5D Mark III Information [CR1]

[JR]

http://consumer.usa.canon.com/app/pdf/slr/elan7n_instructions.pdf

page 48

If they can make This part work well i'll be impressed (pg49)

Eye Control Servo AF
When you use Eye Control in the AI Servo AF mode (or AI Focus AF set
to AI Servo AF), you can focus a moving subject continuously just by
looking at it. This is called Eye Control Servo AF.
If the subject focused with Eye Control starts to move, you can continue
to focus-track the subject with your eye by looking at the next AF point
covering the subject while holding down the shutter button halfway.

+1 if that works!  Wow!  At first when I saw the details of this latest mkIII info I was disappointed because not much here in terms of spec (MP count, ISO performance, etc)...only AF info...

I must say though that eye AF seem very interesting.  For me the number of AF may not be the most important factor as well, but at least I would like the mk III model to be able to focus better then the mkII model in servo mode when subject are moving so I dont need to use F8 all the time to mask the current poor AF performance in those situation!...

[pakosouthpark]

Eye control autofocus?? really? i never heard it before but sounds really nice but i wonder why this hasnt been used before in previous digital cameras.. i mean for some reason they dropped that feature out

[stefsan]

I would welcome GPS functionality but a crippled AF system would prevent me from buying such a camera. Regarding the eye controlled AF system of the EOS 3 and 7: does it work properly when the photographer wears glasses?

[Wahoowa]

I still own Elan IIE and Elan 7E.

Although the eye control AF is a "very cool" feature to have. I find it just an "okay" feature to put in use.

Why?

Some of you who have used it may have a different experience than I do. When using the eye control AF, since it's not perfect, you're forced to look at the AF point carefully to make sure that the camera selects the correct focus point. This happens more for me with the 7E than the IIE because it has more focus points (7 vs 3). I find that takes concentration out of what I actually need to do--look for other details while I'm framing the shot.

Say, with 7D, my eye can just keep looking here and there while I use my right thumb to select the AF point at the same time.

[Wahoowa]

BTW, if anyone wants to play around with the eye control focus thing and you have some money to burn, an Elan IIE can be had from eBay for about $40 shipped.

[Eisbaer]

A eye control autofocus was MY idea for a 3D.  Following possibilities now:

- The source covered me and made a mistake (farsighted or such a thing).
- Canon cancelled the 3D program and will enhance the 5D.
- The source IS Canon and tries to confuse us. NO CHANCE.

 

Best regards
Eisbaer

[awinphoto]

I kinda feel like a big yawn coming up.... GPS?  for me, wouldn't use it, couldn't care less about it... I could see why some could use it, buttt......  As far as eye control... I used a camera in school , i think the 1v or something like that which had the eye control... It seemed kind of neat, but to play devils advocate, I got an open question/comment I would be interested in hearing responses on...

while I never owned the camera and have limited experience, it was alas on a film 35mm camera... most 35mm film prints on average were 8x10 and smaller...  On occasion if you felt daring enough, professionals would print that film at 11x14 but that was the exception to the rule because of film grain and the prints, if shooting ISO 400 or larger, would be just too ugly to print bigger than that.  Now we know with digital, when we print an 8x10 vs printing 16x20s, the 8x10 can hide lots of sins and imperfections of lenses and such... some minor AF inconsistencies may even be hidden on a 8x10 vs bigger depending on the severity.  While people have fondness of the eye control, could it be that in practice, on a camera such as the 1d, 7d, 5d2, 5d3 whatever that the eye control was good but may not be 100% perfect in which it could be intensified on a camera that natively pumps out 11x14's-16x20's?  While on smaller prints the imperfections of the systems may be easily overlooked but on a monitor, blown up at 100% or greater in this day and age of pixel peeping, having the eye control could be a liability? 

[Doodah]

9-point, all cross-type autofocus with an extra-sensitive centre point for lenses faster than f/2.8
high-speed shooting at 5.3fps

FF version of 60D... simples 

Methinks that may very well happen

[mortadella]

The specs coming out of this rumor may not be eye-popping or drool inspiring...but rest assured the mk3 will dazzle with it's low-light/high ISO performance.  It's not going to be a body you grab to shoot sports, and Canon hasn't intended to be. 

Unless you're going to spend $6k-$7k for a body like the 1D-X you aren't going to get a "do-it-all" body.  If you have a sub $3500 budget, you need to buy a second body like a 7D to be able to track your moving subject and have the burst speed to not miss as many shots.  And the 7D is going to have Rebel quality ISO performance.

I wouldn't be surprised if AF was kept the same, but that wouldn't stop me from wanting to pick one up.  If it gets 2 stop improvement in ISO over the mk2, that means clean shots at 6400, and would most likely be enough for people to upgrade, however its reasonable to assume that we will also see improvements in metering/dynamic range, perhaps some other minor things.  But you definitely won't see a great AF system on a 5d body, not now, not ever....so please don't expect that.  Save up for a 1D-X 

[awinphoto]

The specs coming out of this rumor may not be eye-popping or drool inspiring...but rest assured the mk3 will dazzle with it's low-light/high ISO performance.  It's not going to be a body you grab to shoot sports, and Canon hasn't intended to be. 

Unless you're going to spend $6k-$7k for a body like the 1D-X you aren't going to get a "do-it-all" body.  If you have a sub $3500 budget, you need to buy a second body like a 7D to be able to track your moving subject and have the burst speed to not miss as many shots.  And the 7D is going to have Rebel quality ISO performance.

I wouldn't be surprised if AF was kept the same, but that wouldn't stop me from wanting to pick one up.  If it gets 2 stop improvement in ISO over the mk2, that means clean shots at 6400, and would most likely be enough for people to upgrade, however its reasonable to assume that we will also see improvements in metering/dynamic range, perhaps some other minor things.  But you definitely won't see a great AF system on a 5d body, not now, not ever....so please don't expect that.  Save up for a 1D-X 

Thanks for that, i just threw up a little in my mouth... I hope they do not keep the same AF... AT LEAST they better make all AF points cross type sensors. For this price point they can throw in some more invisible assist points... spread it out, make it more functionable... maybe even add some zone options similar to the 7d af but on the current system... They need to do something.  I'm not too bothered about Low light ISO but if they get it even better, great... I want the built in levels like the 7d... Hell if the rebel has 1 axis level, they at least can do that, but they better have dual axis for a $3000 camera... While I dont care if they have a pop up flash or not for a flash commander, I would at least want an IR transmitter for a flash commander...  It doesn't have to have blazing 8 or 6 or even 5 frames per second, i dont care.  It doesn't have to have 19 AF points, just make what they have more functional and or programmable... Also 1 or 2 Mfn buttons like the 7d so I can assign my own function for what I need.  This will be what will make me jump and buy the new camera. 

[V8Beast]

I wouldn't be surprised if AF was kept the same, but that wouldn't stop me from wanting to pick one up.  If it gets 2 stop improvement in ISO over the mk2, that means clean shots at 6400, and would most likely be enough for people to upgrade, however its reasonable to assume that we will also see improvements in metering/dynamic range, perhaps some other minor things.  But you definitely won't see a great AF system on a 5d body, not now, not ever....so please don't expect that.  Save up for a 1D-X 

The problem with this sort of rationalizing is that while a 5DIII with an antiquated AF system might make sense for product alignment within the Canon family, it will also be competing for market share with the Nikon D800. The D700 already crushed the 5DII in terms of AF (51 points vs. 9) and speed, but the 5DII's significant advantage in resolution was enough to win over many buyers. If Nikon comes out a D800 that maintains its AF advantage over the 5D, but then makes up for the D700's resolution shortcomings with its long rumored 36 megapixel D800, Canon runs the risk of losing market share to Nikon.



 

[Justin]

The Camera and Photo Imaging Show 2012 will be held from 9th to 12th Feb 2012. Expect Nikon D800 and Canon 5D3 to surface around that time. Just a hunch.

Yup. I would be incredibly surprised if Nikon releases their full frame high mpx small body flagship D800 without Canon countering with their full frame, high mpx, small body flagship. RIGHT Canon?

[Justin]

But you definitely won't see a great AF system on a 5d body, not now, not ever....so please don't expect that.  Save up for a 1D-X 

I just don't see how Canon will compete in a world where Nikon offers a huge megapixel and auto-focus advantage over a similalry priced Canon camera. Canon will bleed share. They already did during the last generation of DSLRs.

[neuroanatomist]

I just don't see how Canon will compete in a world where Nikon offers a huge megapixel and auto-focus advantage over a similalry priced Canon camera. Canon will bleed share. They already did during the last generation of DSLRs.

They did?  In 2008, Canon and Nikon were nearly neck and neck in dSLR market share at 38 and 37%, respectively, but by 2010, Canon rose to 44.5% while Nikon fell to under 30%.  Who's bleeding share, here?

I'm not saying the trend will continue, but historically, your statement is just plain wrong.  Canon can look at the above numbers and come away thinking they don't have to change a thing...

One other key point - we're talking about FF cameras costing in excess of US$2,000.  That's not the real competitive battleground.  Sure, it's interesting to us here on CR...but the overwhelming majority of dSLR purchases are entry-level bodies with kit lenses, and that arena is the real driver of the overall sales figures.  Granted, there's a trickle-down effect, and when pros are seen using Canon or Nikon that impacts consumer decisions to some degree. 

A 5DIII with weak AF stacked up against a D800 with more MP and better AF will not cut Canon as deeply as it might appear.  People with a 5DII and a bunch of L-series lenses, people with a 60D and a couple of EF lenses, those folks are unlikely to sell it all and jump over to Nikon in droves.  The number of first-time purchasers with no system buy-in and no brand loyalty who jump straight into a >$2K FF camera is vanishingly small, especially relative to the number of xxxD buyers.

[zim]

Looks to me like Canon are in the middle of re-aligning their dslr range. They cannot release an xD camera with lesser AF spec than a xxD (can they?  ) but they can have it the same and have the FF high IQ one digic 5 differentiator and that sits well. I’d have called it the 6D though and that may be the surprise?

As for the eye thingy, if it works well isn't that better suited to a fast camera....... 7Dii....... mmmmm

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