1DC: Dead Pixels, random errors, terrible support... anyone else?

That was not the conclusion to this story that I was expecting. I had somewhat hoped and expected that your complaints might lead to Canon implementing a black balance on the 1DC such as exists for the rest of their DSLRS and cinema cameras. That seemed like the most responsible and respectable decision.

The more I think about this, the more pissed off I get. I actually want to like Canon as a company. For the most part, I really appreciate their technology and designs. I've owned many of their cameras and most of their wide and medium range focal length lenses and been impressed by their designs and service. For the most part, I can understand the choices that they've made regarding the design and sale of their products. The massive hole in my Canon experience has been the 1DC. Their service, knowledge, support, and respect for the customers of the 1DC has been abysmal. I am quite sure that all of the problems stem from the fact that the 1DC is a niche product that sold poorly, but that doesn't excuse any of the company's actions, especially considering how much money we all paid to own the camera and how much money I am sure all of us have paid to own many of their other high margin products. I would actually have expected Canon to pay special consideration to the owner's of the 1DC. Instead, we get this fiasco. So stupid.
 
Last edited:
cpreston said:
That was not the conclusion to this story that I was expecting. I had somewhat hoped and expected that your complaints might lead to Canon implementing a black balance on the 1DC such as exists for the rest of their DSLRS and cinema cameras. That seemed like the most responsible and respectable decision.

The more I think about this, the more pissed off I get. I actually want to like Canon as a company. For the most part, I really appreciate their technology and designs. I've owned many of their cameras and most of their wide and medium range focal length lenses and been impressed by their designs and service. For the most part, I can understand the choices that they've made regarding the design and sale of their products. The massive hole in my Canon experience has been the 1DC. Their service, knowledge, support, and respect for the customers of the 1DC has been abysmal. I am quite sure that all of the problems stem from the fact that the 1DC is a niche product that sold poorly, but that doesn't excuse any of the company's actions, especially considering how much money we all paid to own the camera and how much money I am sure all of us have paid to own many of their other high margin products. I would actually have expected Canon to pay special consideration to the owner's of the 1DC. Instead, we get this fiasco. So stupid.
Click to expand...

Yes exactly, I did not expect they offer such poor after sales for such a niche and expensive piece of equipment. For all my other registered equipment( even a flash or DC ) from them, I receive a notification letter to offer me a pay extension to the warrantee repair service. They did not for the 1DC, nor did they email me about updating the firmware.
 
Geko said:
13 defective units that we know of, so far + people from Canon admitted that the whole line is in fact defective + there is much more to the story and I probably will share it in a couple of days. Basically, it is the worst possible scenario.

BTW, the Internet version of our documentary has been released today: IMDB Link ; whole video link: The Unexplored The theatrical version will premiere at Sundance.

Regretfully not all of it was shot with the 1DC, but we did what we could. It was the director's vision that the content was more important than the video quality, and I fully agree. I think the result is amazing in it's own way. Hope you like it.
Click to expand...
I have tried a partial test(shorter length, during a break after 2x30min shooting for 1-20sec) seem to be fine on my test footage, I am only using a 2.5k mon will zoom in to see if any problem.

Glad to hear more about your story though.

Just wondering is there a version of the documentary for Youtube as well? Great documentary.
Wish you have more great audience at Sundance!!!
 
Last edited:
Hmm,

it looks like buying used 1DC will get you brand new 300MkII?

That's good deal from Canon and it will create quite the opposite effect from intended 'Stay away from Canon 1DC!' recommendation.

Kidding aside, next time don't put production on hold for two months over hot/stuck/dead pixels when You can rent dailies workflow with pixel solution for a lot less:

http://www.mtifilm.com/cortex-dailies/

I was quite reserved when this thread started, but I support You 100%: cinema production camera should operate in all kind of (human safe) environments without the hick-ups.
AND should do that silently, without fans.


Kind regards
 
cookinghusband said:
Just wondering is there a version of the documentary for Youtube as well? Great documentary.
Wish you have more great audience at Sundance!!!
Click to expand...

Not on Youtube for now, we were discussing it but will probably not put it there for now. The response to the film really took us by surprise, it has gone viral and there is some interest from big television companies, and we still don't know exactly how to approach this. We thought that it will just go to a few big festivals but it seems that this will just be a small part of it. So it will probably stay on Vimeo for now, until we figure out how to approach all this. Thanks for the good words!
 
Last edited:
Bumping this thread as a warning to potential 1DXMK2 buyers...
I had the same exact isuues with 2 1DC bodys. Only workaround is sending the camera in for sensor
callibration, for which they charge you 200€ !
 
franzschuier said:
Bumping this thread as a warning to potential 1DXMK2 buyers...
I had the same exact isuues with 2 1DC bodys. Only workaround is sending the camera in for sensor
callibration, for which they charge you 200€ !
Click to expand...

Sad to hear that. They do "sensor calibration" now? The second 1DC body Canon sent us died within 2 months completely. We disn't even use it for filming, just for shooting pictures. This is all such a total crap that I am beyond words and stopped dealing with this issue and tried to forget it.
 
Geko said:
Sad to hear that. They do "sensor calibration" now? The second 1DC body Canon sent us died within 2 months completely. We disn't even use it for filming, just for shooting pictures. This is all such a total crap that I am beyond words and stopped dealing with this issue and tried to forget it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, first year (2013) they exchanged the body after loads of hussle and only after me contacting a sales person. since end of 2014 they know how to do a black balance. I am quite sure the 1DXMk2 will have the same issue as they never really addressed the problem. Simple black balance in the firmware would do. Well, this including other issues i had with Canon Professional Service led me to leave canon completely now. Sorry I reminded you, but I want to warn potential 1DXmk2 buyers (If they buy the camera mainly for video purposes)
 
franzschuier said:
Yeah, first year (2013) they exchanged the body after loads of hussle and only after me contacting a sales person. since end of 2014 they know how to do a black balance. I am quite sure the 1DXMk2 will have the same issue as they never really addressed the problem. Simple black balance in the firmware would do. Well, this including other issues i had with Canon Professional Service led me to leave canon completely now. Sorry I reminded you, but I want to warn potential 1DXmk2 buyers (If they buy the camera mainly for video purposes)
Click to expand...

Oh, they should definitely be warned. Good for bumping the thread. Until June 2015 Canon definitely did not know how to do black ballance, at least not in the USA. I have never heard of them doing or offering this untul now. In fact, they denied that it was even possible. But this is not a fix, it is ridiculous. Anyway, thanks for the info, much appreciated!
 
They still dont call it black balancing, but sensor calibration. But I became kind of an expert with it over the years and shot loads of black test footage on all my cameras before and after them beeing in service or beeing black balanced (C100 mk2) and the affect of their "sensor callibration" was the same... I am in germany BTW.
 
There is no reason to expect that the 1DX II will not have black balance built into the software. Canon's other DSLR's can all compensate for hot pixels in video and photo mode. The 1DC never got a fix or was never addressed because Canon didn't care.
 
I have to bump this again, just to keep people warned about the terrible state of affairs at Canon. After Canon gave us a loaner 1DC and told us to keep it I just forgot about the camera - we didn't want to see a Canon product again. A month ago I had to do some photography so I picked it up again, and unbelievably, this one started shutting off all the time on the middle of a shot, usually with the mirror still up. The only remedy was to remove the battery and reinstall it again for the next shot. Then it shuts down again. According to some online research we did - it is probably a PCB circuit board failure - very common with 1DX and the 1DC as it turns out. What else to say - we are in contact with Canon again. What an utter piece of crap this camera is... it is just unreal.
 
GameTavern said:
Canon isn't claiming anything wrong again. My second sensor, and it has 20+ dead pixels.
Click to expand...

I sold my 1DC since :2vrolijk_08:(And I am superhappy with my a7s2 and Loxia set), but before I did, I had the service remove dead pixels twice.
CPS germany knows how to do it nowadays (so if canon USA claims its not possible, maybe tell them to ask their german branch). When I got the camera back the dead pixels were gone. They come back with use ( I had to do it every 3-6 months), there is no way around it. One of the reasons I sold the cam.
 
Sent in camera again, (third sensor?) they claim they can't remap it to remove dead pixels and want a $2000 sensor replacement.
 
GameTavern said:
Sent in camera again, (third sensor?) they claim they can't remap it to remove dead pixels and want a $2000 sensor replacement.
Click to expand...
Did you send it to CPS? - I dont think normal canon service can handle the camera... Did you ask them to contact german service? Maybe my fight was worth something... Hope that can help you...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top