# Full Frame only: Canon 5D Mark III or Canon 1Ds Mark III plus $500?



## tiger82 (Nov 5, 2013)

What would you recommend and why?


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## Menace (Nov 6, 2013)

*Re: Full Frame only: Canon 1Ds Mark III or Canon 5D Mark III plus $500*

What will you be shooting? Studio? Sports? General purpose walk around? Is weight or fast AF or high ISO performance required?


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## dr croubie (Nov 6, 2013)

*Re: Full Frame only: Canon 1Ds Mark III or Canon 5D Mark III plus $500*

Without knowing the answers to Menace's questions, the easiest advice is:
Bodies always drop in price, glass is forever. Take the cheaper body and put the extra cash towards some nice glass (or if you've got enough glass, maybe lights, tripods, or a trip somewhere to photograph something nice)


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## BozillaNZ (Nov 6, 2013)

*Re: Full Frame only: Canon 1Ds Mark III or Canon 5D Mark III plus $500*

I had 1D3 for a year before, then had the choice between a 5D3 and a 1Ds3 + $1000, took the 1Ds3 and never regretted since.

If you are happy about 1D3 ergonomics (which I do a lot), then 1Ds3 will make you feel right at home, only the VF is a lot bigger, card writing speed faster (UDMA) and image quality better.

Note that my friend has a 5D3, I played with it a lot before I made the decision, and I still chose the 1Ds3, because I value a lot of ergonomic functions in that body that I find missing on the 5D.

0.76x VF, a bit bigger but still noticeable

Projected red LED AF points vs 5D3's black AF points

Ability to bind meter mode to shooting mode, in my case AF linked spot meter (ha!) to M, center weighted to Av

Better Auto ISO, where you limit lower shutter limit and the camera would rise ISO then underexpose to obey it, which I find better for events

Ability to change file quality, card slot, white balance and custom WB in 1/2 button presses

Direct bracketing button

More durable metal mirrorbox / shutter system construction, better weather resistance.

Here's more but I digress, overall to me switching to 5D3 I would solely miss those features. Here's this new saying of "pure photography", I find 1Ds3 to be a pure photography machine. No unnecessary bells and whistles, it does one thing and does it very well: take photos, no bull.


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## RLPhoto (Nov 10, 2013)

The 5D3 will be the best choice overall and the 1ds3 will be slightly better in a slim number of situations.


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## tron (Nov 10, 2013)

*Re: Full Frame only: Canon 1Ds Mark III or Canon 5D Mark III plus $500*



BozillaNZ said:


> card writing speed faster (UDMA)


I can accept everything else but I seriously doubt this one.

5D3 supports UDMA 7 and can be really fast at card writing (albeit only when writing at Compact Flash).


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## chauncey (Nov 10, 2013)

I've used a Ds3 for years, from BIF to macro work, and have yet to find it lacking in any scenario. The only caveat I would add is that it's "low light" is somewhat less than stellar.
BUY the glass my friend!


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## bdunbar79 (Nov 11, 2013)

I owned the 1Ds3 and 5D3 both, and let me tell you, the 1Ds3 produced stunning images: at ISO 800 and lower. 

The 5D3 is a much, much more versatile camera. It can also shoot sports very well and much higher ISO's. The 1Ds3 is a studio camera. The 5D3 is an "everything" camera.


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## BozillaNZ (Nov 20, 2013)

*Re: Full Frame only: Canon 1Ds Mark III or Canon 5D Mark III plus $500*



tron said:


> BozillaNZ said:
> 
> 
> > card writing speed faster (UDMA)
> ...



Sorry to not make this clear, this is compared to 1D3. 1D3 does not support UDMA and 1Ds3 does. I did a side by side comparison and confirmed this.


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## LewisShermer (Nov 21, 2013)

Using both on a day to day basis (1Ds3 in the studio at work & 5Diii own personal stuff including products and weddings) I'd say go for the 5Diii, better in every situation and the RAW's are much better to work with. the 1Ds3 is 5 years old and it feels it when put up against the 5Diii. I wouldn't swap my 5Diii for anything now. apart from when the 5Div or whatever comes out...


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