Is the Canon Eos 1Ds Mark III the best camera out there now? [Archive]

EdBray

21st of January 2010 (Thu), 13:37

I've got one, best value for money? No. Best frame rate? No. Best High ISO? No. Best camera I've ever used? Yes, and I've had a D200, D3, 30D, 5D, 5DMk2, 7D, 1Ds, 1DMk2, 1DMk3.

Personally I believe the low ISO IQ of the 1DsMk3 is the best that can currently be found in a Canon camera, but from ISO 1600 up the Canon 5DMk2 has the best FF IQ in the Canon range.

If you want a superbly built Full Frame Camera with a Canon mount with full weatherproofing then yes

pcunite

21st of January 2010 (Thu), 13:41

Is the Canon 1Ds Mark III the best overall camera out there right now?

In the Canon 35mm world the 1Ds Mark III as of February 2010 is the best camera overall with two caveats... frame rate and high ISO. It is only 5fps and some people don't like ISO3200 on this model. If you need more fps then your only option while still maintaining build would be the 1D Mark III or the just released 1D Mark IV. Both of which do high ISO better than the 1Ds.

It is frustrating no? Would be nice to have it all in one camera... at some point in time a camera that can do it all will appear.

laydros

21st of January 2010 (Thu), 13:59

If I wanted to shoot canon glass and wanted the most durable build with FF, then the 1Ds Mk III. But for most stuff I don't care much about frame rate and super-build, so I'd probably rather have the lighter 5D Mk II, and use or remove the battery grip if I wanted it. If I wanted to shoot at the highest ISOs I would probably go for a Nikon D3s. If I wanted the smallest camera that still has DSLR quality I would get an Olympus EP-2 and put the panasonic 20mm pancake on it. If I wanted the best fps and most responsive AF I would use the 1D Mk IV or a D3/D3s. If I wanted the best video DSLR and was ok with crop frame I would get the 7D. If I wanted IS with primes I would get a Sony A900 or A700, depending on if fps or FF was more important. Something else is going to have the best battery life, if I was shooting studio work I would probably want a medium format camera. For landscapes maybe large format.

There are plenty of time I would rather manually focus a prime to 35mm Tri-X than shoot anything else. It isn't fast, and doesn't give me a lot of flexibility in low light, but sometimes it is the most enjoyable.

I know for me right now there isn't a camera I would rather have than the 5D Mk II, because of my shooting style, with the D3s close behind. But I would much rather have better glass with my 5D than get an ideal camera and not have the glass I want.

linh811

21st of January 2010 (Thu), 15:28

MichaelBernard

21st of January 2010 (Thu), 15:30

potn must have the nicest/most polite members in the world.

this is like going on a gun forum and posting 'whats the best gun?' most of the replies would be 'if you have to ask, you're too dumb to own one.'

Shuddap noob! Feel better now? ;) It was an honest question and even though it is subjective hopefully the OP understands how to choose the right cam for himself.

hypnatist

21st of January 2010 (Thu), 15:59

potn must have the nicest/most polite members in the world.

this is like going on a gun forum and posting 'whats the best gun?' most of the replies would be 'if you have to ask, you're too dumb to own one.'

To dumb to own one eh?, is this supposed to be some kind of insult.?

MichaelBernard

21st of January 2010 (Thu), 16:13

To dumb to own one eh?, is this supposed to be some kind of insult.?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/AudibleSilence/3si%20and%20GTOUK%20Hosting/MissedPoint.jpg

aroundlsu

21st of January 2010 (Thu), 16:19

Best gun for what? Home defense, concealed carry, SHTF scenario, Iraq, hunting deer, hunting elephant, hunting squirrels, Olympic target shooting?

Like a gun, there are so many uses for a camera you can't ask such a broad question and expect a definitive answer.

Wilt

21st of January 2010 (Thu), 16:19

What is the best girlfriend to have?....by what selection criteria? Wealth? Looks? Moral support? Intelligence? Sense of humor? Willingness to put up with your shortcomings? Ability to cook? Ability to sew? Housekeeping skills? Ability to compete in an Ironman triathlon?

Same question in response to your question about camera.

tvphotog

21st of January 2010 (Thu), 16:24

Is the Canon 1Ds Mark III the best overall camera out there right now?

Just say what you want to use it for, how much you want to spend, do you want a full frame or a cropped frame...some details.

mikeassk

21st of January 2010 (Thu), 16:35

Is the Canon 1Ds Mark III the best overall camera out there right now?

Purple!

Did I win?

troybal

21st of January 2010 (Thu), 16:43

I do not think it is that bad of a question.
Sure he did not post what he would be taking pictures of but at least people can post what they think is better, and why, and what type of photography they are doing. Then the OP can make a decision. Lets not go to the market on stating he should not own one if he does not know. That's why he is asking.

MichaelBernard

21st of January 2010 (Thu), 16:50

I do not think it is that bad of a question.

He asked a subjective question. To get a proper answer more information is required. Had he said, "Is the 1dsIII the best camera out there for landscape, sports, portraiture, etc etc" his answers would also have been more specific and thus more helpful.

Basically to get the right answer you have to ask the right question.

DC Fan

21st of January 2010 (Thu), 16:53

The world's best camera is the Polaroid 20x24. (http://20x24studio.com/) It's not very portable, though.

troybal

21st of January 2010 (Thu), 16:55

He asked a subjective question. To get a proper answer more information is required. Had he said, "Is the 1dsIII the best camera out there for landscape, sports, portraiture, etc etc" his answers would also have been more specific and thus more helpful.

Basically to get the right answer you have to ask the right question.
I agree, I just think that people can help him ask the right question versus what is being said.

TeamSpeed

21st of January 2010 (Thu), 17:04

Is the desert eagle the best gun?
What are you shooting? Wildlife, robbers, your neighbor, yourself, targets, clay pigeons?

Ditto for the camera, is the 1DsMKIII the best camera?
What are you shooting? Sports, portraits, wildlife, birds in flight, landscapes, product shots, mannequins as test subjects?

Does that help clear it up?

BrianXTi

21st of January 2010 (Thu), 19:19

most willing to deal with my shortcommings gets the nod for both a camera and a woman...

hypnatist

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 09:39

troybal

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 09:42

For Fashion, sports, General Photo Journalism, For everything!!. Are some of you people Photo elitist
snobs? or something. There seems to be a kind of attitude of snobery here? correct me if I am wrong.

Yo Hypnatist, I think what the folks are trying to convey to you is that cameras are made differently based on what your going to primary use it for.

So for example a Sports Photographer may need High Frame Rates, where as a concert photog is more concerned with High ISO with good output. Or something to that affect. So you have to be specific on what you expect to shoot the most, then folks can recommend a particular camera or two.

hypnatist

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 09:49

Yo Hypnatist, I think what the folks are trying to convey to you is that cameras are made differently based on what your going to primary use it for.

So for example a Sports Photographer may need High Frame Rates, where as a concert photog is more concerned with High ISO with good output. Or something to that affect. So you have to be specific on what you expect to shoot the most, then folks can recommend a particular camera or two.

Well would you recommend the Canon Eos 1Ds Mark III , for what I stated in my post?

troybal

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 09:53

Well would you recommend the Canon Eos 1Ds Mark III , for what I stated in my post?

Well let me tell you, I like to shoot Sports Photography and with only 5 FPS I would not choose the Canon EOS 1Ds. So since you have Sports Photography on your post I would want to say no. So again, you have to be more specific on what you would use the camera more for. Basically what is going to be taking the most of your time shooting? Then you need to determine what camera you would like and all the other shooting aspects just have deal with what the camera can do or cannot do.

TeamSpeed

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 09:55

For Fashion, sports, General Photo Journalism, For everything!!. Are some of you people Photo elitist
snobs? or something. There seems to be a kind of attitude of snobery here? correct me if I am wrong.

No kind of snobbery, just need some sort of direction for a very vague question. There isn't one camera for everything.

Canon has 3 different sensor sizes along with 4 different lines combined with 2 lines of lenses. Nikon has something similar. If there was just one camera "to rule them" all, there wouldn't be this kind of diversity in the line-ups.

Now couple these manufacturer factors with the consumer factors/desires/needs:
1) cost
2) camera size
3) fps
4) movie mode
5) environmentally sealed
6) level of photographic expertise
7) iso performance
8) battery life
9) shutter ratings
10) ergonomics
11) firmware/user interface
12) AF functionality/modes
13) desired resolution
etc.

So this is a very subjective question with no clear answer.

Given your "everything" needs, I would say the 1DMKIII is the best bang for the buck, right between the FF and 1.6 crops, 1D build, etc. How's that for an answer? :)

hairy_moth

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 10:02

Is the Canon 1Ds Mark III the best overall camera out there right now?

While I understand everyones' comments, e.g., "the question is too broad" -- perhaps if asked a different way:

If you could own just one camera and cost was not a concern, which camera would you choose?

troybal

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 10:09

czeglin

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 10:10

For Fashion, sports, General Photo Journalism, For everything!!. Are some of you people Photo elitist
snobs? or something. There seems to be a kind of attitude of snobery here? correct me if I am wrong.

Perhaps they just expect that somebody inquiring about $6,000+ USD camera body and asking a bunch of strangers for their valuable time and advice might have taken the time to formulate a more thoughtful question than "is it the best camera".

alt4852

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 10:19

For Fashion, sports, General Photo Journalism, For everything!!. Are some of you people Photo elitist
snobs? or something. There seems to be a kind of attitude of snobery here? correct me if I am wrong.

you asked a vague question, and you're getting vague answers. assuming that people are elitists or snobs because you asked a question that doesn't have a definitive answer may come off a bit abrasive to people.

is blue the best color? i want to know what color is the best for my car, house, jacket, and coffee mug.

that's what your question sounds like to us. stay tuned for my next post where i imply that people who can't give me a straight answer are color elitists.

Wilt

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 10:24

While I understand everyones' comments, e.g., "the question is too broad" -- perhaps if asked a different way:

If you could own just one camera and cost was not a concern, which camera would you choose?

That still is like asking "Which one car would you buy?" A contractor would get a large pickup with a rear seat cabin. A New Yorker might choose the Smart car for its small size and ability to park in tiny spaces. An LA person might choose a Ferrari solely for the status. A soccer mom would choose a van to hold the three kids and toddler in a car seat and all the groceries. An executive might choose a BMW 7 series for the luxury and ability to accomodate business clients. A young pro might pick a Mazda M3...and none of them suits the OP who is a 52 year old woman with kids out of the house and who wants lots of room and lots of power for $30k, yet fails to state what appeals to her with an open ended question.

kimmylixx

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 10:25

The answer is simple , the best camera is always the one you can afford.

stsva

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 10:31

That still is like asking "Which one car would you buy?" A contractor would get a large pickup with a rear seat cabin. A New Yorker might choose the Smart car for its small size and ability to park in tiny spaces. An LA person might choose a Ferrari solely for the status. A soccer mom would choose a van to hold the three kids and toddler in a car seat and all the groceries. An executive might choose a BMW 7 series for the luxury and ability to accomodate business clients. A young pro might pick a Mazda M3...and none of them suits the OP who is a 52 year old woman with kids out of the house and who wants lots of room and lots of power for $30k, yet fails to state what appeals to her with an open ended question.

Veyron, without a doubt! ;)

alt4852

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 10:34

Veyron, without a doubt! ;)

the ssc ultimate aero tt is faster, sexier, and american. ;)

stsva

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 10:35

the ssc ultimate aero tt is faster, sexier, and american. ;)

Maybe, but the name's too long! ;)

mikekelley

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 11:38

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/AudibleSilence/3si%20and%20GTOUK%20Hosting/MissedPoint.jpg

ORLY

You just seem so overly arrogant (not just in this thread)..for absolutely NO reason and I mean that. You have absolutely ZERO reason to be arrogant.

Pot, meet kettle.

MichaelBernard

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 11:48

ORLY

Pot, meet kettle.

http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/ha-ha-ha2.jpg

It's not even close to the same thing..he missed the point of the statement. I pointed that out..

Damn dude, have you been waiting to use that for like weeks? I mean that's pathetic, and funny all at the same time. Like I said...you give me WAY too much power over you.

tkbslc

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 11:52

Ok then, so what's the best camera for LOLcat pictures?

TeamSpeed

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 12:02

Ok then, so what's the best camera for LOLcat pictures?

Given how many cat pictures we post on the board here, the best camera for that will be the new one I am designing and will be marketing soon called the "MeowCam". I had a different name for it, but then realized it would not really be family-friendly and gave up on it. :)

MichaelBernard

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 12:05

Ok then, so what's the best camera for LOLcat pictures?

http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/128295073459063750humandonotwa.jpg

Wilt

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 12:09

Ok then, so what's the best camera for LOLcat pictures?

Haven't you been on POTN long enough to understand that we shoot ducks with our Canons?! "What is the best duck shooting camera?" ;)

blackhawk

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 12:18

No kind of snobbery, just need some sort of direction for a very vague question. There isn't one camera for everything.

Canon has 3 different sensor sizes along with 4 different lines combined with 2 lines of lenses. Nikon has something similar. If there was just one camera "to rule them" all, there wouldn't be this kind of diversity in the line-ups.

Now couple these manufacturer factors with the consumer factors/desires/needs:
1) cost
2) camera size
3) fps
4) movie mode
5) environmentally sealed
6) level of photographic expertise
7) iso performance
8) battery life
9) shutter ratings
10) ergonomics
11) firmware/user interface
12) AF functionality/modes
13) desired resolution
etc.

So this is a very subjective question with no clear answer.

Given your "everything" needs, I would say the 1DMKIII is the best bang for the buck, right between the FF and 1.6 crops, 1D build, etc. How's that for an answer? :)

Well, after your post it became much clearer!:D

I think Nikon makes a "do all" camera. Trouble is, it doesn't do everything as well...:p

It was his 13th post...

hypnatist

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 12:26

What about the Canon 1Ds Mark III for fashion photography?

huhging

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 12:29

This thread should be locked....

What a shame....

tkbslc

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 12:29

What about the Canon 1Ds Mark III for fashion photography?

Yes, Excellent. But if you have a budget large enough to consider a new 1Ds, you may also consider medium format. Like Mamiya or Hasselblad. Many top fashion photogs use medium format.

Saint728

22nd of January 2010 (Fri), 12:49

Great camera for a lot of things including fashion photography. The only thing it is not that good for is sports photography as it doesn't have that great of FPS. You can still use it for sports photography, you just have to be cautious of when to take the shots. A lot of sports photographers just spray and pray, but majority of those shots are wasted. You can get great sports photographs with the 5 FPS, you just have to be choosy of what to shoot. Honestly, if I were going to buy a new camera, I would either wait for the 1Ds Mark IV to come out or get the 1D Mark IV.

Take Care,
Cheers, Patrick