Blue Dot Canon 1D MK IIIs

[RichardMittleman/Gon2Foto]

I am considering buying a used MK III.
Does a Blue Dot ensure that the AF problem has been fixed?

[Phil Shaw]

My advice is only buy a MK3 if you get a guarantee that you get your money back if not happy.

[Marc Oliver]

Yellow Dot is the most recent I believe. I bought a new mkIII about a year ago that had a blue and a yellow dot (firmware 1.2.3) and was told at that time that it was the most up-to-date version - nothing but problems! Needless to say, it went back to the dealer in a hurry. I def. agree with Phil's advice.

[Scott Linstead]

And the Red Dot is a Price Chopper special...

[Marc Oliver]

And the Red Dot is a Price Chopper special...

The box my next purchase came in had a Yellow Square...

[RichardMittleman/Gon2Foto]

Yellow Dot is the most recent I believe. I bought a new mkIII about a year ago that had a blue and a yellow dot (firmware 1.2.3) and was told at that time that it was the most up-to-date version - nothing but problems! Needless to say, it went back to the dealer in a hurry. I def. agree with Phil's advice.

Thanks. So the dot colors are like the terror alerts...worthless?

[Marc Oliver]

Yellow Dot is the most recent I believe. I bought a new mkIII about a year ago that had a blue and a yellow dot (firmware 1.2.3) and was told at that time that it was the most up-to-date version - nothing but problems! Needless to say, it went back to the dealer in a hurry. I def. agree with Phil's advice.

Thanks. So the dot colors are like the terror alerts...worthless?

I don't know if they're worthless, but if the camera has a blue dot only, then it probably doesn't have the most up-to-date fixes. After I bought & returned mine, I think they had another hardware fix and a firmware update (1.2.5 ?). Depending on who you talk to now it never had a problem, it had a problem but it's fixed, or it's still broken and always will be... My particular body was fine in all regards except when I set the AF to AIServo, then it was all over the place - 1 sort-of-sharpish keeper out of ~200 shots, everything else was unusable. I'm sure though that there are some bodies out there that are fine but there's no real way to know without trying it first.

[Dave Courtenay]

I had the original which was a nightmare and after 15 months finally got a replacement which was a yellow dot and just as bad, Personally i wouldnt touch one with a barge pole, Hopefully once the 7D is out a while and sorted it may be worth a look

Dave

[1fspeed]

I tried two 1d Mark III bodies, both blue dot, both new. Tested each for a day and returned both. Test involved a person running towards a tripod mounted camera (Prophoto website outlines this test for the Mark III - followed it to the letter). The Prophoto site has data from their tests for comparison, but I also used a friends Canon 10D for a side by side comparison. Same lens, same lighting, same runner, the 10D had a higher number of in focus shots over multiple trials. Seriously, I couldn't believe it myself, so I re-scored everything. Same result.

Unless you can return it no questions asked, I'd stay away.

[RichardMittleman/Gon2Foto]

Has anyone had a positive experience with different colored dots and/or fixes by Canon? If they were all that bad I'd expect to see a flood of them for sale.

[Mike Veltri]

From Canon's site Richard

all EOS-1D Mark III cameras with serial numbers higher than 546561 have been manufactured with the updated mirror mechanism.

If earlier serial ask for a copy of the work order if they claim the work was done.

[c.w. moynihan]

Has anyone had a positive experience with different colored dots and/or fixes by Canon? If they were all that bad I'd expect to see a flood of them for sale.

Personally, if all the AF fixes have been done, the dots shouldn't matter. I have a "No Dot" 1Ds3 and I have had great success with the camera AF wise. I agree that it might be good to see if you can get a return if not satisfied. The price this camera sells for used is hard to ignore.

[john660]

I have an original one, I was second on the list in Calgary eons ago when they first came out. Had horrid problems with mine, went in for every fix and then some, and now works great and has been working great for over a year. I had other 1D III bodies along the way, too, and they all sucked, but like I said, after the final, final fixes, my original body now works very well.