EOS 1D Mark II owners with a Canon 70-200 F/2.8 IS.. help!!

[JX]

Today I posted a thread called “My 70-200mm IS lens is buggy” it sparked a lively debate. The problem is when shooting in TV mode and low light levels my Canon EOS Mark II locks up and displays an err 01 code. This only happens when Image Stabilization is on. I would like to ask those members who have a Mark II and a Canon 70-200 F/2.8 IS UMS lens to take some test shoots. If you could use a low ISO speed and a very high shutter speed to force a failure. Does your Mark II lock up. If you would post your results I would appreciate it. I should have posted this question first.

Thanks

Jim

[CyberDyneSystems]

Jim,

I actually had this occur once as well.

I understand that by sending the lens to Canon they will update the IS motor and fix the problem.

Some say this lockup can occur on other bodies as well.. but it seems to be more likely on a MkII.

There is a thread on this somwhere on this forum wth a link to a post by Chuck Westfall of Canon that addresses the issue.

Hope this helps.

P.S. the immediate fix when it occurs in the feild is to simply power down, dsiconnect the lens ( hit the button and give it a simple twist.. no need to remove it all the way) and reinstall it.

[CyberDyneSystems]

P.S.

The gory details can be found here;

http://www.robgalbraith.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=248404&page=&view=&sb=5&o =&fpart=1&vc=1

[Mills]

I have yet to experience this problem.

[defordphoto]

I have yet to experience this problem.

I, also, have never had an issue with mine.

[scottbergerphoto]

I have the non IS version. Glad I saved the $500.
Regards,
Scott

[ssim]

I did do some tests with my MKII and the 70-200 f2.8 L IS. I put a candle on the table and it never locked up on me once. I tested in P, AV and TV modes.

This is an awesome lens but it would sound like you have one that needs some attention.

As was somewhat concluded in the other thread I would suggest you call Canon and get it in for a checkup.

[JX]

That what I need to know. Let me ask one question about your test. Did you allow the picture to be under exposed while in TV mode.

Thanks

Jim

[JX]

Some one asked me a question yesterday that started me thinking. They asked if I had a focus lock. If you don't have a focus lock, I assume the Mark II will still take the picture. But now I am wondering if this is when the problem occurs. Focusing is more difficulty in low light. I never consider focus lock. I am going to experiment again, and see if the green light is blinking when this problem happens.
This problem only seems to happen when IS is on.

At this point I just want to understand the problem, so I can give a clear concise explanation to Canon's repair service.

[KennyG]

F2.8, ISO200 and speeds up to 1/1000 taking lots of black frames and no problems. It isn't something that one would do anyway and I wouldn't even attempt to take a shot that wasn't possible.

As I have said before, I do not think this is a generic problem and some people are trying to claim it is. Take the thread on RG, even though it looks full of complaints, by the time you count the actual number of people with a problem it is a very few. DPR, the home of the whingers, has only had a couple of short threads on the issue and only about two or three people saying they have the problem. I'm not being defensive or claiming there isn't a problem, but please get it into perspective. There are times like this when the internet is more of a hinderance than a help.

However, I have done what you requested and my negative results are probably no help at all. Another question for you - do you have any other IS lenses that you can do the same test with? You should be trying to eliminate the camera from the equation. Do you know anyone with a MK-II or 20D that could carry out the test with your lens? It could save you a lot of to and fro to Canon and give them some facts to work with.

[CyberDyneSystems]

FYI,

I have spent the last two days working with the 70-200mm IS on mostly the MkII but also on the 20D.

I am currently in production of Festival Ballet's "Witches Broom" world premeir (opens tonight)

The 4 gigs or so of photos were all taken during VERY dark rehearsals.

IS on, all at f/2.8, ISO 800/1600 or even 3200, (mostly 1600 though) ...with shutter speeds ranging from 1/2 second to 1/300th ... mostly hovering around 1/40th to 1/125th or so. (dark)

I have not had a lock up.

The one Lock up I have had with the MkII and 70-200 is documented in the RG thread so I won't repeat it here. But it was NOT so dark then, and I was shooting at f/3.5

[JX]

The problem is definitely with Image Stabilization. I did some expensive testing. The problem only happens when “IS” is on. Monday I guess I will call Canon.

[CyberDyneSystems]

On the first page of that RG forum thread.. it is one of our Canon Digital Top contributors.. Roger Cavanaugh.. who first mentions having Canon replace the IS assembly to fix this issue....

He seems satisfied, and that was many months ago.

Good luck JX,.. hope it all gets fixed.. the first time!

[samdring]

I did do some tests with my MKII and the 70-200 f2.8 L IS. I put a candle on the table and it never locked up on me once.

Did you try removing the candle :?

[f8]

hi all
shooting a rugby match with the 100-400L had the same happen, err 01, never happened before but this is the first time shooting jpg rather than raw, ok so i know unlikely but thats the only change in 6 moths of shooting with lens/body combo

[jhankins]

I had same problem once with while shooting a softball game. I've used this lens a few hundred shots now with no other recurances. I was shooting outisde, bursting the shots when it happened.