Canon 5D Mark III

[wagner]

So they have them on sale again for crackhead cheap, should I bite the bullet and pick one up?

 

I've never shot full frame so I really don't know if the cost is worth it and the gear will make me that much better.

 

Some people say there is a night and day difference, what say the real world people I know?

[Farkas]

5DmkIII is a helluva camera.

 

Remind me, what are you shooting with currently? Having used both crop and FF, I much prefer the look of my FF camera. But, there are merits to both. People who typically shoot telephoto action shots seem to prefer the 7DmkII and above because it's got such a quick AF and the crop ratio to help with zooming. Of course on a FF you can make up for the crop ratio with a correct lens, but I find the least amount of scaling you have to do to an image file, the better clarity and sharpness you'll get from a sensor/body.

 

If you're seriously considering a 5D3, I suggest looking at a 6D. It nearly rivals the 5D3 in every way, other than very few minute functions most people might not use and at literally half the cost. 6D blows the 5D2 out of the water in tests, and 5D2 is still more expensive, somehow.

 

I recently sold my 5Dc and upgraded to the 6D and the difference for me was astronomical. Great camera. I was looking at the 5D2 for a long time because 5D3 was way out of my budget, only to find that the 6D was a new camera the rivals the 5D3, at a much cheaper price. The low-light performance of the 6D is outrageous- this is where the camera really shines!

 

But that's my .02. I don't see reason to drop coin on a 5D3 when there are cheaper options that perform just as well for half the cost.

 

Edit*

 

Here's some comparison and testing for the two cameras:

http://snapsort.com/compare/Canon-EOS-5D-Mark-III-vs-Canon-EOS-6D

 

OH, and the WiFi/GPS function is badass... you can pair your phone and camera together and you can view photos taken, directly on your phone.

Edited March 5, 2015 by Farkas

[wagner]

5DmkIII is a helluva camera.

 

Remind me, what are you shooting with currently? Having used both crop and FF, I much prefer the look of my FF camera. But, there are merits to both. People who typically shoot telephoto action shots seem to prefer the 7DmkII and above because it's got such a quick AF and the crop ratio to help with zooming. Of course on a FF you can make up for the crop ratio with a correct lens, but I find the least amount of scaling you have to do to an image file, the better clarity and sharpness you'll get from a sensor/body.

 

If you're seriously considering a 5D3, I suggest looking at a 6D. It nearly rivals the 5D3 in every way, other than very few minute functions most people might not use and at literally half the cost. 6D blows the 5D2 out of the water in tests, and 5D2 is still more expensive, somehow.

 

I recently sold my 5Dc and upgraded to the 6D and the difference for me was astronomical. Great camera. I was looking at the 5D2 for a long time because 5D3 was way out of my budget, only to find that the 6D was a new camera the rivals the 5D3, at a much cheaper price. The low-light performance of the 6D is outrageous- this is where the camera really shines!

 

But that's my .02. I don't see reason to drop coin on a 5D3 when there are cheaper options that perform just as well for half the cost.

 

Edit*

 

Here's some comparison and testing for the two cameras:

http://snapsort.com/compare/Canon-EOS-5D-Mark-III-vs-Canon-EOS-6D

 

OH, and the WiFi/GPS function is badass... you can pair your phone and camera together and you can view photos taken, directly on your phone.

 

I shoot with a 70D right now and I have found its limits in low light, it does fine pretty much everywhere else I need it to.

 

The industry standard for pro level people in the motor sports world seems to be the 5D or the 1DX.

 

We did some test shots in GA between my camera and a 5d with the same settings and glass and the 5D just has better quality due to the sensor in low light.

[TTQ B4U]

Not sure what the prices are Wags, but compare the costs with the 6D. For what you're using it for, the 6D will be perfect. Keep the 70D for the distance and action shots.

 

I shoot the 7DMKII and the 5DMKIII and love them both. 98% the same outside the AF and sensor so it makes it nice for me in the field.

[Farkas]

Not sure what the prices are Wags, but compare the costs with the 6D. For what you're using it for, the 6D will be perfect. Keep the 70D for the distance and action shots.

 

I shoot the 7DMKII and the 5DMKIII and love them both. 98% the same outside the AF and sensor so it makes it nice for me in the field.

 

To give you an idea of prices on the 6D, I've been watching a pretty active Canon classified on FB and I've been seeing 6Ds with 20k clicks with grip, couple cards and batteries go between $1100 - $1200. The prices just dropped a bit within the last month or two due to a recent sale.

 

I bought mine off eBay for $1350, 1k clicks, gripped with two batteries and two SD cards a couple months ago.

[wagner]

Not sure what the prices are Wags, but compare the costs with the 6D. For what you're using it for, the 6D will be perfect. Keep the 70D for the distance and action shots.

 

I shoot the 7DMKII and the 5DMKIII and love them both. 98% the same outside the AF and sensor so it makes it nice for me in the field.

 

Well I did some quick research and the big issue with the 6d is the auto focus. I need something that will do good action shots in lower light. The 6D with its 11 points vs the 5D and its 61 is a big difference.

 

I'm going to dig some more tonight and see if I can find some videos that compare the 2 when it comes to action shots. The one video I did watch at work suggested the 5D is better for that.

 

The big thing I deal with is most of my subjects are moving at a high rate of speed and I have to shoot in low light at tracks for night shots.

 

The 70D during the day has been great but I'm starting to wander into the "professional" area of picture taking so I have to get my shit together if I want to get to the next level for work and $$$.

[TTQ B4U]

Well I did some quick research and the big issue with the 6d is the auto focus. I need something that will do good action shots in lower light. The 6D with its 11 points vs the 5D and its 61 is a big difference.

 

You're reading up on the center point issue at f/2.8? Just get one from Sonnie at MPEX and test it out. You'll know right there in the store if it's solid or not. Issue is over-blown IMO.

 

Focus point quantity aren't as much of a concern as is the type of points. 5DMKIII is pretty solid but so is the 6D. Action shots on my 40D which is an 8yr old system even in low light will stand up to either. Ask me how I know :gabe: It's 95%+ user not the system.

 

The big thing I deal with is most of my subjects are moving at a high rate of speed and I have to shoot in low light at tracks for night shots.

Dude, let's have lunch. Your low light shots with the 70D should be just fine noise wise. Especially for online use. I can shoot ISO 12,800 all day and you'd never know. Run a quick batch clean up and you're good to go.

 

The 70D during the day has been great but I'm starting to wander into the "professional" area of picture taking so I have to get my shit together if I want to get to the next level for work and $$$.

we can talk through this too.

[Farkas]

You're reading up on the center point issue at f/2.8?

 

Explain. First I've heard of something like this.

[wagner]

You're reading up on the center point issue at f/2.8? Just get one from Sonnie at MPEX and test it out. You'll know right there in the store if it's solid or not. Issue is over-blown IMO.

 

Focus point quantity aren't as much of a concern as is the type of points. 5DMKIII is pretty solid but so is the 6D. Action shots on my 40D which is an 8yr old system even in low light will stand up to either. Ask me how I know :gabe: It's 95%+ user not the system.

 

Dude, let's have lunch. Your low light shots with the 70D should be just fine noise wise. Especially for online use. I can shoot ISO 12,800 all day and you'd never know. Run a quick batch clean up and you're good to go.

 

we can talk through this too.

 

Let me know when you want to do lunch.

[Tractor]

Full frame is awesome if thats what you need to shoot. Otherwise it makes you crop anyway to tighten shots that a crop body would have shot by default.

 

As for low light noise, 90% of that is getting the exposure right and not having to push it in processing. The rest is noise reduction processing.

[wagner]

Full frame is awesome if thats what you need to shoot. Otherwise it makes you crop anyway to tighten shots that a crop body would have shot by default.

 

As for low light noise, 90% of that is getting the exposure right and not having to push it in processing. The rest is noise reduction processing.

 

The way it was explained to me is that going full frame will help more with keeper shots, low light, and image quality for what I shoot.

 

One of the Facebook groups I'm in has pretty much all the best drag racing and motor sports photogs in the world contributing, including Mark Rebilas (http://www.rebilasphoto.com) and pretty much all of those guys shoot full frame.

 

I posed the question of the my 70D vs the 6D vs the 5DmIII for action shots and pretty much everyone said the 70D is fine, but going to the 5D is the way to go.

 

There was even a guy who purchased a 6d, tried it with drag racing, and was let down by it , it is now used for his landscape, nature, and still life stuff.

 

After reading up on it a bit more it seems the 5D is going to be a better (but more expensive) fit for what I do.

 

I just landed a deal to start doing some video work for an pretty big LSX aftermarket company so I will need the 5D's video tools like the external headphone jack and HDMI out.

 

Going to probably go with this package since it has the lens I want and the other audio gear: http://www.adorama.com/ICA5DM3K1E.html?adver=new&

[Tractor]

I haven't looked at the 5Dmkiii specs, but do own a mkii. The mkii works great for me but sometimes the speed of the 40D continuous shooting mode is nice.

 

I guess what I'm saying is that the 5D has been Canon's goto camera for weddings, portraits, and landscapes, but the other bodies have an advantage in fast moving situations. You might even be better off with a used 1D body if speed is an important feature.

[TTQ B4U]

The way it was explained to me is that going full frame will help more with keeper shots, low light, and image quality for what I shoot.

 

One of the Facebook groups I'm in has pretty much all the best drag racing and motor sports photogs in the world contributing, including Mark Rebilas (www.rebilasphoto.com) and pretty much all of those guys shoot full frame.

 

I posed the question of the my 70D vs the 6D vs the 5DmIII for action shots and pretty much everyone said the 70D is fine, but going to the 5D is the way to go.

 

No doubt you'll love the MKIII. Will it result in more keepers....meh.....depends on how you define keepers and how their used. Again, I can shoot a low light event with either the MKIII or the 7DMKII and you'd never know the difference unless you either pixel peep or print posters. 1080 x 1300 or so, no difference outside may be one extra step of PP'ing.

[TTQ B4U]

As for low light noise, 90% of that is getting the exposure right and not having to push it in processing. The rest is noise reduction processing.

 

^^ this. Expose to the right to avoid lifting shadows like crazy. You can clip the highlights even and bring them back in raw. Just don't blow them out.

[wagner]

No doubt you'll love the MKIII. Will it result in more keepers....meh.....depends on how you define keepers and how their used. Again, I can shoot a low light event with either the MKIII or the 7DMKII and you'd never know the difference unless you either pixel peep or print posters. 1080 x 1300 or so, no difference outside may be one extra step of PP'ing.

 

I'm sure I will, I just can't look away from the hard evidence that was provided by people who shoot both.

 

^^ this. Expose to the right to avoid lifting shadows like crazy. You can clip the highlights even and bring them back in raw. Just don't blow them out.

 

That's the issue, these tracks are lit like a dark alley and the subjects are moving so quick its hard to get a lot of keeper shots that don't suck.

[Tractor]

Yeah that would be a tough environment. How much flash are you able to use and how far are you from the action? If your the event photog, I'd get some speedlites or something on some of the existing poles, etc around the track and some radio poppers. They may think your nuts at first, but once you start nailing some impossible shots your the hero.

[wagner]

Yeah that would be a tough environment. How much flash are you able to use and how far are you from the action? If your the event photog, I'd get some speedlites or something on some of the existing poles, etc around the track and some radio poppers. They may think your nuts at first, but once you start nailing some impossible shots your the hero.

 

Usually that kind of lighting is reserved the paid event photog vendor. If I shoot with a flash I'll use a speedlight on my camera. I'm pretty much standing on the wall anywhere I want.