# Canon EOS 5D Mark III Blinking Red AF Point Information



## Canon Rumors Guy (Nov 15, 2012)

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<strong>Firmware Coming?


</strong>There has been a lot of questions wondering when Canon will release a firmware update similar to the EOS-1D X  that adds the blinking red AF point when in AI servo mode. While I figured they were working on it, I wasn’t quite sure why it hadn’t been brought to market or included with the <a href="http://www.canonrumors.com/2012/10/canon-eos-5d-mark-iii-firmware-adds-hdmi-af-upgrades/" target="_blank">announced and upcoming firmware update</a>.</p>
<p>This is a direct quote of what I have been told:</p>
<blockquote><p>They are testing that at the moment but don’t know if it is possible to implement. The former system had a different type of focusing screen and it was easy to handle because it had no reflection in the viewfinder. The new system, with the LCD screen inside the viewfinder is reflecting the red light back and this can affect the light metering system. In the EOS-1D X, the viewfinder box is bigger than in EOS 5D Mark III, which aids in making it possible and workable. In the EOS-1D X they alternate red illumination and metering, and this is why there is the red blinking. With the EOS 5D Mark III, they are testing it but they are not sure if they can make it operate in the same way.</p></blockquote>
<p>This sounds logical enough, and it’s good to know they are trying to implement it.</p>
<p><em><strong>5D Mark III at Norman (<a href="http://www.normancamera.com/index/page/product/product_id/25476/product_name/Canon+EOS+5D+Mark+III+Camera+Body" target="_blank">Body</a> | <a href="http://www.normancamera.com/index/page/product/product_id/25476/product_name/Canon+EOS+5D+Mark+III+Camera+Body" target="_blank">Kit</a>), B&H (<a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/847545-REG/Canon_5260A002_EOS_5D_Mark_III.html/BI/2466/KBID/3296" target="_blank">Body</a> | <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/847546-REG/Canon_5260B009_EOS_5D_Mark_III.html/BI/2466/KBID/3296" target="_blank">Kit</a>) Amazon (<a href="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=canorumo-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B007FGYZFI" target="_blank">Body</a> | <a href="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=canorumo-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B007FGZ1V" target="_blank">Kit</a>), Adorama (<a href="http://www.adorama.com/ICA5DM3.html?kbid=64393" target="_blank">Body</a> | <a href="http://www.adorama.com/ICA5DM3K.html?kbid=64393" target="_blank">Kit</a>)</strong></em></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">c</span>r</strong></p>
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## ScottyP (Nov 15, 2012)

Good to have the info, and to know they tried. But it kind of sounds like they are saying "sorry, but no dice."


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## bbasiaga (Nov 15, 2012)

Maybe they should just consult the 10,000 internet jockeys who already know exactly how to fix it? 

lol 

-Brian


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## Rat (Nov 15, 2012)

ScottyP said:


> Good to have the info, and to know they tried. But it kind of sounds like they are saying "sorry, but no dice."


Anyone else thinks that the April release date for the new firmware was set so far in the future in order for Canon to have time to work out how to go about this problem?

It'd be _very _nice to have, but it looks like you're right - and the sooner they give up, the better; that way we won't have to wait as long for the f/8 AF and, hopefully, a higher minimum shutter speed with auto-iso.


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## carlc (Nov 15, 2012)

At least they should try to make the outline of the focus square box (selected AF point) bolder. At the current "very thin lines" it is very hard to find against any back ground but white. I shoot single point most of the time and compared to my 7D the 5DMkIII is a pain in the bippy. A bolder box should not affect metering unless the bolder lines will emit more light the instant it flashes red when focus is confirmed.

At this point I am considering the return of my MkIII and just go back to my 7D. Otherwise it is a wonderful camera body.


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## Steven_urwin (Nov 15, 2012)

Dear Canon,

If you really can't get the red lights to work with AI Servo, please may you hand us something else as an apology. You can do a survey if you like with current users to find out what they may like, but a couple of suggestions spring to mind...

- Sorting out the AF assist beam focus issue
- Higher Auto ISO
- Expanding the minimum/maximum shutter speed thresholds
- An apology
- a couple of hundred pounds rebate??

You know, just something to get rid of the bitter taste I have going on right now.

Many Thanks,

Steve


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## Rat (Nov 15, 2012)

Steven_urwin said:


> Dear Canon,
> 
> If you really can't get the red lights to work with AI Servo, please may you hand us something else as an apology.


Don't victimize yourself because you bought a great camera with a few shortcomings that you could - and should! - have known about in advance. You're just saying that you bought the thing on impulse and that you want to blame the consequences on someone else. 

If you insist on this behaviour, please switch to Nikon.


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## neuroanatomist (Nov 15, 2012)

Alternatively, if red lights in AI Servo was absolutely critical for you, a 1DIV or 1DsIII would have been the right choice, not a 5DIII.


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## Dylan777 (Nov 15, 2012)

1. Most of us wanted lower MP, higher ISO, better AF system in 5D III, and more etc...Canon delivered.

2. Now...blinking Red Point in AI Servo, Canon listened and trying their best to make it happens. 

I heard alot people said "Canon doesn't care about their customer anymore. They only care about $$$"

For those who think $3500 is too much for 5D III & $2300 is too much for 24-70 II, I hope you switch to Nikon sooner or buy a 5D II for much less. And get yourself some Tammy lenses.


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## K-amps (Nov 15, 2012)

Rat said:


> Steven_urwin said:
> 
> 
> > Dear Canon,
> ...



Forget making him switch to Nikon.... "Off with his head" I say !


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## Rat (Nov 15, 2012)

K-amps said:


> Forget making him switch to Nikon.... "Off with his head" I say !


Isn't that about the same?


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## M.ST (Nov 15, 2012)

Who cares about, if they are not able to put this feature in the camera. Use a 1D X instead.

I only want to see a better JPG-Quality that came direct out of the 5D Mark III.

In my opinion the EF 24-70 II is definetly worth the money you pay for it.

A camera will be not better by reducing the price.


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## Mehmetski (Nov 15, 2012)

Steven_urwin said:


> Dear Canon,
> 
> If you really can't get the red lights to work with AI Servo, please may you hand us something else as an apology. You can do a survey if you like with current users to find out what they may like, but a couple of suggestions spring to mind...
> 
> *- Sorting out the AF assist beam focus issue*



Agreed! Fix this and the camera is PERFECT!


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## tron (Nov 15, 2012)

Rat said:


> Anyone else thinks that the April release date for the new firmware was set so far in the future in order for Canon to have time to work out how to go about this problem?
> It'd be _very _nice to have, but it looks like you're right - and the sooner they give up, the better; that way we won't have to wait as long for the f/8 AF and, hopefully, a higher minimum shutter speed with auto-iso.


I cannot understand why they must include all into a single firmware upgrade. They should release whichever feature has been implemented and tested thoroughly. That way, we would get new feautures sooner.


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## Rat (Nov 15, 2012)

tron said:


> They should release whichever feature has been implemented and tested thoroughly. That way, we would get new feautures sooner.


Agreed. However, a firmware upgrade is often associated with 'repairing' things, so if they put out too many, the camera may, to the uninitiated, come across as unfinished or broken. Also, it's possible to f*** up an upgrade (empty batteries, turning it off halfway through, etc) and Canon will obviously want to limit the number of "their software bricked my camera!"-stories. But still, agreed


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## Zv (Nov 15, 2012)

And don't forget they had that hiccup with the 7D firmware kinda recently. Last thing we need are sketchy firmware updates that have been hastily released! 
;D


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## tron (Nov 15, 2012)

Zv said:


> And don't forget they had that hiccup with the 7D firmware kinda recently. Last thing we need are sketchy firmware updates that have been hastily released!
> ;D


Noone said "hastily released". If you read again you will read "thoroughly tested". So it's not that I want the firmware upgrade today or even yesterday. But I cannot believe that it will be ready and tested by April 2013


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## bkorcel (Nov 15, 2012)

PLEASE! If that is a reason to return your MK3 in favor of the 7D then you obviously spent too much money for your ability. GO ahead and return it or sell it and those of us who use the 5D3 will continue to turn out better pictures with less noise and higher resolution.



carlc said:


> At least they should try to make the outline of the focus square box (selected AF point) bolder. At the current "very thin lines" it is very hard to find against any back ground but white. I shoot single point most of the time and compared to my 7D the 5DMkIII is a pain in the bippy. A bolder box should not affect metering unless the bolder lines will emit more light the instant it flashes red when focus is confirmed.
> 
> At this point I am considering the return of my MkIII and just go back to my 7D. Otherwise it is a wonderful camera body.


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## Zv (Nov 15, 2012)

tron said:


> Zv said:
> 
> 
> > And don't forget they had that hiccup with the 7D firmware kinda recently. Last thing we need are sketchy firmware updates that have been hastily released!
> ...



apologies I was using my phone, must have missed that.


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## gundul (Nov 15, 2012)

if Canon wont release the proper firmware, might as well wait for an upgrade from Magic Lantern


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## Razor2012 (Nov 15, 2012)

gundul said:


> if Canon wont release the proper firmware, might as well wait for an upgrade from Magic Lantern



I don't think it's a matter of won't, it would be more like can't or isn't possible. Canon will release it if it can be done.


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## bloodstupid (Nov 15, 2012)

WTF, then just give us a short AF blink when the AF-On button is pushed. Just like it was with the MarkII. At least it would be on the same level then. No reason to make this more complicated as it is.


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## Sony (Nov 15, 2012)

I bought 5Diii @ $3500 & 24-70mm MKii @ $2300 and have 0 regrets with excellent pics whether or not the red points blinking & the price tags decreasing. 
Photography is my love; Love means never having to say $$$ sorry! Relax and take pics. LOL!


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Nov 15, 2012)

bloodstupid said:


> WTF, then just give us a short AF blink when the AF-On button is pushed. Just like it was with the MarkII. At least it would be on the same level then. No reason to make this more complicated as it is.


You are missing the point. go back and reread the original article. It messes up the metering. BTW, metering is done when you press the shutter button.
I'd much rather have a properly metered image than the red AF point if I had to make a choice.


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## Marsu42 (Nov 15, 2012)

Razor2012 said:


> gundul said:
> 
> 
> > if Canon wont release the proper firmware, might as well wait for an upgrade from Magic Lantern
> ...



Magic Lantern atm cannot influence most things outside live-view, esp. the af system.

Concerning Canon: I'm really happy Canon is communicating what they're doing and why, if they continue this they'll make much more customers less alienated with their favorite brand. Next up: Why does the fw take until 4/2013? Does Canon acknowledge the low-light problem af that isn't even fixed by the lagged af beam, and are they working on a solution for this?


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## Drizzt321 (Nov 15, 2012)

So...them not implementing a user-changable focusing screen is coming back to bite them when trying to work on this fix. Why couldn't they just give us the user-changable screen? They had it on the 5d2!


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## Rat (Nov 15, 2012)

bloodstupid said:


> WTF, then just give us a short AF blink when the AF-On button is pushed. Just like it was with the MarkII. At least it would be on the same level then. No reason to make this more complicated as it is.


At any rate, that would only work for the first shot - you still wouldn't know where the AF points would move for the 2nd, 3rd, ... shot. Which is the actual issue, because the red-flare-on-focus *is* available in One Shot mode (and we all set the DOF button to toggle between One Shot and AI Servo. Right? Right?). So don't oversimplify either


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## tim (Nov 15, 2012)

Kudos to Canon for trusting our intelligence enough to tell us the technical details of what they are doing. Let's see if we can repay that respect.

I was pretty shocked by the poster above who asked for apologies and even money. Can we please avoid badmouthing Canon for not delivering things they never promised?


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## bp (Nov 15, 2012)

I'd rather have metering linked to AF point, than a red blinking one anyway.

And I shoot most frequently in very dark circumstances, usually in AI Servo... I've just gotten used to it. If I don't know where the AF point is, I just move it back and forth (which lights it up a bit). Thumb is always on the joystick anyway.

The metering at the center, regardless of AF point is what really kills me


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## bloodstupid (Nov 15, 2012)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> You are missing the point. go back and reread the original article. It messes up the metering. BTW, metering is done when you press the shutter button.
> I'd much rather have a properly metered image than the red AF point if I had to make a choice.



I'm not and the shutter button isnt my AF start button. It would be easy to pause the light metering for this one short location blink of the AF point.



Rat said:


> At any rate, that would only work for the first shot - you still wouldn't know where the AF points would move for the 2nd, 3rd, ... shot. Which is the actual issue, because the red-flare-on-focus *is* available in One Shot mode (and we all set the DOF button to toggle between One Shot and AI Servo. Right? Right?). So don't oversimplify either



I dont care, i just dont want it to be a step backwards from the 5D II, i would be happy with the same funcionality if more cant be done. But less is just not an option.


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## Marsu42 (Nov 15, 2012)

bloodstupid said:


> I dont care, i just dont want it to be a step backwards from the 5D II



You can't make an omelet w/o breaking eggs, most successors to tech products have some regressions if you really, really search for them.



tim said:


> I was pretty shocked by the poster above who asked for apologies and even money. Can we please avoid badmouthing Canon for not delivering things they never promised?



+1 ... everyone was rather surprised that they put the 1dx af system into the 5d3. Whatever the motivation, avoiding different parts or making up for the lack of sensor advancement - the same basic af system doesn't mean that all 1dx features (like f8-af, metering on af) will or must be available on the much cheaper 5d3, even if $3500 is a lot of money. If they would have put an inferior "5d-special" system into the 5d3 people wouldn't be complaining, that's a bit strange.

Note: You pay for a camera that is available, not what could be potentially be added to it. If it is too expensive then wait and watch the feature list and fw updates, actually that's what I'm doing right now.


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## carlc (Nov 15, 2012)

attn: bkorcel, I have an offer for you. How about I trade you a little of my kindness and respect for others for your eyesight? My sight is failing and I need all the help I can get through the viewfinder. And one more thought; you might be the answer to all my retirement needs: I just buy you for what your worth and sell you for what you think your worth....


bkorcel said:


> PLEASE! If that is a reason to return your MK3 in favor of the 7D then you obviously spent too much money for your ability. GO ahead and return it or sell it and those of us who use the 5D3 will continue to turn out better pictures with less noise and higher resolution.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## neuroanatomist (Nov 15, 2012)

bloodstupid said:


> I dont care, i just dont want it to be a step backwards from the 5D II, i would be happy with the same funcionality if more cant be done. But less is just not an option.



What you got was a transmissive LCD enabling the on-demand display of AF points. In exchange for red AF points in AI Servo, would you like all 61 of those points visible as black squares all of the time? You can turn that on in the menu options, try it and see what you think, if they get in the way of seeing your subject, and then imagine them being darker and more evident (which they would be, if etched in the focus screen).


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## nwardrip (Nov 15, 2012)

bp said:


> I'd rather have metering linked to AF point, than a red blinking one anyway.
> 
> And I shoot most frequently in very dark circumstances, usually in AI Servo... I've just gotten used to it. If I don't know where the AF point is, I just move it back and forth (which lights it up a bit). Thumb is always on the joystick anyway.
> 
> The metering at the center, regardless of AF point is what really kills me



I, too, really wish the metering was linked to the AF point on the 5D3, but the density of the focus points versus the density of the metering grid does not match well, so I don't think that this is a likely 5D3 feature. The 5D3 and 7D share the same 63-zone, 9x7 grid. On the 7D (which has AF point-linked exposure), the focus points directly matched up with the exposure metering region, as can be seen in this graphic from the-digital-picture 7D review:







So AF-linked exposure was a no-brainer. Not so on the 5D3. However, on the 1DX, the metering grid is now 4x more dense (252 zones or 18x14), plus it has the 100K pixel RGB metering sensor, so it can match up the regions and pixels closest to the AF point with much more precision.


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## AlicoatePhotography (Nov 15, 2012)

I don't get this whole problem. How hard is it to move your thumb one centimeter and touch the focus selection button? It lights up and you can see what is selected. If you need confirmation of AF, then use one shot. I have a 7D and it isn't significantly different in practice than my 5DMKIII. If you are in that low of light, I would use center focus anyway and not be using AIServo. 5D is really a great camera as witnessed by this nitpicking.


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## Drizzt321 (Nov 15, 2012)

AlicoatePhotography said:


> I don't get this whole problem. How hard is it to move your thumb one centimeter and touch the focus selection button? It lights up and you can see what is selected. If you need confirmation of AF, then use one shot. I have a 7D and it isn't significantly different in practice than my 5DMKIII. If you are in that low of light, I would use center focus anyway and not be using AIServo. 5D is really a great camera as witnessed by this nitpicking.



Why should I be using center point and AI-Servo when I have 41 cross-points (maybe not as great as the dual cross, but still damn good). I wouldn't have been able to get some of the shots here, which are of someone surfing, at night, next to the Santa Monica Pier with the Ferris wheel providing some light. With him moving, I needed to keep it on AI-Servo the entire time, and it was impossible to see which AF points were currently tracking him. I had to use the AF point select button to get the AF point highlighted to put over top of him to start the AF-Servo tracking. Frankly, it shows how amazing the system is that once I got it to lock after a second or two, it kept tracking him with surprising accuracy in such crappy and changing lighting conditions. But. I still would have liked to have gotten the feedback that the AF point that was currently locked was still over the subject. Would have been much nicer.


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## AlicoatePhotography (Nov 16, 2012)

So would you want multiple points flashing constantly? If you are using multiple points to track the subject, I would think you would have a pretty bright VF. Would you have been able to effectively see the subject at that point. Cool photos by the way. They really look bad in the thumbnail scale, but when you go into them, you can really see some decent detail there, and the shallow depth of field is nice. 

I usually use AI Servoe with one point and I keep that point on my subject. Center point is easiest, but I will use others, I just need to remember where they are. 

Another workaround other than pushing the AF selector button is to change your orientation from Portrait to Landscape or vice versa. The indicator of how your af point is selected will show up. this might be tied into having a separate vertical point from a horizontal point. It works for me though. It is brief, but it helps. Especially if you had gloves on or something and could hit buttons other than the shutter button. It could happen.


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## wickidwombat (Nov 16, 2012)

just make it available as a selectable option

I dont give a rats ass if it affects metering 
Why?
Because in Manual and spot metering it only uses the center
so I meter before focusing anyway
Since I use Manual and spot focus I would rather have the red AF points
and make it selectable so people that find it affects their metering with how they shoot 
can turn it off

just give us the ability to turn the damn thing on!

And let us customise the rate button while they are at it


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## Bosman (Nov 16, 2012)

Comment i didn't like. just buy a 1dx if you want that.

WTH Canon, April 2013 for firmware? What in the world, this isn't coming up with an anti virus for anthrax. Are these guys geniuses or not? How can I think Canon has their crap together when they claimed F8 wasn't possible on the 1dx. What is their angle or game or are they really that incompetent. I know i couldn't ever do this kinda thing but a multi billion dollar company that doesn't have the brightest minds on this makes me wonder. What is the angle on the timeline??? If they were smart they would have polled photographers about this asking what would you rather have this or that (in reference to interchangeable screens or the new kind they use). You know the guys shooting with the demo's were like, wth this is a pain when its dark. Jeff Ascough is also saying wth, why are my zoom buttons not where they have always been. I know we can change things as time progresses on but the changes they are making aren't seemingly well thought out, which also makes me think that can't be true so what's the angle?
Rant I Know lol.


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## sanj (Nov 16, 2012)

carlc said:


> At least they should try to make the outline of the focus square box (selected AF point) bolder. At the current "very thin lines" it is very hard to find against any back ground but white. I shoot single point most of the time and compared to my 7D the 5DMkIII is a pain in the bippy. A bolder box should not affect metering unless the bolder lines will emit more light the instant it flashes red when focus is confirmed.
> 
> At this point I am considering the return of my MkIII and just go back to my 7D. Otherwise it is a wonderful camera body.



Sir don't. 5D3 has much better quality and lens options on the wide side. Regards.


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## sanj (Nov 16, 2012)

I am in minority here but this is a non issue for me. Does not bother me much.


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## thelebaron (Nov 16, 2012)

how much work do you think they are putting into this update? think we'll get any other unexpected bonus updates/improvements?


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## Louis (Nov 16, 2012)

Keeping you waiting to April 2013 could be a marketing strategy, To keep you happy with the 5D3 until they announce some other camera, it wouldn't surprise me,


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## Marsu42 (Nov 16, 2012)

Louis said:


> Keeping you waiting to April 2013 could be a marketing strategy, To keep you happy with the 5D3 until they announce some other camera, it wouldn't surprise me,



If so, I don't see any 5d3 users happy to wait until April ... more likely that just like the af servo indicators the 5d3 is a bit different from the 1dx and they need a lot of testing with their lens lineup to make it work reliably - just enabling it and saying "try if it works for you" isn't a thing you can do with a camera of this category. The other possibility for the delay is that they're trying to include the af servo indicator fix, too.


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## ScottyP (Nov 16, 2012)

carlc said:


> attn: bkorcel, I have an offer for you. How about I trade you a little of my kindness and respect for others for your eyesight? My sight is failing and I need all the help I can get through the viewfinder. And one more thought; you might be the answer to all my retirement needs: I just buy you for what your worth and sell you for what you think your worth....
> 
> 
> bkorcel said:
> ...



A classy response to a nasty comment. Your attacker says you spent too much money for your ability level, but I think what he did was spend too much money for his comfort level, and it is making him hyper-defensive of the camera body to justify the purchase to himself.


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## K-amps (Nov 16, 2012)

ScottyP said:


> carlc said:
> 
> 
> > attn: bkorcel, I have an offer for you. How about I trade you a little of my kindness and respect for others for your eyesight? My sight is failing and I need all the help I can get through the viewfinder. And one more thought; you might be the answer to all my retirement needs: I just buy you for what your worth and sell you for what you think your worth....
> ...



+1


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