at a much higher number. f/11, f/16, f/22 if you can. T smaller your aperture the longer your depth of field. This means you can focus in the center of a group of people in a near straight line, and get everyone in focus from the front to the back of the line. f/16 is most likely the smallest aperture you have available on your camera, few cameras have anything smaller nowadays, in bright sun on the faces of your subjects, you should be able to shoot at 1/60 of a sec. that won' stop motion very well, but if your subjects are fairly static it should work, the next best is 1/125 of a second at f/11. Focus about in the center of the line of people. If using flash (depending upon it power)use about half power, and take several shots if possible at different power levels, 3/4, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8.

kc8uug Loc: Charlotte, Mi

check where the camera is focusing, it may not be the center of the picture

Yooper Loc: U.P. Michigan

I would recommend that you get a Magic Lantern Guide for your 7D. They are written by photographers and explain how to use you camera in terms you can understand. They are available for most cameras, and run less than $20. The link below will take you to the correct page at Amazon, and the book is about $13. I've gotten several of them, and they help tremendously in understanding how to use the features of your camera.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Magic+Lantern+Guide+Canon+7D&x=0&y=0

FYI - The hyperfocal distance is the point where you can set the focus and everything from half that distance to infinity will be in "acceptable" focus. It depends on the focal length of the lens, the f/stop used, and the size of the sensor in the camera. You manually set the focus at that point and, making sure autofocus is off, you compose your image and take the picture. The information is in chart form so you can look the distance up based on the lens settings. It is usually used for landscape shots, and I find it very useful. In this image, the root ball was just under two feet from my camera. I manually set the focus at 3.5 feet, which is the hyper-focal distance for a full frame sensor camera with a 24mm lens at f/22. You can see that everything in the image appears to be in focus.

Beach Ball - 5D MkII, 24-105L, 24mm, f/22, ISO 100

tsamori

It sounds like your focus selection is incorrect. you should have several choices of how you want your camera to read information and then focus on it. most cameras allow you to select your focus area from a single option to multiple. check your instructin manual. that should help. Are you shooting in Manual or program. that will have some bearing on your images too.

Johnny Loc: Shreveport, La

You don't think theres a possibility that your just dumb do ya :lol: :lol:

Chris

When multiple rows and widths, I would use at least f11

JimH Loc: Western South Jersey, USA

If posters who keep suggesting a change in f/stop or ISO setting would read the entire thread, they'd find out that Deb's problem had nothing to do with f/stop or ISO - she had her focus point set wrong, that's all. She's a beginner and didn't understand what she'd done.