1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

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Alistair Watson
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p.2 #1 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

I agree, from a technology point of view, it probably is unwise to buy into something so new, I work for a technology company so I am well aware. Saying that, despite the AI Servo AF performance in some situations I am incredibly happy with the Mark 3. I have no doubt Canon will fix the issues I am experiencing, I am going to a seminar at a Canon roadshow tomorrow, the seminar is specifically on the topic of 'how to use and tune the 1D Mark 3 AF' so it is going to be very interesting. Given everything I have been through since June 1st when I received my 1st Mark 3 to now, would I buy the camera again knowing I was going to get this? Yes. Luckily I still have a 1D2N to cover for the Mark 3's AF failings in people sports but in all other areas the 3 trounces the N. Just my 2p.

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 11, 2007 at 10:02 AM

Pixel Perfect
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p.2 #2 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

Lower price by $1000

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 11, 2007 at 02:54 PM

Kingfishphoto
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p.2 #3 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

Hi Alistair.
I hope your technology company, isnt AirBus ! That new big one-has its problems.
Cheers
retired pilot
Harry

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 11, 2007 at 10:53 PM

apdieb
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p.2 #4 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

I am overall very happy with my Mark III. I might add... AF in Live Preview as something I'd like to see. However, it isn't much of a problem. I really like the UI and button placement of the Mark III over any of my previous Canon pro and semi-pro bodies, as well as the Nikon's I have owned. There was plenty of dual pressing of buttons on the Nikons and the "backwards" meter and direction of lens mount drove me crazy.

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 11, 2007 at 11:48 PM

brainiac
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p.2 #5 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

One by one the niggles accumulate:
I can't see how to disable AE-Lock on the shutter release. That's a big problem for autofocus-recompose. Maybe I missed something.

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 12, 2007 at 12:10 AM

brainiac
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p.2 #6 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

There seems to be no substitute for the 5D's 'Register Camera Settings'. I frequently switch the 5D to C mode = flash colour balance, 800 iso, 1/15s, Standard Style. The 1D3 * button is temporary and so has to be held down, and it doesn't include white balance. The Basic registered settings require fiddling with menus and don't include iso. The only way to match the 5D's mode seems to be fiddling through a menu, waiting for 2 seconds while the camera reads settings, and then holding down the * button permanently. This camera comes 18 months AFTER the 5D. Where is the progress?

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 12, 2007 at 10:02 AM

brainiac
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p.2 #7 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

Zoom to focus point in playback is a great feature which will save a lot of time. But why doesn't it work when the camera has chosen the focus point? Once again, interface consistency is a patchily constructed afterthought. A feature which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't undermines trust. It feels like Windows in that it lacks a coherent approach to HCI design.

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 12, 2007 at 10:06 AM

brainiac
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p.2 #8 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

The settings I change most often are iso and white balance. To change them I need to check them. The camera doesn't display white balance on the top plate so every time I check my settings I have to look first at the top plate, then twist the camera and look at the small display under the monitor. It is starting to annoy. Why isn't white balance and file type displayed on the top plate? 'Where it has always been' is irrelevant. Where SHOULD it be?

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 12, 2007 at 10:17 AM

UA935
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p.2 #9 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

The rubber grip on the card door is porrly fixed where the "thumb" grip" bends round.

Mine lifts in hot weather. It is fine everyweher else on the camera but where the contour of the camera curves at the above point it is not flush. I was shooting with 3 other MK III owners the other day and it was the same on all three cameras.

I paid £3000 for this camera and at present am not particularly happy given the contsant AF issue and the build quality.

I had far better results with my 20D.

Maybe I should have waited, I could have purchased 3.856 40D's for the cost of my MK III.

Still Canon remain silent and ignore their customers. Appawling customer service and customer relations.

Simon

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 12, 2007 at 01:06 PM

Valerie S
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p.2 #10 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

My 3rd Mk III doesn't seem to AF in very low light as well as my 30D does (both using the center AF point). I'm taking ISO 1600, f1.4, 1/125 sec low light. Since I mainly do music photography, this is where I live. Technically, the Mk III is rated for -1 to 18 EV whereas the 30D is -.5 to 18 EV, so the Mk III should be better. When people rave about the lowlight AF capabilities, I wonder how rigorously they are using it? Possibly the same situation as my usage of Servo and long lenses - certainly a valid point.

I'm considering returning mine and getting a 40D (although selling at cost may be an option since it seems decent compared to some copies out there - I would've done that gladly when I went through the Sigma 30mm/1.4 fiasco). However, it's hard to go back to a non pro body, as I've had to when returning my previous defective Mk IIIs.

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 12, 2007 at 05:16 PM

Zeder
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p.2 #11 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

Noticed something weird yesterday.

I was doing a shoot with my MK III, 430EX, and a 16-35mm f2.8. I was in between grin and grip shots when the flash just fired. No picture was taken. I didn't have my finger on the shutter button. I was holding my setup in my right hand with the back of my hand facing the ground. I took me by suprize to just see the flash fire. I put the camera to my face and when I touched, wiggled, the lens it fired again. All of this gear is new. I was not able to replicate it. I have looked very closely at the contacts, all are new and clean. I can rotate the lens a small amount. Every lens moves a little bit, but I wonder if there is a mounting issue with these cameras? Like the contacts are just a bit out of alignment or something.
I don't know.....
Z

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 12, 2007 at 05:37 PM

folivier
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p.2 #12 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

You sure you didn't hit the DOF preview button?
That will make the flash fire.

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 12, 2007 at 06:10 PM

brainiac
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p.2 #13 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

That's interesting Valerie. I worked with my 1Diii at the weekend for the first time, and I too struggled to get it to focus in very low light. However, I didn't think much of it and switched to MF as usual, because I routinely shoot in such low light that AF gives up. I am talking about iso 6400, f2, 1/20th situations:

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 12, 2007 at 06:14 PM

Valerie S
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p.2 #14 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

I haven't really encountered situations that extreme out in the field; perhaps walking around my house with the lights off. However, I don't expect any results at that level and maybe that's my lower standards.

So what do you like about the camera? Why have you kept it?

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 12, 2007 at 07:33 PM

brainiac
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p.2 #15 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

>So what do you like about the camera? Why have you kept it?

I only bought it on Friday after much thought. I like iso 6400, beautiful tone (14 bit?), feel and speed. I tend to focus either by using the lens scale or by focus bracketing, so the AF problems aren't a big deal, and high frame rate makes a 5-frame bracket very quick.

I don't like the size, weight, price, crop factor, and reduction in megapixels from my 5D's, but I can't complain about those things because I chose to accept them for the sake of 6400 iso.

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 12, 2007 at 07:47 PM

brainiac
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p.2 #16 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

One more: highlight tone priority is great but why doesn't it have an automatic setting so that it can kick in for contrasty images when iso is set at 200-3200? I find myself having to switch it on and off a lot.

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 12, 2007 at 07:50 PM

dcmiller
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p.2 #17 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

Valerie S wrote:
My 3rd Mk III doesn't seem to AF in very low light as well as my 30D does (both using the center AF point). I'm taking ISO 1600, f1.4, 1/125 sec low light. Since I mainly do music photography, this is where I live. Technically, the Mk III is rated for -1 to 18 EV whereas the 30D is -.5 to 18 EV, so the Mk III should be better. When people rave about the lowlight AF capabilities, I wonder how rigorously they are using it? Possibly the same situation as my usage of Servo and long lenses - certainly a valid point.

I'm considering returning mine and getting a 40D (although selling at cost may be an option since it seems decent compared to some copies out there - I would've done that gladly when I went through the Sigma 30mm/1.4 fiasco). However, it's hard to go back to a non pro body, as I've had to when returning my previous defective Mk IIIs.

I have about 120 ISO 6400 1/50 f1.2-f1.6 shots from Sat. There's not one missed focus. Could it be the lens your using? I'm sure this is the best low light focusing camera from Canon. But I wonder if it does best with the newer Canon lenses. I was the 85L MKII

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 12, 2007 at 08:07 PM

Valerie S
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p.2 #18 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

I use a 35L, 50/1.4, 85/1.8 and a 135L. They all are bang on with AF and fast with the 30D.

Again, I wonder if it's a difference in one's expectation of performance.

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 12, 2007 at 08:38 PM

dcmiller
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p.2 #19 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

Valerie S wrote:
I use a 35L, 50/1.4, 85/1.8 and a 135L. They all are bang on with AF and fast with the 30D.

Again, I wonder if it's a difference in one's expectation of performance.

Are you saying it takes longer to get focus with the mkIII, or you have more OOF shots?

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 12, 2007 at 08:49 PM

Valerie S
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p.2 #20 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

It takes longer.

dcmiller - what did you shoot on Saturday at 6400?

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 12, 2007 at 09:05 PM

dcmiller
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p.2 #21 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

Valerie, a garden party lit by tea candles with Japanese lanterns around the perimeter. Pretty much shooting in the dark. Focus could take as long as a second, but generally faster. One of the few times I would shoot one shot with AF confirm beep.

I've shot a lot of concert and theater. Not at all equipment critical with digital, in my opinion. I would expect near instantaneous AF with the MKIII. I would be comfortable shooting with an XTi in terms of focus and noise. So I'm not sure what's going on with your cameras.

Are you confident in your settings and technique? The shots you have posted look great, btw.

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 13, 2007 at 12:45 AM

Valerie S
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p.2 #22 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

I shoot mainly in clubs which is different lighting than theaters and concerts. I'm usually thrilled when my lenses stop down at all (I shoot often in Tv). I'm confident in my settings and technique.

One second would be a long "woosh" (that's my sound for lens creeping into focus). I "think" my Mk III would do similar. Mind you, my comparison is with the center AF point on my 30D (which works great - it's just the other AF points that don't work reliably enough for me). I've got to shoot at a club and judge from that, but I'm afraid of getting sprayed with beer or grinded (ground?) against a stage, and not having the option of returning the camera if it's subpar in performance compared to my 30D.

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 13, 2007 at 01:14 AM

Tom Rouse
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p.2 #23 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

I use the 1D Mark lll for shooting Sat. night stock car racing and Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday night football on badly lite fields. The Mark lll replaced my 30D. I have not found any focus issues in over 1600 night action shots usually at 3200 or 6400 with no flash. My pictures would probably be just a little better with a flash set up correctly. They frown on using flash on the side lines around here. I can honestly say the Mark lll rocks and image quality is much better under low light condictions than the 30D was for me. I have been using this camera for 2 weeks.

Tommy

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 13, 2007 at 02:14 AM

MSC
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p.2 #24 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

OK, here are a couple nitpiks:

Switching cards is still not as easy as with the Mk2n...why not? This needs to be a one button function.

Custom WB is now a bit of a process. It was easier before.

The joystick is weird. I have big fat fingers and don't like the little nub to move about.

What's up with Live View? Sometimes it seems to turn itself on...I need it figure out how to get rid of that little problem. No doubt I'm doing something wrong by accident.

You can't delete all the files at one time anymore without going into the menu.

Is there some way to have the back display show how many shots remain on the card? I only see this on the top display and inside...maybe a custom funciton I missed?

I do like the new battery, light easy to change out quickly...which is important during the game. Now if I could just buy an extra battery...do they actually sell those?

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 13, 2007 at 02:22 AM

Ron Hew
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p.2 #25 · 1D3 shortcomings NOT AF

Shane, It is call LP-E4 and FYI I do have 1 spare

Edited on Oct 04, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Sep 13, 2007 at 02:42 AM


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