5d mk iii - really struggling with "glass before body" here!

Hogloff wrote in post #14236190
Have your results also improved?

My possibilities have, I can now shoot in situations I couldn't before.

Dorman wrote in post #14235737
Precisely, if you are a 5dmkii owner there are diminishing returns (IMHO) on the upgrade other than the AF system. However, coming from a 5dc both the mkii and mkiii offer a multitude of feature upgrades. I'm in the camp that feels if I am going to make the upgrade investment I would rather do it to the newest technology than to something I have bypassed for several years already.

I came from a 5d2, which i really enjoyed as well, and now I have a 5d3. I love the new cam. and no it's not just the "honeymoon" phase. the improved AF is really that good. and the OTHER features more than make up for its supposed "lack" of improvement in IQ. I love all the customizable buttons, the DOF preview button is now in an awesome place. I use it to toggle between AI one shot and AI servo modes now and its so much more convenient. The auto ISO is also a life saver for me. When i had the 5d2, I would hate shooting with WIDE angle lenses in low light because the 5d2 would always make it 1/FL for the shutter speed. I would always be shooting at 1/24, 1/35, etc etc at iso 800 when I could have upped the ISO and increase the SS to avoid blur. Now the minimum SS feature fixes all of that.
The shutter lag moreso than the speed was pretty annoying on the 5d2. Actually, I wasn't sure if it was the AF that was making it so slow, or the shutter lag/ mirror blackout.
As for the 6FPS, that helps a lot with my handheld HDRs.... love the responsiveness.
Anyway, I could go on about the features that has helped me get more keepers, but you get the gist. I love the 5d3

If this is the last body you are going to buy for a while, jump up to the 3.

Using the Mk2 for the last 3 years, I hated the AF but LOVED everything else: the images, the body size, the video, everything. While I worked around having just 1 functional AF point, I always told myself that I would upgrade to the next 5D if it improved the AF: the 5D3 delivers on that, and there was no question I was going to buy it regardless of price b/c I know that it is a camera that I will be using well into the future.

Buy once, cry once: The higher cost of the 5D3 will be a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of life. Get it, enjoy it, post up some pictures whilst enjoying it

BugEyes, Ilumo, MatthewK - you're adding fuel to the fire! I'm testing the waters with my 5dc up for sale locally.

Hogloff wrote in post #14236190
Have your results also improved?

I find it much easier to get certain shots with the iii over the ii. I have also found some pictures taken in Eval have been exposed more correctly over the image with more room to work in post with highlights and shadows, but sometimes not, it doesn't nail it every time, I don't expect it to.....I still prefer to spot meter and use manual when I can.

The AF is night and day.

Fuel > fire

You're already going to do it, might as well just admit it!

Higgs Boson wrote in post #14240531
I find it much easier to get certain shots with the iii over the ii. I have also found some pictures taken in Eval have been exposed more correctly over the image with more room to work in post with highlights and shadows, but sometimes not, it doesn't nail it every time, I don't expect it to.....I still prefer to spot meter and use manual when I can.

The AF is night and day.

Absolutely... it's a whole new world with the AF. Say goodbye to "focus - recompose", those days are over. I'm being completely honest when I say that the 5D3 has locked onto everything I have pointed it at, using ANY focus point. It makes capturing what I want so much easier. The 5D2's center point was super accurate, now imagine having your view finder scattered with similarly performing points! (when you select to only show the cross-type points).

There's so many little things w/ the 5D3 that add up to an all-around awesome camera when comparing to the venerable 5D2. Just wait until it's been out on the market longer, I don't think we've seen the full potential of the camera yet

I'm not sure I understand what the problem is. You identify what you want to do that your current equipment cannot achieve (in the best of hands), then you buy the equipment that can.

rick_reno wrote in post #14227416
Go for the 5D3, it's the one you want and will hold it value nicely (for awhile).

I agree with Rick, the DIII will hold it's value longer and is newer technology. You have a couple of nice lenses that will work with the body. You can always purchase the lenses at a later date to add to your equipment.

In terms of IQ the original 5D is pretty close to the mark ii. I like the nice LCD and video features.

The 5DII is a very good camera, but the 5D Mark III is that and MUCH MORE. Canon took something that was fighter and turned it into a warrior. I'm so pleased with it, that I think I'm not going to get the 1D-X now. Also, the 5DMark III is really a no-excuse camera. If you can't pull out a technically great image, then it's really the users fault. What I mean by this, is that this camera will absolutely not hold you back for what it is intended to be. This is a solid all around good camera.