In regards to focusing problems only (not the ERROR messages), reading all the threads it almost sounds like some people have real camera problems while others just need to tweak the custom functions to optimize for their level of shooting. There are a new couple of posts on the naturescapes.net forum that indicate that Canon may have stopped shipments because of concern of cameras coming from one particular plant having some defects. I am not sure how accurate this information is but starts to make sense.
I can't believe they would strip out the screws! That's horrible on this expensive a camera.
I can see how no one would want to send it in yet.
I think I have a 30 day return policy through Dell. I had better check. I just e-mailed my rep. I don't want to have to pay a restocking fee if there is a problem with the camera. I don't think I'd want to bring it in to Canon and have it come back like that!
rscheffler wrote:
That's interesting. Back during the era of the 1D Mark II, over on SportsShooter member Thomas Witte complained of the same thing - softness without any plane of focus anywhere....
I should clarify that his images, when viewed small looked OK, but once enlarged it was clear that where there should be a shallow, crisp plane of focus, there wasn't, resulting in sports photos that looked a bit mushy and would never sharpen with USM to reveal any real detail. It's not that the photos were totally OOF.
Hrm...I'd say this may actually be something like what I'm experiencing. We'll see when Canon NJ returns my camera....
nikonafs wrote:
Hrm...I'd say this may actually be something like what I'm experiencing. We'll see when Canon NJ returns my camera....
I have also been testing my MkIII and I also find some frames (but only rarely) that are out of focus everywhere. Usually, when there is a focus problem, a frame is either front or back-focused, but occasionally it is nowhere-focused. I have convinced myself that the nowhere-focused frames occur when the focus is (sluggishly) shifting from back to front (on objects approaching directly toward me) as the AI servo tries to catch up with the object. Usually, the frame before "nowhere" is back-focused and the frame after it is front-focused.
It is as if the plane of focus is stair-stepping its way towards me, following the object but not very smoothly. The nowhere focused pictures occur as the focus plane is shifting during the time the picture is being taken.
My "test" was the now-popular one: car driving toward me (about 15mph), 135mm lens at f2.0.
I have my CFn III-2 set to moderately slow. I should set it back to normal or even "fast" to see if that's what's happening -- maybe the cause of the stair-stepping sluggishness.
I took the attached file (the attached file is a much smaller file then the orignal) to get a 24x36 made from my new Canon 1DIII camera. THe shot was shot at ISO 400, taken at F11 and a shutterspeed of 6secs, with the 70-200 F2.8L IS lens.
When the lab showed me the test strips they told me that there was a lot of pixalation, particularly in the shadow areas and that they would not recommend me printing it larger then 16x24 unless i printed on canvass.
I have had many shots taken with my 1DIIN (shot at ISO 100 and 200), that i have had 20x30 and 24x36 size prints that still looked very sharp.
I had actually thought it was just noise and could have been taken care of with noise reducation software, but was told that they have cleaned it up as much as possible (I wish I kept the test strip so that i could have scanned it).
After making the switch to digital from slides, i still have a lot to learn about digital processing, so i'd appreicate if someone could explain to me possible causes of pixaltion and why i haven't seen this much on any of my previous shots - despite having shot at both high ISO and long shutter speeds for the past year since my switch to digital. i have shot hockey at ISO 1600 with the 1DIIN and horse jumping at ISO 400 and 800 without any issues. I have also taken night shots atISO 400 and 1600 and at 400, i have never seen this much pixelation/noise.
Is the lab right and there is not much i can do Can it be cleaned up with noise reduction software Can this be avoided in the future. Is this entirely a result of user error, or could there be an issue with my camera
I'm also finding that shots taken with my 1DIII and the 70-200 f2.8L IS seem a little soft. This does not seem like the same AF issues discussed by Rob Galbraith, as these were not shot using AF Servo mode (all shot using one shot AF). I did not expereince any issues when shooting with the 24-105L and don't know yet if there are any issues with the 16-35L II, as that lens has pretty much attached to my 5D.
Note, i have not experienced any of the other errors or issues that other users have reported. I have not had a chance to shoot any sports yet, so i don't know if there are any issues with the AF servo tracking.
It would be interesting to see a 100% crop of the pixelation portion of this excellent image. It might be associated with the blue channel when the blue value is close to zero. It migt be difficult to fix.
tonyfield wrote:
It would be interesting to see a 100% crop of the pixelation portion of this excellent image. It might be associated with the blue channel when the blue value is close to zero. It migt be difficult to fix.
Tony,
What is the best way to post a 100% crop. Please note that as far as post-processing goes, I have very little experience (something i'm learning i need to remedy), as the only software i have used is Canon' DPP and have been getting my lab to do everything else. The only adjustment i have made to any of my shots is setting the WB, exposure and sharpening in DPP and then converting to a 8bit TIFF file for the lab and they have done everything else for me.
That is why i don't want to attribute the pixalation to the camera at this point (despite not experienced this issue with the 1DIIN, xti or 5D).
rwalkernm wrote:
It is as if the plane of focus is stair-stepping its way towards me, following the object but not very smoothly. The nowhere focused pictures occur as the focus plane is shifting during the time the picture is being taken.
Bob, it's interesting you state the situation in this way as I've wondered if perhaps the camera was still driving focus during exposure (though not sure if this is exactly what you mean). My understanding of how AI Servo and predictive AF works is that focus drive is stopped during the moment of exposure then continues again between exposures. In effect the process is always in a state of catch up and overshoot, but if working properly is timed so that the moment of exposure occurs precisely when the subject is entering the plane of focus.
I've been getting mixed results. I'd say on average my results are quite good, but I also get images that while not quite "nowhere" focused, are definitely not as sharp as the lens is capable of rendering.
As long as you can freely take the camera back and exchange it I would buy it if you really want it. Many have had no issues what so ever. Personally I'm in no rush and will wait until October, by which point the 1Ds III or 40D or 5D II may be announced.
khurram1 wrote:
I took the attached file (the attached file is a much smaller file then the orignal) to get a 24x36 made from my new Canon 1DIII camera. THe shot was shot at ISO 400, taken at F11 and a shutterspeed of 6secs, with the 70-200 F2.8L IS lens.
Just curious, but did you have long exposure noise reduction set? The Mark III out of the box has that feature disabled, I believe. I tried a 30 second ISO 800 night exposure of the house illuminated with just street lights (sodium vapor), with long exposure noise reduction off and also with Highlight Tone Priority turned on (forgot to turn it off) and found the results, once WB adjusted in DPP to be quite noisy, especially in the darker tones (but perhaps not such a surprise since Canon warns of possible noise issues with HTP enabled).
I have a question for all those who got nothing in focus. Did you set C.Fn III - 3 to 0? According to the manual it's suppose to prevent this phenomena.
Yakim Peled wrote:
I have a question for all those who got nothing in focus. Did you set C.Fn III - 3 to 0? According to the manual it's suppose to prevent this phenomena.
I never felt like this worked for me. Yes the first shot in a burst was always very sharp but the remainder were hit and miss, usually miss - not by much but enough to make the images useless. Changing cfn III 3 from 0 to 1 and back, made very little difference.
Alistair101 wrote:
I never felt like this worked for me. Yes the first shot in a burst was always very sharp but the remainder were hit and miss, usually miss - not by much but enough to make the images useless. Changing cfn III 3 from 0 to 1 and back, made very little difference.
Then it seems that this C.Fn is not working properly. IMHO this is unacceptable in such an expensive piece of equipment.
Yakim Peled wrote:
Then it seems that this C.Fn is not working properly. IMHO this is unacceptable in such an expensive piece of equipment.
My own personal opinion is, as per previous posts, in AI Servo and 10fps mode, I feel the processing of the huge amount of data from the sensor to buffer and buffer to card is taking processing power away from the servo focussing, and thus decreasing the accuracy. My first shot in a (servo/10fps)burst was always sharp. A shot in servo/single shot drive was always sharp.
In servo mode, max speed drive, a burst of 5 shots from my 1D2N would more often that not yield 5 sharp, well focussed and well exposed images. I cannot say the same about the Mark 3. Since the M3 has now been returned I don't have the opportunity to do further tests but CFN III, 3 in 0 or 1 setting seemed to make little difference to the accuracy in high speed burst mode.
Alistair101 wrote:
In servo mode, max speed drive, a burst of 5 shots from my 1D2N would more often that not yield 5 sharp, well focussed and well exposed images. I cannot say the same about the Mark 3.
Old technology is better than new one. That should be the other way around…..
Yakim Peled wrote:
Old technology is better than new one. That should be the other way around…..
I agree but anyway, am 'Happy Shooting' with my 1D2N at the moment. I will review the Mark 3 situation towards the end of the year. Saying that, it looks like I am going to be shooting some badly lit netball games soon and the high iso capabilities of the Mark would for sure be appreciated.
Indeed, many do appear to have had no issues whatsoever with the Mark 3 so as PP says, if the return policy from your store is good and you can return a few week old body with a few thousand shots on it, then fine. Having returned mine (3 weeks old, 3K shots) I can for sure say I will wait till the end of the summer when whatever the problem is, is fixed. I will also go as far as to say given the lack of help from Canon CPS in the UK, this is the first and last time I will be an early adopter, at this price range it is just too much of a headache.
Can it be cleaned up with noise reduction software