Messages

1

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon fixed 5DIII light leak with tape

« on: May 02, 2012, 05:39:21 PM »

True story: If it weren't for duct tape, all the Apollo 13 astronauts would have died in space.

www.universetoday.com/63673/13-things-that-saved-apollo-13-part-10-duct-tape

Houston to V8Beast.....

The Apollo 13 mission was a bust.  There was an explosion in the service module that destroyed damn-near everything on service module and command module.  That entire mission was based on makeshift solutions.....including using duct tape.

With the 5D3, we are talking about a camera being manufactured on Earth, with an unlimited supply of parts for Canon.

If you can’t see the difference between the two scenarios, I don’t know what else to tell you.

2

EOS Bodies / What 5D Mark III is Canon shipping now?

« on: May 01, 2012, 03:08:07 PM »

Are they shipping serial numbers that have "1" or "2" as their sixth digit, that have been repaired (i.e. with the white dot on the battery door)?  Or are they shipping "3" serial number cameras?

3

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon, STOP shipping defective products!!!

« on: April 25, 2012, 11:24:20 AM »

I have yet to see an image where this supposed issue affected it, have you?

Plenty of videos on YouTube showing the problem when shooting at night, and auto-metering with the LCD backlight on...



Maybe you don't do a lot of night shooting - but the problem is certainly very real.  Canon wouldn't offer a fix if it wasn't.

This video makes it crystal clear that the “it’s-only-with-the-lens-cap-on” crowd is full of sh**.

....And yet, they keep repeating the same line, as if saying it more and more will make it true.

4

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon, STOP shipping defective products!!!

« on: April 25, 2012, 11:20:48 AM »

Ahh.. the righteousness indignation of the average user these days.

"How dare someone provide me with something that's not perfect. I mean, I know it'll never happen, but if it did my exposures might be a tiny tiny bit different".

Yep - well worth all of the fuss I'd say.

P.S If it's not clear, I've preordered mine and will lose not one second of sleep due to this complete non-issue.

Good for you.

The rest of us want cameras that didn’t have to be opened up and repaired to meet specs.

5

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon 5D Mark III Light Leak Resolution (Canon USA)

« on: April 23, 2012, 10:57:59 PM »

However, if you would like Canon to inspect your camera, we will provide this service free of charge upon request beginning in mid-May.

Bravo, Canon! Excellently handled by Canon, despite their foolish original statement. Hopefully now, those users who believe this to be an issue will leave these forums in peace.

To those who do send your camera in, do not expect that Canon will "fix" the "issue," but simply acknowledge that the camera is operational as they intended it to be. That is, I doubt they will actually change parts, but merely inspect in case your device is an anomaly and features an actually light leak issue not present in the wider community.

Now, let us put this to bed and start shooting.

That’s your interpretation of the matter.

My interpretation is that some of the 5D3s manufactured thus far have not been manufactured to specification.  Canon is basically saying these cameras are ‘good enough’ to be sold....but that’s really our call to make, isn’t it.

6

EOS Bodies / 5D Mark III light leak advisory gone from Canon website....

« on: April 23, 2012, 05:18:39 PM »

I wonder if this means they’ve determined how they’re going to fix the issue and will be posting a new advisory, or (hopefully not), they’ve concluded that it’s not an issue they want to address.  I’m kind of surprised they’d just remove the advisory altogether.

7

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III NOT Getting Recalled?

« on: April 23, 2012, 05:15:21 PM »

As a 5D Mark III owner and a long-time loyal Canon customer, I think the "flaw" doesn't affect my photographing but it DOES bother me. Who else would want a product at this sticker price to be flawed.. apparently?

I called Canon USA three days ago, and the gentleman said "Canon is working on it...  by end of April they'll have a resolution for this issue". I advised him I have until end of the month to return it back to the store.

This flaw has nothing to do with top LCD "light". It's the sealing of the body frame surrounding the top LCD panel that leaks light onto the AE sensor. All of my pictures when taken under bright sunlight came out 1/3 to 2/3-stop underexposed, but they could be adjusted using Lightroom. This problem is so obvious that I have observed since first day of use.

Could it be fixed with a firmware update? I doubt it. It's apparently a hardware design defect. Firmware wouldn't be able to tell whether the excessive light is from the lens or leaked through the top LCD sealing.

Is it a *non-issue* with only when the lens cap is on? Read my lips, it has nothing to do with lens cap!! You would be able to observe the auto exposure change by flashing a mini flashlight on top (while having the eyecap stuffed and lens intake not affected by the flashlight) or by switching on and off the top LCD light.

It IS an issue/defect. I want my unit replaced with a new hardware. I wouldn't accept it only refurbished or serviced. And Canon must replace existing owners before selling the refreshed hardware to new customers.

Good post.

These people who insist that the light leak isn’t an issue are displaying the typical mob mentality: trumpeting the same BS line (“it only occurs with the lens cap on”) over and over and over because other people are saying it, without demonstrating the slightest interest in considering the matter from a logical or scientific standpoint.  Clearly, the defect creates the potential for a situation where light getting through the LCD panel can cause an appreciable shift in the exposure.  This scenario is far from common, but from a logical standpoint (i.e. based on even a rudimentary understanding of physics and photography) it is a scenario that can occur.  And there are some examples of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF8CW723wEo&feature=player_embedded
	Small | Large

!

Canon knows it’s a problem, and that’s why an advisory has been put out and the flood 5D Mark IIIs has been brought to a screeching halt.  I can almost guarantee you that when Canon fixes this problem, they’ll see to it that not even a floodlight from Yankee Stadium pointed directly at the LCD screen from 1-foot away will alter the exposure.  This is a royal screw up on Canon's part, and you can be sure they’re going to want to fix it in a way that leaves no doubt whatsoever that it has been fixed.

8

EOS Bodies / So what exactly does the 5D Mark III lack in terms of video?

« on: April 22, 2012, 08:29:35 PM »

I have never used any of my DSLRs to shoot video, so I know next to nothing about it.  This is a topic about which I’m quite ignorant.

A lot of people complain that there are a lot of things the 5D Mark III lacks in terms of video.

I know that it doesn’t have uncompressed HDMI out, which (I’m guessing) means that you can’t hook it up to a TV and see the video in its full resolution.

What else does the 5D Mark III lack with regard to video?

9

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III NOT Getting Recalled?

« on: April 22, 2012, 04:23:42 PM »

a recall would be disasterous to Canon!

a recall would mean:

a) Canon would spend money on replacing and fixing the bodies
b) potential customers would think three times about purchasing it
c) admitting there is an issue, weakening their stance once lawsuits start being thrown around

the current issue with the bodies will be taken to court and there WILL be a lawsuit - but at this time, the collection of data is what is happening... a lawsuit is in the works, and Canon is now walking on eggs...

a recall would be suicide for Canon (but again, remember, you the customer are not that too important) - you should be ok in using the camera as it is!

What? No body will sue Canon. As I read from other posters (and 5DM3 owners I presume) that this is not an issue at all. What if little light leaked into a 'camera'? I bet early pinhole box cameras had some light leaks also . You guys just want everything 100% perfect? Just go out and shoot and don't forget not to turn on the LCD at night and you might also need to be carefull when direct sunlight hits the LCD while photographing subjects in the shadow.

Why don't we just put a black tape on the LCD and button, just to be in the safe side. CANON, don't bother with fixing this, you've got the nicest customer base ever. (sorry for the sarcastic post)

If it is not an issue at all, fine for Canon, but I am sure they have to fix it. To much is public now and in the most europeen countrys we have this customer protection, 2 years warranty and refund by dealer and company.
I think Canon will do a recall or a fix by firmware. That‘s normally not a to big deal for them. Better to fix it,
better reputation. S___ happens ;-).

But most buyers and owners are so angry and looking for a faulty camera, is the price they paid for. 3299,00€ for an update is something. No question the EOS 5D Mark III is a great camera, with an superherb AF- System, but for so much money they expected a flawlessly camera.

I am sure Canon didn‘t expect that Nikon come up with 36MP in an D800 :-)fo 2899,00€, but that's good for us Canon 5D MarkIII Buyers. That's put a bit more pressure to Canon to fix the Camera.

Have a nice Weekend

Warranty will cover faults only within the bounds of the design specifications. In this case, the camera operates as intended.

This light leak should not be considered a fault.

They intended for the LCD screen to be able to leak light into the body?

10

EOS Bodies / Re: STOP MAKING EXCUSES, THIS IS CANON PR's JOB

« on: April 20, 2012, 01:26:52 PM »

Sandman expressed he's uncomfortable with a reworked copy, and that's fair enough, depending on how invasive the fix is I'd probably feel the same way.

Well, a repair that requires them to open up the camera is pretty invasive in my book.

11

EOS Bodies / Re: Light leak on 5D3 IS a big issue, and should embarrass Canon

« on: April 20, 2012, 01:25:47 PM »

There is no defect

Ok, well, you go on thinking that.  That’s fine.  There are plenty of people (myself included) who think there is.  And more importantly, the people who actually make the camera think there is a defect - a defect that is, at very least, worth looking into and possibly correcting.

So no matter how much you insist that there’s no problem, there are people whose opinions deserve more weight than yours saying that there is.

12

EOS Bodies / Re: Light leak on 5D3 IS a big issue, and should embarrass Canon

« on: April 19, 2012, 11:36:54 PM »

You are missing the point... It isn't a flaw or a fault. The product behaves as it was intended to by the designers. Try it for yourself, if you don't believe me. If you don't have the camera or have not used someone else's under reasonable shooting conditions (ie. without a lens cap on), then reserve your comments until you have first hand experience.

And just out of curiosity, Canon intended for the LCD panel to leak light into the meter?

I really hope you are joking and not just dense...

I doubt they intended for the LCD to leak, but the consequences of the leak do not warrant you screaming from the rooftops that the camera is a dud. The device meter operates as intended, thus it has not been jeopardised by the LCD leak - therefore, the camera as a whole (at least in relation to this particular issue), is not faulty.

I was trying to be sarcastic, yes.

I’m not screaming off the rooftops saying the camera is a dud.  I think it’s a great camera - which is why I chose it over the D800, in fact.  But I also think it has a problem that needs to be fixed.

You’re really looking at this issue the wrong way.  What’s significant here is not that the defect only produces a problem in ‘extreme’, rarely-encountered environments.  What’s significant here is that the defect is a very minor, easily-corrected one.  Making the LCD panel more light-proof.  It’s a defect that should never have existed in the first place - it’s that easy to do if one pays a little attention.  THAT is why it behooves Canon to fix it.  We’re not talking about a shutter mechanism blasting away at 14 frames/sec that hesitates once or twice after 30 continuous actuations, or a buffer that sometimes fills up quicker than expected.  We’re talking about blocking out light a little better - a very simple task.

13

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon is getting owned in sensor technology

« on: April 19, 2012, 11:24:36 PM »

Okay, we can cry bias and be in complete denial, but Canon has inferior sensor from the early 2000! Their tech is a decade behind than Nikon. When will they start accepting the fact and invest a little more? It used to be Canon could at least claim "we have high megapixels", but now they can only claim "DXO is biased".

We need competition, otherwise Nikon will become stagnant, just like Canon has become. Sorry for the rant, not trying to rub salt on our collective Canon wounds.

If I’m not mistaken, Sony makes the sensor for the D800.

Canon keeps its sensor research and development in-house, which I think has its advantages.

14

EOS Bodies / Re: Light leak on 5D3 IS a big issue, and should embarrass Canon

« on: April 19, 2012, 05:50:51 PM »

Anybody who returns a camera just to re-purchase it later, rather than get a repair, is not allowed to complain about Canon's raise in price.

But I don’t intend to re-purchase it later.  I intend to purchase a different camera: i.e. the EOS 5D Mark III that doesn’t let ambient light hit the meter.  That’s a different camera than the one I purchased a couple days ago.

Your re-purchased "different" 5d3 will have simply gone through the same repair job that they'll offer on your current model. Somewhere there's a huge stockpile of the cameras getting prepared for modifications. Depending on how long it takes them to revamp their production line, I'm afraid you may never know if your 5d3 was ever touched by a technician's hands.  I think you are best skipping this generation or at least asking for a tour of the factory in Japan before purchasing a new model. This way you will know for certain that Japanese hands enacted the fix in the middle of the assembly line, rather than at the end.

I will patiently wait for Canon's repair information before I get back to work doing my true passion... Taking photos deep in the belly of caves with a motorcycle's headlight strapped downward, into the camera's top LCD screen.

Incorrect, sir.  I will wait long enough to be nearly certain that the existing stock of defective cameras is gone.  And if by some chance I get one that looks like it has been opened up and repaired, I’ll return that one too.  I realize that may sound unreasonable to you, but in my line of work, I know that repaired devices (especially more complex devices) are more prone to problems than ones made correctly the first time around.

15

EOS Bodies / Re: Light leak on 5D3 IS a big issue, and should embarrass Canon

« on: April 19, 2012, 01:53:43 PM »

 

As noted, nothing is perfect. That you seem to misunderstand, but as I said earlier it's all part of the blame culture we have now.

As an aside, complete guesses on your part:
Visual damage with a repair
Further problems from a repair
They knew about the problem

To be honest we're at completely opposite ends of a very very long room, so there's no point in discussing it further. As far as I'm concerned you can carry on believing that the world should be perfect. Me? I'll go out and take some photos.

Light leaking through the camera body is not an imperfection.  It’s a defect in every sense of the word.  I’ll bet a million bucks Canon intended for that LCD panel to block out all ambient light, and that this light leak problem is something inadvertent and unforeseen.