New 7D firmware is here

bwana

bwana

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http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/slr_cameras/eos_7d#DriversAndSoftware


Changes
Firmware Version 2.0.0 incorporates the following improvements, new functions, and fixes.
1. Improves the maximum burst in continuous shooting.
JPEG Large/Fine: About 94 (126) bursts *1 -> About 110 (130) bursts *2
RAW: About 15 (15) bursts *1 -> About 23 (25) bursts *2
RAW+JPEG Large/Fine: About 6 (6) bursts *1 -> About 17 (17) bursts *2
*1 The figures are based on Canon's testing standards (ISO 100 and Standard Picture Style) using a 4 GB card. The figures in parentheses indicate the number of shots that can be taken with an Ultra DMA (UDMA) 4-GB card, based on Canon's testing standards.
*2 The figures are based on Canon's testing standards (ISO 100 and Standard Picture Style) using an 8 GB card. The figures in parentheses indicate the number of shots that can be taken with an Ultra DMA (UDMA) 128-GB card, based on Canon's testing standards.
2. Supports a new accessory, GPS Receiver GP-E2.
3. Adds an ISO Auto maximum setting.
4. Adds an in-camera RAW processing function.
5. Adds a Quick Control function during image playback.
6. Adds a rating function.
7. Adds a JPEG resize function.
8. Adds an auto recording level manual adjustment function.
9. Adds a function to freely set text for file names.
10. Adds a function to make time zone settings.
11. Increases the screen scrolling speed when magnifying images.
12. Fixes a phenomenon where a slow shutter speed may result when an external flash is used to fire intermittent, consecutive flashes.
13. Corrects the color space information in the Exif file for movies.

NOTE:
-If the camera is updated with Firmware Version 2.0.0, the following settings will be initialized.
a) Date/Time setting
b) Lens peripheral illumination correction data registered to the camera

-The Version 2.0.0 firmware being released this time is for cameras with firmware up to Version 1.2.5. If the camera's firmware is already Version 2.0.0, it is not necessary to update the firmware.

-Once the camera is updated to Version 2.0.0, it cannot be restored to a previous firmware version (Version 1.0.7 to Version 1.2.5).

-When using an EOS 7D camera updated to the new firmware Version 2.0.0 with the WFT-E5A/B/C/D, the WFT-E5A/B/C/D needs to be updated to the latest firmware Version 1.0.7; otherwise, it cannot be used.

-It is recommended that you use the updated EOS 7D camera (Version 2.0.0) with the latest applications*3 . Some applications of previous versions do not support functions that are added by the new firmware. Please also note that EOS Utility needs to be updated to the latest version before it can be used with the updated EOS 7D camera. You can download the latest applications from our Web site.
*3 EOS Utility Version 2.11.4 or later (Supported OSes: Windows XP SP3/Vista SP2/7/7 SP1,Mac OS X v10.6/10.7)
Digital Photo Professional Version 3.11.31 or later (Supported OSes: Windows XP SP3/Vista SP2/7/7 SP1,Mac OS X v10.6/10.7)
ImageBrowser EX Version 1.0.1 or later (Supported OSes: Windows XP SP3/Vista SP2/7/7 SP1,Mac OS X v10.6/10.7)
The system requirements for the latest applications may be different for the applications that have already been installed to your computer. For information on the system requirements, please go to our Web site.

-The instruction manual has been revised accompanying the improvements and additions of functions. Users are asked to download both the latest firmware and the instruction manual. You can download the latest instruction manual from our Web site.

When updating the firmware of your camera, please first go over the instructions thoroughly before you download the firmware.
Click to expand...

To early to know if there are any problems with it so head the warning - you can't roll back.
 
Nice update.

You can now set the max Auto ISO to 6400 (though not a setting between 3200 and 6400) and also process RAWs in camera.

RAW shooters are going to love the increase in the buffer.
 
Great - load it .... let me know it goes ;)
 
I'll hold off on this for a while - see if any serious problems come up.

Question for you, bwana: Over the weekend I tried to use high-speed burst and AI Servo focus, and found that it slowed the frame rate right down. Is this normal? It was indoors, light wasn't great, so fairly high ISO. Shutter speed was between 1/1000 and 1/2000. I fiddled with various settings that I thought might slow it down (high ISO noise reduction, for example), but nothing changed much except changing focus back to single shot.
 
koffiejunkie said:
I'll hold off on this for a while - see if any serious problems come up.

Question for you, bwana: Over the weekend I tried to use high-speed burst and AI Servo focus, and found that it slowed the frame rate right down. Is this normal? It was indoors, light wasn't great, so fairly high ISO. Shutter speed was between 1/1000 and 1/2000. I fiddled with various settings that I thought might slow it down (high ISO noise reduction, for example), but nothing changed much except changing focus back to single shot.
Click to expand...
totally normal - if you want to stop it from doing that then you could use back button focusing (or back button focus lock).
 
Right. The reason I used it is because I was photographing people moving towards me. Turns out the movement in my direction was slow enough that DOF took care of it, so I ended up just using one shot AF, and it worked well enough.
 
I think Canon missed out on an opportunity to better the 7D even more with just a couple simple features wrt Auto ISO and thats the ability to set a minimum ISO and EV compensation in Manual mode.
 
bwana said:
I think Canon missed out on an opportunity to better the 7D even more with just a couple simple features wrt Auto ISO and thats the ability to set a minimum ISO and EV compensation in Manual mode.
Click to expand...

Agreed, add to that minimum shutter speed in AV and minimum aperture in TV.

The EV in M is a bit trickier - which buttons would you use? Both wheels are already in use, and I'm not aware that Canon bodies can interpret the hold-button-down-and-spin-wheel like the Nikons do. I really want that feature though.

Have you noticed any change/difference/improvement in the focus behaviour? I've been reading every comment I could find, and a lot of people report that

a) lenses that previously required MFA on the 7D (but no previous bodies) don't any more

b) focus accuracy and consistency seems to have improved

I have both problems - focus was completely unreliable until I set all my lenses to +7. After the update, it's back to 0 (give or take, I haven't tested extensively). I'm shooting a festival this weekend, will know next week weather focus accuracy is less terrible now.
 
koffiejunkie said:
Agreed, add to that minimum shutter speed in AV and minimum aperture in TV.
Click to expand...
Add max in there too while they're at it.

koffiejunkie said:
The EV in M is a bit trickier - which buttons would you use? Both wheels are already in use, and I'm not aware that Canon bodies can interpret the hold-button-down-and-spin-wheel like the Nikons do. I really want that feature though.
Click to expand...
Even if they offered it on the on-screen menu it would be better than not having it. They could also let you assign it to follow a press of the MFn button now that I think about it.

koffiejunkie said:
Have you noticed any change/difference/improvement in the focus behaviour? I've been reading every comment I could find, and a lot of people report that

a) lenses that previously required MFA on the 7D (but no previous bodies) don't any more

b) focus accuracy and consistency seems to have improved

I have both problems - focus was completely unreliable until I set all my lenses to +7. After the update, it's back to 0 (give or take, I haven't tested extensively). I'm shooting a festival this weekend, will know next week weather focus accuracy is less terrible now.
Click to expand...
I'm shooting with a loaner lens and body combo while I'm waiting for repairs on my gear so I can't answer that yet.
 
koffiejunkie said:
b) focus accuracy and consistency seems to have improved
Click to expand...

Roger Cicala has some interesting articles on the improved PDAF on the 5DIII combined with some of the newer lenses: http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/08/autofocus-reality-part-3b-canon-cameras

Since the focus position information collected by the sensor in some of the newer lenses must be passed to the camera through the exiting CPU contacts (or whatever Canon calls them), it is reasonable to suppose that a firmware update could allow the 7D to gain this ability to improve PDAF accuracy. This could be confirmed if you have access to the lenses that Roger used in his tests.

Or maybe they just fixed a bug in the original AF code on the 7D ?
 
fvdbergh said:
Roger Cicala has some interesting articles on the improved PDAF on the 5DIII combined with some of the newer lenses: http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/08/autofocus-reality-part-3b-canon-cameras
Click to expand...

I read these yesterday - very interesting. Although he contradicts one of his earlier articles a bit, so I'm not 100% trusting of it. Either ways, the tests were interesting. It was very interesting to see that the 7D is less consistent than the 50D, and that has been my experience (although I'm convinced mine is not up to standard). The 40D and 50D was deadly accurate - I only ever had out of focus images when I screwed up.


fvdbergh said:
Since the focus position information collected by the sensor in some of the newer lenses must be passed to the camera through the exiting CPU contacts (or whatever Canon calls them), it is reasonable to suppose that a firmware update could allow the 7D to gain this ability to improve PDAF accuracy. This could be confirmed if you have access to the lenses that Roger used in his tests.
Click to expand...

This is an exciting idea. The closed loop requires extra hardware on the lens (in this design) but not in the camera, so a firmware update should be able to add this. Weather Canon would actually do that is a different matter though.

fvdbergh said:
Or maybe they just fixed a bug in the original AF code on the 7D ?
Click to expand...

That's more likely it. The issue I'm seeing with frustrating regularity is the camera focussing way off target, and confirming focus (green light). It's usually heavy front focus, but sometimes backfocus too. Although I've been able to replicate it in at least one setting (70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM II at 2m focus distance), it's not consistent at all.

Over the weekend I took pictures at a friend's wedding. Bright daylight, with fill flash - I had only the 270EX with me, so I was limited to 1/250, so very small apertures - f/9-16 most of the time. And I *still* got images that were clearly front-focussed.
 
koffiejunkie said:
I read these yesterday - very interesting. Although he contradicts one of his earlier articles a bit, so I'm not 100% trusting of it. Either ways, the tests were interesting. It was very interesting to see that the 7D is less consistent than the 50D, and that has been my experience (although I'm convinced mine is not up to standard). The 40D and 50D was deadly accurate - I only ever had out of focus images when I screwed up.




This is an exciting idea. The closed loop requires extra hardware on the lens (in this design) but not in the camera, so a firmware update should be able to add this. Weather Canon would actually do that is a different matter though.



That's more likely it. The issue I'm seeing with frustrating regularity is the camera focussing way off target, and confirming focus (green light). It's usually heavy front focus, but sometimes backfocus too. Although I've been able to replicate it in at least one setting (70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM II at 2m focus distance), it's not consistent at all.

Over the weekend I took pictures at a friend's wedding. Bright daylight, with fill flash - I had only the 270EX with me, so I was limited to 1/250, so very small apertures - f/9-16 most of the time. And I *still* got images that were clearly front-focussed.
Click to expand...

Is it only one lens that front-focuses? If it is have you considered having it calibrated? I don't trust the AF adjustment with zooms as my Sigma 17-70mm focus gauge (on the lens) is pretty inaccurate and setting one AF adjust for 17mm causes 70mm to back/front focus...
 
Edduck said:
Is it only one lens that front-focuses? If it is have you considered having it calibrated? I don't trust the AF adjustment with zooms as my Sigma 17-70mm focus gauge (on the lens) is pretty inaccurate and setting one AF adjust for 17mm causes 70mm to back/front focus...
Click to expand...

All my lenses. Even the 10-20 and 15mm fisheye, with their huge DOF, still manage to front focus enough for the subject to be completely out. The same lenses (with the exception of the fisheye, since I bought it after the 7D) focused clickety-click precise the 50D.

Edduck said:
PS I have found a few usual links for setting up the 7D AF:

http://learn.usa.canon.com/app/pdfs/quickguides/CDLC_EOS7D_AF_Modes_QuickGuide.pdf

http://www.deepgreenphotography.com/2009/12/setting-up-your-new-canon-7d/

http://jefflynchdev.wordpress.com/2011/01/12/canon-eos-7d-autofocus-modes-explained/
Click to expand...

Thanks. Most of what's in this I've already seen/discovered/learned. In the beginning, I just assumed that it was me. I put a lot of time into getting to know the AF system, it's behaviour, limitations, etc. I discovered, for instance, that the AF points are really much larger than the blocks in the viewfinder. See this:

http://blogs.stonesteps.ca/showpost.aspx?pid=54

But even avoiding getting caught by that still gives me unpredictable results. I'll post some screenshots later.
 
Screenhots: In all cases, I did not re-compose after focus. In all cases, the camera confirmed focus before I press the shutter (It won't let me otherwise).

(you have to scroll sideways to see the whole image)

Front Focus:

frontfocus.jpg


Back focus:

frontfocus_24105_L.jpg


backfocus.jpg
 
Has anyone noticed an improvement in high ISO? I shot at 6400ISO the other night and really was impressed by the images, particularly in RAW.
 
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