Canon EOS 5D Mark III 22.3 MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera with EF 24-105mm f/4 L is USM Lens Black

I purchased this camera 5 months ago to use in my Fashion business and also for my Photography business. I had been shooting with the Canon 7D which is a great camera. I will still shoot with the 7D for my Photography business but for my Fashion business this camera has resolved all of the lighting problems we had with interior shooting. I needed the speed of the AF and all those cross type AF points and the high fps for action shots occasionally and couldn't find anything that came close to the 7D in terms of performance before now. The Body is well built and handles well in every situation I have used this in. The Low Light capability is over the top. I have not noticed the weight at all on this camera being a problem, even with longer heavier lenses it handles well. 61-POINT AUTO FOCUS: The AF system here is identical to that in the 1Dx and is THE most sophisticated AF system EVER put in any Canon body. It is superior to that in the 1DV and all bodies before it. While most of us wanted only a 7D equivalent AF system, Canon delivered the flagship system found in the 1Dx. The AF has not missed focus for me yet. The AF accuracy, metering and noise is over the top in comparison to other cameras I have shot with and handled over the years. This camera is super fast and super sharp. I have tested the AF point in servo and one shot mode with my fastest lenses. Speed, accuracy, and consistency have been exceptional and better than anything I have used before. AF gets the job done. enter AF point and all peripheral AF points are all usable with fast primes. I am amazed with the results at 1600, after minor RAW adjustments to the noise, there is virtually no grain and the image is perfectly useable. I did test the 25600 and while I would never use this ISO in a shoot situation, I was impressed with the quality. Yes there was noise, but you're at an ISO of 25600 ISO Range. This is one of the main reasons why I bought this camera. Whereas the the 5D3 is usable up to ISO 12800. (In comparison, the 7D is usable up to ISO 1600 Every feature on 5D3 is an upgrade over the 5D2. BUILD QUALITY: It's hard to put my finger on exactly what changed, but the 5DIII just feels more substantial. It feels like a chopped down 1-series instead of a buffed up 10 series. The contour of the body has changed to fit your hand better. The rubber is also a new compound which is much grippier than before. The 5DIII feels much better to hold and use than the previous 5D bodies. JPEG: Out of the camera, the Canon JPEGs are phenomenal. With processing if needed they are quite remarkable. Exposure Bracketing / HDR / Stacking * The Mark III now supports 7 exposures -- A huge improvement in the software for anyone doing HDR. * The Mark III has in-camera HDR processing, which is nice (perhaps to get an idea how something looks, on the spot) * The Mark III supports in-camera image stacking, which can be used for a variety of creative and scientific effects SD Card * Having a second slot, with the second one being SD is a very nice addition, however slows down your shooting tremendously and this is a feature I will not be using. Silent mode * It is perhaps quiet enough for you to even take a few shots in places where photography is generally frowned upon. Burst mode * 6FPS is a major improvement over the previous version. ISO: The high ISO performance of this camera is simply incredible. With the 7D I tried to limit my high ISO shooting to about 6400... I am extremely comfortable shooing up to ISO 25,600 with the 5D3. Images are still very detailed with very nice looking, fine grain. Images don't become flat looking and still have a really nice look to them. I will even shoot 51,200 without a problem, although there is a big increase of noise beyond the native ISO values. It really is impressive. he JPEG engine in this camera is staggeringly good and a solid 2 stops better at controlling noise at high ISO than the previous version. METERING: I find myself correcting with exposure compensation MUCH less now, Shooting with the two side the newfound metering accuracy of the mark III is very obvious.The new 5DIII is much improved here. WHITE BALANCE: I've noticed that while post processing I'm having to correct color less with the 5DIII files. This is very exciting, as it will save me a fair amount of time in post processing. Per usual, all of the cameras struggle under tungsten lighting. However, AWB is able to get color surprisingly close with anything that contains natural lighting. MENUS: I would strongly advise reading the manual because there are a lot of new settings and options which won't be familar to 5DII users. There are also a LOT of different ways to set up your AF system, so a little experimentation is needed. In general, the menu system is more complicated that before, but this also allows a much greater degree of customization of the camera. In that regard, the 5DIII is much closer to a 1-series than before. Take the time to learn it and set it up correctly. My next camera will definitely be the Canon EOS-1D X but for now this camera meets all of my needs and then some for my Fashion Business and my Photography business. LENS: EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM I purchased the Canon EOS 5D Mark III 22.3 MP Full Frame CMOS with the included EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM. I was familiar with this lens already having purchased two of them prior for two family members and using it for from time to time. I had wanted a walk around lens with IS so getting this included lens was going to be my answer for that. So far as an owner of this lens I really do not like it on my 5D camera. (personal choice) I will use it more on my 7D camera in my photography business. I am used to shooting with the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM and this will be my lens that I will use the most on this camera body.

After only having owned this camera for a couple days, I am incredibly impressed with the Canon 5D Mark III. I am upgrading to this camera from a 30D, and while I have used a Mark II once in the past, my primary experience was with that (30D) camera. Therefore, I will focus primarily on a couple features that this camera offers, and not attempt to compare it to the Mark II or other full-frame cameras. Additionally, since I am primarily a stills photographer, I am not really qualified to discuss the issues of most concern to videographers, so I will leave it to another reviewer to cover those features of this camera. Finally, years ago I made the decision to buy Canon over other vendors. My subsequent investment in glass means that I realistically cannot switch systems at this point. I am not a Canon zealot and recognize that Nikon (and Sony, Fugi, etc.) all have great cameras. I chose this Canon because it was the upgrade path for me to continue to use my lenses, not simply because it was Canon. Taking the camera out of the box, it feels very good in my hands. It is very well balanced, has excellent "grip" and is molded nicely to fit my thumb on rear panel. I do not have very big hands and the size of this camera is just about at the limit of what feels comfortable to me. The buttons are laid out in a manner similar with most of the other Canon prosumer models, with some new buttons and some rearrangement as well. Canon put some thought into the button placement, and, while it will take a bit to get used to new layout, I think that the changes made work very well. For example, the set of buttons along the left side of the rear display are nicely arranged to be image review functions (erase, play, zoom, and the new "rate" and "creative photo" buttons), while the right side of the display is dedicated to "before you click" functions. Newly added to the 5D series is the Q button that is finding its way on other Canon DSLRs, giving you a the ability to select and adjust camera settings all from the rear panel. At first I was didn't think that I would use this, since I am accustomed to using the other buttons for adjustment, but I have come to like that feature now. This being my first full-frame sensor body, that alone would be reason to upgrade. However, I chose the Mark III instead of the Mark II for a few key reasons-- the pro-level focusing system, the improvements in ISO performance, and the improved weather sealing. As mentioned, I only had limited experience with the Mark II, but one of the things I didn't like was the small number of focus points (given the cost of the body), and the fact that they were really squished into the middle ~40% of the viewfinder. I was psyched when I learned that the focusing system from the 1DX was being added to this camera. It seemed like it could be cumbersome to use (the 61 available on the 5d Mark III is a big step up from the 9 on my previous camera), but it is really simple to select the focusing method (using the multi-function button) as well as select the focus point(s) (using both the main dial and the quick control dial). The result of these added focus points is a system that is very quick to lock focus, and very accurate. The high number of single and dual cross-point sensors really benefits the photographer. The ISO performance is no less impressive. The Mark II already was a great performer at high ISO, and the Mark III is even better. Stunning, nearly noiseless results all the way to ISO 6400. And still incredible results all the way to ISO 25600. Given that you can set the top end of the auto-ISO value set by the camera, you can *almost* leave the camera on auto-ISO with 6400 at the top end. I say almost because you can see some minor noise creeping in at 6400 when viewing shots taken in low light and viewed at 100%. Given better lighting conditions, you truly get EXTREMELY usable images directly from the camera all the way to 25600, and with a bit of post processing, those very high ISO photos look great as well. A few other things that I really like about this camera... The view finder is huge (perhaps only because I was shooting with crop-sensors in the past) and bright. The camera is very configurable, from changing the behavior of the buttons to the amount of focus data to display in the view finder, setting servo tracking parameters, it really can be individualized to suit your needs and manner of shooting. Also, I love the rear monitor as well-- very bright and crisp. And, while I know that video shooters will not be happy that the monitor does not flip out, given that this was done to improve the weather sealing of the camera, that was okay with me as well. There is so much more for me to discover with this camera that I have not had a chance to as yet. I am interested in seeing how good the HDR feature works, as well as the multiple exposure feature. And, I am interested in playing with the creative photo features as well. All in good time... As I learn more about this camera, I will continue to update this review. The Canon 5D Mark III is an incredible camera. However, it also comes at a pretty incredible price. $3500 is a steep hill to climb for any camera, and when compared to the less expensive, higher MP Nikon 800, it might appear that Canon got this to market just a few months too late. Time will tell if that is the case. In my opinion, however, Canon has done a great job at balancing image size and image quality with the Mark III, and, for me, this camera is worth the price. The upgrades over the Mark II are significant, and the resulting images are truly amazing. I can certainly understand those who would opt instead for the (now much less expensive) Mark II and a great lens for the same total cost-- the Mark II is also a great camera. However, if you do decide to get the Mark III, I believe that you will LOVE this camera, and won't regret the investment for one second.

The 5d Mark III has great specs as we all know, but is the build quality sufficient for professional use? Short answer - no. It's the little bits and pieces that simply cannot stand up to extended use. The two big issues that everybody is talking about are the joystick and the mode dial. The cover to my mode dial fell off after light use (no drop, no water damage, just regular use). The cover is a thin piece of metal that has the modes on it (Av, Tv, M, etc.). It is not essential for the camera to function but without it it is difficult to tell which mode you are in. When I sent my camera into Canon I was expecting the cost of repair to reflect the nature of the piece that fell off. When I got word from Canon that it would cost $250 to have the cover replaced, I was shocked. When I expressed my disappointment to them, they began negotiating the price and eventually told me they could do it for around $200 so I told them to send the camera back unrepaired. Several of my friends and colleagues have also had their mode dial covers fall off so this is evidently a common issue. None of them have been willing to pay the cost of repair and have decided to simply tape a piece of paper to the mode dial so they can know which mode is which. It is a shame that customers who spent over $3,000 on their cameras must take this route, lest they spend hundreds of dollars on a little metal cap. I have found that the build quality has drastically decreased from the Mark II to the Mark III. I did not previously see myself switching brands but have some serious thinking to do.

This is a user not a professional review. Otherwise, I'd suggest go to dpreview.com or your preferred reference. I think they are capable of showing evidence of issues such as vignetting or chromatic abberration in a product that could get the attention of the manufacturer's engineering department. They helped or convinced me with the purchase. My intention is to give feedback on the couple of points they've raised and highlight what I've experienced as a user so far. I agree that this camera performs excellent at 12,800 ISO or even higher. At f/4, this allowed me to shoot handheld and flipped the mirror in a fraction of second. The almost black sky showed the clouds in the captured image which was not visible to my eye (my vision is 20/20). At some situations, you can have a 4L lens function at 2.8L. I was going for the new 24-70mm 2.8L but I had to wait 2 months for the 5D body only so I went for the kit. I guess it's a good accident. I am pleased with the new 61-point AF. Fast and gets my focus right most of the time so far. What I mean by fast is less than half a second or probably faster than that. I could catch a bird flying within my frame without exciting some nerves. I won't mention how the new AF system works. The pros could discuss this all day. What's important is that when you use AF you can capture a nice pic fast without going for MF or manually controlling the exposure. I was able to produce a silky background blur consistently (1 foot away from subject) with AF using the kit lens. Nevertheless, if you bought this camera you would find the MF as sweet or sweeter than the AF. 35mm camera these days can do still and motion pictures but not excellent at both worlds in my opinion. 5D3's video is handsomely good but if you spent $3500, I think you wouldn't mind going a little further and buy a possibly lighter, smaller and more than capable video cam and get the 1080p/60fps. Pros I've met use their SLRs mainly for shooting still pictures. However, its video performance can be used in some production in my opinion as it's way too good for the end user. The manual states that this 5D does not comply with the Ultra High Speed memory cards but SDHC/SDXC can be used. I guess Canon is referring to writing at 95MB/s. I used the SDHC (600x) it worked just fine but I'm noticing some delay (around 1/4 second) when flipping images in the LCD. It might be normal. I will try the CF (600x too) and see the diffence. If you're considering to get the latest and greatest like 1000x you might want to wait a little while. Canon might release a newer firmware and make it fully compliant with UHS. Fast cards need fast writer too. Having both CF and SD is winner for me. Saving money on cards (unless CF and SD cost and perform the same) but achieving the same thing. Record to both or use one then switch. Don't have to worry losing the images or clips and backing up to the laptop regularly unless somebody steals the camera or I dropped it above the mariana trench. 22M pixels is more than enough I believe unless you print posters or billboards. It's too big for me already. Large prints consume 10MB in the card. I don't see much difference shooting lower (12) than 22M pixels. Noise seems to show faster and noticeable at higher pixels and ISO. Physically, it's ergonomic and the buttons are placed almost perfectly. Kenrockwell articulated this well and I agree with him that 5D3 is the best well rounded SLR that Canon ever made. However, I disagree when he compared the D4 and 5D. It's like comparing BMW's SUV with Audi's sedan. Anyway, when I first lifted 5D3 the thumb, index, and middle finger put a groove in the grip. I'm 5 foot 8. Fits my right hand perfectly. The battery compartment has an internal lock - ensures pins remain in contact and it gets more secure as you put your hand around the grip. The camera is not heavy I would say but with the lens and the first all day shooting I felt the weight. Not sure why Canon did not go for USB 3. 128GB CF/SD will be a norm soon. Imagine taking hours transferring files to your computer via USB 2 where it could take in minutes. This is my biggest disappoinment. The touch pad is like the egyptian table compared to iPhone and it's a bit redundant with the track ball (above the Q button). I saw some cosmetic imperfection around the mode dial. It looks like a dent. If you notice this, please let me know. The top LCD looks to have a protective film but not the 3.2 LCD. I can't find anyone selling screen protector so I ordered the ones for the iPhone. I will cut and fit when it arrives. In summary, excellent ISO, AF, ergonomic. Best form factor out there for full 35mm SLR for me - I shoot outside and under the roof. No flash which is a plus for me - makes camera smaller and you won't need it most of the time if you have good lens but if you do, you wouldn't want the built-in flash. I have a couple of minor issues but the thing still deserves 5 stars. I will post some pics.

The switch from Nikon: After being with nikon for 16+ years, I recently threw in the towel. As a wedding shooter, I count on my equipment and need things to work correctly. I had purchased two nikon d600's 1 year apart and both had the horrible dust/debris issue. After repeat cleanings and 20,000+ shots, both cameras still had the issue. I got tired of wet cleaning the sensors and got tired of nikons poor customer service. Nikon decided that the D600 owners just had to either deal with repeat sensor cleanings or send in the camera to "possibly" have the issue resolved. Nikon had no proven fix besides switching out the shutter and praying that the issue went away. Nikon released the d610 and left the rest of the people hanging. Leaving nikon was extremely difficult for me because I had a big investment in the bodies, accessories and glass. I made the move at a huge loss but am extremely happy that I did. The differences: I purchased both a 6D and the 5D mark III from amazon. The immediate thing that I have noticed is that all my canon glass has been good with focus right out of the box. With almost every nikon lens/camera combo, I had to pull out a focus chart and focus tune software and apply fine tuning. I also noticed that the focus system on my canons do not have the tendency to act up under tungsten lighting like my nikons did. My d600's and d7000 had a tendency to back-focus under heavy tungsten lighting. The canon DPP software is a pleasure to use. I hated Nikon capture NX2. It was slow and the user interface was horrible. Canon DPP loads quickly and applying batch changes is amazing. I do miss the Nik software selection point feature of CNX2. The one thing I don't like is the fact that canon makes you purchase your lens hoods separately and at a premium. I do like the fact that the canon equipment is made in japan and has a quality feel to it compared to cameras like the d600 that are made in Thailand. The 5D mark iii vs D800: Prior to leaving nikon, I also spent a week with the nikon D800. I found that the d800 produced a lot of noise in the raw files when pushed to higher iso's. This alone was enough to turn me off. I did test my sample of the d800 for left focus issues. I did not have the left AF issue of older d800's but the camera I got had some focus issues that required fine tuning all my glass to the body. In some cases the fine tune was at +20. The D800 files did have a lot of detail and dynamic range but the file size was huge. If you shoot a lot of landscape and want lots of dynamic range, the d800 is a good option. But the dynamic range comes at the cost of nikons lack of quality control. If dynamic range is not your main goal but want a great reliable camera with a killer AF system (better in my testing) and smaller files, the canon 5D mark III is amazing. I suggest not to get caught up in the megapixel game unless you do some very heavy cropping like birds in flight for which the d800 may be a better choice. The 5D mark III files are great and have plenty of latitude for most users. 5D mark III: Focus: Focus Focus Focus. The 5D mark III has a killer focus system. The best that I have used. The focus system is lighting fast, accurate and very very customizable. It is a pleasure to be able to customize my focus system like this. I recently shot an event and out of 700+ images, I scrapped maybe 10 shots because of focus. The ones I did delete because of focus was do to me not placing the focus point on the right area of the image. No back/front focus like my nikons had. No focus shift under tungsten lighting like some nikons. The hit rate on focus is amazing. You want to know why canon can charge a premium for this camera? Because of its pure amazing focus system! If you absolutely need the best focus system on any camera, this is it. Customization: You can assign buttons to do certain functions and to your own shooting style. This is a god send compared to nikons lack of customization. Body: The camera is solid with a good feel in the hand. The buttons are easy to operate and cleverly located. Coming from nikon is an adjustment because the camera buttons are in a different layout. It will become easy to use after some time and practice. I did not like the fact that canon has no built in removable screen protector like the nikon. This is a minor gripe but one that I resolved by buying the vello stick on glass protectors. I know the nikon plastic screen protectors are not fancy but they did a good job of protecting the screen from bumps. Images: The 5D makr III images are fantastic. The auto white balance works much better compared to my nikons I had owned. The 5D mark III is not able to pull details from the shadows like the D800 or D600 so it is a sacrifice in dynamic range if that is the most important thing to you. Nikon still has canon beat in dynamic range. I will personally will take a in focus, sharp, good out of camera white balance and dust free image out of a canon any day vs a hit and miss focus and dusty d600 image with dynamic range. An out of focus image with dirt is useless to me. Conclusion: If you shoot anything that requires this focus system, this reliability and this customization, BUY THIS CAMERA. I found the 5d and 6d is a perfect combo. I use the 6D with the wifi feature when working in a studio paired to an ipad and use the 5D when shooting a wedding or anything that moves at a fast pace. The 5d mark III continues to sell even at the higher price because it is a proven camera and you cant go wrong with it. I love it and will update this review as I use it more. I am glad I left nikon and I hope they learn one day that customer loyalty is earned.

I was able to pre-order and the Canon 5D Mark III arrived on March 29th. I had mixed feelings when the press release first came out with the specs on the new Mark III. Several features that were high on my wish list didn't make it into the camera, but when I started seeing some of the image samples, particularly in low light, I knew I wanted it anyway. I'm currently an owner of the 5D Mk II and the 60D and my expectations were that the Mk III would inherit many of the superior handling features of the newer 60D. I am an enthusiast and not a professional photographer but I do make my living shooting product photography for online sales. For pleasure I shoot nature, architecture, and the occasional portraits. I'm also an avid fan of DSLR video and the fact that these cameras can literally capture Hollywood quality footage with few modifications is a big deal to me and a lot of people in the independent cinematography community. The much anticipated release of the 5D Mark III was a bit of a letdown to me initially. One of the things I LOVE about the 60D is the articulating screen. The articulating screen is so handy to have and a joy to use in situations where the camera needs to be at an odd angle, such as low to the ground, high above your head or in tight quarters. The other indispensable use for the articulating screen is shooting self-portraits and videos of yourself. As a one-man act, you can't shoot a video and also be in it at the same time if you can't see the screen! So I really couldn't believe it when Canon came out with the specs on the Mark III -- and NO articulating screen!? It's a feature that has been in the lower-grade 60D and T3i for over a year and a half already, and here we're paying three times the price of the 60D we don't get it? COME ON, Canon! Canon's reason for not including an articulating screen to preserve weatherproofing. To remedy this I'm getting the Swivi 5.6" HDMI LCD Screen which is a giant 5" articulating LCD screen that even has FOCUS PEAKING (really cool). I guess I'm making lemonade out of the lemons in this situation. Another feature that didn't make it into this camera that has all the cinematographers grumbling is there is no clean HDMI output which would allow the uncompressed video footage to be captured on an external recorder. This feature would have made this a true high-end movie making machine to rival the $30,000 RED ONE and knock the socks off the Panasonic GH2 and even the AF100. For myself, not a deal breaker... but the Nikon D800 has this. [UPDATE: The latest Canon Firmware Update 1.2.3 has enabled clean HDMI output, but it's a disappointment. The uncompressed footage is still hampered by an internal processing system that delivers soft footage.] Probably the most vexing thing that did not make it onto my wish list is the elimination of the rolling shutter problem. It has been reduced a little, but it has by no means been eliminated, so the jello effect remains an issue and impossible to completely remove in post. And so far, there has been NO program that has been able to eliminate it entirely without creating additional artifacts (believe me, I've wasted untold hours trying them all). Rolling shutter has only been reduced by 20% or so and I won't be fully satisfied shooting video until we get the global shutter and eliminate this unprofessional looking artifact altogether. Continuous autofocus during video? It's not even an option. The Panasonic GH1/GH2 have it, and do it well. And now the Nikon D800 can auto focus continuously during video recording too, and includes face detection to keep subjects in focus. The only option for autofocus with this camera whole shooting video is still the old way: press the AF-ON button, and you'll set a clunky, noisy, re-focus point. So don't think about replacing your camcorder yet. Shooting video with this camera remains a manual focus affair best handled with a rig and follow-focus setup... classically handled as a two-man operation. Those are my three primary disappointments. Now the fun part: all the great things (and more) that DID make it into my wish list: 1. Live View focusing with half depress of shutter button. The Mk II had a really awkward way of focusing while in Live View mode. You had to depress the separate AF button on the BACK of the camera, then hold absolutely still while you moved your finger back to the shutter button, and then take the shot. The Mk III acts just like the 60D in that you half press the shutter to focus, just as it SHOULD, which is to say exactly like shooting with a viewfinder. And you no longer have to go into the menu and set Live View to Stills-Only in order to get Exposure Simulation: The Mark III has a handy dedicated movie/stills mode switch. 2. Better low-light performance. Nikon has been beating out Canon in high ISO performance since the D3, then the D3s, the D3x, and the D700. It's taken two product cycles for Canon to finally catch up. The Mk II was the low-light king when it came out, and still performs exceptionally well, but the Mk III takes it to a new level. My initial test shots show that ISO 12800 on the Mk III has about the same noise levels as ISO 6400 on the Mk II, but with better sharpness and improved color rendition. ISO 12800 is actually usable for high-quality work, whereas at ISO 25600 things start to fall apart--but still plenty good enough for smaller web images. These ISO settings will allow you to actually get the shot even at night in situations that were previously unthinkable. Most importantly, overall image quality in terms of dynamic range and the quality of the noise at high ISOs has been improved for both stills and video. The claims were that ISO 25600 on this camera was going to be like ISO 6400 on the Mark II, a two stop improvement. The truth is that it's not. It's just about a one stop improvement, maybe slightly more, but that's still a significant achievement. 3. No megapixel escalation! I was relieved that Canon DIDN'T try to stuff 36 megapixels into the Mk III. They kept it roughly the same at 22mp. Way to go, Canon! It's been proven time and time again that more megapixels doesn't make for a sharper image, only larger file sizes. "More megapixels equals better image quality is what's known as "the megapixel myth" Cramming in more megapixels means a lower signal-to-noise ratio and less full well capacity for each photo site. At some point you don't get more detail with a higher pixel count; you just spread the detail around on more pixels. I hardly ever need 21mp as it is, and I am absolutely relieved not to be dealing with larger files because I often shoot RAW. 4. Exposure bracketing. The Mk II could only do 3 exposure bracket shots automatically; the Mk III can do up to 7. Bingo! But you have to go to page 316 in the manual under Custom Settings to read how. It's not even in the index and the main entry under Exposure Bracketing says it does 3 (the default) and doesn't even mention that it can do up to 7. There is also White Balance Bracketing (redundant if you shoot RAW), but unfortunately no focus bracketing (focus stacking). That would have thrilled me. (Focus bracketing/stacking function is available via the Unified Magic Lantern Firmware for the 550D/60D/600D/50D/500D.) 5. Chromatic aberration correction. A feature inherent to Nikon and Panasonic micro 4/3, it's about time Canon got it. But it's unclear whether RAW images processed with PhotoShop Adobe RAW already have this applied or not... and you have to load in lens profiles manually. I will have to experiment with this. 6. Improved White Balance settings. One of the major gripes I have with all cameras is the accuracy of the Auto White Balance. Sure AWB works fine outdoors in natural light, but in indoor light it's usually awful. Even the tungsten setting is rarely accurate. Invariably I've had to create custom white balance settings on all my cameras using a white card. But FINALLY, on the Mk III, not only is the tungsten setting accurate, even the Auto setting gives decent results indoors. 7. Electronic Level. The 60D has it on the LCD. The 5D Mk III now has it. But get this--the Mk III not only has a side-to-side level, it has a FRONT TO BACK level too! Great for architectural photography. And there's more--a grid overlay and electronic level in the VIEWFINDER. (Once again you must go into Custom settings to set a shortcut button to enable this.) This is way more than I was hoping for and Canon gets bonus points for this. 8. Quiet shutter. The shutter noise from "mirror slap" has been greatly reduced even in Standard mode, and there's a new "silent shooting mode" where you don't hear the mirror at all. This is something I've always wanted in an SLR, and was pleasantly surprised. I guess Canon WAS listening after all. 9. Auto ISO in manual mode. This is so cool. You can set the camera to M, set the exact shutter speed and f/stop that you want, and let Auto ISO choose the ISO for the correct exposure. Considering that this camera gives good results up to ISO 12800, this is a really great way to achieve the exact depth of field and stop motion effect that you want, and let the camera pick the right ISO. Couldn't do this in Mk II. Works with stills and video. 9. Full video exposure control. Speaking of videos, the ability to control exposure when shooting videos has been greatly improved. The Mk II was the camera that started the whole DSLR movie craze. I'm sure that Canon never imagined when they stuck this feature onto the Mk II as an add-on, that it would explode into the DSLR cinematography revolution that it has. But the Mk II was severely hampered by crude exposure control. Now, full manual control is available. Strangely though, only auto ISO is available in Av, Tv, and P. There are more shooting modes: 1080p at 24, 25, or 30 FPS and 720p mode now does 50 or 60 FPS, with two compression options,including an I-frame only compression for better quality suitable for grading. A whole wave of enthusiasts use the Magic Lantern firmware patch that allows cinematographers to gain access to enhanced functionality like manual audio, zebras, focus assist tools, and more. The Mk III now handles a few of these functions naively such as manual audio (and a headphone jack), plus a video ISO range that goes to 12,800 with 25,600 as an option. UPDATE 6-2013: A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH IN THE MAGIC LANTERN FIRMWARE: Amazingly, Magic Lantern has released a version that enables recording of 14-Bit RAW 1080p directly to a CF card. This is a total game changer and a huge buzz in the DSLR video community right now. (!!) the RAW footage blows away the internal H.264 codec in terms of both resolution and dynamic range. Once again a Canon camera called 5D is shaking up the independent cinematography industry big time! Stay tuned. 10. The 4GB video file size limitation. Finally, Canon has crossed the 4gb file size barrier and supports file spanning. Now clips can go as long as 30 minutes instead of 12. A big improvement, but come on... The Panasonic GH1 & GH2 have been able to shoot video with NO time limitation for years. Continuous shooting is a MUST HAVE for event videographers. Sorry, this wish-list item still doesn't make the full cut. Why do camera manufacturers hamstring this when it's obvious these cameras are capable of unlimited video recording? Thirty minute cutoff due to a European tax law... can someone fix this PLEASE? There is much more... of course the completely overhauled complex AF system, primarily for action shooters, dual CF and SD card support, and in-camera HDR and other image combining effects... Biggest annoyance: the AF point selection button no longer controls magnification in Live View and playback mode. This is a big pain when you want to use focus assist in Live View, because you can no longer just use your right thumb... you have to take your left hand from the lens to press the magnify button which is now on the left side of the LCD. I hate when they move a button from the perfect spot to one that is NOT ERGONOMIC. Workaround: You can assign Magnify to the `Set' button which is on the right (but not to the old button which would have been better). So here's the big question: at list price of thirty-five hundred dollars, should you upgrade? My thoughts: A. If you are primarily a through-the-viewfinder still photographer shooting in good light (outdoors and flash), it's rather hard to justify the extra cost. Many of us have barely scratched the surface of the creative possibilities of the Mk II, and in many ways this is not a major upgrade for traditional style, properly lit photography. This camera isn't going to make you a better photographer, though some of the new tools like the electronic level are quite handy. B. Cinematographers: There's already a lot of carping and moaning in the video camps that this upgrade is a big disappointment. I think it's great for part-time video shooters like me, but it's missing a lot of features that the pros were hoping for. Of course if they want all those pro features they can buy the Canon C300 for $16,000. But current users locked into Magic Lantern are probably going to have to wait for Magic Lantern to catch up anyway. They've already got Magic Lantern for the T2i, T3i, 50D and 60D, so it's just a matter of time. [UPDATE: THE MAGIC LANTERN HACK IS AVAILABLE WITH EVEN MORE OPTIONS INCLUDING SHOOTING RAW VIDEO.] C. Low light / night photographers, action sports, theater and concert shooters, documentary videographers: This upgrade is a MUST! This camera sets a new benchmark for image quality in less than optimal light conditions. That one stop advantage, better color depth and dynamic range in existing light is important to these guys and gals. The image quality improvement in low light is very noticeable. C. The rest of us. Many pros are going to want this model, if not now, eventually. The state-of-the art feature set is quite impressive; the handling improvement is modest. For hobbyists, the steep price may be difficult to justify. The Mk II is still a fantastic tool and unless you really need ISO 12800 this isn't going to give you significantly better images than you can already achieve with the marvelous Mk II. My verdict: An enthusiastic Five Stars as a still photography camera; Four Stars overall due to the lack of three important features that have been available from Panasonic for several years already: articulating screen, continuous autofocus during video, and unlimited video recording time. If you're on the fence about upgrading or even a first time buyer, I hope my review has been useful. Happy Shooting!

I used a 7D prior to this. I have both bodies now. I'll spare you the technical aspects of the camera, because honestly, I don't think it matters that much. What is important to me is that the camera has the ability to do what you need it to, and it doesn't make it a chore to do so. It needs to remove itself from the process as much as possible so you can make the art not master how to flip switches or earn the high score at The Game of Menus. I'll preface the remainder of the review with some information about my shooting style. 1. I'm a RAW only guy; I just don't think about JPG. 2. I can sometimes be an IQ geek (I try not to be). 3. I only shoot in manual mode... because I don't ever remember that Av and Tv exist (I've long forgotten about P and A). 4. I turn off just about every setting that exists. Highlight priority, Noise reduction, long exposure comp, etc... all off. 5. I usually only shoot in Expanded AF Area or Spot AF. 6. I process everything through LR. Now... here's what I like about the 5D Mark III: - The 5D III has some wonderful ISO response, especially compared to my 7D. I was only marginally content up to ISO 400 on the 7D, but I'm happy with ISO 6400 on the 5D before I feel the need to apply some noise reduction (I shoot with all that off). This lets me shoot in darker places without my own light, which is great. - Handling the camera is a joy, but man does it have menus out the yingyang. Sometimes it is a bit annoying to have to go from one end of the menus to another (e.g., from Mirror Lock up to Format Card). I am glad they took Mirror Lock up out of the Custom functions... of course... there are custom functions. For that mirro lock up bit, just set a "Tripod mode" to one of the C's on the dial and problem solved. Easy. In my hands, I really like the 5D III w/ Grip. It's bulky and heavy. It definitely feels like a tool and not a toy. Then again... I'm one of those people that liked the original O controllers for the Xbox. I held it in a bit of a weird way, though. - The AF system is great (coming from the 7D). Now when I shoot with my 7D, I feel the same as when I used a 5D II from using the 7D's AF system. The viewfinder is oddly... bare on the 7D. - The dial lock is amazing. My 7D is always ending up in Bulb or a Custom mode (it hangs at my hip from a strap). 5D III? Never changes modes, and I surely never want it to... except for tripods, which is so rare anyway. - Images come out great (when I don't suck). This is really more a consequence of the glass on the front (and my own skills holding the camera still), but the 5D III doesn't hinder the process at all. - Very well rounded. Decent FPS (7D is faster, which is why I keep it around), great ISO response, Full Frame, great AF, and wonderful button placement. Naturally, I could go to a 1DX from the 7D, but that's a lot of money, and then I lose the "1.6x crop factor" (which is only a composition/FOV thing; there is no actual magnification... beyond the differences in different size and pixel pitch senors and so forth. That's all really beside the point). All in all, it's a great camera. More MP than you need, well thought out ergonomics, and so many functions. If you are looking for a Full Frame camera that isn't $6,000, this is a wonderful option. There's also the 6D, too, and they're pretty much the same thing minus some choice features. I bought this camera before the 6D came out, and I don't regret it. If you are a professional photographer, I don't really know why you are reading this review. You already know way more than I do. If you are a serious photographer looking for a good FF camera, I give this thing a thumbs up. If you are a serious [money] amateur looking for a great all around camera (or a great FF), sure, I'd wager you won't be disappointed. If you're tight on cash, buy a much cheaper camera and invest the rest in your retirement or in glass. After all, glass matters more than the camera. I've never met anyone who can look at a photo and tell me which camera it was shot with or even which brand. Lens maybe, camera definitely not. Give a photographer a Canon Powershot, and I'm sure he/she can make better stuff than I can with this fancy pants 5D III.

I upgraded from a Canon Rebel T3i to this camera. I was at the point where the Rebel was limiting me mainly in terms of high ISO image quality and the AF. I was unsure whether to try out another APS-C camera (the T4i or 7D potentially or a maybe even a mirrorless alternative) or make the "leap" to a Full Frame (FF) camera. As you can tell I decided to make the leap to a FF camera. I ended up selling my 17-55 zoom, 85 1.8 and 40 mm pancake and bought this 5D along with a used 135L that has been my only lens until today. Here is what I will tell you about this camera: 1) You will not be disappointed in it unless maybe you are coming from a 1DX for some reason. The only thing about this camera that I wish was better is its burst rate, period. There is nothing else that disappoints me about it. - Battery life? Amazing. - High ISO? I have no issue keeping pictures taken at 12800 ISO. - AF? Blazing fast and all those AF points are glorious. 2) It will likely make you spend a lot more than its $3k entrance price on lenses and other camera accessories. If you get the zoom lens with the kit you may eventually get the urge to upgrade to a faster zoom or a prime and even if you don't get the kit lens and use it with some of the better non-L lenses (85 f1.8, 100 f2) you will likely still catch the L bug and move up to some L primes (135L, 35L, 50L etc etc) due to their amazing image quality, build quality etc. Honestly, if you're buying this camera you will want to pair it with the best your money can get you because it will just continue to give back the more you give to it. 3) It is, in my mind, worth every penny of its entrance price. I've gotten way more out of this camera than I dreamed of getting from my old setup. Keep in mind that I had a T3i with 17-55mm f/2.8 (great lens), 85mm f/1.8 (great lens) and 50mm f/1.8 and I am telling you that I've gotten more out of my 5D with just a 135mm f/2 (amazing lens) attached to it. I've just recently purchased a 35L to add to my collection. 4) Take your time to learn all of the settings and really get used to the camera. I take a lot of pictures of my dog so getting to know the different AI Servo settings and learning about the focus points has been very helpful. 5) If you're worried about weight then this guy is quite heavy. But what I will tell you is that weight is the #1 reason that I used to have the Rebel series because I thought this was way larger and heavier but in reality I've come to learn that the extra bulk is actually something I like. I'm never in a position where I think "Oh man my Rebel would have been so much easier to carry right now" but I'm always in a position where I'm thinking "Gosh I could not have taken this photo with my Rebel". 6) The better bokeh you by grabbing a FF camera is noticeable and great. If you like bokeh then you will love this camera (just be sure to link it up with some fast glass). Otherwise, there's not much to say. You can probably tell I love the camera and I of course love my lens. If you don't have very much money I'd say grab this with the kit lens (24-105) since it's a well-reviewed lens but if you have some money to spend I would skip that and go for 1 or 2 primes if you can. Feel free to peruse through some photos of mine on my blog (photos taken with the 5D are labelled as such): [...]