It pays to stay current
Canon has released Firmware update 1.0.5 for the EOS 5D.
Here’s mine loading and the result:
This fixes a problem with color pictures taken with the Standard Picture Style with +4 Color Density setting (the pictures would lose saturation on the sRGB setting and appear monochrome) and with the 85mm f/1.2L lens when used with the Canon 580EX flash where the shutter button would not work.
It’s nice to stay current.
After I applied 1.0.5 update, I found a problem in Av mode shooting at ISO 3200. The image (with white background) had a band of brown cast over the white background. I try the exact setting in manual mode and the image came out perfectly white. So I can tell there is a problem in Av mode for sure. I’m wondering if it is a common problem with the new firmware 1.0.5 or just my 5D. By the way, I didn’t have this problem with firmware 1.0.3. How can I revert back to the old version?
Well, I just tried it on an image with a white background on Av at 1600 and 3200 and there is no cast at 3200, so it may be your camera. I don’t know whether you can revert to 1.0.3. Have you tried reinstalling 1.0.5? If it helps, my 5D’s serial number is 0620305xxx.
Thanks for the reply. Another photographer who upgraded the firmware with me at the same time had the exact same problem. The color of cast might be influenced by the lighting (fluorescent). Can you try under this kind of lighting and compare your results with images using Av mode and manual mode at ISO 3200? I’ll try if I can reinstall from a fresh download of 1.0.5.
I’ll try next time I’m in fluorescent lighting. I don’t have any at home. My test was of an overcast whitish sky in the local landscape.
I trashed my downloaded copy of 1.0.3 but I’ll bet if you post your question to one of the more popular chat boards someone will still have a copy. The only snag I see is that the camera LCD asks whether you want to ‘update’, suggesting that going back may not be possible. Maybe you can rename the 1.0.3 file to 1.0.6 to fool it before updating? Just thinking out loud.
I e-mailed Canon support and was asked to send my 5D in for service. It sounds like there was no way to downgrade. Otherwise, they would have just e-mailed me 1.0.3. 🙂 Since I shoot in manual mode most of the time (in studio and weddings), I can live with the Av mode problem. However, knowing this problem, I’m afraid that the camera might give up on me at the most critical time during a wedding. Anyway, I think the problem is that Canon forgot to run noise reduction for the Av mode in 1.0.5. In your case, when you shoot outdoor with enough light, the noise level is very low, therefore, you can’t see the color cast. My test was done in a studio with a solid white background without flash. The low room light causes a lot of noise for ISO 3200 to capture. Without the internal noise reduction logic, the noise would show up as a color cast since the backgroup is solid white. I think my analysis might make sense since the manual mode seems to produce a clean image!