Thoughts on focus problem

[coachboz68]

7D + 70-200L.  But I don't think it's the body or lens problem, per se. 

My daughter was out shooting today.  She's learning.  Pretty new still.  Came back and 80% of her pics were not just out of focus, but there was no focus lock achieved (could tell by turning on the AF Point Display in camera playback).  She's using shutter-button focus.  Mind you, this wasn't that it was back- or front-focused... the whole picture was out of foucs with no focus-point lock achieved.  She was in center-mass focus point grid (next-to-the-last of the focus point options) and from the look of her pictures, even in AI Servo mode, it should have acquired *something* in the image.  she was plenty far back, so I don't think it was a focusing distance problem. 

I tested it tonight when she got home and everything was working fine.  Even in AI Servo mode. 

My theory is that she did not put the lens on properly (she still struggles getting it on correctly) and something wasn't communicaing between the camera and the lens.  But that's just a theory as I cannot recreate it.  Could that have happend?  Or is the lens either on properly or not at all?  (a very few of the pics did show focus lock)

If anyone else has any speculations, I'm open to it.  She's a novice, so anything is possible.  🙂 

Billy

[coachboz68]

It is a Mark I.  Funny you bring this up.  YEARS ago (like 5?) I was having what I thought were some microadjustment problems and I did this exact procedure.  Surely no harm in doing it again!  However, in that case, the symptoms were quite different.  My daughter is a complete novice (20yo, btw, so not "a kid"... though it seems that way to me still! 🙂  but I have been using Canon gear for about 12 years as an advanced hobbyist.  So while nowhere near the levels on this forum, I'm usually able to get somewhere in the neighborhood of a problem.  In this case, I think she did something really "wrong" during the shoot.  Behavior is too anomalous to suggest a systemic problem in the gear.  But, that's why I said this is a thought experiment!  The world may never know... 🙂    But I love hearing the suggestions!  Always learning... 

[coachboz68]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

Coach Billy,

As you can tell, you got many guesses.  One or more might be correct but the only way to know and help her out is to go with her and watch what she does.  Its good to guess, I guess, but its better to know.

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Ernie, yep.  As I said, this one is a thought experiment.  I have been taking her out to teach her, which is why I know this is likely user error.  (or I think y'all call that "OP" for operator?).  I'm wired with a bit of an investigative gene (software engineer by trade) that probably makes me more inclined to play detective than any of this merits.  "Bug hunting" as we call it. 🙂  

I love all the guesses, though.  Helps me learn.  

[ebiggs1]

"I love all the guesses, though.  Helps me learn."

One thing I would rule out is not mounted corectly.  I really doubt that is the correct "guess".  But who knows, I guess?    Good luck.

[ABBOTALE]

Posted on You Tube March 24th 2015  type in Canon 7d soft focus easy fix... you might learn something....

[coachboz68]

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@ABBOTALE wrote:

this does actualy work so please if you dont have 7d mk1 dont make out people to be idiots!!!! Ohand by the way most if not of you so called SOLUTIONS havent Worked.........

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Hi.  It's helpful if you Quote the text/person to whom you are responding.  Given I started the thread, I will assume you directed your comment at me, and yet I do not believe I said anything that would be insulting or condescending to you.  My apologies if I did, but I'm not sure what that would have been.  

Next, I was not looking for a "solution" because, as I said at the start, the problem is not reproduceable.  Therefore, I was trying to go through a thought experiment of what *might* have happened.  I am appreciative of all who replied with ideas, including yours, to which I responded appropriately (or so it seemed to me).