Canon quality questions

Is anyone else having problems with their EOS 40D? Mine - bought new at a high street retailer last November - developed several faults by July 08 and was returned to Canon under warranty. The faults were 1) mirror return is slow sometimes (like a 2 sec exposure); 2) top control wheel stops working altogether - then works again next day; 3) top control wheel occasionally changes focus point every other click when in Tv mode (corrected by removing battery); 4) rubber casing coming away from the body. After 4 weeks it was returned with a very clumsy glue job to the rubber casing and a score mark on the body. Jessops agreed to send it back for "review" and in the meantime lent me a Canon refurbished 40D with just over 1000 shutter actuations according to the image counter. I found that this example also has the occasional slow mirror return, but worse than that, the top control wheel also packed up the other day (though it's working again now).

I was thinking of investing (if that's the right word) in the 5D Mk2 but now I'm not at all sure. My 10D had to go back to Canon under warranty ( a new PCB) and my 70-300 IS also needed warranty work on the IS (which was botched by Canon resulting in them replacing the lens with a new 75-300 IS). One of my friends has a 20D that has been returned to Canon twice for warranty work.

Is this a typical sort of experience for a Canon owner? Or am I just unlucky?

I've been a Canon user for many years, starting with a QL19, then F-1s, several Powershots and now a 40D.

Not once have I sent a Canon camera or canon lens for repair or even a service. The F1s are still going strongly but they are ugly, much brass is showing. I can't say the same for the Nikons, Leicas or Hasselblads and Linhoffs, that some of my past employers have given me to use, they broke down often, especially the 'Blads ... a hassel is the word.

Treat your Canon cameras god like ... is the best advice that I can give. I find it works.

One thing that I do is purchase extended insurance for the cameras ... that is why they don't stuff-up, I'm guessing.

I've stuffed two Canons though, both Powershots. They are both asleep in Davey Jone's locker ... going overboard is a known risk when racing performance open keelboats, I'm a bowman. I expect to drop cameras or get washed off boats. So it is cheap Powershots when I'm on the bow. So only having lost 2 Powershots now, is good going I feel.

Warren.

Never had any problems with my 40D. I have never heard of the mirror returning slowly? It almost sounds like you have the long exposure noise reduction turned on. If you take a 2 second exposure, the camera automatically takes a 2nd 2 second exposure without opening the shutter. Is that what you are experiencing?

What shooting mode are you using and what AF points do you have selected? If you're shooting in any of the full auto modes, the top control dial doesn't do anything. If you have all the AF points turned on, the camera is going to choose what it focuses on and this can change with every shot.

I've known many a Canon user and none of them had any issues like this. I think you've just been unlucky.

My Canon powershot P&S, now 9 years old, and my 350D, now over 2 years old, and my 40D, now a year old are all still going strong.

The only problem I have had with my 350D was with dust on the sensor which was easily removed with a rocket blower. Other than that, no problems at all.

I have owned many Canon products since 1980 or so. AE-1, A-2, EOS 3, 10D, XT, 30D, 5D and many lenses. My A2 had a failure at the mode dial that needed repair, but other than that I haven't had any problems.

Well it seems that I am indeed just unlucky! Thank you for your responses, which are encouraging. I have 4 L lenses plus loads of Canon-related accessories, so a change to Nikon would be a very expensive business. To answer Mike's query, I usually use shutter priority but will also use Program if shutter speed is not critical. I set the focusing point if I need something specific but usually leave all points active. My problem with the control wheel/focusing point thing was that each shutter speed ended up with just one focusing point, which wasn't necessarily the one I wanted. Not good when you're taking pictures of fast moving aircraft and have to make fast adjustments to the camera settings. The mirror delay is no problem, just an annoyance. It can happen with a very fast shutter speed, making it seem as though there's been a long exposure. I've never experienced it with my 10D or any other SLR, so it's strange it should happen with both 40Ds. Perhaps they don't like me!

All I can tell you is that the 5D Mk. II is going to be well worth the investment. With full frame HD video along with 21 MP! That's definitely the rig you want for some serious photography and even HD video. So much so that RED has scuttled their existing design for their Scarlet 3k camcorder and may be redesigning it to accomodate a dual mode DSLR.

And the 5D Mk II is getting some amazing hype.

Personally, I too have never had to send in my Canon. It could be a variety of factors from bad firmware loading to dirty contacts, to just plain being a Lemon. but I can tell you from experience that history says Canon is the top of the line in SLRs and has been for quite some time.

Give it another chance.