Canon fixed 5DIII light leak with tape

[V8Beast]

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

[V8Beast]

Come to think of it, back in my large format camera days, we had light leak issues... if light was leaking into the bellows, we used gaffers tape.  There was also a huge defect where under bright sunny conditions, looking in the rear of the camera, you could barely see the image let alone focus, we had to use a cloth!  Can you believe that?  a white and black cloth?  and the manufacturer wouldn't even supply it, we had to buy our own!

You got ripped off. My 5DIII came with an assortment of 6x10 muslins. If I were you, I'd demand a refund!

[BDD]

There may be three species then: 1) untaped leaky originals 2) tape kludged originals and 3) revised design without tape.

Which of course may have resale implications, and pixel peepers arguing over which rev looks best...

I hope there's an "option 3' (revised design w/ no duct tape) and that some one will tell us when Canon starts shipping them. And how we'd tell if the camera version is the revised one. Likely via serial #.

I'm a bit surprised Canon actually used duct tape. I thought this was a joke when i first saw the pic. But once the top is back on I guess there's no way for the tape to come off. Nor will the sealed areas be compromised. At least I'd hope not. I'm not getting mine till the end of the year.

Come on Canon!! You can offer a more professional fix than this.

[bp]

"duct tape"?

I can feel the collective intelligence of the room dropping by the minute

[sheedoe]

"duct tape"?

I can feel the collective intelligence of the room dropping by the minute

Actually, it was pretty intelligent....for their bottom line. Imagine the cost of re-disigning hardware and then fixing all the current units. This was a very cost effective solution, and if you don't look under the hood, you can't even tell!

[bp]

"duct tape"?

I can feel the collective intelligence of the room dropping by the minute

Actually, it was pretty intelligent....for their bottom line. Imagine the cost of re-disigning hardware and then fixing all the current units. This was a very cost effective solution, and if you don't look under the hood, you can't even tell!

No, you misunderstand.  I'm totally fine with the fix - I'm also very familiar with the sort of adhesive/flexible plastic "tape" they use inside laptops/computers, etc...  But calling it "duct tape" is like saying that nasa-grade mylar is the same thing as reynolds wrap

[MrSandman]

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.

[BDD]

There doesn't need to be any kind of re-engineering to put some kind of effective and cheap cover instead of the "tape" (no matter what kind of quality tape it is). Must be some material they could have used instead without making it look cheap (not that most of us will be opening up our cameras to take a look). Still, I expect more from Canon. At least they didn't use bubble gum.

[bp]

Do you expect more from Apple, Dell, Nokia, insert ANY large scale electronics manufacturer here?  Which part of "this is common practice in electronics" doesn't make sense to you?

[PhilDrinkwater]

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.

<sigh> here's this common modern view that the world contains unlimited resources.
 It doesn't.

[RunAndGun]

It kind of cracks me up when people talk about/are worried about the resale value of a camera they just bought 37 seconds ago.  I have NEVER based any purchase decision on the future resale value it may have, whether it be a vehicle, a piece of gear or an iPod.  If you want one, buy it. Use it, ENJOY it.

As I'm one of the ones who mentioned I'm concerned/annoyed with it, I'll respond....Loss of value means reduced profits as that money has to come from somewhere. Even for hobbiest, it may make the difference on when/if they upgrade and what else they purchase. If I knew that after a 3 years, a 1dx and a 5d3 would both depreciate only $1000, I'd get the 1dx and everything beyond the $1000 would just be a deposit that I get back. On capital equipment, resale value is important. You wouldn't buy a $300,000 home believing it would only be worth have that in a year, would you?

As a professional, I can tell you I do not buy my equipment with re-sale value in mind.  It does not matter.  Is it nice to be able to sell a piece of gear after you no longer need it and get a nice little payday, yes, but the re-sale value of the equipment has nothing to do with my profits.  Using it helps me make profits.  If you don't like the value on a $3500 still camera dropping, then don't ever get into TV.  One of my HD cameras can be found used anywhere from $10K to $20K, now.  I purchased it just over five years ago new for $45K(body only).  Do you think I care? Nope.  Do you think any of my other friends that do the same thing do, either?  Nope.  It's part of the game.  Re-sale value means nothing.  You use the equipment to make money, AND you get to depreciate it(or just take it as a lump some, depending).  If you sell it for any significant amount of money down the road, it's just "found money".

[rlarsen]

I was at my local camera repair shop yesterday getting a tripod fixed and the tech mentioned that many digital cameras have tape inside to catch and hold loose dust.

The only thing that might concern me about the 5D tape mod is how it reacts to hot conditions.

I won't send mine in for the "fix", but if it ever goes to CPS for any service I'll let them decide what they want to do .

More exposures are effected by light through the eyepiece than the so-called "light leak". That's why the little rubber cover is attached to the  strap for when you run in front of the tripod to join the family portrait.

[V8Beast]

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

Of course there's a difference. In one situation, people's lives were on the line 250,000 miles from earth. In the other scenario, people are upset because they didn't get a solution as grandiose as they made the problem (light leak) out to be. Maybe that's because it was never really a grandiose problem.   

[neuroanatomist]

...they didn't get a solution as grandiose as they made the problem (light leak) out to be. Maybe that's because it was never really a grandiose problem.

What's your problem, dude?  The horrible, terrible, cataclysmic light leak problem has utterly ruined every photo I ever took with the lens cap in place on the 5DIII that I don't even have.  If you can't understand what a problem that is, I reallydon't know what else to tell you.

[BDD]

Bp,

If using "tape" in our gear really is normal I think it's one practice that should be stopped. So what if it's cost effective. Companies should be able to develop a nearly as cheap solution or material BESIDES using "tape". Be it camera manufacturers, hi-end HiFi, automobiles..etc. If you're okay with the knowledge that some kind of "tape" has been used in your gear fine. I'm sure it would bother most people.

As a temporary measure...if it solves a problem when you're in the field...sure. But for companies to do this??

Any how the light leak issue really isn't an issue in the end. At least Canon has addressed it with some kind of tape and possibly offering future models with some kind of mechanical fix (as some one suggested).