Need help with r7 settings for a Airshow.

[lewisbarrett88]

Hi, just moved from and older model canon DSLR to the r7 to shoot motorsports and aviation.
I am struggling quite a lot to understand the autofocus zones, settings and other settings. I have prior knowledge from my older experience with the basics of photography and I have upgraded for the superior AF in the mirrorless system and the EVF
I have RAF Cosford air show this weekend, I've been trying to learn how to use the subject tracking and flexi zones as I struggle tracking aircraft with good accuracy during flyovers and manoeuvres, I can comfortably use Single point/spot/expand area AF, because air shows are a lot faster and harder to track I tried to change some settings so I can learn to understand how it works and test it out before this weekend but to no luck, using Flexi Zone 3 has lead to out of focus photos compared to when I use Spot and Expand areas AF.
I have a BBF setup to the AF-ON for metering and AF start, but I would like to know if anybody has any recommendations for the settings I should be using, AF zones, subject tracking on or off, and all that sort of stuff.
I tried using Flexi Zone 3 at EGCC and I had soft photos, not sure if its to do with Flexi zone 3 or other sort of settings.
Anybody got any advice for the settings I should use, preferably with subject tracking for the air show, metering modes, the sensitivity of the focusing and button layouts to enable/disable certain settings that are beneficial for air show photography?
I really underestimated the capabilities of the r7, feels like a computer.

[Berf]

Look at the confused about your settings post below and click on the link to get a better understanding of how Canon systems work

[bishbashbosh]

I have the R7.

Don't use the subject tracking – it's not designed for aircraft which move in three dimensions.

I tend to switch between Expand AF Area and the flexi zones depending on what I’m photographing. Expand AF Area tends to do a good job for single aircraft as my preference is to get the focus point in and around the cockpit. Flexi zones are great for formations or display teams where you tend to be zoomed further out. I tend to use flexi zone 3 and it normally focuses on the closet aircraft in the formation - although sometimes can get a little confused by smoke. If you use it on a single aircraft, where you tend to be more zoomed in, then it may focus somewhere odd such as the tail or wingtips, making the rest look a little soft.

I use Tv for displays with H+ drive mode. My key setting values are:
Image Quality: RAW
ISO Speed: Auto
ISO speed range: Auto range 100-25600
Min.shutter: Auto
HDR shooting: OFF
HDR Mode: OFF
Auto lighting optimiser: OFF
Highlight tone priority: OFF
Anti flicker shoot: OFF
Metering mode: Evaluative
White balance: AWB
High ISO speed NR: OFF
RAW burst mode: Disable
Focus bracketing: Disable
Eye detection: Disable
Switching tracked subjects: 0
Cases: Case1 with 0
One-Shot AF release prior: Focus
Preview AF: Disable
AF-assist beam firing: OFF

[SidewaysPengwin]

Im also new mirrorless only 2 air shows in on mirrorless and about 1/2 year with a mirrorless camera.

The video in this thread help me a lot in understanding some of the settings
viewtopic.php?t=91733

This is what im curranty using and is working well for me. (I think this is all i changed)
Metering mode = center weighted (Not shore if this is the best setting still playing with this)
Silent Shutter = off
Shutter mode = electronic 1st curtain
Drive mode H+
Dies performance = FPS
AF operation = Servo
AF Area = flexible zone 1
Whole area tracking servo af = on
Switching tracked subjects: = 1
Servo AF = Auto
One-Shot AF release prior = Focus
I also disable image review as this helped get some more performance out of the viewfinder.

With flexible zone 1 with whole area tracking servo af on this let me pick what I what to track then a recomposed the image letting the whole area tracking track it. And I find that with switching tracked subjects set to 1 is sticky enough.

--

So im using manual
Aperture: f8 / f9
Shutter speed:
Propeller airplane around 1/200
Fast jets 1/2000 or faster
ISO: Auto
And used exposure compensation to help get the level of exposure I was looking for.
With mirrorless having lot of controls I have them setup as
Control ring = Exposure Compensation
Main dial = Shutter speed
Quike control Dial 1 = Aperture settings

I ended up with these setting as wanted to control aperture and shutter speed to get best photos. Some people don't like the idea of ISO Auto but it’s a air show it should be plenty bright out modern camera handle ISO so well and the software can help where they struggle.