Still waiting for 5d mkiii but should I be?

[SomeGuyInNewJersey]

I'm one of those guys who has been wanting to upgrade to full frame from a 550d but decided to wait for the 5d mk III instead of getting a 5d mk II.

Last fall I decided to wait until the new year to see if Canon announced it. So as there is still no sign its time for me to reassess.

The last rumor on here was for an announcement end March and in hands by summer...

Whats the latest... and what do you guys think on expectations for when announce and in hands will be.

Since the 1dx announcement we have had nothing from Canon. Nikon have announced the D4 and have a date set for Feb 7th (I think without double checking) for more announcements which is expected to include the D800.

As the D800 will be the direct competitor for the 5d mk III are we expecting Canon to be waiting to react to that? Possibly with a couple of different prototypes of a 5d mk III to choose from? Or are Canon just doing their own thing and we shouldnt expect any sort of reaction?

I know the 5d mk II is a great camera and many people waiting for the 5d mk III decided to stop waiting and just get one and have since been on these forums saying what a wonderful decision it was.

As is the case with a lot of these kind of decisions I find myself having missed the best recent prices for the 5d mkII ($1999 at the end of last year) but there is a current $100 rebate that expires Feb 4th (before Nikons supposed D800 announcement). Amazon is currently carrying it for $2,169.95 but it seems BHP have increased the price to $2,319.95. It does seem both are carrying the 24-105 kit for $2,799.00.

So even though the current rebate expires before the D800 announcement (if it happens) will the price of the 5d mkii drop further in reaction to the D800 announcement?

Obviously I am overthinking this to the point of obsession but I dont want to buy the 5d mkii and scream when the 5d mkiii comes out a couple of months later and be looking enviously at comparisons of how much better the 5d mkiii's image quality is especially in low light etc for the next few years, knowing I could have bought that instead... buuut I also dont want to still be waiting at the end of the year still taking pictures with my worn out T2i, no 5d of any kind and another year of wasted opportunitoes to have taken better IQ pictures...

I know this has been covered before but time moves on and we are getting closer to the 5d mkiii release (we may not know when it will be but each day we are getting closer). There is a tipping of point of when waiting will have become worthwhile or not... I'd rather be on the right side of it

As an easier question to answer... If I did get the 5d mkii should I get the kit or just the body? My current lens line up is 17-40L, 70-300L and a 50 f/1.8 (that I dont think will work on a full frame anyways?)

I think the 17-40 which is a general purpose lens on the t2i will be much too wide for that usage on a full frame? So I'm probably answering my own question that there, but thoughts would be appreciated.

Let the assault of the "just buy a 5d mkii and youll no regret it" and "this has been covered so many times... will you please shut up!" comments begin...

 

[BlueMixWhite]

Wait for 7 feb to see if Nikon announce the d800, then see any respond from canon. If no just get the mkII.

 

[Maui5150]

Can you even afford the 5d Mk III?

No doubt the 5D MK III will be better and more capable than the MK II, but it does come down to cost (if the kit is $3900 are you still interest???) and availability (if it takes another 8 months to get it in your hands, are you happy with what you have?

 

[gwei8]

I was in the same boat myself last month, to wait or to pull the trigger on 5D2... I sold my 50D and got the 5D2 kit and am very happy. Look at it this way, say 5D3 is in fact announce in March or April, there will be some time before it's actually available for purchase. Not to mention the sky high prices, demands, initial bugs... etc. You will be lucky to get your hands on one late this year. All that is assuming you are willing to put down $2800 or higher for body alone. If you are making money as photographer, by all means wait for better and newer product. If this is just a hobby like me, I say go for 5D2 and don't look back. If you do get it, I say go for the kit like I did, 24-105L is a great all around L lens... I got mine 3 weeks ago and ended up paying $2490 for the kit after all my cashback/ credit card offers.

 

[willrobb]

Your three lenses would work on a 5DmkII no problem, so that shouldn't be an issue.

The 5DmkIII is at present, just a rumour. It's possible we will see an announcement in March with a summer release, it's possible we'll get an announcement in autumn with a Xmas release, maybe it'll be a 3D or a 4D, we just don't know. I and when something new gets released, it will be pricey as well.

You wouldn't regret getting a 5DmkII, it's a good solid camera that will serve most purposes. Even when something new comes out with some new bells and whistles on it to make 5DmkII owners feel like they are missing out on something, the old 5DmkII will still be a good camera.

It's a gamble I know, but go with what feels right and good luck.

 

[distant.star]

Similar situation (in NJ, using a T2i and waiting for a 5D3) and I have an answer. I think it comes down to what you do with the camera. I was paralyzed wondering what to do until Canon offered a refurb around $1600 and B & H gave away the 5D2 last month (for $1999). I had my finger on the "buy now" button when the answer came for me.

My first love is candid portraiture. I want the best image quality I can get, but what I have now is at least adequate most of the time; the 5D2 is more desirable. There are times when I miss a picture because of AF deficiencies in the T2i. The expression on a human face and a look in the eyes can change faster than any AF can manage, but the faster the better. The 5D2 will give better IQ, but I still have the AF issue to live with. Short of robbing a bank for a Canon flagship camera, what I want is a combination of the 5D2 and the 7D.

I could buy a 7D today and solve the AF issue, but I haven't improved the overall IQ since it uses the same sensor essentially as the T2i. And since the 7D will probably be soon upgraded....well.

So, I have three options:

1. Buy a 5D2 and get IQ improvement that is often described as "dramatic" while not improving my AF issues.

2. Buy a 7D and get better AF performance for the same IQ.

3. Wait to see if Canon offers a better option for me in some near future. I don't necessarily buy into the idea that Canon will issue a 5D3, but I think they will offer something that will work better for me.

I chose option three and closed the B & H window without clicking the "buy now."

Since I'm not in the photography business in any way anymore, I don't have client demands for anything -- I'm mine own customer. I believe 2012 will provide an option for improvement, and I'm willing to wait for the "total solution," so to speak.

So, in your case, I'd suggest you really explore what you do with the camera -- what kind of images do you take and what kind do you want -- and what are your real equipment needs for getting there. After that, you can decide if you need to or want to wait for any other options.

 

[K-amps]

You have great lenses for the money! All 3 will work on the FF sensor.

Reading from your post, I get the impression that you probably will get frustrated if the 3 is announced a couple of months after you buy the 2. Why not wait a little. The probable announcement is anywhere form Feb to September.

I'd wait till Mid April, if nothing is announced and you cannot wait; then you can always get a 5D classic as a stop-gap and resell after the 3 is announced later in the year. You can get one decent one for $800 and reselling it should not be an issue since it is a FF body and people still like the IQ of it. This is what I have done. I would buy a mk.ii if the price fell below $1800. I am willing to spend up to $3k for the mk.iii if it has better ISO performance, if not I will get a used Mk.II and install magic lantern on it.

I was reading this month's "Popular Photography" this morning and the editorial said that they have been told by a few executives at Nikon/Canon that they have delayed the announcement of a few DSLR's in 2011 to 2012. With the 5D being the oldest un-refreshed body in the Canon line-up, there's a pretty good chance we will see one soon.

 

[MartinvH]

If you already manage to 'outwear' a perfect good strong build 550D I would not wait to buy an more expensive 5D MK3
Buy a relatively 'cheaper' 5D MK2 but do realize it will not last 2 years in your hands.

 

[TexPhoto]

SGINJ, From the time you decided you needed a 5D3, or FF in general to now, how many awesome photos have you taken? More than before? Less? I hope the answer is more, or at least the same. It's fine to fret and agonize about your next camera purchase, but you should be shooting to improve our skills and enjoy photography in general in the mean time.

If I was in your shoes I'd try an pick up a used 5D2 now, sell your 550, and buy a 5D3 (assuming it ever comes) 6-12 months after it shows up. You'll be FF now, and you'll pay less for the 5D3 when it does come, and won't be getting the buggy/new camera on the assembly line version the early adopters do. And the leap from 5D2 to 3 will in my opinion be more of a walking step.

Anyway, the D800 and 5DIII are just rumors, tired, 2+ year old rumors. And if announced today it would be 3-6 months before you could have one.

 

[CowGummy]

Can you even afford the 5d Mk III?

No doubt the 5D MK III will be better and more capable than the MK II, but it does come down to cost (if the kit is $3900 are you still interest???) and availability (if it takes another 8 months to get it in your hands, are you happy with what you have?

+1

I too was in a very similar position. And like the OP had gotten obsessive with checking prices daily, even hourly as well as hitting refresh on CR to see if my waiting would pay off. In the end I got fed up. I needed to upgrade my 5+ year old 400D (Xti) and decided to pull the trigger. I'm not saying you need to buy a MkII now, but to me it ended up feeling right.

The other issue (for me personally) with people saying 'maybe wait another 3 or so months and see if anything gets announced...' is that for me personally the longer I wait, the less sense it make to buy, as every day that goes by you are in fact a day closer to some sort of announcement of an update. This to me makes it harder and harder to ever purchase the damn thing. And even worse, every day that goes by is another day lost without a better camera.

Also, there's nothing saying you couldn't buy a 5DII today and sell it once the MkIII is a few months out of the gates... Yes, you will probably lose some of your investment, but with prices being as low as they are, I wouldn't think it will be too bad. Just have a look at how much a classic 5D still goes for on ebay today, even years and years down the line from its release.

Just my $0.02

 

[shinyknights]

Just buy the 5D Mark II now. Get it new or used and start taking pictures! Get yourself familiar with the FF body. You wont regret it. I picked up the 50mm 1.4 and the 85mm 1.8. They're both small, light and low profile lenses and allow you to go street photographing without being notice. Best of all, the FF body lets you take great low-light shots!

You can always decide to sell your 5D Mark II when the 5D Mark III comes out. That's what I'm planning on doing once I've had my fun with the 5D Mark II. If you go this route, you would appreciate the 5D Mark III even more because you'd have the 5D Mark II as a reference point to compare with.

 

[Penn Jennings]

It seems to me that the longer you wait, the less sense it makes to purchase now unless you either really need it now or you have one or more very important shoots in the near future.

 

[keithfullermusic]

buy it now - then sell it later. people act like old models have time bombs planted in them that Canon activates when they release a new model.

I understand if you would be able to get your hands on a "iii" right away and at the same price, but neither of those will happen. Just get it - you'll be happy!!!

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

One the day after the MK III is released, rumors for the 1D MK IV will start. I've had my 5D MK II for over three years now, its still very good, in fact, its getting better as better raw converters are being released, I've gained a full stop due to better NR software out there.

 

[rahkshi007]

I am nikon crop sensor user for past 3 years, then i decided too jump to fullframe 5d markii, i choose canon because i found most "L" lens is cheaper to "N" lens.. I personally did not take the kit, i choose the 24-70mm f2.8L. but if you are the person who like take video, the 24-105mm is great choice. for still image, f2.8 is better..

 

[iaind]

I cant see the 5dIII being announced until the 1Dx hits the shelves. It may be as late as Photokina.
The current kit price of 5DII is less than the launch price of body only. If you can wait until 2013 hold back otherwise get the 5dII kit now

 

[AprilForever]

One the day after the MK III is released, rumors for the 1D MK IV will start. I've had my 5D MK II for over three years now, its still very good, in fact, its getting better as better raw converters are being released, I've gained a full stop due to better NR software out there.

Indeed. A 5d mk II will still take impressive pictures in ten years, and those pictures will still look good!

 

[Penn Jennings]

buy it now - then sell it later. people act like old models have time bombs planted in them that Canon activates when they release a new model.

I understand if you would be able to get your hands on a "iii" right away and at the same price, but neither of those will happen. Just get it - you'll be happy!!!

Unless he is a professional, a $2K - 3K investment in a body near the end of its cycle is a big deal AND a long term commitment. He will probably have this body for years. It only makes sense for the average person to think hard about it. The 5D Mark II has been out for years, if he has gone this long without it then the odds are are that he can make it another 6 - 12 months. The only cost to waiting is an intangible "oppertunity" cost. The cost of purchasing now and then finding out that maybe he could have gotten the new model that might have more pixels, better low light performance, less noise, video autofocusing, etc would be substantial. Although reselling is an option, it is a pain, in addition to being it's own cost / loss.

The real problem in trying to balance this equation and coming to a good answer is that there are too many unknowns. The release date s known, the features are unknown, etc. However, I have a simple rule about things like this, when in doubt, don't spend money. Thats my opinion.

 

[Enrico]

I was in the same situation. In the end I was so fed up with the situation itself that buying the 5D2 actually gave me time to focus on my work, family and photography and not only rumor sites Actually worth a few hundred dollars just to get it out of my system...

I can not say what will be right or wrong. It is completely up to you.

I decided to wait until September 2011, then October (for a few rumors) and if no 5D3 I would get the 5D2. Then I got so pissed on the whole thing I tried to avoid even thinking about it... and then after using my old 350D again on a few events I just couldn't stand it. SO in December I went for the 5D2.

What really made me make the decision was that I promised myself I would only have it for 1.5 - 2 years. Learn FF, invest in lenses and then buy the 5D3 (or whatever will be out there). Then all of a sudden it became quite clear. Yes, I was going to get the new beauty (perhaps not first in line) and meanwhile get back in having fun shooting again.

The 5D2 will either be sold at that point or make up as an excellent back up body.

Edit:
And yes, I forgot to mention... The AF is not slow (to me compared to the 350D) it is sizzling fast

 

[akiskev]

I'm one of those guys who has been wanting to upgrade to full frame from a 550d but decided to wait for the 5d mk III...

Given the fact that you have waited for that long, DO NOT BUY THE MKII until a mkiii is announced. Just wait a couple of months. You have a great camera and a great lens, there is no need to hurry.