What do you want from the 5D mk III

[awinphoto]

Most of you have focused on the technical abilities of the camera. I'd like to focus a little on its usability:
1) Reset the selected focus point to ‘All’ by, for example, pressing the focus point selection button twice of something like that. I believe that some Nikon’s have this feature
2) I’m amazed that we can’t natively embedded the GPS coordinates in the pictures we make. BTW, I don’t want to sacrifice my hot shoe for this since I take many pictures at night.
3) I would like to be able to secure my camera (and lens by the way) using a computer cable lock. I often shoot time-lapse photography at night.
4) Greater than 3 selections when bracketing a shot
5) Dual card format (SD and CF). SD cards are significantly cheaper than CF ones which can be more performant.
6) I’d love it if the camera would move pictures from the CF to the SD card automatically when the CF card is getting full.
7) A setting to automatically set the camera settings so that it can get as close as possible to the maximum number of frames per second. When I’m looking to take a very fast burst of pictures it takes me a few minutes to tweak all the settings just right so that the camera can get as close as possible to its theoretical maximum FPS. I know I can select high-speed shooting, but depending on my settings (RAW, Av, etc.), I don’t even get close to what I should be able to get.
8) Provide feedback on sensor temperature during long photo sessions at night – I would like to know when I’m degrading the quality of my picture because the sensor temperature is heating up.

Michel

ditto what neuro said on 1 and 7... However I do hope that the 5D inherent the 7D multifunction button and customization where you can assign each button to a function it wasn't originally assigned so if you want your 1 shot FPS thing, you could assign it that speed mode. I wouldn't mind dual CF slots and I could change my mind later, but I'm just not sure about different card types in terms of buffering, when you exhaust 1 card how it impacts the 2nd and will there be a lag inherent on the SD cards verse the UMDA CF you may have in the CF slot... I wouldn't find GPS at all useful, I've never fully grasped what the need of having GPS unless you are scouting locations or such... Laptop kinda lock, eh... ok... I've seen many youtube videos of them ripping out of laptops and being easy to pick off... however if it provides peace of mind, then great...

With that said I'm not bothered about what MP it is as long as it's at least 21mp and shoots faster and has better AF such as the 7D if not better. I dont want as strong of an AA filter that has caused the 5d MII to have the reputation of having soft/smeared images to reduce noise. I want a native 50 ISO so the images would look even better on that setting rather than a native 100 ISO with an underexposed iso 50 which isn't much better quality wise than the 100. High ISO i'm not too bothered about as long as it's usable from ISO 2000 and below.

 

[NXT1000]

I WANT IT TO TELL ME IF THE PICTURE IS BLUR.

they must be some software, that can measure the amount of blur, due to camera shake, or subject movement, that compute to a figure, which tell me if the photo is blur or not, so i can retake it, I do not want to wait until i go home and sit in front of my 30 inch monitor and find out that it is blur, i cannot go back to retake the photo.


Please japanese engineers, give me an image blur indicator. I know you are rubbish with software, just hire some american professors to help you.

 

[alipaulphotography]

I WANT IT TO TELL ME IF THE PICTURE IS BLUR.

they must be some software, that can measure the amount of blur, due to camera shake, or subject movement, that compute to a figure, which tell me if the photo is blur or not, so i can retake it, I do not want to wait until i go home and sit in front of my 30 inch monitor and find out that it is blur, i cannot go back to retake the photo.


Please japanese engineers, give me an image blur indicator. I know you are rubbish with software, just hire some american professors to help you.

Not sure if this is a joke or not....

 

[Zo0m]

My choice as a travel photographer would be the following:
28-32 Mp
4-5 fps
ISO 100 - 51 200 (3 stop improvement)
CF + SD card slot
Slightly improved AF
Built in GPS
Durable

Price of 3000 $ Body Only
- an optional 24-70 IS kit lens wouldn't be that bad either...

 

[Macadameane]

Pixel Binning. If there is pixel binning it will fix moire and resolution issues for video. I will definately get it if there is pixel binning.

 

[Jettatore]

In order.

-Better high ISO performance (1DX esque)
-Awesome Auto-Focus (1DX/7D esque.)
-Solid weatherproofing (at least as much so it can handle getting snowed and showered on a decent bit)
-Improved video capture performance (aka, clean up rolling shutter problems, etc., even further)
-Uncompressed /Raw Video Capture or Clean HDMI out (I don't mind hooking up a separate adapter when shooting video)
-Over resolution, aka. more than 1080p (not necessarily 4k) to allow for re-cropping/panning/zooming/breathing room in editing
-Ability to capture in 60-120fps frame-rates even if it requires using Clean HDMI out and an external capture unit
-Usable auto-focus in video (this is not a pro-video feature, but there are casual times when a reasonably good version of this could come in great handy at barbeques and whatnot.) And if it is put in, I would also suggest some ability to manually over-ride it/flip it on/off, while still in shot.
-Remove Video Time-Limits (even if a fee has to be paid to digitally unlock it in the regions where that licensing matters)
-Consideration for digital adapter accessory that would allow smooth manual aperture control during shooting. (at the bottom of my list for a reason but it makes more sense than new lenses to me, though for all I know (and I don't) it may require new lenses anyways but it may not, and even still it makes more sense)
-If it's not there already and buried, a recorded measurement that tells the distance of the subject focus point from the camera. This is useful to approximately calculate the scale of a subject which is in turn helpful in roughly estimating the scale of textures for texture artists in 3D animation projects.

So basically, an amazing, 5DII sizish body with the latest stills improvements and nothing we've come to expect missing, as well as updated generation 2 DSLR video upgrades. Hit that mark and I'll grab one near launch.

 

[Heidrun]

1)Weather sealed
2)Better iso. Low noise in iso 12800
3)35 MP or more.
4)5 fps
5)Wireless flash
6)Wireless to my mac
7)Build in GPS
8)2x CF card
9)State of the art AF

 

[J. McCabe]

I WANT IT TO TELL ME IF THE PICTURE IS BLUR.

they must be some software, that can measure the amount of blur, due to camera shake, or subject movement, that compute to a figure, which tell me if the photo is blur or not, so i can retake it, I do not want to wait until i go home and sit in front of my 30 inch monitor and find out that it is blur, i cannot go back to retake the photo.


Please japanese engineers, give me an image blur indicator. I know you are rubbish with software, just hire some american professors to help you.

Not sure if this is a joke or not....

A former employer of mine did just that for a hand held camera application.

 

[TexPhoto]

I WANT IT TO TELL ME IF THE PICTURE IS BLUR.

they must be some software, that can measure the amount of blur, due to camera shake, or subject movement, that compute to a figure, which tell me if the photo is blur or not, so i can retake it, I do not want to wait until i go home and sit in front of my 30 inch monitor and find out that it is blur, i cannot go back to retake the photo.


Please japanese engineers, give me an image blur indicator. I know you are rubbish with software, just hire some american professors to help you.

Not sure if this is a joke or not....

A former employer of mine did just that for a hand held camera application.

It would be great if software could assign a number an pick out the sharpest photo in a sequence. so if you do shoot 3-10 shots to make sure you get a sharp one, it would be easier to pick out the best.

Another idea is a button on the camera to zoom to 1:1 on the point the camera tried to focus on. This would let you decide quickly if it was in good focus/ motion blurred etc.

 

[kbmelb]

21-24MP (28MP tops) of the the most perfect pixels.
AF points clustered like 7d or at least 1DsIII. Spot metering beyond the center point.

 

[Loswr]

@ Jettatore - would you pick one up at launch for the >$5K price tag of the dream camera you describe?

 

[alipaulphotography]

@ Jettatore - would you pick one up at launch for the >$5K price tag of the dream camera you describe?

Why not just get the 1DX? MKIII would eat all the 1DX's sales if it had those specs and was cheaper so it isn't going to happen.

 

[Jettatore]

Ali- they basically did just thaty with the 1DS mark III and 5D Mark II. I'm expecting the same. I can understand 5D with smaller body style I like but not getting all the extra ports and the dual card slots, more durable shutter, etc. that a bigger body makes easier to fit it all into. I don't like the size of the 1DX for photography off of a tri-pod and I also think the price is absurd. I got into DSLR and specifically Canon DSLR because they do both video and photography in one system. If I am going to be getting seperate bodies for both photog and video, well now all of a sudden Canon doesn't have any sort of special edge for me and I'll probably go elsewhere. If they aren't going to push video in DSLR any further than they did in generation 1, well then no problem, that's why they invented Craig's List.

Neuro, no that's a bit high for me, by about $1,500-$2,500 too much depending. I wouldn't be too upset but I'd wait for it to drop in price a if it came but was 5k. I can hit it at $3k though and I think that's pushing it already.

 

[Loswr]

Ali- they basically did just that with the 1DS mark III and 5D Mark II.

Really? The 5DII has 'awesome auto-focus' and 'solid weatherproofing'? That's news to me. You just named the two biggest differentiators between 1DsIII and 5DII - why would Canon not use those as differentiators between the 1D X and 5DIII? If they don't, what will they use? They certainly won't release a complete 1D X feature set in a smaller body and charge $4K less for it (except in the vivid dreams of 5DII owners).

 

[Jettatore]

Sarcasm aside, yes, valid points. 1DX doesn't really impress me video wise. If 1DX was everything I was asking for in a larger body photog and video combo, and 5DIII was the same with 7Dish focus but not quite 1DX and middle road weather proofing, as a spoon feed me my technology because I don't have my own factory (yet ) consumer I'd be understanding.

But lets drop the old conversation for a bit and let me just ask this instead, it's simpler. What is 5D Mark III going to have over 5D Mark II in terms of upgrades if it doesn't touch on the upgrades I'm asking for, what will it do instead? Isn't version III supposed to be better than version II??? I'm really confused why I'm being looked at like I have 3 eyes???? Another question, once you answer that is, tell me why if it comes out anytime within the next year it will still be competitive in two years and not out-shined by another, as the Mark II easily managed to do vs. the competition? Nikon might have an advantage here as it doesn't have it's own video department to worry about cannibalizing. Oh hey Nikon, want to hire a punk kid analyst, I've got an idea?

 

[Loswr]

Another idea is a button on the camera to zoom to 1:1 on the point the camera tried to focus on. This would let you decide quickly if it was in good focus/ motion blurred etc.

This would be nice. The 1-series is already almost there - there's an option to 'Enlarge from selected AF point' which means if press and hold the magnify button, you're taken to max zoom on the AF point you had selected for the shot. So, it's one press (play button) then a press-and-hold, but no moving around on the image - like I said, close.

 

[Loswr]

But lets drop the old conversation for a bit and let me just ask this instead, it's simpler. What is 5D Mark III going to have over 5D Mark II in terms of upgrades if it doesn't touch on the upgrades I'm asking for, what will it do instead? Isn't version III supposed to be better than version II???

Yes, it will be an upgrade. But little steps... So, first off will probably be either improved ISO by using the 1D X sensor, or more MP (note the or - it won't have 1D X-esque ISO noise and more MP). Improved AF, yes - but not even up to 7D. All cross-type, maybe make all 15 selectable. Dual cross f/2.8 center. Same point spread as 5DII, no zones, maybe Spot AF, probably not. Same body construction and same level of sealing. New metering sensor (63 zone iFCL dual layer like the 7D et al., not the 1D X metering). The updated sensor cleaning system. If it gets the 1D X sensor, it'll get the same video improvements. I expect that between Canon's statements about the 1D X being the choice for dSLR video, and the new C300 and hints of a 1D C, the 5DIII will get more MP but not the video improvements seen on the 1D X. That latter idea is consistent with the rumors of 'splitting video and stills lines'. There might be a 5D C someday, but my guess is the 5DIII will have more MP (28ish), no more fps than the 5DII (perhaps less), modestly better AF, bigger LCD, similar price to the 5DII - and it will sell very well.

 

[Jettatore]

Your insights are perfectly realistic. And in that case, I have no pressing reason to upgrade. Not what I want to hear, but it's a good dose of reality.

 

[Loswr]

Your insights are perfectly realistic. And in that case, I have no pressing reason to upgrade. Not what I want to hear, but it's a good dose of reality.

Realistic is the most likely. I hope the 5DIII has great AF, faster frame rate, better ISO, more MP, better sealing, costs less than the 5DII, and is announced before the 1D X is available.

Consider what I suggested above as applied to the 1-series 'upgrade'. Strip away the marketing hype, and what do you have? A realistic upgrade, but little steps. Modest ISO improvement, modest AF improvement, better metering, bigger sensor and more MP than 1DIV but fewer MP than 1DsIII, modest frame rate improvement over 1DIV, same build, slightly larger VF, more expensive than the 1DIV but cheaper than the 1DsIII. IMO, taking into account that one camera is a replacement for two lines, the 1D X is a realistic - and incremental - upgrade. Hope and dreams aside, it's unlikely the 5DIII will be any different.

Knowing that I personally want a major upgrade - not just incremental - to my 5DII, I plan to get the 1D X. But still, in regard to the 5DIII - I hope......

 

[Jettatore]

I like some of the 1DX upgrades, in particular better ISO. But honestly, no pressing reason to get it. I'm a really good editor, that's where I started, behind the computer not the camera, I'll just make do and wait, see what the market brings. Thanks dude, your insight was greatly appreciated. cheers