Advice Appreciated: 5D Mark III Auto Focusing Issue

[Q-Mama]

I'd appreciate any advice on my issue. A bit of background, I purchased a 5D Mark III brand new in November of 2016 from B&H. I have been shooting on it for 2 years with no AF issues whatsoever. I brought the camera with me to Banff on a trip and it was accidentally dropped by my friend. I sent the camera to Canon and they cleaned and recalibrated the camera and lens ($500). Please see the attached paperwork for details.

After the incident, my photos have been very blurry. I thought maybe my photography skills were rusty (I had a baby and didn't shoot for a while), so I put the camera in Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority to see if I had the same issue. My photos are still blurry. I shoot mostly outdoors in full sun. I place the focus point on the subject's eye - I even have the AF square to show where the focus point is. The photos are still blurry and not very sharp. I can sometimes get a sharp photos if I take quite a few, but nothing consistent. 

I recently tried Back Button Focus and that has helped a tiny bit, but nothing consistent. Many photos are still blurry. I shoot on One-Shot AF, Case 1, 61 points selected. I selected the nearest AF point to the eye on my subject.

Any ideas?! Thanks in advance!

[jrhoffman75]

The LCD is not the best tool for viewing sharpness. What Picture Style do you have selected?

Have you downloaded the image to a computer and viewed in in a photo software? Since you have a Canon camera download and use Canon Digital Photo Professional (DPP).

As a comparison, take an image in both optical view finder (OVF) mode and LiveView mode.

When you are in LiveView mode you see exactly what the sensor is seeing. When using the OVF there are intermediary steps that can be out of adkustment.

[Q-Mama]

Thanks! I don't use Live Mode. I look in the view finder. I was showing that as an example of the blurry photos I get even when focusing directly on a subject's eye. In this case, my dog.

Yes, the images are blurry in editing software, too. I look at them in Lightroom. In the OVF and the screen they look ok, but when I get them larger they aren't sharp. I don't use Canon software.

Picture Style is portrait.

[jrhoffman75 · Accepted solution]

Give Canon a call at (866) 261-9362 

[Waddizzle]

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@Q-Mama wrote:

Thanks! I don't use Live Mode. I look in the view finder. I was showing that as an example of the blurry photos I get even when focusing directly on a subject's eye. In this case, my dog.

Yes, the images are blurry in editing software, too. I look at them in Lightroom. In the OVF and the screen they look ok, but when I get them larger they aren't sharp. I don't use Canon software.

Picture Style is portrait.

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I agree with John,   Give Canon a call.  I do. Not know your exposure settings on the photo of the dog, nor the focal length of the lens that you may used.  But, I do know that the photo appears to have taken in a fairly low light room. 

Try taking some photos outdoors on a sunny day.  If the photos are still out of focus, then do contact Canon.

[Q-Mama]

Will do, thank you!

[Q-Mama]

Will do, thanks for the replies!

[jrhoffman75]

Is your dog a long hair doxie? We have two LH minis.

[Q-Mama]

Hey John! 

She is an English Cocker Spaniel. Aren't dogs the best?!

If you live in Conway, you must know the Sutton family. My friend Kate lives there and I have spent a great deal of time in the White Mountains. A great area. Lots to photograph!

Here is another blurry image. I included the ISO, focal length, aperture, and shutter speed (shown at right). I focused on the eye. She was not moving aside from chewing. It took me about ten frames to get her in focus.

I was able to get her sharp here, again, after quite a few shots (final edited photo):

Thanks!

[jrhoffman75]

I don't know the Suttons.

Before youcall Canon reset all camera settings and custom functions and then try again.

The behavior you are describing does not sound normal at all.