5D III - Camera of the year 2012

[RVB]

... (and backlit buttons too..)

I agree!!! I hate fumbling around in the dark trying to find the correct button on my 1DX. I have most of them memorized, but sometimes you just need to see the darn buttons. For me, the 1DX is definitely the camera of the year but for more people the 5D3 is probably better due to the price.

I would agree the 5Dmk3 is more value for money,the 1DX is mainly for sports shooters,for everyone else it doesn't offer enough value for money..

even the button for the light is awkward on the 1Dx compared to the D4.. but the Q button is useful and gives you most of the functions on the LCD at the pressing of this button...

 

[RVB]

... (and backlit buttons too..)

I agree!!! I hate fumbling around in the dark trying to find the correct button on my 1DX. I have most of them memorized, but sometimes you just need to see the darn buttons. For me, the 1DX is definitely the camera of the year but for more people the 5D3 is probably better due to the price.

One more thing I would change is the weight.. it's damn heavy.. deep 200grams on the next version please Canon..

 

[2n10]

Yes, this was actually a very good article summarizing the advantages/disadvantages of the major releases and explaining their rationale.

A very brief take-away: Canon, Nikon and Sony all released excellent cameras. 5DIII got the edge largely because of the range of improvements, including focus and because its excellent low-light performance was deemed more useful and significant than the high resolution of the D800: "...we felt strongly that the Canon produced the best balance across all imaging factors, with Low or better noise up to ISO 12,800, and still acceptable noise at ISO 25,600."

I found this assessment of the D800 very interesting: "Noise is Low or better only to ISO 800, and Unacceptable at ISO 12,800."


From everything I've read and heard about the 5DIII this sounds like a well-deserved honor.

I have them, after 12800iso the 5dmk3 is little bit better than d800 , same size and raw
at 6400iso d800 shows visible more details and the noise is on par with 5dmk3

why are they not mention the 14 stops DR at base iso?

Could it be that it is not that high in reality as it is in DxO's proprietary formula?

 

[RS2021]

Assuming I'll get one tomorrow, am not sure how to justify 1D X purchase to the "boss" at home yet. About "honey, I accidently bought a 1D X instead of 5D III and the camera store will not allow me to return it" : ??? : ??? ??? ???

Answer: "honey, I accidentally packed and threw all your stuff out in the lawn... You'll find your undies on the rose bush."

 

[Razor2012]

For me the 1D X is the camera of the year 2012.

+1....I'm not a 1D X owner yet, but I did have a chance to hold and shoot with it through a friend. I love EVERYTHING about 1D X - low light shooting, the grip, size, frame rate, AF system, how the camera feel in the hands etc..I can go on for days here. I think the main reason 1D X didn't get to be "camera of the year" is the price tag - this is NOT an ave Joe camera.

Assuming I'll get one tomorrow, am not sure how to justify 1D X purchase to the "boss" at home yet. About "honey, I accidently bought a 1D X instead of 5D III and the camera store will not allow me to return it" : ??? : ??? ??? ???

Lol good luck with that one. Let me know if it works and maybe I'll use it.

 

[Razor2012]

Agreed, the 5D3 won because it is a better all round camera. I'm not surprised this thread is fairly quiet.

 

[K-amps]

Welcome consolation for the impatient ones (me) that bought the 5diii at full retail + tax.

Yes it' been 9 months but it still hurts...

Great Cam though and some nice memories I shot with it...

 

[Razor2012]

Welcome consolation for the impatient ones (me) that bought the 5diii at full retail + tax.

Yes it' been 9 months but it still hurts...

Great Cam though and some nice memories I shot with it...

I did also, but a person has to look at it differently. For me I've gotten to use it the whole time (6 months to a year longer than someone who waited), and those memories and experiences are priceless.

 

[ChilledXpress]

Canon man through and through but I own Nikons, Sony and Fuji... I've had my 1DX for about 2 weeks now. I shoot for a living; I have 2 5D3's from the first shipment from BH and have been using them in the field as an early adopter. Wedding, event, landscape and portraiture... and family documentation.

I'm struggling to justify the value of the 1DX in comparison to the 5D3's. Both are great cameras but so far I just don’t' see much added value in the 1DX besides 14fps. I picked up the 1DX and a 300mm f/2.8 at the same time. After a couple of weeks of use I could never let the 300 go but the 1DX is another story. I look at that 1DX with a bit of skepticism now. I still have a couple of weeks to return it and it is a constant thought running in the background. Every day I go back and forth between return and keep.

For me... fortunately money is not an issue so it comes down to real world use. Love the 5D3, every camera I have owned in the past 10 years has had pros and cons. The 5D3 is not without flaws but the positives make that baby SHINE every day!!!! So I can understand the articles take on the 5D3 and its comments regarding 1DX.

 

[Sporgon]

I'm not surprised that the MK3 came out on top. Canon listened to it's users and produced exactly what had been asked for: a more professional grade 5D. Of course this resulted in a price increase, but it'll come down in time, and is still much cheaper than a 1 series.

Nikon on the other hand had a perfectly capable camera in the D700 only to replace it with a headline grabbing 36mp, pure marketing headlines, hoping the gimmick will draw sales from the 5D. Won't happen. It's hard enough to realise the full potential of 21mp on a FF chip, never mind 36. And pop up flash to help fill in those 36 meg files - says it all

 

[Zlatko]

ChilledXpress, I agree with you. I used to buy the 1D series for weddings, but no longer need to. The 5D series now has what I needed from the 1D series; and it's cheaper and easier to carry. People who think the 5DIII is just a 5DII with the AF "fixed" don't realize that it's an entirely new camera, with upgrades throughout (100% viewfinder, shorter shutter lag & mirror blackout, quiet shutter mode, better high ISO, etc.). I think the 1D series still shines for high speed action such as sports and in really harsh environments that break lesser cameras. And I believe the 1D series still offers some extra performance at the high ISO end.

 

[ChilledXpress]

ChilledXpress, I agree with you. I used to buy the 1D series for weddings, but no longer need to. The 5D series now has what I needed from the 1D series; and it's cheaper and easier to carry. People who think the 5DIII is just a 5DII with the AF "fixed" don't realize that it's an entirely new camera, with upgrades throughout (100% viewfinder, shorter shutter lag & mirror blackout, quiet shutter mode, better high ISO, etc.). I think the 1D series still shines for high speed action such as sports and in really harsh environments that break lesser cameras. And I believe the 1D series still offers some extra performance at the high ISO end.

So very true. I have read this forum for a couple of years now and I am perplexed by the detractors of the 5D3. It is the refined beast that I had hoped for. In the end though they are tools with pluses and minus columns. I would love a camera to have "all" my wishes and cost 1/2 of its predecessor but I know Canon isn't making a camera based on just my needs... it's always a compromise. I've owned a few 1 series but now with the 5D3, the game changed.

That said, the 1Dx is a great camera and yes there are a few pluses (the ones you mentioned and a few others) that the 5D3 can't match but after a couple of weeks with both... I'm not convinced the 1DX is "better" than the 5D3. I'm thinking return and go after more glass and a third 5D3. Besides, bodies come and go... my lenses are here to stay.

BTW... Silent shutter is quite possibly the one big plus that I miss the most on the 1DX.

 

[Kernuak]

Welcome consolation for the impatient ones (me) that bought the 5diii at full retail + tax.

Yes it' been 9 months but it still hurts...

Great Cam though and some nice memories I shot with it...

I didn't pay the full price, but it came down just after I bought mine in July as a grey import. However, if I didn't buy it when I did, there are a lot of shots I wouldn't otherwise have achieved, at least not to the same image quality, so I don't have any regrets.

 

[glongstaff]

I found this good free review between the Canon 5D MKIII and the Nikon D800 with the Canon just coming out on top

http://www.learningdslrvideo.com/5d-mark-iii-vs-nikon-d800/

 

[bdunbar79]

The 5D Mark III actually outperforms the 1D Mark IV at high ISO.

 

[Hill Benson]

It sure is a nice time to be a 5DmkIII owner! As much as I don't like seeing the price fall it is inevitable as is the nature of these things. I have got to say that not only am I happy with the IQ that this camera is capable of, it is also a great shooting experience to use one in the hands. I soon forget about the money I paid for it when looking at the shots it has let me take!

 

[Razor2012]

Yes, this was actually a very good article summarizing the advantages/disadvantages of the major releases and explaining their rationale.

A very brief take-away: Canon, Nikon and Sony all released excellent cameras. 5DIII got the edge largely because of the range of improvements, including focus and because its excellent low-light performance was deemed more useful and significant than the high resolution of the D800: "...we felt strongly that the Canon produced the best balance across all imaging factors, with Low or better noise up to ISO 12,800, and still acceptable noise at ISO 25,600."

I found this assessment of the D800 very interesting: "Noise is Low or better only to ISO 800, and Unacceptable at ISO 12,800."


From everything I've read and heard about the 5DIII this sounds like a well-deserved honor.

I have them, after 12800iso the 5dmk3 is little bit better than d800 , same size and raw
at 6400iso d800 shows visible more details and the noise is on par with 5dmk3

why are they not mention the 14 stops DR at base iso?

Could it be that it is not that high in reality as it is in DxO's proprietary formula?

well I have shown the difference many times, even here

Yes you have, many, many times, and no one is arguing that fact. That is only one aspect of a great camera, and alot of photographers feel there is more than just DR. That review proved it.

 

[Nazareth]

I'm struggling to justify the value of the 1DX in comparison to the 5D3's.

Don't struggle- the cost of the 1DX is the price of 2 1/2 5d3's but the shutter will last the same length of time as 2 1/2 5D3's too (roughly)- plus it's a much more rugged camera, which means that when hte shutter eventually does die, the camera will still be in good shape and you can have the shutter replaced for about $400 or so (even at $1000 or even more, it woudl astill be worth it). Plus the 1DX is blazing fast, feels great inhand, better weather sealing etc etc etc- YUou're getting a LOT of camera for $7000- and reasonably taken care of, will last a long time with only minimal future investment in new shutter if needed. The 5d3's are not made as ruggedly, and are more prone to break down from rough use- the seals aren't as good, etc- they are still great cameras, but the above reasons are what pursuaded me to purchase the 1DX over the 5D3- and I beleive in thel ogn run it wil lactually be cheaper owning it over the 5D3's

 

[Loswr]

...the cost of the 1DX is the price of 2 1/2 5d3's but the shutter will last the same length of time as 2 1/2 5D3's too (roughly)

Same as ~2.5x the number of actuations, yes. But since the frame rate is twice as fast, it might not last much longer in absolute (calendar) time. 12 fps is fast!

 

[RLPhoto]

The 5D3 is the camera of the year, but just not for $3500. :