7D Mark II

[Fay]

After a long wait my brother and I got our hands on a couple of Mark IIs. Problem is after a week of work we still feel like pictures are soft. I originally started trying to adjust with some of the methods on the web. I finally said @#$ with that and bought a LensAlign MKII and then the Focus Tune V3. Over the weekend we got the system set up and learned the basics of the software. Adjustments were made after doing 5 shots in steps of five. Then when we had the general area we shot 10 images in steps of 1 around the indicated best spot. Several times we did an even tighter refinement again using 10 shots for the software to scan. This was done with the 100-400 at both ends of the zoom and the 600 with and without the 1.4 extender. I think I got the 100-400 zeroed in, but brother is still frustrated. Neither of us like the results with the 600 after micro adjustments.

One thing we did notice is that when the lens was locked down on the tripod and we pushed the TC-80N3 remote controller button half way the focus point tended to drift down. The image stablization was on with all lens. I usually don't tripod my 100-400 and when using the 600 the tripod is typically not locked down so I was told the IS being on was okay.

So any suggestions or words of wisdom would be appreciated. To be truthful I am a very short way from taking the camera back and replacing it with a different body.

Thank you. Fay and Robert

[darmet]

ebiggs1: If I have to recalibrate every lens I own in order to use them with a new camera, it would be a first, and might in itself dissuade me from changing bodies unless the new camera was very, very much better. Yeouch!!!

It is encouraging to read that once you get them calibrated, though, the "softness" issues go away.

Thanks,

    darmet

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

darmet,

What you did actually told you nothing.  Read this....Lens is soft

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[Seed]

I am starting some research. Again. I found out after I got the camera that it would not focus at the DOF I was auto focusing on. It was always either too deep or too shallow. After reading up on it I found out that that particular camera had to be micro adjusted to each lens that was put on it. WTF?! I have tried a couple of times to do that but get frustrated very quickly for one reason or another.

I believe this was Canon's way of saying, "You're using 3rd party lenses (Sigma, Tamron) more than ours? Then FU! Adjust your own lenses!

It is rediculous with all the smarts and electronics in camera now. I mean. your 60D, my 60D most any other cameras adjust automatically to each and every lens used. Pisses me off!

[ezpop]

MichaelTheMaven's latest Youtube episode

Canon 7Dii vs Samsung NX-1 Epic Shootout

pointed out that some 7D2 may have focusing issue.

http://youtu.be/GmlzqAy5Q68

and in the CR, there are some discussions about the same thing.

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=7fb68a1327eea6c7de5118cffe8ab55d&topic=24665.ms...

[Fay]

All of my lens are older. My understanding is that there isn't problems with new lens on new camera. But, that said I needed to microadjust my lens to my camera. I had to clean the contacts on the lens. I had to learn the LensAlign system and the Focusing software which took a little trial and error. I ended up shooting tethered to a laptop which speeded the process up. I also found that there was what I am calling a "burn in" phase. In otherwords the more I shot the more details showed up. Probably the contacts adjusting to each other. Yes I would have been nice to slap the lens on the camera and get perfect results the first time. But, when you are putting 90's equipment together with 2014 equipment you really can't expect it to be a match made in heaven, it may only get you to the gate where you need to have a discussion with the big man.

The system is working. My current questions regards the noise and grain with the Mark II I think it is worse than the ID and 5D, but that is subjective at this point I need to do some side by side comparsion.

I hope this helped. Fay

[darmet]

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@Fay wrote:

All of my lens are older. My understanding is that there isn't problems with new lens on new camera. But, that said I needed to microadjust my lens to my camera. I had to clean the contacts on the lens. I had to learn the LensAlign system and the Focusing software which took a little trial and error. I ended up shooting tethered to a laptop which speeded the process up. I also found that there was what I am calling a "burn in" phase. In otherwords the more I shot the more details showed up. Probably the contacts adjusting to each other. Yes I would have been nice to slap the lens on the camera and get perfect results the first time. But, when you are putting 90's equipment together with 2014 equipment you really can't expect it to be a match made in heaven, it may only get you to the gate where you need to have a discussion with the big man.

The system is working. My current questions regards the noise and grain with the Mark II I think it is worse than the ID and 5D, but that is subjective at this point I need to do some side by side comparsion.

I hope this helped. Fay

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Fay,

Thanks. None of my Canon lenses are 90s lenses. All of the ones I use now were bought within the last five years. If I have to go through what you did to make each of them work with the Mark II, it could well dissuade me from upgrading!

I did a similar comparison, by the way, with my 7D Mark I and a 5D Mark III (using the lenses that would interchange between the two). The Mark III was super-sweet, for sure, and in low-light situations it was noticeably better. However, in good light, under my normal shooting conditions (outdoors in daylight, or at low ISO on a tripod), I could see no difference at all in image quality, even when I zoomed in as far as possible. That was a surprise!!

    Darmet

[Fay]

Did you read the article that ebiggs1 linked to above. It will explain your issue. It all depends on how much time you want to spend getting it "right". I found the investment of time worth the effort. I am getting what I want. Does the Mark II have features you want/need? If not let it alone and go take pictures. If it does go out and buy LensAlign and the Focusing software and get to work. It will be worth your time and effort.

[darmet]

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@Fay wrote:
Did you read the article that ebiggs1 linked to above. It will explain your issue. It all depends on how much time you want to spend getting it "right". I found the investment of time worth the effort. I am getting what I want. Does the Mark II have features you want/need? If not let it alone and go take pictures. If it does go out and buy LensAlign and the Focusing software and get to work. It will be worth your time and effort.

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Hi Fay,

I didn't catch the link at first (and mistakenly wrote my first reply thinking it was a comment), but then I did realize it was a link, and I did read it -- and had to revise my response. (Oops!!!)

I'm relieved to know that it's a focus/alignment issue and not a flaw in the image sensor itself.

That does put the Mark II back in the running for me, but as much as I liked it when I tried it (especially that new autofocus system and the quieter shutter), I didn't feel it was so far above my Mark I that I need to rush right out and replace it.

I very much appreciate all of the time and feedback here. Thank you!

     darmet

[Fay]

darmet. Rereading my response. I am sorry if I sounded snide. That wasn't my intention. Fay

[KeithR]

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@Fay wrote:

The system is working. My current questions regards the noise and grain with the Mark II 

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Here's 4000 (four thousand) ISO, chosen by Auto ISO, at 100% crop from my 7D Mk II - exactly as it came out of the converter. Cropped in PS, but no additional NR added:

http://kazemisu.me.uk/images/7D_Mk_II_4000_ISO.jpg

It's noiseless.

Here it is at the "image" level, for the Exif: 

http://kazemisu.me.uk/images/7D_Mk_II_4000_ISO_1.jpg

Again, no PP NR

16,000 ISO (in no light - again, look at the Exif). No PP NR here either, just some selective sharpening: 

http://kazemisu.me.uk/images/7D_Mk_II_16000_ISO.jpg

I seriously doubt that the cameras you're comparing it against are better, properly compared at the image level - even though they've got bigger sensors.

The "trick"? Use the right Raw converter...

[Fay]

Well these pictures have no noise issues that I can see. When picture style did you use? Have you motified the factory setting on the style?

I will try to set up a similar display and see how it goes. There was no data on the files when I saved them to desktop. Thanks for the come back. If I can find out what I am doing wrong with this particular issue I will be very happy. Noticed I said what I am doing wrong.

Fay