Thoughts on the New EOS-1D X Firmware 1.1.1

[Bosman]

Im sorry if this sounds whiney but, Canon sure seems to drag their heels with the 5dm3...The 7d gets firmware almost every half year, don't quote me on that...I just don't understand when they have the tech to make changes and they are focussed on the next thing before finishing what they started. I have missed several shots at receptions do to a changed situation meaning the next i failed with the focus point. Now id like to think i never miss but i guess i have relied on that blink to tell me if the first shot didn't cut it and that i need a second shot. Well half happy for the 1dx crowd, half unhappy for them since they have to have servo on to use it. I shoot single shot for weddings and only occasionally hit the dof button for servo. If they don't take it all the way with the 5dm3 i'll be pretty disappointed. Still i realize i need to adapt it just more of a challenge since the 1dm3 i second body shoot with gives me what i want, on the 5dm3 doesn't nothing visual pre-shot unless i have time to reach up for confirmation.

[Etienne]

Im sorry if this sounds whiney but, Canon sure seems to drag their heels with the 5dm3...The 7d gets firmware almost every half year, don't quote me on that...I just don't understand when they have the tech to make changes and they are focussed on the next thing before finishing what they started. I have missed several shots at receptions do to a changed situation meaning the next i failed with the focus point. Now id like to think i never miss but i guess i have relied on that blink to tell me if the first shot didn't cut it and that i need a second shot. Well half happy for the 1dx crowd, half unhappy for them since they have to have servo on to use it. I shoot single shot for weddings and only occasionally hit the dof button for servo. If they don't take it all the way with the 5dm3 i'll be pretty disappointed. Still i realize i need to adapt it just more of a challenge since the 1dm3 i second body shoot with gives me what i want, on the 5dm3 doesn't nothing visual pre-shot unless i have time to reach up for confirmation.

7D owners were pretty peeved a couple of years ago when the 5DII got a firmware update that gave us manual audio, and some other goodies, well-before the 7D. So I doubt that Canon will ignore the 5DIII.

[kidcharles]

The fact that Canon hasn’t updated both cameras at the same time tells me there are indeed differences in the AF systems.

I think that's a little naive. I think it is actually much more likely, despite it being technically possible, that they would leave out f/8 autofocus on the 5D Mark III to differentiate it from the 1DX so they will get more 1DX sales. My only hope as a 5D Mark III owner is that the fact that the Nikon D800 has this feature will lead Canon to (reluctantly) add it. Competition is good!

[instaimage]

The "blinking" on mine is refocusing... each time it achieves focus it "blinks", which for AI Servo is all the time if you're moving at all... which is what it's supposed to do...

Does this have the effect of making the AF point blink on/off very rapidly -- more rapidly than "half-second on, half-second off"?

Yes, they blink every time the camera achieves focus so if you're moving or the subject is moving (hence why you use AI Servo...) it blinks...

[Speed]

There is more to this blinking than is normal.  My wife's IDX performs perfectly & just blinks once when focus is achieved.
Mine however blinks constantly, less brightly & even when I don't have my finger on the shutter button.

[AmbientLight]

Do you run both 1D-Xs with the exact same settings? I also experience the blink once upon achieving focus and of course I am quite happy with it. Different configuration settings and corresponding camera usage may still result in different behaviour, but since you are a couple, you should be able to sort this out pretty quickly. If you double-check your configurations are exactly the same and how you use the cameras is exactly the same, does it still come out with different results?

I am just wondering here, because it appears to be quite strange to experience such different results without something actually being different. You should run some tests here and if you do find something strange, it would be a good idea to have CPS see to it.

[Speed]

The problem occurs with the exact same settings.  I loaded the config from one camera to the other.

[JaxPhotoBuff]

The problem occurs with the exact same settings.  I loaded the config from one camera to the other.

I am having the exact same issue described by Speed.  Frequent "subdued" flashing of the entire grid plus the AF Point, not just the AF point, and it flashes even when you are not actively auto-focusing in AI Servo.

[Speed]

I sent an email to Canon support so hopefully I'll hear back from them soon.

[Jan van Holten]

Autofocus at F8 is great, but the blinking red light is terrible and certainly not usable for people suffering from schizophrenic ( no joke and no I'am not ) )  Make it solid, nobody complained about it with former cameras. It's not logical thinking. Must be a smaller problem to fix then to achieve the AF-F8 problem.

Jan

[Jan van Holten]

Autofocus at F8 is great, but the blinking red light is terrible and certainly not usable for people suffering from schizophrenic and epilepsy ( no joke and no I'am not ) )  Make it solid, nobody complained about it with former cameras. It's not logical thinking. Must be a smaller problem to fix then to achieve the AF-F8 problem.

Jan

In regard to an article, the red light can foolisch the lightning meter in some cases,...... they think.
Oke, how large can be the effect and amongst what kind of conditions?

Make the light solid an provide the possibilty to turn it off or reduce the intensity of the red light

[neuroanatomist]

Make it solid, nobody complained about it with former cameras. It's not logical thinking. Must be a smaller problem to fix then to achieve the AF-F8 problem.

It's a technical problem.  Previous models used etched focus screens, so the points could be illuminated with a more focused light from a more oblique angle.  The AF points are on a transmissive LCD, and that required a more direct illumination angle with a broader light source.

[Jan van Holten]

Make it solid, nobody complained about it with former cameras. It's not logical thinking. Must be a smaller problem to fix then to achieve the AF-F8 problem.

It's a technical problem.  Previous models used etched focus screens, so the points could be illuminated with a more focused light from a more oblique angle.  The AF points are on a transmissive LCD, and that required a more direct illumination angle with a broader light source.

You seems to know the technical aspects!! What was wrong with the former system???
Black focuspoints are much less usable then red ones in certain conditions. And that is what it's all about.
If a new system is developed, make sure it is a better one, at least as userfriendly as the former one.

Jan

[neuroanatomist]

What was wrong with the former system???
Black focuspoints are much less usable then red ones in certain conditions. And that is what it's all about.
If a new system is developed, make sure it is a better one, at least as userfriendly as the former one.

I think the point is versatility. With the etched screen, all the points are there, all the time (and 61 densely packed points is a lot!).  With the transmissive LCD, you can choose to display only the active point(s), there's an easy visual indicator of regular vs. spot AF vs. expansion, you have an on-demand viewfinder grid as opposed to needing to swap a focus screen, you can have the electronic level displayed in the VF, etc.

IMO, there are big advantages to the LCD. 

[Viggo]

Not sure if it's new with the new firmware, but anyone else experienced heavy underexpose with the 1d X and the 135 L?