Canon 7D settings

[Jonners]

I remember reading a thread a while ago where someone said that he had taken some time to try out the various settings on the 7D. I have had mine now for about 6 months and I too have taken some time to try out various settings, but I'm wondering whether I now have a settled preference. It's probably worth pointing out that I tend to mainly photograph birds.
ISO - I set this to A so that, particularly when the light might be dodgy, I don't lose a shot, although the quality of a higher ISO might not be as good.
Tv Shutter speed priority - I tend to favour this setting so that, particularly with birds, I don't have to lose as many with blurred shots. Only when I specifically want more depth of field do I change (or when I accidentally move the dial )
Auto Focus Mode - I tend to stick with AI servo to allow for moving targets.
Auto Focus Area - I still tend to change this frequently. When the subject is clearly defined I tend to favour the spot AF. When flying against the sky (subject that is ) I might go for the 19-point AF auto selection. I might also move the spot around depending on composition.
White Balance - I generally go with Auto if only to save changing and forgetting to change back.
Image quality - I generally go with L jpeg unless I know that the light might be particularly dodgy, in which case I might revert to RAW to allow more post photo adjustments in PSE7

I know there are plenty of other settings I could or maybe should be making use of, so I was wondering how others are getting on with this camera and whether you have found any particularly useful settings or combinations thereof.

[turkeyneck]

Hi joners I haven't had my 7D as long as you and am still fafing about with the settings, basically I'm the same as what you have written.
Only slight changes are

ISO- depending on light I try to keep as low as possible and check the histogram and change as and when.
After saying that the Blue Tit images I have posted recently where the light was poor but the focus was static I did use A and for the first time use High ISO noise reduction, the ISO was at 1600 and 1250 respectively for these two photos.
TV shutter speed priority the same as you, even though I stand next to my fellow photographers in the hide and they all use AV.
AF mode the same, I may play around the speed of tracking though.
AF area, tends to be spot 99.9% of the time
White Balance the same as you
Image quality I use raw but looking at Ollies photo's (amazing) I'm starting to wonder?

Now I'm hoping loads of other 7D users are going to post on here to see what they are using, great thread starter!

[Ollie]

My general settings with the 7D for birds is as follows.

ISO between 400 and 1200 depending on available light, but as low as possible to still get a decent shutter speed. Mostly ISO 400, AV mode without fail. I do like to be in full control of the DOF. To me this is more important than the shutter speed.

A1 servo mode always. For static birds single centre point auto focus. Birds in flight expanded auto focus mode with the centre point and four active surrounding focus points. Focus tracking, I use AF priority/tracking priority. This means that in a burst of shots the tracking priority is given preference over the frames per second that the camera can manage.

Auto white balance. Picture quality jpeg large. I never shoot raw.
High ISO noise reduction disabled. Highlight tone priority disabled.

Metering mode, centre weighted average.

Think that's about covered it all

[davecatt]

I'm thinking of getting a 7D and intend using it with a manual 600mil mirror lens.

I'll also be getting a 18-55 zoom, mainly for macro and the occasional landscape shot.

It would be useful to know the focal length of the lens you are using when you refer to ISO settings.
Dave

[zan]

I must admit, since I've had this camera I've become a bit of a manual-setting convert! It's probably because I had to go back and really think about techniques again after I bought it rather than anything to do with this camera, but I leave mine on M now more often than not (and actually find it easier than Av as I dont' have to keep worrying about compensating for the exposure; assuming the light stays the same of course!).

Other than that, I just try and keep the shutter speed up over 1/1000 if I can to really make the most of its high-speed capabilities (though I dont' really like the results over ISO 400), I keep it on AI servo for action shots; one-shot for static subjects and always shoot raw unless I have to give the images to someone quickly in which case I'll shoot raw + jpeg.

[darrenm]

had mine about four weeks and its driving me nuts trying to get sharp pictures but dont know if it is my eyesight or the settings with the 100-400mm IS lens and 1.4x converter and getting much sharper pics with my 40D using the same lens and converter. Any help would be very, very welcome .........no expression for crying like a three year old

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by darrenm

had mine about four weeks and its driving me nuts trying to get sharp pictures but dont know if it is my eyesight or the settings with the 100-400mm IS lens and 1.4x converter and getting much sharper pics with my 40D using the same lens and converter. Any help would be very, very welcome .........no expression for crying like a three year old

Hi Darren.
No disrespect meant at all here but I don't think you will get as sharp a photograph with the 100-400mm and 1.4x converter from the 7D as you will from the 40D.

To try and explain, It's the mega pixels of the 7D that do it. Can't remember the exact figures but it's something like 10 for the 40D and 18 for the 7D. This sounds fine and you would expect the 7D to give a better quality image with the extra mega pixels and to a point this is correct. But, and this is the sticking point in my opinion the 7D having the greater mega pixels also enhances any imperfection in the photograph.

This may seem daft but I have spoken to many people on this issue and it's a fact that the 7D needs an absolutely first class piece of glass on the end of it to bring out the best in it. I'm not saying the 100mm-400mm isn't good glass it is but it hasn't quite got the edge that the 400mm f5.6 prime has or the 500mm f4 prime.

Have you got satisfactory results from the 7D with the 100mm 400mm without the 1.4x converter. Just my opinions Darren and I don't want to disappoint or put you off the 7D but it really does need a first rate piece of glass on it to get the best from it. The 7D is also nowhere near as forgiving as the 40D.

When I first got my 7D over a year ago I was very disappointed with the images I got from it even with my Canon 400mm f5.6 prime lens. With the 40D I seemed to be able to get a decent shot most of the time but the 7D is a different beast and you really do need to get to know the 7D very well as far as AF, exposure and the like are concerned.

As said I don't want to dishearten or put you off the 7D as it is a great camera but I do think you are asking a little too much of it with the 100mm -400mm plus 1.4 converter.

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Ollie

To try and explain, It's the mega pixels of the 7D that do it. Can't remember the exact figures but it's something like 10 for the 40D and 18 for the 7D. This sounds fine and you would expect the 7D to give a better quality image with the extra mega pixels and to a point this is correct. But, and this is the sticking point in my opinion the 7D having the greater mega pixels also enhances any imperfection in the photograph.

Hmm, not sure how the above would work!

I can think of no process by which an image from the same lens would produce a softer image on a higher resolution sensor - assuming the same viewing size and that the higher resolution sensor is not inferior to the lower one in any way.

ISTRC similar complaints to the OPs on other forums. I can't remember where - maybe it was on dpreview.

7D users seem to fall in 2 camps - those that are very happy and those that are very unhappy!

Jim

[darrenm]

at present i am in the group that is unhappy with the 7D but will persist.

Will try it without the 1.4x converter again and was happier with the pics before i used this.

Now to save up for a 400mm f5.6 or search a second hand one

[slimrbp]

I use a converter on my 100-400 and am happy with the results, never used the combo on my 40D though.

I assume you are on manual focus? If so have set up the diopter properly?

Are you shooting jpeg or RAW? If jpeg you might just need to tweak the sharpness settings for the output jpeg. I have read that 7D jpegs are softer than other models and need a bit more sharpness applied. Not sure myself as I shoot RAW.