5d mk3 worth another £1000 + upgrade

Have a 5dmk2 and a 1dmk3, is the 5dmk3 worth another £1000 + of an upgrade. Shoot mainly MTB and have found the AF and the ISO to be super on the 5dmk2. What else i'm I missing out on

Warren

You'll find it in just about any 5D2 vs 5D3 thread out there but I'll offer my personal experience anyway - I recently made this switch.

ISO 100-3200 is about the same between the two cameras but the 5D3 starts to pull away afterward. But, the big kicker was the AF - while 5D2 center point AF was pretty decent, having reliable AF points throughout the frame are a game changer for me. It's refreshing to be confident in framing my shot just how I want in camera instead of using center point and framing loosely enough to crop to the composition I wanted, or alternatively using focus/recompose. It makes using fast primes much easier to have this flexibility.

There are some other bells and whistles, but the two above were the big sellers for me - totally worth the money IMO. The only thing that makes me hesitant for you is that you say you're totally satisfied with what you have. If you are, then no upgrade for any amount of money is worthwhile.

In a word don't bother, wait until the 5d mark 4 or 5, otherwise it's just an incremental upgrade, it's generally every other or every third generation that has real world improvement from the last model.

If you have found the ISO and AF to be super on the MkII, then there really is no need to go with a MkIII. I personally feel the MkIII is worth the money. BUT When I say worth the money to me I mean worth that I can get it for From Canon refurb with CLP ($2300 or so)

I used to have a 1D3 and now have a 5D3. Keep your set up. The 1D3 is streaks ahead of the 5D3 for AF speed.

Paulstw wrote in post #17108038
I used to have a 1D3 and now have a 5D3. Keep your set up. The 1D3 is streaks ahead of the 5D3 for AF speed.

I've never owned a 1DIII so I have no personal experience but this doesn't sound right. FPS, buffer and build certainly goes to the 1DIII but AF performance (speed/tracking)? Everything I've read about the 5D3 puts AF right up there with the 1DX, let alone the 1DIII.

I shot 2 seasons of NBA with the 1D4 at high ISO (6400/12800). I shot the entire last year with the 5D3. It proved to be every bit as competent regarding AF once I set up the right AF parameters (different on the 5d3 vs 1D4). ISO performance is also better.

ISO 25600

MNUplander wrote in post #17108115
I've never owned a 1DIII so I have no personal experience but this doesn't sound right. FPS, buffer and build certainly goes to the 1DIII but AF performance (speed/tracking)? Everything I've read about the 5D3 puts AF right up there with the 1DX, let alone the 1DIII.

The 5D3 might have the same AF system as the 1Dx but it's not quicker than the 1D3 at focussing. I guess in some way Canon have limted via software the speed in which it reacts or something cause I went from, snap, snap, snap on the 1D3 and within an hour of using the 5D3 I noticed it wasn't just as snappy and that was using the same lens. I had already sold the 1D3 by that point and was a quick test before it went back in the box for postage but something just didn't feel right.

Still to this day I still don't feel the AF AI SERVO performance is as fast as is it should be. Some people go on about the 1D3 having a larger battery thus being able to drive the lens motor faster and all that, but I dunno I just know that it's slower on the 5D3 on faster action stuff.

I mean slower to achieve focus from a blur, it's hard to tell once your actually tracking a subject. Definitely feels a bit slow off the mark when you spot something and need the AF system to react fast. I have just got into the habit of snapping the manual focus to either far away or close depending on the scene as I lift the camera now, whereas before I didn't even need to think about it, the 1D3 almost just achieved focus in an instant.

Paulstw wrote in post #17108976
The 5D3 might have the same AF system as the 1Dx but it's not quicker than the 1D3 at focussing. I guess in some way Canon have limted via software the speed in which it reacts or something cause I went from, snap, snap, snap on the 1D3 and within an hour of using the 5D3 I noticed it wasn't just as snappy and that was using the same lens. I had already sold the 1D3 by that point and was a quick test before it went back in the box for postage but something just didn't feel right.

What lens you use makes a big difference in AF speed. When I see comparison tests of AF speed alone, it seems all new DSLRs are pretty snappy. One of the bigger differences in speed between a 1D3 vs 5D3 would be shutter lag: the 5D being FF (and not a 1D), wasn't engineered to be a burst speed demon.

As for the OP, if you like the AF and ISO on the 5D2, then the 5D3 is just an upgrade from that (in the AF department, I believe it's a major upgrade). I went from a 5Dc to a 5D3, because I didn't believe the 5D2 was a good enough upgrade (ISO and resolution are better, but no change in AF??).

The AF systems in the 5d3 and 1 Dx are indeed similar but not the same. the 1 Dx has a separate microprocessor just for AF, and of course can shoot at a much higher frame rate.
My photography is wildlife, and I tried both bodies before getting a 1Dx, initially I didn't want to spend the (substantial) extra money for the 1 Dx but after using both, went for the 1 Dx.
Having said that, if I was landscape, I think the 5d3 would be eminantly suitable, but the rate of keepers with the 1 Dx blows every other Canon camera out of the water....but the AF system on both the 5d3 and 1 Dx need a lot of experimenting with to get the best results, took me 9 months to be really happy with it.
AF system is much better and comprehensive on the 5d3 compared to the 5d2 (which is the same as the original 5d) but again, for still life, who cares?
As you shoot biking, I'd have thought the 5d3 system would give better results, but of course not at the same frame rate.
Can you not borrow/hire a 5d3 for a weekend, then you'll answer your question for yourself???...

Canon George wrote in post #17109411
The AF systems in the 5d3 and 1 Dx are indeed similar but not the same. the 1 Dx has a separate microprocessor just for AF, and of course can shoot at a much higher frame rate.
My photography is wildlife, and I tried both bodies before getting a 1Dx, initially I didn't want to spend the (substantial) extra money for the 1 Dx but after using both, went for the 1 Dx.
Having said that, if I was landscape, I think the 5d3 would be eminantly suitable, but the rate of keepers with the 1 Dx blows every other Canon camera out of the water....but the AF system on both the 5d3 and 1 Dx need a lot of experimenting with to get the best results, took me 9 months to be really happy with it.
AF system is much better and comprehensive on the 5d3 compared to the 5d2 (which is the same as the original 5d) but again, for still life, who cares?
As you shoot biking, I'd have thought the 5d3 system would give better results, but of course not at the same frame rate.
Can you not borrow/hire a 5d3 for a weekend, then you'll answer your question for yourself???...

The frame rate and AF systems are mutually exclusive.

A separate processor for AF again doesn't mean the AF is different, it just means that the AF on one system might be more responsive than the other.

Here is the best source for determining what is similar and what is different.

http://www.learn.usa.c​anon.com …/2012/1dx_guide​book.shtml

industryimage wrote in post #17107882
Have a 5dmk2 and a 1dmk3, is the 5dmk3 worth another £1000 + of an upgrade. Shoot mainly MTB and have found the AF and the ISO to be super on the 5dmk2. What else i'm I missing out on

Warren

In your situation I would sell them both and find a used Canon 1D Mk4.
Whilst the 1D Mk3 is a very good camera the Mk4 is even faster (AF)/more flexible and produces better images at higher ISO. As a landscape/general purpose camera the 1D Mk4 produces better files that are easier to work with - basically it is a better camera in all respects than the Mk3, as you would expect being more recent technology.
1d Mk4s are now available at reasonable prices and selling your two bodies would virtually cover the cost of one. Note if you have any spare batteries for your 1D Mk3 keep then as they work in the Mk4 (and 1DX).

industryimage wrote in post #17107882
Have a 5dmk2 and a 1dmk3, is the 5dmk3 worth another £1000 + of an upgrade. Shoot mainly MTB and have found the AF and the ISO to be super on the 5dmk2. What else i'm I missing out on

Warren

In this case you are missing nothing !
I still have my 5D2 and use it a lot with the 5D3
5D2 in 5-10 years from now will still be an amazing camera
I invest a lot 5 years ago around the 5D2 for underwater photography, when i got the 5D3, i was, in the beginning, thinking to sell everything about 5D2, to bring the 5D3 underwater, after thinking, what advantage i will get ? none !!
You found the AF and the ISO to be super on the 5dmk2, they are !!
The 5D2 is capable to pin up the focus in lite condition that still surprise me, and it's ISO range are largely enough for everything, the 5D3 will just bring up some abilities that you do not need based on what you are saying
So for you it's not worth another £1000 + of an upgrade