5DIII Partial banding

[StephenHopkins]

I searched the forums and didnt find anything like this, I apologize if I missed it and has already been covered.

I recently covered an event and while using my 5dIII and Canon EF28-70mm f/2.8L USM and noticed some unusual banding. On several pictures it has horizontal banding but only through part of the photo, after which there is none or it resumes after a random point. I did not experience any issue with my 70-200 f/2.8 at identical settings. Is this something the lens can cause or something more serious? I've never experienced this before with any of my cameras, lens, settings, or venues so it has me a bit concerned.


Most obvious in the black hoodie top right and then restarts below the truck

Black banner, above word is banded, below is not.

 

[traveller]

I'm no expert, but if it only happens with this lens, then it could be some kind of interference from the lens' autofocus motor. It shouldn't happen, but the 28-70 f/2.8 L USM is a bit long in the tooth, so it could that be something is failing. I would try contacting Canon to see what their opinion would be, they might be able to help.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

It looks to be pretty much through out the top photo, sometimes hidden by the colors.

If it only occurred at the one time/ place, I'd suspect lighting or some other interference. If it happens in other photos with other lenses, you can narrow it down to a camera issue. Be sure to march shutter speeds, it could be a shutter issue, but unlikely.

 

[StephenHopkins]

With identical settings nothing showed up with the 70-200 f2.8 so Im fairly certain it is lens related. Thanks for the response's, I think I'll hit up canon and see what they say but I'm certain it'll be like traveler said with the lens being so long in the tooth its probably causing some interference.

 

[global pillage]

I have had very similar problem before. In my case, it was the event lighting at a dirt race track at night. Several discharge sources (mercury vapor in my case) being slightly out of phase and bulbs of different makes/ages/models. When I would shoot above a certain shutter speed (can't remember now, but certainly above 60th as these bulbs generally cycle at 60hz) I would get noticeable banding. When I went slower, for blur, there would be no banding but each image had a different color cast from the different light sources interacting, making global corrections impossible. Super irritating. The fact that it didn't happen with a different lens is a curveball, though, for my theory.

 

[StephenHopkins]

I have had very similar problem before. In my case, it was the event lighting at a dirt race track at night. Several discharge sources (mercury vapor in my case) being slightly out of phase and bulbs of different makes/ages/models. When I would shoot above a certain shutter speed (can't remember now, but certainly above 60th as these bulbs generally cycle at 60hz) I would get noticeable banding. When I went slower, for blur, there would be no banding but each image had a different color cast from the different light sources interacting, making global corrections impossible. Super irritating. The fact that it didn't happen with a different lens is a curveball, though, for my theory.

However I was in a completely different spot which could lend to your theory. For the banding shot I was working under different lights than I did with the longer lens. The facility lights were hardly new at that. As I recall I was sitting in the middleish of two lights for the banding. For the others I was mainly outside the light source with the object underneath.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I have had very similar problem before. In my case, it was the event lighting at a dirt race track at night. Several discharge sources (mercury vapor in my case) being slightly out of phase and bulbs of different makes/ages/models. When I would shoot above a certain shutter speed (can't remember now, but certainly above 60th as these bulbs generally cycle at 60hz) I would get noticeable banding. When I went slower, for blur, there would be no banding but each image had a different color cast from the different light sources interacting, making global corrections impossible. Super irritating. The fact that it didn't happen with a different lens is a curveball, though, for my theory.

If there is a issue that could be caused by the lens, it should be simple to take more shots with different lighting at the same shutter speeds. I can't think of a lens issue that would cause the banding, it would be a surprise if it was, but its easy to check.

Event lighting, on the other hand is notorious for causing weird effects and is much more likely to be the issue.
However I was in a completely different spot which could lend to your theory. For the banding shot I was working under different lights than I did with the longer lens. The facility lights were hardly new at that. As I recall I was sitting in the middleish of two lights for the banding. For the others I was mainly outside the light source with the object underneath.