I ordered one from Delta International. I tested it and found it back focusing with one of my lenses and front focusing with the other. I sent it back. They paid for shipping and sent me a second camera to replace the first. Then I realized the issue was meant to be rectified by Canon. Since then I've heard of a store which ordered 20 of these 10D cameras and when the guy relating the story came to buy, he was told 13 were purchased by customers and 13 were returned for autofocusing issues. He figured the odds of 14 being in that shape were pretty slim. I'm glad he isn't my stock broker. He returned number 14 for autofocusing issues. But I digress.
I sent my camera and two lenses to Canon and it came back in less than two weeks round trip (very fast) and focusing much much better than when it left. It isn't perfect. But I can shoot happily with it. One more item and then I'll get to the testing. I have a shooting assignment coming up in october and I was about to rent a 24-70L from Keeble and Shuchat. I've rented the 16-35 and the 100-400 from them for use on my D30 in the past and was blown away by the quality of these lenses. However, since I had just had my 10D calibrated along with my lenses, I asked Keeble if they would let me come down and test the 24-70L. They said, "you bet". I found their 24-70L to be back focusing by such a huge amount, that stopping down to f8 didn't help much. So I bought a 24mm L and when I tested it, found it close enough to do the work I want in october, after which, I will send it to Canon to have it calibrated too.
I test by shooting two things: real subjects in varying lighting conditions to learn how well the thing works, and I shoot the "Harry Potter Test (HPT)".
The HPT is simply the latest Harry Potter book propped up on its spine by a couple of bricks. I then stick 5 playing cards (7, 8, and 10 of spades, and 8 and 10 of clubs) into the book at the following page numbers: 50, 250, 450, 650, 850. The cards protrude out of the book far enough so that 5 of the spades, or clubs are visible from each card. Those cards each have 5 spades or clubs with one in the middle of each card. I focus the camera,s one, activated, center sensor on the middle spade on the middle card. I make sure it's close enough to cover no more than the center spade, and I move it so the focusing square covers only have of the spade and the other half is on the white part of the card. This half-filled square provides contrast. This also ensures that the entire sensor, which extends beyond the square etched in the focusing screen, is still only seeing that center card and isn't being fooled into picking up another card or something else. I shoot wide open and in enough light. I'm not trying to trick the sensor. I'm trying to see if that card or one behind it or in front of it are in focus. I'm familiar with the term "depth of field" and I've been shooting film cameras with manual focus for 30 years. This test isn't hard to do and probably works with a dictionary too.
I perform the HPT a few times to make sure there are no mistakes. I forgot -- the camera is on a tripod. All shutter releases are from the self timer. I don't lock up the mirror because the gitzo tripod I use is heavy enough for my sinar 4x5. Also, I know the difference between motion blur and out-of-focus. All shots are with the lens wide open (i.e. 24mm shot at f1.4, 50mm shot at f1.4, 85mm shot at f1.8). All capture is done in RAW mode and the raw files are converted non-linearly into tiffs with Canon software suppplied with the camera.
I then examine the tiffs, unsharpened, in photoshop at 100%.
When my camera came back from Canon, it passed the HPT adequately. By that, I mean, the frames from the HPT, when viewed in photoshop, show the card I focused on IN FOCUS, and one of the cards behind it almost in focus. Previously, the the test produced just the oposite, one of the cards behind, or in front of, the card a focused on being in focus, and the one I focused on almost being in focus.
I believe Canon can be trusted to do their job. I also believe, you can ask them politely to pay for shipping both to and from the service center to have your camera and lenses calibrated. It was the Irvine, California service center which worked on my camera.
I hope I haven't given you too much info.
The camera is wonderful. I would buy a second one in a heartbeat if I weren't using it only to hold me till the 1D is upgraded.
Bob
