Canon 5D Mk.3

[Amfibius]

dpreview preview of the 5D Mk.3.

It sounds likes the bees knees. Summary:

- 22 MP full frame sensor
- ISO 100 - 25,600 (up to 102,400 as option)
- improved microlens architecture
- built-in HDR
- 6 FPS burst mode
- 61 point AF with five double-cross type sensors and colour aware metering sensor
- Digic 5 processor

Looks as if Canon are not going to go around chasing the Nikon D800 for megapixel count. But side by side the D800 is $500 cheaper, has 38 megapixels, and probably has superior metering (if not AF). The only question is whether the low light images from the new 5D will be superior, given the larger size of each individual pixel. We will have to wait and see.

This is the upgrade I have been waiting for. Time to sell my old 5D and upgrade to the new one!

[Puma Cat]

Awesome! They finally built what the MkII should have been; they revised and updated the AF system. While the 5D was and still is an amazing camera for image quality, it's AF system is pretty outdated at this point in time, and putting out the MkII with the same AF system as the original 5D was a big mistake, IMO. I shot with a 5D MkII for almost an entire day at one of my last ALMS pro events, and while the image quality was outstanding, in lower light (dusk), the AF system was all but useless...the lens racking in and out hunting for focus. It was very frustrating and I lost a lot of shots because they were soft. My old warhorse original 1D locked focus in the same conditions in what seemed like 1/100th of a second, but of course, had nothing like the MKII"s image quality. Still I'll take a sharp shot over a soft one any day of the week.

Looks like they put in an AF system comparable to the 1D X in the Mark III....good!

Good to see they went DOWN on the Megapixel count too....16 is really plenty for a full-frame 35 mm sized sensor. I'd much rather have lower pixel count and better image quality, lower noise....

I still think the original 5D has some of the finest image quality I've ever seen...a reference standard for me for the last 9 years.

[PHC1]

I have enjoyed my 5D MKII immensely over the last few years. I guess I will eventually upgrade to the MKIII as well but I am not in any particular hurry. I'm also seeing a price of $3500???

Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital Camera (Body Only) 5260A002 B&H

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by PHC1

I have enjoyed my 5D MKII immensely over the last few years. I guess I will eventually upgrade to the MKIII as well but I am not in any particular hurry. I'm also seeing a price of $3500???

Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital Camera (Body Only) 5260A002 B&H

Glad it's worked so well for you, Serge. I found the MKII to perform fine in daylight and it image quality and color was awesome for pit and atmosphere shots; just let down by it's low light AF performance when shooting action. But then, that's what the 1Ds are for!

[TommyC]

I agree with the megapixel thing. 16 is plenty enough for regular prints, even with cropping. More megapixel will only take more computing power/time to edit the images.

[Amfibius]

As the dpreview article points out ... each generation of 5D has been revolutionary in the photographic world. The first 5D was the first "affordable" full frame DSLR, with an exceptionally clean sensor which gives servicable images to this day (I know, I still use one). The 5D Mk.2 was the first DSLR to have built in video. Everyone copied this feature. And the 5D Mk.3? It seems more like an evolution of the Mk.2 than anything revolutionary. Still, I am happy with what I read, but I do wish they would make it price competitive against the Nikon.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Glad it's worked so well for you, Serge. I found the MKII to perform fine in daylight and it image quality and color was awesome for pit and atmosphere shots; just let down by it's low light AF performance when shooting action. But then, that's what the 1Ds are for!

I don't shoot much action with the 5DMKII Stephen, therefore I have not seen any problems or limitations with the AF. I mostly focused on some landscapes, wildlife and some experiments with macro. I can imagine those AF limitations would be apparent in an instant when shooting anything that moves FAST as you do.

[TommyC]

The 5D MK2 will see a price drop of $300 next week to bring it down to $2200. The MK3 at $3500 will be a tough sell, unless it's revolutionary.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by TommyC

The 5D MK2 will see a price drop of $300 next week to bring it down to $2200. The MK3 at $3500 will be a tough sell, unless it's revolutionary.

Personally, I think the MkIII will sell very well. Also, it's SOP for Canon to drop prices of an about-to-be-discontinued camera before the new one arrives. The new AF system in the MkIII will make a big difference to buyers. I personally was never interested in the MKII because it shared the same AF system as the orignal 5D, and as I absolutely love the image quality of the original 5D, I saw no point in spending the extra money for a camera that only had a higher pixel count.

Here's an image that was literally a grab shot taken with a buddy's original 5D....look at that yummy image quality!

[joeinid]

Beautiful shot Stephen!

I love my 5D mkII. The mkIII should be nice, although Nikon does have some nice cameras coming out.

Joe