Canon EOS 7D Mark II Soft focus

[magmo]

Hi, I have had a Canon EOS 50D for a long time and decided to upgrade to a 7D Mark II since this fitted my need for indoor sports photography. I also purchhased a used Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L USM. But I am not happpy with the images, they are not sharp but have a soft focus. I saw that a focus screen (EH-S) is available suitable for lenses with f2.8. Does anyone have experience of this focusing screen?

The images shoot indoor is usually at 1/800, f/2.8 and ISO 6400

[Ray-uk]

Changing the focus screen will have no effect on the sharpness of your pictures, the EH-S screen is designed to make manual focusing easier with wide aperture lenses. I have one fitted and the difference is minimal and not something I would recommend.

There could be a variety of reasons for your soft images, I think you need to take some ordinary shots (not action or sports) in a well lit situation using ISO 100 and a wide aperture, post one of those on here and we should be able to suggest how to overcome your problem.

[magmo]

Thanks, here are 2 images taken today. Both are shoot with Canon EOS 7D Mark II and Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8 L USM. Focus point has been on word "Canon" on the lens in the image (not the lens hood)

 f2.8, ISO 100, 1/160 at 200 mm

Second image 
f/4, ISO 100, 1/160 at 200mm

[MikeSowsun]

To me it just looks like low contrast, but the focus may be a little off as well.

Did the problem only start with the 7D Mk II and 70-200 combo?

Did you try Autofocus microadjustment (AFMA) with the camera and lens combo.

Do you shoot jpeg or RAW?

Do you have other cameras and lenses to swap out?   

[magmo]

@MikeSowsun, I have not tested the lens with another camera. The lens has been in for service/repair at Canon and when they checked it out they said the optics where just fine, but also said that I could send in both the lens and my camera for a proper AFMA. I always shoot Jpeg and Raw.

Below is the same shoot but with the Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8 L USM 

f/2.8, ISO 100, 1/200




Second image
f/4, ISO 100, 1/100

[Ray-uk]

I think you might get a small benefit from MFA for this lens because looking at the first image the "10" marking is slightly sharper than the "14" which is where you were focused.

However it doesn't look that bad to me and I believe a lot of your problems may be coming from the fact that the 7D2 shots will need slightly different post processing techniques than what you used for your 50D. If you are shooting raw then you can make these changes during PP but if you are shooting jpg then you will need to alter the in-camera settings to acive this.

I use both a 50D and a 7D2 both in raw and do have to treat the shots from each camera differently to get maximum quality, usually in terms of contrast and sharpness adjustments.

[Waddizzle]

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@magmowrote:

Thanks, here are 2 images taken today. Both are shoot with Canon EOS 7D Mark II and Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8 L USM. Focus point has been on word "Canon" on the lens in the image (not the lens hood)

 f2.8, ISO 100, 1/160 at 200 mm

Second image 
f/4, ISO 100, 1/160 at 200mm

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There is probably nothing wrong.  You are focusing on a fairly close subject using 200mm and f/2.8. You DOF is quite narrow.

http://www.dofmaster.com/doftable.html

[magmo]

@waddizzle, I disagree there are 2 versions. One with f2.8 and one with f4. If it is a DOF issue then the f4 version should have been in focus or at least better than the 2.8 version which is not the case.

[Waddizzle]

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@magmowrote:

@Waddizzle, I disagree there are 2 versions. One with f2.8 and one with f4. If it is a DOF issue then the f4 version should have been in focus or at least better than the 2.8 version which is not the case.

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Do you know how to use and read that table?

It is not a matter of whether or not you agree with me. You are disagreeing with the facts. I do not know what distance your subject is, but your DOF is probably less than half of an inch with the f/4 lens, and even less at f/2.8.

[magmo]

Anyway, if I focus on the word canon the focus should not be a bit back as displayed on the images