Canon 5D Mk3 Reliability

[Mt Spokane Photography]

My 5D, two 5D MK II's and two 5D MK III's were fine. I've had over 20 Canon DSLR's and no failures. My Nikon DSLR's haven't failed either.

 

[bdunbar79]

wow an amazing camera
upgraded from the 5DC which is also a very good camera only lacking in the AF Dept for moving subjects.
the silent shutter mode is the best for not spooking wildlife on the 5DIII
The only improvement would be faster frames per second but that is what you pay for in a 1DX
6 FPS is still pretty good especially for 22MP
I have to say when I do my part right the image quality is excellent.
I cannot fault this camera and I have used it vigorously since it was launched.

Higher FPS isn't the only thing the 1Dx better... Faster lens focus drive, much better metering, Much better sealing and construction, Dual CF cards ... list goes on. I do like the 5D3 silent shutter for weddings and events where the 1Dx shutter makes too much noise, like shooting golf.

Be invited into a tennis match to shoot between two courts at the net. Shoot a few frames with the 1Dx and see how long you last! I luckily had my 5D3 on me, promptly switching to silent shutter mode ;D

 

[RMC33]

wow an amazing camera
upgraded from the 5DC which is also a very good camera only lacking in the AF Dept for moving subjects.
the silent shutter mode is the best for not spooking wildlife on the 5DIII
The only improvement would be faster frames per second but that is what you pay for in a 1DX
6 FPS is still pretty good especially for 22MP
I have to say when I do my part right the image quality is excellent.
I cannot fault this camera and I have used it vigorously since it was launched.

Higher FPS isn't the only thing the 1Dx better... Faster lens focus drive, much better metering, Much better sealing and construction, Dual CF cards ... list goes on. I do like the 5D3 silent shutter for weddings and events where the 1Dx shutter makes too much noise, like shooting golf.

Be invited into a tennis match to shoot between two courts at the net. Shoot a few frames with the 1Dx and see how long you last! I luckily had my 5D3 on me, promptly switching to silent shutter mode ;D

Yup, I have not had a chance to do any tennis yet, but Polo is another sport like that. I spooked a horse with the shutter sound on the 1Dx and was asked to swap to something a bit more quiet~

 

[adhocphotographer]

Had it 5 months, and it has been by my side everyday.... the weather here in India can be a it harsh, especially now the rains are starting, but so far it has held up. It has been in extreme dry and heavy rain. -10C to +40C. All with zero problems! There was even one time i got charged by a sloth bear and without hesitation raised it at a weapon (i was fairly sure the camera would have survived even if i didn't)... luckily for me the bear stumbled, reared and i had a chance to back away! But i think it would have survived being used a bear repellant too!

Solid camera... I foresee a long and happy relationship!

 

[chrisdeckard]

I've been impressed with the quality and have had no issues. Though I was surprised it got so damaged from a single drop from about waist high onto a solid floor. Probably most of the electronics including the sensor got replaced. I figured it would take quite a bit more to damage it.

 

[smithy]

I typically set my 5D3 to overexpose by 2/3 stop for natural light, and a full stop for flash (E-TTL II) photography. I've tested it with a grey card and the exposure seems pretty accurate. It just seems that my subject matter is mostly light-coloured and so it overcompensates by underexposing.

 

[GMCPhotographics]

I typically set my 5D3 to overexpose by 2/3 stop for natural light, and a full stop for flash (E-TTL II) photography. I've tested it with a grey card and the exposure seems pretty accurate. It just seems that my subject matter is mostly light-coloured and so it overcompensates by underexposing.

I guess it depends if you are trying to protect one's highlights (clipping) or keeping the images clean from ISO noise. Sure expose to the right if you want less noise, but expose to the left if there's detail in the whites which need preserving.
At weddings I tend to shoot 2/3's under, but Wildlife and birds I tend to shoot about 2/3 over. I've found the 5DIII is more reliable and consistent at metering than my old 5DII was.

 

[GuyF]

Thanks to those who've commented on the +2/3rds exposure - I tend to keep that amount dialled in and occasionally adjust based on what the image itself looks like on the rear screen (histograms be damned!). The warranty is up very soon so might get it checked out.

For those taking action shots in silent-mode, do you find it captures most/all of the action? A few people on the forum thought that due to the way silent-mode works (a more gentle mirror open/close function) meant the camera wouldn't be quite as reponsive for faster action. What do you reckon?

Fine weather today so off to try some birds in flight after lunch ;D

 

[siabod]

Had focusing problems, takes a few shots then "freezes", almost as though it cannot recognize the lens, try to focus on other objects and after 2 - 3 attempts will restart. Happens on all settings (have not used it on auto but if I switch to auto while in fault mode it works). Used 4 different lenses all get same fault . Purchased March 2013, returned to Canon via retailer who say no fault found and that I may be using wrong settings, if this is the case why does it work for a short time then pack up then resume on same settings. Used Mk 11 before this and when working this camera is is a delight to use.

 

[smithy]

Thanks to those who've commented on the +2/3rds exposure - I tend to keep that amount dialled in and occasionally adjust based on what the image itself looks like on the rear screen (histograms be damned!). The warranty is up very soon so might get it checked out.

For those taking action shots in silent-mode, do you find it captures most/all of the action? A few people on the forum thought that due to the way silent-mode works (a more gentle mirror open/close function) meant the camera wouldn't be quite as reponsive for faster action. What do you reckon?

Fine weather today so off to try some birds in flight after lunch ;D

You should learn to trust your histogram!

I've tried using silent mode for action shots. It's a no-go as far as I'm concerned. The mechanism is just too slow to use - especially for bursts.

 

[East Wind Photography]

There is a significant latency when pressing the shutter button in silent mode. You can compensate but find it best not to use that mode for action shots. This due to the dampening of the mirror and shutter to reduce noise.

Thanks to those who've commented on the +2/3rds exposure - I tend to keep that amount dialled in and occasionally adjust based on what the image itself looks like on the rear screen (histograms be damned!). The warranty is up very soon so might get it checked out.

For those taking action shots in silent-mode, do you find it captures most/all of the action? A few people on the forum thought that due to the way silent-mode works (a more gentle mirror open/close function) meant the camera wouldn't be quite as reponsive for faster action. What do you reckon?

Fine weather today so off to try some birds in flight after lunch ;D

You should learn to trust your histogram!

I've tried using silent mode for action shots. It's a no-go as far as I'm concerned. The mechanism is just too slow to use - especially for bursts.

 

[birtembuk]

Flawless, though got sprayed with a sea wave splash when taking a long exposure ...

 

[GMCPhotographics]

Ok, just over a year on one 5DIII and a few months on my second 5DIII. My oldest cam has taken a bit of damage this weekend, the top LCD cover has cracked quite spectacularly and will need replacing and there's a single screw missing from the bottom casing...not sure how that's happened, but I remember having a simular issue with my 5D classic a number of years back. I use a dual camera harness system (it's good for my back and allows instant access to my cams....plus it looks cool) so my cameras tend to bounce about a bit.

Plastic covers get cracked quite easily, becuase they are designed to fail and absorb damage. Although this is the first time I've done this on a camera, I've broken a an AF windows on a lens before (70-200 L IS II).
The rear LCD on the 5DIII is now unprotected. All previous 5D cams had a plastic over lay / protector which broke fairlu easily. But the current model has the LCD glass bonded to the outer casing. If that breaks (and it's a lot tougher than the plastic protectors) it'll be a lot more expensive to repair.

 

[Rienzphotoz]

Mine has had no issues (touch wood). It gets a pretty good allround workout.

Make sure you buy from a reputable dealer just in case there are any future issues.

Cheers

+1

 

[Harry Muff]

Zombie thread!




So, after watching a ton of 5D2s go for around £950 on eBay, I've decided to wait and order my 5D3 now.


I plan to run them side by side for a bit and report my findings here.




There are 5D2s on eBay that are older and with a lot more actuations than mine, so waiting and comparing them won't make a whole lot of difference.