Granted, there are a fair amount of persons who frequent this site that make their living from their camera. Granted, many of us do not.
So, knowing that some of us require (or think we require) the latest, greatest invention from the optical Gods and eagerly wait to buy up their latest offering I ask, are we suckers or are we great business minds?
Here is why I ask:
I've been pondering the improvements to the 5dmiii over its predecessor and while they seem to be improvements in the areas people have asked (begged) for, I wonder, just exactly, what it is we have been offered by Canon.
- almost identical sensor (don't kid yourself, 21 mpx to 22 mpx is an almost identical sensor), with yet-to-be-determined improved performance (keep in mind all the preorders based on the 'hope' of improved performance).
- better AF. Maybe as good as the 1dmiv, maybe not.
- more focus points. More than the 1dmiv, but not as many cross types (? - not sure about that didn't research it very deep).
- a couple more fps.
- another card slot.
Pretty much in a nutshell those are the improvements from the 5dmii. Give or take a minor change here and there. But pretty much....that's it.
Let's break it down:
- same sensor: Maybe some improvement in DR and ISO performance and probably will be. But with four years of development this should be a given and not an assumption or 'hope so' moment for the buyers. Even Canon is not releasing some vital data. So, the jury is still out on something that should have been a no-brainer.
- better AF: if it is as good as the 1dmiv fine. four years of development has resulted in a hand-me-down system well weathered from the 1d line. Tried and true, but no technological breakthrough here is what I am thinking and if I am right, then no cost to research and development; just recycled technology repackaged into a new skin.
- more focus points: perhaps the greatest advancement of the 5dmiii? Perhaps some groundbreaking advancement here? Or perhaps a logical extension of the 7d system? OR perhaps some hybrid between the 7d and the 1dmiv systems? But I am thinking it's likely a watered down version of the 1dx system - something already developed in the 1dx and used as a vanilla extract for the 5dmiii as a way to boost sales without extra costs into R&D.
- more fps: no technological breakthrough here. Not much more than just another vanilla extract, hand-me-down system from the 1dmiv in front of a FF sensor. Nothing to write home about.
- another card slot: Again, meh....nothing special and another hand-me-down from the 1dmiv.
I have no doubt this camera is going to make a ton of cash for Canon. Most of what they threw into it is old technology handed down from the 1d line from 3 years or so ago. Yet they are charging a premium price for it. So I have to ask you, after looking at what is being offered, what camp would you put yourself into? The smart business person camp or the I'm a sucker camp?
