I recently posted how one of my 7Ds was causing the image to jump in the finder and not focus. Well, after some testing it appears to be something going on with my 100-400 lens. anyone else experience this problem? Mind sharing how it was resolved?
mine seems to have a bit of a tick sometimes (handheld, IS active for more than a few seconds), but it cools out quick and operates what I believe to be normally after that.
My 100-400 and 70-200/2.8 IS both make an audible 'click' when IS is engaged however every now and then, just recently, my 70-200 has been jolting the image in the VF when IS is engaged. The image may shift one or two times before it stops. I've got a feeling it may be going in for a new IS system soon...it's not normal.
I have a non-IS 70-200 2.8 that started doing that once in a while, and then more and more. The problem is that it would not focus, but would continue to try to hunt. I have two cameras and it does it on both of them. I had been living with it because it would stop after awhile, but I sent it in to Canon last week. I'm waiting to hear what the problem is and how much it will cost.
The problem is that not only does the image jump up and down, but it does not allow the lens to focus. Missed some quick wildlife ops recently due to this when depressing the shutter button wouldn't even fire the shutter and the image jumped up and down. CPS suggested to try cleaning the contact points with a pencil eraser. I'll try that soon.
Thanks for all of the replies. On the other hand, I carried only the 70-200 f2.8 IS yesterday and macde some killer images.
I had the same thing happen to my 100-400. I sent it into Canon and they found the IS assembly was loose. When I got it back no more jumping. It was doing exactly what you describe. Jumping and then it wouldn't focus.
Here is what the repair details stated:
"Your product has been examined and it was found that the lens IS assembly was loose causing an error to be displayed. Adjustments were carried out on the lens assembly and product functions were confirmed. Other electrical adjustments, inspections and cleaning were carried out."
Jim McCann wrote:
The problem is that not only does the image jump up and down, but it does not allow the lens to focus. Missed some quick wildlife ops recently due to this when depressing the shutter button wouldn't even fire the shutter and the image jumped up and down. CPS suggested to try cleaning the contact points with a pencil eraser. I'll try that soon.
Thanks for all of the replies. On the other hand, I carried only the 70-200 f2.8 IS yesterday and macde some killer images.
Jim
now that you mention it, I realize mine only jumps sideways, but only at first. yesterday I tried to recreate the problem on my 7D and could not.
The jumping is normal for Gen II IS. I don't notice it much on my 100-400 but it's very common on my 300 F4 IS. But it should not delay accurate focusing.
Jim McCann wrote:
The problem is that not only does the image jump up and down, but it does not allow the lens to focus. Missed some quick wildlife ops recently due to this when depressing the shutter button wouldn't even fire the shutter and the image jumped up and down. CPS suggested to try cleaning the contact points with a pencil eraser. I'll try that soon.
Thanks for all of the replies. On the other hand, I carried only the 70-200 f2.8 IS yesterday and macde some killer images.
Jim
Yes is jumps on startup but you should be able to get focus. Have you tested the lens with is turned off?
Does sound like an is unit that's gone bad but you ca narrow it down.
I'm not used to seeing Canon IS cause a significant jump at start-up (Nikon seems to be less stable prior to the shutter opening). Unless the lens is already moving quite a bit why should the IS need to jump ?
Jim McCann wrote:
The problem is that not only does the image jump up and down, but it does not allow the lens to focus. Missed some quick wildlife ops recently due to this when depressing the shutter button wouldn't even fire the shutter and the image jumped up and down.
I know you've already been given a likely solution to this behavior (a faulty IS) but I'll add that even a healthy IS needs time to settle down after start-up. For the 100-400 that is about a second. For new and better IS implementations it is about half that. If you try shooting before the IS is ready, or at least close to ready, then your photo will be affected by unwanted IS-induced image blur. Furthermore, if the IS is causing the lens image to shake enough to affect the AF sensor image then AF performance may be impaired, and if the camera is set up to not shoot until focus is achieved then shooting may be delayed or prevented.
IS is not conducive to successful snap shooting but if you can start the IS shortly before you need it then results will improve. However, if doing so also starts the AF before you have aimed at the intended subject then it may let you down.
I had this problem also and it was resolved by sending into Canon. This was fixed by replacing the IS mechanism. Seemed to have no relation to pushing/pulling the zoom. Flipping the IS switch from On to Off sometimes helped but there was also times when the IS would be in the Off position when turning on camera and would still jump continuously. Six months later after repair and it has been working perfectly with much use.
The manual for the 100-400 mentions that the image in the viewfinder may jump when the IS starts, but that it is normal and will not effect the image....
Ralph Thompson wrote:
The manual for the 100-400 mentions that the image in the viewfinder may jump when the IS starts, but that it is normal and will not effect the image....
But the question is when zooming and actually the person says this is the only time it does this when zooming
I've never been aware of IS jumping when I zoom the 100-400 or any other zoom lens. However, it is easy to move the lens laterally while zooming and that could spoil what might otherwise be a stable image.
There should be no jumping because IS detects and responds to only lateral movement. Admittedly it assumes that the lateral movement at the detectors corresponds only to an angular change in lens direction rather than a parallel offset while still aiming in the same direction (except for the new macro hybrid IS), but the internal movement of other lens elements whether by zooming or focusing is not detected.
Way back in the '90s when IS was born (and the 100-400 for that matter) it was initially used on video cameras and the two choices then were electronic (image sensor based) and optical (motion based). The electronic systems failed to work while zooming because too much of the image was changing too much (vs just shift a few pixels in one direction for normal wobbles) whereas the optical system was independent of the zooming action and the change in image size. That, I think, was a large part of why in-lens IS was preferred.
