New 7D

[gabby]

I used my new 7D for the first time today and Odille & I tried to work out how to select for 1 spot focus point. We scanned the manual but had no success. Can anyone please advise how to do this.

[Cliff]

Gabby, there are several ways to do this. Here's one way.
Press the Q button on the rear of the camera.
Move the cursor down to the third row near the left hand side and here you can select whichever focus mode you require. Spot focus appears as a square within a square.
Keep in mind that this is not selectable if you are in Auto made.

[agb]

I used my new 7D for the first time today and Odille & I tried to work out how to select for 1 spot focus point. We scanned the manual but had no success. Can anyone please advise how to do this.
You need to register and enable it first in C fn III-6 I think. Then you use the M-fn and the magnifying button to cycle through the various focus systems till you get to the one you want, or as cliff said inthe Q select mode.Page 212-213 of the manual should help.

[gabby]

Thank you Cliff & graham - the pages we looked up from the index were no help..I'll check those pages and follow your advice- now I know there is a Q button :lol:- I hadn't even noticed it before. Do you mean the C3 on the dial at top left Graham?

[Cliff]

Gabby, I think you need to spend some time with the manual. What Graham mentioned is a Custom Function. NOT the C3 setting on the dial. Go to Menu>Custom Functions>C.FnIII>Item 6 and ensure that enable is set. You might have to read the book to make any sense of what I've just said.

[Analog6]

We had a good look through the manual and it was, frankly, as clear as mud. I pressed the button on the top of the camera and set it to centre spot there but it is still all over the show in the viewfinder. With my (admittedly older Canons 1D models up to 1DsMkII once you did that it stayed on centre spot. Ah well, I've downloaded the manual and I'll spend some time reading it but of course I don't have the camera on hand to test.

[agb]

Odille,
Press the menu button, then using the main dial, wheel on the top of the camera cycle through the menu settings, until you get to second last one, got a camera icon. It shows a number of C-Fn items, exposure, Image, the one you want is Autofocus drive. Press set,then use the other dial to go through the 13 sub menus. the one that you want is number 6. press set then use the dial again to go to register and make sure that the square with a circle in the middle has a tick, then apply then back to enable and all is good. Seems a bit complicated but I assure you it really is quite simple.

[Cliff]

I did a quick search for tutorials on this subject. Here's one that seems to cover it all. The last half of this video tells you exactly what you want to know Gabby.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBExH5wgoVY

and this one...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-K8MP1HFnE&NR=1

[Analog6]

Odille,
Press the menu button, then using the main dial, wheel on the top of the camera cycle through the menu settings, until you get to second last one, got a camera icon. It shows a number of C-Fn items, exposure, Image, the one you want is Autofocus drive. Press set,then use the other dial to go through the 13 sub menus. the one that you want is number 6. press set then use the dial again to go to register and make sure that the square with a circle in the middle has a tick, then apply then back to enable and all is good. Seems a bit complicated but I assure you it really is quite simple.

Thanks Graham, I got as far as the Cfn items and it all looked so horribly technical I didn't want to go on until I got some advice on what I was doing. I'll get together with Gail and we'll set it right before her next bird shoot!

[agb]

Thanks Graham, I got as far as the Cfn items and it all looked so horribly technical I didn't want to go on until I got some advice on what I was doing. I'll get together with Gail and we'll set it right before her next bird shoot!
pm sent

[neil70]

Here is a link to the canon usa tutorials. they are pretty good and will show you around the 7D

http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/galleries/galleries/tutorials/eos_7d_tutorials.shtml

[gabby]

Thank you for the links to the tutorials - I must be MANUALLY CHALLENGED because I honestly tried finding the data there and So did Odille and came to the conclusion that they are written in some obscure form of english by someone who really doesn't speak english as a primary language.

[agb]

Thank you for the links to the tutorials - I must be MANUALLY CHALLENGED because I honestly tried finding the data there and So did Odille and came to the conclusion that they are written in some obscure form of english by someone who really doesn't speak english as a primary language.
Gabby, is this sorted now ? If not then page 212 of the manual is required reading. There you will see that the spot focus point is not registered and has to be before you can use it. In the turorial link it is the one about af custom functions, just wait a little while it gets to it, about 2.31 minutes in.

[gabby]

Thanks Graham- I'm able to watch the tutorials tonight and will get back to you.:th3:

[gabby]

OK I watched the tutorials -very much more helpful... Thank you Graham for leading me through the process via video last night. You are all wonderful!!:th3:

[Woody08]

Thank you for this worthwhile advice. The 7D is a lot different to the 450D isn't it? Lots of learning to do.

Cheers,

John W

[triptych]

I also upgraded from a 450D to a 7D and it certainly is a giant learning curve. But once you get the hang of it, its great!