Hi guys, I'm really having a hard time figuring out if 5D MK3 would be the correct upgrade from a 1D MK3 given my following needs:
1. No-flash photography. So, need to use high-iso indoors gym-lighting with an F/4 lens for taking group pictures. I'd like to use my 24-105L for many shooting conditions as it gives me enough DOF. I do have other faster lenses, but I still need to stop down to F/4 to increase DOF for group settings. Currently, the 1D MK3 goes as high as 6400, but that's pushing in terms of ISO...
2. Off-center AF point must lock on quick in gym-lighting conditions using 24-105L.
3. Good IQ out of the camera so I won't need to spend countless hours cleaning up the files.
My budget is around $3200, so if 5D MK3 is not a good alternative what else is out there (canon-wise)?
Gonemad wrote:
Hi guys, I'm really having a hard time figuring out if 5D MK3 would be the correct upgrade from a 1D MK3 given my following needs:
1. No-flash photography. So, need to use high-iso indoors gym-lighting with an F/4 lens for taking group pictures. I'd like to use my 24-105L for many shooting conditions as it gives me enough DOF. I do have other faster lenses, but I still need to stop down to F/4 to increase DOF for group settings. Currently, the 1D MK3 goes as high as 6400, but that's pushing in terms of ISO...
2. Off-center AF point must lock on quick in gym-lighting conditions using 24-105L.
3. Good IQ out of the camera so I won't need to spend countless hours cleaning up the files.
My budget is around $3200, so if 5D MK3 is not a good alternative what else is out there (canon-wise)?
Yes, I just did it and have no regrets. I like it so much that I may even retire my 7d. The only thing is the slower frame rate, and for a non pro like me it's a non issue.
I didn't replace my 1D Mk III but supplemented it with the 5D Mk III. I shoot a lot of hockey and am happy with the camera. 6 fps isn't bad tho I try to anticipate now rather than spray n pray.
Thanks guys. Interesting comment about the slower 5D MK3 frame rate, as I actually have set the slower rate to 6fps for my 1D MK3. I often thought my 1D MK3 AF better at 6fps... not to say it wouldn't at 10fps, but I don't want to end up with a gazillion images looking about the same in post-processing.
I have a 1dmk3 and a 5dmk3. The 5d.is the camera I take with me for sports or action. I am sure I occasionally miss a frame, but the 5d is fast enough and is superb in low light.
Guess I'm the odd one out. Much prefer 10fps when I'm trying to capture moments like header compression, baseball at/coming off a bat, basketball just coming off fingers, and so on. 6fps, no way, I'm just not good enough to compensate for the lack of speed. So no 5DIII for sports for me, even though the resolution gain would be great. 1DIV would be my path upward from the 1DIII: more resolution, better high iso files, improved AF.
I use my 1DIII with the longer 300 lens when shooting sports and the 5DIII with a 70-200, the FF from the end zone looks great. For hockey I only use the 5DIII now. Same with volleyball right now and I suspect it will work the same for basketball and swimming.
Interestingly, I didn't consider 1D MK4 in my budget consideration. It looks like I could get a decent one for $3200 nowadays. So, the obvious question is, is the 1D MK4 noise characteristic close to the 5D MK3 when shooting in gym-lighting that requires maybe ISO 10K.
The easy solution and one you can know for sure is to rent a Mark IV and 5D Mark III and give them each a go at your typical shooting environment. That way you will know what each can do and you can see the results. I suggest making actual prints rather than pixel peep on a computer screen at various ISO's to see which one you will give you the results you want/need.
Well, my local camera store charges $425 to rent both for the weekend... doesn't sound like a good use of money. I don't personally know anyone that has either, so I have to rely on you all to give me an honest opinion. I also recognize that IQ is extremely subjective, but I'm sure there's got to be some level of consensus... For example, I'm totally fine with my 1D MK3 @ ISO 1600. I can live with ISO 3200, but ISO 6400 is undesirable. That should give you my level of noise acceptance.
Gonemad wrote:
I'm totally fine with my 1D MK3 @ ISO 1600. I can live with ISO 3200, but ISO 6400 is undesirable. That should give you my level of noise acceptance.
I've read here that the 1D4 has maybe a full stop better iso performance versus the 1D3 - I have no comparative experience myself. Maybe post the specific question on the sports or wildlife forums where there are more likely to be folks who've used both and can respond?
I owned a 1d III and currently shoot with a mark IV and a 5D III. I can say that the AF and ISO of the 5D III are great and will not disappoint you even coming from a 1D body.
What will disappoint is that the 5D III is nowhere near as fast as the 1D III or mark IV in virtually all regards. The camera is slower to wake up, has more lag, etc. It is also nowhere near the same build as a 1D body. It feels cheap in comparison (not that it is)
There is simply no substitute for a 1D build and its responsiveness. That being said, the 5D III is a very capable camera. I bought mine at a great price, thinking that I could sell it if I didn't like it. Well I still have it and I shoot 90+% sports.
I found that the IV had maybe a 1/2 to 2/3 stop advantage over the mark III and I think that the 5D III might have a slight advantage in noise over the mark IV. So I guess I would feel confident saying that the 5D III would have a solid stop of quality improvement over the 1D III at high ISO's
What would be fantastic is to combine features of the 5D III with the mark IV...but of course they have done that and it is called the 1Dx and is solidly out of my price range.
Good stuff, pjbuehner. At first, I was considering selling my 1D MK3 to fund the 5D MK3, but now I think I might keep it for BIF/sports and buy 5D3 for low-light and other less action shots.
Also, the price you paid for both 5D3 and 1D4 would be equal to the 1DX price, no?
I got the 5D III on the ebay Adorama deal for 2750.00 and I paid full retail for the mark IV. Even though the 1Dx is probably the ultimate for what I do, I think I get better results shooting with 2 cameras at most events. I have a long lens on the mark IV (300 2.8 with 1.4x) with the crop sensor and usually the 135 F2.0 or the 200 F2.0 on the 5D III.
If I could get two 1Dx bodies, of course I would switch, or even a trade out of the 5D III for one would be ideal leaving me the crop mark IV (which I love)
My 1D mark III was frustrating. Sometimes producing amazing files and at other times I felt like I had one of the batch with AF issues. The IV was a huge upgrade and worth the money. If I had to choose now, I would take the 5D III over MY copy of the 1D III. If yours is stellar, not such an easy answer.
I have both but am hesitating selling my 1DIII off for another 5DIII...this due entirely to the 5DIII's AF point illumination implementation, which I think is awful. If it wasn't for this I would have two 5DIIIs.
