R7: after one focus composite camera "freezes" and must be cycled off and on to operate

[ConnRokhound]

Recently purchased a new EOS R7, I use it in a studio to photograph tabletop items. As such I constantly use the in-camera focus compositing feature and it works very well. But once it completes a composite, I cannot shoot another picture without first turning the camera off and back on. If I don't do this, upon hitting the shutter the camera just does an autofocus beep, adds green squares to the display over the object and nothing else works. It's like the camera just freezes up. I use it in manual exposure mode and autofocus is on (as it has to be to shoot stacks). I've been through the manual several times, checked all the other myriad settings for potential conflicts, tried a few changes, but nothing helped. I don't think having to turn the camera off and on would be normal for this feature and the manual says nothing about that. Although cycling off and on does work, it really slows production down and is annoying, not to mention wear and tear on the switch. What am I missing? Many thanks.

[Waddizzle]

“  As such I constantly use the in-camera focus compositing feature and it works very well. But once it completes a composite, I cannot shoot another picture without first turning the camera off and back on. “

Are you saying the camera “hangs” or “locks up” after each sequence?  How many shots are you typically using for a focus stack?

What indication do you have that the camera completed processing the image?  Is it displaying the final image?

Is the red LED lit indicating memory card access?  At the end of the completed shot sequence does the camera display “BUSY”?

[ConnRokhound]

Thanks for the reply. The problem is not the stacking process, that completes successfully each time regardless of # of images. Once a composite is all done, camera is no longer "busy", final image is done displaying and camera reverts to an active live view, it will not take another picture when commanded. If I hit the shutter, it does an autofocus with green squares added to the subject on the live view and then nothing else will work (live view is still active). All I have been able to figure out to shoot another pic or composite is to turn it off and on again. Then enable the focus composite function, set the number of images, etc. I have to do this after every composite.

[Waddizzle]

Thanks, for the quick response.

Okay, the camera definitely completes the capture, stack, and generate final image task.  What type of memory card are you using?  What capacity?  Full size UHS-II?

Do you format memory cards prior to first use?

[ConnRokhound]

I did some more experimenting and I did determine that, after completing a composite and before taking any other pix, if I go into the menu and disable the focus bracketing, I can take single pix (camera operates normally). But if I then put focus bracketing back to enable (did not turn camera off and then on), when the shutter is triggered the camera autofocuses and hangs up again without taking any pix, no button will work but live view is active. Only cycling the on/off switch allows another composite to be taken.

There is a 16 GB card in slot 1, by PNY. I do not know what UHS-II is. I didn't format it, I have nothing to do that with, but it works. Don't see how any of that matters.