5DIII - my delights and disappointments

Just a few observations - some rarely metioned and others confirming other people's findings.

The not so good?
- focus points not being LEDs; dreadful, dreadful, dreadful move!
- ISO 100-400 performance no different, even a bit noisier (see later positive comment)
- No lighter (I'm getting older!)
- Very markedly fewer images on a 32Gb than the 5DII
- no measurable improvement in colour accuracy - more testing needed

The good
- noise cleans up better and, at high ISOs, leaves a lovey grain in LR4
- focus far, far better. Even my old 85mm 1.2 MkI is significantly better
- Inbuilt levels for viewfinder and LCD ; oh boy - a dreamy feature for me
- extensive button remapping
- Image stacking - finding new ways to use this all the time
- white balance appears better in my few test scenarios
- High ISO performance - sooooo goood!!
- auto-ISO ; very usable indeed

While I listed a fair few negatives, it does actually feel like a very worthwhile upgrade. The indicator? My other half already wants her 5DII changes

Good write up, thanks for this!!(Buying a 5d2 today!) Upgrading from my old 50d

Nice write up indeed...

I don't have anything I don't like, that you haven't mentioned. The non-lit focus points kills me.

I LOVE the way this thing feels in my hand. It feels like a tank.
I can't wait for the grip though.
Coming from a 40D and 5Dc I don't know if this was on other models, but the configurable buttons I LOVE LOVE LOVE.
The sound and feel of the shutter blows me away compared to the 5Dc.

One thing though, and maybe someone has an answer (or I could look in the manual I guess lol)...
Is there a way to go from tab to tab in the menu without having to cycle through every page of a tab?

Kechar wrote in post #14201812
Nice write up indeed...

I don't have anything I don't like, that you haven't mentioned. The non-lit focus points kills me.

I LOVE the way this thing feels in my hand. It feels like a tank.
I can't wait for the grip though.
Coming from a 40D and 5Dc I don't know if this was on other models, but the configurable buttons I LOVE LOVE LOVE.
The sound and feel of the shutter blows me away compared to the 5Dc.

One thing though, and maybe someone has an answer (or I could look in the manual I guess lol)...
Is there a way to go from tab to tab in the menu without having to cycle through every page of a tab?

Rotate the aperture adjustment dial..or press right or left on the joystick... I think pressing right or left on the D-pad on my 60D just jumps it over to the next menu screen.

nice write up, thanks for taking the time to share it

Kechar wrote in post #14201812
One thing though, and maybe someone has an answer (or I could look in the manual I guess lol)...
Is there a way to go from tab to tab in the menu without having to cycle through every page of a tab?

I would love to know this as well, so far I haven't found a way

Kechar wrote in post #14201812
Is there a way to go from tab to tab in the menu without having to cycle through every page of a tab?

Top dial.

dsteve wrote in post #14202130
Top dial.

just tried to look through the manual to find the right tems but found the answer

pg52 of the manual

use Q to switch between main tabs
top dial for secondary tabs

Living out in East Geesus like I do, I had to drive 100+ miles yesterday to touch and feel (read: drool) on a Mark 3 at a store in Spokane, WA pointed out by a fellow POTNer (thanks Rick).

My takeaway surprised me.

See if this makes sense: while my confidence level that I would eventually own some iteration of this body went up, the urgency to acquire it asap went down considerably.

To a person who came up through the croppers and through the 5d series, the focus system was intimidating.

I've never even held a 1 series body, much less shot with one.

Even so, and being used to the old "center focus point and recompose" system on the 5d2, I could immediately see what folks are concerned about with the inability to see all those delicious focus points in the 3.

Maybe I'll stay with the mark 2 for a while.

But, if you are considering this body, by all means get your butt to a local store (or not so local) and touch and feel it. Well worth the trip.

Pat

KCY wrote in post #14202162
just tried to look through the manual to find the right tems but found the answer

pg52 of the manual

use Q to switch between main tabs
top dial for secondary tabs

Thanks for correcting me. I was going off of flawed memory!

bunyarra wrote in post #14201593
Just a few observations - some rarely metioned and others confirming other people's findings.

The not so good?
- focus points not being LEDs; dreadful, dreadful, dreadful move!
- ISO 100-400 performance no different, even a bit noisier (see later positive comment)
- No lighter (I'm getting older!)
- Very markedly fewer images on a 32Gb than the 5DII
- no measurable improvement in colour accuracy - more testing needed

The good
- noise cleans up better and, at high ISOs, leaves a lovey grain in LR4
- focus far, far better. Even my old 85mm 1.2 MkI is significantly better
- Inbuilt levels for viewfinder and LCD ; oh boy - a dreamy feature for me
- extensive button remapping
- Image stacking - finding new ways to use this all the time
- white balance appears better in my few test scenarios
- High ISO performance - sooooo goood!!
- auto-ISO ; very usable indeed

While I listed a fair few negatives, it does actually feel like a very worthwhile upgrade. The indicator? My other half already wants her 5DII changes

Actually, i noticed that noise cleans up a lot easier in low ISOs as well. I have some tests I ran in a few other threads that show the banding is greatly reduced vs the 5d2. As for the focus points, i hope they fix that in a future firmware update. I mean, it's not THAT bad... not for me atleast, but maybe for some people who are used to all the points being illuminated while focusing.

Cool, the post-hysteria reviews are starting. Now I can get some real information. Thanks

Thanks for the write up. I'm interested in knowing more about how it fair with the 85 mkI. Does it snap to focus better? Do you have some samples?

bunyarra wrote in post #14201593
- ISO 100-400 performance no different, even a bit noisier (see later positive comment)

Er, what? Noisier at low ISOs?

How does it compare to the 7D at low ISOs? The 5D2 was not noted for its creamy smoothness at ISO 100 (particularly in comparison to the 5D classic, if I'm not mistaken).

The non lit focus points may kill me buying one, shooting horses I dont see that working well. I may just have to wait till I can get a 1D4