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 p.10 #8 · 5d3...not much better than 5d2. | |
gdanmitchell wrote:
So, I guess that you can't imagine any ways that the 5D3 could be better than it is? ;-)
Well, yes. But isn't that precisely the point? Let's just try to parse this out from more than one perspective for a moment.
Let's say you are a landscape sort of photographer working from the tripod and most often using live view on a 5D2. The improvements and added features of the 5D3, as nice as they are, are unlikely to be compelling for you. As one other person pointed out earlier in the thread, the odds are that even you won't be able to tell the difference between what you produce with the 5D2 and what you produce with the 5D3. You'll get the (same) shot either way.
Let's say you are a portrait photographer shooting a 5D2 under artificial lighting of one sort or another. In almost all cases, though arguably slightly fewer than in the landscape example, the 5D3 again won't make the difference between getting the shot or not and, in fact, the differences will be invisible to your clients and most likely to you as well.
Let's say you area a photographer of active subjects, which might include things ranging from sports to certain kinds of wildlife and even some event photography. Here there is a decent chance that the improved AF system could sometimes make a difference. As someone who shoots these subjects occasionally, I'd describe the potential difference as an incremental (and we could debate the size of the increment) improvement but short of night and day - since one can effectively shoot these subjects with a 5D2, though the camera is somewhat less suited to them than the 5D3. So here it becomes a "value" question - how much is the improvement worth to the photographer? This leads to another point - if you are in a position to believe that "getting the shot" that depends on the best AF system and high speed burst and so forth is critical enough that cost is no object... the 1Dx is more likely your camera, right? If not, the cost is an issue...
There is no question in my mind that the 5D3 is a better camera that improves on the excellent 5D2. If I had to replace my 5D2 today - let's say it was lost, broken badly, or stolen - I would almost certainly* replace it with a 5D3 rather than another 5D2. But from my real world perspective as a photographer who is more interested in making photographs than in acquiring gear, for me the differences just don't justify the expense - which is not to say that the differences do not exist.
The differences, while real, also do not seem to me to justify the "best camera ever" or "night and day" or "X blows Y out of the water" sort of stuff either. That strikes me as being the equivalent of marketing talk, and I'm sure that Canon is happy to see it - but some forumtographers have said similar things about ever single new body that Canon (or any other manufacturer) has introduced... including the 5D2 and the 5D...
So:
Yes, the 5D3 improves on the 5D2. It is a better camera.
No, the better-ness is not going to impress most photographers at "night and day."
Yes, if cost isn't an issue and you are looking for a new camera in this category, you will probably happily purchase a 5D3 rather than a discontinued or used 5D2.
No, it is anything but certain that a 5D2 owner moving to a 5D3, as fine as the 5D3 is, will experience a "night and day" difference in his or her photography.
But wait, what would be the point of photography forums then? ;-)
Take care,
Dan
*Actually, if my primary 5D2 body died right now, I might replace it with a 5D2 temporarily while waiting to see whether Canon comes up with a higher MP full frame body in the next year of so. This won't matter to quite a few folks, but it could matter to me....Show more →
Dan,
I'm not talking about image quality, the difference there is definitely incremental.
The "is it worth it" debate seems pretty pointless, as that is up to the individual and their specific needs.
However, for low-light event work, with fast primes, the older 5d AF system struggles. I have missed many shots in situations like these and had to persevere to get a few keepers. The fact is, the 5d3 AF is a big improvement. It allows you to work more smoothly in these situations, and for many photographers, their job is now a lot easier. I even find that the 5dIII af is an improvement over the 1dIV (for what I shoot).
I never felt like I could trust the old 9 point AF. (even the center point)
I now feel confident when shooting the 5dIII. I can trust the AF system. It's BIBLICALLY good!
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Archive 2013 · 5d3...not much better than 5d2.
? I couldn't agree more with Dan's summary. 