*UPDATE* 5D Mark III - February 7, 2012 [CR2]

[briansquibb]

So, all in all - who's really screaming for a 5D3? Apart from those who would like a 5D2 with improved AF?

I would get one if it had

- The ability to render skin tones as well as a 1Ds3
-  The DR of asa 100 film

Then the 1Ds3 would become the backup 

[wickidwombat]

Just some advice to anyone seriously considering switching to Nikon.
Nikon are not without their faults, before switching make sure you are happy with the controls and button layout. Once I got used to the canon system I found the Nikon system more clunky and hate some of the button placements. also that dpad on the back they have is really crap, The canon wheel and joystick blows Nikon out of the water here. Also have had the controller wheels become intermittently faulty in the past and hence making it really hard to change things like shutter speed and aperture.
As others have mentioned lenses tend to be a little more pricey however they do have a few stunning lenses
14-24, 50mm f1.4, 105 f2.8 Micro, 70-200 f2.8VR and the 200-400 to name a few

[Kernuak]

Just some advice to anyone seriously considering switching to Nikon.
Nikon are not without their faults, before switching make sure you are happy with the controls and button layout. Once I got used to the canon system I found the Nikon system more clunky and hate some of the button placements. also that dpad on the back they have is really crap, The canon wheel and joystick blows Nikon out of the water here. Also have had the controller wheels become intermittently faulty in the past and hence making it really hard to change things like shutter speed and aperture.
As others have mentioned lenses tend to be a little more pricey however they do have a few stunning lenses
14-24, 50mm f1.4, 105 f2.8 Micro, 70-200 f2.8VR and the 200-400 to name a few

The 200-400 was the one that made me drool and look into the options, perhaps not a complete switch, but seeing what I could do for low light (but the only option on that score would have been a D3s).

[BDD]

Just some advice to anyone seriously considering switching to Nikon.
Nikon are not without their faults, before switching make sure you are happy with the controls and button layout. Once I got used to the canon system I found the Nikon system more clunky and hate some of the button placements. also that dpad on the back they have is really crap, The canon wheel and joystick blows Nikon out of the water here. Also have had the controller wheels become intermittently faulty in the past and hence making it really hard to change things like shutter speed and aperture.
As others have mentioned lenses tend to be a little more pricey however they do have a few stunning lenses
14-24, 50mm f1.4, 105 f2.8 Micro, 70-200 f2.8VR and the 200-400 to name a few

Controls. I think that depends on which models you're comparing. The external controls on top of the D300/D700/D3 I think are more practical. Better ergonomics. You're able to change the ISO without taking your eye off the VF. Exposure compensation. Etc. Plus, Canon's menu system has been notorious for having too many layers. Though, newer models have the short-cut button.

I will admit Canon has 1-upped Nikon with the 1D-X mirroring controls found on the back in landscape position in portrait mode. Something the D4 still doesn't do.

Cost of glass? In Toronto Nikon glass is "cheaper" than Canon's (e.g. their respective 70-200 f/2.8 II lenses...more than a $400 difference). So I'll have to disagree here.

[Picsfor]

If the 5D2 had a good AF system and a much better native ISO range (e.g. 100-12,800 as with the D3s). Then no. The 5D2 is currently selling for 2k in Toronto. Great deal. But since it has questionable AF speed (or so I've heard) and is not known for shooting in low-light...I'm hoping Canon will make those two changes in the 5D3.

Nope, 5D2 does not have questionable AF speed, nor does it have a problem focusing in low light - as long as you only focus using the centre AF point.

And there is its achilles heel - only 1 decent AF point, only 9 in total - only the centre point is a cross type AF sensor.

AI Servo is ok so long as you're not tracking a hare running from a fox! Oh, and only using centre AF point!
As for native ISO - have tested mine side by side with a D3s - and the Nikon shooter (who loves to mock Canon at every opportunity) conceded that actually the 5D2 handled itself well up to the 12800 point. Not quite up with the D3s, but not enough to justify the extra cost or switching.

I personally run with 6400 without a second thought, and have been known on many an occasion to shoot at 12800 and 25600, letting LR3 manage the noise to an acceptable level.

As some one who happily pushed film to ASA 12800, i've often wondered just what people expect from a shot at 12800? Or maybe they're just people who have never seen how grainy a picture is taken at ASA 12800? On a par, i would say the 5D2 would have to have an H3 setting to 51k to get the equivelant noise/ grain, maybe even an H4 to 102k. The 1Dx at 204k seems to give noise/ grain at no more than i got from 3200ASA pushed 1 stop...

[Kernuak]

As some one who happily pushed film to ASA 12800, i've often wondered just what people expect from a shot at 12800? Or maybe they're just people who have never seen how grainy a picture is taken at ASA 12800? On a par, i would say the 5D2 would have to have an H3 setting to 51k to get the equivelant noise/ grain, maybe even an H4 to 102k. The 1Dx at 204k seems to give noise/ grain at no more than i got from 3200ASA pushed 1 stop...

Or even how grainy a 400 ASA negative film is (albeit a run of the mill Kodak film) without pushing. That's probably why there is such as range in tolerance of noise.

[BDD]

If the 5D2 had a good AF system and a much better native ISO range (e.g. 100-12,800 as with the D3s). Then no. The 5D2 is currently selling for 2k in Toronto. Great deal. But since it has questionable AF speed (or so I've heard) and is not known for shooting in low-light...I'm hoping Canon will make those two changes in the 5D3.

Nope, 5D2 does not have questionable AF speed, nor does it have a problem focusing in low light - as long as you only focus using the centre AF point.

And there is its achilles heel - only 1 decent AF point, only 9 in total - only the centre point is a cross type AF sensor.

AI Servo is ok so long as you're not tracking a hare running from a fox! Oh, and only using centre AF point!
As for native ISO - have tested mine side by side with a D3s - and the Nikon shooter (who loves to mock Canon at every opportunity) conceded that actually the 5D2 handled itself well up to the 12800 point. Not quite up with the D3s, but not enough to justify the extra cost or switching.

Maybe that was it then. I know there was some quirk with the 5D2's AF. Not sure why I assumed it was the AF speed.

Will be interesting to see the 1D-X's 61-point AF in the 5D3. One of the rumored specs.

Just hope we won''t have to wait too long for the announcement.

As for having more native ISO...for me I think it's just good to have "just in case". I try to stay at the lower end of the ISO range when possible.

[jm345]

Well I just bought the 5DII kit with 24-105L lens with the following in mind:
The rebate program expires Feb 4 (of course it could be extended again) so the price is currently at a low point.
I don't need the 24-105L and will sell it, presumably lowering the net the cost of camera by $100-$200.
I will have 30 days to to decide to keep it. If Canon announces a new 5DIII in the next 30 days I will have to decide whether I am willing to pay the big bucks for the new camera, determine actual availabilty and decide if I want to wait that long, or keep the 5DII and upgrade to the 5DIII in the future.

If there is no announcement within 30 days I will keep the 5DII. Although I have the 7D, there are enough differences with the 5DII to keep me busy learning it for quite awhile. And, since I bought it at a relatively decent price I shouldn't take too much of a hit on depreciation if I sell the 5DII down the road.

Interesting how the mind can rationalize things for us.   

[chengpenguin]

If the 5D2 had a good AF system and a much better native ISO range (e.g. 100-12,800 as with the D3s). Then no. The 5D2 is currently selling for 2k in Toronto. Great deal. But since it has questionable AF speed (or so I've heard) and is not known for shooting in low-light...I'm hoping Canon will make those two changes in the 5D3.

Nope, 5D2 does not have questionable AF speed, nor does it have a problem focusing in low light - as long as you only focus using the centre AF point.

And there is its achilles heel - only 1 decent AF point, only 9 in total - only the centre point is a cross type AF sensor.

AI Servo is ok so long as you're not tracking a hare running from a fox! Oh, and only using centre AF point!
As for native ISO - have tested mine side by side with a D3s - and the Nikon shooter (who loves to mock Canon at every opportunity) conceded that actually the 5D2 handled itself well up to the 12800 point. Not quite up with the D3s, but not enough to justify the extra cost or switching.

Maybe that was it then. I know there was some quirk with the 5D2's AF. Not sure why I assumed it was the AF speed.

Will be interesting to see the 1D-X's 61-point AF in the 5D3. One of the rumored specs.

Just hope we won''t have to wait too long for the announcement.

As for having more native ISO...for me I think it's just good to have "just in case". I try to stay at the lower end of the ISO range when possible.

I just hope that 5D3's AF points is a 19-pt or better. An advanced 61-pt AF system like the 1DX's is way too complex for a lightweight 5D3 that is not meant to be flagship. It will raise the cost of 5D3 significantly.

Similarly... I hope there is an improvement in native ISO. An improvement is enough for me. 2 stops is a real bonus.

[BDD]

Cost? If the cost of the Nikon D800 is within $3000-$3900 (2 versions) I'm sure Canon will be pricing the 5D3 in the same region. Hopefully closer to the $3000 mark.

So if the rumor is true, and they do put the same 61-pt AF, so be it. It might be one of the factors that will make it worth the asking price.

Too complex? I don't think so.  But if not then something close to what is in the 7D. Canon can't release the 5D3 with a lesser AF than in the 7D.

Come on CANON!! Start leaking some specs!!! Better yet...make the announcement this month!!!

[simonxu11]

Nikon D800 leaked sample image @iso 6400
http://fstoppers.com/leak-could-this-be-the-first-leaked-file-off-the-nikon-d800-dslr
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1021&thread=40479554
full size image:
http://d1ljua7nc4hnur.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/first-leaked-image-from-D800.jpg
It looks quite good if it's real
 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

There is plenty of talk that SOny/Nikon have 'grown a high density APS-C sensor' to FF size...

Ah yes, there sure is plenty of talk.  So...you've seen this sensor in use?  You've tested it's performance?  You know that the theoretical scaling of increased pixel density and application of other signal processing circuitry will yield performance gains relative to a FF sensor with fewer MP?  Or is this just all just more of that warm, moist mixture of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and trace gases being modulated by vocal folds as it's exhaled?

Ah yes, so I was just talking out my was I? Interesting real life samples from the D800 today no? 
 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

There is plenty of talk that SOny/Nikon have 'grown a high density APS-C sensor' to FF size...

Ah yes, there sure is plenty of talk.  So...you've seen this sensor in use?  You've tested it's performance?  You know that the theoretical scaling of increased pixel density and application of other signal processing circuitry will yield performance gains relative to a FF sensor with fewer MP?  Or is this just all just more of that warm, moist mixture of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and trace gases being modulated by vocal folds as it's exhaled?

  Or methane from a bovine source 

Seen the samples from the, actually in existence (shock!), D800 today?   

[candyman]

I have read about newscoverage of the new Nikon. So there is a D800 and a D800E model (last without anti-alias filter)


Would Canon maybe release two 5D's as well?

[noodles]

Would Canon maybe release two 5D's as well?

I don't think so. If so, then the will name it 5D (MKIII or X) and 3D