CPN: Tips and Tricks Updated with 7D II & 600EX-RT Info

The Canon Professional Network: Tips and Tricks has been around for quite some time. It's updated quite regularly with new tidbits of information. Lately, they've been adding items relating to the EOS 7D Mark II and the Speedlite 600EX-RT.

From the Canon Professional Network: Tips and Tricks:

Speedlite 600EX-RT: auto assist beam firing

Within the camera menus of several EOS models, there is an option to enable or disable the AF assist beam when shooting in low light. If you enable the function on the camera menu, but the AF assist beam on your external Speedlite does not fire, check the Speedlite’s custom function settings. If the custom functions in the Speedlite are set to not fire the AF assist beam, this will over-ride any setting made in the camera menu. To re-enable the AF assist beam, simply switch the Speedlite custom function to allow the beam to fire.

EOS 7D Mark II: EOS iTR AF

Like the flagship EOS-1D X, the EOS 7D Mark II features EOS iTR AF, which improves autofocus tracking by recognising faces and subject colours in addition to looking for subject contrast. When shooting with the EOS iTR AF function enabled, you may find the AF is actually slightly slower and the maximum shooting speed in continuous high speed AF is slower than expected. This is especially likely in low-light shooting and is due to the extra data being processed from the metering system before a subject can be tracked. If you need the fastest AF possible and want to achieve the maximum frame rate and do not need to make use of the colour and face tracking, switch the EOS iTR AF setting to ‘disable’.

Recent Tips and Tricks

• EOS 7D Mark II: EOS iTR AF
• EOS 7D Mark II: AF point orientation
• EOS 7D Mark II: AF point selection settings
• EOS 7D Mark II: AF Tracking sensitivity
• EOS 7D Mark II: viewfinder information
• EOS 7D Mark II: anti-flicker shooting
• Speedlite 600EX-RT: auto assist beam firing
• Speedlite 600EX-RT: memory function
• Speedlite 600EX-RT: temperature warning
• Speedlite 600EX-RT: using modelling flash
• Flash technique: freezing subjects with flash
• Flash technique: Speedlite 600EX multi-flash
• EOS 70D: shutter speed display
• EOS 70D: AF assist beam
• EOS 70D: AI Focus and Servo function

Want a thorough explanation of the differences between the 7D Mark II, 5D Mark III and 1D X's AF systems? Check out this helpful information that Chuck Westfall gave us.

B&H carries the Canon EOS 7D Mark II and the Speedlite 600EX-RT flash.