topic Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

mikkidk — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 12:28:28 GMT

Just bought the canon 7d mark II. Before I had a Canon 40D.

Right from the start I have some annoying issues about the viewfinder. Every time I press half to adjust the AF points there's a red flash showing up in the whole viewfinder.

I don't want this red flash and can't see the idea with this, if It should be some new "smart" feature from Canon.

But there must be a way to turn this off. Or is my camera broken?

Please see my little video where I show this issue.

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

RobertTheFat — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 14:06:33 GMT

It does seem to be trying to get your attention for some reason. (It appears to be succeeding, FWIW.) If I had to venture a guess without downloadeing the user manual (which I haven't bothered to do yet, since I don't have a 7D2), I might wonder if it's telling you that your preferred card slot is empty. That would explain why I've never seen the phenomenon on my 7D's, which have only one card slot.

I'm probably wrong, but one has to start somewhere. Out of curiosity, what does the manual say about it?

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

ezpop — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 14:22:51 GMT

Yes. RTM.

It can be changed in the menu.

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

ebiggs1 — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 15:14:18 GMT

Yes, you need to turn down the bightness. RT()M is a little rude when folks ask questions on an "interactive" forum. If they don't know or don't want to answer, than don't. But you should probably familarize yourself with the 7D Mk II's controls and features.

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

ezpop — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 16:01:10 GMT

don't mean to be rude but I think it is a commonly accepted short form of expression - many times appeared in many other forums. Apologize if offend anybody here

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

mikkidk — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 18:03:12 GMT

No, It hasn't nothing to do with empty slots.

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

mikkidk — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 18:08:19 GMT

ebiggs1, I have had my canon 40D for 5 years and learned how to deal with It. I have never seen those red flash a viewfinder before I bought this 7dmarkII. I just don't see the point that the viewfinder should be lighten up by red light besides the red focus-point.

I have searched in the manual but until now I haven't found anything.

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

ebiggs1 — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 17:22:24 GMT

I don't have a 7D Mk II, yet, but if you have all the focus points on and it is fairly dark you will probably see the red flash. Does the Mk II have the grid line feature? It may be turned on also and be brighter in the dark shooting venues. I know on my 1 series if you turn on all 45 focus squares, they can be pretty bright.

If you can not find a way to reduce this, either call Canon or take it in for a look see. It may need service.

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

mikkidk — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 15:40:32 GMT

I only got one AF point activated.

Yes, It features the gridline. I don't use It

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

ebiggs1 — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 15:48:10 GMT

You may, probably, need to have it serviced. Sorry!

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

mikkidk — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 16:13:32 GMT

Yes, I think I have to go to the store tomorrow and ask whats wrong.

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

bdodd — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 01:01:39 GMT

Perhaps there's a problem with your camera. But I suspect what you are seeing is normal. In low light conditions, the camera will illuminate the autofocus point(s) in red. A side effect of that is that the red light "spills" into the rest of the viewfinder display. The darker the ambient light conditions, the more noticable it is.

You can disable that behavior via the menus. See the "VF display illumication" setting. In the full English manual, it is on page 131:

Cheers,

Bill

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

ezpop — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 17:26:50 GMT

That's the answer.

So obviously instructional manual helps.

RTM or scroll through all the tabs in the camera menu and you will find a lot of answers to your uncertainty.

bdodd attaching the image of the manual is a very good way to explain the solution. I am also using this method when I can't explain myself clearly in words.

Hope that it help the OP to solve the problem.

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

RPAspey — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 03:15:36 GMT

Nothing wrong with your camera. Mine did it too. I found it annoying so I turned off the VR illumination.

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

ebiggs1 — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 17:26:31 GMT

I don't have the new 7D Mk II yet so I am only going by how my 1 series cameras operate. You guys did read this reply from the OP?

"I only got one AF point activated.

Yes, It features the gridline. I don't use It"

I would be surprised if a single focus square made that much red flashes. Maybe so but not likely.

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

ezpop — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 17:42:31 GMT

Yes. Even though you activated just one AF point, the flash comes on when AF is achieved (by default setting) Red light is not just from the AF point but also from the grid lines which again can be removed in the menu.

However, you may turn it off it it annoys you.

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

ezpop — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 02:02:20 GMT

I just remove the grid from the VF and only the focus point flashes when AF is achieved. The flash (illumination) can be disabled completely from the menu.

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

RPAspey — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 00:08:35 GMT

I don't use the grids either, and mine still flashes enough to be annoying in less than bright lite.

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

mikkidk — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 01:22:39 GMT

the VF grid was already disabled

Re: Problems with my af points and red flashing light in viewfinder

ezpop — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 01:59:24 GMT

Bob (bdodd) posted above that the illumination can be disabled completely. See image of P. 131 of the manual in his post.