How many 20Ds have had auto focus calibrated

It's odd that I bought 2, 20Ds last year and both needed to have the back
focus calibrated. One focused forward of the focus point and the other aft
of it. I thought because they had similar serial numbers they might have
been from a "made on monday" batch but recently I've come across others
who also have focus problems and the latest 20D I bought is out of focus
too.

When I took this one back to Canon, the female I gave it to with
copies of the charts showing the problem couldn't have cared less when I
told her I couldn't afford to be without this 'new' camera for the
six weeks she quoted for the adjustment. I guess I'll have to decide to
either stand douwn one photographer or buy another camera for her and use
this as a spare when it comes back. This happened at Christmas and I don't
feel like repeating the fiascoe.

It seems to me thatCanon SLRs are poorly made and even more poorly
serviced - in Australia at any rate. Anyone have any experiences to add?

Douglas

In article , Douglas
wrote:

It's odd that I bought 2, 20Ds last year and both needed to have the back
focus calibrated. One focused forward of the focus point and the other aft
of it. I thought because they had similar serial numbers they might have
been from a "made on monday" batch but recently I've come across others
who also have focus problems and the latest 20D I bought is out of focus
too.

I haven't heard of any focus problems with the 20D. Maybe you're full
of ****?

"Randall Ainsworth" wrote in message
...
In article , Douglas
wrote:

It's odd that I bought 2, 20Ds last year and both needed to have the back
focus calibrated. One focused forward of the focus point and the other
aft
of it. I thought because they had similar serial numbers they might have
been from a "made on monday" batch but recently I've come across others
who also have focus problems and the latest 20D I bought is out of focus
too.

I haven't heard of any focus problems with the 20D. Maybe you're full
of ****?

Now, now. Let's play nice. I'm curious if you did your own experiments
regarding focus, and if you were able to manually focus and do a better job?
I'm not saying you don't have a problem with your camera, but sometimes
focus and exposure problems are not the camera but the user, especially with
autofocus.

Sheldon wrote:

Now, now. Let's play nice.

Why? FUDsters need to be squished like the intellectual cucarachas
they are.

"Sheldon" wrote in message
...

"Randall Ainsworth" wrote in message
...
In article , Douglas
wrote:

It's odd that I bought 2, 20Ds last year and both needed to have the
back
focus calibrated. One focused forward of the focus point and the other
aft
of it. I thought because they had similar serial numbers they might
have
been from a "made on monday" batch but recently I've come across others
who also have focus problems and the latest 20D I bought is out of
focus
too.

I haven't heard of any focus problems with the 20D. Maybe you're full
of ****?

Now, now. Let's play nice. I'm curious if you did your own experiments
regarding focus, and if you were able to manually focus and do a better
job?
I'm not saying you don't have a problem with your camera, but sometimes
focus and exposure problems are not the camera but the user, especially
with
autofocus.

Cant you just point it at an object like a ruler on an angle and see if it
is focusing right or not?
Something like this? http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos300d/page17.asp
They seem to be suggesting the lens has alot to do with focusing too?

"Randall Ainsworth" wrote in message
...
In article , Douglas
wrote:

It's odd that I bought 2, 20Ds last year and both needed to have the back
focus calibrated. One focused forward of the focus point and the other
aft
of it. I thought because they had similar serial numbers they might have
been from a "made on monday" batch but recently I've come across others
who also have focus problems and the latest 20D I bought is out of focus
too.

I haven't heard of any focus problems with the 20D. Maybe you're full
of ****?

We're all full of **** Randall.... That's why we have arseholes like you!

"Sheldon" wrote in message
...

Now, now. Let's play nice. I'm curious if you did your own experiments
regarding focus, and if you were able to manually focus and do a better
job? I'm not saying you don't have a problem with your camera, but
sometimes focus and exposure problems are not the camera but the user,
especially with autofocus.

Randall is just being Randall. Eventually he will realize this (or any
other) group is not his alone.

I made a chart of lines with Corel draw which has a facility to duplicate
lines at exact intervals. In my case it was every 2 mm but could be less or
more, depending on the lens being used. I put 2 rows of them about 50 mm
apart and one horizontal line in the middle as the point of focus.

I used a 24~70 f2.8 "L" series lens locked at f2.8 with the camera on a
tripod and used mirror lock to avoid any shake. The lens does indeed focus
correctly when I use manual. Perhaps it focuses on the front of the line
instead of the back but it's splitting hairs to decide. The autofocus on
this camera was grabbing focus 20mm past the focus point at 450mm distance @
60mm focal length.

If you only ever shot objects at 4 or 5 metre distance and used f5.6 or
smaller, the amount of error is not noticable. This camera has been doing
portraits for several months and no one noticed the error until I shot a
wedding ring on a bride's finger and it was out of focus. That's when I
spent the time to check all our cameras. Even the 1D MkII does not pull
focus on the focus point but it is so close, I decided not to send it back
too.

I originally bought an SD9 Sigma after being dissapointed in the extreme
with a Fuji (Nikon) I bought as my first entry to digital. Ever since then
the SD9 has been the mainstay backup camera for all my lengthy shoots. It
does not resolve the detail of a 20D and it does have some odd behaviour due
to the sensor but what is totally undeniable is that it's complete
reliability compared to the Canons we have.

If someone gave me the choice of taking only one camera into the jungle and
I could choose from a SD9 or 20D, I'd take the SD9 based on the performance
and servicability I've had from the Canon's. The single most reliable Canon
I've had was a 10D and even this would often lock when I changed lenses and
need to be rebooted. My question was to discove if anyone else has had these
problems. The shutter activations of this camera are at 16,000 and despite
the glowing reports about these cameras, I have not found them to be as
reliable as their 35mm counterparts were/are.

Douglas

Douglas FUDdled:

[... he owns a 1DMkII, an SD9, and 20D that he doesn't want to have
repaired
because he has no backup, or something ...]

[...]

If someone gave me the choice of taking only one camera into the
jungle and
I could choose from a SD9 or 20D, I'd take the SD9 based on the
performance
and servicability I've had from the Canon's. The single most reliable
Canon
I've had was a 10D and even this would often lock when I changed
lenses and
need to be rebooted. My question was to discove if anyone else has
had these
problems. The shutter activations of this camera are at 16,000 and
despite
the glowing reports about these cameras, I have not found them to be
as
reliable as their 35mm counterparts were/are.

In one hand, we have N million "glowing reports".

On the other hand, we have one (1) FUDster.

Douglas wrote:

It's odd that I bought 2, 20Ds last year and both needed to have the back
focus calibrated.

How DARE you post a negative coment about a canon product. BURN HIM!!!

--

Stacey

"Bill Spanger" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 29 Apr 2005 23:49:07 -0400, Stacey wrote:
Douglas wrote:

It's odd that I bought 2, 20Ds last year and both needed to have the
back
focus calibrated.

How DARE you post a negative coment about a canon product. BURN HIM!!!

First we must test him, dunk him in the lake, if he drowns he is not a
witch, if
he doesn't drown he is a witch and must be burned!


And me... A deciple of EOS
Oh well, can't help bad luck!