Getting a 1d3? Double-check my thinking?

I'm doing more and more events. I need to not miss moments, lens changes are annoying. Currently I use a 7D and a 5d2.

I have gotten into a habit of using the 5d2 and f/1.4 or f/1.2 lenses with no flash to get closeup candids of the guests. People like it, and now people specifically want me on their events because they don't like the look of direct flash. Many of the venues have high ceiling so bounce flash is impractical.

I think I need to look like a dork and carry a 3rd body. The problem being that I still need the 7D with the flash and a zoom and I want one long and one short prime.

I always wanted to try a 1d3 because it's the last body to use the old TTL-AREA-SIR autofocus system. Obviously I don't need video. I would prefer FF for the events but I would also like to use this camera for birding and the 7D goes on my nerves. The 85L is actually a bit short for what I'm trying to do, so APS-H doesn't sound bad to me. Plus, 1d3 go pretty cheap on Ebay right now, although of course that's usually with a single battery.

I owned a 1d2 and would like to ask current 1d3 owners a couple questions:

• the old batteries for the 1d2 showed their age. I had to carry many. Third-party batteries, which are fine for my 5d2, for the 1d2 did not sit well and didn't not work reliably. To tip it off I can't get an AA tray for the 1d3 like I have for the 5d2. How is the situation with old batteries and 3rd party batteries for the 1d3? Can you exchange the cells in the batteries?
  
• how is the LCD? To be honest the 5d2 display is already a problem.
  
• does it have full control over a 580 EX Mk 1? I like the flash but the 5d2 speaks a different language. WTF anyway.
  
• Anything else I will be shocked about?
  

uOpt wrote in post #16461593
I'm doing more and more events. I need to not miss moments, lens changes are annoying. Currently I use a 7D and a 5d2.

I have gotten into a habit of using the 5d2 and f/1.4 or f/1.2 lenses with no flash to get closeup candids of the guests. People like it, and now people specifically want me on their events because they don't like the look of direct flash. Many of the venues have high ceiling so bounce flash is impractical.

I think I need to look like a dork and carry a 3rd body. The problem being that I still need the 7D with the flash and a zoom and I want one long and one short prime.

I always wanted to try a 1d3 because it's the last body to use the old TTL-AREA-SIR autofocus system. Obviously I don't need video. I would prefer FF for the events but I would also like to use this camera for birding and the 7D goes on my nerves. The 85L is actually a bit short for what I'm trying to do, so APS-H doesn't sound bad to me. Plus, 1d3 go pretty cheap on Ebay right now, although of course that's usually with a single battery.

I owned a 1d2 and would like to ask current 1d3 owners a couple questions:

• the old batteries for the 1d2 showed their age. I had to carry many. Third-party batteries, which are fine for my 5d2, for the 1d2 did not sit well and didn't not work reliably. To tip it off I can't get an AA tray for the 1d3 like I have for the 5d2. How is the situation with old batteries and 3rd party batteries for the 1d3? Can you exchange the cells in the batteries?
  
• how is the LCD? To be honest the 5d2 display is already a problem.
  
• does it have full control over a 580 EX Mk 1? I like the flash but the 5d2 speaks a different language. WTF anyway.
  
• Anything else I will be shocked about?
  

My 1D3 battery is original, and after 3000 shots in 4 hours, it will be at about 50%. I am floored by the battery life for a 6(?) year old battery. I don't know about any AA power sourcing options. Batteries are not horribly expensive, and you'd have to check compatibility, but I believe the 1DX, 1D4, 1DS3 and 1D3 can all share a battery -- though I'm not sure if they can share ALL batteries. I have not heard of replacing the cells in the battery, but I don't imagine I'll ever need to.

No 580 EX here, sorry.

The keeper rate is the most shocking thing to me. The other is the IQ with only 10MP. Really great body. The RAW files are wonderful to work with compared to those off of my T2i.

If you're not happy with the 5DII LCD, you're going to be very sorely disappointed with the display on the 1DIII.

If I recall correctly, the display is the same size as the 5DII (3.0"), but has the same resolution (230K pixels) as the 2.0 and 2.5" displays from the 1DmkII and 1DmkIIN, where the 5DII has 920K pixels.

You'll have no complaints about the battery life, though. I don't have a 1DIII here any more, but I don't recall ever having any issues with my 580EX.

At the superbike races, one of the days I shot a little over 2,500 shots, mostly panning with my 300 in mode 2, some chimping to adjust shutter speed(for no parallax blur but plenty of background/wheel blur) and to check exposure, and I also forgot to turn off image preview. I was using one of my 3rd party batteries that day and it still had some left. The OEM batteries do even better, in both number shots that can be taken and how long they stayed charged when not being used.

This is on a 1DIV though, but I think the 1DIII does about the same if not better with battery life.

lovemyram4x4 wrote in post #16461923
At the superbike races, one of the days I shot a little over 2,500 shots, mostly panning with my 300 in mode 2, some chimping to adjust shutter speed(for no parallax blur but plenty of background/wheel blur) and to check exposure, and I also forgot to turn off image preview. I was using one of my 3rd party batteries that day and it still had some left. The OEM batteries do even better, in both number shots that can be taken and how long they stayed charged when not being used.

This is on a 1DIV though, but I think the 1DIII does about the same if not better with battery life.

Were you driving a lens with IS during that time?

ETA: Ok, I see you said you do. Nice.

Yeah, I was trying to point I was using a lens that is large, doing a lot of tracking with IS on which would use just about much power as possible via the lens.