5D Mk III vs D800/E, is the 5D3 better at anything?

[Astro]

luninous landscape about the D800:

Is it For Me?
 
A 36 Megapixel camera, with or without an AA filter is terra incognita for many photographers. Till now, unless one has been able to outlay $25,000 to $50,000 for an MF back, camera and lenses, this type of resolving power has not be accessible. Now, for about $3,000, is the D800 series able to match medium format other than in resolving power? We'll have to wait until photographers with MF systems have a chance to do some comparisons, but I wouldn't take bets either way at this point.
 
Keep in mind that a 36 Megapixel camera isn't for everyone. If you just shot for the web and electronic media; if you rarely make prints larger than Super-A3 (13X19"), if you don't own high-end glass and know how to get the most from it, then neither the D800 nor the D800e are going to make a visible difference to your photography – at least not in terms of their higher resolving power. But if you do make large prints, do have some top Nikon and third party lenses, and do understand and practice optimum shooting technique, then it's my guess that there is nothing for the price that will do as much for your output as one of these two new cameras.
 
I can tell you that I have placed my order for a Nikon D800e from my local dealer, and hope to take delivery in mid-April. This coincides with my return to Toronto from Mexico, and I expect to spend a good part of the summer shooting various projects (stills and video) with the new Nikon. You can therefore expect several reports on the D800e to appear here in the weeks and months ahead. Friends and colleagues with various MF gear, including the Leica S2, Pentax 645D and Phase, Leaf and Hasselblad backs have already volunteered to help with comparison shoots, and likely the web will be full of such from other sources as well before long.
 
It's going to be a fun summer.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/nikon_d800_or_d800e.shtml

[degies]

Canon 5D MK III vs Nikon D800 with Nathan Elson	Small | Large

I think this is pretty fair ?

[V8Beast]

It's a very fair review. Apparently a 20 minute vid exceeds people's attention spans, because no one commented on this vid when other posters put it up  

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Canon 5D MK III vs Nikon D800 with Nathan Elson

I think this is pretty fair ?

On big mistake they did make though was comparing dynamic range at very high ISOs, which is the place where nobody ever said the Nikon would be better. They don't seem to realize it is at ISO100-400 where the difference is to be found.

[clicstudio]

All i hear When people talk of the D800 is: Whhhoooaaa 36MP!
Nobody cares about anyhing else. Comparing it to the 5D is not fair.
The D800 is in a category of its own. Getting medium format size photos for $3000 instead of $20,000 for a digital back, is a steal!
People compare these cameras because they were released at the same time and cost is similar.
A more fair comparison would be with a D700...

If u Are a studio photographer Who shoots 100 ISO images with a tripod, then this is The camera to get...
Unless u Are a wedding or concert photographer, the 5D is not a good deal. Hundreds more than the D800 and with half the IQ.
I've been a loyal Canon 1-series user since 2003 and I think I stay loyal because I've been using 1's and not any other lower quality camera. The experience of using a real pro camera makes a huge difference. At least in my case.
I've said it before: the 5D is a camera for those who can't afford a 1D X.
The higher the number, the crappier the camera.
Canon needs a "3D" camera with 30+ MP for $4000 to compete with the D800...
If I were just starting photography and Needed to decide between brands and had a tight budget, I would never choose canon.

[Tcapp]

If I were just starting photography and Needed to decide between brands and had a tight budget, I would never choose canon.

Unless you want to buy lenses to use on the cameras. Have you seen Nikon lens prices?!

[D.Sim]

If I were just starting photography and Needed to decide between brands and had a tight budget, I would never choose canon.

If you were just starting photography you'd hardly be like WHOAAAAA THIS LATEST NIKON FULL FRAME CAMERA PROVIDES HIGH RESOLUTION, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU GET ON A MEDIUM FORMAT! IT EVEN COMES WITH AN OPTION TO REMOVE YOUR ANTI-ALIASING SENSOR, MEANING I CAN GET SHARPER IMAGES, JUST NEED TO BECAREFUL ABOUT THAT MOIRE

This, if anything is aimed at the experienced user - who will, more likely than not - already have invested in a deep set of lenses, and wouldn't jump ship - that said, if the D800 IS successful, Canon can easily hit back - so theres even LESS reason to jump - just patience is needed in that regard

[Marsu42]

If I were just starting photography and Needed to decide between brands and had a tight budget, I would never choose canon.

Unless you want to buy lenses to use on the cameras. Have you seen Nikon lens prices?!

... there are other things out there than Nikon & Canon :-) ... and 3rd party lenses fit on Nikon mounts, too. But seeing the latest Canon price tags (doubling the price for "upgraded" gear) I have to somewhat agree with clicstudio. The long-run full frame upgrade path in the Canon world is very expensive, while other brands might be quicker to make larger sensors or more mp available to the general public.

Is it that Canon shooters are the most open minded shooters out there or have we gone crazy?  You go onto nikonrumors, say one bad thing about nikon, and you get openly flogged... you go onto canonrumors, say bad things about canon and people agree...

I have to agree most people around here aren't that fanboy-like and while using Canon even consider T*****, T***** or S**** lenses an alternative :-p ... I don't know Nikon rumors, but it would be interesting what the reason for this reason in culture is (if there is indeed any).

One thing I'm annoyed about and that makes me fanboy-immune is Canon marketing that constantly seems to be out to put annoyances into products to make people upgrade to the "next best thing". The latest Nikon releases d7000/d800 seem to go into the different direction: evenly balanced products for an ok price. But still I got the 60d when I had to decide because I like the feel and handling of Canon better.

[PhilDrinkwater]

Hundreds more than the D800 and with half the IQ.

It's when people make grandiose statements like this that I realise that nikons marketing has done their job.

If we're talking low iso and the d800 is 100% iq, the 5d3 is probably something like 90%. I can guarantee you that, when the dxo results come out, the 5d3 will not receive a mark which is 50% of that of the d800.

If we're talking high iso, the graph tests so far show the 5d3 has better dr at high iso and you can't use all 36mp - you need to scale it down to get decent results, as expected.

And 36mp is only about 25% bigger than 22 anyway.

And if you look at the actual results - the photographs - produced by both bodies, the 5d3 still produces "nicer" looking photos to my eye. A video review showed the same and agreed.

[DavidRiesenberg]

Yes, the 5D3 is crap. The diopter dial moves too easily and causes all my photos to be out of focus.

[dturano]

If you took both the 5dmk3 and the d800 along with 2 flagship lens for an outing or event - or lens of choice as long as its similar to each manufacturer, i.e. canon 50mm L and the nikon equivalent. Or the new canon (when avl) 24-70mm vs, the nikon counterpart.:

1. Would you load the images and be wowed "OMG the d800 is better on paper and my images truly reflect it!  im so happy..."
2. Find flaws in images from both cameras and observe where it was technically the shooter not the lens or body?  while some acceptable variations may occur the overall results compared would be similar.
3.  Or make a choice not bashing one or the other resulting in proffering the ergonomics of one, the processing, and all overall basic results. 

For example on #3, when I shot film there was something that I favored in nikon film cameras, the color was different, i favored it more.  I shot the counterpart canon body and lens and preferred the results form my nikon film camera, it was to my needs.  Now canon fills the need, or i can adjust the need in pp.

[smithy]

3.  Or make a choice not bashing one or the other resulting in proffering the ergonomics of one, the processing, and all overall basic results. 

For example on #3, when I shot film there was something that I favored in nikon film cameras, the color was different, i favored it more.  I shot the counterpart canon body and lens and preferred the results form my nikon film camera, it was to my needs.  Now canon fills the need, or i can adjust the need in pp.

Just out of curiosity (and as a film shooter), why do you think the colour was better when shooting film on a Nikon?  The glass?  Or the light meter?  I can't think of anything else that could affect colour, since it's primarily the film's role to determine such things.

[kraats]

Well having read all pixel peeping stories I come to the conclusion that canon still has a far superior system to offer in comparison to Nikon. I have ordered my 5d III and I will stick with it and i will make some awesome pics with it. Great pics is not about the camera and its specs. It is about the photographer and its creativity/style. So go out and shoot some!

[Marsu42]

Great pics is not about the camera and its specs. It is about the photographer and its creativity/style. So go out and shoot some!

Except for sports shooting, I guess we can all agree on that. But beyond that, mostly its a matter of putting hard earned money into an soon-to-be outdated body or in (what) lenses. And of course the thought if magic lantern runs on a body...

Concerning "shoot some": Lightroom is still processing the 1k shots from yesterday, what would I do in the meantime than post some :-p ... but have fun with your new 5d3, you should considering the investment.

[jrista]

Great pics is not about the camera and its specs. It is about the photographer and its creativity/style. So go out and shoot some!

I'm sorry, but this is such a naive addage. Skill certainly plays a role, but better equipment in the hands of a skilled photographer WILL improve that photographers capabilities. Both the 5D III and D800 will help a skilled photographer produce better photographs and higher rates of keepers.

If u Are a studio photographer Who shoots 100 ISO images with a tripod, then this is The camera to get...
Unless u Are a wedding or concert photographer, the 5D is not a good deal. Hundreds more than the D800 and with half the IQ.

The D800 is a bit more niche and has an edge on Canon's offering in terms of resolution and DR, but none of the D800's bonuses are enough for anyone to seriously consider switching brands. Unbelievably naive statements like "5D is not a good deal...half the IQ" only serve to demonstrate you are an easier brainwash than the general population. The 5D III has an edge on the D800 in a couple areas, such as AF and better video (3x3 binned, low-moire vs. skip-line, high-moire recording). Comparing the cameras head to head, technologically, they are pretty equivalent. The D800 has a slight edge of maybe 5-10% IQ improvement. In terms of viability for use in pretty much any situation, the 5D III probably has a 5-10% edge...spec-wise its an ideal full-frame general purpose camera.