Canon 60D

[AnneS]

I'm an enthusiastic amateur, and for some bizarre reason, I'm struggling with focus on my 400D. By all accounts the camera is fine...which sadly, leaves me as the culprit. So, I've been looking further up the ladder, but have budgetary constraints. Can anybody tell me why a Canon 60D is an improvement, or is the 7D the only way to go?

[Digital Guy]

I'd go for the Canon 60D. Here's a comparison of the 60D and 7D. The 60D has a articulating screen. The 7D is R3000 more expensive and can't
Magic Lantern, yet.

http://www.dpreview.com/products/com...ts=canon_eos7d

[Dirk Brand]

Hi Anne! The 60D is a great camera and it will serve your purpose really well but you might also want to consider the 600D as replacement if your on a tight budget. A lot has improved in the XXXD class Canon cameras. What lenses are you currently using and if you have more than one, do you struggle with all of them?

[HiltonP]

Anne, I believe you should stop and think about this matter before proceeding any further. You say that you have a focusing problem, but then confirm that your camera is not at fault. That would indicate that the problem lies with you is the user (no offence intended) and not with the equipment. Buying another model camera is therefore not going to solve your problem. You need to try and analyse the source of the focusing issue before spending money unnecessarily.

Post some of your problem pictures, with the necessary photo setting details, in the gallery's for us to look at. Your focus issue may be a matter of camera shake, using the wrong settings, low light conditions, etc, etc. It may have nothing to do with the camera at all.

[AnneS]

Hi
It's absolutely true that if the fault lies with me, then no camera is going to sort that. I just thought that a better AF system might help (which the 7D has, but not necessarily the 60D?) I am a wildlife junkie, and use a wonderful 100 to 400 IS lens most of the time. If it is camera shake, I did wonder if a slightly heavier camera might assist in balancing camera and lens. The 400D is very lightweight. But this may all be thumbsucks...Thanks for all your commentary.

[Andre v]

With longer lenses its necessary to support them. Either tripod/ beanbag or any other stable surface you have.
If in the car taking pictures, make sure to switch off the engine as there is a lot of shake when the car is on.

If you are intent on a upgrade, the 7D would be my choice, but honestly i think you would be better
off improving your technique rather than buying a camera to try help make up for lack thereof.
I dont mean that last comment to be nasty, but rather save your money for good glass. What you are currently shooting is quite capable of delivering good images

[HiltonP]

Anne, post examples of the pictures which are showing focus issues, and be sure to include the EXIF details. That way you will get a genuinely informed decision and will be a position to make a much better assessment. All indications are that it is technique related, and therefore a more expensive camera, even with a more advanced AF system, would not necessarily solve your problem (although it would relieve you of a large amount of money!).

[Henk Coetzee]

Anne, I believe you should stop and think about this matter before proceeding any further. You say that you have a focusing problem, but then confirm that your camera is not at fault. That would indicate that the problem lies with you is the user (no offence intended) and not with the equipment. Buying another model camera is therefore not going to solve your problem. You need to try and analyse the source of the focusing issue before spending money unnecessarily.

Post some of your problem pictures, with the necessary photo setting details, in the gallery's for us to look at. Your focus issue may be a matter of camera shake, using the wrong settings, low light conditions, etc, etc. It may have nothing to do with the camera at all.

I have to agree here, although I would check out "all accounts". Where have you had the camera checked out?

Hi
It's absolutely true that if the fault lies with me, then no camera is going to sort that. I just thought that a better AF system might help (which the 7D has, but not necessarily the 60D?) I am a wildlife junkie, and use a wonderful 100 to 400 IS lens most of the time. If it is camera shake, I did wonder if a slightly heavier camera might assist in balancing camera and lens. The 400D is very lightweight. But this may all be thumbsucks...Thanks for all your commentary.

If the issue is with camera shake, bolt it down to a solid tripod and do some testing.

One other question here. Are you using a UV filter. I remember reading on the forum here that the 100-400 and UV filters aren't friends. Some of the Canon shooters may be able to help here.

[AnneS]

Thanks all for invaluable advice, and I'm not at all offended by straight talk. I may well be mishandling the camera...and I am in the car a great deal when I'm shooting, so all the issues you mention may be playing a role. I'm going to start by taking camera and lens/es to be cleaned and tested, so that I can be certain all is well in that department, then test the focus here at home under different conditions. I have to say that not all my pics are out of focus of course, just more than I would like or should have. I will post some pics and perhaps you'd all comment on them?

[Leo Theron]

Post the pics in the Galleries: Beginners Section, and tell us when you are done…

[koosdup]

Anne, I cannot understand how someone could advise you to buy a 60D instead of the 7D to use with the 100-400 for wildlife. The 7D was specifically designed for this purpose ; wildlife and sport!! Very fast 8 fps, Minimal shatter lag of 130ms VS 250ms of the 60D and superior AF. This is all you should look at when comparing these two cameras. If you are into wildlife and sport ( and everything else ) you go for the 7D. If it is only the ( everything else ) photography then I would certainly go for the 60D, not the 600D, that extra 200 grams just feel more balanced with a longer lens.

I think you will always have a "soft" problem with your combination. You need to keep it steady,very very steady! Switch that vehicle off when shooting and leave the kids at home! You will always need very good support and please try and keep the SS above 1000. I started off with the same combination and then upgraded to the 7D, what a difference but still not 100%. I then ( after 2 years ) sent my camera and lens in to Cameratek and found that mine was in fact one of those "soft" issues.Fortunately we have people like Cemeratek who can sort those problems.

Good luck.

[AnneS]

Thanks so much for this. I'm heading off to Cameratek this morning,as my first point of call. Once I've eliminated that, then I need to look at these other areas of concern.

[camerasaurusrex]

.... and leave the kids at home!

Some days I wish I could!!!!

[AnneS]

Hi all. I'm delighted - my bank manager isn't - to say that, in Cameratek Durban's opinion, my pics are not sharp, and that my camera and certainly one lens needs to be tested, cleaned and maybe recalibrated etc. The whole lot are going up to JHB, and they'll do all the diagnostics on them. Interestingly, there was a comment by Henk on this thread about the UV filter on the 100 to 400 - I have a generic one - and the Cameratek guy said that that lens does not like any UV filters other than the dedicated Canon one...(the R1 000 one...), and it does affect the sharpness of the images. So, I've learned a fair amount in the last few days, so thank you all!

[HiltonP]

Anne, did they offer you some explanation as to why some of your photographs are in focus and others not?

If it is a calibration issue, or the use of a filter, then I would expect the majority of your photos to be out of focus, but this is not the impression I get from your earlier comments.