Canon confirms 5D Mark III light leak issue

Canon has confirmed reports around the web about a light leak in Canon EOS 5D Mark III's LCD panel impacting the auto-exposure settings in dark environments.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III was unveiled early last month as a replacement to the 5D Mark II in the high-end full frame range.

In an official statement on its website, Canon confirmed the problem but did not provide a solution or any kind of timelines for a fix.

While the camera works fine under normal lighting conditions, in dark environments with the LCD backlight turned on, some light leaks into the camera body and reaches the AE sensor, throwing off the camera's auto-exposure settings.

Here's a video demonstrating the problem:



Also see Canon unveils EOS 5D Mark III.

Canon's note in full:

To Users of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital SLR Camera

Thank you for using Canon products.

The phenomenon described below has been confirmed when using the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital SLR Camera.

Canon is now examining the countermeasures and once the countermeasures are decided, we will post the information on our Web site.

Phenomenon
In extremely dark environments, if the LCD panel illuminates, the displayed exposure value may change as a result of the AE sensor's detection of light from the LCD panel.

Affected Product
Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital SLR Camera

Support
Once the preparations are complete, we will be making an announcement on our Web site.

This information is for residents of the United States and Puerto Rico only. If you do not reside in the USA or Puerto Rico, please contact the Canon Customer Support Center in your region.

Please register the EOS 5D Mark III. By registering, we will be able to notify you via email when service updates are available. If you already registered, please ensure you are opted-in to receive the notification.

Thank you,
Customer Support Operations
Canon U.S.A., Inc