The latest report on 1D Mark III AF issues

belmondo wrote in post #3890982
Okay. How about if you've been using the same bricks, but you change the mortar? The bricks are still capable of doing their job, but because of the mortar, the job fails.

Ummm. Forget the bricks.

but that is the whole point. if the lens = the bricks, than we are in agreement that the problem is not with them but with something else. and since, people don't just change technique when they get a new camera than we can conclude that the problem is with the camera (whatever it is in the camera i do not know, it can be the foundation, the mortar or anything else that you want )

Pekka wrote in post #3890638
Or I am using it in so simple way and easy situations that I do not get to see how bad it is?

With all due respect, yes.

Golly - if I had slightly over £1 Sterling for every post in this thread, I'd have enough to go out any buy another mk III as a spare/second body

I've been giving it some serious thought the past few days, at least serious thought for me. IF Canon doesn't do something positive by the end of September, I am going to do one of two things, one of which probably is counterproductive. I will either:

1. Sell all of my canon stuff and go Nikon, if the reviews look like the upper end Nikon competing with the M3 is as good as it sounds. This would be a major change for me for sure! I owned Nikon a while back and always believed Nikon was the gold standard in camera gear. I loved the images I got out of my old Nikon P&S, clear, crisp and had the wow look to it. When I began looking for an SLR, I just stumbled onto POTN and as sold at that time, as well as my recent purchase at the time of the Pro1 which the wife now uses. This site steered me into Canon and it as a proper decision as Canon was better than Nikon at that time and for quite some time prior in the upper end cameras. Now, that assumption is questionable and as far as customer service and company reputation, Canon sucks IMHO. So dumping gear which is all less than one-year old would be bad for the pocketbook, I did buy top end stuff so selling it all should be very easy, and not too much of a beating on my pocketbook. When I buy the best of something, I not only expect the best, I demand it be the best, and this whole deal with this POS AF system just sucks in so many ways. I took the M3 out for a spin on the golf course Friday. My back is too beat up to play golf, but I rode in a cart by myself and took over 600 shots. A few with a golf cart coming right at me, half the images were out of focus. I took shots of golf balls rolling on the green and am not happy with the soft images, or the images that were totally blurred. I would have expected them to be sharp and clear. I had the camera sturdy on a small tripod and there was still a focus issue where I could not read the print on the ball. If I borrow, or test drive a Nikon and it performs better, or if I can get a Mark IIn to perform better, I will be more than angry and begin to think that Canon has dumped a total beta system on us. Not what I expect for $4500!

Option 2:
As much as I would hate to give Canon more $$, I will seriously consider the Mark 1Ds. I have to think that when it is released, there will be some serious tests on its AF and if it is spot on, goodbye M3 pos.

So that is what I have concluded. I give them until the end of September, possible longer as I could have to wait for the 1Ds.

This situation bugs me on so many levels. IF Canon would just be more candid it would change my vies so much more.

Joe

[QUOTE=blonde; if you want, i can post 2 shots that are going to be published soon that were taken with the mkIII and i can also post some AI Servo shots that will show you that once you understand what the camera can and can not do, you will be fine.

Hi Blonde, I would be interested to see what you are talking about here. I have a recent Mk3 and the AF seems to be O.K.

However, if there is some repeatable test I can try to prove ( or otherwise ) that the AF is O.K, I'd like to give it a try.

Just another user, from Italy this time.
My camera is a later serial number (bought in LA recently). Firmware version is 1.1.0

Same issues as many here. At times it will perform, at others it won't. Naturally there is some user error on my behalf. I am a newcomer to photography.

belmondo wrote in post #3890758
And what does water on the moon have to do with anything?

You may have answered a universal question of mankind. The question has been, "why in the heck does Snapple cost so much when it is mostly water?" I guess that water comes from the moon, thus shipping charges! Moon-tea?

blonde wrote in post #3889471
Rob, i stated that my camera has the AF inconsistency just like i told him that i think that all mkIII has the same issue. besides, just because i am very vocal about Canon's behavior does not mean that my problems are worse or anything like that. as a matter of fact, in the past month alone, i managed to take the best 5 images of my life with the mkIII and i even stated here that my camera has been working amazingly since i understood what i can and can not shoot. if you want, i can post 2 shots that are going to be published soon that were taken with the mkIII and i can also post some AI Servo shots that will show you that once you understand what the camera can and can not do, you will be fine.

like i said, i think that with me it is more of a principal right now combined with the fact that i have simply had enough of this whole thing. i have a new plan for my kit that i feel will work better for me at this point.

i dont doult you for one minute.
My MK3 Story is as close to yours as it can be Iv had some great shots with it too but once i pushed it on A1 Servo it became obvious its just not up to the standared it should be and by a long way.
On one shot single point i have to say mine did work ok but having a mk3 that only works this way is next to usless.
The shop looked at my cd of dud A1servo shots and agreed that its not working how it should work .
That cd and the camera are on there way back to canon im just hopeing that be the time it gets there they will have a fix .
If it still wont work after testing on the same subject ( jets coming into land )
I will be asking for a full refund and have a rethink on what to do .
Rob.

joegolf68 wrote in post #3892259
I've been giving it some serious thought the past few days, at least serious thought for me. IF Canon doesn't do something positive by the end of September, I am going to do one of two things, one of which probably is counterproductive. I will either:

1. Sell all of my canon stuff and go Nikon......

Option 2:
As much as I would hate to give Canon more $$, I will seriously consider the Mark 1Ds. I have to think that when it is released, there will be some serious tests on its AF and if it is spot on, goodbye M3 pos.

So that is what I have concluded. I give them until the end of September, possible longer as I could have to wait for the 1Ds.

This situation bugs me on so many levels. IF Canon would just be more candid it would change my vies so much more.

Joe

I agree Joe, there is no reason Canon should be acting in this manner and treating the situation as it has (e.g. not communication to the consumers). That as much as the fact that my camera is hosed is what angers me.

As far as option 2. I will never again buy a newly released product from Canon until it has been proven in the field. And I will thoroughly test anything I buy during the return period and work with the dealer on getting a refund so I do not have to deal with Canon.

KAC

SoloDallas wrote in post #3892292
Just another user, from Italy this time.
My camera is a later serial number (bought in LA recently). Firmware version is 1.1.0

Same issues as many here. At times it will perform, at others it won't. Naturally there is some user error on my behalf. I am a newcomer to photography.

Can you still return it?

KAC

joegolf68 wrote in post #3892259
...am not happy with the soft images, or the images that were totally blurred. I would have expected them to be sharp and clear....more than angry and begin to think that Canon has dumped a total beta system on us. Not what I expect for $4500!

I had always wanted a really, really nice car. In '94 I ordered and bought a Cadallic Seville, $42,000. It spent more time at the dealer's repair shop than with me. Talk about a let down. A year or so ago I installed Microsoft's new Vista Ultimate, it screwed up my computer so bad...I had to format all the hard drives and reinstall my XP Pro. The point being, I am fully aware that one can buy a top of the line product, spending money well over the norm and get a bunch of problems. I had been looking forward to the day I could get a 1D series camera. I thought it would be the 1D2n but the 1D3 was introduced. Like with the car, this will be the only shot I will have (afford) to get a really nice product that will serv me to the grave. I will pay cash, which took some time to put togeather and because of my age and being retired, I don't use credit cards. I just can't handle another letdown. If I buy a $4500 camera and it turns out to be a $4500 piece of crap...well, I would want to kill something. I could switch to Nikon, but don't really want to go through selling all my Canon gear. I could get a 1D2n and have what I really wanted these past couple of years. Or, I can go with the 1D3. Like you, at least for the time being, I'm willing to wait out the problem for a short period of time. But, I would feel much better about it if Canon fessed up to acknowledging the problem and explained what they are and plan to do to correct it. I got a feeling that after a few weeks of waiting I will get a 1D2n as much as I wanted 'live view'.

joegolf68 wrote in post #3892259
or if I can get a Mark IIn to perform better, I will be more than angry and begin to think that Canon has dumped a total beta system on us. Not what I expect for $4500!

Option 2:
As much as I would hate to give Canon more $$, I will seriously consider the Mark 1Ds. I have to think that when it is released, there will be some serious tests on its AF and if it is spot on, goodbye M3 pos.

Joe

lol... what if i told you the 1ds mkIII has the SAME focussing system ?

SilverOnemi wrote in post #3892540
lol... what if i told you the 1ds mkIII has the SAME focussing system ?

And the thing I'm extremely curious about is how much of the MKIII AF technology went into the 40D which (at least so far) has no reports of focusing problems, despite the technical description that seems to imply some if not all of the same technology for focusing (though it might be just the sensor).

KAC

kenyc wrote in post #3892591
And the thing I'm extremely curious about is how much of the MKIII AF technology went into the 40D which (at least so far) has no reports of focusing problems, despite the technical description that seems to imply some if not all of the same technology for focusing (though it might be just the sensor).

KAC

yes true, and i wonder why an 8 month old camera hasn't been reviewed at dpreview.com

cwphoto wrote in post #3891513
With all due respect, yes.

Ok, then. So, you must be the guy who has followed me in every shoot.

BTW: please remove the ad from your sig. Advertising is only allowed via Google Ads.