Hi Thomas,
I know exactly what you're talking about. The same thing happend to me. I have never changed lenses without powering down, even still... my 3x lens died on me at the beginning of a shoot. I don't know what I could have done to prevent it... so it scares me to think it could happen again at any time.

hi Webb,
what did you do? did you send it back? did the warranty cover it?
yeah, i know. its scary. first i was really worried that it was the camera, then i would have been screwed... everything else works fine on the camera.

I just got MY 3x lens back from Canon New Jersey for the T H I R D T I M E!!!!
Each time it stopped zooming and focusing. I've only had the thing for a little over a year. I'd call it the "L" word, but am scared to jinx it, and hope that this fix works.( last time it took a shite on me in the middle of a fashion shoot).
Canon...can you say "Deseign flaw"? How about "quality control"?
Bruce Yarock

Hi Thomas,
The lens was only a few months old, so I sent it to Canon repair in CA. Turn-around was about a week. I dont' know if it helped, but i mentioned in my notes that I use this lens to make my living so a quick turnaround would be appreciated.

To add to the @#$%-factor of the whole situation, when I got the lens back the back-focus was out, so I couldn't get anything to focus. Well, another $25 in shipping charges and another week or so later, I finally had my lens back and (crosses fingers) have not had problems with it since.

Bruce - I totally agree, I think Canon either has a design flaw and/or a QC problem. It's one thing for the lens to be bad, but for the service department to fix one problem and create another was unacceptable. Oh well.

I don't like to throw stones at anyone, including Canon. I can say from previous threads on this forum only and not from personal experience that the New Jersey repair center seems to have a better track record on fixing it right the first time. Luckily, I haven't needed their services yet.

regards,

-gb-

well,
time to send it in then.
thank u all for input and help.
i dont need the lens for a few weeks, will be in front of the computer...
tom

Hi, just thought I'd chime in and say I'm on my third 3x lens - two having bitten the dust exactly the same way as has been described here. Had no problems with the stock 16x or manual 16x. Seems like the consensus is that the 3x is a bit of a dog?!

Adam

I shot with mine today and it's still working. maybe I'll be lucky this time around.
Btw, Adam...did Canon give you a new lens, or did you have to pay for it?
Bruce Yarock

Bruce, I returned it to the retailer I bought it from both times and they provided the replacements - free of charge. The lens failed both times within the warranty period.

I was just shooting some Birthday footage with the 3x lens and noted that using the "manual" zoom lens did not result in a smooth zoom action. If I very carefully turn the ring at constant speed, the image seems to zoom in bursts! Is this just me? Or my nice new lens? Or is that just how it works?

Is there any alternative to sending my wide angle lens in for service, to get the back focus realigned? Any tricks anyone knows of, before more expense!
Well it's worth asking isn't it?
Mike.

Mike,

Have you looked at this thread? http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=35163&highlight=3X+Wide+angle+Back+focus

Also, have you contacted a rep at Canon about this issue to gain any insight? Seems like this has been a known issue with the 3Xs on the XL2s. Not sure if Canon has addressed the issue or not.

Ryan

Thanks Ryan, the thread has me better informed.

Following on from my recent post, the Good news is, Canon U.K. have checked over my wideangle lens, and have not charged me, because, they say, everything is as it should be.
The Bad news is, the problem was visable to me, on both my XL2 Cams.
So since my 20x and 16x manual lens are both working as they should, I know it's not my eyes!
I really will have to use it as an emergency lens only!

I am thinking about investing in a fisheye lens/adapter for my Canon XL-2. I have the 16x Manual lens and the 3x Wide Lens.

I plan on using it for shooting music video and cool establishing shots for narrative peices. Which one is the better one to get? unforunately the shots they have on century optics site of the lens is exactly the same for the 16x as for the 3x and it isn't a particularly good example.

Anyone else know of some good examples or competing devices to the Century optics adapter?

And which one is the better buy? the one for the 3x or the 16x manual?

Thanks in advance!

i've used both, and the CO fisheye for the 3x will give you more fisheye distortion than the one for the 16x, and your picture will benefit from the wide angle in most cases. however, if it's drama you're after, the CO baby death lens on a gl1/gl2 yields more dramatic results than either.

I just bought second hand Canon lens 3X(500$). the lens is a good condition. I even try before I bought it and work perfect. but when I get home the issue is there like other experienced (out of focus). when I zoom IN or OUT is out of focus in few second then focus good. the owner use Xl1 and work good also to him. is there anybody here has send their lens and how much they charge you? Thanks.

Chris
Tel-Aviv

First, try this test.

Turn on the camera into either the A, Tv or Av program mode. Be careful to avoid the Green Box (easy recording) mode.

Switch the 3x lens to manual focus. Zoom all the way in to full telephoto and set the focus. Now zoom out all the way to full wide (don't move the camera; just zoom out). Everything should still be in focus. Please report what happens when you try this simple test.

Chris, I did what you ask me and is in focus. any input sir.?

Christian

If your image is in focus after the steps Chris described, then there's no back focus problem.

That's right -- sounds like there's no back focus problem. The lens is working as it should. If the autofocus hunting annoys you, just turn off autofocus and control focus manually.

The procedure of zooming in to full telephoto and setting focus is known as critical focus. Once you do that, everything within the zoom range should stay in focus. It's a good shooting habit to get into.

Jarrod, you are right after I test what Chris, described then I put the lens setting to auto focus now it focus good even I zoom in or out. Thanks Chris! let put this issue for the record ;}
one more thing why my GL2 with adapter lensWD58 is wider than my XL2 with 3X? all I know the 3X lens is wider than GL2/WD58. any input? Thanks

Christian

Anyone? why my 3X lens is not wide enough compare to my GL2 with lens adapter WD58?. all I know the 3X lens equivalent 24mm in a 35mm film. it seems only give like 30mm. any input why? thanks

Chris

You need to be in 16:9 to get something close to 26mm (in 35mm equiv) with the XL2 and the 3X lens. In 4:3 you only get about 32mm wide.

Thanks Jean! I have no luck about focusing this lens still the focus problem was there even I do what Chris described the issue is there. everytime I zoom in or out is not focusing few seconds and afterward is focus right. the issue is like not sychronized the focus (sorry if not right term). I think I give it a try to calibrate this lens. it might be fix this issue.

Chris

Christian,

Understand that there is one motor, that drives the focus AND zoom servos, so it's not uncommon to have a drift in the zoom.

Christian,

so it's not uncommon to have a DRIFT in the zoom.

Richard, pls. being not english mother tongue would you pls. explain in easy english. you mean not zooming fast or smoothly? I do smooth zooming. Thanks!

Chris

There is only one motor in the lens.

The motor has to move the focus, AND the zoom.

When you are doing both at the same time, SOMETIMES the focus will slip.


I still cannot say that your lens is working properly. IF you are concerned, send it to a repair shop for service.

What language do you speak? We have a wide range of members across the globe. Perhaps someone can address you in your language.

Thanks Richard! now I know what you mean. I don't do sametime moving the focus and zoom. this is what I guest when I try to zoom in or out the lens is abit late to response the focus. thats why in few second is not focus well and then focus right. the timing of the focus is not sychronized when you zoom in or out. anyway thanks to all and just put this issue in the record.

how much do they charge you when you send your lens X3 for re-calibration? I brought my lens in a shop here in Tel-Aviv to fix the problem about zoom in-out. the guy check the lens and see the problem and I even tell him this is an issue to the camera XL2 but to the XL1 is ok this lens. I ask to adjust the lens with this camera XL2 and he say if he adjust the lens to my XL2 it might not work ok to the XL1. I told him its ok because we don't use this to XL1 and then he sugggested me if I want to fix that problem he need to change inside the lens and cost 450$. I said I bought this lens 500$ and the repair is 450$ (HOLY ISRAEL). he started to tell me may be less and if I want he will check the price in Canon europe how much the cost but for sure it won't less 350$ the price. now this final question, why you here when they fix your lens charge less cost and they just adjust your lens, not even change anything in your lens which is the same issue of my lens. this is my guest that the guy wants me to spent me more money so he will earn rather that just to adjust only the lens. if this true, is he, responsible using he's license to canon as a authorize technician and then at the same time earning more money to the people who doens't know in technical. this is the way sometimes they do here. can I report this to Canon? Thanks

Chris

I'm looking to buy an SLR and want to go Canon, but on my budget the Nikon D80 is looking pretty sweet. I might be able to squeeze a few more bucks for the Canon 20D or 30D, if the 3x XL2 lens will work on a Canon SLR.

Anybody know?

thx

BO'B

It works the other way, but not in that direction. You can buy an adapter to put Canon EF lenses on an XL body (although there are limitations that make it not all that useful), but you can't put the XL's lenses on a Canon still camera

Together with my .7X and .5X wide angle adapters, I have decided to pack a 3X lens along with my 20X lens (and an arsenal of Nikkor optics!) for my next expedition. I’ll be leaving in a few days, so a quick response will be a big help.

For those of you who already own both 20X land 3X lenses, could you please check if the lens hoods from both are interchangeable? (I don’t have the original Canon 3X hood).

The 20X lens hood bayonets OK on to the 3X lens, but the bayonet lock fitting (on my particular one) is different, so the 20X hood locks in a slightly off-centre position (which would cause it to vignette at the extreme corners – the normal unlocked position of the 20X hood on the 3X lens does not cause any vignette).

If the 20X and 3X hoods are supposed to be interchangeable, then it means that the locking front bayonet at the front of my particular 3X lens has been fitted – with the three tiny screws - slightly off-centre.

Unfortunately, both my lens bellows and Matte Box vignette very slightly at the 3X widest setting, so I would like to use an original 3X lens hood (or my 20X hood).

One nice thing is that the new Red Eye .7X FX HDV adapter work on both the 20X & 3X lenses (and hopefully the new 6X lens) so I look forward to seeing wide-angle and extreme wide-angle results for above and underwater shoots during the next few months.

I have thought of just buying a simple 72mm thread wide lens hood, but most I’ve so far tried still vignette slightly with the 3X lens.

So, if anybody has both lenses, please just try to bayonet the 20X hood onto the 3x lens and see if it locks in the correct position.

I've just been told that the 16X and 3X lens hoods are interchangeable. Strange that the later 20X lens hood locks in place but at a different angle than both the 16X and 3X hoods...

Hi,

I have a Canon 20X and a 3X wideangle. I just tried what you had asked and did not have any luck. I compared the grooves on each hood and they differ. They will go on but not straight. In other words, if you put the hood on the other lense or vice versa, it will sit sideways or at an angle.

Who ever told you that is correct.

Hi Tony,

Without disassembling the hoods, a quick measurement shows the hoods are not interchangable. I ran a string around the receptacle for both and found the circumference of the 3X is about 3/4 inch more than the 20X lens.

Sorry, Michael

Thank you very much for that information – it really helps a lot! At least it means that there is nothing wrong with the bayonet fitting on my 3X lens.

I’ve contacted Canon UK and had no joy in obtaining a 3X lens hood at such short notice.

It ‘seems’ that the old 16X lens hood will fit the 3X lens, but it could possibly vignette, so I’ll continue to look for an original 3X hood while I’m out in France, or look for another Matte Box that doesn’t vignette.

I doubt if I’ll be able to find a hood that’ll not vignette once a .7x adapter is placed in front of the 3X or 6X lenses, but as I’ll mainly be only using it that wide for underwater work it shouldn’t matter that much – I’ll just use the 3X hood when I’m doing above surface shoots.

Thanks again Gary and Michael.

Hi all,

I recently purchased a Century fish-eye lense to mount on my Canon 3X lens. I would have thought I had some zoom range but it only seems to focus (in manual) at one zoom point. Is this typical or do you have the ability to change the zoom setting and still be able to focus?

Regards, Michael

Mine took a crap as well. One day I tried to use it and nothing happened. The 20x that came with it works fine but I the three x can't be focused or anything. I am pissed. It's just over a year old and I don't even know if they will fix it. @$!$^##!^. I don't need this right now!

I've never had a problem with my 3x but did get a "check lens" error with my 20x. Most certainly a contact pins issue in my case.

Incidentally, wasn't the 3x designed for the XL-1(s) and are the focusing issues related to the non adjustable flangeback in relation to to the minute design differences between the XL-1 and XL-2 ?

I'm wondering is my 3X faulty or is it just how it is.
I shoot weddings and use autofocus most of the time.
While 20X is very good at it, the 3X is giving me problems- quite a lot of hunting, some times just a bit out of focus which I can't see on the 'nice' viewfinder XL2 has, but when I get home I can clearly see the softness all around.
When shooting on the dance floor (lowlight) the autofocus becomes totaly unusable.
Is this how it is and I should just use manual focus or should it perform better?

Hi Marko,

First off, you probably know cameras like the XL2 rely on white-black transitions to auto-focus the lens. So in low lighting or a target that doesn't have easily distinguishable transitions, you're better off either using a manual focus and if necessary, press the focus button once while pointing at your target.

Anyway, if you need help focusing with your 3X lens, try first focusing before the shoot - focus on a target pattern that's the same distance as your subject. Here's a freebie BackFocus target that will work if you don't already have something like this to use:

http://www.dsclabs.com/images/BF%20Comp%20060920.pdf

Regards, Michael

Thanks for the tip Michael, but when shooting weddings it's hard to do these preparations and the situation can change every second.

I was wondering if people are having similar problems with the 3X especially wedding shooters?
Or should I send it on a check?

I agree - in a real-time, no second takes wedding situation there's no time for fancy footwork, it must be right first time.

It does sound as if your 3x has a problem though, as the first dance is usually a very high-contrast situation of white dress, black suit, dark background that the contrast induced auto-focus thrives on.

It's odd though as the 3x is a wide-angle lens, and you'd have thought the extra dof would hide the inaccurate focus at times. If you test it in good light, zipping hither and thither in an effort to catch the auto-focus out, how does it perform?

Do you have a wide-angle attachment that you could attach to the 20x, Mark? I'm just wondering if this would show up the fact that the 3x is faulty if tested in low light.

tom.

The 20X has very slow autofocus and does tend to hunt in difficult situations (far more than a pro-level stills camera for example) but I've also found the 3X lens to be even slower than the 20X, especially in low light levels.

I rarely if ever have a second chance in obtaining some of my subject footage, so I make sure that I shoot as much manual focus as I do autofocus. (I do however like and depend on autofocus in a few situations).

(The 20X & 3X AF lenses are not as easy to manually focus as the 14 X Manual focus or 16X MF Servo lens, so I prefer to combine some autofocus with manual focus when using the AF lenses). The Push AF button is also a nice feature (absent from the 20X lens).

One thing I've noticed with the 3X lens is that when you are using AF on say, a waist-tight shot of a person in the middle of the frame and autofocus is locked on the face, the focus will shift momentarily if the person's hands move even slightly towards the centre. Often the depth of field is enough with the 3X lens to just manually focus on the main subject and leave it locked on for a lot of the footage, and this will avoid the slight seesaw soft/sharp detail encountered when using only autofocus.

I do like to use the 3X lens a lot even though I rarely zoom and tend to leave it locked in the widest position, but also like to use the 20X IS lens + 0.7X FX HD Red Eye for ultra-steady footage when on choppy boats etc; or even combine the .7X with the 3X for ultra-wide angle stuff (and at that angle almost everything is in focus from tip of nose to mountain backdrop!).

Rehi Marko,

Sorry I didn't understand you're doing wedding shoots as opposed to a staged video shooting talent (where you could establish a focus). In that situation, I'm in complete agreement with everything Tony stated - well said!

Regards, Michael

Well, I was hoping mine was kinda of faulty, but seems like that's the way it is.
I realized that in lowlight my only option is manual focus and at good light the AF is not so bad.

Thanks for the reply guys!

Find your infinity focus. At 3.4mm full wide you should be able to lock off focus and everything over about 4 feet away should be in focus. The only real adjustment on that lens is within about 2 feet(at full wide) from the camera. The AF is hurting you by hunting through the range when it's almost totally unnecessary to do so unless you're right up in someone's face, when you are then push the button. Good Luck, Chuck.

Yeah, realized that the DOF is really deep so I'm better of doing the focus in manual.
Thanks

hey, I just got the 3x wide lens, and I shoot on boats in sunny conditions... and the autofocus definitely requires help... When I pan, it almosts brings the new subject into focus, but not quite... where then I either push the autofocus button a couple of times, or now as I do with the 20x due to the fast pace of filming, use a finger on the zoom and a finger on the focus rings, and as I'm moving about I gently zoom and focus at the same time... I thought there was something wrong with the 3x lens, so I guess it's kind of good to hear of someone else having the same thing.