1DSIII, 5DII, or wait it out?

I am considering the purchase of a new 1Ds Mark III or even the 5D Mark II and have a few questions.

If I buy the 1DSIII will I need to send it into Canon repair for the mirror and autofocus repairs or is there a chance that the fixes willl already be in the new camera? Is there an easy way to tell?

Also, would you consider the 1DSIII too late in its product cycle to be worthwhile purchasing now? Should I wait for the MK IV or whatever the new model turns out to be? I'm guessing that could turn into a year wait for me.

I really love the features and build of the 1DSIII. I mainly shoot studio but do shoot some sports etc. I currently am using my old 30D and 300D as backup when needed (though I forget how to use the 300D now).

...or should I opt for the 5D Mk II instead? It is newer and will probably more than suffice for my needs plus I'll save some $.



Opinions?

I guess it depends on what you shoot, how much you want to spend, and whether you need the pro features of the 1D series. There's no right answer for everybody as we all have different shooting needs, budgets and expectations. The 5Dmk2 is the latest body with all the bells & whistles at a good price but if you want a more rugged body and AF, go with a 1D series.

Reading the 1DSIII manual it seems there are a lot of nice little features. But I haven't looked at the 5DII manual yet at all.
Not crazy about having to send a 1DSIII out for repairs right away though either.

I have never heard about the 1DS Mark III got any issue beside the prices! Only the 1D Mark III got -sub-mirror and focus problem. Like Dan mention, you should should get the 5d2 for all the latest bells and whistles! If you want you could order in Canada for a very cheap USD rate!

I'd buy the 5d Mark II now, and then wait until 6 months after the release of the 1ds Mark IV to decide whether I wanted that.

The 5dII will make patience much easier to cope with.

If you're able to shoot sports with your current gear you will get similar or better results with a 5D2 plus amazing files. I don't see any need to wait for the next body to be on the shelves since you're way behind what's available now. The 5D2 is fine for studio work so unless your studio has weather issues get a 5D2 until it can't do what you need a camera to do.

nuffi wrote in post #7542099
I'd buy the 5d Mark II now, and then wait until 6 months after the release of the 1ds Mark IV to decide whether I wanted that.

The 5dII will make patience much easier to cope with.

I'm leaning that way right now. Actually I'd probably have the 5DII already and this wouldn't be such a dilemma if they were in stock anywhere. I sure love that 1DS III though.

The fact that batteries for the 5DII are hard to find and expensive kind of sucks too because I need the grip and extra batteries.

Get hold of Barry from Camera Lens Rentals, Cameralensrentals is his name on POTN. He will hook you up with a 5D2 quicker than anyone else. And you'll save about $30 compared to B&H. He also had about 100 batteries a week ago. Great guy to work with!

You'll love the mark II

Is it a must have, right now? If the 1D series is what you really want, then go for it. But the 5DII is wonderful. I really am liking mine a lot.

As a user of a brand new 1Ds Mark III, I can verify that there are no such "mirror" or "auto-focus" issues with the camera. You can review results at the following site:

http://www.smugmug.com​/share/G85uxecAhc5t6

Whats the password?

I see that Vistek located in Canada, is selling for C$3,099.00, that is converted to $2,440.35 USD. I am calling tomorrow for actual price with shipping/customs and how long it will take to get here

mr.jon wrote in post #7544342
Whats the password?

The password is "yale"

Thanks Yalemba. I guess that's one less thing to worry about if I choose to go the 1DS3 route. Looks like you are loving yours and have no regrets and it also seems that the 5DII owners are loving theirs. Can't go wrong I guess.
Also, I found a place with 5DII's in stock. I may pull the trigger tomorrow before that option goes away. Gonna sleep on the decision I guess.

yalemba wrote in post #7544318
As a user of a brand new 1Ds Mark III, I can verify that there are no such "mirror" or "auto-focus" issues with the camera. You can review results at the following site:

http://www.smugmug.com​/share/G85uxecAhc5t6

Eh...that isn't exactly what I call a "test situation" for the 1D/1Ds III AF problems. Neither body will have an issue with studio shots -- it's mostly tracking subjects in bright sunlight moving at high speed towards or away from the camera that the AF issues arise. And yes, both the 1D and 1Ds were recalled for the latest fix.

Nice shots though.