topic Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

HawkMom6 — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 19:17:21 GMT

HELP!! I recently purchased the above mentioned lens (70-200 f/2.8L III). I have the EOS Rebel T7i camera. I am an amateur sport's photographer, doing my kids games, etc. I am the team photographer, and on the sideline for high school and youth football games and finally bit the bullet and upgraded to this awesome lens. Unfortunately, it is locking up on my in TV mode and then with AV mode also. I switched to sport mode and it did not lock up once. Due to the time (evening/night), I have learned to use TV mode to get any decent pictures. So with my new lens, I started out the same way, using TV mode, 1/1000 shutter speed, and ISO 100 or 200. (it was lighter at the beginning of the game). But, my camera starting locking up and nothing but taking the battery out would fix it. I played with the settings in TV and it kept doing it. I switched to AV mode and adjusted the settings to get good quality pics and it locked up after only a few pictures.

I am not the most knowledgeable about the new lens as its brand new, but I have never had my camera lock up like this.

Anyone else have this problem?? Suggestions to fix this?? Is it my camera or just some settings I need to adjust?

I appreciate any tips, suggestions, and help! Thank you!

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

rs-eos — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 19:13:37 GMT

Try clearing all the settings of your camera. See page 216 of the User Manual.

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

HawkMom6 — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 19:39:42 GMT

Okay thanks! I will try that!

Any advice on settings for evening/night football games with this camera and .lens?

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

wq9nsc — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 20:02:15 GMT

For youth football, you can safely drop your shutter speed to 1/640 which is plenty fast to freeze motion at that level. I try to stay at 1/800 for high school but I have shot quite a few games at 1/640 where stadium lighting is poor. Photos below were both shot at 1/640 which does a good job of freezing motion at the HS level and will certainly be sufficient at lower levels.

For years, I have shot sports in manual mode with fixed aperture (as wide as the lens will allow, f2.8 for your 70-200) and shutter speed fixed as fast as possible while keeping ISO reasonable, ISO is set to auto. A lot of sports shooters use this setup now because it provides excellent results. Basically you know that you want the lens wide open almost all of the time with night sports and shutter speed has to be fast enough to freeze motion so fix those values in manual mode and let the ISO be the variable to set the proper exposure. The habit of shooting Av or Tv priority goes back as a habit to the days when auto ISO wasn't available (of course film plus the early generation of digital bodies).

Always shoot in RAW, you can do a lot of cleanup with the images in post that just isn't possible if you save them in camera as jpeg files.

I wonder if your lockup issue with the lens could be related to battery power? Is your battery pack new and a real Canon pack? When I was using my 1D Mark II, I tried using non-Canon battery packs because I needed them in a hurry. It seemed to work OK until I tried to shoot a sustained burst and it would lock up because the battery voltage would sag under sustained load with the third party batteries.

If you have IS enabled, try turning it off because this will significantly decrease power demand. When the lens is going through AF while also trying to stabilize the image, it is drawing a fair amount of power. I leave IS turned off on my lenses when shooting sports because the shutter speed is fast enough that camera shake won't come into play. My 1DX series bodies have no problem supporting the additional power drain but it just isn't needed for that type of photography and it MIGHT help with the lockup issue.

About the only time I use IS at HS games is when the cheerleaders or band want a high quality posed photo and I will turn on IS and drop the shutter speed way down to get the ISO as low as possible.

Rodger

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

kvbarkley — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 20:09:15 GMT

Generally, I only had this happen with my EF70-300 and T3i when I changed the lens with the power on.

Is there any indication when it locks up? is the card access light blinking?

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

HawkMom6 — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 20:29:23 GMT

Thank you Roger there is a lot of helpful information here!! My battery is the one that came with my camera (bought in aug 2018). I did just buy a second battery to have as backup and it’s a canon so I will try it. I will also go to Manual mode and try the settings you suggested! Thanks so much!!

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

HawkMom6 — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 20:30:51 GMT

There is no indication when it locks up. It literally just freezes, nothing blinking or anything that I noticed.

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

wq9nsc — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 21:03:03 GMT

You are welcome and I hope that you are able to find out what is causing the lock up.

Leaving in 45 minutes to head out and photograph the first HS football game in this area of the "COVID season". My soccer playing daughter will be playing her first game as the kick off / field goal / point after person.

She looked good in practice and can't wait for her first game. I am used to being on the sidelines with her in soccer, it will be different also having her on the sidelines in football.

Rodger

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

Waddizzle — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 21:49:21 GMT

Where did you buy the lens? It's brand new, right? Does the camera lock up with other lenses? You should try using a slower shutter, as suggested above.

Also, try putting setting ISO to Auto. If you're in a low light situation, then using ISO 100 or 200 may be WAY too low. Do not be surprised if you ISO shoots way up due to the fast shutter speeds you're using. I do not normally advise people to use ISO Auto in either Tv or Av modes. But, this is just to test if low light is the issue.

For action photography with rapidly changing light conditions, I set the camera to Manual mode so that I can dial in both the fast shutter speed and wide aperture. I then set the ISO to Auto, and keep it under control by dialing back on the SS.

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

Waddizzle — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 21:53:01 GMT

@kvbarkley wrote:
Generally, I only had this happen with my EF70-300 and T3i when I changed the lens with the power on.

Is there any indication when it locks up? is the card access light blinking?

Good advice. The Rebel bodies should always be shut off when changing lenses. Some mirrorless lenses actually require it, so that the lens can park internal moving parts.

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

HawkMom6 — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 22:08:56 GMT

Good luck to your daughter Roger! That’s awesome she is out for football!

Waddizzle, my lens is brand new ordered online from Best Buy. My camera is 2-1/2 years old. It has never locked up ever before, that’s what has me worried. I hope the lens works with the camera as I don’t want to have to buy a new one.

I will try manual mode and see what happens. I will also turn off the IS. When I was shooting in “sport mode” it did fine and didn’t lock up once, but you can’t use sport mode when it’s starts getting dark and night games.

Thanks everyone for the tips!

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

kvbarkley — Sat, 20 Mar 2021 00:17:59 GMT

And you do have a full size card, right? not a micro card with an adapter?

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

HawkMom6 — Sat, 20 Mar 2021 00:45:31 GMT

Yes a full size card

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

kvbarkley — Sat, 20 Mar 2021 14:44:20 GMT

You might see if there is a firmware update for the lens.

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

wq9nsc — Sat, 20 Mar 2021 15:48:09 GMT

HawkMom6,

Thank you! They won 19-0 and Anna did some great kicking and scored her first point with a succesful point after on their intitial TD 🙂 Hopefully next game she can attempt a field goal. After football comes soccer and then hopefully her next academic research conference presentation which were both pandemic cancelled last year.

HUGE lesson learned, I spent much of the game fighting with a KN95 mask that wanted to continuosly fog the viewfinders in the mid 30s weather. I finally got it adjusted "improperly" so that the fogging issue went away but I will be using a different mask for the next game. The only positive was my nose stayed warm but the mask and its side effects were a major pain.

Rodger

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

Waddizzle — Sat, 20 Mar 2021 17:00:10 GMT

@HawkMom6 wrote:
Good luck to your daughter Roger! That’s awesome she is out for football!

Waddizzle, my lens is brand new ordered online from Best Buy. My camera is 2-1/2 years old. It has never locked up ever before, that’s what has me worried. I hope the lens works with the camera as I don’t want to have to buy a new one.

I will try manual mode and see what happens. I will also turn off the IS. When I was shooting in “sport mode” it did fine and didn’t lock up once, but you can’t use sport mode when it’s starts getting dark and night games.

Thanks everyone for the tips!

The Best Buy Marketplace does not have the best reputation in the world. Some of the vendors are not factory authorized. They're worse than Amazon in many ways. Is it really too difficult for you to test the lens, or try my suggestions? Good Luck.

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

kvbarkley — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 02:11:39 GMT

You might try a face shield you can flip up over the camera.

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

wq9nsc — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 15:54:08 GMT

KV,

Thanks for the idea and I will run a test with one tonight to give it a try since I bought some at the start of COVID. I am afraid I will be banging into it when rapidly switching between camera bodies during a play but it would avoid the fogging issue so I will see if it works.

I am hoping with warmer weather that fogging will be less of an issue. Most of the time I am not close to other people but I don't want to send the wrong message by not following protocol. During the Spring in Illinois, it is so windy outside that exposure to a sufficiently dangerous viral load is pretty unlikely.

Rodger

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

ebiggs1 — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 15:16:44 GMT

The advice above which may help you, or may not, take sports shots it will do little to nothing to see if you have a gear problem. It will not help determining if the lens is faulty. Here is what you do however. Reset your camera. Menu, tools, clear all settings and all custom setting, too.

Now set the camera to "P" mode. Set ISO to 400. AWB or daylight WB. Set the AF system to One shot, not Ai-servo <---this is important never set to Ai-servo for testing. Now go outside on a nice day and shoot general stuff. Make sure you have some vertical lines in the shoots. I.E., a fence or trees or buildings, etc. If the camera/lens combo works, it works. If it doesn't most likely you have a faulty lens. Simple!

Keep in mind Rodger is a very talented photographer with the best gear money can buy. His work is outstanding. His daughter and the team is fortunate to have a person like him to do their photos. Most schools rely on students (yearbook squad) or Moms to do it. But you as a novice and with modest gear need to walk before you learn to run. Now be known, no one here can give you exact settings without seeing your exact venue and conditions. Some schools have sports stadiums that rival some colleges and some ... well, leave a lot to be desired. I've seen and shot them all.

My basic starting point is always Av mode, yes Av not Tv. With your new lens set it to f4 and try f2.8 too. Av lets the camera choose the fastest SS it can to get proper exposure. Fix your ISO to 800 to start but be wiling the change it if needed. Do not use Auto ISO. I know many pro sports photographers are using Auto ISO more and more but you don't do it from the beginning, Walk before you run! Set WB to daylight but you will be shooting Raw so WB doesn't matter. Select and use just the center focus point. Turn the others off. Now, the biggie, use One Shot do no use Ai-servo for now. Give this a try at the next opportunity and see how it goes.

It goes without saying you will be using Raw file format, Correct? Yes correct and you will import the shots in DPP4 which is free from Canon for post editing. Or, better, Lightroom and/or Photoshop. A less expensive version of PS is Photoshop Elements and a super program for Moms.

Give this a try and do report back with how you do. Remember walk before you run.

Re: EOS Rebel T7i locking up using EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS III USM in TV and AV mode

ebiggs1 — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 15:23:54 GMT

Resetting your camera to factory is key here so make sure you do not skip that step. I, also, strongly advise against trying a FW (firmware) update at this point. Never, never do a FW update if you think you have a gear problem until that is sorted first.