Another "5D Mark III or used XX" topic!

[smithy]

Hi All,

I'm getting nearer to making a purchase decision around my next EOS body.  Obviously the 5D Mark III is the flavour of the month, and I've tried it out a couple of times at camera shops and been very impressed.  However, the price is very high (US$4200) for this body in New Zealand, so I'm considering the following used alternatives:

1DS Mark III - the previous 'big daddy' of the range.  A mint condition used 1dsIII is a couple of hundred dollars cheaper than a new 5D Mark III.  It's only 1fps slower than the 5D, but has better shutter response and weather sealing.  Does its image quality hold up well against the 5D?  And could you use its 5fps for sports/action photography, within reason?

1D Mark III - For the price of a new 5D Mark III, I could buy TWO of these second hand, plus a nice quality prime.  Obviously it's a crop body, but with the right lenses I'm sure it wouldn't matter too much, would it?  How high would you say you can crank up the ISO before it becomes unusable?  I'm used to being limited to ISO800 on my 40D, and wouldn't mind having access to another stop.

5D Mark II + 7D - This is another option that's being thrown around a lot these days.  5D for resolution and image quality, and the 7D for action.  I could buy both bodies brand new and still have change left over, compared with the price of the 5D Mark III.  Has anyone opted for this combination over the 5D Mark III?

I shoot a wide range of subjects, from sports to landscapes to families and weddings.  Good weatherproofing is important to me (been caught in the rain too many times) - video is not.  It's quite possible that the only camera that will suit my needs is the 5D Mark III (I can't afford the 1DX), but I'm interested to hear whether any of these others might be worthy options.

Thanks

[V8Beast]

Hi All,

I'm getting nearer to making a purchase decision around my next EOS body.  Obviously the 5D Mark III is the flavour of the month, and I've tried it out a couple of times at camera shops and been very impressed.  However, the price is very high (US$4200) for this body in New Zealand, so I'm considering the following used alternatives:

1DS Mark III - the previous 'big daddy' of the range.  A mint condition used 1dsIII is a couple of hundred dollars cheaper than a new 5D Mark III.  It's only 1fps slower than the 5D, but has better shutter response and weather sealing.  Does its image quality hold up well against the 5D?  And could you use its 5fps for sports/action photography, within reason?

Wow, I didn't realize the 1DsIII's had plummeted so much in price. Looks like they're going for $3.500 to $4,000 on ebay. Very tempting

I've only taken my 5DIII on one real shoot so far, and overall it's a great camera. Image quality wise, however, it's not much of a jump from the 5DII, which was pretty much dead even with the 1DsIII. For the sake of your comparison, ISO performance aside, the IQ between the 5DIII and 1DsIII should be very close. On the other hand, if high ISO shooting is a priority, the 5DIII wins hands down.

Unless you're making money as a sports photographer, I'd say 5 FPS is plenty for some mild action. I was at an autocross a few weeks ago with a 1DIIn, and at times it's 8 FPS was a bit much.

1D Mark III - For the price of a new 5D Mark III, I could buy TWO of these second hand, plus a nice quality prime.  Obviously it's a crop body, but with the right lenses I'm sure it wouldn't matter too much, would it?  How high would you say you can crank up the ISO before it becomes unusable?  I'm used to being limited to ISO800 on my 40D, and wouldn't mind having access to another stop.

While the 5DIII is a huge improvement in terms of build quality, reduced shutter lag, and ergonomics, it's still not a 1-series body. Even compared to my 7-year-old 1DII, the 5DIII isn't quite as snappy or responsive. The 5DIII is no slouch, but the AF acquisition and responsiveness of the 1DII is just blazing fast. I'd imagine that the 1DIII is at least as fast. The burst rate on both the 5DIII and 7D can slow down in difficult lighting or focus conditions, which can get very annoying.   

I'm a big fan of the APS-H sensor and was sad to see it go. I very much preferred the IQ of the APS-H sensor over any APS-C body, and you still get some extra reach compared to a FF body.

5D Mark II + 7D - This is another option that's being thrown around a lot these days.  5D for resolution and image quality, and the 7D for action.  I could buy both bodies brand new and still have change left over, compared with the price of the 5D Mark III.  Has anyone opted for this combination over the 5D Mark III?

I considered getting a 7D to supplement my 5DC several years ago, but as much as I wanted to like the 7D, I couldn't. I rented it for a few days, and overall, it's a great camera, but I just didn't like the look of its files. I loved everything about it except the IQ.

I shoot a wide range of subjects, from sports to landscapes to families and weddings.  Good weatherproofing is important to me (been caught in the rain too many times) - video is not.  It's quite possible that the only camera that will suit my needs is the 5D Mark III (I can't afford the 1DX), but I'm interested to hear whether any of these others might be worthy options.

Thanks

What are you currently shooting with? You can't go wrong with any of the options you presented. I suppose budget, and how your prioritize factors such as resolution, ISO, and handling will be the determining factors.

[smithy]

What are you currently shooting with? You can't go wrong with any of the options you presented. I suppose budget, and how your prioritize factors such as resolution, ISO, and handling will be the determining factors.

Thanks for your reply, V8, it's very helpful.  At the moment I shoot about 70/30 between a 40D and a 1V.  The 40D is used for travel and action photography, and the 1V is mostly used for portrait work (I discovered the joys of developing black and white film a few years ago).  As much as I love developing my own film, I'd be prepared to go entirely digital if I could settle on the right replacement for these cameras.  The 1V is about the same size as the 5D Mark III, but has all the benefits of a 1 series camera... if only that existed in a digital version! 

The 40D is only 10MP, and I've always been quite happy with that, so resolution doesn't seem to be an issue for me.  In terms of ISO performance, I'd love to have access to usable ISO1600 images.

As for the bulk of a 1 series digital, does it help with stability, or is that cancelled out by the fatigue caused by the weight of it?

[V8Beast]

The 40D is only 10MP, and I've always been quite happy with that, so resolution doesn't seem to be an issue for me.  In terms of ISO performance, I'd love to have access to usable ISO1600 images.

As for the bulk of a 1 series digital, does it help with stability, or is that cancelled out by the fatigue caused by the weight of it?

The extra bulk of the 1-series is nice with long lenses, or even medium range zooms like the 24-70 or 24-105, as the body/lens package is very nicely balanced in your hand. It is a tradeoff, though, because if you carry around a combo like that all day it can cause some fatigue. It's all subjective, I suppose, since you can very easily pick one up and decide that you hate the bulk and mass. 

If you're content with 10 megapixels, the 1DIII does offer a lot of bang for the buck. It's damn fast, and offers very clean images at ISO 1600. You can probably find some sample images floating around online to see if the IQ is up to your standards.

Alternately, since you already have a 40D, I'd personally opt for a 1DsIII over the the 5DII/7D combo. It's not quite as fast, FPS wise, as the 7D but it's fast enough and has a rockin' AF system and IQ that's every bit as good as the 5DII. Plus, there's that 1-series goodness It's like the best of both worlds in one body, and 5 FPS is adequate for mild action work.

Of course, if you have any way to try any of these bodies out first hand, it would make the decision making process much easier.

On a side note, I'm a sucker for good clean used bodies. I just marvel at how fast these things depreciate to the benefit of the second-hand consumer. The last new body I bought was in 2005, and it's been all used cameras since then, so I figure it's OK to splurge a bit with the 5DIII. 

[wickidwombat]

I find that even 3200 is usable from the 1D3 with some NR from topaz denoise
generally i try and keep to 1600 but will bump it up if needed

[V8Beast]

I find that even 3200 is usable from the 1D3 with some NR from topaz denoise
generally i try and keep to 1600 but will bump it up if needed

Another APS-H user! Maybe we really are related

I'm going to keep my eye on the used 1DIV market once the 1Dx is finally released

[wickidwombat]

I find that even 3200 is usable from the 1D3 with some NR from topaz denoise
generally i try and keep to 1600 but will bump it up if needed

Another APS-H user! Maybe we really are related

I'm going to keep my eye on the used 1DIV market once the 1Dx is finally released

I love my APS-H especially with the 16-35 II on it even wide open its lovely and sharp and gives about 20-48mm effective which is  a really nice range for walk around or for receptions events where you dont have alot of room.

and i'm also keeping close tabs on the used 1D4 market