topic Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

EOS 90D poor OVF performance

Cross — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 00:58:12 GMT

First let me start by saying I love my 90D for stills but the Optical view finder focusing seems to have issues even with my 100-400 is II especialy birds in flight. I and many others in other forums I belong to have a couple issues. One I call focus hang, for instance if a bird flushes suddenly and I pull up the lens (No matter which I have mounted )starts to focus and then just stops. I then have to point to a high contrast target and the lens will come alive again, and yes I have continue to hunt enabled and face tracking disabled. Also 9 point focus is pretty much unusable single point works pretty well. I upgraded from my 80D for the newer sensor but my 80D way ot performs the 90D when it comes to birds in flight. I am really hoping a firmware update is in the works to make the camera a little more enjoyable for us birders. Again stills it is fantastic need some of that for BIF.

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

dino_dsd — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 05:47:11 GMT

Same happens to me 😞

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

brianhig — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 10:00:47 GMT

I have been taking photographs for more than 50 years, all through the OVF. I was disappointed at the focus achieved by my 90D when using the OVF. If I was aware of this issue when I was looking for a new camera I would have avoided the 90D. Liveview may be great in some circumstances but in bright sunshine it is difficult to see. I read on various blogs, facebook pages etc that things can be improved by micro adjustments. If this is the case then why isn't this done to the camera at the manufacturers. It looks as this is a cost cutting exercise - leave it to the customer to finish off the job. Disappointed.

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

jag48 — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 10:40:01 GMT

I am also a disappointed customer. After much reading and watching reviews, I thought the 90D would be a logical change from my 7D Mark II. I'm embarrased to say I was swayed by the marketing hype about the higher resoution and on and on. I'm not a newbee! I've had cameras in my hands since the 1960s. I will give kudos to the camera's ability to take phenomenal photos of still life and portraits. However, this is definately NOT a camera for fast action. It stuttered and missed focus on dogs running straight at me. I can't imagine having to shoot a dog agility event or a figure skating event on live view rather than OVF.

After a lot of thinking about what I wanted in a camera, I traded the 90D for an RP. I love the RP for its small size -- as easy to carry around as a Fuji x100 series camera. I'm keeping my 7D Mark II for sports action and birds in flight, and the RP is my everyday carry around.

My three weeks with a 90D helped me focus -- on the fact that one camera body cannot do all, and on the fact that Canon, like any other camera manufacturer, is in the business of making money, not photographs. Having the highest resolution availabe does not make for better photography.

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

mysticpanda — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 12:12:03 GMT

I've had several cameras, from Nikon as well as Canon, including 20D, 30D, 40D, 7D and 90D. The 90D is the ONLY EVER CAMERA that I've need to perform AFMA. The 90D was marketed as the replacement/upgrade to the 7D2, which I was going to buy, but it transpires that the main selling point of the camera (wildlife) is the one thing it can't do very well. I can't even get focus properly or consistent results on my brand new 100-400Lii, which is a professional, very expensive lens. I appreciate these are finely-tuned pieces of equipment that need calibration, but it should not be down to an individual to either figure out how to do it correctly, or pay for 3rd party software such as FoCal to get their very expensive equipment to function as advertised. Canon should offer a free calibration service for all 90D users.

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

VinnyAMS — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 12:14:28 GMT

Here from the best forum by Michael the Maven.

I did not try my 100-400 with BIF, But its indeed a problem to get images in focus. Tried it at a soccer game.

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

Waddizzle — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 14:13:14 GMT

@VinnyAMS wrote:
Here from the best forum by Michael the Maven.
I did not try my 100-400 with BIF, But its indeed a problem to get images in focus. Tried it at a soccer game.

Michael the Maven also created a list of lenses that work flawlessly, and lenses that do not focus very well. It was in the same video where he made that comment.

If it wasn't the same video, then he provided a link to his video of recommended lenses for use with the 90D. And, he describes the video, refers you to the link, and asks you to subscribe. I guess you did not watch the entire video.

The list of "best" lenses were all fairly new zooms. I do not think he had any great white primes on the list, at least not when he first released it.

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The issue with "poor" seems to be the resolving power of the optics is too low. Nearly all of the lenses in the "poor" performing category were older lens designs. Most were more than a decade old. The lenses look great when you pixel peep with 16-20MP sensors/.

Pixel peeping images using the "poor" performing lenses captured with the 32MP sensor look soft. I point this out because the AF sensor is effectively pixel peeping the images, too, in order to focus.

BTW, the 50MP 5Ds and 5Dsr had similar complaints when they were released. Canon released a list of recommended lenses to use with those bodies. It might be a good idea to refer to that list as guide for which lenses to use with the 90D.

As far as having issues with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L goes, in my experience that lens does not like UV filters or CPL filters. All of my shots were a little soft until I replaced the UV filter with a clear filter. I use B+W Nano Pro Clear filters. I have never tried the Canon protecto filters.

If you are using AI Servo AF mode, with Continuous Shooting drive mode, then you might want to adjust your Image Priority settings. The default behavior for the combination of AI Servo and Continuous Shooting is for the camera not to wait for a focus lock before firing the shutter.

The Image Priority settings allow you to adjust the default shutter behavior. In my 7D2, I like to set 1st Image Priority to Shutter Priority, and 2nd Image Priority to Focus Priority. I also allow the camera to track the subject around the frame.

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

firegod44 — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 14:11:52 GMT

I have to agree. As someone with bifocals I rarely use the liveview, especially outside where it's bright. It's too bad Canon found this current OVF acceptable and didn't bring it up to their usual standards.

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

Waddizzle — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 14:15:44 GMT

@firegod44 wrote:
I have to agree. As someone with bifocals I rarely use the liveview, especially outside where it's bright. It's too bad Canon found this current OVF acceptable and didn't bring it up to their usual standards.

Just what exactly is wrong with the OVF. No one is saying what the actual problem might be. If the problem is as bad as you say it is, have you tried to contact Canon Support? You just might be experiencing a manufacturing defect. You know?

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

kvbarkley — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 14:27:30 GMT

There is something weird here. All of a sudden we have a bunch of new posters posting on the same topic.

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

Waddizzle — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 14:33:24 GMT

@kvbarkley wrote:
There is something weird here. All of a sudden we have a bunch of new posters posting on the same topic.

The forums appear to have been hit by trolls and bots overnight. Someone made a post asking for help because he wants to shoot a hockey game this weekend.

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

mysticpanda — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 14:48:34 GMT

Not trolls at all, just unhappy buyers of the 90D. This is meant to be a forum for users to express concerns, not a sales platform.

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

Waddizzle — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 15:04:49 GMT

@mysticpanda wrote:
Not trolls at all, just unhappy buyers of the 90D. This is meant to be a forum for users to express concerns, not a sales platform.

Do not take it personally. LIke I just noted, the forums were hit by a number of trolls and web bots overnight.

As for your issue, I suggest that you post a sample photo with EXIF data, or state the exposure and AF settings.

I am sorry that FoCal did not resolve your issue.because AFMA is probably not the issue. Like I noted above, similar complaints about the 5Ds and 5Dsr. The cameras were a little too good. They were able to bring out the flaws in any lens.

The EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM can be a finicky lens to use. However, I would expect it to be a top performer with the 90D, which it is for many people. I have noticed that the camera AF settings and lens settings can make a world of difference.

If you are using a UV or CPL filter, then I suggest you try it out with the filter removed. If you have not contacted Canon Support with your issues and concerns, then I suggest that you do so right away.

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

dino_dsd — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 15:28:06 GMT

The problem is that even with a recommended lenses the missing focus occurre much more often than on other cameras, even taking portret shots. And this was reported by many customers over the world. Using newer expensive lenses improve some results but for sure not enough for action sport shots as it is advertised.

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

Cross — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 15:29:17 GMT

Actually the reason for all the new posters is I have been seeing in many forums many of us with the same complaints but nothing here. So my thinking was if nobody tells canon of the issues seen by many of course they wouldn't work on a firmware.

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

cdmazoff — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 15:52:17 GMT

Hi Cross.. Really frustrating.. From what I've gathered, you WILL get good (excellent) AF for BIF on a 90D IF YOU USE a Canon 400 DO II, 400 f 2.8 II or a 600 III with or without the 2x converters and you are parked on the pefect strip in Florida or wherever on you Wimberley mounted tipod etc.... in perfect light. I've seen all the photos on Fred Miranda and POTN... They do exist.

The other way around this, is to DITCH the 90D, bite the bullet and go for the 1DX III. ... Sorry but there doesn't seem to be another cigar unless you got with the Nikon 850 or the Sony A9II like Mark Smith.

Big big bummer. The thing is that even were I able to afford the $20K setups, I'm too weak to carry them around..

I investigated Tim Boyer's really good presentation ont the Olympus alternative (OM D 1X MIII, with the Zuiko 300 f4 and 2MC and/ or the 40-150 f 2.8... but that puts me back to $8K in Maple syrop and despite his best presentation, the IQ is just not there for the Olympus..

Big Boo.

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

Waddizzle — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 16:21:47 GMT

Has anyone tried to contact Canon Support? Forums are not the place to go to notify Canon of your issues.

Please, post a sample photo of your issue like I asked above. Try the settings changes that I suggested. No one has answered any of my questions. The only responses have been more rants.

While all of your focusing issues may very well be valid, I do not see what that has to do with the viewfinder. More times than not, the problem(s) wind up being operator error.

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

Cross — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 16:42:14 GMT

I did post some of the issues many times no focus at all with 9 focus points . Focus hang with flushing birds no hunt even with on no matter the lens .I also pointed out for stills and perched birds it is outstanding. I see many of the exact complaints all over the place so I don't think just my body issue. I was hoping bringing to this community maybe canon would investigate and find an improvement via firmware. I didnt start the thread to bash the body just to try to highlight issues many are seein.

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

Waddizzle — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 16:51:55 GMT

@Cross wrote:
I did post some of the issues many times no focus at all with 9 focus points . Focus hang with flushing birds no hunt even with on no matter the lens .I also pointed out for stills and perched birds it is outstanding. I see many of the exact complaints all over the place so I don't think just my body issue. I was hoping bringing to this community maybe canon would investigate and find an improvement via firmware. I didnt start the thread to bash the body just to try to highlight issues many are seein.

Like I said, contacting Canon Support with your issues is the proper way to bring camera issues to their attention.

What you have written is not very useful. It is a complaint, not troubleshooting. So far, no one has tried any of my suggestions, much less acknowledged that they even read it and gave it serious consideration.

You need to contact Canon Support, all of you do.

Re: EOS 90D poor OVF performance

cdmazoff — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 17:10:51 GMT

I'm sorry... This is not an unsubstantiated "complaint" Cross and others have documented this problem acroos many DPR forums trying to chase down what exactly was going on. My experience is that the Canon Community Board is a last resort, where not much detail is gone into.

Seach Miranda, POTN, and DPR for issues with focus and AF and BIF with the 90D.. There are plenty.