You keep saying this but are always unable to post a photo illustrating it, whenever you are asked for one, or the percentage of your images you loose to it, you leave the thread.
Can we see some of these real world images that you consider unusable?
hang in there, I have a busy life - can't spare a lot of time on testing and publishing beyond my initial research for equipment validation. I already spend too much time here, but it's a good site with some smart folk sharing their knowledge.

I now have permission from the subjects to show their photos if I suitably anonymize them.
I also have to look at the multistep workflow I used which was likely something like DPP to TIFF, PS to do some content editing, LR for final finish. Would not want to make a mistake on what went on there, if possible.
OTOH, the midtone banding examples were from landscape shots w version 1.24 firmware and was where I first noticed the problem that had me stuff the camera in a drawer for a year, miffed at the noise for the $ I spent on it.
With whatever FW i have now, 2.09 I think, i just shot some blank wall last nite and midtone banding is still visible.
is it UNUSABLE?..
if printing large smooth scenes then yes,
to me it is. Unless i do some localized NR in PP.
Point is, I should not HAVE to do this with a camera that cost this much when older, cheaper ones like my 40D, did not show this problem.
if a highly textured image, not a problem.
clear blue sky - can be a problem. I'll try find some of that too.
also ran into the metering glitch that sometimes popped up
So yes, I'll start a 5d Mark II bashing topic. preferably after I sell the darn thing.
