I just noticed how long it's been since there was a response to this thread.
Kinda sad how we've all pretty much accepted that our defective cameras might be fixed at some unknown time in the future if Canon can be bothered to admit that there is a problem.
True. But I agree with the others who said Canon will not actually say there is a problem with the camera, they will just release "improvements" through firmware.
Unless they reach the conclusion that a recall is the only way to actually fix it. I don't see how they could avoid it then.
dcmiller wrote:
Have you tried different types of focus, such as enabling all points, assist points, etc?
Forgot to answer that. Yes, I have at different times. On the second day at the race track I enabled AF Expansion points on the left/right sides, just using center point. And I adjusted the AF Sensitivity speed to Medium, instead of the Medium/Slow like the first day. The results were slightly better, but I'm not convinced the settings really made much of a difference. More like random luck.
The 20D produced more frames in focus than the Mark III when I alternated between the cameras.
When RG and Bryan Carnathan said the Servo performance drops like a stone in bright sunlight, they were right.
Jeff, I know I can only speak for myself that I have not sent mine in because I have not herd of anyone saying that they have fixed them. I have talked with my canon rep and have told him I'm not happy and he has relayed the message so I am just waiting for canons next move. Do you feel that people should be sending the cameras to canon if there are exhibiting the RG type problems?
Please correct me if I'm wrong here. I'm no Nikon user, not now anyway, but didn't the D-200 have problems when it first came out and the fixed the banding problem with a firm ware upgrade? I know that isn't the same thing as AF issues on a pro model camera. I was wondering if anyone remembers if Nikon admitted to having erred or did they just"improve" the banding issue?
Truly I don't remember, just curious
kazman442 wrote:
Jeff, I know I can only speak for myself that I have not sent mine in because I have not herd of anyone saying that they have fixed them. I have talked with my canon rep and have told him I'm not happy and he has relayed the message so I am just waiting for canons next move. Do you feel that people should be sending the cameras to canon if there are exhibiting the RG type problems?
I am in the same boat. If I don't hear a fixed, I am not sending it in!
DavidP wrote:
Maybe it's impossible to focus WELL in dim conditions and in bright sunlight at the same time?
Dave, you may have found something interesting. May be the Canon engineers emphasis too much on the low light perfromance/sensitivity and the Mk3 ends up with overly sensitive in birght light? Purely speculation of course, but life is always a compromise, and there is no free lunch.
Hey Jeff and others on this page here is where I am at. I have shot MANY pictures with my M3 and tried all the changes and suggestions with no luck. The final straw was when I went down to Santa Barbara (from Seattle) for a tournament. It was much warmer 90-100 and the shots were crap. My keep rate was at 40% or below. Most were just "soft" and some just really out of focus. I looked at the focus point with Zoombrowser and I was spot on. Ok so I figured maybe the first fired before lock but the second or third should be on. Nope it just stayed soft, and never got a keeper.
When I got back home I decided that I would take it in to my dealer. I picked the camera on June 15th used it in Europe and a couple local tournaments here most in cool weather. I figured I would play with the CF's and settings but never got my M2 keep rate. So after Santa Barbara I took it in, tried to explain my problem and they said the only thing they could do was send it in for service and try and "rush" it. Well she said if you brought it back in 2 weeks we would swap it out. Told her my first Tournament was in Europe 3 weeks after I picked it up. I told them that I really doubted that sending it in would take care of the problem given what I have been reading. They sent in in on the 23rd and I got it back on Sept 6th. When I picked it up they said that the firmware was updated to 1.1.0 and cleaned. They asked if I wanted to test it when I picked it up... I laughed and asked if anyone wanted to go outside and run random patters on a soccer field?
Well fast forward to the weekend and two games one at 9am and 60-65 deg ok keep rate but really same problem 12pm game 80 and crap. Very first shot of the game I have a single girl running at me with the ball grassy hill in back and first shot is soft. The FP was smack on her chest, ok so first may have fired before lock but the second FP right on chest still and still soft. The girl way to her right, well out of even the expanded points if they were on, was crisp and she was (hard to tell) maybe 3 step behind her. I found many like that where many in a series started out soft then 2 later perfect but then it would go right back to soft. So even if it got lock it would not hold it. There were some that were so clear at mid pitch or beyond that you could see fabric weave in their shirts. I pointed to one of those and said this is what I expect from $12,000 on a stick. I would usually get 80-90% from my M2 that looked like that and the ones that were not.. well they were off FP and my fault.
My sales person after seeing my pictures brought the owner over, explained that we just got this back from service and showed him the pictures. He walked over to the phone dialed his canon rep and left a message to have rep call the him back. He then said we did what they asked, it did not fix the problem now I can tell them they have to take it back. I asked if he wanted a copy of my data and he said not necessary, "if I tell them what I see here, it will be taken care of and I would be real surprised if they don't".
I tell you I am sick because when this hits it is amazing and a huge leap forward for the D, but I can't sell these and I dropped some serious gas money on this puppy.
jomor wrote:
Please correct me if I'm wrong here. I'm no Nikon user, not now anyway, but didn't the D-200 have problems when it first came out and the fixed the banding problem with a firm ware upgrade? I know that isn't the same thing as AF issues on a pro model camera. I was wondering if anyone remembers if Nikon admitted to having erred or did they just"improve" the banding issue?
Truly I don't remember, just curious
John
I think people sent them in and Nikon adjusted the gain on the sensor. There was a break in the serial numbers where anything under X was suspect, so people wanted serial numbers higher than X. I don't think Nikon every wholly fixed the problem. The problem did fade away over time, so Nikon must have at least managed to get it under control. It had some to do with the 4-channel output of the D200 vs other cameras using that sensor (D80, Pentax, etc) used a two channel output.
I hate to tell you annayu but my bet would be that the first thing new owners of a 1Ds will be doing is taking pictures of runners on hot days with bright sunlight...and then putting up a poll to see if anyone has issues.
I think since we have to ask the answer would be negative. If there was a fix via firmware or a hardware recall or whathaveyou it would be splashed all over the place. Having decided that the 1D is probably better for my needs than the 1Ds I am with you waiting to see that news break.
Homey wrote:
What I want to know is has this issue been resolved and is it safe for me to buy my 1D MIII??
as far as I know , the issue(s) hasn't been resolved ; personally , for the moment, I should not dare to buy a MarkIII : too risky you'll have a bad one ( like mine ) .
Mark Powell wrote:
Perhaps there should be another poll in case Canon is watching.
The question would be "Are you waiting for the AF issues to be resolved before you purchase a 1Dmk3?"
I would definitely vote "yes". And I think Canon would see a lot of missed sales opportunities just from the FM'rs.
I'll vote yes too. But with the 40D, the pressure has eased, for me at least and I'm sticking to the 1D II and 40D for the next 6 months at least. Maybe we should all wait for the 1D III N anyway and get the improved LCDs as well.
, thats a good one.
