EOS-1D X Mark III: Troubleshooting Guide

Article ID: ART176313 | Date published: 02/03/2020 | Date last updated: 09/15/2023
 

Description

Troubleshooting Guide

Solution

Troubleshooting Guide

Troubleshooting Guide

If a problem occurs with the camera, first refer to this Troubleshooting Guide. If this Troubleshooting Guide does not resolve the problem, contact your dealer or nearest Canon Service Center.

Power-related problems

The battery does not charge.

  • The included Battery Charger LC-E19 is designed exclusively for Battery Pack LP-E19.
  • In case of charging or charger issues, see Charging the Battery.

The camera is not activated even when the power switch is set to Power on.

  • Make sure the battery is inserted properly in the camera ().
  • Make sure the card slot cover is closed ().
  • Charge the battery ().

The access lamp still lights or blinks even when the power switch is set to Power off.

  • If the power is turned off while an image is being recorded to the card, the access lamp will remain on or continue to blink for a few seconds. When the image recording is complete, the power will turn off automatically.

[Battery communication error. Does this battery/do these batteries display the Canon logo?] is displayed.

  • Do not use any battery packs other than a genuine Canon Battery Pack LP-E19.
  • Remove and install the battery again ().
  • If the electrical contacts are dirty, use a soft cloth to clean them.

The battery becomes exhausted quickly.

  • Use a fully charged battery ().
  • The battery performance may have degraded. See [Set-up: Battery info.] to check the battery's recharge performance level (). If the battery performance is poor, replace the battery with a new one.
  • The number of available shots will decrease with any of the following operations:

    • Pressing the shutter button halfway for a prolonged period.
    • Activating the AF frequently without taking a picture.
    • Using the lens's Image Stabilizer.
    • Using GPS.
    • Using the screen frequently.
    • Continuing Live View shooting or movie recording for a prolonged period.
    • Using the wireless communication functions.

The camera turns off by itself.

  • Auto power off is in effect. To deactivate auto power off, set [Set-up: Auto power off] to [Disable] ().
  • Even if [Set-up: Auto power off] is set to [Disable], the screen still turns off after the camera is left idle for approx. 30 min. (although the camera itself remains on).

Shooting-related problems

The lens cannot be attached.

  • The camera cannot be used with RF, EF-S, or EF-M lenses ().

The viewfinder is dark.

  • Install a charged battery in the camera ().

No images can be shot or recorded.

  • Make sure the card is properly inserted ().
  • If the card is full, replace the card or delete unnecessary images to make space (, ).
  • Shooting is not possible during One-Shot AF when the focus indicator Focus indicator in the viewfinder is blinking, or when the AF point is orange during Live View shooting or movie recording. Press the shutter button halfway again to refocus automatically, or focus manually ().

The card cannot be used.

I have to press the shutter button twice to take a picture.

  • Set [Shooting: Mirror lockup] to [Disable].

The image is out of focus or blurred.

  • Set the lens's focus mode switch to Autofocus ().
  • Press the shutter button gently to prevent camera shake (, ).
  • With a lens equipped with an Image Stabilizer, set the Image Stabilizer switch to Power on.
  • In low light, the shutter speed may become slow. Use a faster shutter speed (), set a higher ISO speed (), use flash (), or use a tripod.
  • See Minimizing blurred photos.

There are fewer AF points or the Area AF frame shape is different.

  • Depending on the lens used, the number of usable AF points, AF point patterns, Area AF frame shape, etc. vary ().

The AF point is blinking or two AF points are displayed.

I cannot lock the focus and recompose the shot.

  • Set the AF operation to One-Shot AF (). Shooting with the focus locked is not possible with AI Servo AF/Servo AF ().

The continuous shooting speed is slow.

  • High-speed continuous shooting may be slower depending on the type of power used, the battery level, ambient temperature, ISO speed, flicker reduction, shutter speed, aperture value, state of the aperture during continuous shooting, subject conditions, brightness, type of lens, use of flash, shooting function settings, and other conditions. For details, see Selecting the Drive Mode.

The maximum burst during continuous shooting is lower.

  • If you shoot a subject that has fine detail such as a field of grass, the file size will be larger, and the actual maximum burst may be lower than the number listed in Performance Data.

Even after I change the card, the maximum burst displayed for continuous shooting does not change.

  • Estimated maximum burst indicated in the viewfinder does not change when you switch cards, even if you switch to a high-speed card. The maximum burst shown in the table in Performance Data is based on the standard Canon test card, so the faster the card's writing speed, the higher the actual maximum burst will be. For this reason, estimated maximum burst as indicated in the viewfinder may differ from actual maximum burst.

ISO speeds cannot be selected for still photo shooting.

  • The minimum speed in the ISO speed range is ISO 200 when [Shooting: Highlight tone priority] is set to [Enable] or [Enhanced].

Expanded ISO speeds cannot be selected for still photo shooting.

  • Check the [ISO speed range] setting under [Shooting: ShootingISO speed settings].
  • Expanded ISO speeds are not available when [Shooting: Highlight tone priority] is set to [Enable] or [Enhanced].
  • Expanded ISO speeds are not available when [Shooting: HDR shooting HDR PQ] is set to [Enable].

Even if I set a decreased exposure compensation, the image comes out bright.

  • Set [Shooting: Auto Lighting Optimizer] to [Disable] (). When [Low], [Standard], or [High] is set, even if you set a decreased exposure compensation or flash exposure compensation, the image may come out bright.

I cannot set the exposure compensation when both manual exposure and ISO Auto are set.

  • See M: Manual Exposure to set the exposure compensation.
  • Exposure compensation is not performed in flash photography.

Not all the lens aberration correction options are displayed.

  • Although [Chromatic aberr corr] and [Diffraction correction] are not displayed when [Digital Lens Optimizer] is set to [Enable], both functions are applied in shooting, as when set to [Enable].
  • During movie recording, [Digital Lens Optimizer] or [Distortion correction] will not be displayed.

Images are not displayed after shooting in multiple-exposure shooting.

  • When [On:ContShtng] is set, images are not displayed for review after capture, and image playback is not available ().

Using flash in Aperture priority AE mode lowers the shutter speed.

  • To provide suitable exposure for subjects and backgrounds, the shutter speed is automatically reduced (slow-sync shooting) for shots under low light in night scenes or with similar backgrounds. To prevent a slow shutter speed, set [Flash sync. speed in Av mode] in [Shooting: External Speedlite control] to [1/250-1/60sec. auto] or [1/250 sec. (fixed)] ().

The flash does not fire.

  • Make sure the flash unit (or sync cord) is securely attached to the camera.
  • When using flash in Live View shooting, set [Shooting: Shutter mode] to an option other than [Electronic] ().

The flash always fires at full output.

  • Flash units other than EL/EX series Speedlites used in autoflash mode always fire at full output ().
  • When the flash Custom Function setting for [Flash metering mode] is set to [TTL flash metering] (autoflash), the flash will always fire at full output ().

Flash exposure compensation cannot be set.

  • If flash exposure compensation is already set with the Speedlite, flash exposure compensation cannot be set with the camera. When the external Speedlite's flash exposure compensation is canceled (set to 0), flash exposure compensation can be set with the camera.

High-speed sync is not available in Aperture priority AE mode.

  • Set [Flash sync. speed in Av mode] in [Shooting: External Speedlite control] to [Auto] ().

I cannot shoot with Live View.

  • Set [Shooting: Live View shoot.] to [Enable].

During Live View shooting, a white Temperature warning white or red Temperature warning red icon is displayed.

  • It indicates that the camera's internal temperature is high. Image quality of still photos may be worse when a white [Temperature warning white] icon is displayed. If the red [Temperature warning red] icon is displayed, it indicates that the Live View shooting will soon stop automatically ().

During movie recording, the red Temperature warning red icon is displayed.

  • It indicates that the camera's internal temperature is high. If the red [Temperature warning red] icon is displayed, it indicates that the movie recording will soon stop automatically ().

Movie recording stops by itself.

  • If the card's writing speed is slow, movie recording may stop automatically. For cards that can record movies, see Performance Data. To find out the card's writing speed, refer to the card manufacturer's website, etc.
  • Perform low-level formatting to initialize the card if the card's writing or reading speed seems slow ().
  • Recording stops automatically once your movie reaches 29 min. 59 sec. (or 7 min. 29 sec. for a High Frame Rate movie).

The ISO speed cannot be set for movie recording.

  • ISO speed is set automatically in Movies / Shutter-priority AE / Aperture priority AE (movie) recording mode. In Movie manual exposure mode, you can manually set the ISO speed ().
  • The minimum speed in the ISO speed range is ISO 200 when [Shooting: Highlight tone priority] is set to [Enable] or [Enhanced].

Expanded ISO speeds cannot be selected for movie recording.

  • Check the [ISO speed range] setting under [Shooting: MovieISO speed settings].
  • Expanded ISO speeds are not available when [Shooting: Highlight tone priority] is set to [Enable] or [Enhanced].
  • Expanded ISO speeds are not available when the camera is set for RAW movies.

The exposure changes during movie recording.

  • If you change the shutter speed or aperture value during movie recording, the changes in the exposure may be recorded.
  • Recording a few test movies is recommended if you intend to perform zooming during movie recording. Zooming as you record movies may cause exposure changes or lens sounds to be recorded, an uneven audio level, inaccurate lens aberration correction, or loss of focus.

The image flickers or horizontal stripes appear during movie recording.

  • Flickering, horizontal stripes (noise), or irregular exposures can be caused by fluorescent lighting, LED lighting, or other light sources during movie recording. Also, changes in the exposure (brightness) or color tone may be recorded. In Shutter priority AE or Manual exposure mode, using a slower shutter speed may reduce the problem.

The subject looks distorted during movie recording.

  • If you move the camera to the left or right (panning) or shoot a moving subject, the image may look distorted.

Sound is not recorded in movies.

  • Sound is not recorded in High Frame Rate movies.

A time code is not added.

  • Time codes are not added when you record High Frame Rate movies with [Count up] in [Shooting: Time code] set to [Free run] (). Additionally, no time code is added to HDMI video output ().

Time codes advance faster than the actual time.

  • Time codes in High Frame Rate recording advance 4 sec. per second ().

I cannot take still photos during movie recording.

  • Still photos cannot be taken during movie recording. To take still photos, stop the movie recording and perform viewfinder shooting or Live View shooting.

Problems with wireless features

Cannot pair with a smartphone.

  • Use a smartphone compliant with Bluetooth Specification Version 4.1 or later.
  • Turn on Bluetooth from the smartphone settings screen.
  • Pairing with the camera is not possible from the smartphone's Bluetooth settings screen. Install the dedicated app Camera Connect (free of charge) on the smartphone ().
  • Pairing with a previously paired smartphone is not possible if pairing information registered for another camera remains on the smartphone. In this case, remove the camera's registration retained in the Bluetooth settings on the smartphone and try pairing again ().

Wi-Fi functions cannot be set.

  • If the camera is connected to a computer or another device with an interface cable, Wi-Fi functions cannot be set. Disconnect the interface cable before setting any functions.

A device connected with an interface cable cannot be used.

  • Other devices, such as computers, cannot be used with the camera by connecting them with an interface cable while the camera is connected to devices via Wi-Fi. Terminate the Wi-Fi connection before connecting the interface cable.

Operations such as shooting and playback are not possible.

  • With a Wi-Fi connection established, operations such as shooting and playback may not be possible. Terminate the Wi-Fi connection, then perform the operation.

Cannot reconnect to a smartphone.

  • Even with a combination of the same camera and smartphone, if you have changed the settings or selected a different setting, reconnection may not be established even after selecting the same SSID. In this case, delete the camera connection settings from the Wi-Fi settings on the smartphone and set up a connection again.
  • A connection may not be established if Camera Connect is running when you reconfigure connection settings. In this case, quit Camera Connect for a moment and then restart it.

Operation problems

Settings change when I switch from still photo shooting to movie recording or vice versa.

  • Separate settings are retained for use when shooting still photos and recording movies.

I cannot change the setting with Main Dial, Quick Control Dial, Multi-controller, Smart controller, or Tap/Touch.

  • Set the power switch to Power on ().
  • Check the [Custom Functions6: Multi function lock] setting ().

Settings cannot be changed with Main Dial, Multi-controller or Smart controller for vertical shooting.

  • Set the vertical-grip On/Off switch to Power on ().
  • Set [Custom Functions7: Smart controller Smart controller] to [Enable] ().

Touch operation is not possible.

  • Make sure [Set-up: Touch control] is set to [Standard] or [Sensitive] ().

A camera button or dial does not work as expected.

  • Check the [Custom Functions6: Custom Controls] setting ().

Display problems

The display starts with [My Menu] My Menu, or the [My Menu] tab alone is displayed.

  • [Menu display] on the [My Menu] tab is set to [Display from My Menu tab] or [Display only My Menu tab]. Set [Normal display] ().

The file name's first character is an underscore (“_”).

  • Set [Shooting: Color space] to [sRGB]. If [Adobe RGB] is set, the first character will be an underscore ().

The fourth character in the file name changes.

  • [Set-up: File name] is set to [*** + image size]. Select either the camera's unique file name or the file name registered in User setting 1 ().

The file numbering does not start from 0001.

  • If the card already contains recorded images, the image number may not start from 0001 ().

The shooting date and time displayed are incorrect.

  • Make sure the correct date and time are set ().
  • Check the time zone and daylight saving time ().

The date and time are not in the image.

  • The shooting date and time do not appear in the image. The date and time are recorded in the image data as shooting information. When printing, you can imprint the date and time in the picture, using the date and time recorded in the shooting information ().

[###] is displayed.

  • If the number of images recorded on the card exceeds the number the camera can display, [###] will be displayed.

The screen does not display a clear image.

  • If the screen is dirty, use a soft cloth to clean it.
  • The screen display may seem slightly slow in low temperatures or may look black in high temperatures, but it will return to normal at room temperature.

Playback problems

Part of the image blinks in black.

  • [Playback: Highlight alert] is set to [Enable] ().

A red box is displayed on the image.

  • [Playback: AF point disp.] is set to [Enable] ().

During image playback, the AF points are not displayed.

  • AF points are not displayed in playback of cropped images.

The image cannot be erased.

  • If the image is protected, it cannot be erased ().

Still photos and movies cannot be played back.

  • The camera may not be able to play back images taken with another camera.
  • Movies edited with a computer cannot be played back with the camera.

Only few images can be played back.

  • The images have been filtered for playback with [Playback: Set image search conditions] (). Clear the image search conditions.

Mechanical sounds or sounds of camera operations can be heard during movie playback.

  • If AF operations are performed or you control the camera or lens during movie recording, the camera's built-in microphone may also record mechanical sounds of the lens or sounds of camera/lens operations. In this case, using an external microphone may reduce these sounds. If the sounds are still distracting with an external microphone, it may be more effective to remove the external microphone from the camera and position it away from the camera and lens.

Movie playback stops by itself.

  • Extended movie playback or movie playback under high ambient temperature may cause the camera's internal temperature to rise, and movie playback may stop automatically.

    If this happens, playback is disabled until the camera's internal temperature decreases, so turn off the power and let the camera cool down a while.

The movie appears to freeze momentarily.

  • Significant change in the exposure level during Program AE recording may cause recording to stop momentarily until the brightness stabilizes. In such a case, shoot in the Manual exposure mode ().

The movie is played in slow motion.

  • High Frame Rate movies are recorded at 29.97 fps or 25.00 fps, so they are played in slow motion at 1/4 speed.

No picture appears on the television.

  • Make sure [Set-up: Video system] is set to [For NTSC] or [For PAL] correctly for the video system of your television.
  • Make sure the HDMI cable's plug is inserted all the way in ().

My card reader does not recognize the card.

  • CFexpress cards may not be correctly recognized by some card readers or in some operating systems. In this case, connect the camera to the computer with the interface cable, then import the images to the computer using EOS Utility (EOS software, ).

Images cannot be resized or cropped.

  • JPEG Small images, RAW images, images captured with [Shooting: HDR shooting HDR PQ] in [Shooting: HDR PQ settings] set to [Enable], and frame-grab images from 4K movies saved as still photos cannot be resized with the camera ().
  • RAW images, images captured with [Shooting: HDR shooting HDR PQ] in [Shooting: HDR PQ settings] set to [Enable], and frame-grab images from 4K movies saved as still photos cannot be cropped with the camera ().

Dots of light appear on the image.

  • White, red, or blue dots of light may appear in captured images if the sensor is affected by cosmic rays or similar factors. Their appearance may be reduced by performing [Clean nowClean now] under [Set-up: Sensor cleaning] ().

Sensor cleaning problems

The shutter makes a sound during sensor cleaning.

  • Although there is a mechanical sound from the shutter during cleaning after [Clean nowClean now] is selected, no image is recorded to the card ().

Automatic sensor cleaning does not work.

  • If you repeatedly turn the power switch Power on and Power off within a short time period, the Clean now icon may not be displayed ().

Computer connection problems

I cannot import images to a computer.

  • Install EOS Utility (EOS software) on the computer ().
  • Make sure the main EOS Utility window is displayed.
  • If the camera is already connected via Wi-Fi, it cannot communicate with any computer connected with an interface cable.
  • Check the version of the application.

 

SIMS Doc Id

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