5D focus issues

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fulwood

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henry
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I've just got a used 5D and 28/135mm IS on approval. I want to use it for landscape work. Love the viewfinder, though prefer the ergonomics and handling of my Nikon D200!
The pixel peeping results can be stunning, but I seem to be having some focus issues.
I'm finding that a significant number of pics taken at the wide end are out of focus and appreciably soft. Pics taken in yesterday's super sunny high contrast high clarity conditions, won't get much better than that in the UK. The camera seemed to have some problems locking focus, so I used centre spot and switched off the IS. The further away, the worse the problem. Noticed it at 28mm, though some pics still soft at up to 40mm. Tooke some pics of houses across the road with no problems, also full aperture pics close-ups at the tele end are fine.
When in focus, the resolution is excellent, but am concerned about the hit and miss landscapes. My eyesight is too poor to focus any better manually.
Have I got a duff 5D? - any body else had focus issues with the 5D and 28/135? - seems a very nice combination - I can't afford a 24/105 IS. Fortunately I've got a few days approval left and can, reluctantly, send it back.
Comments appreciated.
 
I would have said this is more to do with the lens rather than the body, and wide open, the 28/135 is not going to be tack sharp (very few lenses are). Do you have some pictures to illustrate?
 
I would suspect the lens more than the body. On my 5DMk2 my 24-70L is tack sharp at 70mm but not so at 24mm. It is sharp but not as sharp. If I use the micro adjust feature I can adjust so that the wide end is tack sharp but then loose a little sharpness at the longer end.

I have now micro adjusted the focus to give the sharpest results at about 45mm which gives a very acceptable image right across the range, but some focal lengths are still sharper than others.

Can you borrow a prime to test the AF. Doesn't help though if you have to buy the camera with the 28/135.
 
I wouldn't think that the 28-135 is a good choice for a FF landscape lens. It's soft around the edges at the wide end and really is more suited to a crop body. I have one that Mrs CB uses for general stuff (on a 30D) and the results are perfectly adeqate. Stick it on a 5D and it's less than pleasing despite the fact that it was kitted up with them for a while.

I'd see if you can borrow something a little more suitable just to eliminate the possibility of the body having a problem.

Bob
 
Thanks for the replies.

I suspect that it is a lens issue, but only at the wide end, as focus seems fine indoors at the tele-end, as if body problem, then it would miss-focus under more demanding conditions.

As far as landscape use is concerned, the lens was shut down to f8 or f11 (shows up those little dust devils!!) and when focussed is adequately sharp - the edges are a little soft but acceptable. Ideally would like to have a 17/40, 50 macro and 70/200 set up, but that's a pipe dream at the moment.

I'll return the gear to the supplier for their comments/solutions, as I don't really want to end up with some one else's problems!
 
fulwood said:
Thanks for the replies.

I suspect that it is a lens issue, but only at the wide end, as focus seems fine indoors at the tele-end, as if body problem, then it would miss-focus under more demanding conditions.

As far as landscape use is concerned, the lens was shut down to f8 or f11 (shows up those little dust devils!!) and when focussed is adequately sharp - the edges are a little soft but acceptable. Ideally would like to have a 17/40, 50 macro and 70/200 set up, but that's a pipe dream at the moment.

I'll return the gear to the supplier for their comments/solutions, as I don't really want to end up with some one else's problems!
Click to expand...

Personally on the 5D I would go with either the Canon 100 macro or the Sigma 105, the Canon EF 50 Macro (circa £230) only does 1:1 with an additional extension tube (the Canon version of which costs about £250) or a set of kenko tubes costing about £100, by the time you have done this, you had just as well have bought a Siggy 105 (circa £385) or a Canon 100 (circa £430), this will give you a slightly better working distance, both make excellant portrait lenses on FF and both give you 1:1.
 
I've recently moved from a 1D to a 5D and was surprised at how much worse the AF was when using a non too hot lens (i.e. a 50mm F1.8). My hit rate with anything moving was simply awful, to the point where I spent a couple of days trying to work out what was going on. In the end I concluded that:
- AF is clearly a combination of body and lens. The 1D was capable of making up for the majority of the 50mm's well known dodgy AF. The 5D is simply not as capable
- Put a decent lens on the front, and where possible use the central AF point, and the AF of the 5D is actually rather good. As the rest of my kit collection are L series lenses, not a big problem.

So in the end, I sold the 50mm and will be buying something with much better AF at some point (e.g. 85mm F1.8).

For the OP, bear with it and if possible get a lens with better AF.
 
Just an update on this.

As OP I wondered about focus with a 28/135 on a 5D. It was the 28/135!! I've just got a 50 macro, 17/40 and a 70/300 is and can confirm there are NO focus issues whatsoever (just financial ones!!). I've sold the 28/135 to a crop body user at no loss and they are more than happy with it.

Canon Bob
You're right, my 28/135 had a soft bottom right hand side from 28 to 35mm, enough to (my eye at least) take the edge off A3 prints if you knew where to look, otherwise a very good lens from 40 - 100mm. 17/40 is just something else!

EdBray
I'm gone for the 50 macro knowing that it's really only a close focus lens - BUT one that gives very good infinity focus results as well. I'll use it for flower close-ups and as a standard lens substitute in one - I have a friend who uses the Mk ii 50mm 1.8 and is unhappy with its build and focus abilities. The CF macro is better in both respects. For macro, I'm saving for the Canon 100 2.8, but that's for later!

Anyway, I'll be picking your brains on using all this gear and asking for tips on post processing for best results shortly!
 
fulwood said:
As far as landscape use is concerned, the lens was shut down to f8 or f11 (shows up those little dust devils!!) and when focussed is adequately sharp
Click to expand...

I personally think you're looking at the limitation of the lens rather than a focus issue. At 28mm F8 focusing at about 3.5m everything should be in focus from about 2m in front of the camera.
 
fulwood said:
I've just got a 50 macro, 17/40 and a 70/300 is and can confirm there are NO focus issues whatsoever (just financial ones!!).
Click to expand...

Hasn't someone been a busy bee spending :lol:

Glad you have sorted out the problem, nothing more frustratig than an underlying worry something is wrong. :thumbs:
 
I used my 28-135 on my EOS3(film) with no issues at all... but since I moved to a 5d Mk1 last september I've had soft landscape issues also... hence why I've just bought a 24-105mm... I think the focal length will suit me also though far better.
 
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