5DIII AF Point Issue (addendum..resolution)

[AvTvM]

Re: 5DIII AF Point Issue

... It's worth noting that the actual area of the AF point on the AF sensor is larger than the little box in the viewfinder. Spot AF uses a smaller area of the AF point, but even that is slightly larger than the box in the VF (the main box, not the smaller inset box that indicates Spot AF).

This is something I have been loathe of forever! Why camera makers don't show AF-markings in the viewfinder (or on LCD) that exactly correspond to the true size of the real AF-Sensors? Probably to cover up for all that misalignment inherent with the very design of mirrorslapper cameras. Moving mirrors and submirrors pl,us a number of separate planes ... AF-sensor, imaging-sensor, mattescreen, transmissive LCD, viewfinder image ... with a big fat prism (or a mirrored hollow space) in between.

But even in mirrorless cameras, I find AF-field markings WAY smaller than the actual AF-sensor. e.g. in the EOS-M. It irks me all the time, since it contributes to the blasted thing focusing on contrasty fecnces in the background rather than on soft faces in the foreground. :

 

[infared]

Re: 5DIII AF Point Issue

OK....so I talked to the Canon repair facility near where I live this morning...I am going to drop by and drop my camera off this week. My Focus-Point shift is enough that it bothers me...I think I should have more precision than that, as photography is a very precise craft. The Canon website says it will take about one week for the repair....but whatever it is I will post the outcome here. I am curious as to how this gets resolved or will Canon just say...."Hey, you are in the slop-factor parameters" ....and not fix it. We shall see. Thanks again for all the input everyone! ;D

 

[infared]

Re: 5DIII AF Point Issue

OK...I dropped my camera off last week on Wednesday (Christmas Eve) I think..and considering it was Christmas week...I am AMAZED to say that I picked up my camera today!!!! They were closed Thurs. and Friday...so that is like a TWO BUSINESS DAY turnaround....AMAZING
OK...so I thought that this was weird..when I dropped the camera off...I paid in advance?????
$234.33.. Including tax. I don't think that is too bad...I have had the camera for almost 3 years, and it has been around the block. Canon cleaned the sensor, updated the firmware (I thought that I was up to date...but whatever)...and my focus point alignment issue seems to be rectified.
Just got back to my computer after my trip to Canon...and I had an email from one of the galleries I hang my work in and they have a check for me (to pay for the repairs!!!!! LOL!)...so it all firing today!!! YEAH!!!
That's all for now....

 

[neuroanatomist]

That's great! Thanks for posting the follow up...

 

[tpatana]

Stop scaring me!

Had to try mine. It was almost dead on. However, using the 24-105, if I turned off the IS, then the AF point always shifted ~1/5 upwards. Strange. Did about 10 both ways, IS-ON was ok, IS-OFF was slightly up always.

Btw., what's the FW they installed? Wouldn't be the first time the service uses pre-release of something that's coming out in public some time later.

If's it's different than what we have, you need to go through all menus to check if you can find any changes.

 

[infared]

Stop scaring me!

Had to try mine. It was almost dead on. However, using the 24-105, if I turned off the IS, then the AF point always shifted ~1/5 upwards. Strange. Did about 10 both ways, IS-ON was ok, IS-OFF was slightly up always.

Btw., what's the FW they installed? Wouldn't be the first time the service uses pre-release of something that's coming out in public some time later.

If's it's different than what we have, you need to go through all menus to check if you can find any changes.

Checked the firmware..it's just version 1.2.3, which is what is on the street now. I keep up on that...but the latest version had no benefits for me and my lenses...so I hadn't loaded it....so no happy surprises!

 

[josephandrews222]

Stop scaring me!

Had to try mine. It was almost dead on. However, using the 24-105, if I turned off the IS, then the AF point always shifted ~1/5 upwards. Strange. Did about 10 both ways, IS-ON was ok, IS-OFF was slightly up always.

Btw., what's the FW they installed? Wouldn't be the first time the service uses pre-release of something that's coming out in public some time later.

If's it's different than what we have, you need to go through all menus to check if you can find any changes.

...tried mine as well (using the viewfinder and center-point, and live-view and center-point)...and ended up having to google 'parallax view' (not the movie!).

My 5dMkIII is perfect using live-view LCD center-point focus, but depending on the position of my eye at the viewfinder I could induce a bit of parallax which caused just a bit of off-set in the downward and left-hand direction. I wear prescription lenses and I suspect this contributes to the problem, too.

So I think it is worth testing this AF Point Issue using the LCD and live-view before sending your body off to Canon.