5D mk3 shutter release problem

[JoshPhotography]

Hi Guys,

Today I've had a small issue where my shutter release button became unresponsive. It would meter under half-press but would not release the shutter (AF back focus and camera is set to force shoot if AF is unattainable). At the same time I noticed my aperture value had dropped to 00 which suggested a lens issue (70-200 2.8 IS mk1). Turned camera off and on, didnt work. Turn camera off, removed lens, replaced lens and turned back on, didnt work. Decided to inspect the electrical contacts, both camera and lens looked brand new but I wiped my finger across the lens's contacts and bingo, it worked...

Sounds like I fixed it... However, I cant think of a reason the shutter would refuse to release even with a faulty lens connection? And since all the contacts seemed perfectly clean I was worried it was either a physical lens connection (not locking in and wobbling about) or just some other software fault in the camera. Lens seems to mount very solidly and I guess im being pessimistic about software faults since it seemed fine for the rest of my shoot.

Anyway, essay over. I think I'm probably being daft and have nothing to worry about but It bothers me because I have another shoot on Friday and I'm not sure whether its worth hiring a backup or not.

Any help would be greatly appreciated if anyone has ever had anything similar and soved it.

Thanks,

Josh.

[RobertTheFat]

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@JoshPhotography wrote:

Hi Guys,

Today I've had a small issue where my shutter release button became unresponsive. It would meter under half-press but would not release the shutter (AF back focus and camera is set to force shoot if AF is unattainable). At the same time I noticed my aperture value had dropped to 00 which suggested a lens issue (70-200 2.8 IS mk1). Turned camera off and on, didnt work. Turn camera off, removed lens, replaced lens and turned back on, didnt work. Decided to inspect the electrical contacts, both camera and lens looked brand new but I wiped my finger across the lens's contacts and bingo, it worked...

Sounds like I fixed it... However, I cant think of a reason the shutter would refuse to release even with a faulty lens connection? And since all the contacts seemed perfectly clean I was worried it was either a physical lens connection (not locking in and wobbling about) or just some other software fault in the camera. Lens seems to mount very solidly and I guess im being pessimistic about software faults since it seemed fine for the rest of my shoot.

Anyway, essay over. I think I'm probably being daft and have nothing to worry about but It bothers me because I have another shoot on Friday and I'm not sure whether its worth hiring a backup or not.

Any help would be greatly appreciated if anyone has ever had anything similar and soved it.

Thanks,

Josh.

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Frequently, in such cases (5D3, 70-200), the explanation is that the camera was closer to the subject than the minimum focusing distance. If the 70-200 Mk I is like the Mk II, it has a switch on the barrel that lengthens the MFD to obtain faster, more accurate focusing at fairly long distances. If you're too close, the shutter will not fire. I think we've all had it happen at one time or another.

Of course that might not be what your problem was. But it's at least worth considering before you send the camera and/or lens in for inspection. And if it really was the problem, cleaning the contacts was a red herring; being a greater distance from the subject is what cured it.

[JoshPhotography]

Unfortunately that is not the case. As I said in my original post I use back button AF and the camera is set up to release the shutter when i press the button, regardless of what it thinks is wrong with the picture. As far as I'm concerned when using it, everytime I press the button the shutter should release. 

Might I add that it started doing this mid shoot. I was working behind the scenes on a music video and during a full take of the song I shot through probably a minute of it before it just stopped firing. I guess that is the most unnerving part of it 😕

[RobertTheFat]

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@JoshPhotography wrote:

Unfortunately that is not the case. As I said in my original post I use back button AF and the camera is set up to release the shutter when i press the button, regardless of what it thinks is wrong with the picture. As far as I'm concerned when using it, everytime I press the button the shutter should release. 

Might I add that it started doing this mid shoot. I was working behind the scenes on a music video and during a full take of the song I shot through probably a minute of it before it just stopped firing. I guess that is the most unnerving part of it 😕

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Obviously you're the only one with enough knowledge of the circumstances to be able to rule out any proposed explanation. But FWIW, I'd be surprised if back-button focusing could override the effect of insufficient canera-to-subject distance.

[JoshPhotography]

Back Button AF doesnt override it, it just free's up the shutter button, the shutter goes off where ever the focus is.

I was just wondering if anyone else had the same or similar issue as me and if it had been resolved.

[Jlphoto1607]

Hi there! I’m literally having the same issues. Did you resolve the problem?

[JoshPhotography]

No I never got to the bottom of it, most people just gave me irrelevant answers without understanding how the camera works.

FWIW I have never had the issue since so I'm going to put it down to dirty contacts or a one off glitch, sorry I couldn't be of more help.