4Ti and Tamron 24-70 2.8 VC Conflict

I’m having a very strange issue indeed…

My new T4i and Tamron 24-70 2.8 VC don’t play well together!

Within 48 hours of being coupled the fully charged battery in the T4i is completely discharged. This has occurred on both of my T4i’s. My original T4i was affected with the grip issue. My new T4i exhibits the same thing. Just to be clear…the switch on the camera can be physically in the “off” position OR the camera can be timed out via the menu system. No other lens has this effect of draining the battery dry in 2 days. Somehow this lens continuously draws power from the T4i regardless!

This does not occur when this Tamron is on a different body (battery does NOT drain) OR a different lens is on the T4i. Canon looked at my original T4i and said it was functioning correctly and since the new camera exhibits the same behavior I tend to believe them. There must be some kind of power interaction occurring between a NEW menu item on the T4i and THIS particular lens (but even with the camera off?).

Not too big of a deal since I can just hold off putting a battery into the T4i till I’m ready to shoot. I would like to leave this lens on my T4i as my primary walk around lens but can’t due to the battery issue, unless I leave the battery out. However this tends to defeat being ready for that perfect “photo” moment.

Maybe a firmware upgrade on the Tamron? I’ve emailed them and they are unaware of any issues but of course they’d be happy to look at the lens, but again, this doesn’t occur while this lens is on another body.

Very perplexing…

This is certainly worrying as I was thinking of getting a Tamron 24-70 VC. I use a 5D3 and a 60D but the wife has a 650D (T4i) and I really don't want to get an expensive problem.

Love the Camera AND the lens along with the pictures they take - but together...hhmmm. I was hoping some of the great camera sleuths on this site might have some suggestions.

sounds like the issue is on Canon. Off should mean off....

If canon has designed the mount to purposely work poorly with 3rd party lenses, I'de eventually ditch canon.

I have no issues with any other lens including a Tokina 11-16 or other Canons.

I dont see how an off camera would ever be on without user interaction. That's just my basic reasoning and my opinion. Sounds like some sort of shortening is going on, maybe the stabilization.

I'de get an explanation from canon on why OFF would ever consume power. That doesn't make any sense to me.

When I had it there before they kept it for a week with no power loss, however the lens was not with the camera. Canon service usually doesn't like items left with the camera probably because of liability issues. I'll walk it in to the Irvine center and see if they accept it with the lens.

Just an update...

I walked the T4i and Tamron into the Canon service center here in Irvine. Third party lens they refuse to look at it...it works well with all Canon lens...Tamron problem. Off means off when attached to another Canon product.

Talked with Tamron and they were not aware of any issues with this combination lens and body.

My guess along with one of the service techs I talked to was that there is some communication going on between the lens and body that is not allowing the body to truly shut down (turn "OFF"). What is going on here that is different from other body - lens combinations? STM lens technology! Tamron reverse engineered for this lens prior to the release of the T4i! Somehow there is a conflict between their electronics and Canons' STM technology that is not allowing true "OFF" to occur on the body. Hence, dead battery in 48 hours. We'll see if this occurs with the new Canon M body. Any thoughts? Stay tuned...

Charlie wrote in post #14849455
sounds like the issue is on Canon. Off should mean off....

If canon has designed the mount to purposely work poorly with 3rd party lenses, I'de eventually ditch canon.

Sorry -

Many battery powered electronic devices are not completely off when switched to off. There is still power and communication going on. There are probably good reasons for this that I am not fully unaware of.

For a camera example my hack Xti (the hack is on the CF card). The camera is off, you put the CF card in the slot and you see some lights flash when you close the CF door.

A non-camera example cell phones. Set an alarm on it (at least mine), shut the phone off and it will still ring the alarm at the correct instant.

The only way to truly shut some electronics down is to remove all the batteries (I say all because some have backup batteries).

So with many things anymore, off does not mean completely off. Welcome to the digital age.

jimewall wrote in post #14857799
For a camera example my hack Xti (the hack is on the CF card). The camera is off, you put the CF card in the slot and you see some lights flash when you close the CF door.

A non-camera example cell phones. Set an alarm on it (at least mine), shut the phone off and it will still ring the alarm at the correct instant.

The only way to truly shut some electronics down is to remove all the batteries (I say all because some have backup batteries).

So with many things anymore, off does not mean completely off. Welcome to the digital age.

IMO These examples/devices are all designed to interact this way. It is generally stated in the manual to recognize certain alerts and devices...not so in this case. If off isn't really "OFF" state it in the manual. Where do I go for resolution..Canon or Tamron? Or, is this entirely on me? And if so, why?

Bakewell wrote in post #14857923
IMO These examples/devices are all designed to interact this way. It is generally stated in the manual to recognize certain alerts and devices...not so in this case. If off isn't really "OFF" state it in the manual. Where do I go for resolution..Canon or Tamron? Or, is this entirely on me? And if so, why?

Sorry, but I think that is the way it is. I understand and even agree with your opinion, but I don't think that is the reality of things. I will also quote someone from a different thread.

hollis_f wrote in post #14718532
Nope. No point, as turning the switch to 'Off' doesn't actually do anything apart from disabling the other switches and turning off the LCDs. Power is still flowing through the camera.

I'm not sure what the techs were telling you. I think the camera (at least in a few models - like my XTi) is not completely shut down - even with Canon's own products - as long as a charged battery in the camera - even when switched off. The electrical flow may be minimal, but it is happening.

Yes, I could be wrong, but I could be right.

Since it happened on two 4Ti bodies (but not other bodies), it is probably some kind of incompatibility.

If you can, see if another Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 VC lens does the same thing with your camera or another person's 4Ti. If it doesn't then it is just your lens. If it does, then it is pretty certain there is an incompatibility with the 4Ti and the new lenses.

If it is on Canon - you got their response (though a future firmware update might correct it). I would try the suggestion in the previous paragraph before you send it to Tamron. Unfortunately, you might not get a resolution.

Sorry, I'm sure this was not much consolation.

jimewall wrote in post #14858138
Since it happened on two 4Ti bodies (but not other bodies), it is probably some kind of incompatibility.

If you can, see if another Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 VC lens does the same thing with your camera or another person's 4Ti. If it doesn't then it is just your lens. If it does, then it is pretty certain there is an incompatibility with the T4i and the new lenses.

I don't think this is in doubt. As I said this lens works fine on other Canon bodies (XT and T2i specifically) but behaves this way on two different T4i bodies which I've had.. I haven't heard from other T4i owners probably because this is not not a common lens/body pairing. I'm sure this will be resolved at some point. In the mean time no walk-around 24-70 for me!

That is too bad! It would be nice to have a fix soon though. Good luck!

I hope you get to the bottom of it. I thought that Tamron was on of the third parties that actually licensed the AF technology that's why you don't ever hear of a Tamron lens needing to be rechipped to work with a newer camera unlike older Sigmas.

Just as an aside. It's painful reading most of these posts trying to figure out what a 4Ti and a 2Ti is. It's T4i and T2i. Just saying is all.

Something to try...with a fully charged battery shut things off in the normal manner, then switch the lens to "manual" focus and also turn off the IS. Then allow the long test period and see what the results are. If the battery doesn't drain then retest with only one of those functions disabled to help isolate which may be the problem.