p.1 #1 · Previous 1 Series owners MK III focus issue Poll
I thought this might be an interesting poll to see how many experienced 1 series owners have or don't have focus issues with there MK III. I myself have upgraded from a 5D and 30D so my 1 series experience is somewhat limited. I would like to see how this breaks down.
p.1 #3 · Previous 1 Series owners MK III focus issue Poll
As of the week before, I still owned my 1D, 1Ds, 1DMk2 and 1DMk3. Then I sold my 1DMk2 last week since I figured that my 1DMK3 was performing very nicely. I have never experienced any focusing problem with any of my 1 series cameras, including my new 1DMk3.
I have been using my 1D, 1Ds and1DMk2 for about 3 years. The 1DMk2 was my primary camera and I shot almost 50K shots with it, mostly were bird shots and my 1DMk2 was used during my three trips to Bosque.
If this poll excludes any 1Ds and 1DsMk2 owners, as they are mainly used for different purposes (i.e. studio cameras, not for fast moving subject & sports), it might be a better indicator (to include only the 1D, 1DMk2 & 1DMk2N owners), assuming I understand why this poll is set up.
p.1 #6 · Previous 1 Series owners MK III focus issue Poll
Well so far this extremely small sample appears to be running at approximately the same 50-50 rate as the larger poll. ;-)
Are we betting that previous 1-series owners will be more likely to have (or to perceive, or to recognize) AF problems in the Mark III than the unwashed, or less so?
p.1 #7 · Previous 1 Series owners MK III focus issue Poll
Nill Toulme wrote:
Well so far this extremely small sample appears to be running at approximately the same 50-50 rate as the larger poll. ;-)
Are we betting that previous 1-series owners will be more likely to have (or to perceive, or to recognize) AF problems in the Mark III than the unwashed, or less so?
Nill
~~
www.toulme.net
Nill
My thinking was to dispell the myth that people who are new to 1 series camera's are not the only ones who are getting good results with there MK III. I figured those who have had a 1 series in there bag for a number of years would have more experience in evaluating the focus of the MK III then someone like me coming from a 30d and 5d.
p.1 #8 · Previous 1 Series owners MK III focus issue Poll
Bruce Sawle wrote:
Nill
My thinking was to dispell the myth that people who are new to 1 series camera's are not the only ones who are getting good results with there MK III. I figured those who have had a 1 series in there bag for a number of years would have more experience in evaluating the focus of the MK III then someone like me coming from a 30d and 5d.
Bruce
Bruce, I would think so too as the 1D owners would have something to compare to and have certain expectation based on their usage and past experience with their other 1D cameras. They would be the ones who also know the realistic limitation of their own ability with the 1D cameras.
p.1 #9 · Previous 1 Series owners MK III focus issue Poll
Just a random thought of mine here... I've owned a 1Ds2 and a pair of 1D2n's and I'd never want to go back to either one of them instead of my MkIII. I'm thrilled with the performance including the AF, plus the files are stunning IMO.
p.1 #10 · Previous 1 Series owners MK III focus issue Poll
No issues here. Previously owned MKII, 5D, 20D, EOS 3, and 1V HS as well as a handful of pro Nikon bodies. One other friend has 1D MKIII and no issues either in AI servo or one-shot mode. We could be the local lucky ones, not sure. I use Arthur Morris' 1D MKIII user guide and Les Zigurski's suggestions when shooting action in AI Servo mode. The major opinion seems to be one might need to play with custom settings: change AF track sensitivity to high rather than low (which is what previous 1D owners used with success) and to change AF focus to 'off' when focus is lost rather than 'on' which leads to hunting. If you're shooting 10 fps there is very little room for hunting. With off setting you will need to re-compose if focus is lost but the camera will be less likely to shoot bad frames while it is locking focus. Also, as per Morris' suggestion pre-focus manually and then lock on with AF. This will lead to a higher success rate. Is this too much user work for a camera that costs $4500? Maybe. Is it more work than my 1D MKII, up front yes with custom settings but after those have been established I don't think about it. IQ is outstanding and camera ergs excellent. I used to debate whether or not I should wait for the D3 but now I am content with the MKIII. If this camera is good enough for Arthur Morris it is good enough for me. However, if I had to make a living doing this and I couldn't rely on my MKIII I would be as frustrated as some others. Is the MKIII worth double a used MKII? Yes. Would it be great buy at $3500? Absolutely but that's two years away. My only suggestion is try out other people's in-camera settings.
p.1 #11 · Previous 1 Series owners MK III focus issue Poll
All Canon cameras have some focus issues, some are by design others are bad design or faulty parts.
The 1D was my first Canon, coming from the D1x it was just awesome and simply towered over the D1x 99% the sole exception was studio work and colour. But it did have a few focussing glitches, but compared to the competition, Nikon, it was so superior that we though little of these faults.
The MKII was also released with built in faults which effected the servo AF tracking ~ sound familiar? Well it did effect a fair slice of the MKII production which was stopped and a new camera with new parts was introduced, the MKIIn ~ I bought two of these.
Like the MKII I was not happy and had looked at Nikon at that time, but Nikon were still the laughing stock of the trade so I reluctantly bought the MKIIn when it came out, I was soon won over and despatched my remaining MKII to the second-hand shop.
I am repeating history now, I have 1xMK3 and 1xMKIIn [and actually the 1D] and am not happy and have, at this time, absolutely no plans to inflict another of these machines on myself.
p.1 #12 · Previous 1 Series owners MK III focus issue Poll
gbee wrote:
All Canon cameras have some focus issues, some are by design others are bad design or faulty parts.
The 1D was my first Canon, coming from the D1x it was just awesome and simply towered over the D1x 99% the sole exception was studio work and colour. But it did have a few focussing glitches, but compared to the competition, Nikon, it was so superior that we though little of these faults.
The MKII was also released with built in faults which effected the servo AF tracking ~ sound familiar? Well it did effect a fair slice of the MKII production which was stopped and a new camera with new parts was introduced, the MKIIn ~ I bought two of these.
Like the MKII I was not happy and had looked at Nikon at that time, but Nikon were still the laughing stock of the trade so I reluctantly bought the MKIIn when it came out, I was soon won over and despatched my remaining MKII to the second-hand shop.
I am repeating history now, I have 1xMK3 and 1xMKIIn [and actually the 1D] and am not happy and have, at this time, absolutely no plans to inflict another of these machines on myself. ...Show more →
p.1 #15 · Previous 1 Series owners MK III focus issue Poll
Gbee, I wasn't aware of the issues on 1D MKII but there will be some bad copies per any camera. I had the 1D MKII non-N and the AF on that camera was killer. Any shot missed wasn't due to camera error. I thoroughly researched the 1D MKII before upgrading from 20D and didn't come across one review talking about AF issues. Is it possibly your case was a rarity vs majority? If there is a problem Canon will eventually release firmware to fix it or we all send in our cameras to get a new one. Canon will address this issue or lose loyal consumers. Fortunately I got a good copy.
p.1 #16 · Previous 1 Series owners MK III focus issue Poll
My 1D2 had AF problems, but at least it was fixable. Works great now.
My 1Ds2 has AF problems, but at least it is fixable. I expect to get it back next week.
I dare not buy a 1D3 because if it did have AF problems then it would not be fixable.
Gbee is at least partly right. There was a history of AF problems with some 1D2 cameras that could not be fixed even by repeatedly servicing the cameras. Some sports photographers got very intermittent performance out of their 1D2 - excellent for a while, then crappy for a while, but without any real clue as to what had caused it or fixed it. And all on the same day ! Sometimes a replacement camera was the only permanent cure. I had been told of this by an affected pro sports photographer when I was not yet in the market for a 1D2 and I had long forgotten it when I bought my 1D2. At least my 1D2 was fixed with a single visit to Canon Service.
p.1 #17 · Previous 1 Series owners MK III focus issue Poll
colincarter46 wrote:
What a load of rubbish
I am inclined to agree! The Mark 2, like the N was, and still is, a fabulous camera. Sure, there were reports of bad AF on the Mark 2 in the beginning but not for that long.
Ok, I am not a 100% happy 1D Mark owner, the camera is consistent in that I know where it excels and where it doesn't, I use my N for the areas where it doesn't. I am sure Canon will fix this issue, Canon UK are certainly admitting there is an issue, not publicly but I have had alot of help.
p.1 #18 · Previous 1 Series owners MK III focus issue Poll
EMC 2 wrote:
Just a random thought of mine here... I've owned a 1Ds2 and a pair of 1D2n's and I'd never want to go back to either one of them instead of my MkIII. I'm thrilled with the performance including the AF, plus the files are stunning IMO.
Other way round. Rarely would I pick the 1D3 over the 1Ds2. Maybe it's the subject matter, but the 1Ds2 can eat the 1D3 in image quality at ISO 800 or below any day.
p.1 #19 · Previous 1 Series owners MK III focus issue Poll
The problem was not as wide spread but Canon could not or would not fix it, again one or two firmwares and Canon washed their hands of it, and made the MKIIn.
It suffered from two main problems, one was the dancing on static subjects and the next was the tracking issue, almost identical to the MK3 now for those that are effected. Firmware reined in the dancing AF somewhat, just like Firmware 1.1.0 has done for the MK3, but was ineffective for the tracking issues. But it is/was nowhere near the problems the MK3 is displaying. It also had what I call the Nikon Syndrome, locking onto the background, like the crowd in a stadium and just refusing to reacquire target, one lost any attempt at this particular game-play as the focus had to be released and re-engaged.
The 1D could never get the first shot in focus, nor the second to any reliable degree in Servo tracking, the work around was to start tracking earlier than where one really wished to make a capture. If it lost focus one had a few nice sharp shots of the crowd but it automatically reacquired target as long as the photographer just kept tracking the movements.
White, Jack wrote:
Gbee, I wasn't aware of the issues on 1D MKII but there will be some bad copies per any camera. I had the 1D MKII non-N and the AF on that camera was killer. Any shot missed wasn't due to camera error. I thoroughly researched the 1D MKII before upgrading from 20D and didn't come across one review talking about AF issues. Is it possibly your case was a rarity vs majority? If there is a problem Canon will eventually release firmware to fix it or we all send in our cameras to get a new one. Canon will address this issue or lose loyal consumers. Fortunately I got a good copy. ...Show more →
p.1 #20 · Previous 1 Series owners MK III focus issue Poll
Ger I've seen you and one or two others repeat this canard about the II being broken and the II N being the "silent fix" for quite a while now. I've always been skeptical and have never seen any credible confirmation of it (or any sort of confirmation at all for that matter), and the consensus view I've always perceived around the Canon community is that it is fanciful.
I was always particularly skeptical of it because my own experience with my two Mark II's was so positive — indeed I could never tell the slightest difference between their AF performance and the stellar performance of my original 1D. But I have to admit I always harbored that small nagging doubt. After all, I had never actually used an N — maybe it really was a cut above the II and I simply didn't know what I'd been missing.
Well, now I do own an N, and at least as far as AF performance and IQ are concerned, I can say with confidence that I haven't been missing a thing. It is excellent of course, but it is in no wise superior in those respects to my two Mark II's.
I'll admit I do like the larger rear screen, but I don't notice it nearly as much as I thought I would. And I like very much indeed the automatic new folder generation and easier switching between the two cards. But other than that? I can't tell the least bit of difference. The N is a great camera, but so is the Mark II. The Mark II "broken" and the N the "fix?" Nonsense.
In summary, I remain of the view that a good used Mark II is the sweet spot for serious sports/action photographers on a budget, and that while the features of the N are nice to have, they're only that (and not, in my personal judgment, worth the price delta).
Which is not to say, mind you, that your particular Mark II's weren't off the mark. There is certainly a measure of sample to sample variation in the quality and performance of these complex machines.
