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Author Topic: Canon 24-105 IS is soft on 1DsMkIII  (Read 4402 times)

budjames

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Canon 24-105 IS is soft on 1DsMkIII
« on: November 02, 2008, 07:50:27 pm »

It seems that my Canon 24-105 IS lens has to have perfect conditions to yield sharp results on my new Canon 1DsMkIII. I did send it back immediately after I bought it almost 2 yrs ago for being soft. The Canon factory repair center turned it around very fast, but it has never been really sharp at any focal length.

You would think that an $8k body would merit a $1k lens that could focus sharply.

How are others out there doing with this combination?

Perhaps I should send both the body and the lens to Canon to adjustment?

Cheers.
Bud James
« Last Edit: November 02, 2008, 07:51:37 pm by budjames »
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Slobodan Blagojevic

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Canon 24-105 IS is soft on 1DsMkIII
« Reply #1 on: November 02, 2008, 08:26:49 pm »

I guess a lot depends on one's definition of what soft/sharp is, one's level of perfectionism, as well as one's expectations. Without pictures comparing two lenses under identical conditions, there is no way to say whether a lens is as good as it could be.

Josh-H

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Canon 24-105 IS is soft on 1DsMkIII
« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2008, 10:32:20 pm »

Quote from: budjames
It seems that my Canon 24-105 IS lens has to have perfect conditions to yield sharp results on my new Canon 1DsMkIII. I did send it back immediately after I bought it almost 2 yrs ago for being soft. The Canon factory repair center turned it around very fast, but it has never been really sharp at any focal length.

You would think that an $8k body would merit a $1k lens that could focus sharply.

How are others out there doing with this combination?

Perhaps I should send both the body and the lens to Canon to adjustment?

Cheers.
Bud James

Bud,

I shoot with a 1DSMK3 daily - and I have found the 16-35mm F2.8L zoom a little soft with this camera compared to using it on the 5D. I dont own the 24-105 L, but I bet the results you are seeing mimic my own with the 16-35mm in terms of image sharpness.

The 1DSMK3 has changed the way I shoot - which is now almost exclusivley with primes because of the image quality differences I can see on screen against using zooms.

The only zoom I regularly use on my 1DSMk3 is the 70-200 F2.8L IS and it gives great results - but its not on par with the primes I am using - 50mm F1.2L, 85mm F1.2L, 300mm F2.8L 2etc.

Zooms have their place on the 1DSMK3 - but I dont think there is any doubt you get sharper results with a good prime.

All of my lenses are calibrated.
« Last Edit: November 02, 2008, 10:34:09 pm by Josh-H »
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budjames

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Canon 24-105 IS is soft on 1DsMkIII
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2008, 04:54:55 am »

Quote from: Josh-H
Bud,

I shoot with a 1DSMK3 daily - and I have found the 16-35mm F2.8L zoom a little soft with this camera compared to using it on the 5D. I dont own the 24-105 L, but I bet the results you are seeing mimic my own with the 16-35mm in terms of image sharpness.

The 1DSMK3 has changed the way I shoot - which is now almost exclusivley with primes because of the image quality differences I can see on screen against using zooms.

The only zoom I regularly use on my 1DSMk3 is the 70-200 F2.8L IS and it gives great results - but its not on par with the primes I am using - 50mm F1.2L, 85mm F1.2L, 300mm F2.8L 2etc.

Zooms have their place on the 1DSMK3 - but I dont think there is any doubt you get sharper results with a good prime.

All of my lenses are calibrated.


I have the 16-35 and 70-200 IS f2.8. I agree with you that the 70-200 is a great zoom lens. I also have the 100-400 IS and it has yielded some nice sharp shots with my 1DsMkIII as well, but the 70-200 is a sharper lens for sure.

Did you send our lenses to Canon to get them calibrated? If so, did you send them your 1DsMkIII body too? How long was the turnaround and what did it cost you?

Thanks.

Bud James
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David Anderson

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Canon 24-105 IS is soft on 1DsMkIII
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2008, 06:38:35 am »

I used a 24 -105 on a job once when I had DsII's and I found it very sharp, though it was only a CPS loan so I can't comment on the DsIII's I now use.

My 16-35 II is razor sharp through the center and still very good to the corner, it's a much better lens then the first version and now the only zoom I shoot with.

There's no doubt the DsIII pushes the lenses and I have also switched to shooting everything with primes to get the best results,


I assume you've done the micro adjustments on your 24-105 and DsIII ?

Do other lenses you have give you soft pictures as well ?



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Josh-H

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Canon 24-105 IS is soft on 1DsMkIII
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2008, 06:05:10 pm »

Quote from: budjames
I have the 16-35 and 70-200 IS f2.8. I agree with you that the 70-200 is a great zoom lens. I also have the 100-400 IS and it has yielded some nice sharp shots with my 1DsMkIII as well, but the 70-200 is a sharper lens for sure.

Did you send our lenses to Canon to get them calibrated? If so, did you send them your 1DsMkIII body too? How long was the turnaround and what did it cost you?

Thanks.

Bud James

Sorry I should have clarified - I mean I have micro adjusted all my lenses with the in built capability of the 1DSMK3 - I havent sent them to Canon for adjustment.

My 70-200 F2.8L IS required no adjustment and was/is spot on. My 50mm F1.2L and 85mm F1.2L both required some adjustment tweaking to really dial them in, but are now spot on. The 16-35mm F2.8L required only very slight adjustment.

I have pre-ordered the new 24mm F1.4L and have high hopes that it will replace my 16-35mm F2.8L in conjunction with the new 14mm F2.8L MKII and the 35mm F1.4L and yield superior sharpness.
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budjames

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Canon 24-105 IS is soft on 1DsMkIII
« Reply #6 on: November 03, 2008, 06:12:18 pm »

Quote from: Josh-H
Sorry I should have clarified - I mean I have micro adjusted all my lenses with the in built capability of the 1DSMK3 - I havent sent them to Canon for adjustment.

My 70-200 F2.8L IS required no adjustment and was/is spot on. My 50mm F1.2L and 85mm F1.2L both required some adjustment tweaking to really dial them in, but are now spot on. The 16-35mm F2.8L required only very slight adjustment.

I have pre-ordered the new 24mm F1.4L and have high hopes that it will replace my 16-35mm F2.8L in conjunction with the new 14mm F2.8L MKII and the 35mm F1.4L and yield superior sharpness.


Josh, I did some tests today to improve the sharpness of my 24-105 on my 1DsMkIII. I had to use a +15 micro adjustment to get better sharpness and it was very noticeable. The lens is still a little soft on my 40D body so I don't think that it is all the 1DsMkIII body's fault.

After speaking with Canon tech support today, I shipped the 1DsMkIII body and 24-105 lens to them for a factory recalibration. Their turnaround time is currently 2-3 weeks. I'm not in a big hurry as I have the 40D and 24-70 L lens as a back up.

I hope that the combo comes back in fine form. We'll see.

I was curious what micro adjustment settings you are using on your lenses with the 1DsMkIII body?  Thanks.

Bud James
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BruceHouston

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Canon 24-105 IS is soft on 1DsMkIII
« Reply #7 on: November 03, 2008, 06:36:55 pm »

I was disappointed in the sharpness of my 24-105 on my 40D when I first bought it.  However, I have found that it can produce very sharp results if I carefully focus manually in live view on-tripod.  (I wish that the display was not limited to 10x in live view; 15x would be more effective for me in some situations.  I was disappointed to see that the 5D II also maxes out at 10x in live view; however the increased resolution will probably help.)

Of course, the careful focusing in live view on-tripod doesn't help much for walk-around shooting.

Best,
Bruce
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jimhuber

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Canon 24-105 IS is soft on 1DsMkIII
« Reply #8 on: November 04, 2008, 04:28:00 pm »

All of my lenses have required microadjustment, most of them +/- 5 to 10, but I believe one of them was 12 or 13. After microadjustment my 70-200 f/2.8L IS finally became the lens it was always rumoured to be and I sold my 85/1.8, 100/2, 135/2 and 200/2.8 primes. My 24-105 f/4L IS has exhibited excellent sharpness from 24mm to 50mm, very good from 50mm to ~70mm and respectable up to 105mm since the microadjustment. It's definitely a more worthwhile exercise than I thought it would be.

But why should we have to go through this? If the lens's focus needs a bit of tweaking and it can be done electronically, why can't it be done at the factory? I don't have two bodies that will both do microadjustment, so I'm only assuming the adjustment is lens-specific. I'm curious if anyone has any data to support or refute such an assumption.
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budjames

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Canon 24-105 IS is soft on 1DsMkIII
« Reply #9 on: November 04, 2008, 05:17:01 pm »

That's great that you can micro adjust the focus on the 1DsMkIII body, but I cannot do that on my 40D. So what are my options? Furthermore, how can the manufacturing process be so imprecise now, when it was very good before (no micro adjustment required)?

Bud James
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Josh-H

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Canon 24-105 IS is soft on 1DsMkIII
« Reply #10 on: November 04, 2008, 06:13:28 pm »

Quote from: budjames
That's great that you can micro adjust the focus on the 1DsMkIII body, but I cannot do that on my 40D. So what are my options? Furthermore, how can the manufacturing process be so imprecise now, when it was very good before (no micro adjustment required)?

Bud James

Bud, I havent had a chance to go and look at the individual adjustments for each lens  - but they are not extreme - they are minor only - around +3, +4 etc.

You really have no option RE: the 40 D - except to send them to Canon for calibration.

I think the whole issue of lens's back focusing or coming out of the factory not quite perfect is simply a function of mass production. Canon lens's are a mass produced product [even the L series] Quality control is therefore not about perfection - its about falling within specified acceptable parameters [unfortunately].
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budjames

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Canon 24-105 IS is soft on 1DsMkIII
« Reply #11 on: November 04, 2008, 06:47:27 pm »

Quote from: Josh-H
Bud, I havent had a chance to go and look at the individual adjustments for each lens  - but they are not extreme - they are minor only - around +3, +4 etc.

You really have no option RE: the 40 D - except to send them to Canon for calibration.

I think the whole issue of lens's back focusing or coming out of the factory not quite perfect is simply a function of mass production. Canon lens's are a mass produced product [even the L series] Quality control is therefore not about perfection - its about falling within specified acceptable parameters [unfortunately].


Josh, good points! Thanks.

We'll see how my 1DsMkIII and 24-105 work after getting them back from Canon. If the results are good, I might consider sending my other lenses in to get calibrated.

Cheers.

Bud
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