So this morning is the day my inbox is filled with emails from just about every camera stockist around telling me the new Canon EOS 5d MK III is available for pre-order. This means a lot of photographers will now be thinking and looking into a kit update, and with Focus on Imaging just around the corner, it's a great time to be a photographer wanting new gear.
But what do you get for your money? and if you're a 5D mk II owner, what's the upgrade worth to you?
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How does it compare?
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Megapixels
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21.1
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22.3
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18.1
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ISO Range
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100 - 6,400
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100 - 25,600
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100 - 51,200
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Extended ISO Range
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100 - 25,600
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50 - 102,400
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50 - 204,800
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HD Video Max
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1080p (30fps)
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1080p (24, 25, 30fps)
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1080p (24, 25, 30fps)
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Auto Focus
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9-point
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61-point
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61-point
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Image Processing
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DIGIC IV
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DIGIC 5+
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DUAL DIGIC 5+
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Card Format
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CF
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CF + SDXC
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CF + SDXC
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F.P.S.
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3.9
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6
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12
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LCD Screen Size
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3.0" (920k-dot)
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3.2" (1,040k-dot)
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3.2" (1,040k-dot)
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(Table source: Wex Photographic)
Are you a Canon user, will you be upgrading? What do you think of the price and value for money? Are you a Nikon user that has been converted to Canon with this new release, or have you gone from Canon to one of Nikon's new releases? Would love to hear your feedback in a comment at the bottom of the blog.
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Canon Press Release
Creativity, redefined – Canon unleashes the EOS 5D Mark III
United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, 2nd March 2012 – Canon today
announces the latest addition to its world-famous EOS range with the
launch of the new EOS 5D Mark III. The EOS 5D Mark III builds on the
performance of the legendary EOS 5D Mark II, offering improved speed,
greater resolution, enhanced processing power and extended creative
options for both stills and Full HD movies – providing unparalleled
artistic freedom for the most demanding photographers.
Incorporating feedback from photographers worldwide, the EOS 5D Mark
III offers improved performance in virtually every area. A new 22.3
Megapixel (MP) full-frame sensor offers the ideal balance of resolution
for stills and HD movies and up to 6 frames per second (fps) shooting,
whilst a 61-point AF system and 63-zone metering provide greater speed,
flexibility and accuracy. Powered by the latest DIGIC 5+ processing
technology, the EOS 5D Mark III also features enhanced video functions,
offering improved image quality alongside greater audio control –
redefining creative possibilities for photographers and amateur
videographers alike.
“The EOS 5D Mark III represents a big step forward for the EOS 5D
series” said Kieran Magee, Marketing Director, Professional Imaging,
Canon Europe. “The EOS 5D Mark II is an exceptional camera and we’ve
listened carefully to feedback from its passionate community of users to
improve performance in every area. This camera has been designed to
meet virtually any creative challenge – it’s faster, more responsive and
features the tools to adapt to everything from studio photography to
creative videography, while producing results of the highest quality.”
Enhanced performance
With its comprehensively upgraded specification, the EOS 5D Mark III is
the ideal tool for the growing number of photographers shooting both
stills and movies. It incorporates a number of the features launched
with Canon’s revolutionary EOS-1D X, providing vastly improved
performance, flexibility, handling and durability.
The camera’s newly-developed 22.3MP full-frame sensor provides
increased resolution and finer detail, enabling the capture of a wide
range of scenes, from sweeping landscapes to beautiful portraits. Higher
speed continuous shooting also offers expanded creative possibilities.
With an increased 8-channel read out, the camera comfortably handles a
maximum full resolution speed of up to 6fps in bursts of 18 RAW images
or over 16,000 JPEGs¹, without the need for additional accessories.
Additionally, the sensor’s advanced architecture offers a huge native
ISO range of 100-25,600, expandable to 102,400, making it possible to
capture clean, high quality pictures, even in extreme low-light
conditions.
The EOS 5D Mark III utilises the same 61-point wide-area AF system as
the flagship EOS-1D X, providing exceptional sensitivity, precision and
speed. One of the most advanced AF systems currently available, it
features an impressive 41 cross-type points and five dual cross-type
points, providing unsurpassed accuracy across the frame. The
customisable AF pre-sets introduced in the EOS-1D X are also available,
helping the capture of traditionally challenging subjects, and providing
additional reliability in situations where subject movement can be
unpredictable.
Highly accurate exposures are provided by Canon’s acclaimed iFCL
metering system, which incorporates a 63-zone Dual-Layer sensor linked
to each point of the AF system. Focus information gathered from the AF
system is analysed alongside colour and luminance signals measured by
the metering sensor itself, enabling the EOS 5D Mark III to deliver
consistently accurate skin tones and excellent results in a wide range
of shooting situations.
Creative performance without compromise
The EOS 5D Mark III features Canon’s latest DIGIC 5+ image processor,
which powers a range of new functions without affecting the camera’s
performance. 14-bit A/D conversion provides smoother tonal gradation and
transitions between colours, while in-camera HDR shooting combines
three different exposures and allows one of five preset tone maps to be
applied, enabling photographers to capture all the detail in high
contrast scenes. With in-camera RAW processing and editing capability,
photographers also have the option to immediately begin post-processing
their images while still on a shoot.
The increased power of DIGIC 5+ also enables a range of tools which
contribute to higher image quality. Lens peripheral illumination
correction, Lens chromatic aberration correction (lateral and axial) and
high ISO noise reduction are all performed in-camera without affecting
performance, allowing photographers to continue shooting without any
camera lag. Additionally, in-camera image rating via a dedicated button
makes it easy for photographers to organise images ahead of
post-production.
The EOS 5D Mark III features a new Creative Photo button, which
enables users to quickly select Picture Styles and capture multiple
exposures, as well as offering direct access to the HDR shooting mode.
In playback, pressing the Creative Photo button displays a new
comparative playback function, displaying two images side-by-side to
allow photographers to view, magnify and compare the quality of
different exposures mid-shoot.
For situations where photographers want to avoid being noticed, such
as weddings, the EOS 5D Mark III also features a new silent shooting
mode that dramatically reduces the sound of the shutter and mirror,
ensuring they can work quietly in the background. A continuous silent
mode is also available, enabling photographers to capture faster-moving
subjects without attracting attention.
Next generation EOS Movies
The EOS 5D Mark III builds on the reputation of the EOS 5D Mark II, with
a range of new features introduced following feedback received from
photographers to provide even better Full HD video performance. As well
as offering the depth-of-field control loved by video professionals, the
new full-frame sensor combines with the vast processing power of DIGIC
5+ to improve image quality by virtually eradicating the presence of
moiré, false colour and other artefacts. The addition of a movie mode
switch and a recording button also offers greater usability, enabling
videographers to begin shooting immediately when movie mode is engaged.
Additional movie functions include manual exposure control and an
enhanced range of high bit-rate video compression options, with
intraframe (ALL-I) and interframe (IPB) methods both supported. Variable
frame rates range from 24fps to 60fps, and the addition of SMPTE
timecode support provides greater editing flexibility and easier
integration into multi-camera shoots. Users can also check and adjust
audio during recording via the camera’s Quick Control screen and a
headphone socket enables sound level monitoring both during and after
shooting. Enhanced processing power provided by DIGIC 5+ also makes it
possible to conveniently trim the length of recorded movies in-camera.
Professional build, easy operation
The EOS 5D Mark III has been built to offer photographers easy-handling
and robust build quality. Its lightweight, high-grade magnesium body
offers advanced weather proofing for protection against the elements,
while the construction of the shutter has also been reinforced, with
150,000-cycle durability making it ideal for repeated, everyday use. An
enhanced version of the Intelligent Viewfinder featured in the EOS 7D
offers approximately 100% coverage, as well as an on-demand grid display
via the built-in transparent LCD.
The same reinforced 8.11cm (3.2”) Clear View II LCD screen as used by
the EOS-1D X provides high quality framing and playback in all
conditions. 1,040k-pixels provide the resolution to accurately check
image sharpness and focus, while the gapless structure design introduced
with the EOS-1D Mark IV prevents reflections and protects against dust
or scratches. A headphone socket and locking mode dial have been
included, while the inclusion of a UDMA 7-compatible CF card slot plus
an SD card² slot enables shooting to both cards simultaneously, auto
switching when the one in use becomes full and the option to copy images
from one card to the other in-camera.
Digital Lens Optimizer – new in Digital Photo Professional v3.11
The EOS 5D Mark III comes complete with the most advanced version of
Digital Photo Professional (DPP) yet – Canon’s free, in-box software
enabling high-speed, high quality processing of RAW images. New in DPP
v3.11 is Digital Lens Optimizer – a revolutionary new tool designed to
drastically improve image resolution take the image nearer to how the
scene appears to the naked eye. This creates exceptionally detailed,
high-quality images with highly manageable file sizes, providing
photographers with maximum image quality and greater flexibility.
Digital Lens Optimizer (DLO) precisely imitates lens performance,
with a series of complex mathematical functions replicating each stage
of the journey of light through the optical path. Using this information
DLO can correct a range of typical optical aberrations and loss of
resolution caused by a camera’s low pass filter, by applying an inverse
function to each shot to take the image nearer to how the scene appears
to the naked eye. This creates exceptionally detailed, high-quality
images with highly manageable file sizes, providing photographers with
maximum image quality and greater flexibility.
EOS System compatibility
As part of the EOS System, the EOS 5D Mark III is immediately compatible
with over 60 EF Lenses, including the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM – the
new, essential wide-angle zoom lens from Canon’s famous L-series. The
camera is also compatible with a newly-announced range of accessories
designed to offer extended creativity, including the Speedlite 600EX-RT –
a high performance TTL flash with wireless radio connectivity.
Additionally, the new Battery Grip BG-E11 offers greater handling
flexibility alongside the ability to double the camera’s battery life.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III – Key features:
• 22.3 Megapixel full-frame sensor
• 61-point autofocus
• Up to 6fps continuous shooting
• Native ISO 100-25,600 sensitivity
• Full HD video with manual control
• 14-bit DIGIC 5+ processor
• Enhanced Weather sealing
• 8.11cm (3.2-inch) 1,040,000-dot screen
• HDR mode with presets
Pricing and Availability:
The EOS 5D Mark III will be available from end of March 2012, priced at £2999.99 / €3569.99 RRP including VAT.
