Undecided lens choice for Canon 1D Mark 3 your views please

mazdaman

mazdaman

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Always wanted a 1D series camera and recently on a trip to Exeter I purchased a mint 1D Mark 3 for £299 (I was only window browsing and was seduced by the condition and the price) A quick check of the serial numbers that had the focus issue money was parted!

Given that this body is my third body (2x80D) I am looking to buy a W/A for this body just cover off landscapes, environmental pictures etc

Do not want to spend megabucks on a wide angle as it will not be a "front line lens" and have narrowed the choice down to Canon 17/40 used approx. £300 used and the Tamron 17-35 OSD grey import £380. I know all the merits of the Canon 16-35 F4 which I owned for a while but at £500 used if you are lucky on eBay its money I do not want to spend and tie up on this third body which will see light use as a landscape body more to be used for wildlife and motorsport.

Given the 10.1m pixels of the 1D Mark 3 and a 1.3 crop sensor anyone care to advise which lens to go for based each lens merits. My other lens to used on this body are 70-700 f4l IS and Sigma 150-600

So far the weather hasn't let me get out to test the mark 3 to much but I have been impressed with the quality of the files even when shooting high ISO 1600+ on this ancient beast.

I have looked at this comparison based on the body's from the drop down and cannot see a huge difference that makes me want to buy one over the other

https://www.the-digital-picture.com...meraComp=979&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=4
 
When I had a 1Dmk2 I thought the 17-40L worked particularly well with it.
 
I can't speak for all Tamron lenses, but I bought a Tamron 24-70 2.8 and while I've found the image quality to be brilliant, there are times when it simply refuses to engage autofocus until a full-button press (rather than the half-press).

I have heard that Canon have deliberately designed-in software so that their cameras don't play as nicely with third-party lenses as they do with Canon OEM lenses, but this may or may not affect an older camera anyway.

I've certainly noticed it more so on my 80D than I did on my 600D. Don't think I've ever used it on the 20D to compare.
 
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When I used 1D3’s I had a few over the years,I found that the 400mm f5.6 L and the 70-200 f4 produced the best stuff ... for statics use single point a.f anything that moves quick click of joystick for ring of fire never failed
 
I wouldn't touch 17-40 with barge pole again. I'd also say shoot your landscapes with your 80Ds. 10MP will leave you on the short side of the image size and quality; even as 80D is crop, so is 1D3 (a little less, but similar) but more modern and with far better resolution.

Just use it with longer glass as presumably you bought it for frame rate and better AF. Save the money and buy a lens you really need more. Or save up for that 16-35... Or actually wait for RF version before these nosedive in value one day.
 
Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply ended up buying the 17-40 from MPB. picked up a 2016 lens for £296 inc postage in excellent condition MPB had a Black Friday 10% discount on the 68 Canon 17-40 lenses in stock.
 
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