If Jeff's the problem turns out to be the lens, that is great. I know it is a different thread topic but I know Daan B has had his 35L calibrated to match his 1Ds3 and he has big problems with it using off centre AF points. But it got me thinking. I posted some time ago that my 1D3 and 35L combo worked well together, even below f2, but equally I always use the centre AF point. I made a test using the off centre point of the same lens, which has been calibrated against both a 1D2N and a 1D3 and bingo, the N focusses spot on with say the top centre point in portrait mode, but it is hit or miss with the 1D3. Therefore I would say the problem isn't with the lens' optics, but perhaps how the camera interfaces with this lens, but really I have no idea except that logically the anti-dust feature would surely effect all lenses.
I shoot sport and motorsport and the majority of my work is done with big primes and I regularly use the top centre AF point in portrait mode, say for bikes, and the 1D3 focusses spot on every time with say a 300/2.8 IS lens.
Just a few rambling thoughts.
Anyway, I have now have a 1Ds3 on loan for 2 weeks so I am curious to see how it works for motorsport and I will also do a few tests for Daan with the 35L since I am also curious.
What's always annoyed me with my 1DMKIII is it has the ability to get stunningly perfect technical shots ~~ but then it seemingly just couldn't be bothered at all.
The overall lack of sharpness when the shutter speed should suggest a sharp pic, like 1/3,200sec and it looks like 'camera shake' ~~~ I've more or less given up.
I just tested the 35 on my MkIII. I choose an object with definite lines in it (a vacuum hose).
With the 35L there were definitely AF points that would work in one orientation but not the other and one that would not work at all. I am defining 'Not Working' as acquiring focus lock when it clearly is nowhere near and taking the shot.
One point just perpetually hunted. I tried it on the 85L too, same thing. The 50 1.4 wasnt too bad though.
morganb4 wrote:
Thats because most working pros have multiple bodies and shoot for so long with the gear that we KNOW our gear very well. If it was the lens he would see it everywhere.
Not necessarily. As an example, the 24-70 often had issue with the 10D camera.
I have a friend who had a 10D and a 24-70. The lens was FINE with other camera bodies, but terrible with the 10D. And the 10D wasn't all that bad with OTHER lenses.
*IF* he's only seeing it with the 24-70, then I'd say "avoid the 24-70". But I don't think this is the only lens he's had problems with on this camera.
AGeoJO wrote:
The "ghosting" is caused by the body and not the lens, however, it doesn't appear to be related to the AF either. It happens once in a blue moon and cannot be repeated. A lot of people speculate that it is more the dust shaking mechanism is the culprit. I tend to believe that it is true.
Except Jeff also stated that it seems to occur mainly when shooting wide open.
Why would a problem like the one you're speculating about have anything to do with what the aperture setting is?
Like I said, I know my gear well enough to know what is best with what. I have been using the 35L 50 1.4 and 85L 1.2 perfectly well on a 5D, 1 1DsMkII a 1DMkII-N. the MkIII shows up suddenly all hell breaks loose. Its the Body not the lenses, unless by some miracle the lenses left the factory at +2 and my bodies are all -2 MA units out.
We are not just talking about a small shift in focus, we are often talkjing about +/- 14 points, sometimes total failure to focus but with focus lock.
DavidP wrote:
Not necessarily. As an example, the 24-70 often had issue with the 10D camera.
I have a friend who had a 10D and a 24-70. The lens was FINE with other camera bodies, but terrible with the 10D. And the 10D wasn't all that bad with OTHER lenses.
*IF* he's only seeing it with the 24-70, then I'd say "avoid the 24-70". But I don't think this is the only lens he's had problems with on this camera.
Edited by morganb4 on Jul 05, 2008 at 10:52 PM GMT
p.3 #10 · This frickin' 1D MkIII just ain't right!
This looks like a football game I shot when AF was accidently turned off or the focul point was set to something other than center from a previous shoot. I have the same lens, have had the same shots on a 5D, the AF switch can be flakey.
p.3 #11 · This frickin' 1D MkIII just ain't right!
mikekel wrote:
This looks like a football game I shot when AF was accidently turned off or the focul point was set to something other than center from a previous shoot. I have the same lens, have had the same shots on a 5D, the AF switch can be flakey.
Interesting theory.
BTW, if you want to avoid this issue, you could take out the switch and cut the leads. This sets the lens to AF mode.
How do I know? Well, I accidentally pulled the AF switch out of my 24/1.4, and I either broke the connection, or it had always been broken (hard to say since I don't use MF on any lenses, I just use FTM if I have to).
Anyway, the lens cannot be set to MF now. It's always in AF mode.
p.3 #12 · This frickin' 1D MkIII just ain't right!
DavidP wrote:
Interesting theory.
BTW, if you want to avoid this issue, you could take out the switch and cut the leads. This sets the lens to AF mode.
How do I know? Well, I accidentally pulled the AF switch out of my 24/1.4, and I either broke the connection, or it had always been broken (hard to say since I don't use MF on any lenses, I just use FTM if I have to).
Anyway, the lens cannot be set to MF now. It's always in AF mode.
OK, I just have to know. How does one "accidently" pull the AF switch out of a lens?
p.3 #14 · This frickin' 1D MkIII just ain't right!
Hrow wrote:
OK, I just have to know. How does one "accidently" pull the AF switch out of a lens?
I was reaching into a bag, kinda sideways, to pull out a lens. Somehow my finger happened to be near the AF/MF switch, and I was somehow applying enough sideways force to make it pop out.
p.3 #16 · This frickin' 1D MkIII just ain't right!
DavidP wrote:
I was reaching into a bag, kinda sideways, to pull out a lens. Somehow my finger happened to be near the AF/MF switch, and I was somehow applying enough sideways force to make it pop out.
Must have been a consumer quality two-bit lens like the 50 f/1.8 II, eh? .
p.3 #19 · This frickin' 1D MkIII just ain't right!
PetKal wrote:
Yup, must have been an operator error.
I don't remember any warnings in the manual about not handling the lens from the side.
It dawned on me, though, that given the way I shoot my lenses (always in AF, and if I manually focus I just use FTM), I'd never know if my lenses had an operational MF/AF switch.
I guess I should add that to my new lens check-list.
p.3 #20 · This frickin' 1D MkIII just ain't right!
DavidP wrote:
I guess I should add that to my new lens check-list.
Seems like a good idea.
Now, no need to panic over this, but are you sure that the focus preset feature works on your supertelephotos, the 200 f/1.8 in particular ?
What about focus stop buttons on that 500 f/4 ?
But I don't think this is the only lens he's had problems with on this camera.
That lens is an L, for crying out loud. 
