New EOS-1D Mark III Firmwares & Hardware recall/fix

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but for those of you who have not gotten error 99's, please be aware that this may not show up unless the camera is in cold conditions for over 1-2 hours; for example under 40 degrees F. I know 5 users of the 1d Mark III, including myself, that have had this happen.

Fortunately I caught mine doing this while it was still under my extended warranty from the submirror fix, before this service bulletin came out, some people have been paying to get this fixed.

To test, carry the camera with you outside where it is cold, or put it in your refrigerator for 1-2 hours. Do not shoot anything with the camera for at least 1 hour. When the camera gets cold, try taking a photo.

Zethar wrote in post #7477323
I installed the new firmware today and fired off some shots in the hockey arena. I have not had any problems with the AF (blue dot) and used about 60% outer focus point and 40% center focus point.

I found the AF to be as good as before for the center focus point but I am not sure if it is my imagination but my capture ratio for the outer focus points was better. Could this be true? I am skeptical and will have to give it some more time.

During my shoot I did get an err20 -- something I have never gotten before. It was resolved by powering down and restarting.

I am curious as to know what others have experienced with this new firmware.

I Have not noticed any diffrence after 1000 shots with the new firmware,
I do mostly shoot center only but tried outer points so guess my mk3 was ok anyway.
Rob.

bobminton wrote in post #7479297
I don't know if this has been mentioned, but for those of you who have not gotten error 99's, please be aware that this may not show up unless the camera is in cold conditions for over 1-2 hours; for example under 40 degrees F. I know 5 users of the 1d Mark III, including myself, that have had this happen.

Fortunately I caught mine doing this while it was still under my extended warranty from the submirror fix, before this service bulletin came out, some people have been paying to get this fixed.

To test, carry the camera with you outside where it is cold, or put it in your refrigerator for 1-2 hours. Do not shoot anything with the camera for at least 1 hour. When the camera gets cold, try taking a photo.

I've not had this experience. My camera has been at room temperature when I got my error 99s. I don't thing temperature has anything to do with the error 99.

joepineapple wrote in post #7480086
I've not had this experience. My camera has been at room temperature when I got my error 99s. I don't thing temperature has anything to do with the error 99.

Actually it does on some bodies, I said MAY not show up. Mine worked flawlessly for a year and a half until I took it out for the first time in weather below 40 degrees without shooting for over an hour and then trying to use the camera. If you are shooting in the cold relatively frequently it doesn't do it, it has to sit for at least 30 minutes to an hour, in the cold, without being used. The minute the temp goes up above 40 degrees, the camera works flawlessly again. As i said 4 other other photographers (that I know of, there probably are more) have experienced this EXACT same problem - too many to be a coincidence. It is a mirrorbox issue on some units that does not show up above 40 degrees.

The point of my post is that there may be 1000's of the cameras that people think are OK because they don't use them when it is cold. My suggestion is to test them. Mine never got the error 99 when it was used indoors or in warmer weather.

I routinely shoot in weather MUCH colder than 40F all the time. 40F isn't even 0C. That's balmy up here.In fact, I've shot thousands of shots in -20C (our average temperature from Nov-March) or colder temps over almost 2 winters without an ERR99 ever. I've even done some limited shooting in -40C without a problem, other than the fact my hands nearly froze to the camera. I'm impressed because many cars wouldn't even start in that temperature, but my MK3 worked flawlessly!

(I also borrowed a MK3 from the local camera store and shot it for about an hour when it was -20C... no problems.)

Because of our long cold winters I actually do more shooting at below freezing temps than above.

Taken during a 2hr walk on the world's longest skate path at -20C

AkPhotos wrote in post #7477653
I just think its total crap that you have to enter your Serial # to get the update. Its a major pain in the ass to have to remove any QR brackets just to get the SR# and enter it. And then Canon CS wont even email it to you if you are a registared owner and contact them. Talk about POOR Customer Service. You would think after they kinda screwed all of us 1ds m3 owners with the new 5d M2 being almost identical for less than 1/3 the $$, they would try to be helpful to us. Going to give the Rep an earful when I see him tomorrow at the Iditarod!!!

Well I don't know about you but I have a list of all my gear along with the serial #'s in an Excel spreadsheet for quick insurance purposes should I need it, which makes finding serial numbers pretty easy when I need them. Since you have QR brackets permanently attached maybe jotting the numbers down somewhere might be easier the next time.

I have no idea why serial number verification is a requirement for only the 1D series bodys when downloading firmware but I'm sure giving the Canon rep grief isn't going to get it changed and will probably only make him less interested in helping you the next time you have an issue requiring assistance. He might be able to tell you why unless he's too busy defending himself from your "earfull"

Aside from them both having FF sensors I'm not really sure what makes you think the 5DII is the same camera as a 1DsIII.

bobminton wrote in post #7480211
Actually it does on some bodies, 40 degrees without shooting for over an hour and then trying to use the camera. .

Could be a factor. Mine is not too common, but I get ERR99 shooting fast sequences, sometimes the camera just stops, mostly when someone else had it, frustrating that is, and it took me a time too to realise it was doing something.

My camera clears itself

I was wondering if there is a soft copy somewhere of this so I can download and print out.

http://web.canon.jp …eosd/eos1dm3af/​index.html

Actually I found a source see...........

http://www.pressefotog​rafforbundet.d..._cfn_​guide.pdf

joepineapple wrote in post #7460973
OK Sorry this may be a repeat. I haven't checked this thread for 2 days when I first saw the firmware update. When did peeps get a notice that there was more than an update? I just got an email this moring about the specific error 99 message, which I am experiencing. I didn't know people were sending their cameras back for servicing. I just called my repair in, and they told me it would take 5 buisness days.

Question: Does anyone that sent in their camera for "repair" in the past month have the "fix"? Or do they have to resend again? I getting a little constipated thinking that this is another problem that got rolled into a firmware upgrade.

Allright, here's my story with the mkIII (S/N 5476xx) :

I had a Canon voucher that expired in a few mos. so I decided to use it before my "heavy shooting" started. The date I sent it in was Feb. 19th or so.
I asked them to clean, calibrate and lube the mkIII as well as replace any needed parts ( I knew they would send me an estimate forst anyway). The mkIII only has about 3100 shots on it.
So, off to Canon NJ it went. I had it back in about 7 days after being sent so I was pleased with the turn around. This is what Canon included in thier statement apon my receiving it back:

"Service Details:

Replaced Mirror box Asas'y and other parts. Adjusted exposure & focus, cleaned C-mos and checked all factory specs."

So to get a more definitive explanation, I called Canon and spoke with the rep. They are very nice every time I have called them so no complaints here on that. The rep said that the repairs on the mkIII was the same as the statement but that there was also a washer included in it's repair.
Um, ok, why wasn't the washer mentioned in the statement ?
At the bottom, it says I have a 6 mo warranty on the services performed.

Repairs complete on Feb. 25th, 2009.


Fast forward till now. I called Canon on Saturday (3/07) to see what they recomended on this new AF fix and do I need to send it in.
First thing tech asked me was whay my S/N was. I told them 5476xx. He replied " Well, it's in the range that MIGHT have a problem. I then explained to him that I just got it back about 2 weeks ago and I was wondering if this new AF fix was already done ? He stated for me to call back on Monday so they could get access to the work order so he could neither confirm nor deny that the NEW fix was applied. Shooting from the hip, he said that it was prolly not done. He said he would request a UPS label to be sent to me and I would get it early this week. This way I am in the "system" and if it doesn't need the fix, then no worries. I asked where would the mkIII be sent to. He said that all of these new af repairs are being sent to VA as they have set-up a special lab for this. WOW, I thought...
When he told me about my S/N being in the affected range, that really caught me off guard as I thought my S/N was not in the affected range ?
Now, I had a BB game on Saturday (3/08) and I use the AF point above center for these games. I would estimate that about 70% were in focus. The tech stated that anywhere around 80% is acceptable. Not sure where that % came from.
Now the good news....I asked about the mkIII being sent in for the original repair at the end of Feb. and having had to use my voucher. He said most likely, I will be refunded the full amount as the dates are so close to each other. We will see I guess but at this point, I just want the body to do what it is suppose to.
I like to see companies being proactive in fixes but someone else mentioned it earlier that if Canon does not address these issues, they will not only lose loyal cusotmers but maybe set themselves up for a class action lawsuit.
Stay tuned...

GerBee wrote in post #7480632
Could be a factor. Mine is not too common, but I get ERR99 shooting fast sequences, sometimes the camera just stops, mostly when someone else had it, frustrating that is, and it took me a time too to realise it was doing something.

My camera clears itself

Come to think of it, that's when I got my error 99s, during a fast sequence of shots.

SBK1 wrote in post #7482097
Allright, here's my story with the mkIII (S/N 5476xx) :

I like to see companies being proactive in fixes but someone else mentioned it earlier that if Canon does not address these issues, they will not only lose loyal cusotmers but maybe set themselves up for a class action lawsuit.
Stay tuned...

Wow - You are the person I was referring to in my earlier post. Funny how the first rep speculated that your body may be in the affected range and the second rep said it was. I wonder about the Canon reps sometimes, and if they shoot from the hip most of the time.

So it appears that you have to send in your body again...... I look forward to seeing what the new invoice will list as repaired or replaced. I have an earlier body, so it seems that the repair covers a large range of photographers.

Thanks for the info,
Joe P

Joe P.

I haven't sent it in yet. Still need to call Canon tomorrow morning to see what they can find out on what exactly was repaired at the end of Feb. I'm hoping that it was already taken care of but I highly doubt it. So when I read off my S/N to the rep, he said that # was in the affected range. So I am assummin that this repair is something entirely differnt than the mirror assembly fix ? Who knows...
I just want it "right" so when I d/load my pixx and they are OOF, I want it to be because of me, not the camera. I'd like to erase all doubt.
Hopefully, this repair will take care of alot of other users issues and put the mkIII issues to bed.....
Oh, the rep did say that it was not a RECALL, but something along the lines of a complimentary/customer fix/repair.

SBK1 wrote in post #7482097
I like to see companies being proactive in fixes but someone else mentioned it earlier that if Canon does not address these issues, they will not only lose loyal cusotmers but maybe set themselves up for a class action lawsuit.
Stay tuned...

Isn't that what they're doing though? Addressing the issue?

I've brought it up many times before but there are a few obstacles in Canon's way. First and foremost is that the information they're getting is that 'some' work perfectly and 'some' do not. How do you troubleshoot that?
Secondly, the great Microsoft XBOX 360 cluster, BILLIONS of dollars in sold 360's, each one pretty well destined for failure and it took about 3 years I think for resolution. Things don't move fast without accurate information or with so much money involved.

Mr. Clean wrote in post #7487415
Isn't that what they're doing though? Addressing the issue?

Absolutely, you are correct but I was just reinforcing the fact. No sarcasm intended so please don't read no more than what I stated........take care!