Birger/Impero Lens Bug

[Billy McCannon]

Ran into a bug today on the Canon 24-70mm f2.8L.

I got an Impero last week – just the Impero unit – no hard wire – no receiver – just a wireless Birger/Impero.

Everything is working as it’s supposed to except for the Canon 24-70mm. I also tested Canon 35mm f1.4L and Canon 16-35mm f2.8L both of these are perfect.

When I put the 24-70mm on and press the middle button it calibrates but when I press the “Cal” button on the Impero the 24-70mm doesn’t calibrate – just gives a little jolt so there is a connection. I’ve tried this several times. I reinstalled the firm ware and also tried to operate it from the Mac Bluetooth app but it behaves in the same way.

After repeating the test several times – alternating with the other two lenses etc. – the lens has responded to the Impero focus control but only for a few seconds.

I’ve noticed that after trying with the Impero I can’t calibrate with centre button again without removing the lenses and putting it back on again.

The Iris control is working.

Because the lens works with Birger, is responding to the Impero (intermittently) and the Iris is working – I suspect this is software is the problem.

BTW the 24-70mm had been working fine earlier this week.

Anyone else getting this?

Any remedy?

[Dennis Wilkins]

The Irish control is working.



So that's what you call it over there :)

It sounds more like it's a Birger software problem and has nothing to do with the Impero if the Mac app is behaving the same.

I think an email to Birger detailing the problem is in order -

Cheers,

Dennis Wilkins

[Billy McCannon]

Yeah, the problem is with the Birger software. I did a few more tests to clarify what is happening.

The Canon 24-70 f2.8l lens is causing the firmware to crash. The problem is the same whether I use the Mac app or the Impero. I can calibrate the lens on Auto but not on Manual. The focus control will work for a few seconds - long enough to pull focus once before the mount becomes unresponsive even to recalibrating using middle button on the mount. It can't be calibrated again without removing and remounting the lens. Oddly, the distance display continues to change with the controller but the lens doesn't move.

I had hoped the lens data was responding to the actual position of lens elements but it seems that the data is estimating where the lens should be focused rather then where it is actually focused. This underlines for me the big limitation of the system - the only way to gauge focus is with a monitor.

The other two lenses are rock solid. It's a remarkable system and trying to figure out the problem with the Canon 24-70 f2.8l has forced me to put the 16-35mm f2.8L and the 35mm f1.4L through their paces and on the whole its great. The Canons and the R1 are great together.

[Erik Widding]

Everybody needs to remember that the Imperos out in the wild are officially in Beta when used with the Birger. There will be an official release of software when we start shipping Birger Imperos in a couple of days.

BTW, we have already replicated this issue in the lab, and it does not just happen with the 24-70, it also happens with the 17-40 and the 10-22. We fixed it on saturday. We will have an intermediate software release in a couple of days.

[Joel Kaye]

Everybody needs to remember that the Imperos out in the wild are officially in Beta when used with the Birger...

BTW, we have already replicated this issue in the lab, and it does not just happen with the 24-70, it also happens with the 17-40 and the 10-22. We fixed it on saturday. We will have an intermediate software release in a couple of days.

Now that's a fast response. Thanks and Happy Easter. :-)

[Billy McCannon]

That's great Erik - Thanks.

I found an explaination to my data readout speculation here:

http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=28534&page=4


Current version of the software, focus distance is always a function of what the motors are doing. In the next version of the software, if the lens is set to "MF" we will output one of the "tick" marks straight from the lens, rather than interpolated distances. You will only get one of 16 or 32 unique numbers in this scenario, but I suspect it will be slightly less nerve wracking than a "stuck" readout. If the switch is set to "AF" it will have the current behavior, and you will need to be controlling the focus with an Impero, a Mac or a PC, to get the numbers to change.