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

ChrisGill wrote in post #7754467
I was told by Canon UK yesterday that when the latest AF fixes have been done a "grey dot" is applied just by the battery terminals inside the battery chamber, as mine has!!

Chris Gill

It just isn't true.. (well universally at least!)

OMG,, no dots on mine. I'll have to paint them on or else I'll never be able to sell the camera.

Seriously, when will all this end? There must be hundreds of Canon service centres and agents worldwide and can we really expect all of them to mark the bodies (if at all) with the same paint, in the same place? As with a motor vehicle, I'd rather see some written confirmation of repair or upgrade.
Lets take pictures.....

So if I buy a new 1D MK III from Amazon / BH Photo today, will it have the hardware fix. Did canon remove all bad inventory from the shelves? Is there any way I can tell from the build date?

sf_loft wrote in post #7756708
So if I buy a new 1D MK III from Amazon / BH Photo today, will it have the hardware fix. Did canon remove all bad inventory from the shelves? Is there any way I can tell from the build date?

Who knows?
Logically you would hope that any current inventory would have the fix, in reality you just can't guarantee that that is correct.

ChrisGill wrote in post #7754467
I was told by Canon UK yesterday that when the latest AF fixes have been done a "grey dot" is applied just by the battery terminals inside the battery chamber, as mine has!!

Chris Gill

Nope, nothing in mine

Despite the lousy service at canon, I think I have to admit that my camera rocks even more than ever. The only thing I had an issue with was err99 issue. seems fixed now.

But In terms of these new AF adjustments, with the limitations known (from westfall's email), focus seems definitely snappier in decent light. I took some stuupid car-moving towards me, away from me, and across me... Tracking with all default cfn setting, is predictable and acceptable. I really don't need to post boring pics here ...

In oneshot mode, AF is ridiculous in low light. Awesome. I can't wait to go shoot at a small venue..

Happy camper.

Good to hear datadump. I hope I'm equally has happy when mine returns.
I still think we should start a thread or something with posts from disgruntled Canadian's who have had bad experiences with Canon's Service, then maybe print it off and send to a Canon VP.
Because, many, if not most of our experiences with them have been borderline ridiculous.

By the way I had a 2nd go around shooting sports today. This time in sunshine and again the camera worked great. I think it did worse then before but I also had a 400 5.6 instead of a 400 F2.8 on there which I believe makes a difference.

You can view images here if you're bored: http://matthewsauk.zen​folio.com …t_youth_soccer_​04_18_2009

ChrisGill wrote in post #7754467
I was told by Canon UK yesterday that when the latest AF fixes have been done a "grey dot" is applied just by the battery terminals inside the battery chamber, as mine has!!

Chris Gill

No dot for me either...

datadump wrote in post #7757081
Despite the lousy service at canon, I think I have to admit that my camera rocks even more than ever. The only thing I had an issue with was err99 issue. seems fixed now.

But In terms of these new AF adjustments, with the limitations known (from westfall's email), focus seems definitely snappier in decent light. I took some stuupid car-moving towards me, away from me, and across me... Tracking with all default cfn setting, is predictable and acceptable. I really don't need to post boring pics here ...

In oneshot mode, AF is ridiculous in low light. Awesome. I can't wait to go shoot at a small venue..

Happy camper.

Am I ever glad to hear this! Congrats.

sf_loft wrote in post #7756708
So if I buy a new 1D MK III from Amazon / BH Photo today, will it have the hardware fix. Did canon remove all bad inventory from the shelves? Is there any way I can tell from the build date?

They will be able to tell you buy the serial number if the hardware fix is needed, meaning if there is still any 1d3's out there that still need the sub mirror fix, the original focusing problem. This new AF sensitivity deal were the outer points are soft is totally untraceable. No serial number colored dot or marking will be able to tell if the AF sensitivity is calibrated to specs. See, some of the bodies left the manufacturer without being adjusted, they noticed this and put it on there web site. So to be safe, you send it in they check it out for free. But you need to call the service center and tell them that you think your cameras outer points are soft and it needs the AF Sensitivity Adjustment. They are paying for shipping both ways on my body. Once they get the camera and check the specs if it needs adjusting they do the test and adjust, if it passes the test then they do nothing and send it back. It is an untraceable fix unlike the sub-mirror fix where they fixed the problem and marked were they started fixing it from the factory with serial numbers.

drisley wrote in post #7757161
Good to hear datadump. I hope I'm equally has happy when mine returns.
I still think we should start a thread or something with posts from disgruntled Canadian's who have had bad experiences with Canon's Service, then maybe print it off and send to a Canon VP.
Because, many, if not most of our experiences with them have been borderline ridiculous.

Ugh. I'm almost tempted to ship my Mark 3 to a POTN member in the states to get it done. Do we even know if Canon Canada are doing the same fix as everyone else, let alone whether or not it's safe to send a camera to them?

I think the thread idea is a good one.

Perry,
I *think* they (mississauga joint) are doing the same AF outerpoint thing as the rest of the world. spoke to a service manager to get details of what they did and he seemed to explain the general idea about new calibration procedure from Canon they are doing to the cameras. Whatever they did, seems to be nice for me.

Collected my camera from Calumet after they had returned it for me last Saturday but have only just had chance today to give a try. I asked a neighbour if I could use her daughter to test out the fixes on the 1D Mk3.

I shot about 300 or so images at 12 o,clock today (not the best time) I did a range of testing from single shots, using AI Servo at 10 fps I shot at a few angles side on, from behind and what I believe to be one of the more challenging walking towards you. I am pleased to say that I did not have ONE image out of focus!! I believe now that this camera is as good as any camera on the market that is intended for this purpose. As you know I have never had any real problems with my 1D Mk3 but in testing today I shot a series from behind ( 16 images on a burst) all sharp but what has surprised me that even though shooting all of them at F/4.5, 1/800s and ISO 100 the clarity is superb, look at the ball in flight in the images below.

As stated these images were shot for test purposes and not for artistic values, they will not be appearing in my Golf Image Library. I used a Canon 24-105mm L Series lens.

Chris Gill

ChrisGill wrote in post #7762255
Collected my camera from Calumet after they had returned it for me last Saturday but have only just had chance today to give a try. I asked a neighbour if I could use her daughter to test out the fixes on the 1D Mk3.

I shot about 300 or so images at 12 o,clock today (not the best time) I did a range of testing from single shots, using AI Servo at 10 fps I shot at a few angles side on, from behind and what I believe to be one of the more challenging walking towards you. I am pleased to say that I did not have ONE image out of focus!! I believe now that this camera is as good as any camera on the market that is intended for this purpose. As you know I have never had any real problems with my 1D Mk3 but in testing today I shot a series from behind ( 16 images on a burst) all sharp but what has surprised me that even though shooting all of them at F/4.5, 1/800s and ISO 100 the clarity is superb, look at the ball in flight in the images below.

As stated these images were shot for test purposes and not for artistic values, they will not be appearing in my Golf Image Library. I used a Canon 24-105mm L Series lens.

Chris Gill

Correct me if I'm wrong, it happens, but I cannot see a lot in these images that would test the 1D's fix, which was the focusing, more speficially the AI-Servo mode. Unless you were focusing on the golf ball in which case it's hard to see in these images.

Perry Ge wrote in post #7761405
Ugh. I'm almost tempted to ship my Mark 3 to a POTN member in the states to get it done. Do we even know if Canon Canada are doing the same fix as everyone else, let alone whether or not it's safe to send a camera to them?

I think the thread idea is a good one.

I only WISH we could send to the US. Then I would have had my camera back weeks ago with the fix applied (instead of going on 5 weeks now with Canon uncertain as to whether or not they applied "the fix", and forgetting to update the firmware).