RichardLavigne wrote:
IMO, the 5DmkIII is the perfect combination of the 5DmkII and 1DmkIII.
+1
For me, it covers all of the shooting I did with both of the other cameras and has better AF than either/both IMO (and my 1D3 had excellent AF...a late model well past the problem range).
pjbuehner, I'm generally pretty happy with my 1D MK3. I love shooting BIF. Mine locks and tracks the bird like a "prey" - can't shake it off. I really love it, but I also have an excellent 7D which is the ultimate hardware for shooting birds. I'm definitely keeping the 7D for the reach, but am really torn whether to sell the 1D3 to fund the 5D3.
MVers, I heard about the awful dark AF point. What's that all about? In indoor lighting, like a 40W bulb, can't you see the AF point?
Gonemad wrote:
I'm definitely keeping the 7D for the reach, but am really torn whether to sell the 1D3 to fund the 5D3.
Maybe ask yourself: what features of the 5DIII will improve the photos I take now with the 1DIII? Will the 5DIII's higher iso performance and resolution offset its slower operation in your hands? Would you miss shots with a slower camera (it's usually better to get the shot in a noisy capture than to have missed it in a cleaner file)? When you really need a higher frame rate than the 5DIII, could the 7D be sufficient? Would the 5DIII's higher mpx make your crops better? Would your output improve with lower noise? And are you hard on your gear such that you need 1-series build? Do you shoot the 1DIII in dark environments or against dark subjects where the 5DIII's "black focus point" issue might aggravate you?
mttran, pixel and tuomey - thanks for the reality check.
Is 5D3 worth upgrading from 1D3? Strictly from a hardware standpoint - NO. Like I said, 1D3 is almost too perfect for when I shoot sports/BIF. BUT, and here's the big one, I need a camera that:
1. Relatively clean high ISO (6400+) when I use my 24-105L @ F4 in indoor gym-lighting condition;
2. Can reliably AF using an off-center point @ F4;
Well, neither of which is achievable with my 1D3. The 7D can, but I really dislike using it for anything above ISO400. So, that leaves the 5D series. Of the 3, only 5D2 and 5D3 can handle ISO6400+, and only 5D3 can AF using off center point. Hence, my original question as to whether it was worth it?
That said, thanks to you Tuomey for suggesting early in my post, I picked up a 1D4 just yesterday so I'm supper excited to give that a whirl. That is no FF, but it meets all of my criteria - relatively clean ISO6400+ and can AF off-center point @ F4. I feel like a kid that just got a toy on Xmas day - over joyed! I'm no longer in a hurry to buy a 5D3 and perhaps wait for the next sensor generation - Exmore. Yay!
Guy/gals, the 1D4 is da bomb! I did a couple of informal tests with my 24-105L indoors and had couple of positive observations:
1. The AWB corrects indoor lighting fairly well - much more consistent the 1D3.
2. Off-center AF is very quick and accurate! Boy, it's a joy to use.
3. NO MA required for any of my most used lenses 35L, 24-105L, 70-200II. Tack sharp - YIPEEEE!!
4. The noise characteristic is similar to 7D, but way more usable even at ISO 10,000 - impressive! The NR settings applied to 1D4 images are way lower compared to 7D, which means 7D images come out a bit too soft for my taste after NR.
All in all I'm super happy with 1D4. I'm actually postponing buying any FF for now.
