This is an important and urgent warning to all Canon EOS 5D owners.In April I was in Turkey on a photographic trip – fortunately some private work and not a commercial assignment.
On the fifth day of my three week visit the reflex mirror of my Canon EOS 5D fell out having detached itself from the cradle !
After some extensive research on the internet I found that this is a common and frequent problem with EOS 5Ds (the MkI not the MkII) and is as a result of the glue, which holds the mirror onto the cradle, failing. In my case all four glue spots failed at the point of contact with the cradle. The mirror was irrevocably damaged when it fell out of the body. Sadly, since I only had one EOS body with me, this was the end of the photography I had planned for the trip.
Further research on the internet reveals that Canon have known about this problem since 2008, and published an advisory on their US and European websites in February 2009 (it has also been reported on this forum).
Furthermore it appears that
all EOS 5D MkIs are effected (mine was from a late production batch and certainly earlier batches are documented as having be effected). It is only a question of time, therefore, before the glue fails and the mirror will detach itself from the cradle. Thus all Canon EOS 5D MKI owners will need to get their cameras fixed as a matter of some urgency before they suffer the same consequences.
Canon have not issued a product recall even though there is a clear and pressing need for one. Moreover they appear not to have taken any steps whatsoever to inform 5D owners that their cameras are seriously at fault and that they risk losing full functionality without warning. Although an “advisory” note is posted on their US and European websites this is not immediately obvious nor accessible (
http://tinyurl.com/amnyyr). In my case, my 5D is registered with Canon online. I receive regular marketing emails but not one informing me of this problem. Had I known, in 2009, that this was an issue I would have sent my camera to Canon for repair without any hesitation. And then would not have wasted an expensive trip to Turkey in 2011 for a photographic project which I was unable to even get started.
Canon offer a free repair service although in the UK you will have to pay for sending the camera to the repairer yourself (a number are listed on Canon’s website:
http://tinyurl.com/oseayj . My research, so far, reveals that the problem is confined solely to the EOS 5D MkI and that no other Canon models appear to be effected.
All Canon EOS 5D MkI users are likely to be effected by this issue and they should get their camera back to Canon for repair as a matter of some urgency.