Canon 5D MKIII official owners/users thread, anything related to the 5D MKIII

I occasionally pop into London to take some shots of random things.
It's sure to be in my bag if anyone wants to give it a run Dave :D
 
NO!!!

.....but thanks for the offer (y)

In all seriousness, i dont need convincing, and i could buy it tomorrow if i really needed it. My problem is its too close to my 100 f/2, and i love the 100 because its so small and light. If i had a bigger and heavier lens i wouldn't use it as much, so luckily im not too tempted at the moment.
If i had an actually need for it i would get it in a heartbeat (or more likely Hong Kong)
 
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dave_bass5 said:
NO!!!

.....but thanks for the offer (y)

In all seriousness, i dont need convincing, and i could buy it tomorrow if i really needed it. My problem is its too close to my 100 f/2, and i love the 100 because its so small and light. If i had a bigger and heavier lens i wouldn't use it as much, so luckily im not too tempted at the moment.
If i had an actually need for it i would get it in a heartbeat (or more likely Hong Kong)
Click to expand...

No worries Dave.
If you change your mind. You know where I am though... ;)
 
dave_bass5 said:
Ive never used a 24-70 MKI, but almost everything ive read says the MKII is better. A lot of people say its Prime IQ in a zoom, but then not all primes are equal anyway.
Ive tried to get in to using just primes, and in fact id say i use my 100 f/2 more than any other lens, even as a walkabout lens, but i cant get over the restriction primes can put on you under certain conditions, so my go to lens is still my 24-70 (although at the moment its the 24-105)

I'd love a 135L f/2, to me that would definitely be stellar, although i love my 100 f/2 too much to give that up.
Click to expand...


I tried to use a 50mm prime for my street shots and found it was too restricted.

The street is just too versatile to use a prime on as i never know what to expect when i am walking down a street.

I would most likely use a prime for a controlled environment where i know that certain zoom range is sufficient for a particular environment.
 
I think 35mm and 50mm on the 5D are very nice Streetphotography lenses.
You need get close to the subjects/objects and that's I think is the challenge.

When there are days where I am not really in a mood to get 'close' to them, fortunately I got a VERY nice version of the 24-105L :p That person must have been nuts to sell it to me ;) Da.. ^^

Anyway, I really prefer the 24-105 to my 24-70L MKI which has been stolen last year. It gives me sharper images and more reach. The loss of 2 stops is compensated by the IS which is fine for me.

Next things on my list are the 8-15mmL for my Google Trusted Business Photographer Project and a Fuji X-E1 paired with Fuji 35mm 1.4 for normal use.

Does anyone has a good cable release for the 5D? Using an Infrared one, but it's pretty useless when you stand behind the camera...
 
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Depending on what photos you take. Personally I would go for the 50mm, because I know it would fit me more than the wider 35mm. I like to take portraits where I don't need to go 10m back to get the shot =)
Both of them are superb lenses. Since you got the 85 and the 135, maybe you want to go for the 35mm to cover the lower end?
 
Chee said:
Depending on what photos you take. Personally I would go for the 50mm, because I know it would fit me more than the wider 35mm. I like to take portraits where I don't need to go 10m back to get the shot =)
Both of them are superb lenses. Since you got the 85 and the 135, maybe you want to go for the 35mm to cover the lower end?
Click to expand...

Yeah I haven't actually used either on a FF body.
I used to have the 50mm f1.8 on my 7D. Which finally made the decision of getting the 85mm for the 5D3.
As you mentioned about not needing to step too far back. I'd like it to be able to fit a couple of people easily without needing to do this.
 
Chee said:
Does anyone has a good cable release for the 5D? Using an Infrared one, but it's pretty useless when you stand behind the camera...
Click to expand...
To sell, or to recommend? I don't have one at the moment, but I'm definitely going to pick up the RS-80 later in the year.
 
Did the 1.2.1 firmware upgrade resolve all AF issues ?

When I use my Canon 100-400 L lens, with an Extender EF 2x Mk2, the red focus light never seems to illuminate, but the focus screen sharpens into place.

When I tried the lens with a Kenko Teleplus Pro 300 DGX converter, the red light illuminated some times.

I was using spot focus when I noticed this.
 
Just rechecked again and definitely not getting the red focus lock light at all with the Canon extender. Lowest I could go was F11, when testing in AV or TV mode

Incidentally just did some tests without either converter and cropped them, much sharper than either converter produced and with this setup I got the red focus light and could stop down lower than F11 to F8


Incidentally when I tried Manual mode for the test using Auto ISO

Canon no extender -- used ISO 100
Canon x2 -- used ISO 200
Kenko -- used ISO 320

The Kenko was not as sharp as the x2 converter
 
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Mystery57 said:
Just rechecked again and definitely not getting the red focus lock light at all with the Canon extender. Lowest I could go was F11, when testing in AV or TV mode

Incidentally just did some tests without either converter and cropped them, much sharper than either converter produced and with this setup I got the red focus light and could stop down lower than F11 to F8


Incidentally when I tried Manual mode for the test using Auto ISO

Canon no extender -- used ISO 100
Canon x2 -- used ISO 200
Kenko -- used ISO 320

The Kenko was not as sharp as the x2 converter
Click to expand...

I'm sure you know, but its not what aperture you select but what aperture the the lens has as its min/max aperture i.e. if you have a 70/200 f4 and put a 2x extender on it becomes F8, regardless of what you are actually setting the aperture to.
I used that combo on my 5D3 last weekend, taking shots through a fence at Luton Airport, centre point focus (as that was al lthat was available of course). It missed a few shots because a lot of fence/post got in the shot, and it tried to refocus (slowly), I had it set on case 2(?) ignore stuff coming into the shot. It worked pretty well in my opinion, most of the time and the focus light lit on most of the shots. I had it set on Manual exposure, f4 and 1/3000th shutter speed, auto Iso jumped up and down as required. I was quite impressed. I have the latest firmware on my camera.

Isnt the 100-400 a 4.5/5.6 lens? If so I'm amazed it focused with a x2 converter as you'd effectively be up at f11 at max zoom and f9 even at the bottom end. You'd need to use a 1.4 to be sure that combo would work.
HTH
Matt
 
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Number45 said:
To sell, or to recommend? I don't have one at the moment, but I'm definitely going to pick up the RS-80 later in the year.
Click to expand...

I have a bandit Chinese one, used it on my old 5Dmk1, not sure I'm going to use it with the 3, just in case it burns something out and ruins a £2500 camera :(
Didnt mind "too" much with the old one.
 
Chee said:
I think 35mm and 50mm on the 5D are very nice Streetphotography lenses.
You need get close to the subjects/objects and that's I think is the challenge.

When there are days where I am not really in a mood to get 'close' to them, fortunately I got a VERY nice version of the 24-105L :p That person must have been nuts to sell it to me ;) Da.. ^^

Anyway, I really prefer the 24-105 to my 24-70L MKI which has been stolen last year. It gives me sharper images and more reach. The loss of 2 stops is compensated by the IS which is fine for me.

Next things on my list are the 8-15mmL for my Google Trusted Business Photographer Project and a Fuji X-E1 paired with Fuji 35mm 1.4 for normal use.

Does anyone has a good cable release for the 5D? Using an Infrared one, but it's pretty useless when you stand behind the camera...
Click to expand...

Funnily enough im using a friends 24-105L way more than my 24-70 f/2.8 MKII at the moment. I can see the 24-105 being slightly softer than the f/2.8 at 100% but not enough to put me off using it. Im finding it a bit more versatile, especially as it works well for video, and ive still not adjusted to the FF reach yet.
I was tempted to get another one for myself but i know i will miss the f/2.8 if i did that (and no, im not swapping it lol, that lens creep really did my head in).

As far as cables go, i got one of these last year and have had no issues with it. Not bad for £6.99. I also have IR but find it a bit of a pain to use sometimes, plus with the cable you dont need to change the Drive mode.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003KC1V6C/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
Question 1 - is there anyway of pinning this thread so it stays near the top of page 1 ?

Question 2 - had a strange problem this morning, switched the camera on, and the shutter refused to fire. Looked close and 00 was flashing on the lCD screen in amongst all the usual settings Auto ISO etc.

I cleaned the contacts and changed the battery made no difference.

Tried to format the card, and it got as far as the Ok stage and then went no further. Other menu screens were slow.

Manual focus was working but not auto focus.

I put the body cap on and powered up again and this time it worked properly. Put a lens on again and all still worked fine.

Anyone else encountered this happening ?

thanks
Andrew
 
The "00" signifies the camera cant connect to the lens, or at least the camera cant see a lens. You get the same "00" if you turn the camera on without a lens.

Was this with just one lens? My Tamron did this, and ive heard that some older 24-105L's can as well.
Cleaning the contacts is always the first thing to do in this case but the card formatting issue sounds like it might be more serious.

If its all working now then all you can really do is keep an eye on it.
 
Greetings,

Probably down to user error and whatnot

5D 3 along with the 24-70 mk2

I just can't seem to get pin sharp images with it at all with portrait / landscape work

someone has mentioned to do micro focus with the lens but no idea if its out of alignment as such anyway so no idea what to look for.

going to try and get a focus tool to use and go from there really
 
Mp4 said:
Greetings,

Probably down to user error and whatnot

5D 3 along with the 24-70 mk2

I just can't seem to get pin sharp images with it at all with portrait / landscape work

someone has mentioned to do micro focus with the lens but no idea if its out of alignment as such anyway so no idea what to look for.

going to try and get a focus tool to use and go from there really
Click to expand...


Do you have any poor samples we could look at?

This is the method i used until i got FoCal. It might give you an indication if there is something up.
http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/article_pages/cameras/1ds3_af_micoadjustment.html

Also check that there isnt any MFA already applied. You can do this either in the menu or jus ton the LCD when in shooting mode, as it will indicate if MFA is in use.
Im sure i read that some people have noticed the camera has turned this on (-8 IIR) without any user intervention. I think it was a bug that might have been fixed by now though.
 
Mp4 said:
Greetings,

Probably down to user error and whatnot

5D 3 along with the 24-70 mk2

I just can't seem to get pin sharp images with it at all with portrait / landscape work

someone has mentioned to do micro focus with the lens but no idea if its out of alignment as such anyway so no idea what to look for.

going to try and get a focus tool to use and go from there really
Click to expand...




what focussing methods did you try - AF, using tripod, which zone selections etc - is it a constant problem across all of them.

If yes micro adjust will help as I found with my 100mm macro I was always about 2mm behind what I had focussed on, slight tweaking and the problem seems to have gone away.
 
Mystery57 said:
Hi Dave - I was using my 100mm macro, and I also tried my 24-70mm.

Just been out and took a few hundred photos and seemed to be ok again - so will just have to keep an eye on it, got warranty so not worried unduly

cheers
Click to expand...

Yeah, not much you can do once its gone. After i had my first error 00 i took about 200 before it came back (same lens).
Fingers crossed its just a one off.
 
got a question regarding using the in camera HDR.
When you take a shot in this mode the camera takes 3 pics right?
the first 2 noises the shutter makes sound identical, but the 3rd time the shutter opens/closes its a different noise and it pauses or jitters/slows down!!
The images all look OK, does anyone elses' do this too?
 
Carlo said:
got a question regarding using the in camera HDR.
When you take a shot in this mode the camera takes 3 pics right?
the first 2 noises the shutter makes sound identical, but the 3rd time the shutter opens/closes its a different noise and it pauses or jitters/slows down!!
The images all look OK, does anyone elses' do this too?
Click to expand...

I cant say ive really noticed (or use that feature much).
I did just try it and i think it might either be the fact that as its the last shot the camera is starting to piece the image together and so slows down a bit, or maybe its a slightly longer exposure.
Just a guess.
 
dave_bass5 said:
Do you have any poor samples we could look at?

This is the method i used until i got FoCal. It might give you an indication if there is something up.
http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/article_pages/cameras/1ds3_af_micoadjustment.html

Also check that there isnt any MFA already applied. You can do this either in the menu or jus ton the LCD when in shooting mode, as it will indicate if MFA is in use.
Im sure i read that some people have noticed the camera has turned this on (-8 IIR) without any user intervention. I think it was a bug that might have been fixed by now though.
Click to expand...

Is focal worth using? I have never had to tweak my lenses.
 
Carlo said:
got a question regarding using the in camera HDR.
When you take a shot in this mode the camera takes 3 pics right?
the first 2 noises the shutter makes sound identical, but the 3rd time the shutter opens/closes its a different noise and it pauses or jitters/slows down!!
The images all look OK, does anyone elses' do this too?
Click to expand...

Does that happen in silent mode?
 
jonneymendoza said:
Is focal worth using? I have never had to tweak my lenses.
Click to expand...

This is my first camera with MFA, so ive never had the option to tweak (or really needed it anyway)
Its hard to say if its worth getting. Ive not really had to use it, although i have run it on my primes and 24-70. The 50mm f/1.4 does seem a bit better when its wide open now (+5), but the 24-70 only needed +/- 2, so basically it was fine, as was my 100mm and 40mm.
Ive had varying results with FoCal, i would say if you see a problem with AF then Focal is just as good as any to help correct it. If you dont and are just wanting to get the very last ounce of sharpness out of an already sharp lens then no, its not.
I used the Moire test i posted above before i got Focal, and that showed my lenses were more or less fine (other than my first Tamron), but i got FoCal as it was on offer, and i wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
 
dave_bass5 said:
This is my first camera with MFA, so ive never had the option to tweak (or really needed it anyway)
Its hard to say if its worth getting. Ive not really had to use it, although i have run it on my primes and 24-70. The 50mm f/1.4 does seem a bit better when its wide open now (+5), but the 24-70 only needed +/- 2, so basically it was fine, as was my 100mm and 40mm.
Ive had varying results with FoCal, i would say if you see a problem with AF then Focal is just as good as any to help correct it. If you dont and are just wanting to get the very last ounce of sharpness out of an already sharp lens then no, its not.
I used the Moire test i posted above before i got Focal, and that showed my lenses were more or less fine (other than my first Tamron), but i got FoCal as it was on offer, and i wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
Click to expand...

Hi Dave,

How do you get on with FoCal, I can't get it to work on my Netbook as it always fails downloading the images to the Netbook during the test.

Tried adding RAW drivers to Win 7 but no change. Any help advice would be great. Paid £40 for it and thinking its been a waste.

Mike.
 
Hi Mike.
I've always found FoCal to be pretty unstable at the best of times. It seems to do the job but some versions have been very flakey.
Assuming you meet the min specs my only guess is the Netbook isn't powerful enough, but that's just a wild guess.
Have you tried a different version?
 
Anyone noticed that if you have two cards mounted with the setting of go to second card if first full that if you take card 1out and then put it back in the camera defaults to writing to card 2 and ignores card 1. If you take both out and put them back camera writes to card 1. Odd behaviour, happened twice so I guess its supposed to do that?
Maty
 
Yep, already been discussed a few times. Just leave the camera door open when you take the CF card out and this will leave slot one as the default when you put it back in.

My theory is that it's to cover those times that you forget to put the card back in, so the camera doesn't default to an empty slot.
 
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dave_bass5 said:
Do you have any poor samples we could look at?
Click to expand...

I use single AF most of the time

This was the 1st shot i ever took with my 5D at the beach it was a test shot so no flaming :D using 50iso

Think i was in focus on the cliffs (far right af)

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/103944763/3A4A1024.cr2

I know that shooting into the sun makes things generally softer anyway.

& going towards to dusk with the slower shutter speeds (below 60th sec) its very soft anyway.

At the moment i am comparing the sharpness with a Nikon D3S + 24-70 who a friend has and baffles me every time no idea what the comparison is between them but seems the 5d3 has nothing on it.
 
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Just took a couple of boxes of my old unwanted DVD's into my local CEX shop.
There was some bloke in there asking what they'd give him for a 5D3 body!
They said they'd need an hour to check it through. So I've no idea what they'll offer him.
But why in earth would anyone take it there?? :(
 
Mp4 said:
I use single AF most of the time

This was the 1st shot i ever took with my 5D at the beach it was a test shot so no flaming :D using 50iso

Think i was in focus on the cliffs (far right af)

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/103944763/3A4A1024.cr2

I know that shooting into the sun makes things generally softer anyway.

& going towards to dusk with the slower shutter speeds (below 60th sec) its very soft anyway.

At the moment i am comparing the sharpness with a Nikon D3S + 24-70 who a friend has and baffles me every time no idea what the comparison is between them but seems the 5d3 has nothing on it.
Click to expand...

I really cant tell much from this shot. Do you have something with more defined edges in it?
Was this was taken on a tripod? (1/32 is quite slow, although shouldn't be a problem). The focus point is on the cliffs in the background, which are low contrast so they will look a bit soft.

How are you comparing your shots with your friends? on the Camera or on a PC?
It really needs to be like for like, same settings etc.
 
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