Help!!! Next Body Dilemma, 1DsMkiii or 5dMkiii

Looking to get one of the stated bodies.

I currently use the 1DsMkii & 2 5Dc bodies. I shoot mostly portraits, commercial, and weddings. ISO performance it isn't a big factor. Churches in my area allow for flash and strobes to be used, and several churches well lit. Additional, the slowest glass I have is f2.

Now, I know what to expect from the 1DsMkIII, it is the 5dMkiii that I do not know how it performs. I know both bodies will offer great image quality, but my main concerns are

1) Will the 5Diii have the same operation speed or better than the 1Dsiii? e.g. taking a photo with a 1d body feels "instantaneous"
2) How will the 5Diii perform with manual focus lens using the viewfinder, not liveview?

I do not want to use liveview when I shoot. I have 2 lens that are manual only lens and 95% of the time I shoot wide open, which at f1.4.

I know the the 1Dsiii has the ec-s and im not sure about the 5diii.

I cannot rent in my area, I live on an island in the Pacific which has no camera shop. And no one has a 5diii that I can borrow to test.

Heya,

The 5D3 does not have a standard replacement precision matte screen, there are third party ones that are costly, but ultimately the 5D3 is not an ideal "manual lens" camera the way the 5D & 5D2 are. The 1Ds3 has the EC-S as you mentioned, and all the glory that is the 1D series. I've yet to find any thing but the 1D series seem to have as fast no-lag shutter actuation, they simply are near instant. I shoot with a 1D2 and 5D and it's pretty obvious. Granted the 1Ds series are not as fast in FPS, but their shutter lag time is very low.

Since you're basically using manual glass and you're already very well accustomed to manual focus, and you're using strobes/lighting and do not need maximum ISO performance, and you are wanting the speed, the 1Ds 3 makes a lot of sense for you. These two cameras are very closely priced. Very similar in every regard. They have similar resolution, similar useable ISO range, and similar dual-card slots. Synch speeds for flash are a little different if you care about that.

The 5D3, you're paying about $1k of that price just for the AF system itself probably. So ultimately if you don't need that AF system, then the 5D2 makes a lot of sense instead. The 6D makes even more sense, but the ergonomics are different, synch speed is different and shutter is different, so you probably would not want it. So if you're getting a 5D3, I would almost say in your case just get a 5D2 instead. But, that said, ultimately the 1Ds III makes the most sense to me here, as you get everything you want, the IQ, the speed of shutter lag, the precision matte screens, a very robust and durable body (you're on the islands after all) and a system you're already familiar with (1D series). I'd probably go 1Ds 3 for this.

Then again I've always found the 1D series and the old 5Dc files just have a look to them that the later 5D series didn't quite capture.

Very best,

Another option, for the manual glass, is a sony A7 and a metabones adaptor and use focus peaking (in the sony a7) for your manual focus lenses. An A7 body used is less than $1000. and metabones (and other knock offs) is about $200 to mate the canon lens to the sony a7 body (triple check which one you are getting, there are several variations)

Just a thought

Thanks Mal for the advise, it solidifies my decision to get the 1Dsiii even more. Ksbal, the A7 is an awesome camera, but if I was to get one, it would be for leisure purposes instead of profession. Currently photography is my livelihood, so I need to make smart investments =).

I love my 5D3, but I bought it primarily for AF speed and good noise performance. Sounds like both of those would be unneeded for the majority of your work. If you can get a 1Ds3 for a good price, go for it. I know several people using them professionally with no complaints.