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 p.14 #4 · Galbraith Update: MK III Not Improved | |
A good friend, great Photographer, Editor, Sport Shooter, etc....had this to say on the Mark III issue. I thought he hit home on a number of the issues....Canon and Nikon make 'um, you all need to learn to use 'um!!! Aloha and what eva's to the folks that like to scream "Fan Boy" whenever someone has a successfull relationship with their Mark III and posts it.
"David Croxford, Photographer, Photo Editor
Honolulu | HI | USA | Posted: 4:51 AM on 06.02.09
->> OK so into the "For What It's Worth" column ....
I guess I'm one of the lucky(ier) ones. I have two Mk III's bought about 3 months apart and yet both fell into the first serial number rotation that needed the upgrade and firmware corrections. they are my main bodies and are backed up with a Mark II and then a 30d if all else fails.
Neither the Mk III I purchased for the company I work for in June of 07, nor the one I got for myself in September of 07, have suffered any of the problems in AF or AF servo, that can be attributed to faulty AF in the camera. I've dutifully sent them in for repairs as the requirements became known because I needed to hold any resale value in the equipment.
A good friend lambasted Canon more than once, having lenses and bodies checked and re checked because he "thought' he saw repeated errors, only to discover that certain CF settings were not correctly allocated. Finally, he took the time to check the AF on each of his lenses, making the corrections individually (CF III.7) by lens and setting each lens up.
Initially I laughed it off, after all I wasn't seeing any issues - but he assured me that he was doing this as a last resort and in response to Canon's suggestion. His issues disappeared and after about a week or so, and even though I didn't see any need, I checked my long glass out with the micro-adjustments.
It was tedious and laborious and even though I hadn't seen any major problems I did find that images recorded using my 600/4 benefitted from a small adjustment (+3) for that lens. My 300/4 was always right on and my shorter glass have always been crisp so since I really didn't have the time, I've left those alone.
At various points in this discussion thread, both this one and ones that have preceded it, people have ranted about having to "correct" AF issues by fine tuning the bodies. They felt that something costing $42-4500 needed to be working well right out of the box. I agree, but is that technically possible when the bodies we're slinging on our shoulders every day amount to nothing less than a high powered image making computer that just happens to look like your old AE1?
I guess for my two cents worth, I have to say that as cameras become more and more complex, the need for us to understand and know the equipment, right down to the nitty gritty obscure functions is paramount. And as I meet up with other photogs in my sphere of reference, asking them if they've ever read the manual usually gets a nonchalant disdainful stare!
The other side of that coin, of course, is that we expect a company of Canon's stature, to be on top of the problems rather than disavowing any knowledge of the situation that clearly exsists(ed).
I wish they'd put this to bed by doing something radical - a complete change out would be nice, and would set the resale market back right side up. But what's to say that if they have a totally new AF system with as many CF functions, that they won't experience some of the same issues with a different user group?
I think the days of the bare bones camera bodies, manual everything etc. are a thing of the past.
If you've done any freelance shooting recently, you know that you can't be too far behind the "pack" technologically because you'll be losing a whole lot more money. Your colleagues will provide bigger image files, faster and with better quality - even if you can fill a billboard at 300dpi with YOUR image! If yours is shot with an older camera, some neubie is gonna out class you with his megamillion pixel image at half the price. It ain't fair, it ain't nice - but it's life. And not the Bowl of Cherries kind either!
Here ends my once in a blue moon rant."
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