In my previous thread in this section I talked about my experience with a brand new Canon 300mm f2.8 that separated from an also new Mark III. This happened twice in a short period of time. Canon said I should get the two replaced by the company I bought them from and they went back to have this happen. I got the replacement Mark III a few days ago and the replacement 300mm this afternoon so it was go time! I went back to Green Cay again and was comfortable enough to take the strap off of my lens but still had a death grip on my 5" Wimberley plate...just in case. It could never happen with a different body and a different lens right?
WRONG...it happened three times within a minute. I made it through maybe a half hour of shooting before my lens freed up for the first time. Obviously I was freaked out, but with a bigger plate than before under the foot I was more comfortable in seeing what caused this.
My handheld setup is as follows:
Canon strap that came with the Mark III around my neck with my right hand gripping the right side of the camera. My right index finger on the shutter release and my right thumb resting on the top edge of the wheel on the back of the camera. My left hand is holding the Wimberley plate (attached to the 300mm) palm facing up with four fingers wrapped over the top of it and my thumb along the left side and sometimes also overlapping the top. I walk with the lens facing downward a bit while still keeping a firm grip with both hands. Am I doing anything obviously wrong?
Immediately after the first separation I decided to walk the way I usually do while applying a slight amount of pressure with my hands lightly turning the lens and camera in a counter clockwise(lens) and clockwise(camera) position. They were obviously locked in place solid but freed up two more times within about 30 seconds as if the release button was already pushed in. No noise, no click, nothing at all but suddenly noticing the lens starting to turn.
I spent about another hour and a half walking around and didn't want to really try to do this again intentionally so I just kept taking pictures...white knuckled of course. It didn't happen again but I am still in a state of total disbelief and paranoia.
With this happening with two different Mark III cameras and 300mm lenses would you think maybe slight design flaw interacting between the two? I have used my 400mm twice on the Mark III with no issue. I have also used the 400mm many times on a Mark II and for a solid year on a 40D also without incident.
Please let me know what you think about this and again I would like to make sure you guys know that there is no possible way the two weren't locked in place.
I've seen this happen when there was a slightly bent mount on camera or lens or both. This can also happen if the locking pin doesn't engage properly. It's hard to imagine this occurring on two different sets of equipment. Did you check the serial numbers to make sure they didn't send you back the same camera or lens?
Matt what is happening to you is not normal. Would advice against using as is since the lens will end up crashing into the ground.
I do have a local person that I would trust for checking the lens/camera. Go to Southern Photo Technical Service in Miami. They are in 167th North Miami. You also have one in Delray but I haven't dealt with them.
Other than checking locally would send both back ASAP. Can just imagine the frustration !!! When you find out what is happening please give us an update.
The serial numbers are different on both as I have copies of the old receipts. As far as the locking pin issue...I tried many times to separate the two once it's engaged and I can't do it. It happened today while walking and no applied pressure this time. This mornings total is 7 times at Green Cay and 13 times at Wako. I was in the middle of telling someone about it at Green Cay and as we were walking it happened. I saw the same guy (Ed) at Wako and it happened again in front of him. He was actually more shocked than I was. At one point I was walking with the camera strap around my neck and all of the weight on it and just holding the Wimberely plate and it would disengage then too. It is frustrating Alfred to say the least and I will give Southern Photo a call.
If you have another camera body or can borrow one maybe you can test the lens with it before you make a decision what to do about it..
This happened to me with the same combo 2x also...but I sold my MarkIII...I still have the same lens..(which I send in to Canon Repair at the time)...That lens never fell off my 5D nor the 50D ever...
This shouldn't happen and I would get it fixed as soon as possible. With my 500, I have two neck straps, one on the camera, one on the lens, just in case.
I spoke with canon and they told me to send them right in and they will fix them so they are going out this afternoon. It didn't happen with my 400mm f4 DO on the Mark III so maybe it's the specific combo? Anyway hopefully they will correct this. Glad you didn't have any loss with yours!
New replacements Mark III and 300mm f2.8
Reply With Quote
