how to do MFA? - EOS 7D Mark II pictures coming out dull

[iphonemaster93]

Hi guys

So after a few weeks of owning the 7DMKII, I realize that even when I manually focus my shots (I don't use a tripod and I do automotive photography), If I zoom in to the maximum in Lightroom, the photo is still dull (on the lowest ISO at 1/320 as I realize that 1/320 is when the photos are 'sharpest'). Is this because the lens that I'm using isn't calibrated to the camera (using a 17-55 2.8) or is it because I'm just shooting wrong? I've tried both manual focus and the different AF zones, all of them, when zoomed in on LR, are dull. Thanks!   

[iphonemaster93]

Also, I think I still will do MFA for my 17-55 just in case. The photos from the 35mm 1.4 turned out well but the 17-55 needs some adjusting. I also sometimes just don't have the time to get more than one shot sometimes, when I don't have time necessary to set up for a manually focused shot (used manual focus for all my good shots with the 35mm), the AF will be somewhat back focused. What chart should I use for it? I'm thinking about doing it either today or tomorrow.

[ebiggs1]

Check online.  You can d/l several.

[RobertTheFat]

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@iphonemaster93 wrote:

Also, I think I still will do MFA for my 17-55 just in case. The photos from the 35mm 1.4 turned out well but the 17-55 needs some adjusting. I also sometimes just don't have the time to get more than one shot sometimes, when I don't have time necessary to set up for a manually focused shot (used manual focus for all my good shots with the 35mm), the AF will be somewhat back focused. What chart should I use for it? I'm thinking about doing it either today or tomorrow.

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My 17-55 requires +9 points of AFMA. It's just one of the rare reminders that the 17-55 isn't really an "L"-quality lens.

[iphonemaster93]

yeah i'm just not sure whether to go with the cheaper, non MRC CPL or the MRC CPL, if the results do really make a difference then i'll get the MRC version. Yeah I'm thinking of doing MFA but I keep on forgetting to print out one of those charts XD

[RobertTheFat]

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@iphonemaster93 wrote:

yeah i'm just not sure whether to go with the cheaper, non MRC CPL or the MRC CPL, if the results do really make a difference then i'll get the MRC version. Yeah I'm thinking of doing MFA but I keep on forgetting to print out one of those charts XD

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You don't need charts. All you need is a scene with subjects at various depths that are recognizable enough that you can tell when they're in focus. In theory, charts might increase your accuracy a little. But remember that microadjustments can be set only in discrete intervals, and accuracy finer than the interval value is useless.

[ebiggs1]

You can use a wooden yard stick.

[RobertTheFat]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"... Hoya 67mm Hoya CPL in comparison to a B+W MRC CPL?"

I wouldn't.  I prefer and most of my filters are B+W.  They are top notch.  However, the fact they can be removed when need be still exists.  You need to assess your requirements and buy accordingly.

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Back in the film days, one might need a half dozen filters in each lens size, and the cost could add up. Now all you need is a circular polarizer in each size, so you might as well get a good one. A few years ago I splurged and bought two 77mm B+W CPs, since the size is so common. With reasonable care those filters will last for the rest of my life, and by now I've forgotten about the money.

[Awright1676]

I have greatly appreciated this forum string regarding focusing advice. I have been shooting mostly people for the last 15 years and have an EOS 7D. Primary lens is Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM. I also have a 50mm lens. I have shot thousands of frames with this camera and it's always been reliable until last year or maybe even two years ago - I started having troubles with achieving consistent sharp focus. I always seem to have a wide variety of lighting conditions and various cooperation of my subjects to stay still for a photo - but I was always able to very at least a good variety of sharp photos that I was happy with. I'm not sure when things started to go off the rails, but it has gotten progressively worse and now I might get one sharp focus image out of 10. I even bought a second lens of the same type of of desperation during last years busy season. Only getting 10% usable images means i have to over shoot like crazy and going through them afterwards breaks my heart because I can tell they would have been really beautiful images had they just gotten focused properly. I have done much of the advice already, but this thread gives me yet a few more points to consider. I'm a single mom of two teens and with my health issues photography is one of the only income sources I have and I'm hanging on for dear life because there's no safety net and if the camera is defunct and I no longer even have a photography business going then I'm really up a creek with no paddle! I finally did a firmware update for the first time and I'm sure that helped some things - I've read the manual cover to cover - though admittedly some of it is still just over my head! I have had some mentorship, college level training, a fine arts degree, and 15 years experience shooting people of all ages and stages in studio and on location. I am tempted to do a hard reset if all the settings in my camera and see if that fixes it - I fear in one of the many attempts to fix the focusing issues I changed some setting somewhere and I probably didn't fully know what it was, but again, desperate to get this figured out. This week I finally have the joy of taking my own daughters senior photos and I am sick to my stomach looking through them. I mean I am doing all that I can out there to get that sharp image, but only maybe 25 out of 200 might be good enough to consider, but will still need a lot of post processing work and of all those shots only a handful were sharp how they should be sharp. Heartbroken 😞 I have another senior I have to reshoot because out of 909 shots the ones that were even close enough focus weren't the ones that looked the best for her - so I'm just totally frustrated, embarrassed to keep struggling with this. I think i have no choice but to try a total reset of the settings and see what happens, to rule out that I changed something I wasn't supposed to. I also never use AL Servo - because I thought it would shift focus at times when I might not want it to - I am always handheld and moving around and often have things in the foreground and that would just create more of a problem. Maybe I'll try it again and just shoot so that would work better... I have loved doing this work, but I am at my wits end and ready to throw in the towel if I can't get back to some degree of reliability! Also - I'm a perfectionist, and have terrible rejection sensitivity dysphoria - so literally every time I'm having these crappy results I feel like it is the total end of the world and I have wasted the last 15 years of my life, so it's just rough!!! Wah!!! Anyways - just wanted to add my name on this thread so I can find it again if needed, and maybe someone will go through every menu with me to see if my settings are a mess... maybe an angel is right there waiting to help and I just have to ask!? Help!! 

[stevet1]

Awright1676,

You say you never use AI Servo because you are afraid it might shift focus when you don't want it to.

I personally use AI Servo combined with BBF, or Back Button Focus.

That is where you take the focusing off your shutter button and re-assign it to some other button on your camera. This is done in your Custom Function Menu settings, and more often than  not, it's the AF-ON button. You focus with your thumb, and press your shutter button to take the picture with your index finger. Only re-assign your focusing.. Leave your metering where it is with the shutter button.

With AI Servo, you press it once and let go, and it locks the focus where you chose. If you continue to keep the button pressed down, the camera will continue to keep focusing as you move the camera.

Steve Thomas