Focussing issues

I keep hearing people have focussing issues with various cameras in the Canon range. This tends to make me wonder whether this AF stuff is really any good whatsoever - especially since manual focussing aids don't now exist on most Canon cameras. By that I mean there's no independent way of establishing whether focus is correct using a split-screen focussing screen. All we have is a focussing mark in the viewfinder that shows green when the camera thinks it has focussed. Of course believing what the camera thinks is very stupid because it makes errors.

So I'm interested to see what cameras have the worst focussing issues. Here follows list of the cameras that spring to mind immediately. I'm lumping a few series together too.

LOL - What ironic timing.

My 20D did have focusing issues, but I sent it in for calibration about a year ago (after more than six months thinking it was my lousy skills).

It came back and images are now sharp.

However...

The images in the viewfinder have always looked a tad soft even though the captured files were sharp, and I never had good luck with manual focus.

So I bought a Katz Eye focus screen and installed it today figuring I'd have better luck with some extra visual cues.

Nope. In fact the images are sharper when the split prism is out of alignment than when it is sharp in the viewfinder.

I'm trying to get to the bottom of the issue here.

My issues have been with lenses, not camera bodies. I've had a problem with the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 and the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS

Both my 10D and 1D2 needed to be sent to Canon for calibration...

I would think that lenses are generally the issue.

I have no problems with my XT.
Last year, by the end of warranty period, I send it to Canon (together with 24-70L) for cleaning, testing and focus adjustment.
They just tested it and everything was within specifications..

I find the VF on my XT is almost impossible to use for MF with anything faster than F4.0... 2.8 is hit-n'-miss, 1.8 is iffy, and forget about 1.4!

I've thought about using a swap-in Haoda or Katz Eye, but to be honest, I doubt they'll offer much improvement on such a tiny VF! (By contrast, focusing with my AE-1 is a pleasure)

mbellot,

Just a quickie, have you ever had your eyes tested? Your eye focus adjustment button may out?

my XT needed recalibrating from the off but once done it has been fine for last 15 months.

Oddly, I also sent in my XT to get the focus recalibrated (AF has always been spot-on, mind you).. it came back with a new viewscreen, recalibrated and tested --still no perceptible difference from before.