DavidP wrote:
I wonder if they can test the camera/lens combination? Of course, that would require sending both the body and the lens to them.
I'm sure they can do that. Before users could make their own microfocus adjustments, I knew a couple of different people who had to send Canon super-telephoto lenses in with their cameras to have them matched somehow. I don't know if they adjusted the camera or lens, but focus was accurate afterward. One of these folks had to send a camera, lens, and teleconverter because the out of focus issue only happened with the TC.
This is extremely disappointing. Tomorrow will be day three with Canon, so I should be hearing back soon. Mine was shipped to California for repair. I really don’t think you can micro adjust this issue away, as depending on the focal length and distance results can be hit or miss. If it comes back not fixed I will be returning it pronto...Canon told many people there was no issue with the 600mm III until finally admitting to the issue later through a firmware update.
jkochuni wrote:
This is extremely disappointing. Tomorrow will be day three with Canon, so I should be hearing back soon. Mine was shipped to California for repair. I really don’t think you can micro adjust this issue away, as depending on the focal length and distance results can be hit or miss. If it comes back not fixed I will be returning it pronto...Canon told many people there was no issue with the 600mm III until finally admitting to the issue later through a firmware update.
P.S...Canon paid for shipping on the lens.
Didn't the 600mm take 7 months to fix? I'm starting to think I am not in urgent need of a 70-200 at this time. What's most frustrating about all of this is it's really taken the shine off of this lens for me, as well as my new R which I had just gotten the week before.
dmcphoto wrote:
I'm sure they can do that. Before users could make their own microfocus adjustments, I knew a couple of different people who had to send Canon super-telephoto lenses in with their cameras to have them matched somehow. I don't know if they adjusted the camera or lens, but focus was accurate afterward. One of these folks had to send a camera, lens, and teleconverter because the out of focus issue only happened with the TC.
Actually when I first called Canon about this issue the lady told me I should send the body in as well. I thought this was preposterous because we're not in the age of micro-adjust anymore, and also I didn't want a lens that was "tuned" to just one body, because I am likely to own half a dozen bodies over the life span of this lens. If the lens can't be made to work fine with all bodies, then that is what it is and I can return the lens.
In retrospect, I kind of wish I had sent the body in because they failed to even find the problem. Perhaps the problem is actually with the body and not the lens? On the other hand I've been without the lens a week and have taken plenty of amazing photos with the R on that time, which is now just 2 weeks old.
jdavidse1901 wrote:
Are you planning on returning yours?
Yes, I'm planning on returning it. I already filed the return request to Amazon. Originally as a replacement. But they won't exchange due to the high cost of the item.
Edit: But I am waiting to hear back about the outcome of some of the other users experience from Canon.
I received my lens back from Canon today, and all is the same. Still a 3mm front focus at 200mm MFD. I made a detailed post about it over on dpreview. (where I can post photos) https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63408625
I just called Canon, and my lens is in “extended testing”. Apparently a note indicates they are speaking with the software department. They did not have any further info. Perhaps they found an issue, or are taking this more seriously due to the news circulating.
Same thing happened to the users of EF600mm. Sending the lens in for a IS failure and the answer was that the lens is within parameters so no adjustments were needed.
If I were you, I would just return the lens. I have used the flawed 600mm for 7 months before the firmware release and it caused me a lot of frustration. I couldn't return it and it almost took away the pleasure of going outdoors.
I want to say congratulations! This is the best news we have heard so far. Maybe I’ll send my lens to your repair center
jkochuni wrote:
I just called Canon, and my lens is in “extended testing”. Apparently a note indicates they are speaking with the software department. They did not have any further info. Perhaps they found an issue, or are taking this more seriously due to the news circulating.
I am leaning that way, however I scored this lens for a deal during Black Friday and I’m not sure I’ll see that price anytime soon. That’s really the thing complicating the decision at the moment. The other question is, would exchanging it do any good? I’m not sure any perfect copies have been confirmed in the wild yet. Plenty of people saying “my lens works fine” but nobody has proven it with a chart test.
Uarctos wrote:
Same thing happened to the users of EF600mm. Sending the lens in for a IS failure and the answer was that the lens is within parameters so no adjustments were needed.
If I were you, I would just return the lens. I have used the flawed 600mm for 7 months before the firmware release and it caused me a lot of frustration. I couldn't return it and it almost took away the pleasure of going outdoors.
Mine is also front focusing by 2mm @ 200mm MFD. Canon needs to acknowledge the problem. It hasn't bothered me much but this is a $2700 lens. It needs to perform without defect/s.
I think it's important that some send the lens in for servicing so Canon HQ receives feedback from the service centers about users complaining about a specific problem. Unfortunately, if past equipment problems are an indication, it's going to take some time for Canon to run tests, pinpoint the problem, determine the solution, test the solution and then roll it out to service centers. Which means expectations of an immediate fix if sending the lens in now are likely unrealistic. Yeah, it sucks....
Having gone through the recent SNAFU with the EF 600 III (and frankly I'm still going through it), I wish I'd returned the lens as soon as I noticed something was afoot and considered repurchasing once it was completely fixed. I love the lens for 98% of my shooting... but at any rate, the length of time it took to get an initial fix--which isn't a complete fix--and the amount of frustration that was involved is enough to make me wish I didn't purchase until I knew it was perfect.
This issue is now picked up by Petapixel and Canon News. Soon I hope we'll see one of the big lens review sites conduct a proper test. This all but guarantees that Canon will need to address this issue
I have also decided to keep mine. I think chances are low that 1. Canon won't fix it and 2. I will have critical need of the MFD distance before then. I love the lens too much in every other way.
