CANON R7 AUTOFOCUS WOES, ANY IDEAS? 

This happens to me all the time, and yes, it's incredibly frustrating. I've had it happen regardless of shutter speed, and regardless of lighting conditions, though it happens more in lower light, low contrast situations. I also have had multiple occasions where the camera grabs focus on a perched bird immediately and the moment I start shooting the focus shifts to the background. I've spoken to some folks at Canon and have sent examples of the burst to them on request. I've not heard anything.

Hi Duade - I am very glad that someone else is talking about these issues with the R7 - my partner has one, and has been plagued by focussing issues, despite updating the firmware each time, and even in desperation returning it to factory original settings. The final straw in terms of knowing there was a problem was a series of images in good light taken at 1/3200 shutter speed - the spot focus square was spot on the eye, but all the shots were out of focus, although some of the surrounding area was in focus. It was returned to Canon and they changed the circuit board - however, although this seems to improved the focus issue, the camera now will not save the time and date, so is having to be returned again, as all the shots taken now have no date stamp, and big problems in Lightroom. I’m afraid Canon seems to have not acknowledged that there are significant problems with a proportion of these bodies, and by the way, the lack of personal dialogue ( just computerised forms etc) doesn’t help, or provide much satisfaction. I’m afraid I will have to advise anyone to avoid this camera .

I don’t use canon but one thing I have found on Nikon and Fuji is IBIS and lens stabilisation settings sometimes cause the focus points to move about due to small phase differences and synchronisation between the systems. You may find changing to sports or switching one or the other off may help. No idea but just a guess. Thank for the videos and good luck 👍

I have the exact same issue! I usually don't pay too much attention, cause I take so many pictures that some end up being perfectly sharp! Still, I would be lying if I said this hasn't ruin some good pictures for me! Went to Brazil now, and out of 70k pictures, 30k had this issue of being out of focus!

Taking photos with the R7 can be like celebrating a goal in football, knowing that VAR could come and steal it from you at any moment! The amount of times I've gone through the euphoria of capturing some lovely photos, only to find that what appeared to be fine on the back of the camera, was a missed AF point and lie! It's a brilliant camera and this APSC would rival the best full frame DSLR of yester-year, but it's not without it's flaws.

I don't think it's your camera, I've also been having an extremely frustrating time getting keepers with this camera, particularly action shots. I don't know if there's specific autofocus settings I should be using (I've tried playing with the options), but honestly a camera at this price range should work well out of the box, particularly as I'm using canon glass (100-400 II). Would definitely love a followup vid if you ever solve these issues.

I’ve experienced something similar with my R7 and RF 100-400. I haven’t investigated it much because the AF is still so much better than my old 60d and I still get sharp images in almost all the bursts.

Thanks for your careful review of a problem I would also find frustrating. My primary camera is an R7 with RF 100-500, almost exclusively for birding. In the past 8 months with this setup, I haven't seen this problem, ever since I replaced my Sigma 150-600C, which did suffer from AF pulsing. I shoot at 15 fps with the electronic shutter, as I don't like sorting the output from 30 fps. I also shoot wide open with eye-tracking on, single point AF, and AF mode set to "sticky". Since my keeper rate tends to be lower in low light, I can't help but wonder if your AF is struggling with low light and high fps, where the AF may not be able to keep up. Afterall, servo AF mode is supposed to newly acquire focus with each frame, and I could easily see how that might lead to pulsing, especially in suboptimal light or when a focus zone that is large relative to the bird's head confuses the AF. Keep up the good work.

Hi Duade - I have had the same issue from day one. It's not user error. I went through a number of tests trying to see if it was me or the camera. What I noticed is that the camera focus motors are oscillating back and forth constantly when it has achieved focus. Non of my previous cameras do this. I even went as far as setting up the camera on a tripod, using a remote trigger and listening to the lens constantly hunting back and forth. You need to put your ear up close to the lens, or use a microphone. This is with my 100-400 Mk2. I'm pretty sure it is an overly aggressive algorithm that is overshooting and then correcting back in the opposite direction and then overshooting focus again. That's why some of the shots are in focus, it just so happens that the shot was taken when the plane of focus was passing through the bit you initially focused on. Some have mentioned it focuses better in video mode, which is true. In that mode the lens is mostly quiet and the motors aren't hunting back and forth. On my last trip out I was so annoyed I started manually focusing and ended up with much sharper images. Whenever I get asked about the camera I now advise not to buy it, it's just not worth the hassle with the amount of shots that are out of focus. I often have a better success rate with my older EOS R which has an even slower sensor and worse AF system. Canon need to address the issue.

I too don't have a high keeper rate. Recently I've started shooting in the lowest speed continuous mode. It's not perfect there either but the keeper rate does seem to be higher. Also, you virtually never hit the buffer. All that said, I believe the keeper rate is higher, even at 15 fps than it was with my old favorite APSC camera, the Nikon D500.

I have the same issues and found out that reducing the Tracking Sensitivity (AF menu option 2) to the minimum it helped a lot for it to stick to the subject and stop being naughty, hunting and getting distracted. Also if using eye detection, make sure you have the right subject for it, i.e. Animals Vs People. Also, I've noticed that my R7 works a lot better on the 100-400 ii, than on the 100-500, I guess that it's because the latter is slower.

I know I say this in every comment I make on your videos, but they are just so enjoyable and educational to watch. The sincere joy and enthusiasm you have and share with us is appreciated beyond measure. And that you provide this forum for us to better understand how the use our equipment to the best of its ability and problem solve when things aren’t going right is outstanding. Now that said, I wanted to add a bit to the dialogue with one more possible help towards resolution. I won’t say solution for it, but it has helped me. I am using an R5 with the RF 100-400 most of the time (decided to wait for another Zoom lens from Canon, like maybe 200-600 with 1.4x built in, which is probably permanently in my dreams). I also have have had some of these same issues. And I think the problem is a combination of connectivity, speed and the battery. I do notice if I am using an RF extender , or adapter with my EF lens, this jumpiness and misfocusing issue seems to be more frequent. So I think they slow the speed of IBIS/AF communication a bit and we get photos taken before the camera has had the chance to fully refocus. I’ve wondered if the battery contributes to this. It seems to me that the battery works faster if it’s 50% or more charged, (and it of course depletes more rapidly after 50%). So, I tend to change the battery more frequently. Seems to help. Finally, and this is worth trying first, I use only Canon batteries from Canon in my R5. Other 3rd party batteries approved for and made for Canon were causing me many issues including camera freezing and slower speed for everything to communicate. When I used the Canon battery that came with my camera (Canon is embossed on the black casing and it has the Canon holographic label) everything was fine. So when these were finally again in inventory on the Canon site, I ordered a couple more and have had no grief since. The other third party batteries I had were fine and work great in my 5D Mark IV. Sometime ago Jan and Glenn were having trouble with R5 freezing up in the field too and I commented about the battery discovery. They thought there is probably some difference in the connectors/sensor between the battery makers that could be causing the issue. Some time ago I just resolved that after every firmware update I do I totally reset my camera. This has helped, and it makes me rethink why I have the settings as I do and if they are still relevant. Sometimes a setting has caused me to have less optimal photos. Sorry for the long comment but hopefully, maybe helpful to folks for all their RF cameras.

I think It is an issue with the AF algorithm when using Servo on subjects that are basically stationary. You will find fewer problems if you use on shot AF… it’s as if the servo AF is constantly trying to chase the subject and if the subject is stationary it gets confused and tries to shift focus thus creating out of focus situations, which are then corrected by the AF system ….that way creating a succession of in-focus, out of focus shots.

I definitely have that problem with the r7. I watched a video from Wild Alaska and he talked about the issue as well. His thought is to release the focus button as soon as you see it land on what you want in focus, like the bird's eye, then fire away so the camera is not continuously trying to find focus. That trick definitely helped with my keeper rate.

Hi Duade, a common problem for me also. Mostly I use a RF100-500 and to a lesser extent an RF 800. It’s so frustrating when the focus point is on the eye but the subject is out of focus, oof focus images are common during a burst even in perfect light and high shutter speeds. I get marginally better results using a tripod with IS turned off on the lens. I used to get a better keeper rate on flight shots with my 7dll. My wife uses an R5 with the same setup that produces better results but it lacks the reach. When I borrow her camera my keeper rate increases dramatically. I enjoy your videos very much thank you for your time and effort.

Duade, SO glad you have addressed the R7's image blur issue more in-depth. I bought my R7 about 3-4 months ago and have been using it steadily since for a mix of bird and general use photography. I've experienced the exact same issues you've detailed, i.e. even at a very fast shutter speed and with the focus indicator directly over the eye of the bird, a good number of a burst of images will be soft but others will be sharp. This issue occurs for me with stationary subjects like when doing flower Macro shots. Trying to remedy this, I've given up on the mechanical shutter. That clearly made it worse. But it seems to be occurring with both EFC and full-electronic shutter modes. I'm using it with the ef 100-400 L IS Vers. ii, a lens I've had for many years and was always happy with for its sharpness and image quality. And just to highlight as some other commenters have, within a week of using it the camera began freezing up its operations. Shutting it off and restarting it didn't remedy it. I'd have to remove the battery and start up again. But the problem could arise again within minutes of use. I contacted Canon USA and was advised to return it. They assessed the problem to be in the "motherboard", said they replaced that, and returned it to me. That has remedied the freezing up but not the focus issues. I've had no such problems with my Canon R6, or a Nikon Z50. Given how many R7 owners have responded to your video in so short a time, noting the same problem, it seems very hard to imagine there isn't some issue at play here that Canon hasn't acknowledged, at least not yet. I'd encourage all commenters to also write their respective country's Canon office to report and detail this issue, so they are put on record about this. I've owned and used many Canons over the years and I've never been frustrated by a Canon camera until this one. If Canon were to provide a 'Buy Back' option I'd avail of it in a heartbeat. I looked into selling it to KEH (a very large used gear buyer/seller here in the US). Even just a few months old and rated at "near new" condition, their offer price was only $900 - very low for a camera that I paid $1,500 for just 3 months earlier. This leads me to think more than usual numbers of people are selling them off and there isn't much demand for them second hand. Best regards, Craig

Yes, this has been an issue with my R7. Seems to happen more with my RF 800 f11 than with my adapted EF 100-400MM MK2. I tried to contact Canon but unless you're one of their supported "Pro's" they don't reply back. I even sent them examples.... Hopefully they see your video and address this issue.

Thanks again Duade for your forthright review of the issues you are having with the R7. To me, the R7 is a flawed design, because of an imbalance of components that have been combined together. Here is what I suspect is at least part of the issue: 1. Pixel Density and the impact on Dual Pixel AF. Given the R7 has a 32MP FSI APS-C sensor: in terms of pixel density, if we convert that to an equivalent pixel count for a FF camera of the same density, it would result in a 82MP FF sensor! Those pixels are used to establish dual pixel focus and given that the R7 was using a variation of the focusing system designed for the R3, which is a FF BSI/Stacked sensor of just 24MP, it means that the sensor readout for focusing has to be incredibly fast, but it's not. What would be required is a stacked/BSI sensor to massively speed up the bus between the photosites, and the focus processor, which would also need to be very fast given the pixel density. This is exacerbated by the high electronic shutter speeds it tries to offer. I suspect that results in a delay readout across the sensor that delivers to the processor different focus results comparing top to bottom of the sensor, resulting in a confusing pattern and a pulsing effect. 2. It is interesting that you had an issue with Sigma lenses and the R7 and now exhibit the same issue on the native Rf 100-500L, which is a top of the line optic. I will first comment that after the flak that Sigma got, they published a video on You Tube to the point that their EF lenses work perfectly well with R-series bodies, showing (amongst others) them shooting birds with the 150-600c, which seems to have been the major subject of complaints. However, they were using the 150-600c on the R6, which is a FF sensor of 20MP and with its own focusing system. I provide support from NZ on the Canon Community website, which supports Canon worldwide but is based out of the US. As such I see a significant number of people with all sorts of issues with using their Canon gear - many of which would be resolved if the read the manual (venting over). We have had numerous issues with people talking about focusing issues on the R7, but very very few on the R5, R6, R6II and even the lesser APS-C bodies - and I suspect that is because those units have a better balance between the components for focus, and also for the data delivery bus for image processing. From that, and using the R7 on trial, I have avoided that model. I have posted here before on what I consider it numerous flaws so I won't try your patience again. Personally, I shoot with the R5, 2xR6, R6II on the Sigma 150-600c, 60-600s, RF 100-500, EF 100-400MkII, EF 70-200 f/4MkII, and EF 70-300L. I shoot hand-held, single point autofocus with tracking, in available light and have NEVER had an issue with pulsing on any of these bodies. I don't shoot electronic shutter.

There's a couple of autofocus issues I've noticed much more on mirrorless cameras than on DSLRs. The first I've experienced on every camera I've had so far, including my current Z9, and that's that the AF points are too large for the area it's trying to focus on. For example, the AF picks out the eye, but the AF point covers the eye and the area around the eye, so the camera focuses on the closest part - which is likely the cheek below the eye. This also causes issues when the subject is small in the frame and causes a lot of cameras to drop to the background (I've had this on the OM-1, X-H2S, and Z9). It might be that the actual AF points on the R7 are larger than the UI shows, and it's shifting to other areas of the point. The second _might_ be what's happening here, which is that the camera is using contrast-detect to confirm the AF (lots of cameras use a combination of contrast-detect and phase-detect), and is pulsing the focus back and forth to confirm focus. Panasonic in particular were infamous for this before they released the S5II, as they relied entirely on their Depth by Defocus system, which unfortunately resulted in constant focus pulsing in video in particular. I believe some manufacturers use CDAF when in single-shot mode and PDAF in burst, or alternatively PDAF for fast movement to the subject then CDAF for confirmation. However I don't know enough about the Canon setup to say what system they use 🤔

Hi! Unfortunately, you're not the only one that experienced this problem with the R7. Last weekend, I was working as a volunteer photographer at a triathlon and I was taking pictures of cyclists in action. I was using the slowest bust mode with electronic shutter at 1/2000 sec. I've never had so many out-of-focus shots before, but it was my first experience with fast moving subjects. I usually shot portraits or items in my studio. I used Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 G2 EF with the adaptor on my R7. I was lucky enough to have a few good shots of every cyclist. I hope this issue wil get resolved with a future firmware update.

The R7 combined with the RF100-500mm is my goto camera since last year and I got a lot of auto focus issues like you mention (along with the darn focusing a branch that is not even in my reticle). With wild animals, especially for birds about to take off, it's just not able to stay on the bird (big birds) no matter what it just 'unhook' it acquisition and lost the focus, just like in your examples. And it doesn't stop there, it is quite often completely disengage from the target even if it barely move. And like you I changed the autofocus to be as sticky as much as possible with no noticeable results, and I tried different autofocus area to spot to large area with and without tracking, and no eye tracking. My theory is the sensor is just too small to be effective in variant lighting condition and busy backgrounds, and since the RF100-500mm has it aperture minimum to f7.1 fully extent, the background is less blurry making the acquisition harder for a such device to let it decide with the contrasts what is the subject and what not. I've talked to people with R5 who go out with me for bird photography and they don't seem to have any autofocus issues as me. I've been thinking to sell my R7 and go with a R5 body since I notified this issue and it feels now I am getting more annoyed by it now than I was when I just purchased it, at the time I felt it was more snappier.

Definitely happens to me, using the RF 100-400 lens. I've even had occasions where the focus doesn't come back to the bird, just stays on the background even though the focus point remains on the bird. I lost some great shots of an Osprey leaving it's perch and flying past me a couple of weeks ago due to this problem.

Same issues with my R7 & RF 100-500. I spent 3 months thinking it was operator error. I read articles and watched several videos and finally did tests on my own after which I concluded it was the camera. Contacted Canon and sent the camera in, they told me the sensor had been out of alignment. I got it back and had the same issues, so contacting Canon again they said send it in with the RF100-500 lens for calibration. I did and it did help quite a bit, but I still experience some of these issues. I've made multiple adjustments and reduced these issues a bit more, but have decided that at the price of roughly $1500 USD, that these are just the limitations of this camera. I've learned eye autofocus works best if subject is relatively close, and I understand eye autofocus effectiveness drops off with distance. So I've learned to just go back spot focus with no tracking in some cases and I get better results. I'm a bit frustrated with these limitations, but for the price and the fact that I am able to get many great shots, I still like a lot of things about this camera. But it would be nice if Canon sees this video and all the comments and comes up with a firmware update to fix this. Thanks for making this video.

Wow. Excellent shots with Canon R7. Canon R7 had some issues related to IBIS as well which connect lens IS.

Same thing happened with my R7...every single time I used it. I did a couple videos about it and tried using it for a few months before I just gave up and sold it and went back to my R5 and R6 II. every other gripe I had about the camera was subjective and could have easily been overlooked and overcome, but I just couldn't get over that AF issue. From the comments on my videos and messages I've received, I'd say it's a large enough sample size to assume it's a general problem with the R7.

Hi Duade, I'm pleased you've made this video because i'm experiencing the same issues and have basically stopped using the R7 body for anything.

I’ve noticed this as well. Both, with the R7 and an R6 MII. I actually had more issues with the R6 than the R7. The R6 I found would not autofocus after doing a photo shoot. It finally corrected itself but it was weird. The R7 I was using the RF 100-500, and the R6 I was using an EF 24-105 L. It wasn’t too big of an issue, the R7 I only had a couple of sports photos that weren’t tack sharp, out of hundreds of photos. The R6 I couldn’t take any photos during this issue as the camera just wouldn’t focus, it was sort of hunting if you will. I was disappointed in the R6 for that reason. Perhaps there will be a firmware update to fix these issues.

I had a similar problem. I pre ordered an R7 when they were anounced, the camere eventually arrived and so I started testing it, within 3 days I noticed a similar AF issue, I was shooting at 15 fps in electronic shutter and shot in short bursts and found that some bursts were sharp and some out of focus, about 50/50. this was the case when using both eye detect and single point AF. I then spent 3 weeks communicating with Canon, sending them example pics and lists of settings, and trying different settings all to no avail, the problem persisted. At that point I asked told the technical suppor that I still had the option to return the camera for a full rufund and they advised that, that would be my best course of action, that suggested to me that they had no idea how to sort the problem and it looks like they still dont. The camera went back and I am still using my 7D2. I was very dissapointed that no one ells seemed to have the same problem all the reviewers said it was a great camera and didnt pick up on the problem, I thought it was a great camera but a camera must auto focus reliably to be any good.

I was just planning to purchase R7 this week. This surely saved my money.. Thanks this really does effect my work as I was planning to keep R7 to capture only action, mostly sports. Thankyou for this review. Much needed and i wonder how this information was kept away from users so far.. i have been researching enough before i made decision to purchase and i guess most reviewers only focus on the video part and daily life clicks for the purpose of reviewing. This is an actual field test of a user and so accurate about the practical problems we face on field.

I've had the R7 pretty much since it came out. along with the R5, it's in use all the time. I've just returned from a trip to photograph grizzlies with both cameras. Your video made me go back and review my shots with DPP to look at the focus points. the bears were dark and with dark brown eyes so there were a few times where the focus on the R7 with the 100-500mm would miss the eye but grab the head, which is understandable. On the whole the R7did very well even with the 800mm F11 and shooting from a boat as well. The R5 is my main shooter and it's great, the R7 is a backup, the rolling shutter can be annoying but as a whole the camera has been great for me, I must have lucked out.

I have observed something similar, but with a different camera. For me it only happens when I combine a high pixel density sensor with a rather slow lens (f6.3 in my case) and shoot in lower light levels. Since mirrorless cameras use the sensor pixels for AF, when these pixels get smaller and they don't get enough light, the noise starts to affect autofocus accuracy, especially when the angle of the incoming light, which is used for phase detection AF, is narrower (which is the case with smaller apertures). That's my explanation why the focus keeps shifting a little bit in those kinds of situations. On cameras with really small pixels, like the R7, this effect would be worse than on a camera with larger pixels, like the A7IV. The solutions for this is to use a faster aperture lens or a camera with larger pixels or use contrast AF. Can't do much about the light levels outdoors. That's what I observed, so I 'd say it's not an error of the camera, but it comes with the system and its parameters. Hope this was understandable.

Hi Duade: Thanks for the video, it made me review the images from Kenya, and missed shots. One of which would have been what I would consider a lifetime shot, a cheetah in a chase, with all legs up against the body. I found I have the same issue. The R7 was paired with the RF70-200 F2.8 wide open. Shooting ISO 125, and 1/3200. So lots of light and speed. Many were out of focus, even though the focus box was on the subject. Which was highly disappointing. I recently traded the R7 and my R6, for a second R5. Yes there is cost, but when you consider the cost of the trips, not really that much. I will use the in body crop, and have used your tip, about programming a button to quickly change C modes. Keep up the good work,

I have these issues with the R7 and every experienced wildlife photographer, that I have spoken to, is having the same issues. Unfortunately the R7 has come out a bit half baked, and it’s not being supported by Canon. The camera has a number of issues, which could likely be fixed with firmware. BTW, the R7 does this with people, at even medium distances too.

Hi Duade - as so many others making comments here, I have also experienced the same thing. I have a R7 and a R5 together with RF 100-500 and it's much more of a problem with the R7.This was an eye opener - not just me having problems - not just me not being on "speaking terms" with my camera.

I had the same problem with my R6 and found out it had to do with the dual back button "Eye AF" focus button. It seems that when I pressed this button (button linked toe "Eye AF"), and pressed and hold the shutter button, the focus was (sometimes) switching between "Eye AF" and the currently selected focus method (in my case, the selected focus method was "Spot AF", and the focus point was set to a different part of the frame than where the subject's eyes were). I don't use the separate "Eye AF" button anymore, so I don't have this problem anymore. I now use 1 button to switch between the different AF modes and another button to focus. It's a bit slower, but it works.

I have auto focus issues with my R5 in this same fashion. What I've found is that the auto focus system (when using eye auto focus) is not that reliable. It's completely unfortunate but I'm glad people are starting to talk about it because a lot of the canon you tubers out there have been selling us all on how amazing the auto focus system is. I've started just using single point focus (switching back and forth with the animal/people tracking). Let us know if you find a solution. P.S. I am using the same lens (RF 100-500).

Hi Duade, I remember a RU-vid video that suggested that the autofocus problem became evident after the installation of the latest firmware. The fix was to do a complete factory reset after the firmware update, and then re-install your preferred settings and button and dial configurations. I never bothered with the latest firmware update and have not noticed any significant autofocus issues.

Great video and glad I’m not the only one. The RF system is so incredible otherwise, that I’ve been dealing with it/trying work arounds. Note: I see this on R6s and sometimes (but less) on R5. If it’s helpful to anyone else: - BBF is a must - recently been toggling oneshot/Servo via programmed button - servo only when needed. - have turned down the AF settings to slowest/least responsive. Still locks on to things super quick. - when using IS/IBIS, honestly I can just bank on the first 4-5 shots being slightly soft. Images 6-10 are exactly what I want. I think the IBIS system just takes a moment to settle unfortunately. This aligns with what ^ he says about 1/2 way thru video. - jury still out on mech vs elec shutter. Sometimes elec is consistently sharper, and sometimes I can’t use it due to LEDs. On mech shutter, I do feel like I see a slightly higher percentage of softies, guessing it’s a bit of shutter impact. 🤷‍♂️ While this may sound like a lot, I’ve gotten used to it and am continuing to get phenomenal extremely low light shots that would have never been possible with my 5D4/6D2/7D2 etc. being able to confidently shoot iso 25600/51200 and follow up with about 30% AI denoise in LR, regardless of all this AF drama, I couldn’t be happier. It’s certainly an odd relationship with these mirrorless cameras, but it’s the way it is, and after a handful of heartbreak images, I feel I’ve personally found the sweet spot-ish. In a sentence, slow down the AF responsiveness and (unfortunately) overshoot a bit, and you’ll end up remarkable shot.

Hi Duade, I've gone ahead and bought the R7 with the 100-500mm. I've used your advice on manual with auto ISO. I've had no problem with focusing until I visited my local RSPB site. I noticed a small wader close to edge of the water. When I tried to focus on it, the focus wouldn't shift from the moving water. Slightly frustrating, but my hit rate made up for it. Also, you've got me using back button focus, and I'm loving it. A big thanks. Keep safe and keep doing the vids. 👍👍 Dave

I have it only to use it in bright day light, I taught it was my fault, but I am happy you share this video, I am now relaxed that it us really issue of R7, So now I use generally R6 and really happy. R7 is such a good camera, but in Canon style, they just make it so bad so we buy more expensive models...

Happens to me too. Seems to happen a lot less with the R5. I also noticed the colors are sometimes washed out with some frames in a burst, even at the same ISO as the previous one, which looked more colorful with less noise.

Hi Duade. Thank you for this. Adding my voice to the mix. I have had the same issues. I’d say only about 50% of my shots are acceptably sharp despite confirmation of focus in various AF modes. Very dissapointing. I’m chalking this up to a non-intentional canon cripple hammer. I suspect the hardware choices Canon had to make to hit the body’s low price point is the root cause. Sadly, I think Canon has not met the expectations of it’s serious APS-C enthusiasts; those that previously shot with the 7D series bodies. I think Canon made a mistake by trying to appease both xxD and xD APS-C shooters with a dual-use body when they should have offered 2 separate bodies… The R7 is, in my opinion, more of a xxD replacement than a xD replacement. My impression is that xxD shooters are quite pleased with the R7, while 7D/7Dm2 shooters, whose expectations are higher, have been left frustrated and disappointed. Personally, I’d have preferred the R7 to have been a proper 7Dm2 replacement with either an R5 or R6 pro-style body, with a faster sensor read-out, much high quality mechanical shutter, and a larger / higher-res EVF, for a price more akin to Fuji’s X-H2s (on the assumption that a Pro R7 body would have similar AF performance to the R5/R6 bodies). As well, in addition to the R7’s focus problems, I’m also suffering many inadvertent button press problems due to the poor placement of the thumb-rest buttons when reaching for buttons/scroll-wheel near the shutter release. Combined, many inadvertent button presses along with sub-par focus performance, have left me very frustrated. Again, it’s hard to fault the camera body for it’s price point, but I will fault Canon for not offering a proper Pro APS-C body replacement given their misleading communications; suggesting the R7 as a 7D/7Dm2 replacement. Hope they get this resolved with a proper “pro” R7 Mark 2 soon!

I have to admit now you have pointed it out yes I get this,lets just hope canon are watching this and get some updates out

Interesting. Lots of focus issues also with the 90D. Michael the Maven has a few videos about it, something to do with the high MP and the smaller APS-C sensor, though i don't know if something similar would apply here. I'm still shooting with my 90D and the focus issue is frustrating. I had been looking at the R7 for when I finally upgraded, but, frankly, I'm so over these focus issues.

Thanks for addressing this issue. I’m new to both Canon and mirrorless, so it has been difficult to sort out what is a camera problem vs the learning curve. I have been disappointed that my Nikon D7500 images are more reliably sharp than the R7 with the RF 100-500, even though the weight reduction makes it easier to hold. Taking more shots helps, but it shouldn’t be so inconsistent. I hope you will get Canon’s attention to help explain/ fix this problem.

Thank you for a great and honest video... I love your videos... I have shot 35000+ pictures with mine.... the Autofocus will work better if you use spot metering or partial spot.... also use manual focus to prefocus if you have time... love you my brother, keep up the good work...

Hello Duade, i have the Canon R7 and I love it. I also have the R6, 7D Mkii, and other bodies. The focusing issue I do have, but I only notice it on high speed continuous shutter. Your theory might be correct. With that said, I decided to pick up the R7, and put the R6 down. I haven't picked up the R6 since. The R7 in combo with the RF 100-500, and the RF 800 F11. I do very well for the price. Love It!

Definitely happening to me (R7 with RF 100-500) it also happened a bit when using my EF 300mm f/4. So I switched to exclusively electronic shutter and started just firing away. My suspicion is the IBIS is what’s causing the issue. The IBIS on the sensor moving in and out just ever so slightly might be causing this. Might also explain why the focus indicator box is in the wrong place. I wonder in that split second the AF and the IBIS aren’t talking to each other. I don’t think there’s a way to disable IBIS though to see if that’s issue. Could turn all IS from the lens off and work completely from tripod to see if it happens versus handheld. Will try it out on my next outing.

YES! I do have the same problem as you describe here. What saddens me is that I tried to discuss this on Canon forums/fb groups and people (fanboys of Canon and "professionals") blame the user... and do not even consider talking about the fact that the camera body R7 might have this issue. I prefer using R6 + RF 100-500 instead the R7 ... R7 AF dissappointed me so many times, I don't want the hassle.

Thanks for sharing your issues with the R7 and 100-500 lens, I upgraded from a Panasonic G9 and 100-400 lens and am generally happy with the improvement in autofocus and IQ. With the R7 I have experienced issues with the autofocus, I'm finding little difference in sharpness regardless of shutter speed, but have noticed that using back button focus in short 15 frame electronic shutter bursts and frequently reacquiring focus helps, though I still only get some sharp images from each burst. Obviously I wish Canon would address this, but suspect that only a better sensor with a faster read speed will resolve the issue. The benefit of having an APSC sensor in making subjects larger in the frame with a relatively lightweight system remain, but the autofocus system needs some work.

Same problem with my R7 too. I stopped using the electronic shutter as a result, but the problem persists albeit to a lesser extent. I also find it difficult to keep the subject within the bounds of the EVF when panning with fast subjects using slow shutter speeds. I have had to go back to using my trusty 5DMkIV for those shots. At first I thought it was my Sigma lens and communication with the camera as it is not an RF mount lens, but to see you experiencing that same problem with a Canon RF lens is at least a relief for me on the lens front. I have to use way too much sharpening in Adobe Camera RAW for images from the R7 compared with the 5DMkIV.

Hi Duade, I have the exact same issue. At first I thought it was because I was adapting an EF lens, but I'm getting the same problem with my new RF 100-400mm. I'm still getting plenty of sharp keepers, but when I miss the perfect pose in a burst it's a real pain. I wish Canon would sort it out.

Thanks for sharing! I've been using R7 with RF 35 1.8 for about a month and noticed in photos that I was 1000% sure that the focus point was on the person I was shooting (varying f4-f9 on different occasions) was totally off when browsing the pics in LR. Examples from urban environment mainly. I'm considering if it could be a lens calibration issue (added UV filter directly after purchase). Also there was a day (suspecting due to high humidity) that the camera felt overheating and turned black while it was on, without any button or function being responsive. Only after shutting it off and getting the battery out came back to life. I got pretty worried but haven't occurred a 2nd time so far. Upgraded from a Nikon d5500 which have been using with same focal length/settings for 7 years without issues.

Thank you so much for making this video. I've been experiencing focus shifting and was wondering if it was my camera, my lens, my technique or a combination there of. I have pretty much eliminated the camera shakes for the same reasons you mentioned, but I was left struggling to make sense of this issue. You're probably on to something when you compare the speed of the sensor of the R7 with that of the sensor on the R5... This situation is extremely frustrating, had I known this before I might have gone with a different camera system... Cheers,

Hi Duade. Long time listener, first time caller. I've been having this exact issue (and many others) with my R5, and it's been going on for the entire time I've owned it. I've used Canon's RF lenses, Canon's EF lenses with the adapter, and third party EF lenses (Sigma & Tamron) with the adapter. I've tried the various shooting modes, higher shutter speeds, brighter lighting, and everything else you mentioned. It doesn't matter. There's something "broken" with Canon's mirrorless ecosystem and their auto-focus. When I talk to the local Canon reps at the local camera stores in my area they don't acknowledge the issue - even when I'm showing them the photos with the focus points displayed. I've been shooting with Canon for a long time, but I've missed too many shots with my R5, so I've decided it's time to switch. Thanks for your great videos and your amazing photos!

I've had this issue occasionally with the R5 in high-speed burst. I shoot landscape more often than birds, so it's less notable for me. For stills I prefer mechanical or first-curtain ES because full ES rolls too much. Back-focus is mainly an issue in iffy light. My R6, which I use mainly for video, also wanders off my face occasionally in low light. In bright light, there's no issue.

Hi Duade, great to catch up with you yesterday. Keep the videos coming.

I've experienced this with my R3, possibly not as often as your telling us. I had a Leopard in a tree while on a safari, the frame wasn't even that busy but the focus kept sticking to the nearest branch with the focus point sitting on the Leopard. Bad enough for me to notice it just zooming in on the LCD screen. I switched over to ONE SHOT with single point focus so the focus didn't move, which worked. I know that might not be very practical for small birds. I tend to think it's just the short fall of mirrorless AF technology, it does amazing at tracking moving subjects but it doesn't always stick to still subjects in certain situations.

On some cameras using a monitor will disable the phase detect autofocus and the camera will use primarily contrast autofocus will pulse back and forth. I think this is what you're experiencing. Also i noticed you said you were using Electronic front curtain, have you tried using just mechanical shutter I know you'll have a slower frames per second but its normally more accurate.

My issue with R7 was actually how I found your channel initially and after following your original recommendations, I fixed my focus issues. BUT... given that it has been quite some time and I took a whole bunch of photos since... in my opinion... that camera is meant to be in semi automatic mode rather than manual. Once I shifted it to semi auto (tweaking settings obviously)... I get sharp images by the truck load. When I shift it to full manual or full auto.. that is when I get AF issues. Shrugs. I found me a setting that works for me but honestly between canon 70d where I did not even have to think about nothing vs this camera... something clearly is a miss. I have your canon review reply video next in my queue so I hope they told you something we can all learn from.

Same here. Happens almost every time. However, there usually is a shot in there which is perfect. But I agree it can be very annoying. What is also does sometimes is freeze when I try to focus. There is a bird, I’m trying to focus on it and it just stops working. When I pick another place to focus it will start focusing again. Fortunately, this is much less frequent.

I am a canon shooter for at least 20 years and I currently use an R3,R5 and I thought the R7 would fit in nicely with its crop censor . I have it since it’s initial release and regret buying it ever since. I can forgive the buffer, the shutter roll at this price point but the auto focus and shutter noise I cannot forgive these issues. I mainly shoot field sports,equestrian and wildlife,I also use my older 1dxii and with the exception of reviewing images in the evf it is still a favourite to shoot with. I am also glad that I am not the only one having these issues.

I too have the R7 and have noticed this problem. I thought it was me, that I was doing something wrong or I had a setting wrong. I agree that it is frustrating. Hopefully Canon will see this video and do some investigating into this issue. Love your videos. Thank you.

Thanks for sharing. I too have the same experience and thought it was just me... 😉. I've been using the R7 for half a year now with the RF 100-500 and EF 400 f2.8 II and RF 800. Have taken 40,000 shots with it, mostly from a swinghead and see what's described here. In a series of photos there are some nicely in focus but also many out of focus while the focus point was really on the eye. Frustrating indeed. I find the explanation as to the cause very plausible.

Hey Duade, I have the same combo. I'm still testing but I noticed for me if I use spot af I see that issue. It's been better for me using flex 1, more keepers. I think you may be right about the sensor and keeping up with the intelligence, hopefully Canon can gives an update to improve the response times. Only thing I haven't tested as much is mechanical shutter because sometimes me and my group get lucky to shoot a bird and it's too loud. Love your content!

Hey Duade, R7 with Sigma 150-600 through RF adaptor. I also have a very high discard rate and agree with other comments on here that this issue becomes even more pronounced when the distance to the subject is greater, and it’s a low light/low contrast scene. I actually find that using the normal "regular" AF mode rather than the eye tracking function gives me a noticeably better keeper rate. Must be disappointing though the get the same result in broad good daylight. All the best!

Hi Duade, I just got my R7 few days ago, and I didn't have long sessions to test a lot. I did every setting that Simon sujest on the video about the autofocus issues with the Sigma 150-600, with is my main wildlife lens and I have a good experience. Not sure if is because the R7 is the first mirrorless that I use, but I had much more sharp shots than I got before with my 7d mark ii. It's insane how now I'm able to improve my success rate. But anyway, I want to test more now to see if I'll experience this same issue. I'll follow all comments to see what other members say. Thanks to share your experiences with the R7. I'm so happy with my upgrade.

Have you got the viewfinder on exposure simulation? If yes, your light was quite lacking in contrast and that may have reduced the autofocus capability of the camera. In Germany we often have this kind of light and since I turned off the exposure simulation the keeper rate increased significantly. Oh, and color key never works :( Edit: The EXIF information regarding the AF point only gets updated on internal "focus confirmation", thus as long as the camera hunts the stored focus point remains the last known confirmed focus point. What you can run into is repeating patterns (feathers) throwing off the autofocus calculations (based on a possible phase difference). IMHO it really is the lack of contrast that is making life hard for the autofocus - as mentioned in my first version of this comment set the viewfinder display to quite bright and disable the exposure simulation, that wil give the camera a much better base for the autofocus calculations.

Nice image of the Eastern Yellow Robin. I'm not a fan of selective color, though.

Hi Duade, thanks for a great show. I also use an R7 and also find that a number of shots in a burst are soft -not badly, but noticeable. This is with an EF 100-400L II + 1.4x and adaptor, and is a massive improvement on my old Tamron 150-600 G2 which used to hunt badly (great on my 7DII). A lot of my burst shots are good, and find all photo's identical which makes selection easy, but there are some bursts where I really need to work at getting the best selection. I use dual back-button focus and manual + auto ISO with electronic shutter, though I'm tending to move to total manual which is awkward with the R7 because of the lack of dials -I'm thinking of getting the adaptor with the ring. I haven't tried the same setup on my R6, but I think I should try this some time.

thanks for your reviews Duade. Your property is an amazing wildlife refuge.

I use the same combo as in this video, and I see some soft shots here and there but not as much as you've shown here. I usually take short bursts and then re-focus to make sure I have the best chance of getting an in focus shot, but most of the time I get sharp shots, unless the bird is in flight, or taking flight. I struggle to get sharp shots all the time then :)

I don’t have a R7, so I can’t really offer any insight. I’m so glad you cover the bad with the good. I hope Canon or someone can offer a solution and hopefully, a firmware update. Cheers!

Very interesting issue. Reminds me of the"autofocus" issue that I get at times with my Sigma 150-600 lens. That also is a very frustrating issue that you had covered in a previous video, Thanks for all the great content you do!

Like everyone said before, same issues with my R7 with the 100-500. Just hope an update can help with the issue and not a R7 MKii.

Thanks so much for sharing another wonderful video like always, I learn to live with the issues of the R7, I managed to get very nice shots by pressing the shutter to focus and take a few shots then repeat the process, I don't recommend holding the focus for a long time because the R7 will start breathing very fast back and forward but I am still happy with the results I get from the R7

This has been documented by a number of R7 users including myself. Especially when we are talking about throwing 1/8000 shots for me with planes and I’m getting soft shots. Back and front focusing is a problem with some R7’s and seems to be only with super telephoto lenses like 100-400 or your 100-500

Similar experience here. I just shot a few short bursts of a thrush on the trail and got less than 1/2 in sharp focus even though the r7 was showing eye detect focus lock. The light was poor and I think that is a significant contributor to the problem. Although it will sometimes miss in good light. Same issue with either 100-500 or 600 f4. My r5 yields a much better keeper rate. I still like the high density crop sensor it produces some nice images when I can get it to focus. Cheers

Between the rolling shutter and these focus issues, I think I'd pass on the R7 if I was shooting Canon. Still, you got some great shots and the Antechinus pictures are fantastic. It shows that a good photographer can usually get great shots, even without the best high end camera. Good on you.

Hello Duade. I have been having the same issue with my R7. I typically use the elec. first curtain shutter and the focus changes for each image even during a burst of 20-40 exposures. All the while the focus is indicating that the eye focus is locked on. It is very frustrating. As I can see from the comments, we are not alone. Canon, if you are reading these comments or watching the video, please fix this asap. Maybe they will listen to you Duade since you have many thousands of subscribers. Thanks for the video.

Sorry to hear about the problems you are having with the R7. Hope a firmware fix or camera replacement can sort it.

Even with the AF issues, you still managed a lot of great images, Duade. I wonder if it's something to do with the firmware on the R7. I've noticed on the R5 that with the 1.8 firmware that it's not as consistent, but that could be user error or just in my head. Hopefully, you can find a solution as I would like to get an R7 one day for those situations where you need more reach. Thanks, Michael.

This happens with my Lumix G9 and Leica 100-400 a lot. Looks sharp on screen, then replays suggest otherwise. Tried shutter speed, stopped up/down, moved to better light and same results. Shots I think will be awful are super sharp and shots I spend ages with a stationary bird and perfect scenario are binned. Can't explain it either. Great topic Duade, I think you'll find it's not just the R7!

G'day mate. First of all I really loved your shots of the Antichinus between the leaves, as well as the arty black-and-yellow robin !! Just maybe I have an explanation for your focus issues .. and your R7 might be innocent ! Few weeks ago, we spotted a red-footed falcon and they usually stay a 1000km east of us. Yet in the first hours, my R5 was really struggling to grab correct focus of the relatively distant falcon .. And I was also doubting my settings an my 100-500 .. until I realized something about the camo: the neoprene part of my lenscoat which was around the focus ring had moved a bit, and part of this neoprene ring was touching the non-rotating part of the lens body. After straitening this neoprene part, the focus accuracy suddenly improved heaps ! Not sure exactly which camo you have on your 100-500, but your 200-600 most certainly isn't yet suffering from camo potentially slowing down AF, or even forcing the AF motor to oscillate around the intended focus distance. Looking forward to hear whether this could cure your issue !!

Just returned from a 7 day photo trip to Yellowstone shooting mainly large mammals like bears, elk, moose, bison, and pronghorn. Used the R7 and 800mm about a third of the time to get that reach. I noticed that on average, every other shot of a burst was slightly out of focus though the focus square remained constant. Atmospheric conditions would have affected all of the shots. These are stationary animals for the most part and I was using slower burst rates and often single point vs eye focus. Still, considerable variation in focus. Had to toss about half the images as a result. Much better luck with the R5

I have exactly the same issue with my r7 with the EF 100-400 II. I always have to take many sequences and refocus because even if the focus point is where it should be, random pics are (slightly) out of focus and much less sharp. I had exactly the same issue with the 90d, it was even worse, so I though it was a problem with the lens, but apparently not now that I see your video Anyway, thanks for your channel, I love it. Greetings from France Frederic

Let me add my two and a half cents worth. I never, ever do a firmware upgrade unless I have an issue that I can't live with. For most of my computers, not all, I will not even upgrade the operating system. I mostly shoot video and my 4K Canon that is maybe 15 years old has never had a firmware upgrade. I usually have more problems with upgrades and shun them like the plague. Just because it says it's a factory reset doesn't mean it's an actual factory reset. Just my thoughts. I would like to hear from others. Good video.

Have you tried updating to Firmware 1.3.1 and resetting all custom settings? I was very disappointed with the af on my new R7 bought last week. Firmware 1.2 out of the box. Only a few soft shots slightly in focus with 100's of completely out of focus images with my EF 600mm F4 II, which is super sharp on my 7D MkII. Tried the tip seen on RU-vid about resetting all custom settings, but didn't seem to make any, if much difference. Updated the firmware yesterday to 1.3.1 and reset everything including copyright info and wow what a difference! Super sharp images now! Yes not every photo in a burst is perfect on a birds eye, but night and day difference from before!

Same problems here with the R7 and RF 100-400. Inconsistent auto-focus every time I go out with it. I'm relatively new to wildlife photography and mirrorless cameras so it was hard to be sure it wasn't the settings or some other error on my part, but this video and the responses to it really confirmed my suspicions. Based on all these comments, I hope Canon will address this issue in the very near future. It may be, as one earlier comment stated, that this is just inherent in the design due to smaller pixels and each pixel not getting enough light. That would be unfortunate. I really love the form factor and the reach of the R7 and would hate to have to replace it with something else.

Hi Duade I had the same problem with my RF 100-400 on my R7. I sold that lens because I don't need the reach. I bought the RF 70-200 f/4. For dogs and horses in action. And must admit I'm plessendly surprised with the Hittrate of the RF 70-200 f/4. I mostly shoot at 1/1600- 1/2000 I used to use DxO in post to get the best out of the files coming from the R7 + RF 100-400. The pic was as you described in this video. With the RF 70-200 f4 I don't need to anymore. What a difference. Let's hope it's a fault in your R7 that can be fixed. Love your videos. Keep up the good work 👍

+ I have been having the same issues with my R7 and EF 100-400 L . I have tried everything as well and now use : 1st curtain mechanical shutter, no in camera stabilization and take lots of shots !

Duade, I’m very glad to see your video. I have had my R 7 for a year now. I primarily take surfing shots at 15-30 fps and bird and deer wildlife shots. I struggle with autofocus every time I shoot with my camera. The big difference is I am shooting with my Canon 100-400 EF Mark 1. It has been a phenomenal lens for 17 years. I got it recalibrated and checked out last year before a vacation. I was just telling my son last night who uses a R 5 and your same 100-500 Canon RF lens about all of my issues. I know my lens is old but in my previous EOS 40 D & 70D my deer photography was crystal clear having no issues getting clear shots. I was wondering yesterday if I need to make the upgrade to the new Canon RF 100-500 lens for surfing and wildlife. I too have to cull so many shots each time I do a photo shoot. I shot 2300` photos at my ranch last week and am do disappointed in my results. I believe I am having the same issues you are. I figured I needed to spend much more time at each AF setting since there are 8 of them and also thoroughly check out the 4 cases. I am working on that since this is a complicated camera but I have not been successful in finding the right match for my surfing and wildlife photos. Many times my surfing photos the R 7 would focus on the wave spray so I changed my case settings. I have had decent results with my 50 portrait RF lens but I primarily shoot long distance for surfing and wildlife photos and really having problems getting usable shots to share. I hope Canon will address these issues. I think I will not make the huge investment yet on the new Canon RF 100-500 after reading about your issues. I see all of the great bird shots on the Facebook R 7 group and haven’t heard of these issues on their comments. Thanks for sharing.

I still work with my hummble Canon 80D XD and it has these problems. I was coming to do a little research on the R7 to see if maybe I could do the upgrade.... Sigh.... Once again Canon disappoints. I keep repeating throughout the video.... His property 😂 Some of us out here struggling while this guy does photography for fun on "His property". Different worlds I guess. Very nice video. I liked the energy and enthusiasm. Very informative.

Love this video.. its a move back to your earlier videos i really like. I enjoy all (ok most) of your videos but the ones with in the field getting bird shots and adding some technical nuggets are great. Keep it up!

Had the R7 for 3 weeks... and returned it today because of that focus shifting. I used the R7 with the Sigma 120-300 2.8 Sports. I got sharp images. But i got a lot of blurry images with servo AF. It doesn't matter if i use mechanical oder electronic shutter. Same result. I start shooting und focus clearly shifts from my subject. But the blue rectangle for Servo AF stays at the eye of my subject. I'm shooting sports (most of the time soccer). Thank god i saw this in practice and not at an actual game. I used every AF case, tried different setups. But still got a lot of focus shifting. Even with players standing on the field taking a break. I own a R5 and a R6. I used the same Sigma lens and never had that issue. Thanks to your video i'm confident that returning the R7 was the right choice. Was at the post office before i found your video.

The black and white Eastern Yellow Robin pictures were fantastic!! As far as AF...at that focal length, and aperture, you could be slightly moving forward and backwards, just by an inch or two! Shoot a static subject on a tripod, to prove it is or is not the camera! Cheers!

Some very nice shots! Exactly that inconsistency is why I sold my R7. The first day or two that I had the R7 the AF seems great. After that it seemed to get worse for me. I doubt that the camera body changed. It was likely the light that was not as good. I believe that it is the sensor or processor not being able to keep up with the AF just as you said. I would go back to Canon if they would build a higher end crop sensor body. Until then I am enjoying my OM-1 with the 300mm F4 and both TCs. The lens is incredibly sharp and brings out the best of the OM-1 AF.

Yes I’ve had similar problems also especially with the R10 which I sold shortly after I purchased it. Assuming you shoot in AI Autofocus, have you tried letting off the autofocus once focused and shooting a burst of images at set distance provided the subject doesn’t move? Or try One Shot autofocus and seeing if the focus still shifts at set subject distance? I’m assuming in AI Autofocus the system is still searching for subject changing distance and attempt s to micro adjust and over compensates or falsely recognizes a subject and then jumps back to the real subject in split second intervals. I also find this happens more so with eye autofocus and when having trouble I use subject detection instead to lock on to subject. I find for birds in flight this is sticker than eye autofocus. What might also help is adjusting case sensitivities for better tracking. Hope this helps. Camera is not perfect but for what it is for $1500 it’s very good. 😊

The R7 has focusing issues. There is a massive amount of evidence to be found on youtube. One French compared it to the R5 and R6 and found the R7 to be quite abysmal in comparison for wildlife. I use the R7 with the kit RF-S 18-150 on vacation and for wildlife my keeper rate is about 10%. I have not yet tried to find out what helps. Turning IBIS off might be a good suggestion I saw elsewhere on this thread, R5 and R6 both have IBIS but not the issues... so I'll have to see. I'll let you know if I find out. I also have the RF 100-400 - based the buying decision on your glowing review of it - and with focusing it is even worse. For buying the RF 100-400 I traded in my old EF 70-300. The RF 100-400 is significantly better optically, but autofocus was to my dismay much better with the old (slower) lens. At one point I was testing it pointing it at a display cabinet with lenses on the shelf, 6 meters away from it, zoomed all in. The EF 70-300 was much sharper on the displayed lenses, I was amazed. Then I found out the RF 100-400 had been focusing ... on the dust of the glass door of the display cabinet! I thought it was a fluke, went back and switched the EF 70-300 plus some money for the RF 100-400. Now I know these focusing issues are a consistent problem. Maybe the 32.5 Mpix sensor is just too much and it focuses on stuff the RF 100-400 can see but the EF 70-300 was not able to resolve. On my 40D the old EF 70-300 was fine. But that body was 10 Mpix. The R7 is just sooo demanding I think we and Canon still need to learn about it. By the way: I compared the RF 100 - 400 to the RF-S 18 - 150 on the R7 using an ISO resolution chart. The RF-S has the better resolution! I no longer feel so good about my decision to buy the RF 100-400. But currently there are not so many affordable alternatives. I'd like Canon to make a tack sharp RF-S 150 - 500 for 1500€.

Hey Duade, first off, great video, and those Yellow Breasted Robin shots, WoW ! :) Just gorgeous ! So about the focus shifting with the R7.... I wish I could say, "I've never had this, with either of my two R7's".... Unfortunately, I have. Here's the thing though, I had these same issues, I think even more, with my R5, and of course, I had these issues to the extreme, like 8 or 9 misses out of 10 shots, with the R5 + Sigma 150-600 combo. Changing my settings helped that quite a bit. But going to the RF 800 F11, helped even more. Then, going from the R5 to my R7's I didn't see a lot of difference either way. My best advice (and I certainly don't know more than you, or probably many of your viewers) is to keep playing with your settings. Also, you might check to see if their have been any firmware updates for your lens ? Oh and one more different, but related thing; I have seen HUGE AF issues when my subject is higher up and I'm shooting from underneath ? Granted, those will never be as aesthetic anyway, but even if it were, my hit rate is terrible if the bird is up much higher than me ? Interestingly, it almost looks more like a diffraction issue, than an AF issue ? Hmmm. Anyway, just let me get one down low, and close enough.... and maybe allow me 100 or 600 shots, and I should oughta' get a few Nat Geo shots out of them :) lol