Advice needed: Possibility to improve IQby sending to Canon service department?

[xps]

Need some advice:

For an trip around the globe, I bought an new 5DIII this week. But the images are very softvand not sharp. IQ of the 5DIIIs of other members of our local photo club are visibly better. I used wide angle lenses. 16-35 2.8 and the 12-24mm Tokina.
Is there an possibility to imptove IQ by sending it to Canon, or should I give it back and get the money refunded?
This is the second time, I have this problme in the last 3 years....

Or should I buy an D600 with an wideangle eg... lens?

 

[Loswr]

Visibly better with the same lens(es) and same post processing? How are you focusing?

 

[digital paradise]

Samples?

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Have you tried AFMA? Cameras normally are not responsible for soft images, but autofocus accuracy is the common culprit.

Its very difficult to sort out issues with third party lenses, since both the camera and the lens cam be off but in tolerance but the error is cumulative.

You can test autofocus accuracy, your camera club might have someone to help you.


The 5D MK III has AFMA capability so you can fine tune each lens to give you the sharpest image. Use it first.

 

[RGF]

Have you had tack sharp images before? What is the shutter speed? What is the iso? Have you tried someone else's lens that you know to be sharp? On a tripod, critically focussed, ...?

Lot of things could cause softness. We need a lot more information

 

[Ivan Muller]

yes its very possible and a good idea.

 

[xps]

Thanks for the replies!
As I thought, the unsharpness ist not produced by the lenses (we checked it today by using them on other Cams)...
The unsharpness only appears at about f<30mm and mainly in the outer parts of the pics. Center is ok.
Like using an duto-lens unsharpnessfilter on my shots.
Appears at manual and automatic focussing.
The AFMA is an very good idea, but I don not have the knowlgedge and equipment to perform ist by myself. Canon is able to do this, but this is no standard procedure.

I phoned the Canon Support.
They offered an camera service.
BUT then I will not be able to return it to the seller, if the Canon service is not able to repair this problem!
So it is the best, if I give it back and get my money refunded.

 

[Atonegro]

I have seen this before on a camera of a friend of mine.
Even with focusing with live-view, the foto's were not sharp, there was a clearly visible difference in sharpness between the live-view image and the image from the foto in playback.
Strange was that it was no focus-problem, there was not any distance sharp in the images.

We solved the problem by resetting the camera to factory-settings. (in the menu)
We don't know what the problem was, but he has had no issues since then.

 

[acoll123]

When I first got my 5DIII (brand new from B&H) I noticed the photos were not as sharp as the ones taken with my 5DII using the same lenses - a lot of back-focsing. I eventually noticed that the global setting for AFMA was set to +7. I don't recall changing that setting but may have inadvertently. I set it back to 0 and cleared everything right up (pun intended).

Recently, I used the dot-tune method to AFMA my cameras and all of my lenses individually - one of my lenses (70-200 2.8) seems noticeably sharper with a +4 adjustment at both 200 and 70. The other lenses seem slightly sharper (may just be be my imagination). Regardless, it was worth an hour of my time and NO expense using that method.

 

[CharlieB]

My 7D was all over the place with focus... just terrible depending on the lens used. Making things worse, one lens, an old EF 28/2.8 was a "poison lens". Once that lens was mounted, everything after that, regardless of the lens used, was out of focus by a whole lot. From removal of batteries and complete reset, most lenses had focusing issues, but they were just a little soft. After the 28/2.8 was attached, all the lenses would be out of calibration. They seemed to do ok at about medium distance, but were way off at infinity and way off at say, four or five feet. Things went to front focus to normal, to back focus --- from far to near.

Since the lenses worked fine on the 5Dii, I just sent the camera to Canon. They changed a lot of stuff, new focusing sensor, new card slot, new release button... and one other item. Whatever they did, it came back great. Some lenses still need AFMA (camera seems to front focus a bit) but its correctable with only a few units of adjustment on any lens that requires it. And, the 28/2.8 while not a super great lens, is no longer "poison" on this body.

 

[xps]

I phoned with Canon support. On Thursday I got an answer. It seemed to be a little bit difficult. There was no definitiv commitment that they will be able to correct the weakness.
So I sent it back.

But it is an great and fast camera.

 

[spinworkxroy]

It is indeed a strange issue..i wonder if Canon has some QC problems. So far all the 5D3 owners that i know of don'thave sharpness issues....although we all wished it has more resolution...22mp isn't enough sometimes...not often...
BUt we never had issues with sharpness. Maybe it's because you're shooting with wideangle lenses wide open? You mentioned center is ok but nor corners..maybe thats why....if the corners are still soft at f8 and up then you do have a camera or lens problem.