Отзывы о Цифровой Фотоаппарат Canon EOS 5D Mark III

After having this camera a little over a week and shooting 3 sessions with it, I thought it was time to throw in my 2cents.Stepping up to the 5D MK II was a big jump from my 50D, so I can't give a review as comprehensive as if I was stepping up from the MK II, but I can give a good review for those wondering if you should step up from your current consumer-level or semi-pro DSLR.The body:In hand this feels like a camera. It has a professional feel to it, which I know is a cosmetic feature, but I personally love the feeling. The buttons are laid out rather nicely and easy to access while shooting. My one complaint is the zoom button. I don't know where Canon was going with this but it's awkward. It will take some getting used to, but honestly if a zoom button is your deal breaker, you shouldn't be looking at this camera any way. The LCD screen is large, which is very nice, the color on screen is amazingly vibrant and true to what shows up on the computer.The Focal PointsI never knew what I was missing with only 9 focal points, but after playing around with the 61 different points on the 5D, I am impressed. During sessions I tend to shoot AF, out of convenience, in shooting AF though you rely on the camera to know where you want to focus and often times I found (at least with my 50D) that this led to soft images or soft faces. With the 5D I am able to completely manipulate AF with the push of a button. I set the focal point to the face and get my exact shot. This also comes in handy with macro shots. I find that getting a crisp macro is very hard on AF, as the focus is often soft or off. With spot focusing I can achieve the shot I want much faster without having to struggle with the camera not being able to lock on. The AF on this camera is a huge improvement and produces sharp, quality images.ISOThe ISO was something I was most excited to try out. I am amazed with the results at 1600, after minor RAW adjustments to the noise, there is virtually no grain and the image is perfectly useable. I did test the 25600 and while I would never use this ISO in a shoot situation, I was impressed with the quality. Yes there was noise, but you're at an ISO of 25600, what do you expect? This camera produces quality images at larger ISOs. As a portrait photographer, this can be an advantage. I don't like to set my shutter bellow 1/125 and in some situations having the ability to bump my ISO up to 800 with no hint of grain/noise after post processing really makes a difference.Image QualityI am highly impressed with the image quality of this camera. Images come out very true to life and are crisp. My first impression: Blown away with the quality. The detail, even when zooming in is crisp and to the point. The color, as I have said, is true to life. The reds are not as manipulated as in some of Canons other cameras. The camera is able to capture light perfectly as well, creating amazing hair-lights without external flash. In my opinion the image quality is top notch (right where it should be for such a high power DSLR)The duel axis electronic level is also a pretty neat feature. The level is great for landscapes and beach shooting. Yes you can produce a quick fix post image, but it is nice option to have.HDR featureI didn't really have an opinion about the addition of in camera HDR. It is really not a feature I thought I would ever have a need for. I have never been a huge fan of HDR, but the in camera HDR feature is actually quite fun to play with.Lastly, I just want to mention that the auto feature is amazing. 9/10 I get a perfect picture with auto, makes my job amazingly easy. I get to show up, put the camera on auto and snap away. {:) Okay, kidding there, wanted to liven up the post.}I have to say that I am amazed at this camera. Yes I did step up from a 50D, but my expectations were blow away with the quality of images this camera can capture. The colors and detail are true to life, which is a big deal to me. For the first time I feel like I can reach my full potential with this camera, yes I got amazing pictures with my 50D and `L' lenses, but I was never quite getting exactly what I saw, with the 5D MK III I am. If you're upgrading from a semi-pro body you will be happy, ecstatic even. Overall in my opinion Canon produced a high quality product, but wants a tad too much money for it.My advice for this camera is to get it if you are ready for the upgrade. By ready for the upgrade I mean have an arsenal of L lenses. Yes, USM will work with this camera, but to get the most out of it, L is the way to go. This is a camera for professionals, that being said If you have a semi-pro body and a variety of L lenses, and looking to step up a bit, then maybe this is the camera for you. If you don't have any L lenses, then invest in those first.Stepping up from a 50D this is a 5 star camera.Stepping up from a 5D MKII (which I have used a handful of times) it is probably a 4 star camera.

My upgrade path has been 450D -> 7D -> 5D Mark III. My subjects don't sit still or have a lot of patience, so AF speed and accuracy and general handling are big for me. That's why I never was a big fan of the 5D Mark II; I always considered the 7D the better camera of the two, its sensor size disadvantage being more than compensated for by the better AF system and ergonomics. All this changed with the arrival of the 5D Mark III, of which I am now a happy owner, after two rentals made me a convert.My experiences: AF is vastly improved over the 7D; with fast lenses (135 f/2L, various versions of the 70-200) I can shoot wide open and focus is exactly where I want it to be. I'd always chimp to double check on the 7D; on the 5D Mark III I still do, but it is unnecessary, because practically every shot is in perfect focus. AI servo is a treat to use, and I find myself taking more action shots than I ever did before. Shutter lag is almost non-existent, and I have been able to get shots of dancers in mid air consistently through pure timing without using the burst mode. Noise levels are much lower. With the 7D, ISO 800 and above resulted in iffy photos, but with the Mark III, ISO 3200 is very usable. For some reason, I also see an improvement in dynamic range, with more shadow detail preserved than on the 7D, which is a big help in recovering imperfectly exposed shots. Finally, even at low ISOs, it seems like the 5D captures more detail than the 4.3 MP advantage over the 7D would seem to indicate. If there is one minor complaint, it is that the jpg photos straight from the camera look a little flat. I believe this is due to very aggressive NR being applied in camera. Shooting RAW results in large files that take noticeably longer to process in Lightroom than my old 7D RAWs. In actual practice, very little if any NR is needed until you get to ISO 1600.What Canon appears to have done is to combine the ergonomics of the 7D with the IQ of the 5D Mark II - and then, almost impossibly, improve upon the result. What you have is a camera that does its job very very well, thus allowing you to focus on yours, which is composition, lighting, and timing. Using this camera is, as a friend of mine put it, like a tiger getting its first taste of human blood. Once you see how much better it is than anything else you've used, nothing less will do.Update May 2014: Nearly a year after purchasing this camera I feel compelled to add a few more words. Because this camera does what it does so well, it (and the full frame lenses that go with it) has improved my photography beyond all expectation; it is an absolute joy to simply have to concentrate on the scene and have complete confidence that the camera will capture in beautiful detail what your eyes and mind perceive; I never had this level of trust in the 7D or the 450D. I want to emphasize again the difference in sharpness and contrast between the RAW files and the in camera JPGs. The in camera JPGs use horrendously destructive noise reduction - to the point that the camera probably ought to flash a warning in the viewfinder when you shoot in JPG. Make doubly certain you are shooting in RAW for anything that is critical.

First I like to state that I am not a professional photographer and my company manufactures professional aerial video octocopters. I will be reviewing mostly the video part. See the aerial footage of Palatine Hill and Colosseum I filmed by search "Turbo Ace X88" in Youtube. We use exclusively Canon for aerial video and my review would tell you how we have reached such a decision after months and months of research and comparisons. Go to TurboAce.com and checkout what a Mark III can do in the air and why cinematographers are using it.The Mark III has the most stable under vibration and the it has the least moire issue among all the DSLR cameras we have tested. The cameras tested were Nikon D800, D3100, D5100, D90, D7000, Canon Mark ii, T3i, T4i. Our company spends thousands of dollars testing camera equipment that are suited for aerial, so the above cameras actually went up the air during these experiments. The Mark III has the tiny bit of moire issue as a 60,000 Sony film camera and I am very impressed. If you are familiar with moire, paid attention to any of the multi-million dollar productions and it is there, a pain for the directors and producer. I recommend only this DSLR for video especially aerial. At the time of the final test, the final contenders were the D800 and the Mark II/III, so which one is better?1. More mega pixel, more noise. Nikon just shot itself on the foot getting into the mega pixel race which Canon used to play. The D800 has noticeable noise level than the Mark iii when compared at 12k or higher ISO. I shot photos of green leaves on an indoor plant when I did the side by side comparison.2. For stills, auto white balance under fluorescent lighting shows a greenish tone on the D800 which looks very unatural. Even after I played with it by adjusting the kelvin, I could not make it better than the Mark iii image taken under the same condition with Auto white balance.3. Moire on video for the Mark iii is better than the Mark ii and the D800. Compare the videos side by side, you will notice the big difference.4. For stills, D800 shows more detail outdoor, or indoor with tons of light. I would buy the D800 if I need the mega pixel badly but it has no use for me other than chewing up my memory and slowing down the frame rate. The D800 has to wait for 2 minutes for the buffer to clear after shooting about 15 continuous frames. The Mark iii kept on going but at a much slower rate. At least the Mark iii was still usable while the Nikon was not responding at all.5. For stills, focus on the Mark iii is faster than D800. The D800 does hesitate a bit whereas the Mark iii was push and click, yes it's scary fast.6. Canon video has more accurate white balance and this carries on to the Mark iii. If you do video, Mark iii is a no brainer. The video was also a lot sharper than my Canon M52 which incorporates the 1/3 inch sensor the big camcorder uses. Again a no brainer if you are a cinematographer.7. Update: The following point is no longer true as the D800 supplies has improved, thumbs up for Nikon finally able to increase the supply to deliver the true MSRP. Price of D800 is not $2995. The lowest price in stock is on Ebay is $3650. Price is coming down fast at about $20 per day and I have been tracking this on Ebay. Good luck finding a D800 in stock because it does not exist unless you buy it on Craigslist or Ebay. Don't waste your time, wait for another month it should be better. Order cancellation on the D800 is going to surprise Nikon, they are taking too long to deliver and people are starting to find out that Canon is better this time. Most people are using the camera for sports, family, wedding and not landscape and the Mark iii is better for those applications.We switched to Canon because of our need but your need may be different. If you are a landscape photographer or wants to blow up your photo extremely large with more mega pixels and you have plenty of lights, stick with Nikon. If you are a cinematographer, sports, wedding or simply indoor family photographer go with the Mark iii. Canon is not always going to be better than Nikon and Nikon isn't always going to be better than Canon. But I can honestly tell you, for now this year Canon has stepped up and broken the ISO barrier and its video has blown Nikon out of the water. It has caught up with Nikon's low noise technology after 2 complete product cycles. What took Canon so long, I have no idea.I highly recommend the Mark III if you are going with the video or still, except if you are a landscape photographer or work under studio light. See all my Turbo Ace X88 octocopter aerial footage taken in Europe in Youtube.WowHobbies

I'm upgrading from the 5D Mark II..Thumbs up for the 61 point focusing system vs the 9 point on the 5D Mark II. J Howell's, David Siegfried and Coronet Blue reviews go into very good details on the specs of this unit so I don't need to repeat that. There's a learning curve with this unit however it's nothing really crazy to overcome. I opted for the Vello battery grip instead the Canon one which suites me just fine. Now with the grip the camera is more balanced with my 70-200 2.8 and the 100-400 glass. I just love the overall feel. The shutter is so much quieter than the 5D Mark II and hitting that shutter button and the overall camera has a more professional feel to it...if I can say that. The 6fps is so cool vs the 3.8 on the 5D Mark II.I took it out the other day and put it through it's paces during the daylight. I have to say I was pleased. The 1 thing I did not like that there was no red pre focusing point like the 5D Mark II but that's no surprise to most coming to these pages. It's going to be very hard for me to find that focusing point in a concert or play venue. I will update this review when I put this unit in a low light setting and that will separate the men from the boys!!!I'm strictly a still photographer so I can't tell you much about the video features.UPDATE 4/19/2014:I'm finding myself not wanting to touch my 5D Mark II (still a very good camera) any longer. The 5D Mark III is truly a great camera I'll suggest two books to read to assist you with the focusing system and overall operation of this AMAZING piece of machinery (IMHO). Canon 5D Mark III Experience - The Still Photography Guide to Operation and Image Creation with the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and David Busch's Canon EOS 5D Mark III Guide to Digital SLR Photography (David Busch's Digital Photography Guides) I hope this helps.UPDATE 5/12/2014:I took the 5D Mark III to a favorite location to test out it's ability to focus on people in a very dingy low light situation. The camera was able to focus on the dancing subjects where before my 5D Mark II would miss (even if I set it at the center focus point). I have to say that I'm thoroughly pleased with this unit!!! I'm satisfied in it's ability get the shot I want!!! Hello 5D Mark III and goodbye 5D Mark II!!!

This camera is exactly what I was hoping Canon would release, if not better. Canon stepped away from the ridiculous megapixel wars and delivered a very capable body that is well rounded for almost any use.While most of us wanted only a 7D equivalent AF system, Canon delivered the flagship system found in the 1Dx. The AF has not missed focus for me yet that was not my own user error. Servo tracking with even the farthest outer points are extremely accurate and nail focus each and every time. You are given many options to customize the AF system perform best to the subject you are shooting, which is great. These options include AF point switching speed, delay with interruptions, how erratic the subject will be, etc... It really is excellent.Image quality is what you would expect, Amazing. I have used the 5D Mark II for about a year prior and have edited tens of thousands of images from that camera. The 5D3 images are more impressive. At low ISO's you are able to better push shadow areas and really have the ability to increase the dynamic range more then the 5D Mark II. With the 5D2 you would get shadow banding with only minor pushes in exposure along with blotching and other artifacts. The 5D3 is heavily improved in this area. Images remain noise free at low ISO, just like they always have.The high ISO performance of this camera is simply incredible. With the 7D I tried to limit my high ISO shooting to about 6400... The 5D II my limit was the same, although it did render cleaner images and much better detail then the 7D. However, at 12,800 and above the 5D2 would go downhill very quickly. I am extremely comfortable shooing up to ISO 25,600 with the 5D3. Images are still very detailed with very nice looking, fine grain. Images don't become flat looking and still have a really nice look to them. I will even shoot 51,200 without a problem, although there is a big increase of noise beyond the native ISO values. Noise is never an issue with me, as long as it is nice looking noise and detail is there. I have been surprised on how well this camera does at such high ISO. It really is impressive.The JPEG's that this camera produces are beautiful if you don't shoot RAW. But make sure to turn off all noise reduction. Remember, even "OFF" applies some noise reduction. This camera will make a smeary mess of your JPEG images if you leave them on. Trust me, turn them off and the images will look great. I have no problem with amazing detail and clarity with the JPEG's with them turned off.The build of the camera is really good. Solid in the hand with additional extra grip applied on the battery door. Ergonomically it just feels really good in the hand, 7D like but even better. I used a grip with my 5D2 just so it felt better in the hand and planned to do the same with the 5D3, but after using it the past few weeks I don't think I will need to. It really is a comfortable camera body to hold and shoot with.The movie features in this camera body are really well integrated, much like the 7D was. I really dig the touch-pad for volume control and other settings while recording, it really is a great tool to have. Quality of the video looks really good.This camera now has the multi-point microadjust feature to fine tune your lenses to your 5D Mark III. You now have the capability to calibrate each zoom lens on the wide and telephoto end of each lens. Very nice feature.Of course, the camera is loaded up with many other new and improved features... Improved metering system, 100% viewfinder (beautiful, by the way), improved weathersealing and locking mode dial which I really like.Of course, no camera is perfect... But Canon has got REAL close with this one. A minor gripe which may or may not be fixed with a future firmware update include the lack of exposure compensation using AUTO ISO in Manual Mode. I have been wanting this feature for a long time now... It would be so useful in complex lighting when you require a set shutter speed and aperture, but care less about the ISO. You can do this now, but the camera will always meter to "0". Naturally, Canon bodies seem to underexpose by 1/3 to 2/3 of a stop almost always so it would be nice to have the ability to dial in the +1/3 or +2/3 stop and have it bump up the ISO value to compensate.Overall, I think Canon really delivered an amazing replacement to the 5D Mark II... People may be a bit bitter due to the steeper price of $3499, but I think it is worth the price. You can't really think of it as a 5D2 replacement, but almost a different model. I believe Canon is developing the 5D line to be a bit more high-end, just under the flagship 1Dx. In the future I see Canon releasing a low priced full-frame option. But at this time, the 5D Mark II is still in production and can be found new for around $2,000 or used for around $1600.

Here is the learning curve I followed in getting more confidence in the world of the DSLR.Start off with the great and humble and not too scary Canon EOS Rebel T3 12.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18-55mm IS II Lens and EOS HD Movie Mode (Black). Please notice this is the T3 without the i . . .A great street camera which really gets you used to the technology and the set-up.Then progress to the wonderful, built-like-a-tank Canon EOS 7D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD (Body Only) which really carries you to the next level, into the pro's in fact. A camera built for hard use with the features you need.Then come into the light with this top of the line camera, the desire of all shutterbugs, pro and aficionado.The first thing you notice straight out of the box is the smaller size and yet solid build. Tiny features you really really appreciate right away is the fact the function changing button LOCKS, so when you set it to MANUAL (as you will all of the time), it doesn't migrate on its own to Bulb or Av OR WORSE, jsut when you were thinking you were cool with Manual and had to take an instant shot on the street.You also notice the repositioning of the buttons, such as the Quick Menu display which gives you access to the various settings as on the 7D. It is now on the right side in a space very convenient for righties. In fact, the redesign seems to favor the righties world.I need to study the manual further to find out what this RATE button is all about.Of course this review only begins not even to scratch the surface of all that is here, but this is right out of the box and clearly the epitome, the apex, of the DSLR camera today. I haven't even begun to mention how incredible this camera can be with the High Dynamic Range feature, the ISO range from FIFTY (for photography on the surface of the sun?) all the way to infinity and BEYOND (actually maybe 256000 or sometihng like that) for taking shots in total darkness as I tend to do on city streets and alleys at night.Study carefully the manual and do not lose it. It does not come as a .pdf file on CD disk, unfortunately. The bundled software is the same as what came with the 7D.

I upgraded from a Canon Rebel T3i to this camera. I was at the point where the Rebel was limiting me mainly in terms of high ISO image quality and the AF. I was unsure whether to try out another APS-C camera (the T4i or 7D potentially or a maybe even a mirrorless alternative) or make the "leap" to a Full Frame (FF) camera. As you can tell I decided to make the leap to a FF camera. I ended up selling my 17-55 zoom, 85 1.8 and 40 mm pancake and bought this 5D along with a used 135L that has been my only lens until today. Here is what I will tell you about this camera:1) You will not be disappointed in it unless maybe you are coming from a 1DX for some reason. The only thing about this camera that I wish was better is its burst rate, period. There is nothing else that disappoints me about it. - Battery life? Amazing. - High ISO? I have no issue keeping pictures taken at 12800 ISO. - AF? Blazing fast and all those AF points are glorious.2) It will likely make you spend a lot more than its $3k entrance price on lenses and other camera accessories. If you get the zoom lens with the kit you may eventually get the urge to upgrade to a faster zoom or a prime and even if you don't get the kit lens and use it with some of the better non-L lenses (85 f1.8, 100 f2) you will likely still catch the L bug and move up to some L primes (135L, 35L, 50L etc etc) due to their amazing image quality, build quality etc. Honestly, if you're buying this camera you will want to pair it with the best your money can get you because it will just continue to give back the more you give to it.3) It is, in my mind, worth every penny of its entrance price. I've gotten way more out of this camera than I dreamed of getting from my old setup. Keep in mind that I had a T3i with 17-55mm f/2.8 (great lens), 85mm f/1.8 (great lens) and 50mm f/1.8 and I am telling you that I've gotten more out of my 5D with just a 135mm f/2 (amazing lens) attached to it. I've just recently purchased a 35L to add to my collection.4) Take your time to learn all of the settings and really get used to the camera. I take a lot of pictures of my dog so getting to know the different AI Servo settings and learning about the focus points has been very helpful.5) If you're worried about weight then this guy is quite heavy. But what I will tell you is that weight is the #1 reason that I used to have the Rebel series because I thought this was way larger and heavier but in reality I've come to learn that the extra bulk is actually something I like. I'm never in a position where I think "Oh man my Rebel would have been so much easier to carry right now" but I'm always in a position where I'm thinking "Gosh I could not have taken this photo with my Rebel".6) The better bokeh you by grabbing a FF camera is noticeable and great. If you like bokeh then you will love this camera (just be sure to link it up with some fast glass).Otherwise, there's not much to say. You can probably tell I love the camera and I of course love my lens. If you don't have very much money I'd say grab this with the kit lens (24-105) since it's a well-reviewed lens but if you have some money to spend I would skip that and go for 1 or 2 primes if you can.Feel free to peruse through some photos of mine on my blog (photos taken with the 5D are labelled as such): [...]

I actually bought this camera from Adorama since the price was $2949 with no sales tax, and it came with a 16GB Sandisk CF card and Adobe Photoshop Element 10 for free.Before I have this camera, I have been shooting with my EOS 7D for almost 4 years. While the 7D has been the mainstay for my photographic adventures, I felt I was at a point to step up the game. The 7D was great for action, sports, and perhaps even landscape; however, there were times when I tried to lift shadows in post processing, I was disappointed with the banding noise even at low ISO. The banding noise was quite difficult to remove unless I used a very strong noise reduction to blur it out with a brush resulting in loss of details. Secondly, I have been eying on one of Canon 's legendary lens: EF 135mm F2L. Without a full frame body, it 's hard for me to justify the purchase of this lens since the focal length would be too long for portrait and I would not enjoy that background isolation effect without a narrower depth of field from a full frame body. Thirdly, images captured from the EOS 7D are only acceptable up to ISO3200. Beyond that, it gets pretty noisy. The 5D Mark3 is now my "night rider".When I mounted my EF 24mm F1.4L II USM lens on my brand new 5D Mark3 the first time, the images it captured were like OMG! Super sharp with great tonality. I finally can fully utilize this premium lens. Having been using the EOS 7D, the 5D Mark3 feels right at home. The auto focus system is fantastic. It even has more horizontal coverage area than the EOS 7D. The menu and handling are superb, although I am still wondering why there is no dedicated mirror lock up button. And what 's up with the dedicated RATE button? I don't quite understand. I took the 5D Mark3 for a spin in the back country. and let me tell you, this is an awesome piece of equipment. I have never come across a camera this good even though I have been tempted numerious times by the dark side.Overall the 5D Mark3 is extremely responsive. It 's a bit heavy but not to the point where it breaks your neck. I would suggest replacing the standard issued Canon strap with a comfy third party one. The lack of built-in flash does not bother me. I 'd probably get the 90EX with built-in wireless remote trigger. The battery can even be shared with the EOS 7D. How nice! I don't have to get additional spares.Before I bought the EOS 5DMark3, I actually had looked into the EOS 6D which was about a grand cheaper. However, I have been spoiled by the AF system of my EOS 7D. So when I tried out the EOS 6D at Best Buy, I was somewhat disappointed. Also its body is quite a bit smaller and it did not perfectly fit into my hands. Out of the three cameras mentioned, the body size of the EOS 7D has the nicest fit for me. The EOS 5D Mark3 is slightly wider and taller. However, I still don't feel fatigue after handling it for a long period of time. I also like the sound of the shutter and the relatively lack of vibration when the mirror is flapped. The silence mode is great. I think it should be featured in all future Canon cameras.Let 's see. I have not tried video yet. But I don't expect it to be that much difference from my EOS 7D. I rarely use my EOS DSLRs to shoot video. The multi-exposure blending and HDR mode are welcome features. There 's nothing I really dislike about the EOS 5D Mark3. Canon has finally nailed it and hit a home run.

I had full intensions of working my 5D Mark II for another year or two. The Mark II had really served me well, but I didn't have rain protection on one of my photo tours this year and during the week of intense rains here in Colorado, the Mark II gave out after being in the rain for 2 days. I needed a camera right away while my Mark II went in for repairs.I decided to go with the Mark III since it used compact flash and also I wanted the upgraded 61-point focusing system and the faster frame rate. Both the Mark III and the 6D have the new Digic 5+ processor which is amazing but the Mark III can shoot at a full 6fps allowing me to use the camera in more action related situations and so I didn't need to purchase a 2nd camera for the occasional sporting events I was shooting.On my last photo tour we did some astro photography just outside of Crested Butte Colorado on Ohio Pass and the result was some amazing images at ISO 5000 with little to no noise! I literally was able to use image right out of the camera with no post noise reduction.I also shoot portraits and occasionally I get requests to shoot the kids in action. I went to one of the high school football games to capture of few of my students in action on the football field and I was able to shoot at ISO 12800 so I could capture the players in action with a fast enough shutter speed. This in combination with 6fps gave me clean crisp images. Post noise reduction was minimal. The 5D Mark II would never have been able to match this camera's performance. Iso 6400 on the Mark II is loaded with noise so 12800.I am disappointed in the fact that the SD card slot is not UDMA-7 compatible and will only support write speeds of 133X. If you want to shoot fast with no buffering then don't use the SD card slot. Stick to the compact flash. When you pair this camera with the Lexar 1000X or San Disk Extreme Pro CF cards it can shoot all day long at 6fps and you never notice any buffering.I love the new beefier body and grip. It feels really good in the hands and ever better than the Mark II. Though it is heavier, I love the magnesium body. This camera is much more solid and tight sealing than my Mark II, though during my trip to Telluride I made sure I had rain and snow protection for the camera.The price is high for this camera, but I'm totally happy with my purchase. I'm glad I didn't settle for the 6D. The new 61-point focusing system and the 6fps frame rate made this the right purchase for me, plus the fact that I could take advantage of my already huge investment in compact flash cards I already owned and didn't have to move to new SD cards.Love this investment in my business! Totally worth it!

Some quick observations on the 5D3. Before I go further I should explain I'll be comparing vs. the 5D2 and second, if you need to know about video, I can't be of any help there.Received camera body from Amazon on 3/23. Lots of new features (5D2 manual is 259 pages; 5D3 manual is 403 pages). For the work I do, I was looking for two improvements over the 5D2: Ability to bracket more than 3 shots and much lower noise. The first wish was granted. As you probably know, the 5D3 does 7 exposures. Nikons do 9, but 7 is almost always enough. Those who need more will probably have a Promote remote anyway. Noise? Well, the 5D3 images are cleaner but I wouldn't say dramatically so. With the default noise settings and long exp NR set on, I'd say it's 1 to 1.5 stops better than the 5D2. Now, with a little Noiseware or other NR, you can get very clean images at 12800 with very little loss of detail so I don't consider this a problem. I guess it was unrealistic to expect the 5D3 to match the very low noise of my D700 but it would have been nice.It's true that nearly every feature on the 5D3 is an upgrade over the 5D2. Not all of these will result in better images but it's fair to say that the entire "feel" of the 5D3, the layout, viewfinder, displays are all nicer than the 5D2. The two things that may be game changers, IMO, are the shutter and the AF. If you haven't heard and felt the shutter on the 5D3, you're in for a treat. It isn't just quieter; there is much less kick from the mirror. Add the "silent" mode and, wow. I would not be surprised to see signs in the future that say "Please set your camera to silent mode". As for AF, I never had a problem with the AF on the 5D2 so I'm less impressed here. But if you shoot moving subjects, the 5D3 has it all--predictive, wrap around, sequential, selective. The manual devotes 45 pages to setting autofocus.A small thing that I've been waiting for, a dual axis electronic level is wonderful. For some time, digital SLRs have had an "artificial horizon" that tells you if you are tilting the camera to the left or right. That's nice but in almost all imaging software, rotating an image takes just a second. What these left/right levelers don't tell you is if you are tipping the camera up or down which can be a real pain with a super wide lens. Well, problem solved with the 5D3.The in-camera HDR is a mixed bag. Output is jpeg only and even at that, it takes awhile for the 5D3 to register the images. (This could be my cards which are Lexar UDMA 400x & Sandisk Extreme IV). Anyhow, it's a fun feature. This brings me to yet another interesting feature. Since the 5D3 has two cards (CF + SD) you can record different file types to each card. In other words, you could have a RAW-only card and a JPEG-only card. I haven't tried this but I presume this would mean that you could shoot everything RAW except in-camera HDRs which, being jpegs, would end up on the other card. I get requests for jpegs so now I can put them on one card while keeping an all-RAW card for myself. You can also have redundant cards for backup, sequential for extra capacity, etc. As with the autofocus options, the possibilities are endless!So, to summarize. Pros: Better AF, 100% viewfinder with electronic grid (no more screens), better LCD, faster drive and processor, fabulous shutter/mirror, 7-stop bracketing, 2-axis level, somewhat lower noise and thus somewhat cleaner images vs. 5D2, two card slots, uses same batteries as 5D2. Cons: Still no built-in flash (yes, it's very handy), in-camera HDR so-so, mode knob still feels flimsy (and it locks now, so be careful). All in all, this is a very nice, refined camera and anybody trading up from a 5D2 will be happy. And if you do get a 5D3, the person getting your 5D2 will be happy as well.Just a footnote. One thing that comes through loud and clear from these reviews is how very different people's needs are and how differently they use a camera. I can only explain how a product meets or fails to meet my needs. I would not dream of saying you do/don't need this feature or "read and decide" as if I was some sort of oracle. You know what is or is not important to you and how much you're willing to pay for it. The web has made everybody a professional and an expert but when it's your money, the only expert is you.

This is my first full frame DSLR. I'm upgrading from a Canon 50D which I have loved the past 3.5 years. This is a stellar piece of equipment, more so than I expected (and I expected a lot)!I have now used it for about a week, and have found that there is a little learning curve to upgrade, but it's well worth it. Here are some of my observations:* Image quality is fantastic. This should be expected from a full frame DSLR with L quality lens. I had heard that the 24-105 is good, but not great for L lenses. But I have found the sharpness, colors, and bokeh to be outstanding.* This camera feels like a tank. My old 50D felt really good and strong, and took a bit of a beating, but never missed a beat. The 5D mark iii feels much more sturdy, so I know it will hold up to many years of use in wet, cold, snow, sand, woods, and a toddler.* The shutter is so much quieter than the 50D, even went NOT using the silent shutter mode. The mirror slap is very quiet (maybe not Nikon quiet, but close). I feel like I can be stealthier with this camera.* The auto focus is amazing. This is especially true with the 1.2.1 firmware. It's so fast to lock on that I often find myself second guessing if it got the lock. And the AI servo mode tracks spectacularly well.* The buttons are WAY more programable than I expected. There is a menu option that lets you change the functions of EIGHT different buttons. This includes the newly placed DOF preview button, which I never used as a DOF preview, so I'm glad it's no longer useless. It's definitely taking me a bit of time to get used to the new layout (especially the left side buttons), but I'm sure it won't be long until it's natural.* The bracketed exposures can be set to 2, 3, 5, or 7 exposures! This is great news for me, as I like to take shots for HDR merges. I always found it annoying to mess with the exposure settings to get a series of 7 shots. Using this, I could go -8 1/3 to + 8 1/3 with just holding down the shutter once. That is a huge range!* Using the electronic level in the viewfinder is a little tricky. It's much easier in live view mode. This could make for a bit of a drain on the battery, although...* Battery life is outstanding. So far, I have taken 359 shots, and the battery is at 70%. At this rate, I would get approximately 1200 images before depleting the battery. And this is with a lot of image review, settings, etc. So the battery life could be much longer if I wasn't in the menus so much.* Vignetting is the one major downside I have to contest with. Because I shoot RAW, I have to handle it in post processing. It's not the worst thing, but it is a bit of a pain. This is to be expected wit ha full frame camera and a wide lens.Overall I am extremely pleased!

Like the above says, I had a Canon 7D which I used which shooting for my University's newspaper, which was perfect at that time being I shot everything including sports. I graduated and no longer needs the speed of the 7D and had been obsessing over getting a full frame camera. At that time, I had my eye on the 6D and 5D Mark iii since both were full frames with newer sensors and processors. Both are great cameras but the Mark iii came with a few more bells and whistles.The 6D has great low light noise performance but I found it does start to lose sharpness as the ISO increase, faster than the Mark iii. The main downfall with the 6D is the 11 point AF system, even though the center focus point was extremely sensitive (-3ev I believe). I thought this wasn't a big deal, being that I did't shoot sports anymore. I started to shoot more weddings and the AF kept up but didn't provide the performance I was hoping for. I also wished the 6D had dual card slots because I always like to back up my images when shooting important events. Don't get me wrong, the 6D is an amazing camera and will produce excellent images. I just advise thinking long and hard about whether to save a little longer and the get mark iii. I wish I had.I've now had the Mark iii for about three weeks or so and I already love it! The AF is spectacular! Better than the 7D's AF system, and I really loved my 7D and its AF. The low light performance is great, which is expected from the 5D line. I recently had a headshot session and after reviewing my photos I realized not one didn't have the eye tack sharp.All in all, if you have the money then pull the trigger and purchase this camera instead of the original 5D, 5D mark ii, and 6D. Otherwise you will continue to look at it, and look at it, and look at it, until you finally purchase it. I am a tech gear junkie and love buying the new best and greatest, but I can honestly say it will be a while until I purchase another body. Unless its to buy a second back up body or a Hasselblad or Phase One.Plus, you cant beat the price it's going for right now! I almost bought two but refrained myself.

Edited: January 1, 2013For those of you familiar with the Canon 5-series, you know one of the main things this series has been lacking is a decent autofocus system. While the Canon 5D Mark II was a game-changing camera, its 9-point autofocus system was extremely lacking. The 5D Mark III solved that problem, completely revamping the autofocus system and giving it virtually the same system as its big brother, the Canon 1DX.The following review is based on my personal experiences as a photography instructor. I currently own and use the Canon 1DX, the 5D Mark III, and the 7D and have owned the older 5D Mark II, 1DS Mark III, and the 1D Mark IV so I will try to describe how I feel this camera compares to these other possible contenders.First of all, this is a game changing camera for not just wedding, landscape, and studio photography, but also for WILDLIFE AND BIRDING! I honestly didn't think it could compare to the 1D Mark IV when it came to wildlife and birding but after extensive testing, it kills the 1D Mark IV (and yes, I own both cameras so I'm not knocking the 1D4, just saying, the technology here, several years after the 1D4 came out is superior and it shows.)HIGH ISO NOISE IMPROVEMENTS:The best improvement over the 1D Mark IV in this regard is the high ISO noise reduction and the improved autofocus. Noise is non-existent even at ISO 1600 which is about the highest ISO I shoot at for wildlife. Sure, you can remove noise in post but that comes at a cost in IQ so this camera saves some shots that were previously quite difficult to achieve.AUTOFOCUS:Autofocus is phenomenal... absolutely phenomenal. There are about 5 tabs in the menu system just for the autofocus system, giving you precision controls you normally didn't have access to. Besides the high-ISO noise improvements, the autofocus is the other improvement that completely destroys the 1D Mark IV.COLOR ACCURACY AND IMAGE SIZE:The color accuracy and vibrancy out of the box is great, even shooting with a "neutral" or "faithful" color setting. RAW files are about 24 MB in size, 45 MB if you convert to DNG and embed the original as I do.OTHER:The ergonomics are better, more on par with the 7D. The buttons are more responsive, the LCD is clearer and more accurate. The menu system is completely different, although if you've used the 7D, you will notice the similar layout.5D3 or 1DX:I was torn between this camera and the new 1DX whenever it comes out. I still plan on replacing the 5D3 with the 1DX after it's been out for a few months just to get the upgraded weather sealing, increased shutter durability, and pro-grade construction but I'm telling you, this camera is going to cost Canon a lot of sales of the 1DX because this camera can do almost everything the 1DX can, at a higher megapixel count and more compact size, at HALF THE PRICE!"LIGHTLEAK ISSUE"People who are obsessed with finding anything wrong with these cameras have found that in the first batches, there was an issue where if you shooting in complete darkness and were using the cameras metering (impossible), AND you happened to have the top LCD panel light on, the camera may display a slightly inaccurate metering reading. This is absurd that people are even obsessing over this. First of all, these people don't know how to use a camera and should spend some time learning photography before buying one of this caliber. This is obvious because any experienced photograher knows, you can't use metering in complete darkness anyway because these are long exposure shots that require trial and error to get right. The issue has been fixed by Canon and users of the original batch of cameras can send theirs in to Canon to be fixed for free. Again, this is seriously a non-issue so don't let it scare you off from buying this camera.*** I DO NOT work for Canon or any other camera manufacturer. This review is my own personal opinion. I am a professional wildlife photographer and use these cameras on a daily basis. ***

I own a Canon 50D a several different lenses. I rented this camera for 4 days and shot over 4,000 pictures with it. The majority of those pictures came from low light environments. The first event was a Halloween safe night for a local town. I used my 24-70mm f2.8 and 580ex II flash. The only time I found the 5d3 seeking focus was when I was outside in the dark with barely any street light. Had no issues inside a dimly lit fellowship hall with a fog machine going. ISO4000 and some ISO5000. If there is any digital noise in my images it is minimal. Very acceptable and much better than my 50d at ISO800. If there is any noise, it's like a very, very fine grain and there is still a lot of detail in the face.The next situation was at a high school stadium at night. I usually use my 50d along with my 24-70mm 2.8 lens, but when I rented the 5d3 I had also rented the 70-200mm f2.8. Fantastic combo! Focus system did well and I used the camera to capture our marching band performance and photos of seniors and their parents. So many shots I would have either not gotten or had to have thrown away due to the struggle that my 50d seems to have in a low light environment. I was very impressed and now would also love to own the 70-200mm.What made me really love this camera was shooting Bandmasters in Memphis, a big marching band competition. I shot using my 100-400mm lens throughout the entire competition. After dark I was still able to use the lens. This was at The Liberty Bowl in Memphis and lighting is much better there than in the high school football stadium. At ISO4000 using the 100-400mm most times I was able to get a shutter speed close to 1/400 or higher at f8. This varied if the uniforms were darker or lighter, but I was really impressed with the sharpness and how much less digital noise I saw in the images than my 500d at ISO800.I've had my 50d over 4 years now and this 5d3 really brought the quality of my photography to a whole new level. The focus issues and quality I've desired with my photography were achieved this weekend. Hope to eventually purchase this camera.

Ive gone from the Canon 20D to the Canon5D to the 5dmk2 and recently made the decision to upgrade to the Canon5dmk3. Both of my 5Dmk2 shutter lives were over the 150,000 "clicks" from Canon so I used that to justify my upgrade. I sent in the 5d2 for service as I am going to keep one of them for backup and to second shoot.I have reviewed things before like the Canon 70-200mm f2.8 v2 lens HERE. Once again this review doesn't contain any charts and scientific mathematical optical graphs comparing the 5dmk2 to the 5dmk3. But I do have real world (for me) tests.Ive had 5 sessions with the new 5DMK3...here is MY mini review with 5 images (edited in LR and CS6)1) Focus is light years better than mk2. Canon finally got it right. My 50mm 1.2 that I never use because of poor performance with my mk2 (even after sending it in to Canon to have them calibrate it together) is now spot on. You can pick your focus point with your zoom or primes at IT NAILS IT. Using the dials I can pick the tiny red square where I want it to focus on my portraits and guess what? It nails it! No more trying to lock focus at 2.8 or wider then recomposing, zooming in, trying it again, over and over. Although it is a hard habit to break from 4 years with the 5dmk2s. But I finally feel confident when the shutter clicks (which is probably how most Nikon users already feel).2) The camera seems "faster".The shutter makes a more "confident" sound without being louder... and is quicker. Sounds like a "quiet" machine gun that the other cameras (like Nikon) must sound like when shooting multishot.3)The screen is gorgeous, bright, and HUGE. The magnification with one press takes you right into a zoom. No more plus, plus,plus,plus,plus to look at eyes then minus,minus,minus,minus,minus to back out. It looks amazing and clear...even outdoors in bright sun at the beach. Its like going from a 13inch laptop screen to a 30inch monitor. The only thing that it a hard habit to break is Canon moved the magnifying glass to the other side of the camera so I keep pressing the wrong button with my thumb to magnify. It is now on the left which will take some time getting used to.4)The 70-200 firing INTO direct sun at sunset was a little slow to focus and had a little difficulty. The primes 85 and 50 did not. The 85 is my go to lens for my portrait work so I don't see that being to much of an issue for me. Also the 24mm 1.2 L performed amazing with the 5d3 as it had some of the same problems on the 5d2 as the 50mm 1.2 did.5) The "cloudy" WB setting in RAW (which is what I usually shoot under for nice skin tones) comes out a little too "orange" with the 5d3. I went back to AWB. I can adjust in LR if needed or I may just set it myself in camera slightly cooler than 5500K. But it is noticeable to me.I am trilled with the camera at this point. The focus issue is worth the upgrade to me. The images are gorgeous...just like the 5d2. I really didn't expect to see a HUGE difference in the quality of the final image. For me and my workflow it is the ease of use and speed that I GET those images that is a huge plus for me.*I think you have two choices: Trade to the Nikon system OR get the 5d3 to stay with Canon. I have shot with Nikon before. It feels like that when shooting with the 5d3-fast, confident, spot on focus. Everything else is the beautiful images that canon users have learned to love and the fast prime lenses love this camera as well.

I Have been waiting for a long time to buy this camera since it came out. I am not a Professional yet as I am still learning the photography, but this camera is by far the best thing since slash bread. I love this camera. I hold many different camera in my hands but I fall in love with this before I even take a shot. Its kind of like a beautiful girl you are looking at from a distance; she looks great and you start getting to know her and find out that she has a great personality. And when thing get serious... well, you know what i mean, and you realize she got the whole package. You can't believe what you just discover. You never want to leave her.. This 5D Mark III will do that to you. Photograph is my hobby and I take it very serious. Using this camera with a 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II , and 85mm f/1.8, 100mm f/2.8 Macro is a thing of beauty. I would recommend this camera to anyone that serious about photography and who don't settle for nothing but the best. If you have the money to spend on this camera, don't even think about consider other option just get this one.. you will not regret the money you spend into this camera. This camera is also build to last.. I will post more review as after longer use of this camera but for the past six months i had this camera, it doesn't bring me anything but joy. I have the T2i and i wanted to upgrade to a full frame; i still using my T2i but this camera sometimes make me forget about my T2i which is still an awesome camera.

I bought a 7D two years ago as my entry to the world of high-end DSLRs. The camera's engineering and ergonomics were awesome and it produced some great images for me. However, that full-frame sensor on the 5D has been calling my name ever since. I sold the 7D on ebay last month and bought a Mark III. If any 7D owner is wondering whether the upgrade is worth the price, I say absolutely. The camera operates almost exactly like my 7D and so I had little or no learning curve. In some ways, the interface is improved (sub-menus, for example). The rear screen gives a better view of the finished picture. So what did I get besides a camera that works as I expect? Image quality. In spades. The full-frame sensor is magnificent, and with the 35MM 1.4L lens and the 2.8 24-70 L II lens, produces incredibly sharp, detailed images. Seriously beautiful stuff. The camera brings out the best in 'L' glass -- I see it in the images, but look at the DXO ratings for confirmation. The 2.8 24-70 lens gives me better results in almost all shooting modes than I got on the 7D. The extra usable ISO makes up for the lack of IS on the 2.8 lens -- but since grandchildren are often the subjects, IS is not much use anyway. The focus system is much more accurate and easily controlled and the images (I use RAW) require less post-processing than with the 7D. There will be some additional distortion and light falloff in the corners, but with LR, PS, or DXO these problems disappear on RAW images with the click of a button. I would often start editing a picture from the 7D and puzzle about what it needed to 'pop' -- the 5D's added dynamic range and its metering system produce images that are closer to 'right' at first look. I have far less need to adjust exposure, contrast, and WB than I typically did with the 7D. An impressive pickup is the wider usable ISO range of the larger sensor. I didn't want to go much above ISO 800 on the 7D because of noise, but I am getting several additional (3-4) stops before seeing much noise with the 5D. This makes the camera almost perfect for indoors available-light shooting. So, I have a camera that is as familiar to me as my 7D, and as well-engineered, but produces significantly better images. While I wouldn't have been comfortable using the 7D in auto-ISO mode, I can do so with the 5D. This body was twice the money of the 7D but is equally refined in terms of build quality, engineering, ergonomics, and the image quality of the 5D III matches the rest of the engineering. The sensor may not have the high pixel count of some of the Nikon's, but the sensor has artistic chops. It can produce breathtaking detail, sharpness, and color.

If you are on the fence between the 5D Mark III and the 6D, perhaps my experiences will help:This is the second 5DIII I've purchased and I've also owned the 7D, 6D and 70D (all of which I've sold to fund this beast). Take it from someone who has lost hundreds of dollars buying a 5DIII, then selling it for a 6D, and then selling the 6D for a 5DIII again after realizing how much I really missed the 5DIII; there is simply no comparison when it comes to AF performance, unless you are willing to spend twice as much on a 1DX, which also has the same AF system as within the 5DIII!So if you are trying decide between the 6D or 5DIII and you already have some good glass first and foremost (AND you can afford either), seriously...just buy the 5DIII. You won't regret it. If you plan on using the outer AF points instead of just the center one (especially for fast glass, like the 85 f/1.2L II), it's a no-brainer...the 5DIII wins hands down. However, if you are willing to compromise and rely mostly, if not solely, on the center AF point and just crop as needed, then by all means save yourself a few hundred bucks and go with the 6D, and use the remainder for some other photographic goodies, such as the aforementioned 85L or 24-70 f/2.8L II (both are stunning combinations)! The image quality differences between the two are negligible at best, so it really comes down to the static features (or lack thereof) that they offer and your particular needs:5DIII - more robust body, superior AF system, faster X-sync speed, dual card slots, RAW video w/ Magic Lantern, etc.6D - smaller and lighter body, center cross-type AF point sensitive to -3 EV (but only the center point), allows interchangeable focusing screens for improved manual focusing, etc.I hope this helps. Either way you decide, you'll have an amazing tool for capturing your artistic vision. Good luck!

I recently sold my Canon 7D and saved up to get this camera. After hearing so much talk about how much better the D800 is and how the Mark III is not worth the money, I decided to give it a shot rather than be influenced by comments on the web by people who never shot with the camera. Upon first inspection after opening my kit I was impressed at how sturdy and professional the camera felt. I always felt the 7D was very tough and sturdy but the 5D takes it to another level. The grip is great and sticks to your hand. It also covers the batter compartment. The camera grip has a great indent for your hand and an excellent thumb rest. Overall ergonomics are fantastic and the camera has a slick look but is bigger than the 7D at every dimension. No confusing this with an entry or midlevel camera. It screams pro, even without a grip.The settings were easy to navigate and the dials are all in familiar places for the most part. The new zoom requires an extra keypress but I found it better to use the wheel than the old zoom in/out buttons once you get used to it. The new rate button on the left side seemed a bit useless to me but I reprogrammed it to protect images. The LCD was big and bright and shows lots of crisp detail when zooming in. Also very usable for macro with it's quick focus zoom. The best LCD I have ever seen on a camera. The Viewfinder also big and bright. Huge improvement over what you see using a cropped sensor. This is one of the many reasons to go full frame.Now onto using the camera. Coming from the 7D I enjoyed pretty good autofocus but the 5D Mark III dominates it in every way. It is super fast, accurate and locks on in really dim light. There are several action modes to select for the autofocus that react to the type of movement that you choose. Really groundbreaking stuff. I found nothing negative to say about it. I spent an afternoon shooting a kids party outdoors with the 24-105 f/4. The kids were running around like maniacs and I came away with many great in focus shots.In the past when using Auto ISO in manual mode I was nervous when it went to 3200 because of noise. No such case with this camera. Indoor photos without a flash are no problem. Especially when you use a nice bright prime. I can shoot ISO 6400 all day and it will look like ISO 1600 on a 7D. I know most people dont shoot Jpeg but if you ever want some painless shots of your kids or family and dont want to mess around with too much post processing, this camera produces the finest jpegs you will find in a camera. Obviously raw files are sharper and I found the RAW files from the MKIII to be sharp and contrasty. Noise is well controlled though obviously noisier than the jpegs. Overall the image quality is excellent.A new addition to the camera I thought was awesome was the silent mode shooting. It does reduce your frame rate to 3 FPS but what you get in return in this mode is virtually silent performance with much less shutter vibration. A really awesome and underrated feature. One of the many improvements people forget to mention about this camera.I have to say there is something special to me about the 5D Mark III. It's a camera that I just have fun with. Its fast, easy to use, produces great results at perfect file sizes. Gives you various options for jpeg and RAW to meet your needs. I'm sorry I cannot review the video but I have not had a chance to test it in detail in order to provide one.I know people constantly say that it's $500 more than the Nikon D800 but the truth is that it really isnt. In the end you will end up spending more on Nikon gear because it's just more expensive. Just an example.D800 + 24-120 f/4 = $4,2995D MKIII kit with 24-105 f/4 = $4,299Nikon 24-70 f/2.8 = 1,899Canon 24-70 f/2.8 = 1,375add the grip, other lenses and a flash and you pay more than the Canon equivalents.

I have been using this camera for just over a year now. I have a few different cameras, and the 5D Mark III isn't my most used body. It's a bit too big for me to carry everywhere, quite frankly. But when I *must* get shots, either for an assignment or when I'm doing serious personal work, I usually reach for the Mark III. The camera is close to flawless in its operation.Ergonomics are absolutely excellent. The camera is large, easy and comfortable to hold on to, and the layout makes sense. I know where all the necessary buttons are without taking my eye from the viewfinder. Build quality is excellent; this camera can take abuse. Functionality is well thought out, and all commands are extremely responsive. Nothing lags, and nothing is fiddly or difficult to operate accurately.The AF system is top notch; you will get more keepers in tough situations if coming from anything except maybe something like a 1D Mk. IV. It is extremely customizable and you'll want to read Canon's separate instruction book on the AF system that can be found online. (It's written for the 1DX, which has the same AF system with a few exceptions.) I've found that metering is good, although I personally feel it under exposes by about 1/3-2/3 EV in most conditions.Image quality is excellent. The only complaint I could level at the sensor is that the shadows can't take that much abuse in post production; you don't always get a ton of good detail when pushing. This becomes more of an issue at higher ISO's. Otherwise the files are beautiful and wonderfully detailed. Noise performance is excellent, and I usually don't even bother with noise reduction in post unless I'm shooting at ISO 3200 or above. I'm comfortable using this camera at 6400, and 12800 is good enough if you need it. (Quite frankly you could shoot at 25600 if you're just doing shots for the web or small prints, with light post production.) This is quite impressive, honestly, and the ability to shoot at 3200 with impunity is a boon to those who do a lot of low/lousy light work like myself.One last word of advice: Read the manual. Twice. The Mk. III is extremely customizable and versatile and you won't take advantage of features you might like if you don't even know they exist.This isn't a cheap camera, but it's an absolute workhorse that gets the job done, no questions asked. If you need this type of camera for the functionality it can provide, you will not be disappointed. A top notch piece of equipment.

Over three years, 22 countries and more than 18,000 images, for both leisure and work, I've used the Olympus 4/3 format (e-620). Their lightweight bodies and spectacular glass equaled an amazing combination that shines through in the images I took. As a matter of fact, Olympus is known for saying that the 4/3 sensor produces images that are of a quality that's more than enough for what most photographers need. I can attest to the truth of this statement. However, over time this system became not enough for what I came to need. Eventually, I outgrew the equipment. That fact, coupled with many comparisons of images taken with full frame cameras from several manufacturers, sparked my interest in the Canon 5D MKIII specifically. From the onset of handling the MKIII it's quality is apparent. It screams of a certain rare capability, ergonomic usefullness and build that, to my eye, altogether is stunningly beautiful. From its deep grip to the broadness of its shoulders to the sleek curvature of it's pentaprism hump the 5D MKIII is everything that the MKII desired to be. The ergonomics are superb and all of the proper buttons either click or pleasantly mush as need. For example, the shutter button effortlessly presses through past the focusing point, almost floating down. Then, devoid of any discernible interruption, the shot breaks. This fluidity, without the commonplace "click", equals a vibration-free capture reducing camera shake which, in theory, equates to sharper images. The gripping surfaces of the camera's body are tackey and impart a confidence of positive grip. The camera, handheld, never feels like it's going to slip--even with sweaty hands or in moist environments. In fact, this tackiness combined with the aforementioned deepened grip make the camera feel almost attached to the hand as if IT doesn't want to let go. Furthermore, the placement and enlargement of the DOF preview button is within perfect access to the ring finger; not once have I missed this button when I've needed it. In reading several other reviews about this camera I've come across a few complaints about the rearrangement of some of its rear buttons. Although this rearrangement prevents total one-handed operation of the camera's most used functions, I personally see a method to Canon's madness......draw an imaginary line down and through the viewfinder and LCD......on the right half are all the primary buttons needed for image capture. On the left half are all the buttons for everything else. It really is that simple. Which, I believe, was Canon's direct intent: to distill down and simplify this rendition of its 5D moniker to the most purpose-driven and purpose built, no nonsensely refined and polished version to date.

"Wanna see something real cool?" asked the old photographer."Sure. What is it?" I said curiously."The new Canon 5d!!! Check it out!". The old pro quipped as he brought it out as if it was some jewel.Szzztuck! Szzztuck! Szztuck! The guy who shoots for the likes of Quiznos and Honda let ripped the massive shutter from the first compact body full-frame camera from Canon. That was late 2005. The price of that Canon 5D was $4499+tax. Some stupid price that I as a budding photographer could not fathom. I just bought a Rebel for an insane price of $899. Hahaha.It felt so long ago. It has been two generations of 5d-series since that faithful morning.Today we have the 5D Mark III. I'm not gonna go into all the feature doodads on this review. 276 reviewers before me has done enough. I will share my thoughts as a user.As a portrait/wedding shooter, this camera is nigh on perfect. It is FAST. It made my already fast 7d felt slow and sluggish. I love how I can run around the 61-AF points. I am no longer limited to using the center-point for reliable AF-ing (5d/2). It opens up my compositional creativity.The silent shutter allowed me to get in and close to the ceremony without being an annoyance.High ISO capability is astounding.22mp is perfect file size for me as I go through hundreds to thousands of images at one go.Sure there are other FF cameras are good at this or that. Sure. I give you that.What really make the 5d3 stand above the likes of D800, 6d, d600 or even 1ds3 is its wonderful ergonomics. I've used all of its rival cameras and the 5d3 fits like a glove. It doesn't make you think through or do finger acrobatics to change settings. Canon put a lot of thought in revising the functional button placements. Like the 7d, a focus group was referenced on button placements. The result is a tool that allowed me to get the job done - take pretty photos.It is not without its faults. Most glaringly, the slow SD card read. The burst depth goes down when the SD card is used as dual write.Contrast to the price of the old 5D Mk I, the 5d3 is ridiculously well priced for what it can deliver. Only your style of photography dictate whether you will benefit from this camera or settle with something else.

I bought the Canon 7d the day it came out and loved it. I didn't know what I was missing in a full frame.First off, some people will not like the pictures this camera takes without post processing. You might ask why, as this camera has in camera processing, excellent resolution, great noise reduction and amazing color. Well, those are all the "problems". This camera is so good, it shows every blemish on the subject. Every mark, every wrinkle, every strand of hair and every spec of dirt will be in the picture.Now that we got past that part, lets talk full frame. Some people like the crop factor of the smaller sensors, especially on telephoto. I was one of them. I was psyched to have the ef-70-200mm L IS on my 7d as it was like having a 320mm at the long end. What I learned was I am not losing anything in zoom with the full frame, but gaining more of the picture on the short end. If I crop the picture on the 5DM3, I can "zoom" in on the picture to any point I want and the resolution is so good, it actually looks much better overall.There is truth in the fact that you don't need a billion megapixels to make a good image. The sensor is larger, so you would think you would want more mp overall, but the larger pixels gather more light, reduce noise and are just sharper.What I found is that I told myself that my crop sensor was awesome because I have all L glass and the pictures looked amazing. Then, when I paired that same glass with the full frame, I find it hard to want to pick up the 7d again.So, let me sum it up. The 5DM3 is an amazing camera and I am not a good enough photographer to make use of all of the features and awesomeness Canon put in my hands. Its not all about the equipment, I know people that shoot amazing shots with a point and shoot, but for me, it is one more cool tool in the tool box.5 Stars from me. I love my 5DM3.

I started out in DSLR's in 2007 with a 40D. It took me some time and learning and this was a great beginner camera. Eventually I had good quality glass and some know how and the 7D grabbed my attention. I bought my 7D in 2010 and haven't had a camera more than 1 year since. Then the 5D Mark III was introduced. I have been longing for it ever since. I was able to pick one up about 2 months ago and I positively love it. There are plenty of reviews here and elsewhere that cover the camera in detail, so I will focus on comparing it to my last 2 cameras; the 7D and the 5D Mark II.AF:I bought this camera for the AF system. If the 5D2 had a focus system similar to the 7D, I probably would have stuck with it. If the 7D had been full frame, I would have stuck with it. I loved the way the 7D AF system worked, so I was thrilled to see they brought the 5D series up in this regard. The focus system lives up to my expectations.High ISO Noise:I thought I bought the camera for the AF system. Then I started taking pictures at higher ISO speeds. WOW! I am positively blown away. The 7D took what I would consider clean shots at ISO 3200 and decent at 6400. The 5D2 was great at 3200 and reasonably clean at 6400. The 5D3 is cleaner at 12,800 than the 5D2 was at 6400! Time and time again I'm blown away. I already have more shots at 12,800 with the 5D3 than I have at 6400 from either of my past cameras.Ergonomics:Lastly, the 5D3 gets the layout of the 7D with some additional improvements. The video/live view mode setup is much better than it is on the 5D2. The M-Fn button is great to have for flipping through AF point modes. The DoF button set up for toggling drive modes is great. But most of all, in conjunction with the ISO performance, I can now set the camera to Av mode, leave it on Auto ISO and pretty much forget the rest of my settings. I set a minimum shutter speed and fire at will. The results are outstanding and this camera is an absolute joy to use!Conclusion:If you have the cash, I would not hesitate to grab this camera if you are really into photography. I am just a hobbyist, but I cherish the pictures I take of my kids. Now being able to shoot in low light at ISO 12,800 with good shutter speeds I am getting far more "keepers" and I honestly don't long for anything more from a camera body. I believe this one will be with me for longer than I used my 40D.