Focusing issues with Canon R1 and R5 Mark II

[fingham]

Hi,

I have used the Canon R1 and R5 Mark II for several weeks to photograph sports.  Both cameras seem to have the same problem for me, and I am looking to see if others have had issues as well.

When using the R1 or R5II with the 100-300 f2.8 or 24-105 f2.8, after some time, I am unable to focus and must turn the camera off, remove/insert the battery, and turn it back on for it to function correctly.  I am using the following Camera and AF settings (the ones that I think might be relevant to this issue):

Camera:

Pre-Cont Shooting - Enable; Blackout-Free Display - On

AF:

AF Operation - SERVO; Whole Area Tracking SERVO - On; Subject to Detect - People; Eye Detection - Auto; Action Priority - Enable; Sports Event - Basketball; (AF) Case - Auto

The focusing issue seems to happen once I have been using the cameras for some time (perhaps 1-2 hours) and after I have taken 1000+ photos. Specifically, as I use my back-button focusing button and zoom the lens in/out to frame the action, I am suddenly not able to focus at all. I then have to shut down the cameras and hope focusing returns.

All of my cameras and lenses have the latest firmware.

This originally happened with my R5II but not with my R1. However, since I updated the R1 to firmware 1.0.1, it has also happened with the R1.

It appears to be a software issue akin to a memory leak or resource exhaustion of some other type. These cameras are very expensive, and we rely on them to function correctly, especially during sports/news action. At this point, I cannot trust them to function correctly when I most need them to.

Has anyone else seen this?  Is there a proven solution?  We are dealing with new technology, but I thought they were stress-tested during the Olympics and other such events. Did this not happen there as well?

Thanks

[Hazel_T]

Hi fingham,

I'm sorry to hear the auto focus stops working after awhile on both your EOS R1 and EOS R5 Mark II. When the auto focus stops working is that the only function that isn't working, or is the entire camera freezing? Are you seeing any error messages when this happens, and if you are seeing an error message what does it say word for word? 

[fingham]

Hi,

When the autofocus stops working, the rest of the camera still functions (it does not freeze), and no error code is displayed.

Today, I switched up my settings and disabled Action Priority, and disabled the timeout for both the viewfinder and auto power off.  I was using people and eye detect AF and did not have any issues today with either camera.  I am not yet ready to say that Action Priority is my issue as I believe this has happened to me as well with these settings (I was photographing a cheer competition so Action Priority was not applicable).

[Lexi]

This happened to me today after shooting with the R1 for about an hour. I missed the single most important shot of the day because of it. Hopefully canon can figure this out

[fingham · Accepted solution]

I photographed another 6+ basketball games, this time without utilizing Action Priority/Basketball, and I did not encounter the focusing issues I had previously. At this point, I prepared to say that Action Priority did cause my focusing issues on both cameras—it does not appear to work for extended periods of time.

[rayvaldezphoto]

I have the same problem. Its only the autofocus. It seems to deactiviate autofocus as if it is in manual mode  but you still have the AF frame and cant take a photo. Sometimes it will take a photo just out of focus but is very hard to even do that.

[rayvaldezphoto]

It happens tome a lot. I am an event photographer. I found this post on google. It happened a ton of times during one party. I didnt know if my lens was broke or it was the camera. I took the lens off a bunch of times to fix it and I turned it on and off a lot. It  is annoying and worrying. I missed all the entrance shots. It has to be a major glitch in the camera. I might return it.

[iceskatingphoto]

It happens to me too shooting for hours in iceskating competitions. R1 (also with prior firmware) with RF 100-300 or RF 70-200. Never happens before with R3.

Now when I shoot for hours I have got into the habit of switching off and taking out the battery from time to time!

Waiting for a firmware update

[fingham]

Hi, Is this happening to you without using 'Action Priority'?  I know there is no option for ice skating, but since I stopped using 'Action Priority, ' the focus issue has not happened to me again (fingers crossed).  I am using subject: people, eye focus only and all has been well.  It's not your lenses!  I was afraid of that, but it appears only that the R1/R5II firmware is faulty in this area.  I believe Action Priority is a marketing gimmick or an early attempt at incorporating more predictive AF into the camera. Still, it is unnecessary for most individuals who use these cameras and know how to focus and follow the action.  In some cases, it is a hindrance - consider focusing on a defensive player in basketball guarding someone with the ball. Action Priority has, in my experience, switched focus instead on the offensive player (as it was designed to).

In any case, I hope that Canon fixes this issue, as I am sure there are many other issues in the firmware.  Best of luck with your ice skating photos!

[iceskatingphoto]

Thanks for reply. This were my settings:

Servo AF

Flexible zone AF/1 Whole Area

Orientation-linked Af point  separated

Subject People

Eye detection auto

Servo Af auto

as described in this document

https://cam.start.canon/it/C018/guide/html/AF-06_Subject_0200.html