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

[iceskatingphoto]

Update. I received the R1 and the RF 100-300 lens controlled by Camera Service in Germany. According to them, the camera software has been updated to version1.0.2 and lens calibrated. Together with the seller, at photography store, we verified that the firmware  update had not been executed so we update to the latest version 1.0.2. After testing the machine and the lens during a training session in an ice-rink, I realised that the situation got even worse. With a higher frequency than before the camera refuses to focus. I connected the camera to the computer to record what I see in  wiewfinder to show the problem.The salesman has decided to contact the Camera Service again, also attaching the video, and will send gear back!