5D mark ii vs mark iii help

I'm looking at buying my first full frame body to augment my 7D. I have a chance to buy a nice 5D mark ii for about $800. My main use will be wildlife and birding. I was wondering if there's a huge difference from the mark iii in features that will benefit me for this type of photography? I have no problem going with the mark iii if need be. I mainly want a second body due to the 7D being too long in some cases when paired with my 600 F4.
If there's other threads that will answer these concerns or other comparison input please post a link.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thank you.

I went for the mk2 rather than the mk3 because as a landscapist and motor racing 'tog, the mk3 offered me nothing I wanted. Yes, high ISO and everything that went with it, but that's not my bag.

I heeded some advise from the owner of my local camera shop and I've not been disappointed. I was keen to get good DR at low ISO's when shooting landscapes from a tripod., but it still does a great job on MotoGP and F1.

Richard

The AF difference is huge going to the 5DIII. Center AF is excellent with the 5DII, outer are marginal at best.

why not get the 100-400L II instead?

the more advanced auto-focus as was already stated would be a big plus and faster frames per second

Don't get the 5DII. You will be disappointed for what you shoot coming from a 7D.

Agreed; the ISO capability of the 5d mk II vs. the 7D is pretty similar, and the autofocus will be a huge step down.

wallstreetoneil wrote in post #17362808
why not get the 100-400L II instead?

If I had the choice between a 600 f/4 on a 5DIII, and a 100-400L II on a 7D (or 5DII), I would most definitely be buying a 5DIII. Better IQ, larger aperture, and top-flight high ISO performance. Yep, 5DIII.

Its all kinda moot for me. I can't afford the 5DIII, the 600 4, or the 100-400L II.

I definitely want to go with another body as I also have a 400 5.6 and a 300 2.8 to use also in the mid range focal length.
Thanks.

Quack Me Up wrote in post #17361881
....... My main use will be wildlife and birding. ............... I mainly want a second body due to the 7D being too long in some cases when paired with my 600 F4.
Thank you.

Can you ever be "too long" for birding and wildlife (apart from in the zoo, may be)

vk2gwk wrote in post #17364802
Can you ever be "too long" for birding and wildlife (apart from in the zoo, may be)

In some of the spots where I take Owl pics in the summer it's very limited as to how far back a person can get from the subject due to the dense foliage. So yes sometimes a lens/body combo can be too long, at least for me.

5D3 also does AF at F8
And if you ever want to use flash. 5D3 supports the 600EX RT in the camera menu - huge be efit if you ever want to do this sort of stuff. Obviously immaterial for birding.

Dont do birding stuff, but the 5D3 is a lot better IMO than a 7D at AF, so should also be a lot better than the 5D2, which I understand is not as good as the 7D.

I Think its time to move on , so I would advise go for the 5D3 ( as you can financially).
Better low light as well.
Plus they say we may even get a 5D4 soon. There are also some good deals on the 5D3 too!

Note never had a 5D2 but did have (and liked my good copy 7D )

Submariner wrote in post #17365970
5D3 also does AF at F8
And if you ever want to use flash. 5D3 supports the 600EX RT in the camera menu - huge be efit if you ever want to do this sort of stuff. Obviously immaterial for birding.

Dont do birding stuff, but the 5D3 is a lot better IMO than a 7D at AF, so should also be a lot better than the 5D2, which I understand is not as good as the 7D.

I Think its time to move on , so I would advise go for the 5D3 ( as you can financially).
Better low light as well.
Plus they say we may even get a 5D4 soon. There are also some good deals on the 5D3 too!

Note never had a 5D2 but did have (and liked my good copy 7D )

Yea I'm hoping that the rumored 5D IV will drive the price down on the Mark III as it has already seems to be dropping. I'm in no great hurry so I can wait a bit and see what happens. I think I'll go with the Mark III. I don't have a 600 EX RT only a 580 EX but I do actually use it a fair amount of the time when birding along with a Harbor Digital flash extender.

I switched from 7d to 5dIII for birds photography and i am very happy with this. Silent shutter under good camouflage let the birds get really close, that even 400mm is long enough.

Quack.
The AF of the 7D alone is a good reason to the go for the Mark III. The Mark II AF can not compare with the 7D and the 5D Mark III, which is an improvement of the 7D. Step up, not down.