5D Mk II to 5D Mk III upgrade- is it worth it?

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fulwood

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I've very recently bought a 5D Mk II in great condition and have used it for some Xmas market shots with a 24-105.

I am very impressed by the colours and high ISO image quality, much better than when using the D300s I've been recently using.

The D300s really nails the focus, the 5D II had more misses than with the Nikon, had thought I'd use the 5D for landscapes only.

BUT now thinking if I sold BOTH the 5D II, the D300s and my Nikon lenses I could afford a 5D III!

Means I would just have one set of gear - I'm a camera addict by the way, to my wife's chagrin!! - and have one body with the best of all worlds.

So 5D III users, how well does the 5D III focus is it as good as a D300s and is the high iso better than a 5D II?

I'm not keen on the Nikon D600 route, which is based on a D7000 with all its problems. I also prefer the Canon long telephotos to Nikon's based on price and quality. Appreciate that N's 14-24mm is better than any UWA Canon, but I can live with a 17-40 with a bit of cropping for landscapes.

Comments appreciated.
 
5D3's AF is fantastic. As good as anything out there, and of course it runs 50% faster than the 5D2. Image quality is very similar - 5D3 is better at high ISO, but not a great deal in it TBH.

Also consider Nikon D800. Terrific camera.
 
HoppyUK said:
5D3's AF is fantastic. As good as anything out there, and of course it runs 50% faster than the 5D2. Image quality is very similar - 5D3 is better at high ISO, but not a great deal in it TBH.

Also consider Nikon D800. Terrific camera.
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Thanks, good to hear that af is good. As far as iso is concerned, if I can get a usable 6400 image, I'll be thrilled.

Agreed about a D800, seems cheaper than a 5D III, but N's top glass is more expensive than C's. I'm very fortunate as I'm just retiring, have got a small lump sum + tax rebate so have a little to splash out. But have to spend it in the most cost effective way which is on Canon FF gear when body + also lenses are taken into consideration.
 
Never done the Nikon thing but I have had both the 5D2 and I currently have the 5D3. I used the 5D3 on a 70-200 2.8 at the weekend (Rugby League) and I was really impressed with the all round performance of the 5D3. I am more surprised with its abillity over the 5D2 than I am with the gains of the 1DX over the 1DMKIV. Now there is a quote.

No seriously, I would be very very surprised if you are not over the moon with the 5D3 performance. I use it gripped with two LP-E6 original batteries, it lasts ages ...The screen is bright and the focus is really fast and accurate. The ISO and the colours are top drawer....Just to cap it off, I am now finding that I am not having to adjust the sliders in LR4 as much as I did before when owning 2 MKIV's. As to Whether this is down to user error or the better metering of the new Canons, I have yet to decide.

What I do miss with using the 5D3 over the MKIV is the frame rate...I'm still getting used to the different operation of the function buttons as there are a few subtle changes...when the action is fast, I am making the habitual selections and they need to be second nature...I'm getting there though.
 
wuyanxu said:
the mark 3 AF system is from 1DX, should be currently The Best out there.
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That's good, thanks!

Just a quick question if you have actual experience of the 5D IIIs af capabilities.

My D300s, best af system that I've used up to now, took a perceptible time to acquire focus, but once locked on would track superbly.

How's the 5D III for fast acquisition and tracking? Totally unimportant for landscapes, but I'm wanting to use the camera for wildfowl/ water bird pics with a 100/400mm in the nearby Ribble estuary. I'm looking to take pics of geese etc landing/alighting on streches of open water. Another use would for street dance photos with say a 70/200mm - my wife has taken up Morris Dancing!

Both the above need fast acquisition and tracking, is the 5D III up to it?

I'm not a pro but want to take high quality action pictures as a retirement hobby.
 
I find the AF tracking on my 5D3 fantastic. I rarely consider it for birds, and think of myself as pretty crap when in comes to birds in flight, but I took this shot at the weekend with the 5D3 and was well chuffed!
5D3 + 300 + 1.4x
Jonathan

IMG_5676_Black-headed-Gull%252Cwtmk.jpg
 
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Tugster said:
Never done the Nikon thing but I have had both the 5D2 and I currently have the 5D3. I used the 5D3 on a 70-200 2.8 at the weekend (Rugby League) and I was really impressed with the all round performance of the 5D3. I am more surprised with its abillity over the 5D2 than I am with the gains of the 1DX over the 1DMKIV. Now there is a quote.

No seriously, I would be very very surprised if you are not over the moon with the 5D3 performance. I use it gripped with two LP-E6 original batteries, it lasts ages ...The screen is bright and the focus is really fast and accurate. The ISO and the colours are top drawer....Just to cap it off, I am now finding that I am not having to adjust the sliders in LR4 as much as I did before when owning 2 MKIV's. As to Whether this is down to user error or the better metering of the new Canons, I have yet to decide.

What I do miss with using the 5D3 over the MKIV is the frame rate...I'm still getting used to the different operation of the function buttons as there are a few subtle changes...when the action is fast, I am making the habitual selections and they need to be second nature...I'm getting there though.
Click to expand...

That's very reassuring on the af front, thanks.

As far as frame rate is concerned, it's funny, but I take all of my action shots in CAF BUT only in single shot mode - love the challenge of pressing the shutter at exactly the right moment to get exactly what I'm seeing in the viewfinder. Showing my age I suppose, but when your camera is clicking at 10 fps, are you taking the pics?
 
Flats said:
I find the AF tracking on my 5D3 fantastic. I rarely consider it for birds, and think of myself as pretty crap when in comes to birds in flight, but I took this shot at the weekend with the 5D3 and was well chuffed!
5D3 + 300 + 1.4x
Jonathan

IMG_5676_Black-headed-Gull%252Cwtmk.jpg
Click to expand...

Super pics, just what I want to do, thanks!
 
Thanks for all the links and comments which have helped me make my mind up.

I'll be posting in the classifieds later today!
 
fulwood said:
That's good, thanks!

Just a quick question if you have actual experience of the 5D IIIs af capabilities.

My D300s, best af system that I've used up to now, took a perceptible time to acquire focus, but once locked on would track superbly.

How's the 5D III for fast acquisition and tracking? Totally unimportant for landscapes, but I'm wanting to use the camera for wildfowl/ water bird pics with a 100/400mm in the nearby Ribble estuary. I'm looking to take pics of geese etc landing/alighting on streches of open water. Another use would for street dance photos with say a 70/200mm - my wife has taken up Morris Dancing!

Both the above need fast acquisition and tracking, is the 5D III up to it?

I'm not a pro but want to take high quality action pictures as a retirement hobby.
Click to expand...

Very fast. Basically, if a 5D3 is missing anything (given a good lens and a decent subject) then it's down to either incorrect set-up or user error.

The various subject pre-sets make tackling most situations easy, but there are also custom overrides. One in particular sets focus acquisition to max speed for the first shot, then switches to slow acquisition thereafter so that even if the AF point drifts off target (easy to do when tracking BIFs) it will stay on the subject without flicking immediately to the background.
 
fulwood said:
...How's the 5D III for fast acquisition and tracking? Totally unimportant for landscapes, but I'm wanting to use the camera for wildfowl/ water bird pics with a 100/400mm in the nearby Ribble estuary...
Click to expand...

When it comes to avian aerobatics, the red kite will keep you on your toes!

This was shot with the 5D3, a 300mm f/2.8 and a 2x converter... Even though the AF was slower with the 2x on, it's still quick enough to lock on and track accurately! :)

 
Spiritflier said:
When it comes to avian aerobatics, the red kite will keep you on your toes!

This was shot with the 5D3, a 300mm f/2.8 and a 2x converter... Even though the AF was slower with the 2x on, it's still quick enough to lock on and track accurately! :)

Click to expand...

Wow! :clap:
 
I went from a pair of 5D II to a pair of 5D III bodies. Best cameras I've ever owned. AF is great (it's not as good as the 1D X but fine unless you're shooting sport in the dark) and noise is surprisingly better than the Mk II - colour is more consistent and detail is better from ISO 800 upwards.

Build quality's much better, feels like a pro camera in the hand. It's given me the confidence back that I had when I shot with 1D II bodies (when they were new and good!).
 
Spiritflier said:
When it comes to avian aerobatics, the red kite will keep you on your toes!

This was shot with the 5D3, a 300mm f/2.8 and a 2x converter... Even though the AF was slower with the 2x on, it's still quick enough to lock on and track accurately! :)

Click to expand...

Perfect! I was in a hide in Martin Mere, near Ormskirk with a borrowed 1D III and a 300mm f4 a while ago and got some similar shots of Hooper Swans and pink foot geese landing. What I hope to do with a 5D III soon.
 
adamgasson said:
I went from a pair of 5D II to a pair of 5D III bodies. Best cameras I've ever owned. AF is great (it's not as good as the 1D X but fine unless you're shooting sport in the dark) and noise is surprisingly better than the Mk II - colour is more consistent and detail is better from ISO 800 upwards.

Build quality's much better, feels like a pro camera in the hand. It's given me the confidence back that I had when I shot with 1D II bodies (when they were new and good!).
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. Slavering after a Mark III now, please look at my classifieds!
 
As long as you get some good glass on the 5D3 I don't think there's a lot out there to beat it. Compared to the 5D2 it's a massive improvement in the AF system and ISO and better than the 5D2 in every other respect. I can't think of anything on the 5D2 that's better than the 5D3 apart from the price.
 
For landscape photography, there's not a lot between them.
But for auto focus in ultra low light or anything with a moving subject, then the 5DIII smokes the 5DII.
Here's a few examples posted elsewhere on TP of shots I couldn't have taken with the 5DII.
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=4978905#post4978905
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=5016547#post5016547
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=5019757#post5019757

The 5DIII is a phenomenal all round camera.
Whatever the mission, it delivers in spades.
 
In answer to the thread title - YES!

Stunning camera in every way
 
When I started out on the DSLR road my first was the 40D. Then came the 5D2, 1D3 and 1D4. I have to say though that currently I shoot much more with my 5D3 than 1D4, much, much more, with the exception of one rainy afternoon in West Sussex.

The 5D3 has more AF points, an AF system that is out of the 1Dx, will cover action since it shoots 20% faster than a 1Ds3 and for those quieter moments in church or at meetings, offers a silent mode. While I may still get a grip at some stage, I'm getting used to not using one enjoying the absence of bulk and saving on weight.

There is nothing not to like about the 5D3.


PS - Jonathan and Si - those bird shots are out of this world - thanks for sharing :thumbs:
 
As the OP, can I say thanks for all the encouraging posts, and for some stunning pics as well.

I've started another thread where I'm asking whether I should consider any thing else besides a 5D III.

Suspect I know what the answer will be!
 
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