[5D Mark III] ONE BIG deal breaker for me! [Screens]

I really think that Canon answered everyone's prayers with this camera. A lot of people were asking Canon to maintain the 21mp sensor but wished Canon would add a better AF system and a higher ISO capability and that's exactly what Canon did! - BUT i really think that Canon dropped the ball on ONE thing.

Here are the things that I like about the camera:
- High ISO capabilities
- Adjustable AF system (I did not like the 7D's 18 point system because it took a lot of "clicks" with the multicontroller to get to the point that I want. I am sure that with the 5D Mark III AF system, I can easily select 9 points only which is more than enough for me for fast selection).
- High FPS frame rates
- Maintaining a sub 20 MP rating for file management and decent cropping abilities.
- Silent shooting modes
- Maintaining the LP-E6 battery in this model to share with 5D Mark II, and 7D users
- 100% Viewfinder while maintaining the 0.71x magnification

When Canon released the 7D, I was actually quite impressed UNTIL I bought one. Once I tried to live with it for 1.5 years, I decided to get rid of it. I really prayed that the 5D Mark III would never follow the 7D footsteps but today, it did - It adopted the electronic viewfinder, and most of its buttons.

So what's the deal breaker?

It's the electronic viewfinder! I hate it for its lack of interchangeable screens - The 5D Mark I and II both had the ability to swap focus screens. A lot of prime users here on the forum swore by and LOVED their precision screen - I can't believe that Canon forgot about us! For those who have the screen, I am sure that it will be hard for us to manually focus our shots at f1.2-f2.5. Or at least get that visual confirmation with our eyes.

This is just my opinion. You may agree or disagree.

Ah crap. The only lens I have that I use AF for is the 70-200. This might be a deal breaker for me...

I love the interchangeable screen on my 5D2. In all honesty, I rather have the better AF system. I got used to the 7D's viewfinder and I expect I'll get used to the 5D3's.

If the improved AF is not a big deal to you, I can see the 5D2 is the way to go. I bought mine as a Canon refurb for $1700 back when Canon still gave the Canon loyalty discount to the 5D2. Half the price of the 5D3 new. Time t start buying up 5D2s as backup bodies.

bespoke wrote in post #14004082
Ah crap. The only lens I have that I use AF for is the 70-200. This might be a deal breaker for me...

oh yeah... especially as you also have a TS lens that really requires a precision screen unless you find the live view more useful which i am sure that you do. Well, most of your MF lenses really require a precision screen anyways.

marcosv wrote in post #14004090
I love the interchangeable screen on my 5D2. In all honesty, I rather have the better AF system. I got used to the 7D's viewfinder and I expect I'll get used to the 5D3's.

If the improved AF is not a big deal to you, I can see the 5D2 is the way to go. I bought mine as a Canon refurb for $1700 back when Canon still gave the Canon loyalty discount to the 5D2. Half the price of the 5D3 new. Time t start buying up 5D2s as backup bodies.

Thanks for your input. I couldn't get used to the 7D AF system.

As a new 5dmk2 user what do you mean by "interchangable screens"?

The 5d2 AF is adequate for me. I would like better ISO and metering though. And I like how my 60D is more responsive too (the time it takes for me to click the shutter and have a picture taken)

the flying moose wrote in post #14004162
As a new 5dmk2 user what do you mean by "interchangable screens"?

our cameras have the ability to use the following screens:

EG-A Normal focusing screen built into the Camera. Useful for F2.8 and dimmer lenses. Useless (IMO) for f2.8 and brighter lenses like primes

EG-D a focusing screen that offers grid lines. useful for landscape photographers.

EG-S a focusing screen that is useful for TS lenses, and f2.8 and faster lenses. it really helps prime users to see the TRUE DOF within their viewfinder. It is EXTREMELY useful for f1.2 users such as myself. If you use lenses faster than f2.8, use the EG-S.

the flying moose wrote in post #14004162
As a new 5dmk2 user what do you mean by "interchangable screens"?

you can refer to your camera's manual - there are three type of focusing screens available and they show in a custom settin :
C.Fn.IV option 5
- page 203 under menu custom settings off supplied camera's manual

Only the 7D had the lack of changeable screens, the 1Dx has LCD viewfinder with interchangeable screens.

Has it been stated that the 5D3 won't have changeable screens?

I think the new Af module wouldn't allow for interchangeable screens. But yea I love my ef-s screen!

Marloon wrote in post #14004196
our cameras have the ability to use the following screens:

EG-A Normal focusing screen built into the Camera. Useful for F2.8 and dimmer lenses. Useless (IMO) for f2.8 and brighter lenses like primes

EG-D a focusing screen that offers grid lines. useful for landscape photographers.

EG-S a focusing screen that is useful for TS lenses, and f2.8 and faster lenses. it really helps prime users to see the TRUE DOF within their viewfinder. It is EXTREMELY useful for f1.2 users such as myself. If you use lenses faster than f2.8, use the EG-S.

That whoosh you just heard was the sound of what you just typed zipping right over my head. I don't think that I will ever stop learning something new about this camera and photography in general.

the flying moose wrote in post #14004381
That whoosh you just heard was the sound of what you just typed zipping right over my head. I don't think that I will ever stop learning something new about this camera and photography in general.

lol. its worth reading and learning about especially if you are into portraiture.

the flying moose wrote in post #14004381
That whoosh you just heard was the sound of what you just typed zipping right over my head.

It is very unfortunate that it isn't more widely understood. If it were, Canon would not be able to get away with leaving out such a key feature, if indeed they have (I have *not* seen it confirmed the screen is fixed yet). For you and the no doubt many lurkers, here's an explanation of what this feature is and why you want it:


In an SLR the focussing screen is a textured plastic screen on which the image is projected, like a cinema screen.

In the 1980s Minolta invented a way to mould this screen to make it appear brighter, at the cost of there appearing to me more depth of field on the screen than the lens was actually producing. Commercial pressure meant that other makers began shipping cameras with such screens, just like TV makers ship sets in "torch mode" actually unsuitable for home use - brighter is superficially better in the shop.

During this period it remained the case that interchangeable focussing screens was one of the features that a SLR had to have to be considered suitable for professional use.

Now we have slowish zooms and AF, many users cope with a screen that only shows f/2.8 or slower.

You would want a "precision screen":

- to manually focus a lens faster than f/2.5 away from an AF point. Maybe the AF points are not well spread out, as in the 5D Mk II, or not really where they are marked to be, as on my 5D original, or you don't have time to work the controls to select the point and then maybe recompose. This will be less important *if* the Mk III's points are well spaced out and the AF point selection is easy to use.

- to get WYSIWYG shallow depth of field. This is a double-edged sword, because with an f/1.2 lens it can be too shallow to get anything like WYSIWYG when shooting at f/8.

- if using a lens faster than f/2.5 without an EF chip or whose focus confirmation is said to be unreliable. This is the case for many manual-adapted lens users, and many ad-hoc macro and scientific rigs. The only case I have seen reported of unreliable AF confirmation with a third-party lens I believe to be user error, since I happen to have the same lens and mine works perfectly.

EDIT - on a tripod, I would find it easier to use an -S screen than repositioning the camera to get an AF point over the focus point and then putting it back.

I don't think you're right Marlon. True the 7D does not have interchangeable focusing screens, but the 1Dx which has the same digital overlay viewfinder DOES. If Canon took what they did to the 1Dx, the 5D3 will have interchangeable focusing screens.

Only time will tell, as that is probably not at the top of the preview list for most right now.

melcat wrote in post #14004580
It is very unfortunate that it isn't more widely understood. If it were, Canon would not be able to get away with leaving out such a key feature, if indeed they have (I have *not* seen it confirmed the screen is fixed yet). For you and the no doubt many lurkers, here's an explanation of what this feature is and why you want it:


In an SLR the focussing screen is a textured plastic screen on which the image is projected, like a cinema screen.

In the 1980s Minolta invented a way to mould this screen to make it appear brighter, at the cost of there appearing to me more depth of field on the screen than the lens was actually producing. Commercial pressure meant that other makers began shipping cameras with such screens, just like TV makers ship sets in "torch mode" actually unsuitable for home use - brighter is superficially better in the shop.

During this period it remained the case that interchangeable focussing screens was one of the features that a SLR had to have to be considered suitable for professional use.

Now we have slowish zooms and AF, many users cope with a screen that only shows f/2.8 or slower.

You would want a "precision screen":

- to manually focus a lens faster than f/2.5 away from an AF point. Maybe the AF points are not well spread out, as in the 5D Mk II, or not really where they are marked to be, as on my 5D original, or you don't have time to work the controls to select the point and then maybe recompose. This will be less important *if* the Mk III's points are well spaced out and the AF point selection is easy to use.

- to get WYSIWYG shallow depth of field. This is a double-edged sword, because with an f/1.2 lens it can be too shallow to get anything like WYSIWYG when shooting at f/8.

- if using a lens faster than f/2.5 without an EF chip or whose focus confirmation is said to be unreliable. This is the case for many manual-adapted lens users, and many ad-hoc macro and scientific rigs. The only case I have seen reported of unreliable AF confirmation with a third-party lens I believe to be user error, since I happen to have the same lens and mine works perfectly.

EDIT - on a tripod, I would find it easier to use an -S screen than repositioning the camera to get an AF point over the focus point and then putting it back.

This is a great explanation! LOL. You're right. Too bad a lot of people dont know what it is. When I found out and actually used the precision screen, I could only rave about it. People who have cameras capable of using one should really use it and give it a try. Their shooting style would change i am sure!