Canon EOS 5D MkIII

[Bob Atkins]

Just thought I'd start a thread for questions and comments about the new Canon EOS 5D MkIII

http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/canon_eos_5D_MkIII_preview.html

[KeithB]

Did the new flash have RF wireless communication? I did notice the little "link" light which would imply that.

[Bob Atkins]

Yep, that's the -RT designation (radio transmission?). The new Speedliite controller has it too.

Pity they didn't build some sort of wireless control into the body, even if it was optical via a popup flash like the 7D has.

But yes, Canon seem to be adding radio wireless now, with a specified range of up to 30m (though I suspect you will get more than that, but reliability will drop with distance).

The 600EX-RT is also 100% compatible with earlier cameras, speedlites and controllers which use optical wireless communication.

[marcfs]

Hi Bob,

Is there an issue or concern with IQ when the camera is used with an older lens like the  24-105; 100-400,  or others?

Marc

[Bob Atkins]

No, why should there be? The optics of a lens don't change depending on what it's are mounted on.

If you're concerned about the slightly higher pixel count revealing flaws, remember that the EOS 7D has a higher native sensor resolution than even the new Nikon D800. If a lens looks OK on a 7D, it's certainly going to look OK on a 5D MkIII (at least over the APS-C area) and if it looks OK on a 5D MkII, it's going to be perfectly fine on a 5D MkIII.

Even if we ever get a sensor that's noise free and so good and so high in resolution that it shows up every flaw in a lens, the images will still be better than those taken with cameras with lower resolution sensors. You can always downsample!

Canon will be selling the 5D MkIII with the 24-105/4L IS USM as a kit. They certainly wouldn't do that if they had any concerns over image quality.

[Johnny]

Bob,

Any thoughts on the new software function in DPP, Digital Lens Optimizer (DLO) ?

According to Canon:  New in DPP v3.11 is Digital Lens Optimizer – a new tool designed to drastically improve image resolution by taking the final image closer to how it was seen by the photographer.

Did Canon say anything about this? Is it only for the new 5D or maybe compatibel with older models?

[Bob Atkins]

It's compatible with .CR2 files generated by EOS bodies made since 2006 (I think that's what they said).

Basically 29 lenses are supported (they didn't say which ones) and there's a database of aberrations including things like coma, astigmatism, vignetting, longitudinal and transverse CA, distortion etc. which is used to optimize the image. Correction for all these will optimize the image. It won't make it perfect since you can't fully correct them (it's tough to unblur a blurred image), but it will correct them to a greater extent than DPP does now, or any other software package does.

No word on when it will appear, but I assume it will ship with the 5D MkIII and shortly after that be available for download as an update for the current version of DPP.

[Johnny]

Thanks, Bob. That was interesting.

I am a little curious about how to use this new tool in combination with the regular sharpening tool?

From Canon: This (DLO) creates exceptionally detailed, high-quality images.

Maybe you have to choose which one to give emphasis to? If DLO really is that good maybe it will require different sharpening?

We will see when it gets available. Anyway, it is nice to see that DPP is getting more features.

[Bob Atkins]

I guess we'll have to wait to find out! Correction for things like distortion, CA and vignetting don't affect sharpness. If the new DPP also makes corrections of some sort for things like coma and astigmatism (and that isn't going to be easy), it will only affect the edges and corners of the image since they are off axis aberrations which don't affect the center. DPP could, I guess apply some non-uniform sharpening which could affect only the outer parts of the image.

However this is all speculation until Canon either publish details of what they are doing (and that's very unlikely to happen since they won't want to give away their secrets), or the new version of DPP is released and we can actually see what it does.

[whizkid]

Bob

Excellent hands on review.

Sadly I see no 5DMk3 bragging rights over the new Nikon D800. Of particular interest is the D800's claim to autofocus using f/8 but I have seen nothing mentioned regarding the 5DMk3 on autofocus that makes a similar claim. IMO, the Nikon D800 trumps the 5DMk3 soundly ( at least on paper) not to mention a lot cheaper. Maybe lower noise at high ISO's will help salvage it.

[marcfs]

Bob,
Thanks for your response.
I appreciate your assistance.
Regards,
Marc

[Bob Atkins]

Marc - you're welcome.

As for AF at f8, the EOS 5D MkIII doesn't have it, Neither does the new EOS-1D X. I believe Canon's position on that is that they traded off the old f8 focusing of previous EOS-1D bodies for improved AF at f5.6 and faster.

I guess that makes sense since the majority of users will be using lenses f5.6 and faster most of the time, though as a nature phototographer who has used quite a few long lenses, AF at f8 would have been useful to me at times. With professional lenses it's really only an issue with the 500/4, 600/4 and 800/5.6, though AF with the 300/4 and a 2x would be nice too!

I will admit that if the 5D MkIII had had a built-in flash, AF at f8 (with a new AF system), a 36MP sensor and the same noise level as the 5D MkII - and a price under $3000 - I wouldn't have been disappointed. Luckily I'm not in the market for such a camera at the moment, so it's only an academic issue for me.

[whizkid]

 It will be interesting to see how the sensor of the 5DMkIII performs once DxO evalutes it. Nikon's new FF D800 with it's 36 mp Sony made sensor has surged to first with a highest score ever at 95 total.  Remarkable.

[Johnny]

Nikons seems to have a Sony developed sensor with very low shadow noise so dynamic range will be better than the 5D3. At low iso, at least. I do not think you will see much improvement in DR from Canon. At least not in raw files. Color purity is probably higher on the Nikon, but will you be able to see it in prints? I am not so sure about that. For color critical work, perhaps? Maybe Bob knows more about that?

I bet Dxomark will give the 5D3 a score that is a little bit higher. Nikon will continue to rule! :-)

PS! I would not mind having either cameras but I do not need them. I like to push files so I would probably have gone for Nikon. Just maybe...

[Mike]

Hello,
I’m thinking about upgrading to a full frame camera.  Currently I have Canon 50D and I think my skills outgrown it.  I’m looking at Canon 5D – I just can’t decide if I should go with Mark II or Mark III.  Personally, I don’t see much technical difference between the model besides a more megapixels, newer Digic chip and 64 point auto focus.  So I’m leaning towards the Mark II, however I feel somewhat iffy about getting a hardware that is 4 years old.  Any thoughts on a matter?