EOS-1D X & EOS-1D C Cold Weather Autofocus Issues

Canon Rumors Guy

Canon EOS 40D
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Jul 20, 2010
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We have been notified about a known issue within Canon on the Canon EOS-1D X and Canon EOS-1D C camera bodies and sometimes not autofocusing in cold weather situations. I have <a href="http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=14335.0" target="_blank">read about the issues on our own forum</a> as well as on others.</p>
<p>Below is an explanation of the issue we’ve received from an anonymous source, though no official service advisory has been issued by Canon.</p>
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<p><strong>Symptom:

</strong>Camera “does not autofocus”, “does not search in AF”, or “does not focus in AF search” depending on the reporter or the camera settings; specifically, the focus cannot be achieved in low temperatures (under 0 degree Celsius).</p>
<p><em>* Although there has been no reported occurrence on the EOS-1D C, the mechanical structure of the Mirror Box Ass’y is the same as the EOS-1DX, so the EOS-1D C is included in the affected product.</em></p>
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<p><strong>Cause:

</strong>This phenomenon is due to the Locking Claw of the Sub Mirror (mirror for AF) going over the Locking Pin. The Sub Mirror’s angle becomes deviated and the light rays for AF does not fall on the AF sensors, causing the “does not autofocus” phenomenon.</p>
<div id="attachment_16291" style="width: 585px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="http://www.canonrumors.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/1dxcold.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-16291" alt="EOS-1D X Mirrorbox Phenomenon in Cold Weather | Pre January 2013" src="http://www.canonrumors.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/1dxcold-575x356.jpg" width="575" height="356" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">EOS-1D X Mirrorbox Phenomenon in Cold Weather | Pre January 2013</p></div>
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<p><strong>Service of Affected Product:

</strong>To control the torque, the process to check the Locking Claw’s going over torque of Locking Pin has been newly incorporated. (From production on January 24)</p>
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<p><strong>Repair Procedure:

</strong>Handling of units in question: If the user complains about this specific phenomenon (does not autofocus in low temperature), replace the Mirror Box Ass’y with the ones to be shipped in the future (CY3-1661-010 or CY3-1687-010).</p>
<p><em><strong>Handling of general repairs: If the user does not mention this phenomenon, please handle as normal repair.</strong></em></p>
<p>The line directly above is of great concern to me. If you bought one of the earlier EOS-1D X cameras and live in a warm climate, you may never know the issues existed until you went to shoot in a cold climate.</p>
<p>The notice is dated January 2013, so I assume all cameras manufactured after that date would be unaffected. There is no serial number range that I can see, nor do we know how widespread the issue is. However, if you have experienced this phenomenon, you now know what it is.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">c</span>r</strong></p>
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Besisika

How can you stand out, if you do like evrybdy else
Mar 25, 2014
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I don't think this affects all 1DX, mine works flawlessly at -35Celcius. I live in Montreal, I have used it more than 5 times below -35 (pond hockey on a lake, barbegazzi for example) and more than 10 time below 0 (hockey games) this year and it autofocused without any issue. The only challenge is that you can't chimp after 5 min and you drain your batteries 3 times faster.
 
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GDub

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Besisika said:
I don't think this affects all 1DX, mine works flawlessly at -35Celcius. I live in Montreal, I have used it more than 5 times below -35 (pond hockey on a lake, barbegazzi for example)...

I also live in Montréal, and I don't recall any -35 C days this winter. There may have been a couple of nights that were +/- -30 C and several days that were +/- -20 C, but that's it. I know because I walk the city a LOT and when it gets down to and below -18 C, I don't go out except for short excursions--aka, for supplies. Just saying.
 
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GDub said:
Besisika said:
I don't think this affects all 1DX, mine works flawlessly at -35Celcius. I live in Montreal, I have used it more than 5 times below -35 (pond hockey on a lake, barbegazzi for example)...

I also live in Montréal, and I don't recall any -35 C days this winter. There may have been a couple of nights that were +/- -30 C and several days that were +/- -20 C, but that's it. I know because I walk the city a LOT and when it gets down to and below -18 C, I don't go out except for short excursions--aka, for supplies. Just saying.

I would guess that Besiska confused real temperatures with wind chill temperatures.

Wind chill only affects living beings, it does not affect the camera.
 
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I've used mine all winter in the Yukon Territory at -25C or so for hours on end. Also lots of shooting at slightly milder -10 to -5C and mine has never shown this error. I guess I'll just keep shooting and forget I ever read this ;D

EDIT: just read that this was a Jan 2013 memo. I had thought it was from this January. My 1DX is newer than that so no wonder I have no problems.
 
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Canon Rumors Guy

Canon EOS 40D
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Jul 20, 2010
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www.canonrumors.com
East Wind Photography said:
Well good luck folks! From canons website:

Working Temperature Range
32-104°F/0-40°C

Sometimes they work and sometimes they dont. Perhaps canon will fix the problem out of the kindness of their hearts which they do from time to time. However using it below working spec does give them an out if they so choose.

They have fixed the issue on cameras produced after January 2013, and they silently fix the camera if you take it in for service because of this issue, you probably get a "focus adjustment/calibration" as the work done.
 
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Canon Rumors said:
I updated the post to include the date the issue was reported internally at Canon, as well as a photo showing what the issue is.

I retract my concerns. Thanks to the moderator's update, the date of manufacture of my body is most likely out of the affected range. It really irks me when manufacturers put out these internal product advisories, but don't tell consumers.
 
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Mar 25, 2011
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dhachey77 said:
Canon Rumors said:
I updated the post to include the date the issue was reported internally at Canon, as well as a photo showing what the issue is.

I retract my concerns. Thanks to the moderator's update, the date of manufacture of my body is most likely out of the affected range. It really irks me when manufacturers put out these internal product advisories, but don't tell consumers.
Lawyers, on the other hand, love it. Hiding a problem is the stuff of class action lawsuits, and the attorneys always win.
 
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dhachey77 said:
Oh damn, I'm going to both Antarctica and Iceland later this year. How am I to determine if my 1D X is affected? Is there a serial number list to check? I haven't had any problems with it so far, but never really shot in really cold weather.

Put it in the freezer? ;)
 
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