RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Z stuck at F8 in video mode on R3

[JayHawkJ]

Hello Everyone,

I'm hoping someone can lend a hand or some advice. I have a new RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Z that works flawlessly in photo/stills mode. However, when I switch to video, I can't change the aperture from F8 and it's locked down in the touch settings on the back of the screen. The Canon R3 doesn't display any other apertures. I've tried manually moving the aperture ring, resetting the Canon R3 to factory settings, updating the camera body and lens firmware, and I also verified that the camera works fine when I switch to my RF28mm F2.8 STM (I am able to change the aperture on the screen and with a dial). 

I'm not sure what's causing this issue and have submitted a support request. If anyone can guide me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it!

[deebatman316]

Is the aperture ring set to F/8 of so you can’t control it from the camera body. Move the aperture ring to the the A setting.

[JayHawkJ]

Hi deebatman316,

Great point, I appreciate your recommendation. I tested the lens with the aperture ring set at each of the markings on the lens "A", "2.8", "4", "5.6", "8", "11", 16", & "22". At each stop, the lens remains locked off at F8.

I also contacted Canon support and they recommended the following: 
"Make sure that the adjacent iris ring lock switch is set to the unlock position. Then turn the aperture ring. When it is set to the A position, the iris is controlled by the camera."  My results: I tested the aperture ring in the "A" position as well as in each of the iris aperture positions. There is no change and the lens remains locked at F8 when in video mode. 

"If problems persist, you can try to clean the metal contacts between lens and camera with a lint-free lens cloth." My Results: I cleaned the contacts with no change, I power cycled and again, the lens remained locked in the F8 aperture position only in Video Mode (stills/photo mode works 100% fine).

"You can also go into the MENU, navigate to the orange menu settings and select CLEAR CUSTOMIZED SETTINGS." My Results: I went into the orange menu and cleared the following settings: 

• Reset Camera/Factory Reset; 
• Reset Camera/Reset individual settings/Basic settings;
• Reset Camera/Reset individual settings/Customize Quick controls;
• Reset Camera/Reset individual settings/Shooting info. disp.
• Reset Camera/Reset individual settings/Root certificate
• Reset Camera/Reset individual settings/GPS logger
• Reset Camera/Reset individual settings/Communication settings
• Reset Camera/Reset individual settings/Custom shooting mode (C1-C3)
• Reset Camera/Reset individual settings/Copyright information
• Reset Camera/Reset individual settings/Customized controls
• Reset Camera/Reset individual settings/Custom Functions (C.Fn)
• Reset Camera/Reset individual settings/My Menu

After performing each of these steps, I re-tested the lens every time. The lens remains locked off at F8 with no other options available when in video mode (Only). Everything works fine in photo/stills mode.  

[chrishoesel]

You may already have tried this, but there is a lens firmware update available with minor fixes and support for the newest Cine bodies, perhaps it might work to unlock it from its preset aperture?  Is the R3 on the latest firmware update as well?

This is a weird issue.  I don't have an R3 to test on, but I will test my copy out in an R5M2 and R5C in video mode to see if it happens to me as well.

[JayHawkJ]

Hi chrishoesel,

Thank you for providing some feedback. I can confirm that the Canon R3 is on firmware version 1.8.0 (the latest version) and I updated the lens to the latest firmware version 1.0.6. 

I have rented a non-z version before and did not have any issues whatsoever but this one, no matter what I do, I can't get the aperture to change when in video mode. However, since it works perfectly fine in stills mode, I'm wondering if there's a setting I am missing in the R3?

[deebatman316]

Only the EOS R5 Mark II & EOS R1 can fully utilize the aperture ring in stills and photo mode. Every other R series camera can only utilize it in video mode. This is due to a hardware restriction in older cameras.

[JayHawkJ]

Hello deebatman316,

That is correct and I completely understand. I have no issues with the lens in stills/photo mode and can move the camera through the full range of aperture values when in stills mode (f/2.8~f/22). However, when I switch to video, the lens is locked off at f/8 and will not change from there no matter what I do.

[chrishoesel]

I tried the 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z lens on both the Canon R5C in video mode, as well the R5M2 in video mode:

Full controllability in video mode of the aperture in both cameras.  The R5M2 of course allows the control of the iris/aperture via the de-clicked aperture ring whereas the R5C does not, however I had full range of aperture control on both cameras in video mode.  I don't have an R3 to try it out on, but you will be better off calling Canon for support.