5D Black AF points...NOTHING + Spot-meter?

[skitron]

I have no idea what market the D800 is targeting, since none of Nikon's lenses can even maximally use the 36 MP sensor.

The 5DII trounced the D700 in sales.  Nikon assumed it was due to 21 MP vs. 12 MP.  So, Nikon skated to where the puck used to be, and developed the 36 MP D800.  Canon listened to Wayne and skated to where the puck was going - they developed the 5DIII, which seems to be trouncing the D800 in sales.

So in other words, Canon actually does deliver on what most photographers want?  Wow!

Seems so. I remember about a years worth of "what do you want to see in the new 5D3?" posts right here and the vast majority stated "don't increase the pixel count just fix the *&^%* autofocus" and next was "less moire in the video". Mission accomplished...had the 5D2 and like the 5D3 much better largely for these two things, though there are plenty others as well.

I'm sure a D800 is a fine camera for full daylight shooting with the extra DR at ISO 100, but there is this thing call "indoors" and another thing called "dusk" and another called "night"...lol.

[LifeAfter]

The real advantage over the 5D II is only the Autofocus..and yet not complete!!!

Better High ISO, better layout/ergonomics, better AFMA, better grip, better video (I can't honestly comment on this as I have never shot video with any DSLR), Nice having an extra card slot just in case (should have been a CF card!), better high end card performance (if that matters to you), The AF on the Mk3 blows the Mk2 out of the water, better NR, better processor and I feel a much better overall build.

... and to add to that:  more responsive shutter, shorter mirror blackout, 100% viewfinder, two amazing quiet shutter modes, good implementation of auto-ISO, better auto white balance, higher frame rate, etc.  So, the hugely improved autofocus is definitely NOT the "only" real advantage.

I agree with Mt Spokane who writes that the "grass is not greener".  Look at the current star ratings on Amazon.com:

D800: 42 out of 239 are 1 star (worst) ratings = 17.5%
D600:  40 out 225 are 1 star (worst) ratings = 17.7%

5D3: 4 out of 201 are 1 star (worst) ratings = 2%
6D:   0 out of 58 are 1 star (worst) ratings = 0%

Based on specs on paper, those Nikon models should be providing greater value.  But based on customer ratings, they are providing greater dissatisfaction.

Very very good points. I forgot about quiet shutter which I have to say is amazing.

Quiet shutter - works really well at weddings

I think I forgot because I can hardly hear it at events like that=)

+1

Don't forget that the auto-focus of the 5D III is not all the same as 1D x's,
while that seems no big difference, it surely is a lot better in low light,
without mentioning the spot-meter linked to all AF points.

Even the 6D's center AF point is better in low light than 5D III's any AF Point

So, the 5D III IS a lot better camera than its predecessor, there still are
some important limitations even for weddings or low light events.
I've had troubles achieving a good focus with all the lenses in some
low light situations.

I don't know what will the next 5D camera have or improve,
but i think there's still room of improving the auto-focus.

We really didn't need all those AF points,
nor should it have all that ''complicated'' auto-focus,
All it should have was a 1Dx-like low light performance with fewer AF points

Anyway it's just my opinion

[LifeAfter]

So what do you guys think will/could Canon improve in the 5D III
with firmwares in the future?

AF...Black point, or other?
SDXC card (speed) compatibility?
Fps, like they did with the 7D?

Or Chinese, English, German, French, Italian, language better translation?
Or ad Albanian language?

[LifeAfter]

Just a print screen of Top 100 in Switzerland
Look at the price of the D800 = 2509$

[LifeAfter]

And 5DIII 3240$

[J.R.]

... and it all boils down to the price! There have been plenty of complaints about the price in comparison to the D800 but your whinge comes late by about a year.

Price is the last thing you should worry about once a purchase has been made. However, if you are still in the market, you need to see which system serves you best - a camera body is just another cog in the wheel.

[neuroanatomist]

Just a print screen of Top 100 in Switzerland

Top 100 based on what?  Sales or customer feedback? 

[LifeAfter]

Just a print screen of Top 100 in Switzerland

Top 100 based on what?  Sales or customer feedback?

Its Top 100 of sales, and it's been so from the launch of the 5DIII and d800

[LifeAfter]

Just a print screen of Top 100 in Switzerland

Top 100 based on what?  Sales or customer feedback?

The D800 was all the time to top 1 to 5
And the 5DIII was all the way down the list, about 25th or 30th place
On sales of course

[marinien]

Just a print screen of Top 100 in Switzerland

Top 100 based on what?  Sales or customer feedback?

The D800 was all the time to top 1 to 5
And the 5DIII was all the way down the list, about 25th or 30th place
On sales of course

Top 100 of what? (devices which can take photo?) Provided by whom?
It's hard, for me, to imagine that the D800 outsells the D3200 

[zim]

Just a print screen of Top 100 in Switzerland

Who's list?

[LifeAfter]

It's about top 100 of all electronic devices.
And this Is a website for comparing all the prices in switzerland,
It is the most popular.

So it's not only photography equipement, but everything electronics

Link:
http://www.toppreise.ch/top100.html

Don't forget that the prices are in Swiss Franks
So 1 swiss frank = 1.084$

[marinien]

Just a print screen of Top 100 in Switzerland

Who's list?

I had a look at toppreise.ch. The list does look similar. However, I did not fine the ranking of sales. The list that have the D800 and the D600 on top is ranked by popularity. Popularity in such a site does not necessarily mean sale figure. It can be, for example, the number of searches  .

[neuroanatomist]

I had a look at toppreise.ch. The list does look similar. However, I did not fine the ranking of sales. The list that have the D800 and the D600 on top is ranked by popularity. Popularity in such a site does not necessarily mean sale figure. It can be, for example, the number of searches  .

+1, no where do I see a what that Top 100 list is, except "Popularity" which could mean anything.

But...even if it does mean sales, Amazon.com (USA) is a substantially larger market size.  Currently, the sales rankings for FF dSLRs (excerpted from the dSLR list) on Amazon have the 6D as the best-selling FF dSLR (#10/11 overall), followed by the 5DIII (#12/14 overall).  The D600 is #19, followed by the old 5DII at #22, then the D800 at #23. 

Also, as referenced above, based on customer reviews on amazon.com the 5DIII blows the D800 out of the water (and Canon in general fares vastly better than Nikon).  As I stated, the 5DIII tops the list of Top 100 Rated.  How about Nikon's FF dSLRs?  The highest customer rated one is the D4 at a rather sad #51, followed by the old D700 at #52, and the D800 doesn't make the list at all.

[LifeAfter]

Regarding AF point-linked spot metering, be careful what you wish for. The original EOS 1-D had that and I found it terrible, especially with flash metering. Unless the little AF sensor is on a mid-toned part of the subject your metering will be off, and often way off.

After a long time of frustration and bad exposures I discovered a helpful solution with the 1-D. By turning off AF on the lens, the metering pattern switched to average. Sure I had to give up AF but metering came closer to reliable.

Now improved light-up AF points like my old 1-D MK ll, that's worth wishing for.

....and firmware announced for April. Pretty damn odd that firmware is announced months before it becomes available. Isn't this a first ?

That is user error, linking spot metering to AF point is an option, it doesn't behave like that by default, you have to make it do that.

On the 1D that would be C.Fn-13

• 0: 45 active AF points and Spot metering in center.
• 1: 11 active AF points and Spot metering linked to active AF point
• 2: 11 active AF points and Spot metering in center
• 3:  9 active AF points and spot metering linked to active AF point

All you needed to do to "solve your problem", and maintain AF, was revert to the out of the box settings.

thats fot the 1D x, and it's not the case with the 5D III