MAAN = Much ado about nothing

So, now that I have your attention, let me explain. I like this forum, and I have learned a lot. And I have read the MANY posts about Canon L lenses front/back focusing. However, I have owned about 10 Canon Ls, including zooms and primes, and never have I had one front/back focus. Believe me, I've tried, but alas, nothing but spot on focus.

Maybe I am just very lucky. Maybe we just hear from those with problems. I don't know, but I aim to find out with this poll.

Jerry


Edited by gdsf2 on Jun 20, 2008 at 09:15 AM GMT

I had 3 L's that had problems. 70-200 f4 IS, 35mm L & 100-400 L. I guess I'm just unlucky.

I've owned 3 Ls, (only one still), and all three have been fine.

I have had Canon and Sigma lenses with focus errors, though.

500L, 85LII, 200 2.8L, 17-40L
All of them spot on, tack sharp and very pleased with them!

RT.

it could well be that the problem was camera based not lens based, both of my 5D's were sent for calibration with lenses, all focus perfectly now so I wasn't making it up...

1. 70-200 f/4L (non-IS) consistently backfocused, but adjusted perfectly by Canon the first time.

2. 50/1.2L consistently backfocused at lots of different subject distances - 3 copies all did the same thing - I gave up.

(...and by the way, it's not my 5D, as it's fine with everything else including 85/1.2L.)

Everything else has been fine.

Off: 24L, 35L, 400DO, my first 24-70L (by a LOT).

mendofr wrote:
I had 3 L's that had problems. 70-200 f4 IS, 35mm L & 100-400 L. I guess I'm just unlucky.

The good: 400 f5.6, 24-105, 135f2

Interesting results so far but we need a larger sample size.

4 Ls with problem. 500/4L with a factory defect returned, 500/4L back focusing, 400/5.6L front focusing, 100-400L soft at 400 and IS died within warranty period.

and..... 1D MArk IIN back focusing.

And fornt/back focusing weren't nit picking but unusable.

My 135L was the only lesn I got that I haven't had an issue with.

Sigh

Not to mention that my 1Ds3 back-focuses by +15. Or all of my 11 lenses front-focus by that much

Like GeneO I had trouble with one of Canon's super-telephotos. My first 600 f/4 IS (B&H, March 2008) front focused by up to a couple of meters wide open. The replacement is perfect.

A family member recently also bought a 600 f/4 IS. Irvine couldn't even fix that one. B&H also replaced it. Two good out of four copies of Canon's currently most expensive lens model is not such a good record.

Interesting finding so far: The "no problems" outweigh the "problems" by a bunch but more folks with "problems" replied in writing.

Jerry

If you haven't had any with problems, you're either blind, don't know how to test, or just haven't tried enough of them yet.

Not all L's, but I've owned or own

17-85 IS (2 of these)
24 2.8
50 1.8
24-70 2.8
70-200 2.8IS

Not a problem with any of the above.

Am I to think that I'm lucky that I've got 2 Canon L zooms that have no issues? Or am I to think I got what I paid for, a product that works?

My first 24-70 backfocused, returned and bought another one which was spot on.

Bought second 5D body and both 24-70 and 70-200 2.8 L frontfocused, even though they were OK on the other 5D - but this is more like a body problem. Repaired by Canon.

You got what you paid for Robert and you are lucky.

gdsf2 wrote:
Interesting finding so far: The "no problems" outweigh the "problems" by a bunch but more folks with "problems" replied in writing.

Jerry




I would hope the "no problems" would outweight the "problems" by a huge margin. If not, then Canon has a major QC problem with the top of the line lenses. Most people pay top dollar for the L lenses and expect top results.

mendofr wrote:
You got what you paid for Robert and you are lucky.


I was just snapping some shots, and it seems that the 70-200 focuses quite a bit faster than the 24-70. I know it's normal, but it makes me panic

I'm not sure how to vote. My 35L backfocused with my 1D2 but not with my XT. The 1D2 along with the 35L were recalibrated. Now my new 40D backfocuses with the 35L. They are both in for recalibration. None of my other Ls have shown any problems with any of the bodies. So, is the 35L the problem or the bodies?

Jim

jhom wrote:
So, is the 35L the problem or the bodies?

Yes.

When I first received my 85mmL MkII, it was backfocusing on my then 1Ds MarkII and it was adjusted by Canon. After I sold the camera the buyer told me that the camera frontfocused. Not sure what happened back then. And it doesn't need any microfocus adjustment on both 1D MkIII and 1Ds MkIII now.

35L front focused to a greater or lesser degree with 300D, 400D and 5D
85L front focused with 5D
80-200 spot on with 300D, 400D and 5D
several 17-40's spot on

I think with the fast primes having such a thin dof wide open its more obvious when there are focus issues.

17-40/4L - very slight forward focus
70-200/2.8L IS - slight back focus
300/2.8L - moderate forward focus

All corrected with little difficulty. I should add that IMHO, it depends of the body you are using. ON my 10D the 300/2.8 exhibited moderate forward focus yet on my mate's 1D it did not. This is not due to the 1D body being out of calibration either. I reckon the pro bodies are more accommodating of lens errors.

18+11 = 29 w/ problems versus 41 w/o problems. I think that's a bad ratio. Canon should be ashamed, especially for the price of the L's.

But... I still don't know why I keep buying more L lenses. Hmmn.