MAJOR Issues with R3 After Firmware

[LSXPhotog]

I just used my R3 for the first time since the new firmware update and I immediately ran into issues on my first image. The camera froze up and gave me an error code, then it power cycled on its own and took the photo. This happened between 7-10 times today. I will be sending the camera into Canon first thing next week, as this is unacceptable and they need to find out what's going on with it.

I have well over 100,000 images taken on this camera with the original firmware and this has never happened before, so I know it must be related to the new firmware release.

Please share any of your experience with the firmware here, but I just wanted to let everyone one know they should probably wait on updating...the camera is no longer reliable.

UPDATE: It appears this issue is at least partially linked to shooting bracketed exposures with electronic shutter. I can get the camera fail in E-shutter than switch to mechanical and it works, then switch back to E-shutter and it fails again.

Watch R3 Error | Streamable

Watch "R3 Error" on Streamable.

streamable.com

 

[neuroanatomist]

Thanks for the warning. I had no freezes prior to the update, and on the principle of if it ain't broke don't fix it, I have not installed the update.

Please keep us posted.

 

[LSXPhotog]

Thanks for the warning. I had no freezes prior to the update, and on the principle of if it ain't broke don't fix it, I have not installed the update.

Please keep us posted.

Will do. I plan to see what Canon can do about this in the short term, but will be reverting back to the shipping firmware if they can't resolve it or can't reproduce the phenomena. LOL

 

[koenkooi]

Will do. I plan to see what Canon can do about this in the short term, but will be reverting back to the shipping firmware if they can't resolve it or can't reproduce the phenomena. LOL

I get the feeling that you'll get the "can't reproduce" song and dance as long as they don't have a fix ready for testing. The shutter shock interplay with the IS in the EF600III was such a case. And as Roger Cicala has pointed out, the tests Canon service centers run are basically taking a picture of a bookshelf, so apart from playing dumb, they also don't put much effort into it.

 

[tron]

It would be useful if you had a video demonstrating the specific problem so as to make them accept it.

 

[neuroanatomist]

It would be useful if you had a video demonstrating the specific problem so as to make them accept it.

Perhaps. With the 1D X bug I found, I had a video and still got the ‘we can’t reproduce it, send us your camera’ generic answer for something that was clearly a firmware bug.

Presenting them with the video and the specific combination of settings causing the problem, they could reproduce the issue and issued a firmware patch.

 

[Del Paso]

I'm starting to regret the happy olden times of the Kodak Brownies which couldn't be ruined by software "improvements".

 

[unfocused]

As I wrote in another thread I had the eye control autofocus freeze up after I downloaded the new firmware. It only happened once and hasn’t happened since. It occurred halfway through the second of two basketball games in a row and I was using a 512 GB Sandisk card and getting the little thermometer icon showing up in the viewfinder so don’t know if heat was a contributing factor.

 

[bernie_king]

Had my 1st shoot today with the new firmware. I had no issues. Tracking worked fine, no lock-ups, no reboots, eye control worked the same. Around 1000 frames using Lexar Pro 128GB CFExpress.

 

[Sporgon]

I'm starting to regret the happy olden times of the Kodak Brownies which couldn't be ruined by software "improvements".

Just light leaks on the bellows

 

[privatebydesign]

I'm starting to regret the happy olden times of the Kodak Brownies which couldn't be ruined by software "improvements".

People keep asking what could be in a 1 series R, not this sh!t!

I said the other day the more I hear about these issues, across all brands, the more I like my 1DX II.

 

[Del Paso]

People keep asking what could be in a 1 series R, not this sh!t!

I said the other day the more I hear about these issues, across all brands, the more I like my 1DX II.

Never had one single issue with my EOS D III, D IV and R, although I downloaded all available firmwares. Could the issue be due to a growing (unnecessary???) complexity of the new cameras?
Maybe I'm the only one, but I regret cameras are becoming what in France we call "usines a gaz" or natural gas refineries...

 

[Sporgon]

People keep asking what could be in a 1 series R, not this sh!t!

I said the other day the more I hear about these issues, across all brands, the more I like my 1DX II.

@neuroanatomist mentioned a bug in his D1X. Inconceivable !!

 

[AlanF]

Do photographers grow to resemble their cameras? If so...

 

[privatebydesign]

Do photographers grow to resemble their cameras? If so...

Oooh, I'm a dinosaur...

 

[unfocused]

People keep asking what could be in a 1 series R, not this sh!t!

I said the other day the more I hear about these issues, across all brands, the more I like my 1DX II.

I think you once referred to us R system buyers as beta testers. I think that is actually quite accurate. Maybe by the second or third generation manufacturers will have resolved these problems. And I will be too old to lift a camera.

 

[bernie_king]

People keep asking what could be in a 1 series R, not this sh!t!

I said the other day the more I hear about these issues, across all brands, the more I like my 1DX II.

I suppose that depends on your experience. Typically you see people with problems post on forums, etc... I can tell you that all of my R cameras (R6, R5, and now R3) have all outperformed my 1DX II. I would never go back. I shot 1 Series cameras back to the 1D IIn. All of these cameras (including DSLRs) have their little issues that you work around. Have I had my cameras freeze? Yes. 3 times across 3 bodies and probably 100,000 frames. That being said I had my 1DX II reboot on me a couple of times. These cameras are more complex, which also means more situations where a combination of factors can cause problems. IMO it's worth the performance boost 99.9% of the time.

 

[Del Paso]

I recall somebody complaining in Canonrumors that he didn't want some new features, especially video.
That answer he was given : "where is the problem? Just don't use them".
Meanwhile I come to believe that too many functions raise the probability of issues. I do not mean we should return to the seventies, but am firmly convinced there exists a correlation between troubles and features. Only time will help...remember the first electronic fuel injections!

 

[SteveC]

I recall somebody complaining in Canonrumors that he didn't want some new features, especially video.
That answer he was given : "where is the problem? Just don't use them".
Meanwhile I come to believe that too many functions raise the probability of issues. I do not mean we should return to the seventies, but am firmly convinced there exists a correlation between troubles and features. Only time will help...remember the first electronic fuel injections!

A damn fine point. Analogous to cars with a zillion "features" including twelve way adjustable seats, etc. More stuff that can break. And in that case it's lots of small motors, which must be physically fixed, rather than something that can be done with software.

 

[koenkooi]

I recall somebody complaining in Canonrumors that he didn't want some new features, especially video.
[..]

Good luck taking photos without a video feed to the EVF/LCD.