Inchiquin Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I've just bought a 5D3 and I'm having a problem. I don't know if it's a fault with the camera or if it's because the focusing system is horrendously complicated for a simple soul like me. It will auto-focus perfectly when held horizontally, but most of the time it will not focus when held vertically. I've tried all the possible menu settings that I can find but it makes no difference. If you rotate the camera from horizontal to vertical and back, you can hear a little noise about halfway that sounds like a motor shift. On the horizontal side of that point it focuses, on the vertical side it doesn't. The lens I'm using is a 24-105 which has worked perfectly on a 5D2 for the last six years so I don't think it's the lens. Has anyone else experienced this? Is there something I haven't set up correctly (as I said, I've tried everything I can find)? I don't want to have to send the camera back if it's simply my misunderstanding of the focusing system. Edit: Oh, I should add that I'm using one-shot AF. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pearl Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I have had the 5D3 with the lens for a few years and have never had this problem. Sounds like a fault to me. Pearl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Clarke Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Ref the noise - it's not the Image Stabilisation is it - sometimes makes a sound as you move the camera depending on lens etc? Not too sure about Canon as I shoot Nikon & Fuji but if you have IS switched on and using a tripod (don't know if you are) that can sometimes produce out of focus images. And does the Canon IS have an 'active' setting as per Nikon VR which again can cause focussing issues if not used correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchiquin Posted October 25, 2015 Author Share Posted October 25, 2015 Ref the noise - it's not the Image Stabilisation is it - sometimes makes a sound as you move the camera depending on lens etc? You might have a point there Gary. I've just done a quick test with IS off and it does seem to focus reliably now, though I will only know for certain when I've used it for longer. I'm not happy running it without IS though. The main reason for buying it was to get an extra couple of stops in low light before noise kicks in. If I lose IS I might as well have carried on using the 5D2. Alan Later: I've just done a quick test with my 70-300 and that seems to be better with IS switched on. It failed to focus vertically once but otherwise there was no problem. So the 5D3 doesn't seem to like the 24-105. It's in excellent condition and the contacts are not dirty or worn so I'm wondering why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pearl Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I always have IS switched on and have had no problems but then I haven't tried all the various focusing options available. Are you on single shot or continuos? Pearl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niels Quist Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Oh shoot. I would like to update from the same camera to the same new one for the exact same reasons - and I also like the 24-105 as a general walk-around lens. Will follow any updates closely. The 24-105 is still sold with the Canon 5dIII as a kit lens. The mark II doesn't make trouble if I forget to turn off the IS for stills on the tripod. But when making video it makes a noise. I also prefer one-shot AF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Hewison Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Alas, I don't yet have a 5D3 - one can only dream and probably settle on a 6D in reality. But I assure you, even though i don't own one, it would be a fault, or a some sort of setting.. Not sure why they'd offer a setting that would do as you describe though so, my money's on a fault. That would be like a setting that would make the camera sing a rendition of "don't cry for me Argentina' when you hold it with your left hand. Given the amount of pro's and semi pros that use these camera's daily, you'd think this would have come out by now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchiquin Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 I always have IS switched on and have had no problems but then I haven't tried all the various focusing options available. Are you on single shot or continuos? I was using one-shot. I've since tried AI Focus and that seemed to be a little better but didn't eradicate the problem. Switching off IS wasn't the answer as the problem was still there when I used the camera yesterday. It definitely appears to be a fault so I'll have to get it replaced. Apart from that I love it. The shutter has a nicer feel than the 5D2 (which itself had a smoother shutter than any other camera I've used). I will know whether the low-light performance is better when I get home and process last night's wander around the South Bank, but it certainly didn't seem to be struggling. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vpics Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I returned my first 5D mk3 because of focusing problems. I only use IS if I have to shoot at a very low shutter speed. Otherwise I leave it off as focusing is better without. I often switch between One Shot and AI and have assigned the DOF button to change it. You also need to realise that not every focusing point works equally well. There is a significant difference in them. So that might be one of the problems. Also check out which focusing mode you are using. There's 5 or so different ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vpics Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Forgot to add. I only ever use AI Servo or One Shot. And never ever AI Focus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchiquin Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 You also need to realise that not every focusing point works equally well. There is a significant difference in them. So that might be one of the problems. Also check out which focusing mode you are using. There's 5 or so different ones. I've tried all the modes. I only use the centre point as I find it easier to focus dead centre on the subject and then lock it while framing the shot as I have done with every other camera, but I've tried the single-point and multi-point variations based around the centre. I think I've covered pretty well all the menu options in my attempts to find a solution. I don't normally shoot moving subjects which is why I haven't tried AI Servo. I have no experience of sophisticated focusing systems like this one - I rather assumed that with AI Servo if you focus in the centre and then re-frame the shot, the servo will not be able to keep track of your originally focused subject, or am I mistaken? Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchiquin Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 Update: While doing some more experimenting I discovered that it's not the focusing at all - that was just the visible effect of a bigger problem. The whole camera (apart from the shutter) freezes sometimes when held vertically. None of the buttons work, the menu is not accessible, and if you press the shutter and take the shot, the brief display of the image on the LCD doesn't show until you turn the camera horizontal again. Definitely a fault - it's going back. Interestingly, it's probably not an isolated fault because I found a post on a forum from 2012 where someone described what sounded like identical symptoms. End of thread - I hope. Thanks for all the input anyway. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiskerke Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Alan, Was it bought new? wim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchiquin Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 Was it bought new? Yes. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vpics Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I don't normally shoot moving subjects which is why I haven't tried AI Servo. I have no experience of sophisticated focusing systems like this one - I rather assumed that with AI Servo if you focus in the centre and then re-frame the shot, the servo will not be able to keep track of your originally focused subject, or am I mistaken? Alan I tend to jiggle the focusing points around quite a bit and tend to use the one nearest to where I want to focus, so I'm not thrown out by too much when refocusing. You are right, AI Servo will only work well if you don't need to refocus. However, if you switch from AI Servo to One Shot once you have focused, like I do, it holds the focus in place. Many press photographers will assign a button to freeze the focus once it has logged on to a subject and then refocus. I have assigned the DOF button to do this for me, others use a stop button at the back of the camera instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darryl Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Curios if you had the battery grip and was it Canon? I have a 3rd party battery grip. Don't recall the brand - it was a package from Adorama. Works 99% of the time, but occasionally trying to shoot vertical and using grip buttons, the buttons get flaky. Sometimes none of them work and sometimes only the shutter button will not work. I have also learned that if the camera is doing something really flaky, to remove the grip and put it back on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchiquin Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 Many press photographers will assign a button to freeze the focus once it has logged on to a subject and then refocus. I haven't explored re-assigning buttons yet. I'm always scared that I won't remember what I've re-assigned to what! Curios if you had the battery grip and was it Canon? No, don't have a battery grip. Today I missed what could have been the best photo I've ever taken because of the fault Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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