Canon 5D MKIII (UK Production Body) Test Images & Thoughts

501cards said:
In the situation you have quoted if you are happy to just use the centre focus point rather than the outers, then I reckon you would be just as happy with the MKII

Running the MKII and MKIII side by side in low light conditions I find the following

MKII, Centre point locks fast even in the lowest light and 80% of the time its an accurate lock, the other 20% it will confirm lock but it has not, on the outer points that drops to 50/50 or less

MKIII, Centre point locks fairly fast in low light, slower than the MKII by a noticable amout, but when it locks its right on, no hit or miss, it either locks or it gives up no false readings. Same with the outer points but again with a slowdown,

Firstly thanks for a really interesting hand on review! I was really interested in the comments above on the AF. I do a lot of concert work with a MKII and rarely have a low light issues that a lot seem to comment on. The low light/high ISO look really good.

Dunc

The MKII, seems to go for best and what the hell, The MKIII seems to go for right or not at all.

This may be down to the much more advanced menu settings in the AF Menu allowing you to choose much more detailed Focus over speed options than you can on the MKII
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Thanks for taking the time out and giving us your opinion, the images you have posted do look fantastic. I'm just not sure it is worth spending that much more than the Mark ii. Thanks again.
 
Apologies to the OP for my post above, it lost the comments I added! I said that thank you for a useful and informative hands on review. I am thinking of changing as the high ISO will be really useful but i think I will wait to see what happens to the price over the next few months!
 
Im looking to upgrade to a mk3 not sure how i would focus since i'm used to the middle focus af point on my 5D. I tend to shoot with f1.2 to 2 - so wondered with all the af points on a mk3 how you will do that since dof on 1.2 is very shallow. Hope it makes sense.
 
ps2user said:
Im looking to upgrade to a mk3 not sure how i would focus since i'm used to the middle focus af point on my 5D. I tend to shoot with f1.2 to 2 - so wondered with all the af points on a mk3 how you will do that since dof on 1.2 is very shallow. Hope it makes sense.
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Presuming 5DIII af is 1D good like they claim, you should be able to select any point you need and use it.
That's what I do with my 1-series - focus and recompose is really not necessary.
 
You can select which focus point you require from the 61 points. Or you can do as you have done on your 5d1. Focus recompose click.

I found the accuracy and responsiveness of the 5D3 light years from my 5D1, if the 5D2 is based on the mk1 af system I find it odd that the 5D2 is quicker than the mk3. Maybe it's because it still is newer than my old cam.
 
oli said:
You can select which focus point you require from the 61 points. Or you can do as you have done on your 5d1. Focus recompose click.

I found the accuracy and responsiveness of the 5D3 light years from my 5D1, if the 5D2 is based on the mk1 af system I find it odd that the 5D2 is quicker than the mk3. Maybe it's because it still is newer than my old cam.
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hold on

are you saying that the 5d mark 3 is not as accurate at focussing as your mark 1?
 
jonneymendoza said:
Aint it quicker to recomposs using middle focus point then to manually select a AF point?
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depends on a lot of factors.

Try focus recomposing when you are tracking a child running across a scene. Then its easy to pick the point you want for the composition and use servo and keep the subject on that point

Try focus recompose when you are shooting at f/1.4 when the subject is moving his/her head around.

Different techniques for different situations
 
joescrivens said:
hold on

are you saying that the 5d mark 3 is not as accurate at focussing as your mark 1?
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Not sure how you're getting that from what he said. :thinking:

jonneymendoza said:
Aint it quicker to recomposs using middle focus point then to manually select a AF point?
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If you are using an f1.4 lens, especially at close focussing distances, this can result in missed focus as the DOF is so narrow.
 
jonneymendoza said:
Aint it quicker to recomposs using middle focus point then to manually select a AF point?
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The DOF at 1.2, 1.4 etc is very low so i never recompose and shoot. So i wasn't sure how you can select individual af points since there are so many of them. Also with the mk1 and a presuem on mk2 you can use the joystick to select the focus point to use very quickly, not sure on the mk3 with so many.
 
ps2user said:
The DOF at 1.2, 1.4 etc is very low so i never recompose and shoot. So i wasn't sure how you can select individual af points since there are so many of them. Also with the mk1 and a presuem on mk2 you can use the joystick to select the focus point to use very quickly, not sure on the mk3 with so many.
Click to expand...

You can set it up in various ways....

ultra fine point
Single point
Single point with expansion 4 extra points (+ shape)
Single point with expansion 8 points ([] shape
Block of points
All points

info from Canon US

youtube video
 
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Sorry..... yes it is light years ahead compared to what I was used to, apologies as I'm using an iPhone to type and the context isn't as comprehensive as I can't see the full sentences!

I find using a shallow dof on the mk1 meant some shots where not as sharp (due to focus recompose) so ability to select points is very useful although centre point has more accuracy due to having a cross type focussing points from adjacent points.

I find I get shots that are much more accurate on the 5d3

Yes you can scroll through points top wheel ad thumb wheel next to screen and also use joystick to select.

Another feature I like is being able to set a different focus point based on portrait shot or landscape shot.
 
ahh ok so u can look through the viewfinder and manually select AF points using your joystick and press the shuter button to focus at that part of the screen and shoot away?

Surely that would take a while for some one to get use to doing?
 
jonneymendoza said:
ahh ok so u can look through the viewfinder and manually select AF points using your joystick and press the shuter button to focus at that part of the screen and shoot away?

Surely that would take a while for some one to get use to doing?
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Nope its easy... becomes second nature very quickly... you tend to use certain modes for different usages...

jonneymendoza said:
can that be setup on a 7d as well using its joystick?
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Yes....

I have a 7D, once you have selected which mode to be in
  • fine point
  • single point
  • expansion (1 + 4 in a + shape)
  • block of 9 points
  • all points

you just use the joystick to move your selection around (apart from all points of course)
 
mipevo6 said:
Nope its easy... becomes second nature very quickly... you tend to use certain modes for different usages...



Yes....

I have a 7D, once you have selected which mode to be in
  • fine point
  • single point
  • expansion (1 + 4 in a + shape)
  • block of 9 points
  • all points

you just use the joystick to move your selection around (apart from all points of course)
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sounds awsome, if i canta fford 5d3, the 7d will be fine. so is it quicker to focus like this using the joystick vs recomposs?
 
jonneymendoza said:
sounds awsome, if i canta fford 5d3, the 7d will be fine. so is it quicker to focus like this using the joystick vs recomposs?
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I am not sure I would say quicker, not much in it tbh.....

But I would say more accurate when using narrow dof

The 7d also lets you set different points for landscape and portrait....

So as you switch between landscape and portrait you main focus point changes...

It is very easy to use and very flexible...
 
and also, there are times when focus recompose is just impossible, like tracking a moving object you want to stay off centre.

Theres a time for both techniques
 
joescrivens said:
and also, there are times when focus recompose is just impossible, like tracking a moving object you want to stay off centre.

Theres a time for both techniques
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Agree....
 
I'm finding my hit rate has gone up considerably since getting the mkIII even when using the outer points. Shooting at 2.8 and below for narrow depth of field images you really can't focus recompose so need to use other focus points or risk missing critical focus! BUT the huge jump in resolution from my old mkI means I can use the centre focus point and crop creatively...

One thing I do miss is the focus point selection visual on the top lcd or is that buried in the miriad of menu screen and settings...:puke:
 
onform said:
I'm finding my hit rate has gone up considerably since getting the mkIII even when using the outer points. Shooting at 2.8 and below for narrow depth of field images you really can't focus recompose so need to use other focus points or risk missing critical focus! BUT the huge jump in resolution from my old mkI means I can use the centre focus point and crop creatively...

One thing I do miss is the focus point selection visual on the top lcd or is that buried in the miriad of menu screen and settings...:puke:
Click to expand...

Completely agree with the above!!!(y). Another thing I am not used to is zooming in on the image on screen (going from 5d1):bonk:
 
mipevo6 said:
I am not sure I would say quicker, not much in it tbh.....

But I would say more accurate when using narrow dof

The 7d also lets you set different points for landscape and portrait....

So as you switch between landscape and portrait you main focus point changes...

It is very easy to use and very flexible...
Click to expand...


i normally shoot narrow DOF on my lenses, 2.8 i shoot at
 
Can I ask all 5D MKIII owners what the file numbering is as I thought it would start at 0001?

The one I have showed the first jpg number as 8U8C1526.jpg, to me this looks like it's the1526 image this camera has taken..?

Or am I missing something?

Cheers.
 
RSMarco said:
Can I ask all 5D MKIII owners what the file numbering is as I thought it would start at 0001?

The one I have showed the first jpg number as 8U8C1526.jpg, to me this looks like it's the1526 image this camera has taken..?

Or am I missing something?

Cheers.
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Depends if the card was used in another body before the MKIII it could have carried the numbering over..

Also 8U8C looks like custom numbering has been set on the body..
 
501cards said:
Depends if the card was used in another body before the MKIII it could have carried the numbering over..

Also 8U8C looks like custom numbering has been set on the body..
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Cheers for the reply. So what is the standard file name the MKIII gives to jpegs?
 
RSMarco said:
Cheers for the reply. So what is the standard file name the MKIII gives to jpegs?
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Three Choices

1) IMG_
2) (Set your own 4 digit code)
3) Random Set of 4 Characters

As far as I remember it came set to the IMG_ as standard, but I changed mine straight away to a custom set based on my initials as thats the system the agencies use I work with.. (So it could have been either 1 or 3, but I am about 90% sure it was 1..)
 
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501cards said:
Three Choices

1) IMG_
2) (Set your own 4 digit code)
3) Random Set of 4 Characters

As far as I remember it came set to the IMG_ as standard, but I changed mine straight away to a custom set based on my initials as thats the system the agencies use I work with.. (So it could have been either 1 or 3, but I am about 90% sure it was 1..)
Click to expand...

Thank you!

Seems odd why mine is like this. It's going back.
 
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