Photographer: Canon 1D Mark III autofocus still needs work

Canon's EOS-1D Mark III

(Credit: Canon)

Hardware and firmware fixes have improved the autofocus performance of Canon's new EOS-1D Mark III camera, but it's still not up to the level of its predecessor, the photographer who first uncovered the issues in June said Monday.

Canon is offering some customers free adjustments to a mirror in the higher-end SLR and advising all customers to install updated firmware. The former improved the $4,500 camera's ability to focus on moving subjects in warm or hot conditions, and the latter helped when it's bright out, said photographer and consultant Rob Galbraith in a blog posting Monday. But problems remain, he said.

"In our view, there's more work to be done. In bright conditions, the EOS-1D Mark III still doesn't match the EOS-1D Mark II N; at times the two are close, and at other times the EOS-1D Mark III's autofocus performance is below what we consider acceptable," Galbraith said. "The culprit that continues to cramp the EOS-1D Mark III's autofocus style is bright sunlight."

Galbraith is based in Calgary, Alberta, but he made three trips to Phoenix in conjunction with Canon to test the camera in warm conditions. He's also shared innumerable photos with Canon engineers.

For all the gory details, check Galbraith's exhaustive 8,500-word piece, complete with high-resolution images and letter grades under different shooting circumstances.

[charld]

Trying to be patient

Its good to see canon working to fix this but i am still disappointed after spending so much money and its not better than the camera it replaced...i am on the waiting list to have mine fixed and it could take a long time...i am starting to feel like this thing is a DUD and will have issues for life of this product and it will never be better that the Mark II-N....maybe i have kept my xti...

Beside the large number of OOF shots (even wiht the flash) on mine automatic exposure shots are always over exposed..i have to manually set everything each time...so annoying..

[johnnyquirin]

I,ve sent mine to Canon 3 times and still not right. The main problem I am having now is with the outer focus points in 1 shot AF mode. They are not dependable at all. Most of the times they are rendering out of focus images. I am having this problem with all of my lenses including the 16-35 and 70-200 2.8. Put any of these lenses on my MKII and all of them focus perfectly tack sharp with every focus point.