EOS 90D poor OVF performance

[Cross]

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.

[CaliforniaDream]

Are you using BBF or half press?  Also what focus mode are you in?

[Cross]

BBF,AI servo single point  as I mentioned 9 point seems to cause focus hang issue most often I am using F7.1 . I actually recreated it yesterday in my yard I forced no focus on flat blue sky then moved to electric pole and lens would not try to refocus with 9point on every time, switched to single point and was better. Then I tried it with AI Focus 9 point worked every time  (Lens refocused) even with all points selected in AI focus no hang. Again not complaining about missed shots because of my mistakes my issue is when the camera just fails to focus.  I also have 80D and all lenses I have tested work as they should in AI servo. Test yestrday  were done with new Canon 100-400 is II

[CaliforniaDream]

Very strange.  I don't know if I have tried the exact same senerio.  I will try later today.  

[Cross]

Thank you, and yes I will contact support.But please let me know if you can recreate.

[Waddizzle]

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@Cross wrote:

BBF,AI servo single point  as I mentioned 9 point seems to cause focus hang issue most often I am using F7.1 . I actually recreated it yesterday in my yard I forced no focus on flat blue sky then moved to electric pole and lens would not try to refocus with 9point on every time, switched to single point and was better. Then I tried it with AI Focus 9 point worked every time  (Lens refocused) even with all points selected in AI focus no hang. Again not complaining about missed shots because of my mistakes my issue is when the camera just fails to focus.  I also have 80D and all lenses I have tested work as they should in AI servo. Test yestrday  were done with new Canon 100-400 is II

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My advice to contact Canon Support to work out your issue still stands.  I am truly mystified that you haven't tried, yet.  My initial assumption of operator still stands, too.  

Almost no one uses AI Focus.  Why?  Because focusing slows down while the camera figures out to use One Shot mode or AI Servo mode.  The more AF points you have active, then the more time the camera takes to figure out what to do.  The camera will evaluate each and every active AF point in order to make its' decision to go One Shot or AI Servo.

Almost no one uses One Shot mode, which AI Focus.does, to photograph a BIF.  Why?  Because more times than not, between the time you lock focus and when you actually fire the shutter the subject has moved out of your DOF, and will appear out of focus.

As for the camera stopping to focus goes, there is a setting within the camera you need check: [Autofocus lens drive when AF Impossible]. Good Luck, and good-bye.  Contact Canon Support is the best advice you need to hear.

[jrhoffman75]

I have seen a recommendation to turn off face recognition focusing in orange custom setting menu. 

[Cross]

I will contact them, and I have been shooting BIF for awhile, I do not use anything but AI servo for BIF and I dont know how it could be opretor error if the camera refuses to focus. When it works the shots are fine here are a few more examples cropped to fit upload allowance. But as you can see when focus happens I have no issue with results the one swallow shot you can also see its prey.As far as setting to continue to hunt is enabled ITR off and I even turned off sleep mode in case it was just hanging coming out of sleep mode.

[Cross]

Not a coinicedence , I answeared that a few pages back, that  I posted in other forums that I belong to, that I was coming here to seek help with the issue hoping somebody from canon would have some helpful advice. or at least would bring it to their attention that a lot of us are having an issue getting OVF to work on birds in flight.

[mysticpanda]

You've asked to clarify 'what is the actual problem with the ovf'...

The problem is that with a given set of parameters being equal, if you take two shots, one using LV and the other using OVF, the focus will not be the same.  In MANY cases, there are (sometimes minor, sometimes more serious) back or front focus problems, even with the 'recommended' lenses.

I think the general annoyance is that the average user is not a lens calibration expert, nor should they be.  If a user buys a new decent camera and lens, you would hope they work straight away, without focus issues.  I understand that it's a good 'pro' function to make available on the 90D (AFMA), but is it really down to the consumer to ensure an approved lens works with the related body by following a tricky recalibration process?  I know the 90D is not unique, and other models have had the feature before, but I think it's becoming regularly discussed because it is the MAJORITY of the users having focus issues, not just the few.

A lot of the complaints relating to birds in flight are misleading, as I don't think there's anything wrong with the OVF in this regard, the AF seems to track fine to me, compared to other models, although maybe not as well as a 1DX/7D2.  I've never experienced focus or tracking issues, but the front/back focussing issue is obviously exaggerated in this type of application.  Regardless of the AF settings (similar to a manual 'case' on the 1DX), they make no difference whether optimised for focus/release, acceleration style etc, the problem is that the 90D continues as though it has gained focus, when in reality, and reviewing the shots, they are out of focus.

[jag48]

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.