Canon EOS 5D MkIII

[Bob Atkins]

I think Keith is right. Canon's main priorities with the 5D3 were to make it a better handing camera than the 5D2. They did a lot to the speed of the camera and the autofocus system as well as providing additional controls, especially for the video side of things. They clearly weren't going for higher resolution. In fact for the 1D X they lowered the pixel count from that of the last 1Ds so up to this point resolution hasn't been at the front of their thinking. Perhaps the D800 may redirect their priorities a bit.

They don't seem to have been concentrating on improving image quality so much, though they did make a modest improvement in RAW SNR and a more sizable improvement in JPEG SNR, but those are small incremental improvements, not breakthroughs in technology. The JPEG improvement will be of more interest to real world shooter (sports, photojournalists) who need images fast, while improvements in RAW files are probably of more interest to pixel peepers and art/portrait photographers who have the time to optimize every single image.

I presume the feedback from their pro users on the 5D MkII was something along the lines of "The image quality is fine, but it's a bit slow and the AF isn't state of the art when it comes to tracking". Canon addressed those issues and seem to have put a lower priority on large improvements in image quality. It is better than the 5D2, but not that much better.

[bmpress]

Well, I suppose we will eventually find out what happened. It would be interesting to get answers to these questions:
   1. Is Canon holding back higher DR or is their technology sub par?
   2. Did they lack industry intelligence about their competitors product?

In the final analysis it would also be informative to learn the percentage of Canon full frame customers that are wedding photographers, landscape photographers, wealthy hobbyists, etc. Knowing the breakdown would help figure out what really is going on in Canon's organization.

One other point is that if Sony is indeed Nikon's chip supplier, did they attempt to sell product to Canon too, or could there be a non-compete clause working.

It gets more interesting every day...

[Bob Atkins]

You mean if Sony is Nikon's chip supplier could they also sell to Canon I think. In principle that could go either way. It 100% depends on what the Sony-Nikon agreement is.

It's rather a moot point though as Canon is not going at tell the world that they can't make the sensors for their own cameras which are as good as those made by Sony. I'm sure Canon could make a sensor similar to that of the D800. I don't think Sony has any secret technology.

I suspect it's a matter of policy and planning more than technology and where the research dollars (or yen) are being directed.

Again I don't think it's a matter of Nikon being better, but Nikon being different. If you had wanted a high speed camera with an advanced AF system and ISO up to 102400 you'd have been disappointed by the D800. If your first priority is resolution and DR at low ISO settings, then the D800 is the camera to beat. I think most pixel peepers and forum warriors are in the high resolution/high DR camp.

[bmpress]

I corrected my mis-type. Thanks, Bob.

I can't help but imagine what is going on within Canon's product planning team right now. The pressure has got to be enormous for those individuals who plan and execute the product line. I have done product planning for Honeywell and other lesser known companies, and right now I feel grateful to be retired and not on the firing line anymore.

[Johnny]

I suspect it's a matter of policy and planning more than technology and where the research dollars (or yen) are being directed.

Again I don't think it's a matter of Nikon being better, but Nikon being different.

Good point, Bob. The MII has been a bestseller and I think the MIII will be a bestseller too. There`s a a limit too how much time and money the R&D department can use. ( very obvious... ) Then there is the the planning and they decided the course. They must have done something right when you look at the numbers?

There are other aspects to consider like ergonomics. I have large hands and Nikon does not fit well in my hands. I have tried every model and the front grip is not as deep as Canon`s grip. I once called Nikon and they sent me the D700 to try out. The 24-70 + D700 is an excellent combination but the ergonomics dit not fit at all. IMO it is not made for large hands. I measured the front grip and and Canon had the deepest grip which made it easier to hold. I was suprised because I have heard so many good things about Nikon and their ergonomics. Canon on the other hand sits like glue in my hands.

However, I do wish for a low-noise sensor from Canon at some point.