Canon, STOP shipping defective products!!!

[simonxu11]

It will affect a miniscule minor fraction of 5D III users who have bought one of the cameras with the specified serial numbers, and anyone who buys a camera with a 3 or greater in the 6th digit of the serial number will NOT experience the problem because it has been fixed. This is NOT a recall-worthy issue. It is a minor service call issue that can be fixed IF YOU CHOOSE TO!!

Well, I sincerely hope the one you will be receiving has a series number with a "3 or greater". I expect you and many others will receive a "1" or "2". The only thing I asked Canon to do is from now on, only ship the fixed units.

At least on Chinese market, Canon decided to put a white mark inside the cf door for the unaffected cameras to tell the customers who get the cameras with "1" or "2".

[michi]

The only problem I see for those who own he affected cameras is that one day, when they are going to sell them on EBay or Craigslist, they may have a harder time selling them or getting the same amount of money for them.  Chances are, someone is going to ask you, is this one of the first ones or has it been fixed?  For that and only that reason would I have my 5DIII fixed or return it for a newer one.  I'm not saying it's justified, I'm just saying that is what may happen.

[aznpoet]

Canon says: Regarding Canon 5D Mark III “Light Leak” ...

Under ALMOST all shooting conditions (including dark environments) this phenomenon will not affect your captured images.    In extremely dark environments, if the LCD panel illuminates, the displayed exposure value MAY change.   However, based on the results of extensive testing this change in exposure value will NOT NOTICEABLY affect the captured image.    .... almost, may, noticeably ... no absolutes here.   

Canon is basically saying no big deal.

I'm not sure how to respond to that ...

[MRLinVA]

Or it will be like the 1st Gen iPod, that Apple recalled and replaced.  Try finding one on Ebay now - they are collector's items! 

[BobSanderson]

The blood is boiling fast on this thread I better retreat.

[Renato]

For me it more important that Canon STARTS shipping the new "fixed" version.  I have been waiting long enough for their silence and lack of action!!!

[rpt]

yawn.....

So right!

or mathematically stated:

(yawn) * 2 ^ 14.3

What the hell, I always suspected binary decimals existed - like area 51.725934772173333333333333...

[itsnotmeyouknow]

For me it's a non issue.  A camera meter is never 100% accurate which is why I often carry an incident meter (I sometimes shoot 120 roll with a Fuji or a Mamiya 6 x 7 rangefinder without a built in meter.  Incident meters are usually far more accurate. 

I'm not going to send mine in specifically. I might, however just mention on a routine service that it hasn't yet had the fix.  After all if they are going to open it up anyway....

[rpt]

For me it's a non issue.  A camera meter is never 100% accurate which is why I often carry an incident meter (I sometimes shoot 120 roll with a Fuji or a Mamiya 6 x 7 rangefinder without a built in meter.  Incident meters are usually far more accurate. 

I'm not going to send mine in specifically. I might, however just mention on a routine service that it hasn't yet had the fix.  After all if they are going to open it up anyway....

120! I like the sound of that. These days when I say 120 most folks think I am talking about the time and they wonder about the acuracy of my watch...

[itsnotmeyouknow]

For me it's a non issue.  A camera meter is never 100% accurate which is why I often carry an incident meter (I sometimes shoot 120 roll with a Fuji or a Mamiya 6 x 7 rangefinder without a built in meter.  Incident meters are usually far more accurate. 

I'm not going to send mine in specifically. I might, however just mention on a routine service that it hasn't yet had the fix.  After all if they are going to open it up anyway....

120! I like the sound of that. These days when I say 120 most folks think I am talking about the time and they wonder about the acuracy of my watch...

I have the Pentax 645N (as well as the digital version) Mamiya Super Press 23 and the Fuji GX 67.  The Pentax is particularly good and the meter on it is great.  With Reala 100 you get some stunning colour.  Velvia 50 is more famous, but Reala has more range and lovely colours.

[briansquibb]

Have you found any instance in which it affects a photograph?  Have you, really? 

Actually, if you shoot in fairly low light AND either in Av/Tv mode then you can see the camera 'correcting' the exposure when the top LCD is switched on. There could be very few occasions when this could be a potential problem.
Am i worried about this issue? - Hell No!
Am i unhappy about it? - i would have to say yes. Not because this problem could affect my photos (now that i know of the *issue* i should remind myself to review the photos in  those very few occasions or alternatively shoot in M mode) but because i don't want anyone opening up my brand new camera that is < 1 month old. If only this *issue* wasn't there at all to start with.

Do like I do - look through the viewfinder to see the lcd settings, or shoot tethered using the EOS utility. I just dont turn that little light on.

[rpt]

For me it's a non issue.  A camera meter is never 100% accurate which is why I often carry an incident meter (I sometimes shoot 120 roll with a Fuji or a Mamiya 6 x 7 rangefinder without a built in meter.  Incident meters are usually far more accurate. 

I'm not going to send mine in specifically. I might, however just mention on a routine service that it hasn't yet had the fix.  After all if they are going to open it up anyway....

120! I like the sound of that. These days when I say 120 most folks think I am talking about the time and they wonder about the acuracy of my watch...

I have the Pentax 645N (as well as the digital version) Mamiya Super Press 23 and the Fuji GX 67.  The Pentax is particularly good and the meter on it is great.  With Reala 100 you get some stunning colour.  Velvia 50 is more famous, but Reala has more range and lovely colours.

Drool.....

What can I say, I went from MF (Russian MF - but I hope it counts; it worked great for 28 years till somebody smashed it...) to AE1 to 300D and now 5D3 - and I hope to get to MF sometime...

[PhilDrinkwater]

At least our batteries don't overheat lol

http://nikonrumors.com/2012/04/24/nikon-en-el15-rechargeable-li-ion-battery-recall.aspx/

[markd61]

I'm sorry you are unhappy.

But seriously, do you expect your role as an early adopter to be risk free? The demands of production today are such that if product got shipped only when perfect we would still be using adding machines and paintbrushes.

I  do not buy the first iteration of any product. Especially when the price premium is "defective" compared to the previous generation.

[wockawocka]

I can't help starting this new thread, because I want us loyal early adopters and all customers to be treated fairly by Canon.

First, I'v shooting Canon for 15 years. I have two 5D3’s. Neither of them showed any “noticeable” effect. Both of them are still within 30-day return period. I AM packing them up today and sending them back for full refund.

Canon’s response to this light leak issue is unacceptable. For a $3,500 camera for which many of us have waited and saved, Canon should STOP shipping the defective products immediately. Whether it affects real world shooting or not, it is a product with defect. If Canon wants to earn trust from its loyal and prospective customers, be bold and offer to swap out the defective units unconditionally free of charge.

I know many of us do not want to lose the camera for some short period of time and that's why we have been defending Canon including myself. BUT, forgiving the bad business practice can only encourage abuse of the customers.

Remember iPhone 4? Apple ultimately paid the price by issuing $15 to all its owners. Some lawyer is probably happily laughing right now when they saw Canon's response.

I am writing to Canon today. This is not the solution. And this is not over yet.

Wooo, hark at you and ya big pink purse.