I'm finding my 5D3 AF beats my 1D4

It's spring and so I'm shooting mostly outdoor sports, mostly with the 100-400 and some with the 70-200/2.8 IS II.

I have been using the 5D3 a lot this spring back to back against the 1D4 which I have been using for a while. My reactions really come to three main items, wondering if others are finding the same:

1) In really low light, event type situations, the 5D3 stomps the 1D4 for acquisition. To me the 5D3 is reminiscent of the 1D3, which was IMO a really great AF system for low light (f/1.2, 1/125, ISO3200) kind of stuff. The 5D3 is just great at locking on in dead low light.

2) For nice light sports action, I'm finding the 5D3 AF is delivering more accuracy than the 1D4. I get a few 'WTF' misses with any camera, but while the 1D4 gives me some, the 5D3 gives me less. I'm curious if others comparing these two bodies are finding the same?

3) The 5D3 does not like shooting through fences for baseball / softball. My 1D4 is pretty good for this, but the 5D3 gives me fits, wanting to hunt and miss a lot.

As an aside, my approach to shooting fences is to mount a hood. I then wrap my hand on the hood and center it on a diamond of the chain fence to shoot. No sweat with the 1D4, but the 5D3 tends to hunt and miss when doing this. So far this is the one place that the 1D4 AF is beating the new 5D3.

There are also reports by many photographers who shoots both cameras and they're saying the same thing. I'm betting the reason why the 5D mark III sells so well so because it's a 1D MKIV in sheep clothing for much cheaper. By the time I add the grip it's the same price of a used 1D MKIV with full frame advantage.

JeffreyG wrote in post #14447968
In really low light, event type situations, the 5D3 stomps the 1D4 for acquisition. To me the 5D3 is reminiscent of the 1D3, which was IMO a really great AF system for low light (f/1.2, 1/125, ISO3200) kind of stuff. The 5D3 is just great at locking on in dead low light.

Is this in One Shot or AI Servo? With Speedlite AF assist or no?

timnosenzo wrote in post #14448001
Is this in One Shot or AI Servo? With Speedlite AF assist or no?

One shot for the most part, no assist.

I used to have the 1D3 and I started to take its ability to lock in crazy low light for granted. I absolutely found it to kill my older 5D (classic) for this.

Then I changed the 1D3 for a 1D4, and while I was generally happy with the change the one thing I noticed was that in really low light conditions (below EV 2) the 1D4 was noticeably worse than the 1D3 for locking on.

IMO, the 5D3 has corrected this, it is at least the equal of the older 1D3 AF system for low light acquisition. Overall, with the exception of the fences thing I find that the 5D3 is the best Canon AF system I've used.

JeffreyG wrote in post #14447968
It's spring and so I'm shooting mostly outdoor sports, mostly with the 100-400 and some with the 70-200/2.8 IS II.

I have been using the 5D3 a lot this spring back to back against the 1D4 which I have been using for a while. My reactions really come to three main items, wondering if others are finding the same:

1) In really low light, event type situations, the 5D3 stomps the 1D4 for acquisition. To me the 5D3 is reminiscent of the 1D3, which was IMO a really great AF system for low light (f/1.2, 1/125, ISO3200) kind of stuff. The 5D3 is just great at locking on in dead low light.

2) For nice light sports action, I'm finding the 5D3 AF is delivering more accuracy than the 1D4. I get a few 'WTF' misses with any camera, but while the 1D4 gives me some, the 5D3 gives me less. I'm curious if others comparing these two bodies are finding the same?

3) The 5D3 does not like shooting through fences for baseball / softball. My 1D4 is pretty good for this, but the 5D3 gives me fits, wanting to hunt and miss a lot.

As an aside, my approach to shooting fences is to mount a hood. I then wrap my hand on the hood and center it on a diamond of the chain fence to shoot. No sweat with the 1D4, but the 5D3 tends to hunt and miss when doing this. So far this is the one place that the 1D4 AF is beating the new 5D3.

If I may ask,in item number 2,you stated that in brighter lights and in shooting sports,the 5D MKIII's AF is more accurateHow in acquisition,which is quicker between the 5D MKIII and 1D MKIV?
Thanks.

But the 1D Mk IV still LOOKS, and SOUNDS so much cooler!

Jeff

I think you really need to do more testing. I just started doing some side by sides with the MKIV and the 5D3. Right off the bat, MKIV files look better at 100%. better saturation, better color, and they are sharper.......NOT BY A WHOLE LOT.... but they look better.

I tried some shots comparison with a flash, everything was set the same. For MKIV shots, i had to turn flash output down by 2/3 because it was way brighter than 5D3 sensor with same settings....My guess is the 1.3 sensor factor. But even with flash, MKIV had a better look.

I cant tell about AF yet because i need to use it more. But, Just by what i see from the limited shots ive taken, my guess is that the 5D3 af may be a bit better in some areas, MKIV may be a bit better is some areas. Both have their plus and minus points thats for sure. I Love the MKIV, need to play with the 5D3 more but on initial tests, image wise, IQ, Color,sharpness, saturation, the MKIV is a bit better,,,,,,,schools out on the AF for me. I just dont have enough time with the camera to tell. Going duck and bird hunting monday so i will get a better feel.........both are excellent cameras

No One wrote in post #14452221
If I may ask,in item number 2,you stated that in brighter lights and in shooting sports,the 5D MKIII's AF is more accurateHow in acquisition,which is quicker between the 5D MKIII and 1D MKIV?
Thanks.

In good light, I think the 1D4 is a hair quicker to acquire a target. Take softball for instance. I'm set up near first base looking to shoot the defense. Ball is hit to 3B or SS, in this instance when I only have a moment to find the target in the VF and get focus, the 1D4 is a little bit faster.

But when I'm tracking moving subjects with erratic motion (like soccer) I find that the 5D3 is more accurate and gives me less of those shots where the plane is just a hair behind or in front of the subject as the camera fails to deal with a quick move.

Overall I think they are very close, which is saying a lot of good stuff about the 5D3. The only thing where the 5D3 is a lot better is low light acquisition where it is like the old 1D3.

my 5D3 AF beats my 1D4

I do not see a huge difference in the files. A well lit in focus shot from either can be stellar, both give a lot of detail.

How about posting some images both from the 1D MKIV and 5D MKIII for comparison?

No One wrote in post #14452676
How about posting some images both from the 1D MKIV and 5D MKIII for comparison?

I don't know what this would do. I have images from both camera that are in perfect focus. I also can find images from both that are slight misses.

Sample images are pretty useless when it comes to discussions of focus systems. All I can offer is which camera seems to lock faster, or better in low light, or miss less. They both give me more hits than misses, and if I posted images of 'hits' from both you would conclude what? That they are both capable of hitting perfect focus at least some of the time?

If you look at my Zenfolio, I have some HS softball that I shot using both cameras. In particular I shot a tournament where I shot the first game with the 5D3 and the second with the 1D4 to get a direct feel for them.

JeffreyG wrote in post #14452686
I don't know what this would do. I have images from both camera that are in perfect focus. I also can find images from both that are slight misses.

Sample images are pretty useless when it comes to discussions of focus systems. All I can offer is which camera seems to lock faster, or better in low light, or miss less. They both give me more hits than misses, and if I posted images of 'hits' from both you would conclude what? That they are both capable of hitting perfect focus at least some of the time?

If you look at my Zenfolio, I have some HS softball that I shot using both cameras. In particular I shot a tournament where I shot the first game with the 5D3 and the second with the 1D4 to get a direct feel for them.

What I meant was if we could compare images from both cameras when it comes to IQ,detail,sharpness,be​tter color rending,ETC..Anyway,th​anks for the information.

Jeff was right about his comments on both 1d4 and 5d3. I have owned 1d4 before and now 5d3. The more I shoot with 5d3 the better I like its AF system and color rendering than 1d4. Since then I have never looked back even though the speed of 1d4 beats 5d3 in bright light but not in low light. Sometimes I look back in my old picture files shot with 1d4 (shoot with the same 70-200 IS II) I can see the IQ and color rendering of both are almost identical but IMO I would rather choose 5d3 performance than 1d4 in general.

tancanon58 wrote in post #14585779
Jeff was right about his comments on both 1d4 and 5d3. I have owned 1d4 before and now 5d3. The more I shoot with 5d3 the better I like its AF system and color rendering than 1d4. Since then I have never looked back even though the speed of 1d4 beats 5d3 in bright light but not in low light. Sometimes I look back in my old picture files shot with 1d4 (shoot with the same 70-200 IS II) I can see the IQ and color rendering of both are almost identical but IMO I would rather choose 5d3 performance than 1d4 in general.

My thoughts exactly. I like the af better and the files better. I just miss the FPS from the 1D though

Slow the frame rate down on the mk4 to match the 5D, You will see a better keeper rate..