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

I've recently bought a 2nd hand canon 5d mark iii from the classifieds on here.

I then bought a meike battery grip from amazon.

Using the battery grip, the camera randomly turned off (I changed it to not turn off for 8 minutes but this made no difference) and also drained both batteries overnight even when it said they were full.

I assumed it could be the battery grip and original owner said they had no such issues.

I've sent the battery grip back to Amazon.

However today when using the camera with battery in the camera itself I took about 7 photos this afternoon after fully charging the battery last night. Now at 7pm the battery is flat again, so much so that it won't even turn the camera on.

I'm hoping it's just the battery that is faulty / past its shelf life but worse case is it's the camera itself :-(.

I'm using the 2nd battery I received with it and have just taken 17 photos and it's now down to 98%. I'm gonna leave it and see what happens to the battery.

The camera says that both batteries have a 2 out of 3 recharge performance.

I assume if it's OK with this battery then the other battery is past it. However if this battery does the same then this could mean it's the camera? :-(

I just wondered if anyone has any other thoughts as to what I can test / rule out?
 
I read a lot of stuff about Mieke battery grips causing batteries to lose charge quickly. In fact a read a lot about a number of the grips doing the same. That doesnt explain why yours is doing it without it though.
Have you got live view on?
 
Mitzyboy said:
I read a lot of stuff about Mieke battery grips causing batteries to lose charge quickly. In fact a read a lot about a number of the grips doing the same. That doesnt explain why yours is doing it without it though.
Have you got live view on?
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No I don't have live view on.

I've read a few posts on other forums but not that many occurrences of it. Problem is there doesn't seem to be a common answer / solution that I can find at the moment.

Most also seem to be where it only lasts for say 400 shots. This today literally lasted at max 10 shots.

I think the best case scenario is that it's one of the batteries that isn't great.
 
Any speedlite (or other) recommendations for a 5D iii?

I have two needs
........ something small to always carry with me (miss the pop up of other models).
........ something with a bit more beef for occasional use.

I'm not a great flash user and so I don't want to pay expensive (I have done that in the past and the units have gathered dust).

Happy to buy used, ebay etc...

Don't mind older models - little unsure of compatibility issues.

Thanks
 
Who cleans their own Sensor?? I'm too scared and tend to take it to a local Camera maintance service costing £30 a pop.

Any advice or tutorials?
 
Mp4 said:
Who cleans their own Sensor?? I'm too scared and tend to take it to a local Camera maintance service costing £30 a pop.

Any advice or tutorials?
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I do. No problems at all and probably a better job than the dealer because I will take the time to get it right.
 
pat36a said:
Any speedlite (or other) recommendations for a 5D iii?

I have two needs
........ something small to always carry with me (miss the pop up of other models).
........ something with a bit more beef for occasional use.

I'm not a great flash user and so I don't want to pay expensive (I have done that in the past and the units have gathered dust).

Happy to buy used, ebay etc...

Don't mind older models - little unsure of compatibility issues.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Yongnuo 560 or 580 from Amazon, basically Canon copies for a fraction of the price.
 
Gaz J said:
I do. No problems at all and probably a better job than the dealer because I will take the time to get it right.
Click to expand...

And remember, you're not really cleaning the sensor, that's safely behind the hipass filter.

It's all much more robust than you would imagine.
 
I had a play with a Canon 80D at the weekend. I used to have a 60D and have missed the articulated LCD. Although i have a 650D i never use it, due to my 5D being so much better.
Anyway, ive decided to do the unthinkable and get rid of my 5DMKIII and get a 80D :-O

My reasons are varied but ive been after going back to a crop camera for a while, and i almost got a 7dmkii last year, but didnt get around to it. To me the 80D appeals for its LCD if nothing else.
 
Does anybody recommend any particular grip for the 5d mk3 as I have a similar issue with my batteries loosing charge over a period of about a week they will be dead.
I'm assuming this will be a common issue
 
bigrich110 said:
Does anybody recommend any particular grip for the 5d mk3 as I have a similar issue with my batteries loosing charge over a period of about a week they will be dead.
I'm assuming this will be a common issue
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To be honest I always think having paid so much for the camera you are better with a canon grip but I admit the price is a bit extreme. My own compromise was a second hand one as the mk lll has been around for a while now and you find people selling them on because they never use them.
The othe bonus is the AA battery tray which helps to avoid problems if the batteries are flat

Hope this helps
 
Canon brook said:
To be honest I always think having paid so much for the camera you are better with a canon grip but I admit the price is a bit extreme. My own compromise was a second hand one as the mk lll has been around for a while now and you find people selling them on because they never use them.
The othe bonus is the AA battery tray which helps to avoid problems if the batteries are flat

Hope this helps
Click to expand...
mine came with my camera however i would really like a canon grip for this and my 70d as well however its when then funds allow
 
pat36a said:
Any speedlite (or other) recommendations for a 5D iii?

I have two needs
........ something small to always carry with me (miss the pop up of other models).
........ something with a bit more beef for occasional use.

I'm not a great flash user and so I don't want to pay expensive (I have done that in the past and the units have gathered dust).

Happy to buy used, ebay etc...

Don't mind older models - little unsure of compatibility issues.

Thanks
Click to expand...
The little one off the mirror less camera fits and can be used as a master flash gun is great as a fill-in low powered gun. 90ex is the model number.
Matt
 
Been using my new canon flash 430 rt 111,really over the moon with it,having only had a cheap one before,excellent on the 5d mkiii and on my 7d mkii,my only regret I couldn't afford the more powerful one,High speed sync is awesome and second curtain sync is good but haven't use that much yet.
 
Danones said:
Guys i was looking into buying this camera and i checked in digitalRev, and the price is like 600pounds cheaper than other stores. Is it because of the grey import? I dont understand anything about this !
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Yes because its a grey. No official UK warranty. Warranty lies with the company you buy from. Lots of discussion on this on here. Just search for grey imports.
 
Canon brook said:
It's annoying when so many models use the same battery but the grips don't fit universally
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The grip for the 50D is the same as it is for 20D, 30D and 40D. The disadvantage is, the 50D got the AF-On button, which at least the 20D didn't come with and which I prefer on all cameras, but the grip doesn't have it. So you have to configure AF-On to the '*'-Button, if you don't want the shutter button for AF. But then you'll always find the now useless AF-On-Button first when doing in landscape mode.

As for the 5DIII, you at least will not have the 'joy stick' on the grip, if the one for the Mark II would fit and you would miss even more, if the grip was the same as for the 5D.
 
I have joined the fold..

Bought a Mkiii last week and so far so good..!

Not been out an awful lot, Some of the kids at the park and went to a race event this weekend, but loving it.

It's menus are a lot more in depth than the Mkii I came from, but one thing I love so far is being able to change the DOF button..! It's set on switching between 'one shot' and 'AI Servo' at the moment :)

Any other quick tips?
 
BennyBoo said:
I have joined the fold..

Bought a Mkiii last week and so far so good..!

Not been out an awful lot, Some of the kids at the park and went to a race event this weekend, but loving it.

It's menus are a lot more in depth than the Mkii I came from, but one thing I love so far is being able to change the DOF button..! It's set on switching between 'one shot' and 'AI Servo' at the moment :)

Any other quick tips?
Click to expand...

You will love it, its a fantastic camera. Had mine about a year, upgraded from the MK1.
 
Had mine 3-6 months not sure exactly,Quality of photo is very good and I said when I bought it that it would do me now as I'm 60 as I also have the 7d ii, I should of waited for the mki iv ,it just lacks a bit of speed for me,As I said that's it for me I made my choice so it will have to see me out.The next move for me will be to sell up and move smaller.
 
Royroy1111 said:
Had mine 3-6 months not sure exactly,Quality of photo is very good and I said when I bought it that it would do me now as I'm 60 as I also have the 7d ii, I should of waited for the mki iv ,it just lacks a bit of speed for me,As I said that's it for me I made my choice so it will have to see me out.The next move for me will be to sell up and move smaller.
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You expect it to last 25 - 30+ years?
 
I've just got my hands on one this week , and I'm struggling to decide what memory card set up to use . I guess that the camera will write at the lowest speed if two cards are fitted . I'm looking at 32mb cf and SD cards and just wondered what cards everyone else had paired together .
 
I used a Sandisk CF 32gb Ultra and a Sandisk SD 32gb Extreme in mine..

I couldn't get on with using two cards.. and I don't need to right now. Wedding season in July..

I just use the CF now and the SD in the EosM...
 
BigJohn said:
I've just got my hands on one this week , and I'm struggling to decide what memory card set up to use . I guess that the camera will write at the lowest speed if two cards are fitted . I'm looking at 32mb cf and SD cards and just wondered what cards everyone else had paired together .
Click to expand...

Don't even put an SD card in the slot or it will slow down! Fast cards make a difference to the buffer when shooting continuous bursts too.

Had my 5d3 for years, it does everything, never missed a shot that wasn't user error.
 
BennyBoo said:
I used a Sandisk CF 32gb Ultra and a Sandisk SD 32gb Extreme in mine..

I couldn't get on with using two cards.. and I don't need to right now. Wedding season in July..

I just use the CF now and the SD in the EosM...
Click to expand...
I only want to use dual cards when I need the backup , so does a faster SD card help with speed if cf is slower ? Never had the option of dual cards before , but feel lucky not having a failure to date . I decided that better safe than sorry , as it's sods law that the first time it happens no doubt it will cost me dear.
 
It is the SD slot that is the problem in the 5d3, so when shooting bursts for maximum speed And buffer I use CF only with no backup, and won't even have an SD in the camera.

When shooting important stuff I'll write to both cards simultaneously.
 
Craig_85 said:
It is the SD slot that is the problem in the 5d3, so when shooting bursts for maximum speed And buffer I use CF only with no backup, and won't even have an SD in the camera.

When shooting important stuff I'll write to both cards simultaneously.
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Cool , I don't really shoot where I need long bursts but will bear that in mind if I do . I tend to shoot portraits so one shot or small bursts . I've just been roped into a wedding and want to cover myself with the backup . I'm considering pairing sandisk extreme cards for the job .
 
Hi,I use SD cards,are you saying my camera will perform better using CF card instead?ie faster as sometimes like to use it sports wise but find it only takes short bursts.
 
Royroy1111 said:
Hi,I use SD cards,are you saying my camera will perform better using CF card instead?ie faster as sometimes like to use it sports wise but find it only takes short bursts.
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It sounds like the cf port is faster than the SD one that appears to have a bottle neck somewhere.
 
There's a sports pro on here who used the 5d3 (or did before 1dx upgrade) who for filming. It's a great all rounder if you don't want the size and weight of the series 1. I love it. You might miss the speed and the low light performance if you shoot indoors a lot.
 
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Craig_85 said:
Yes the buffer will clear faster with a quicker card too. Check this link out mate http://blog.photoshelter.com/2014/11/the-fastest-sd-cf-cards-for-the-canon-5d-mark-iii/

Also has anyone noticed that the frame rate drops and I feel the ad suffers too with a low battery? If doing sports you are best changing the battery over before it gets too low or the performance will suffer.
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Yes I was shocked when I changed the battery at a football match at half time... the fps definitely better with a fresh battery.
 
Went into London Camera Exchange and they told me my 5d mkiii is working pretty much as fast as it can and the SD card I have is a very fast one,My 7d mkii being pretty much my first camera I think I've been spoilt.
 
Royroy1111 said:
Went into London Camera Exchange and they told me my 5d mkiii is working pretty much as fast as it can and the SD card I have is a very fast one,My 7d mkii being pretty much my first camera I think I've been spoilt.
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Did you not read the link @Craig_85 provided you?

The 5D3 will run at it's max fps (roughly 6fps isn't it?) until the buffer is full, at which point it can only write as fast as the card slot (not the card) will allow.
The CF Slot is UDMA 7 which is (up to) 167MB/sec
The SD Slot is a standard SD slot, so 133x which is (minimum) 20MB/sec.

So in theory once you have a ful buffer, the CF card will clear space for the next file to be written in up to 1/8th of the time it will take the SD card.
Of course, the CF will be clearing the buffer 8x faster than the SD as you fill the buffer, so it will take longer to slow down too.

Obviously these are theoretical numbers, and in real life the difference will not be as marked, but it's something that 5D3 owners have muttered about for ever.

Oh, and just to make things worse, if you have both the CF and SD cards in the camera, it will default to the speed of the slower card.

If you have a fast (expensive) SD card it will not be helping with your fps/buffer over a cheaper, slower card. But it will help at during the file downloads (assuming you use an external card reader).
 
I DID READ IT THANK YOU.
I'm only reporting what LCE told me today when I went in to ask about a faster card.
 
Royroy1111 said:
I DID READ IT THANK YOU.
I'm only reporting what LCE told me today when I went in to ask about a faster card.
Click to expand...

If you want to write to both CF and SD cards at the same time then don't bother getting fast cards as you're wasting your money unless downloading to the PC a bit quicker is important to you.

If you want to maximise the buffer performance of the 5D3 just use a CF card. Then you can utilise the cameras ability to make use of the extra speed of a fast card.

The info below is real world testing repeated several times and averaged.

NB. I stopped shooting as soon as the frame rate slowed from 6FPS.

Can only vouch for Sandisk CF cards with these figures as that is the only make I use.

60MB/S Max RAW 13. Frames before FPS slowed 17. Time to clear buffer to Max RAW of 13 again 5.5 secs.

90MB/S Max RAW 13. Frames before FPS slowed 21. Time to clear buffer to max RAW of 13 again 4.0 secs.

160MB/S Max RAW 13. Frames before FPS slowed 25. Time to clear buffer to max RAW of 13 again 3.25 secs. This is a UDMA 7 card.
 
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