I would beg to differ, Coranda...it will meter in those instances. Especially the 5D3 Mark III. I've tried it. Not in pitch dark, no, but there are instances when photographing urban settings at night that are poorly lit when the meter does work and is handy.
As for the 40D, it IS a great camera. But many of my customers demand images that are of a resolution > 18 MP, and certainly > than the 40D's 10 MP. As for the Nikon bodies you suggest...ain't gonna happen. Not only do I have too much already invested in Canon gear, I don't have sufficient time to learn a new system or the money frankly to buy Nikon glass and gear. I'm a Canonite for life unless they really screw up.
Please, everyone, I know this is a minor issue. But for me, it's like finding the first ding on my shiny new car.
@ Todd - one post before:
I know. 10 MP is not enough for half of my customers, too. That is why Nikon was failing for me even with D700 (great camera, too). One generation back in resolution when it came out. Vieable resolution. I do not do landscape. And 20MP is far enough for all my actual needs (not wishes). But 5D II did it and will do it (all your jobs) when 5D III is not in your hands. Right? Its just our brain. My tells me: Great AF would be fantastic (I never needed before - but I would love to have). It tells me too: Never ever any better high ISO JPEG (12.800), fantastic in camera HDR. Two card slots. Programmable auto ISO, etc, etc.
I have been very happy the last three years with my 5D II. But I will exchange it to a 5D III immediatelly if I can.
I rented the 5D Mark III this past week to give it a whirl and so I could be better prepared for when I really need to have it ready a week from now. I shoot a lot of action shots (cowboys, charging buffalo, native American dancers, wildlife, etc.) and the AF is a dream come true. I will have many more keepers than I had with my 5D1 and 5D2. Sorry, but I'm never going back to those days ever again.
Todd Klassy wrote:
I would beg to differ, Coranda...it will meter in those instances. Especially the 5D3 Mark III. I've tried it. Not in pitch dark, no, but there are instances when photographing urban settings at night that are poorly lit when the meter does work and is handy.
As for the 40D, it IS a great camera. But many of my customers demand images that are of a resolution > 18 MP, and certainly > than the 40D's 10 MP. As for the Nikon bodies you suggest...ain't gonna happen. Not only do I have too much already invested in Canon gear, I don't have sufficient time to learn a new system or the money frankly to buy Nikon glass and gear. I'm a Canonite for life unless they really screw up.
Please, everyone, I know this is a minor issue. But for me, it's like finding the first ding on my shiny new car....Show more →
Todd,
You miss the point. Canon clearly state that the meter is only accurate between 1 & 20 EV. At lower light levels it is not reliable and therefore should not be used. Canon make no claim about the validity of any auto exposure settings at such light levels. The fact that it's happy to pop up some bogus numbers doesn't mean it's working. I'm sorry but, to put it bluntly, if you are using the meter to set your exposure at light levels below 1 EV you are misusing the camera. This is not an opinion but a simple fact documented in the camera's manual. Such behaviour is user error, not equipment fault.
Ok, let me try one last time, after this I will give up. I can't make it any plainer than this:
1. Canon openly state that below 1EV the light meter readings are not reliable and so, logically, should not be used to set exposure.
2. This whole discussion is driven by a series of claims that in low light (well below 1EV) the meter readings are not reliable and cannot be used to set exposure.
All of which demonstrates nothing more than Canon are right. It baffles me that anyone can be concerned about this non-issue.
Todd Klassy wrote:
Thank you for your rational tone.
90% of what everyone says is correct. Why would you use anything other than manual? How often, really, would you ever use the LCD in the middle of a shot, let alone during metering? Why would you concern yourself with something seemingly quite minor. Agreed on all counts.
But there are still three items that are nagging me: (1) there are instances when I use a flash light when I'm out at night shooting to check the camera. So now I feel less inclined to do that, and perhaps it is my OCD, but that bothers me, (2) what if this issue portends to something more major, and (3) coming from a reputable company in a country where the notion of Six Sigma quality standards were born, why would Canon allow this, even if it affects no one as your purport? Seems pointless.
As for not buying the 5D3, that's not an option. Mine arrives Thursday, the 5D2 is already gone, and the 1DX won't be here for another 2 or 3 months...and I have a dozen photo shoots between now and the end May. I have no other option....Show more →
You will love the camera. And I see you have already tried it out so you realize how great the new AF is. I wouldn't worry about shining a flashlight on the lcd to check the camera even if it is during a long exposure because that short duration of light will not affect your overall multiple second exposure at all. Sure it may be enough to meter differently but if you just shine the light on the top LCD for a second or two it won't affect it anymore than that same light entering the VF.
GENESYS wrote:
Like many of, I've been waiting for the 5D III for the last 3 years and was about to purchase one until information started flowing in regarding the light leak issue from the top LCD. Needless to say, I was somewhat concerned and called Canon tech support directly and got this information.
"Canon does not have a light leak issue with the 5D III. Any claims of such phenomenon is based on improper testing."
Canon went on to state that just by the nature of real life shooting in the field, there's already some light leaking through the view finder so there's no issue as it is within specs.
Thought this was interesting. Anyone out there know more about this issue than what Canon said? ...Show more →
I guess Canon has now stopped denying the problem...
OK I should read the latest news before posting.. nonetheless it is a BS issue and canon might offer a piece of tape for the whiners - but I don't think this is the real reason that canon is withholding cameras (per last nights threads). Hopefully the real reason for that is updates to the firmware for the lockups, card write problems, and 200/800 IS issue.
timbop wrote:
OK I should read the latest news before posting.. nonetheless it is a BS issue and canon might offer a piece of tape for the whiners - but I don't think this is the real reason that canon is withholding cameras (per last nights threads). Hopefully the real reason for that is updates to the firmware for the lockups, card write problems, and 200/800 IS issue.
Sorry, this is a fake problem.
Fake or not...it is causing grief for Canon. Holding shipment of camera ( revenue ) is not good for the business.
The one not-so-fake issue that needs to be addressed is the impossible to see focus point in dim situations. That is a real problem that did not exist in the 5d2.
chez wrote:
Fake or not...it is causing grief for Canon. Holding shipment of camera ( revenue ) is not good for the business.
The one not-so-fake issue that needs to be addressed is the impossible to see focus point in dim situations. That is a real problem that did not exist in the 5d2.
Sorry, but please stop posting stuff that is absolutely not true. Do you even own the camera? You can easily see all the focus points in dim situations. They light up bloody bright. You arm chair critics are ridiculous.
arbitrage wrote:
[Chez wrote]...
The one not-so-fake issue that needs to be addressed is the impossible to see focus point in dim situations. That is a real problem that did not exist in the 5d2.
[Arbitrage wrote]
Sorry, but please stop posting stuff that is absolutely not true. Do you even own the camera? You can easily see all the focus points in dim situations. They light up bloody bright. You arm chair critics are ridiculous.
The chosen point can light up (briefly) bloody bright if one chooses that option. Then the available points are not visible. If one makes all the available points visible (in black), the chosen point *is* hard to see in many conditions. I'm becoming convinced that a firmware update could fix this by allowing us to have the chosen point *stay* lit, and simultaneously allowing all the other points to be visible in black. As it stands, I haven't found a setting that satisfies my needs as well as the older bodies did.
I do own the 5D III, I like it a lot, I respect many things that Canon does, and I agree that the light leak bit is pretty much garbage in spite of Canon's acknowledgment of a "problem". I reserve the right to complain about the AF point visibility!
Photon, have you tried just pushing the AF selection button (one next to the * button) to quickly get all to light up. I've found this to work for me. Don't get me wrong, I agree and discussed at length in the older threads all about the different problems and options. Back in those threads from a couple weeks ago, I also tried to help people understand that the only type of fix could be firmware that would allow the lights to be on at different times. I got really frustrated with people thinking Canon would be able to change the entire LCD system and go back to the permanently etched in LED like on the 5D2. I guess since I spent the last 2 years with the 7D I just never saw it as a problem.
