Problem of EF adapter

[Ashok Mansur]

Right now I'm at Canon center from noon till now. Mr KC Maurya Engineer of AGIV India Mubai, checked the gear & he opened the EF didn't found any fault in it, checked the voltage in open condion. EF battery power supply was low as it was 1-3 volts variation, so he applied the regulated power supply to it. It worked fine & the indicator light glowed. Tried on XL1 worked fine. Bought a new battery(2CR5) from the market & put it on, story repeats battery idicator on EF started blinking & the EVF screen started on off. Aperture setting can't be set, he checked the voltage of the battery even the regulated power supply applied no change.
Mr Maurya cleaned the PCB with cleaner solution still no changes. He tried with XL1, same problem, think it must be the adapter not the XL2 body. & they can't pin point the exact problem.
Andrew it's humming sound, I checked it. The AF was switched to Manual mode.
Please do something, Specially Canon Staff. Others are trying to help at their best what's happening to you Canon pals?

Ashok

[Andrew M Astbury]

Originally Posted by Ashok Mansur

Andrew it's humming sound, I checked it.

Like I said - that'll be the OIS in the lens that's making the noise.

What help can anybody be to you Ashok - I've told you what to do to stop all your problems, manual mount and manual lens.

[Chris Soucy]

Fault finding a microprocessor controlled electro mechanical servo system I've never seen, with no System Logic overview, circuit diagrams or schematics etc etc across 6 time zones and 7000 miles by e - mail with parties at both ends whose grasp of each others native language is less than perfect.

Hey, should be a breeze!

Ashok/ Andrew - how's this?

Voltage is low because something is pulling it down. Motor is running when it shouldn't be, which would pull down the voltage. How many switches are there on the EF adapter?

What happens if they are disconnected from the pcb? It only takes nanoamps to pull a CMOS logic gate up / down, which could easily happen if a switch which is in the "off" position is actually allowing a tiny current through anyway. Get enough moisture into the wrong design of switch and it's operation is going to be haphazard at best.

Another option is that a switch is open/ closed[single throw] (relying on a pull up/ down resistor on the pcb to pull the gate up/ down) instead of being double throw.

If it isn't a switch it could be a sensor, but having never seen an EF adaptor OR an EF lens I don't know what other external component I/P's there could be to this pcb.

If disconnecting every single I/P still leaves you with the problem, then it must be on the pcb itself.

There is also the lens itself. If a switch on the lens feeds a signal back to the EF adapter, it is concievable that the fault is there and not with the adapter. All it would take is a small difference in how the EF adapter interfaces with the lens as compared to a "real" EOS camera for the lens to work fine with the camera but not fine with the adapter.

It is quite possible that the interface circuitry in the EF adapter (pretending to be an EOS camera) has a different (higher) I/P impedance than a real camera, thus allowing a miniscule current that would not affect the camera to actually activate the EF adapter.

The list just goes on and on.

All of which is most probably of no use to you whatsoever, as you're back home, minus your system, whilst Canon scratches their heads. Or not.

As for having "Canon pals", well, apart from the service manager @ Canon NZ who is upgrading the firmware on my XH A1 even as I type, I don't have any. He's only ever seen one EF adapter in his life and that was only to fix a bent plate due to a drop. So, not a lot of help there then.

I shall stay tuned for the next exciting episode.


CS

[Andrew M Astbury]

Hi Chris - there's only one switch on the EF adaptor, the AE push-button, which also has a locking lever to hold it permanently on.

As a last resort thought I do wonder how Ashok has had the combo mounted - the lens weighs 1.6 kilos so if he's mounted the lens on the t/pod and left the XL2 'hanging off the back' in free air perhaps there's a very slim chance this has strained something or damaged a contact. If I was using that lens I'd have it on my rail system in order to keep everything rigid and in alignment.

But to be honest this is going nowhere, it doesn't really matter what went wrong with either the first or second EF adaptor - the only problem is Ashok can't work as he wishes.

That's a problem only Ashok can solve and he basically has four options:

1. Buy,beg,borrow or steal another EF adaptor.
2. Switch to a manual lens/mount adaptor combo - my personal ideal option.
3. Just use his 20x and get closer to his subject.
4. Give up and go home.

I doubt there's anyone on this forum who can solve a problem Canon can't and in reality the only person who can help Ashok is Ashok himself.

[Chris Soucy]

I understand where you're coming from.

I gather from other threads that Ashok has a rail system in place, so that shouldn't be an issue.

I entirely agree with your comment: if Canon cannot find a solution to this problem, he is, without doubt, between a rock and a very hard place indeed.

I'm trying my best to keep as open a mind as possible on this entire issue, as I am very aware, as a result of spending many years on the highways and byeways, the length and breadth of India, of the differences between our two cultures.

You may have noticed that I have yet to receive an answer to my last big Q (and my first suggestion), not unexpected, just dissapointing.

You are correct, there is no one on this Forum who can wave a magic wand and sort his problems.

I will continue to offer what moral support I can, but realistically, nothing I say is going to make a blind bit of difference.


[Oh, hi Ashok, where have you been? We've been talking about you.]


I really don't know what else to say, except I really do hope whomever is on the case in Bombay knows their onions and can, indeed, solve this puzzle.

CS

[Andrew M Astbury]

Chris - I just find the whole thing a bit frustrating, as I'm sure Ashok does - but not for the same reasons!

The whole thread seams to have become bogged down in 'there's a problem - WHY?'

If I was Ashok I wouldn't be concerned with the 'why' until I'd finished the job - my immediate concern would be to seek and utilise the best alternative post haste in order to complete the task; and then look for someones' ass to go in a sling after!

I actually think you've been a bit of a 'saint' in this thread Chris - well done that man, you've got way more patience than me!

Regards

Andy

[Chris Soucy]

Andrew, and I thank you for them most humbly, but, alas, a Saint I Ain't.

My life partner would attest to that in spades. Just trying to lend what support I can to a fellow traveler along life's somewhat imperfect silicone highway.

I concur absolutely with your frustration. Mine has been equally as intense, more so, as I am well aquainted with the mountains Ashok is having to climb to deal with this problem.

I have, in the absence of any direct feedback, re - analysed my post of a day or so ago and gone back to my Electronic System Engineering roots (yet another incarnation) and come to the somewhat alarming conclusion that if the symptoms as described illustrate the sort of fault condition I can directly envisage, this will not be fixed by your average backroom techie.

This brings me to what is probably the most frustrating part of this. There is simply no direct conduit into the higher eschelons of Canon to alert them to the situation unfolding here.

Quite right, what does one single consumer in one of Canons smallest sales regions really matter?

Alas, there is the rub. There is no incentive whatsoever for Canon Inc. to engage in "heroic" efforts to fix this, as it simply is not in their interests to do so.

Enough said.

Moving on, yes, Ashok is, failing some miracle, going to have to consider some seriously expensive alternatives. Given the investment already made (a huge one by Indian standards) this is really going to be a major blow in every respect.

I am seriously hoping that Ashoks next post is going to be brimming with sweetness and light, as this will all be over. I'm also hoping to find a Honda Gold Wing in my Christmas stocking this year. I don't think I'll hold my breath for either.


CS

PS. Ashok - what gives?

[Ashok Mansur]

Sorry I didn't have a chance to mail, as most of the time I was on the move.
Now I am back at Dharwad after visiting Canon master service center Mumbai. Where Mr. Deepak, Canon Engineer has a ray of hope for me. He is checking my 70~200 2.8 IS & report by Monday. He suspects a fault with diaphragm as he tried with EOS 5D cam & there was some sort of aperture problem faced.
I tried their stock 70-200 2.8 IS & every thing looks good (why I'm using looks good b'cos earlier with regulated volt supply it functioned properly & after putting a fresh battery Back to zero).
I pray the God let the problem lies with Lens.
Andrew, Chris I'm a farmer by profession & my education is Social science subjects. So whatever technical knowledge having is only by experience. This just to inform you people, whatever knowledge I have regarding photography & video is from books, web & the knowledge shared by you all & of course by practice.

Ashok

[Chris Soucy]

Well, I suppose it's better than no news whatsoever. Fingers crossed and all the best. Please keep us posted.

Regards,


CS

[Andrew M Astbury]

Ashok - I took it from previous postings, that the lens was working fine all the time.

I'm sure a lot of us have gleaned the majority of our knowledge, if not all, by the same methods as yourself.

Anyway, it would appear that you have perhaps found the root of the problem - maybe those fangled 'effing' adaptors aren't too bad afterall !!!!

Hope you get everything sorted out Ashok - and if some of us don't get free tickets to the premier after all this then someone's in big trouble!!!!

Stay safe!

Andy

[Chris Soucy]

from India.

Ashok.....whasssup?


CS

[Chris Soucy]

whatthebloodyhellishappeningoverthere?


CS

(Appologies).

[Ashok Mansur]

I wished to respond only after getting it & receieved it right now only, mounted EF & XL2. It's working, no sound, warnings. Hope this will last long. Canon India charged Rs2809/- for repairs, only cash bills no details in that, For what they have charged god knows.
Thank you all for giving me the moral support in crucial time, I request you all to write to Canon India or Canon, to respond mails via mail, If they wish they can have interaction through phone too. But they have to respond through mail first.

Ashok

[Chris Soucy]

Glad you got your gear back, apparantly working ok. Shame there is no explanation.

As for contacting Canon on your behalf Ashok, I think you can write that off as a complete non starter. Why would they be interested in a third party contacting them about your problem?

Let us know how it works out, and don't forget the info about the new tripod/ head setup you have!

CS

[Ashok Mansur]

I have started one more thread, in Open DV discussion.Which is an elementary question. kindly go through it.
Ashok