The 5D Mark III Fix

[vlad]

As Roger showed in this article, the black tape is used extensively in 5D3.
http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/04/5d-iii-strip-tease

Oh my God, it's even worse than we thought!!  It seems that Canon, convinced by "users" that they can longer make a capable SLR, are focusing on making a camera made entirely out of tape!

[Dylan]

"In the year 2000, Audi releaser their Audi TT car. There was one problem. When going at fast speeds the car would lift off and flip, due to it's shape resembling an airplane wing. Audi had to think of a fix. They took your car back if you wanted, and put a spoiler on it. After a while it was costing too much to take all the cars back so they sent out the repair kits. It consisted of a spoiler and two (2) pieces of 3M double sided tape. There were no more problems with the car lifting off, and the spoiler never glued off. And I'm pretty sure it was exposed to the elements as well as heat and cold"


And you would be ok with someone sending out a repair kit to you to fix an issue that could kill someone? This is a pretty extreme comparison, but I appreciate your response. I know that a headlight isn't a wiring problem and tape is commonly used in circuitry. My point is that a Mickey Mouse job like this is a letdown to me as a consumer and what I pay for. So, I shall fall on my sword also.

[llcanon]

Interestingly, the Nikon guys seem to be good sports about this, and there isn't nearly the same amount of whining as there is on CR.

That's because flaws are expected for Nikon cameras while we the Canon users have been spoiled by the high quality products Canon has been producing. Just like Microsoft product, there is so much crap and you quit complaining about it. Accept it and move on. Let's just hope more 5D3's can be shipped out ASAP.

[jalbfb]

The D800 is hardly without flaws. The list of current complaints include:

1) Oil spots on the sensor
2) Fine scratches on the mirror
3) Soft focusing on the left side of the frame with certain lenses while the right side of the frame is tack sharp
4) Weird green tint on the LCD screen

Are any of these serious issue? Nope, but they'd annoy me a heck of a lot more than a light leak that won't actually affect any of my photos. Interestingly, the Nikon guys seem to be good sports about this, and there isn't nearly the same amount of whining as there is on CR.

Just curious, but has anyone read where a picture taken with the lens cap on, in the dark with the LCD light on reacts the same way in the D800 as the 5D3???  Not that it matters, but I have to agree scratched mirrors. oil spots, soft focusing with certain lenses is much more of a problem than this, IMO, silly light leak non issue.

[Cptn Rigo]

I know that a headlight isn't a wiring problem and tape is commonly used in circuitry. My point is that a Mickey Mouse job like this is a letdown to me as a consumer and what I pay for.

They should have sprayed a coat of unobtanium on it!!! right?? 

Just kidding man, but think about it, A complete assembly line with custom built parts made to perfectly fit inside this camera, so... which could be a "Non mickey mouse" solution for the light leak "issue"?

[sovietdoc]

I've been shooting with my 5D III for a month and light leak or not, this cam is absolutely fantastic.  I've tried measuring exposure in very bright light as seen on some youtube vids and it stays the same. 

And measuring exposure with lens cap on? Well, that's useless.  Plus there is always exposure comp and AE lock.  Durr.


Honestly, I do think $3500 is overpriced for what it is considering Nikon has put out one for 2 grand.  But having already spent that money, I don't regret a cent.  I think Canon has raised that price because they'll be releasing another FF body this year for around 2-3 grand but lower than 5D3

[swampler]

I guess we shouldn't buy cars that use Styrofoam for sound deadening material either!

[Dylan]

A non Mickey Mouse fix would be a new design that you would send in your camera  (free of cost) and replace the housing (for the select few that actually care to have it fixed) . Canon doesn't sit around a table developing a new camera and determine that their might be an issue with light leaking in and one person interjecting "we can throw some tape over it" and they would simply move on. But I also get that it's really not that big of a deal and "we complainers" are just complaining. Canon gouged everyone with this Camera and the "fix" you get is an insult. Yes, gouged. I don't see how the 5D3 is more expensive to manufacture than the D800 and $500 will almost get you the new 600EX-RT + $100 

[jalbfb]

A non Mickey Mouse fix would be a new design that you would send in your camera  (free of cost) and replace the housing (for the select few that actually care to have it fixed) . Canon doesn't sit around a table developing a new camera and determine that their might be an issue with light leaking in and one person interjecting "we can throw some tape over it" and they would simply move on. But I also get that it's really not that big of a deal and "we complainers" are just complaining. Canon gouged everyone with this Camera and the "fix" you get is an insult. Yes, gouged. I don't see how the 5D3 is more expensive to manufacture than the D800 and $500 will almost get you the new 600EX-RT + $100 

Let the buyer beware.  If those want to pay (I did) for the camera, they do so.  No one is holding a gun to our heads and saying you've got to buy one.  Is it over-priced?  Maybe/probably.  But the consumer market drives the cost and if enough people pay, then Canon will keep the cost as it is.  Apple set the bar higher for all of their computers as compared to PCs and now they're the largest company in the world.  Canon is just I following the "if you build it they will come" philosophy.  I'm not saying it's right or wrong or gouging or immoral.  It's capitalism.  Right now the market is bearing in their favor.  I realize this is a significant amount of money to pay for a camera period and that the $500 difference between this and the D800 is a lot to some people.  But when you figure in the extra cost for file storage for the larger MPs of the D800 that some will eventually have to pay a year or two down the road, then the $500 difference shrinks somewhat.  Did I wish the camera came in at 3K or less? YOU BET!  But it didn't. And I and many others made the decision, "Do I want it or do I need it" and forked out the dough (I happen to have sold my 5D2 so the cost was cut in half).  For me it was worth the cost and at the risk of repeating myself, I am totally satisfied with their response and fix of the "light-leak-non-issue." I think the problem was that they called the camera the "5d Mark III" when in fact it is an entirely new camera and should, in retrospect, probably been called something different.  would it still have been worth the 3500K??  Who know?  See "what the market will bear."

[TotoEC]

Me too!  I want one with tape . . . . and should be a BLACK TAPE!

[davidson]

, gouged. I don't see how the 5D3 is more expensive to manufacture than the D800

i'm pretty so no one on this forum actually knows what it cost for canon or nikon to manufacture their products, but everyone just assumes that because nikon set their PRICE at $3000 that their COST must be lower than that. unless we see the books of both companies this is all speculation because we do not know the cost structure of either product. i suspect (and this is speculation as well but i will not treat it as fact) that nikon is actually losing money on the D800 (meaning it cost more to manufacture than what they are selling it for) in an effort to gain market share, and make back money on lenses etc. canon may have raised the price to make room for another full frame model OR they may be trying to increase revenue to offset the damage done by the disasters they suffered last year. business strategies are a little more complex than what the average joe thinks of. its not always "make product X for $1000 and add an exorbitant profit becasue we can). my 2c

[prestonpalmer]

As Roger showed in this article, the black tape is used extensively in 5D3.
http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/04/5d-iii-strip-tease

Oh my God, it's even worse than we thought!!  It seems that Canon, convinced by "users" that they can longer make a capable SLR, are focusing on making a camera made entirely out of tape!

TAPE, In electronic equipment?! YOU CANT BE SERIOUS!!!! Lol.  Grow up guys.  The tape is a great way to fix the apparent "LIGHT LEAK" that you are all crying so much about.  The engineers are just trying to keep you guys happy when there wasn't even a problem to begin with!

[GDub]

CR most certainly increased ad revenue on his site with this non-issue. Good on ya mate!

[Danack]

I want one with tape . . . . and should be a BLACK TAPE!

I hear that if the tape has a red line across it, the camera takes better pictures.

[Dylan]

Is Canon holding a gun to my head and forcing me to purchase? I can see how if a Canon user is heavily invested and wants to keep up with the latest technology, then you are pretty much forced to pay or jump ship to a competitor that has a better price. Now I can see why Canon is capitalizing on that, but for those who are just entering photography and want to get a DSLR camera, who do you think they will choose with the craze over the D800 and if they are on a budget. In the long run, they will be losing out on long term customers because their pricing is higher. No matter what, Nikon is making money off the D800 individually and A LOT in the large quantities being sold. I'm with Canon and hope to stay that way. I have the new 24-70 on pre-order and I hope it's optically better than the new Tamron for the extra 1k.