Camera:  5D Mark II
Lens: 24-70 f/2.8L
Problem: Soft focus/OOF issue at most apertures (especially wide open), shutter speeds, etc.

I've noticed recently that most of my photos (using the combo above) have been coming out slightly soft and sometimes even OOF.  I know it is not my error but am having a hard time determining whether it is the lens or the camera body itself.

Is it possible that a camera body can cause a lens to shoot soft or slightly OOF?  I always use AF but choose my autofocus points manually using the joystick.  I've also heard that many versions of the 24-70mm are having the soft focus / OOF issues.

I really don't want to take it in to Canon to get "checked" when I have tons of work lined up.  That would put me out of commission for too long.

I've done all the tests; microadjustments, newspaper on the wall using a tripod with good lighting, even tried manual focusing instead of using AF on the lens.

I do not recall ever having a sharpness issue with my 17-40 f/4L wide angle using the same camera body.  But then again, I don't know if the body has just come to a "wear and tear" point where things need to be serviced or the 24-70 lens just sucks.

Help.

picture samples?

Probably should check Canon's USA website canonusa.com for any firmware updates for your camera body.  Heard of the problem and have shot with a 24-70mm on a 5DMK II and 7D, but didn't experience any soft or OOF issues.

If you're shooting wide open, chances are you're dealing with an incredibly narrow depth of field. There's likely an in-focus area, it's just so small that you're missing it.

You need to work out whether it is an optical "fault" (e.g. lens misalignment), or an auto-focus/general focus issue.

Put the camera on a tripod, and use live-view at 100% to manually focus on something.  If the result is nice and sharp, then you know the optics are good, which probably means it is a focus related problem (either auto-focus or technique).

If you can't get an acceptably sharp image using manual focus and live view, then I'd recommend taking the lens and body to the shop along with a sample to show them the problem.

the mark II can micro-adjust for a given lens. might play with that to see if it helps.

and maybe read some of the lens reports to see what's normal to expect for the lens. you do hear talk of bad copies but i've never been one to be that anal about it.

for my part i don't want it too sharp anyway. just more work in the retouching.

rent the 100f2.8macro. that thing picks up a ton of detail (too much sometimes).

tell us what happened when you dropped the lens

It's possible that you're experiencing front focus or back focus issues. Simply put, this means that your camera and lens habitually focus in front of or behind what you think you're focusing on.

There are tolerances in manufacturing both cameras and lenses. Sometimes when both are at the edge of the tolerance range (or the lens is not within the manufacturer's tolerances), it results in front focus or back focus.

You can test for this yourself and correct the problem (well, kinda) using something like LensAlign Pro, invented by the same guy who came up with WhiBal.

http://michaeltapesdesign.com/lensalign.html

LensAlign Pro (I believe the current version is LenAlign Pro II, which costs less than the original model) will let you diagnose the problem. Then you can make an adjustment in your camera that applies only when the lens in question is mounted on your camera.

I say kinda because, in the end, you'll have focus optimized for a particular focal length and distance with your zoom lens. This is even more true if the lens was not manufactured to the specified tolerances.

One alternative is to send *both* the camera and lens to the manufacturer and let them adjust both. Still, from what I've read, you're not likely to end up with what you'd have with an optimal camera and lens. (Don't ask me why.)

A better alternative, if your lens is still in warranty, is to exchange it.

Last year I bought a used 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D Nikkor for use when I didn't want to tote both the 35-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses. Turned out the 28-105mm has a severe front focus issue. In my case, the solution turned out to be leaving the lens in the closet when I shoot.

^ Thank you for this.

And to the one who mentioned me dropping this lens...I never have, honest (and I'm the original owner).  If I did, that would've been my first assumption.

Have you shot a target to see if the lens is focusing correctly?