My 70-200 f4L backfocuses, what can i do?

PaulyOly · Mar 28, 2004

Well after getting consistently blurry pics of flowers at 200mm and not at say 135mm i decided to test it using a focus chart at a 45 degree angle, it seems to be bacfocusing very bad at 200mm. There is no way i'm sending my camera to canon with this lens so will they try to fix it without my camera? Or will they simply test it and say there is nothing wrong with it? Maybe 17 street photo will take it back even though i've had it for 16 days. I'll follow this up with the chart pics.
--
http://www.pbase.com/paulyoly/root

chuso · Mar 28, 2004

Paul,
Sorry to hear about your problem.

I think your 1st choice would be talking to 17th Street Photo to exchange for another copy. They seems to have good reputation, so hopefully they would come through for you. I haven't done this, but have seen several posts before mentioned that you will need to send in both problemed lens and camera to Canon for focusing issues. Sending only lens, potentially you will receive the lens back with same issue.
I'll be very curious to see the chart showing back focusing issue.
Regards,
Chuso

PaulyOly said:
Well after getting consistently blurry pics of flowers at 200mm and
not at say 135mm i decided to test it using a focus chart at a 45
degree angle, it seems to be bacfocusing very bad at 200mm. There
is no way i'm sending my camera to canon with this lens so will
they try to fix it without my camera? Or will they simply test it
and say there is nothing wrong with it? Maybe 17 street photo will
take it back even though i've had it for 16 days. I'll follow this
up with the chart pics.
--
http://www.pbase.com/paulyoly/root

--
Canon 300D
http://www.pbase.com/chuso

PaulyOly · Mar 28, 2004

chuso said:
PaulyOly said:

Well after getting consistently blurry pics of flowers at 200mm and
not at say 135mm i decided to test it using a focus chart at a 45
degree angle, it seems to be bacfocusing very bad at 200mm. There
is no way i'm sending my camera to canon with this lens so will
they try to fix it without my camera? Or will they simply test it
and say there is nothing wrong with it? Maybe 17 street photo will
take it back even though i've had it for 16 days. I'll follow this
up with the chart pics.
--
http://www.pbase.com/paulyoly/root

Click to expand...

--
Canon 300D
http://www.pbase.com/chuso

This is shot wide open, this is a 100%crop. I posted the 100% crop so you could see the dots on the paper, everything to the right of the line is oof. I shot this on a tripod/outside and i used the flash.
http://www.pbase.com/image/27376284/original

here's one shot at f8.

http://www.pbase.com/image/27376285

I like this lens, but if they let me send it back then i'm going to ask for something else or just my money back. I've seen a lot of posts talking about this lens and focus problems so the odds are i will get another back focusing lens. My other three lens, rebel kit lens, 400 f5.6L and 50 1.8 all seem to focus fine. I'm not buying anymore $500 dollar lenses anymore, i don't have the stomach for it.
http://www.pbase.com/paulyoly/root

PaulyOly · Mar 28, 2004

the lens seems pretty sharp, just not in the right places. I shot some flower pics using autofocus and manual focus and the manual focus ones were a 100 times better which led me to taking pictures of charts. By the way the camera would not autofocus on the white paper before anyone starts suggesting that.

PaulyOly · Mar 28, 2004

When focusing the image in the viewfinder shakes when using this lens, does anyone elses do this?

Cedric L · Mar 28, 2004

Hi Paul,

I have one and I think I was lucky to get a good copy after all I read about this lens. I tried one from a friend before that and that one was slightly back-focusing too.

Back to your question, I would hate to have to send my camera to Canon in addition to one of my lenses for calibration. That would leave me without the camera (which we all hate) and most importantly I would be too scared to see my other lenses work not as good after receiving the camera back in case they tweak something inside the body. I would work out something with your reseller if I were you.

Your viewfinder problem sounds weird ! Never had that problem, can't help here, sorry.

Out of topic, one question for you since I know you have a 400 f/5.6 (and get great pictures from it btw). What tripod do you have ? I need to replace my cheap one now that I am considering "medium-big" lenses (the same as yours) and I calculated a total weight body+lens+accessories ~ 5 pounds.

Thanks and good luck with your lens.

--
Cedric

'Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength lies solely in my tenacity' Louis Pasteur (1822-1895)

AricS · Mar 28, 2004

PaulyOly,

Sorry to hear about your problem with the lens. You will not have a problem returning the lens to 17th Street. They were great about both my 70-200mm f/4 returns. Both lenses had a back focus problem.

After the second lens having the same problem, I decided for a refund rather than a third exchange.

I will be purchasing the prime 200mm lens instead, although from B&H this time (17th Street does not stock the prime).

I am with you, there is NO WAY I am sending my camera off for adjustment with the lens to Canon service when my other lenes work perfectly.

Regards,
Aric

PaulyOly said:
Well after getting consistently blurry pics of flowers at 200mm and
not at say 135mm i decided to test it using a focus chart at a 45
degree angle, it seems to be bacfocusing very bad at 200mm. There
is no way i'm sending my camera to canon with this lens so will
they try to fix it without my camera? Or will they simply test it
and say there is nothing wrong with it? Maybe 17 street photo will
take it back even though i've had it for 16 days. I'll follow this
up with the chart pics.
--
http://www.pbase.com/paulyoly/root

PaulyOly · Mar 28, 2004

I have the 3011B legs and the 3130G head, both are probably overkill for the light weight 400 f5.6L. I had the sigma 50-500 before it and it would shake in a good wind with that lens on the tripod. I don't think you could go wrong with any bogen legs/head. I used the setup for digiscoping with the big pentax pf80ed-a. The 3130 head is very smooth for panning.

I emailed 17street about either a refund or a 100mm f2.8 macro(another lens i wanted to get), I'm not willing to take another chance on this lens, i'd rather get my money back or get the macro. I bought my 400 f5.6L from them as well as most of my previous digital cameras, i would think they want to keep me as a customer, but of course i know i'm outside there return/exchange window.

I saw a lady using a 500 f4L the other day and she had a huge tripod compared to mine, so if your considering something like that you'd better go a little beefier.

PaulyOly · Mar 28, 2004

AricS said:
Sorry to hear about your problem with the lens. You will not have a
problem returning the lens to 17th Street. They were great about
both my 70-200mm f/4 returns. Both lenses had a back focus problem.

After the second lens having the same problem, I decided for a
refund rather than a third exchange.

I will be purchasing the prime 200mm lens instead, although from
B&H this time (17th Street does not stock the prime).

I am with you, there is NO WAY I am sending my camera off for
adjustment with the lens to Canon service when my other lenes work
perfectly.

Regards,
Aric

PaulyOly said:

Well after getting consistently blurry pics of flowers at 200mm and
not at say 135mm i decided to test it using a focus chart at a 45
degree angle, it seems to be bacfocusing very bad at 200mm. There
is no way i'm sending my camera to canon with this lens so will
they try to fix it without my camera? Or will they simply test it
and say there is nothing wrong with it? Maybe 17 street photo will
take it back even though i've had it for 16 days. I'll follow this
up with the chart pics.
--
http://www.pbase.com/paulyoly/root

Click to expand...

--
http://www.pbase.com/paulyoly/root

i resized the f/8 pic and adjusted levels.

I thought about going with the prime, but i would probably just keep the 400 f5.6 on all the time anyway. I bought the zoom to do bigger wildlife pics like gators, but i'm sure i can do just as good with a 100mm macro, plus i need it to shoot flower pics and butterflies which is what i wanted the zoom for in the first place. The 200 2.8 would be nice, but it's $100 more at b$h and i can't go up, either the same price or go down. if 17street had it for the same price i probably would have bought it anyway.

By the way i checked the pics i shot at 135mm and they to had backfocus, but it is more noticeable at 200mm, probably why i've gotten some exceptable images at less than 200mm with the zoom.

Cedric L · Mar 28, 2004

Thanks for the answer !

I'm not considering going with BIG lenses (i.e. big weights and big money) before quite some time thus I won't go for a biffy tripod right now.

By the way, since you love birds and manage to get great pics... I was at the Cap Canaveral National Seashore on Saturday morning (took sunrise pics) and the birds there are all over the place ! That's when I got conforted in the idea that I needed definitely something longer than 200mm... That was good enough for the pelicans glidding over the sand dunes ridge and some cooperative birds in the park but other than that I need to get something longer...

The Black Bear wildlife trail is a couple of miles away and has some bird sighting opportunities too, but I was more impressed by the CCNS. I have a yearly pass and this is the first time I go there around that time, I think I'll spend some time there in the next weekends...

--
Cedric

'Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength lies solely in my tenacity' Louis Pasteur (1822-1895)

roland pallagi · Mar 30, 2004

I am im trouble. My friend brought this lens to me to europe from nyc bhphoto. I wanted to keep this wonderful lens so bad! I have no idea what to exchange it to... and my friend will probably kill me for the inconvenience

17-40 ? I already have the kit kens, not worth 500 bucs to me
100mm macro? I dont do macros that much..
200mm prime? i loose flexibility of a zoom (I want to take candid portraits)
100-400 is usm? way too heavy and too expensive...

body/lens adjustment here costs 100 bucs. Anyone had problems with other lenses after calibrating with 70-200 by canonn? I am afraid to spend money to mes up my camera

any wise words?

--
Roland Pallagi

weew · Mar 30, 2004

Welcome on boat Paul... I also have a copy of this lens, is under "inverstigate" of local Canon center. I send it back after 2 days of purchased! take about 160 shoots.

My lens and DR should back in 3 days time. I hate to send the camera out ever again, don't know what will happen on the Body which is no problem at all.

roland pallagi said:
I am im trouble. My friend brought this lens to me to europe from
nyc bhphoto. I wanted to keep this wonderful lens so bad! I have no
idea what to exchange it to... and my friend will probably kill me
for the inconvenience

17-40 ? I already have the kit kens, not worth 500 bucs to me
100mm macro? I dont do macros that much..
200mm prime? i loose flexibility of a zoom (I want to take candid
portraits)
100-400 is usm? way too heavy and too expensive...

body/lens adjustment here costs 100 bucs. Anyone had problems with
other lenses after calibrating with 70-200 by canonn? I am afraid
to spend money to mes up my camera

any wise words?

--
Roland Pallagi

Pieter Gordebeke · Mar 31, 2004

weew said:
weew said:

body/lens adjustment here costs 100 bucs. Anyone had problems with
other lenses after calibrating with 70-200 by canonn? I am afraid
to spend money to mes up my camera

Click to expand...

I understand your concern, but this happens way too often with a 10D/300D to be a concidence. The same thing (but worse) seems to occur with the 24-70L. As far as I know, calibration is usually a software thing, not optical, so it's quite conceivable that your body and/or lens needs a little chip update.

I have both the above mentioned lenses and have focus problems with both. The 70-200 at close range; the 24-70 from 10 feet onwards (and progressively worse). I dropped off all of my gear at Canon Service in Holland and should get it back in about a week. I'll let you know how it works out.

Canon lists the 10D as a CPS-qualified item, so I expect nothing short of professional quality. If they can't fix it, they had better come up with another solution...
--
Pieter
http://www.pbase.com/pgordebeke (supporter)
(equipment in profile)

NKH · Mar 31, 2004

hmmmm, most reported backfocusing problems with the 70-200 f/4L are at the wide end. despite all my efforts to get a new batch/never-before-opened copy of this lens, mine backfocused horribly at 70mm but was absolutely spot-on at 200mm. how is yours at 70mm? at 135mm?

looking at your test shots, are you sure you were beyond the lens' minimum focus distance? looks pretty darn close there.

when i corresponded with chuck westfall of canon about this lens and the BF problem, he said they could indeed fix the lens without the camera. it took 2 visits to the canon factory service center for mine but it works great now. the first time, i sent it in with the camera...the second time (when it was finally fixed right), it was sent in alone.

--
NKH

PaulyOly · Mar 31, 2004

NKH said:
hmmmm, most reported backfocusing problems with the 70-200 f/4L are
at the wide end. despite all my efforts to get a new
batch/never-before-opened copy of this lens, mine backfocused
horribly at 70mm but was absolutely spot-on at 200mm. how is yours
at 70mm? at 135mm?

looking at your test shots, are you sure you were beyond the lens'
minimum focus distance? looks pretty darn close there.

when i corresponded with chuck westfall of canon about this lens
and the BF problem, he said they could indeed fix the lens without
the camera. it took 2 visits to the canon factory service center
for mine but it works great now. the first time, i sent it in with
the camera...the second time (when it was finally fixed right), it
was sent in alone.

--
NKH

I only tested it at 135mm and 200mm, it backfocused at both. Mine had another problem that may have been related to the focus problem. When i would refocus without moving the camera the image in the viewfinder would jerk as if the element that moves was loose, very unnerving. The lens is on it's way back to 17 street photo for exchange for a canon 100mm macro (another lens on my list to purchase). I will wait on my midrange zoom purchase. I was 5-6 feet from the test chart, it was printed on 8 1/2 x 11 paper and was a crop from the original photo which is why it looks so large. I really liked the lens, but was not willing to try to exchange for another and take the chance of having to send it back again.
--
http://www.pbase.com/paulyoly/root

alekas · Mar 31, 2004

I ordered mine at J&R a couple of days ago. J&R promising to reimburse the shipment charges if the lens if defective - so I'm going to find a good copy of 70-200F/4L with their help.

I'm just not sure how good they are if I will need to send back the 5th copy for the exchange

Still waiting... They did not even ship it yet.

Alex

PaulyOly said:
NKH said:

hmmmm, most reported backfocusing problems with the 70-200 f/4L are
at the wide end. despite all my efforts to get a new
batch/never-before-opened copy of this lens, mine backfocused
horribly at 70mm but was absolutely spot-on at 200mm. how is yours
at 70mm? at 135mm?

looking at your test shots, are you sure you were beyond the lens'
minimum focus distance? looks pretty darn close there.

when i corresponded with chuck westfall of canon about this lens
and the BF problem, he said they could indeed fix the lens without
the camera. it took 2 visits to the canon factory service center
for mine but it works great now. the first time, i sent it in with
the camera...the second time (when it was finally fixed right), it
was sent in alone.

--
NKH

Click to expand...

I only tested it at 135mm and 200mm, it backfocused at both. Mine
had another problem that may have been related to the focus
problem. When i would refocus without moving the camera the image
in the viewfinder would jerk as if the element that moves was
loose, very unnerving. The lens is on it's way back to 17 street
photo for exchange for a canon 100mm macro (another lens on my list
to purchase). I will wait on my midrange zoom purchase. I was 5-6
feet from the test chart, it was printed on 8 1/2 x 11 paper and
was a crop from the original photo which is why it looks so large.
I really liked the lens, but was not willing to try to exchange for
another and take the chance of having to send it back again.
--
http://www.pbase.com/paulyoly/root

weew · Mar 31, 2004

Wow......5th copy.....

alekas said:
I'm just not sure how good they are if I will need to send back the
5th copy for the exchange

Still waiting... They did not even ship it yet.

Alex

PaulyOly said:

NKH said:

hmmmm, most reported backfocusing problems with the 70-200 f/4L are
at the wide end. despite all my efforts to get a new
batch/never-before-opened copy of this lens, mine backfocused
horribly at 70mm but was absolutely spot-on at 200mm. how is yours
at 70mm? at 135mm?

looking at your test shots, are you sure you were beyond the lens'
minimum focus distance? looks pretty darn close there.

when i corresponded with chuck westfall of canon about this lens
and the BF problem, he said they could indeed fix the lens without
the camera. it took 2 visits to the canon factory service center
for mine but it works great now. the first time, i sent it in with
the camera...the second time (when it was finally fixed right), it
was sent in alone.

--
NKH

Click to expand...

I only tested it at 135mm and 200mm, it backfocused at both. Mine
had another problem that may have been related to the focus
problem. When i would refocus without moving the camera the image
in the viewfinder would jerk as if the element that moves was
loose, very unnerving. The lens is on it's way back to 17 street
photo for exchange for a canon 100mm macro (another lens on my list
to purchase). I will wait on my midrange zoom purchase. I was 5-6
feet from the test chart, it was printed on 8 1/2 x 11 paper and
was a crop from the original photo which is why it looks so large.
I really liked the lens, but was not willing to try to exchange for
another and take the chance of having to send it back again.
--
http://www.pbase.com/paulyoly/root

Click to expand...

alekas · Mar 31, 2004

No - I ordered just a first copy and still hope that it's going to be a good copy. But I'm going to send it back if it's backfocusing (up to 5th copy before I give up

)

Alex

Weew said:
alekas said:

I'm just not sure how good they are if I will need to send back the
5th copy for the exchange

Still waiting... They did not even ship it yet.

Alex

PaulyOly said:

NKH said:

hmmmm, most reported backfocusing problems with the 70-200 f/4L are
at the wide end. despite all my efforts to get a new
batch/never-before-opened copy of this lens, mine backfocused
horribly at 70mm but was absolutely spot-on at 200mm. how is yours
at 70mm? at 135mm?

looking at your test shots, are you sure you were beyond the lens'
minimum focus distance? looks pretty darn close there.

when i corresponded with chuck westfall of canon about this lens
and the BF problem, he said they could indeed fix the lens without
the camera. it took 2 visits to the canon factory service center
for mine but it works great now. the first time, i sent it in with
the camera...the second time (when it was finally fixed right), it
was sent in alone.

--
NKH

Click to expand...

I only tested it at 135mm and 200mm, it backfocused at both. Mine
had another problem that may have been related to the focus
problem. When i would refocus without moving the camera the image
in the viewfinder would jerk as if the element that moves was
loose, very unnerving. The lens is on it's way back to 17 street
photo for exchange for a canon 100mm macro (another lens on my list
to purchase). I will wait on my midrange zoom purchase. I was 5-6
feet from the test chart, it was printed on 8 1/2 x 11 paper and
was a crop from the original photo which is why it looks so large.
I really liked the lens, but was not willing to try to exchange for
another and take the chance of having to send it back again.
--
http://www.pbase.com/paulyoly/root

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

jypsee · Mar 31, 2004

PaulyOly said:
The lens is on it's way back to 17 street
photo for exchange for a canon 100mm macro (another lens on my list
to purchase). I will wait on my midrange zoom purchase.

I made this picture with the 100 f2.8 and a Tamron 1.4X TC; I love what I can do with this lens:

jypsee in FL
http://www.pbase.com/jypsee/semidaily
--

...we live in a universe whose age we can't quite compute, surrounded by stars whose distances we don't altogether know, filled with matter we can't identify, operating in conformance with physical laws whose properties we don't truly understand.
Bill Bryson; A Short History of Nearly Everything

o z a n · Mar 31, 2004

PaulyOly said:
NKH said:

hmmmm, most reported backfocusing problems with the 70-200 f/4L are
at the wide end. despite all my efforts to get a new
batch/never-before-opened copy of this lens, mine backfocused
horribly at 70mm but was absolutely spot-on at 200mm. how is yours
at 70mm? at 135mm?

looking at your test shots, are you sure you were beyond the lens'
minimum focus distance? looks pretty darn close there.

when i corresponded with chuck westfall of canon about this lens
and the BF problem, he said they could indeed fix the lens without
the camera. it took 2 visits to the canon factory service center
for mine but it works great now. the first time, i sent it in with
the camera...the second time (when it was finally fixed right), it
was sent in alone.

--
NKH

Click to expand...

I only tested it at 135mm and 200mm, it backfocused at both. Mine
had another problem that may have been related to the focus
problem. When i would refocus without moving the camera the image
in the viewfinder would jerk as if the element that moves was
loose, very unnerving. The lens is on it's way back to 17 street
photo for exchange for a canon 100mm macro (another lens on my list
to purchase). I will wait on my midrange zoom purchase. I was 5-6
feet from the test chart, it was printed on 8 1/2 x 11 paper and
was a crop from the original photo which is why it looks so large.
I really liked the lens, but was not willing to try to exchange for
another and take the chance of having to send it back again.
--
http://www.pbase.com/paulyoly/root

I have the same exact problem with my kit lens, it doesnt do it all the time. But once in a while it makes that weird jerk that you can see in the viewfinder when you autofocus. I dont know how to test whether this effects any picture quality?

My 70-200 f4L backfocuses, what can i do?

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