5D mk3 - A few complaints

[awinphoto]

Hey wombat... Thanks for your impressions on the camera... have you done any more testing/practicing with the camera?  I fully expect it, with all it's new features and goodies, to have a learning curve and it appears to be.  That being said, the 50 1.4 and a sigma may not be the best lenses to test on the AF tracking... the 50 1.4 struggles to keep up with the 7d's AF system on tracking... Dont get me wrong, It worked beautifully on the 7D and gave me great images, but I had to take a breath, stick to 1 shot, and let the lens catch up to work it's magic and it was good... tracking is not is specialty, and unfortunately it's 1.2L counterpart isn't much better in that realm either.  Also dont know about which sigma lens you were using, but I had 2 sigma lenses, the 10-20 and the 135-400...  The 135-400, I dont know about how it's AF in comparison to others, but it could not catch up at all and was almost always a second or two behind... I eventially sold it and got a 70-200L... that does better overall speed-wise but has it's own quirks as well. 

I've read other review sites say they have had problems with DPP with soft outputs and ACR for this camera is a beta, so until Canon and or Adobe kicks it in high gear and offer a full version, it can be iffy using raws for the time being.  This is somewhat typical with new releases in the past... I think the 5d2 had a 2-3 week wait for Adobe to even release a raw software for photoshop for that model, but i cant recall if there was a beta or not. 

As far as the rate button, i probably wont use it and always have questioned the reliability making decisions of such large files on such a small screen and have opted to wait until after the shoot in the computer to make my edits, but i can understand those who do use it... It's got it's purposes for others, not for me.  So for me, it's the new direct print button, 

[bp]

...only have the 50 1.4 and I'm glad to hear that others haven't liked that lens.  I'm hoping the images turn out to be sharper with the 1.2.  We'll see. 

Agree with awinphoto - you won't have better results with the 50 1.2.  It is not nearly as sharp, from a clinical, pixel-peeping perspective, as the 85 1.2, which can be incredibly sharp but is even slower focus than the 50's.  The 135L is crazy sharp or you might also look at the 100L - (70-200 MK2 is crazy sharp but pricey) - 35L and 24LII are also great in the wides, .  I'm not crazy about any of Canon's 50's personally.

I'm taking receipt of my 5d3 today, nervous about processing issues but really excited to take it for a spin

[V8Beast]

1) Raw files in DPP preview look sharpand show lots of detail, when i preview in bridge with ACR6.7 installed they are noticably softer and editing in DPP much softer, opening in PS also softer than the DPP preview. Colour all looks really good, The detail has to be in the file, as it displays in the DPP preview so i'm not too concerned about the senor being a lemon. I feel its almost entirely related to the processing software not being right rather than a sensor thing.

2) the jpegs look awefull IMO, like heavy handed NR is being applied to iso100 files. sure NR the hell out of 25600 iso images in camera but there should be 0 NR applied to iso 100 jpgs. If i took a 5D2 raw file at iso 100 in topaz denoise and applied an overall noise reduction value of maybe 60 this would be similar to the jpegs out of camera, my typical use of denoise values are around 20-30 if i'm correcting 1600 iso to 3200 iso, i may sometimes pop a value of 5 on a portrait as it does a nice job cleaning up skin in a very subtle way that is not noticable as being post processed. (these are observations based on the standard settings the camera comes with, I dont work with jpegs at all other than to flick to people for a quick preview and usually i will downsize those to 1024x768 anyway if i'm going to email them. On my 5Dmk2 i record medium jpegs which are 10MP for this purpose on my 1Dmk3 i leave the jpegs full size which is also 10 or 11 MP.

Overall I'm very glad I didnt sell my 5D2s just in case, I really hope these issues get resolved soon as I'm going to china soon and really wanted to put this thing through its paces. At least i know i can rely on the 5Dmk2s anyway. I wont be shooting any paid work with the 5Dmk3 untill i'm 100% happy it can meet the 5Dmk2 standard though.

Thanks for the details. Your samples definitely look softer than I'd expect. Given the differences in IQ in different software platforms, it does seem like the info is in the raw files. On one hand, this is a relief since we can probably rule out a turdish sensor. On the other hand, it's a shame Canon shipped the 5DIII out without the software to support it.

I've never rushed out and bought a new camera in the first wave of shipments, but apparently issues like this are pretty typical with new releases. It stills sucks, though.

[awinphoto]

For what it's worth, those having a problem with DPP and the High Quality giving soft files... I read that if you switch it so it's high speed and not high quality, files are much cleaner, sharper, etc... Have any of you guys tried this to see if it gives you better results?  If so whet is your impressions based off of those files? 

[wickidwombat]

For what it's worth, those having a problem with DPP and the High Quality giving soft files... I read that if you switch it so it's high speed and not high quality, files are much cleaner, sharper, etc... Have any of you guys tried this to see if it gives you better results?  If so whet is your impressions based off of those files?

this is the first time i have used DPP since i have always used adobe before, I'm still trying to work my way around it, I dont know how people can use this software and not go insane

as everyone has said i'm going to do more shooting in servo with the 70-200 f2.8 IS II HOPEFULLY that should nail it.

I simply cannot see the wonderfull image quality others are raving about perhaps i should take it back at least I know the 5Dmk2's deliver outstanding image quality.

[nspstudio]

I know the rating button is honestly useless to many.  But I'm actually excited about it.  I do same day slideshows at weddings, and throughout the day as I see an image I like, I can very easily rate it without even really thinking about it.  Then by the time the reception hits, I can pop in my card, and just use the rated images, and I instantly have 20-30 favorite images from the day.  No more quickly culling through the images to find the best shots. 

On the AF note though...I also have been a little dissapointed.  I am switching from Nikon so right now only have the 50 1.4 and I'm glad to hear that others haven't liked that lens.  I'm hoping the images turn out to be sharper with the 1.2.  We'll see.  Sometimes it'll nail it, most times it wont.   And I'm shooting at 2.0-2.8.  On Nikon I could easily shoot at 2.0 and have things TACK SHARP!  Hoping I can do the same on Canon.

Naterz, how do you isolate the rated images? It sounds like you're using the "copy images" function, but I wasn't able to get it to sort by only the rated images.  Your help would be greatly appreciated!!!! I do same day slideshows too

[bdunbar79]

...only have the 50 1.4 and I'm glad to hear that others haven't liked that lens.  I'm hoping the images turn out to be sharper with the 1.2.  We'll see. 

Agree with awinphoto - you won't have better results with the 50 1.2.  It is not nearly as sharp, from a clinical, pixel-peeping perspective, as the 85 1.2, which can be incredibly sharp but is even slower focus than the 50's.  The 135L is crazy sharp or you might also look at the 100L - (70-200 MK2 is crazy sharp but pricey) - 35L and 24LII are also great in the wides, .  I'm not crazy about any of Canon's 50's personally.

I'm taking receipt of my 5d3 today, nervous about processing issues but really excited to take it for a spin

I've owned both the 1.2L and 1.4.  The 1.2L is not sharper.  Sharpness is NOT everything though.

I have also owned both the 5D Mk II and own the Mk III.  If you learn how to use the Mk III, it is far superior to the Mark II, so don't give up.

[jrista]

perhaps i am splitting hairs or maybe in this case eyelashes

first image is dpp preview crop screen shot
second image is acr6.7 crop screen shot

shot at f2.8 1/500 sec ISO 100 AWB
these are 100% crops
obviously 5D mk3 and lens is the 50mm f1.4 canon

These samples are pretty interesting. I think one of the core problems is the color rendition. In terms of sharpness, if you look at that lone strand of hair on her cheek, it actually looks sharper and has a cleaner edge in ACR, the DPP one looks a bit fuzzier and has more aliasing. If you really closely inspect her eye (the one in focus), from a sharpness standpoint they seem to be nearly identical, with DPP having a slight edge on sharpness. I don't think the difference in sharpness actually has to do with sharpness though. I think DPP introduces more microcontrast due to however it is demosaicing, where as ACR seems to use less...and I think the color (which, imo, looks rather off with ACR) seems to do a good job making fine details look less sharp even though at a pixel level the same exact detail is there.

[ekfilms]

The 5d3 is a great camera, you keep complaining about sharpness, Canon came right out and said " we intentionally have made the files soft to allow the user to sharpen as much as they like" I use CS5 and have had great results in both noise and sharpness. I tried uploading the canon disc to my mac laptop and it wouldnt take, it would though on the newer imac, both units are Intel, go figure.

 I recently shot a night job at 5000 asa, all action, car chases at night on the Vegas strip using the 24-105 and 16-35, sometimes with a pola and some without. My biggest complaint.... The Live View button. Its in the worst possible place. I am shooting action with a sport finder, so I've removed the plastic eye piece, while shooting I quickly change from vertical to horizontal, with and without the sport finder, when shooting while looking thru the finder my face was constantly pushing against the Live View button, I didn't know what was happening, the camera was freezing up, the screen went black, I was losing valuable shots, until I realized what was happening.... This was very annoying to say the least, aside from the focus points I couldn't see, at least on the 5d2 I always knew my point of focus was, other than this we got a great little camera for a fraction of the 1d mk4, and the X to come.

[wickidwombat]

The 5d3 is a great camera, you keep complaining about sharpness, Canon came right out and said " we intentionally have made the files soft to allow the user to sharpen as much as they like" I use CS5 and have had great results in both noise and sharpness. I tried uploading the canon disc to my mac laptop and it wouldnt take, it would though on the newer imac, both units are Intel, go figure.

 I recently shot a night job at 5000 asa, all action, car chases at night on the Vegas strip using the 24-105 and 16-35, sometimes with a pola and some without. My biggest complaint.... The Live View button. Its in the worst possible place. I am shooting action with a sport finder, so I've removed the plastic eye piece, while shooting I quickly change from vertical to horizontal, with and without the sport finder, when shooting while looking thru the finder my face was constantly pushing against the Live View button, I didn't know what was happening, the camera was freezing up, the screen went black, I was losing valuable shots, until I realized what was happening.... This was very annoying to say the least, aside from the focus points I couldn't see, at least on the 5d2 I always knew my point of focus was, other than this we got a great little camera for a fraction of the 1d mk4, and the X to come.

this is quite an old thread my first copy was faulty and i returned it and got a new one the new one
is completely different to the first copy and so far is awesome even without any AFMA on any of my lenses

[zedarean]

I recently shot a night job at 5000 asa, all action, car chases at night on the Vegas strip using the 24-105 and 16-35, sometimes with a pola and some without. My biggest complaint.... The Live View button. Its in the worst possible place. I am shooting action with a sport finder, so I've removed the plastic eye piece, while shooting I quickly change from vertical to horizontal, with and without the sport finder, when shooting while looking thru the finder my face was constantly pushing against the Live View button, I didn't know what was happening, the camera was freezing up, the screen went black, I was losing valuable shots, until I realized what was happening.... This was very annoying to say the least, aside from the focus points I couldn't see, at least on the 5d2 I always knew my point of focus was, other than this we got a great little camera for a fraction of the 1d mk4, and the X to come.

You can actually turn that button off in the menu, just set "Live View shoot" to Disable.

[ereka]

this is quite an old thread my first copy was faulty and i returned it and got a new one the new one
is completely different to the first copy and so far is awesome even without any AFMA on any of my lenses

I've been having the same problems and wondered if I should return mine for a replacement also. I've just 'phoned Jacobs in the UK, from whom I bought mine back in March but apparently I'm the first person who has contacted them regarding the issue (which I find hard to believe)! I told them that as well as poor jpeg detail, I've also noticed random white pixels (255,255,255) surrounded by dark pixels. They could only suggest that I send the camera to Canon for testing and repair, either direct or via themselves. Is this a standard response from retailers? What was your retailer's response when you asked for a replacement?

[Tracy Pinto]

The 5d3 is a great camera, you keep complaining about sharpness, Canon came right out and said " we intentionally have made the files soft to allow the user to sharpen as much as they like" I use CS5 and have had great results in both noise and sharpness. I tried uploading the canon disc to my mac laptop and it wouldnt take, it would though on the newer imac, both units are Intel, go figure.

 I recently shot a night job at 5000 asa, all action, car chases at night on the Vegas strip using the 24-105 and 16-35, sometimes with a pola and some without. My biggest complaint.... The Live View button. Its in the worst possible place. I am shooting action with a sport finder, so I've removed the plastic eye piece, while shooting I quickly change from vertical to horizontal, with and without the sport finder, when shooting while looking thru the finder my face was constantly pushing against the Live View button, I didn't know what was happening, the camera was freezing up, the screen went black, I was losing valuable shots, until I realized what was happening.... This was very annoying to say the least, aside from the focus points I couldn't see, at least on the 5d2 I always knew my point of focus was, other than this we got a great little camera for a fraction of the 1d mk4, and the X to come.

this is quite an old thread my first copy was faulty and i returned it and got a new one the new one
is completely different to the first copy and so far is awesome even without any AFMA on any of my lenses

If so, maybe this thread has served it's purpose and should be erased....

[wickidwombat]

this is quite an old thread my first copy was faulty and i returned it and got a new one the new one
is completely different to the first copy and so far is awesome even without any AFMA on any of my lenses

Is this a standard response from retailers? What was your retailer's response when you asked for a replacement?

the retailer i got mine from was great they have a 30 day return policy so withing 30 days exchange it
after that they said depending on the issue they may or may not swap it straight out, but they also said they dont want to piss customers off so they are somewhat flexable say at 40 day they would probably be cool but i'm guesing at 3 months maybe it would be sent back to canon for repair. Most good retailers should have a similar policy