Mark III focusing issues???

13

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  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 21, 2007
    Canon is releasing new firmware for the Mark III clap.gif
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,940 moderator
    edited July 21, 2007
    Harryb wrote:
    Canon is releasing new firmware for the Mark III clap.gif
    I think I can buy one now. The Italian language is fixed clap.gifclap.gifclap.gif
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 21, 2007
    ian408 wrote:
    I think I can buy one now. The Italian language is fixed clap.gifclap.gifclap.gif

    and don't forget the Chinese too. :ivar
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited July 21, 2007
    Harry,

    Are you now going to join the fellas wearing the white hats?
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,940 moderator
    edited July 21, 2007
    Harryb wrote:
    and don't forget the Chinese too. :ivar

    Haha!

    I did stop by the local shop today to inquire about the camera. They didn't have any demos because all the pros were buying them up.
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 21, 2007
    pathfinder wrote:
    Harry,

    Are you now going to join the fellas wearing the white hats?

    Well, Rod G. ain't impressed with the firmware :cry

    I'll be sitting back :lurk watching this drama unfold and waiting on what Nikon does by the end of the year. When all the dust settles I'll be making a decision.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • lynnesitelynnesite Registered Users Posts: 747 Major grins
    edited July 24, 2007
    Hey, Harry and all...

    Great galleries, Chris. Jeff, I agree with you.

    LOVE my MK III, no focusing issues, but I'm coming off of 30D/20D, haven't tweaked custom functions, did buy Art's UG though.

    Got the camera a week ago, almost, 2K through it under difficult conditions, dust, low light, customers are happy.
  • wxwaxwxwax Registered Users Posts: 15,471 Major grins
    edited July 24, 2007
    Harryb wrote:
    Well, Rod G. ain't impressed with the firmware :cry
    Extraordinary.
    Update, July 23, 2007: Canon USA has asked that we not release EOS-1D Mark III full resolution photos taken with firmware v1.0.9 loaded while Canon in Tokyo examines one of the bodies we used to check out the new firmware. Because what we want more than anything is for the camera's autofocus problems to be resolved, and because an encouraging roadmap for investigating the problems was mapped out in an extended phone call with Canon USA's Chuck Westfall this morning, we've agreed to not put up photos as originally planned for today. We will of course continue to write about EOS-1D Mark III autofocus when there is news to share.
    Sid.
    Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
    http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
  • S. HortonS. Horton Registered Users Posts: 192 Major grins
    edited July 24, 2007
    Interesting thread on another forum; shot 1DMKIIN vs. MKIII head to head.

    FWIW

    http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=352061
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited July 27, 2007
    wxwax wrote:
    Extraordinary.
    Very cool, actually. They're taking his findings seriously. thumb.gif
  • Ric GrupeRic Grupe Registered Users Posts: 9,522 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2007
    Harryb wrote:
    Well, Rod G. ain't impressed with the firmware :cry

    I'll be sitting back :lurk watching this drama unfold and waiting on what Nikon does by the end of the year. When all the dust settles I'll be making a decision.

    Actually the firmware took care of what it was supposed to. People are dissappointed that it did not address all the issues.

    Like you Harry, I'm waiting....and in no hurry. I want this camera (bad).

    I doubt that these focusing issues would have that much impact on the type of shooting I do. Not very often do I have a bird coming towards me! :D
  • wxwaxwxwax Registered Users Posts: 15,471 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2007
    S. Horton wrote:
    Interesting thread on another forum; shot 1DMKIIN vs. MKIII head to head.

    FWIW

    http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=352061

    Does it seem right that you should have to mess with custom functions to tell the autofocus you're shooting a static subject versus a moving one?

    Not to me. In a football game, I shoot both, can't be futzing around with cf settings.
    He later added a comment that those BIF settings don't work so well for relatively static animals / birds, so he uses a different CFn combination for such shots. He has these programmed in as custom sets so it is easy to switch between them.

    This isn't something I'd want my camera to expect.
    Sid.
    Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
    http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,940 moderator
    edited July 27, 2007
    wxwax wrote:
    This isn't something I'd want my camera to expect.

    That and having to customize the lens selection for AF to make it more exact...
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • S. HortonS. Horton Registered Users Posts: 192 Major grins
    edited July 30, 2007
    @wx et al - Recheck that POTN thread; several people are returning the MKIII. The point there is that the camera should not require special handling; something's wrong, and until Canon gets it fixed many, many people are waiting and several are returning the camera for refunds.
  • patch29patch29 Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 2,928 Major grins
    edited July 31, 2007
    Canon has released firmware v1.1.0 for the EOS-1D Mark III.

    Source.
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited July 31, 2007
    patch29 wrote:
    Canon has released firmware v1.1.0 for the EOS-1D Mark III.

    Source.

    No new autofocus fixes in this patch. It contains the single small improvement they made in v1.0.9 which was released on 7/20. That patch was reviewed and panned Rob Galbraith here.

    Regards,
    -joel
  • S. HortonS. Horton Registered Users Posts: 192 Major grins
    edited August 2, 2007
    Canon pro tips on the Mark III setup and sensitivity.

    http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/technical/mark_iii_af.do
  • PrescottPhotogPrescottPhotog Registered Users Posts: 1,174 Major grins
    edited August 3, 2007
    S. Horton wrote:
    Canon pro tips on the Mark III setup and sensitivity.

    http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/technical/mark_iii_af.do

    Hi Guys,

    Great thread, thanks for starting it Harry.

    Patch and Sam, thanks for the links. Even though I haven't been having any AF problems 1.1.0 cleared up two issues right off the bat for me. Plus Sam's link gave me some great insight because most of what I shoot is BIF so now I can start experimenting with the CF's.

    My first issue was that my LCD was very blurry. Compared to my 400D it was like it was fogged up. Not any more, fixed and sharp.

    Also, my joystick (on and off lever) didn't differentiate between "on" and the 2nd position so some functions worked on both setting when the manual said they should only have worked on the 2nd setting.. Cleared that up too.

    Sam, the link to the custom functions was great (IMHO) because it gave a lot more info than the manual and gave Canon's reasoning behind the functions and settings.. plus examples. I think this will be very helpful to a lot of people and I have already sent it off to 3 other friends with M3's.

    There aren't any 3rd party books out yet and I feel, just like computer books, the first ones on the shelves will be the ones rushed to print and won't address a lot of issues that are popping up. So all that is available so far are these forum posts with links and a lot of experimenting in the field.

    I have been watching the Canon site and the firmware update still isn't posted on the CanonUSA.com site so even though I knew it was coming out I couldn't find it. The day after it was posted here Canon sent out and email with the link to the update but by then I had it loaded and ready to go.

    Anyway.. just thought I would give you my thoughts. Thanks again and keep the thread going, it is very insightful even though I'm not having many problems.
    '
    Prescott Photog, Chris - " One Shot, One Still "
    '
    Canon CPS Member
    SmugMug Pro User - www.PrescottOutdoors.net
    NAPP Member..Click for Info
  • patch29patch29 Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 2,928 Major grins
    edited August 8, 2007
    Rob Galbraith has updated his Mark III autofocus article.
  • IcemanUKIcemanUK Registered Users Posts: 13 Big grins
    edited August 9, 2007
    patch29 wrote:
    Rob Galbraith has updated his Mark III autofocus article.

    I just want to add a thank you for this thread. I am in the process of upgrading my DSLR body and, whilst I still think that the MKIII is the right option, I think that I'm going to hold off buying one until this issue has been sorted.

    The updates here on the thread are a good way of keeping track of this in one place.

    Cheers!
  • NimaiNimai Registered Users Posts: 564 Major grins
    edited August 20, 2007
    Can anyone out there with more insight or knowledge than I give some idea if these auto-focus issues are firmware fixeable? I read about people waiting-and-seeing as if Canon might release a new version of the body itself, not just a firmware fix.
  • BBonesBBones Registered Users Posts: 580 Major grins
    edited August 20, 2007
    hmmmm....while I want to upgrade to the 1D Mark III I think I may have to wait. I am long overdue for an upgrade from my 1D Mark II (still very happy with it) and prices have dropped on the N version of it that does not have the focus issues. With my bread and butter being motorcycle racing I need spot on and fast autofocus
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,940 moderator
    edited August 24, 2007
    Anybody know what's going on with availability?
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,132 moderator
    edited August 24, 2007
    ian408 wrote:
    Anybody know what's going on with availability?

    I believe Canon stopped shipping these cameras pending an investigation of the nature and extent of the complaints voiced specific to the motion-focus issues (and potentially other focus related issues). I expect to hear some kind of published response and then some sort of resolution. I have not heard anything about what that resolution could be, but Canon has a lot banking on the success of this camera.

    I find it odd that some folks are very happy with the camera and continue to produce apparently excellent work. This could be a supplier issue or a QC issue or ... you name it.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,940 moderator
    edited August 24, 2007
    ziggy53 wrote:
    I find it odd that some folks are very happy with the camera and continue to produce apparently excellent work. This could be a supplier issue or a QC issue or ... you name it.

    Let's hope it gets resolved soon. Especially since the mk IIn has been discontinued...
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited August 30, 2007
    The saga continues.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,940 moderator
    edited September 1, 2007
    They must be feeling good about 1.1.1. They've apparently started shipping
    bodies again...I got mine yesterday.
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • David_S85David_S85 Administrators Posts: 13,245 moderator
    edited September 1, 2007
    ian408 wrote:
    They must be feeling good about 1.1.1. They've apparently started shipping
    bodies again...I got mine yesterday.

    clap.gifclap.gif
    My Smugmug
    "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,940 moderator
    edited September 1, 2007
    So I should add that overall, the build quality is good. And the best part, the
    body is MUCH lighter than the mkII. Comfy to hang onto and I'm just getting
    to read the manual--I'm a tad bit overwelmed to say the least.

    Owning a mkII made it easy to at least get out and start shooting--at least
    until I finish my reading assignment :D

    More later but I did post my first mkIII shot today thumb.gif
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,132 moderator
    edited September 1, 2007
    ian408 wrote:
    They must be feeling good about 1.1.1. They've apparently started shipping
    bodies again...I got mine yesterday.

    Remembering that some folks were getting good results without the new firmware, I think there could be other variables involved.

    It is encouraging that cameras are getting into the pipeline again. Congratulations on yours! thumb.gif
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
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