# 5D III - Camera of the year 2012



## Dylan777 (Dec 11, 2012)

I saw this while I was at Fry's Electronics.:

Canon 5D III got picked as camera of the year by Popular Photography. I believed they compared to D800, Sony A99 and others....I didn't read it in detail


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## rj79in (Dec 11, 2012)

He he ... Thanks, for now I can justify my purchase of the 5d3


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## mirekti (Dec 11, 2012)

rj79in said:


> He he ... Thanks, for now I can justify my purchase of the 5d3



LoL


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## infared (Dec 11, 2012)

LOL!!!!!
It is only camera of the year if it works for you and YOUR photographic needs.
Mine does just fine by me...even though I paid FULL PRICE! WHAH! LOL!


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## jondave (Dec 11, 2012)

If you didn't show the magazine some would say you're trolling. 

Actually, some still might.


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## Shane1.4 (Dec 11, 2012)

I read the full article when it came out last week. It was pretty thorough. The d800 got 2nd place for poor noise performance and massive file sizes. The d4 and 1dx didn't make big enough strides to take the top spot.


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## unfocused (Dec 11, 2012)

Yes, this was actually a very good article summarizing the advantages/disadvantages of the major releases and explaining their rationale. 

A very brief take-away: Canon, Nikon and Sony all released excellent cameras. 5DIII got the edge largely because of the range of improvements, including focus and because its excellent low-light performance was deemed more useful and significant than the high resolution of the D800: _"...we felt strongly that the Canon produced the best balance across all imaging factors, with Low or better noise up to ISO 12,800, and still acceptable noise at ISO 25,600."_

I found this assessment of the D800 very interesting: _"Noise is Low or better only to ISO 800, and Unacceptable at ISO 12,800."_

From everything I've read and heard about the 5DIII this sounds like a well-deserved honor.


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## hambergler (Dec 11, 2012)

I think what left people with a bad taste was the price of the 5D Mark III being priced $500 above the D800. I think that now that you can get easily get one for 3000 or less than it is definitely a more versatile camera than the D800. If you want a landscape/studio camera the D800 is a no brainer but for everything else the 5D Mark III is a real winner.


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## Axilrod (Dec 11, 2012)

hambergler said:


> I think what left people with a bad taste was the price of the 5D Mark III being priced $500 above the D800. I think that now that you can get easily get one for 3000 or less than it is definitely a more versatile camera than the D800. If you want a landscape/studio camera the D800 is a no brainer but for everything else the 5D Mark III is a real winner.



I was curious about this too. The main gripe about the 5D3 initially was it's price, both in general and relative to the D800. But now that some people are getting it for $2499 I'm curious as to what people think of it at that price. After all, that's even less than the 5D2 was at first.


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## distant.star (Dec 11, 2012)

.
No 1Dx???

Or is that considered a 2011 camera since that's when they made the announcement?


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## Kernuak (Dec 11, 2012)

distant.star said:


> .
> No 1Dx???
> 
> Or is that considered a 2011 camera since that's when they made the announcement?


I imagine that pro cameras will always fall down in consumer magazines' comparisons, because of the perceived low value for money.


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## albron00 (Dec 11, 2012)

here we go...


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## albron00 (Dec 11, 2012)

and sony


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## spinworkxroy (Dec 12, 2012)

I'm not surprised..not because the D800 is not better..but because there's only 1 catagory for camera of the year, it should go to the most versatile and all rounded camera.
It's like saying the Car of the Year is a nice sedan when we all know a supercar is faster but that's never going to win car of the year.
So for a magazine to pick the best all rounded camera and name it camera of the year? I think that's justifiable. The mk3 doesn't really falter in any major catagory.


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## bycostello (Dec 12, 2012)

nah for me fuji x-e1... small mirrorless the way forward


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## M.ST (Dec 12, 2012)

For me the 1D X is the camera of the year 2012.


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## RVB (Dec 12, 2012)

M.ST said:


> For me the 1D X is the camera of the year 2012.



Do you already have a H5D-60 in your hands??


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## Dylan777 (Dec 12, 2012)

M.ST said:


> For me the 1D X is the camera of the year 2012.



+1....I'm not a 1D X owner yet, but I did have a chance to hold and shoot with it through a friend. I love *EVERYTHING* about 1D X - low light shooting, the grip, size, frame rate, AF system, how the camera feel in the hands etc..I can go on for days here. I think the main reason 1D X didn't get to be "camera of the year" is the price tag - this is NOT an ave Joe camera.

Assuming I'll get one tomorrow, am not sure how to justify 1D X purchase to the "boss" at home yet. About "honey, I accidently bought a 1D X instead of 5D III and the camera store will not allow me to return it" : ??? : ??? ??? ???


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## RVB (Dec 12, 2012)

Dylan777 said:


> M.ST said:
> 
> 
> > For me the 1D X is the camera of the year 2012.
> ...



I have a !dx and really like it but it needs better shadow recovery.. it has pattern noise in the files when pushed.. add an exmor sensor and it would be the prefect camera (and backlit buttons too..)


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## Studio1930 (Dec 12, 2012)

RVB said:


> ... (and backlit buttons too..)



I agree!!! I hate fumbling around in the dark trying to find the correct button on my 1DX. I have most of them memorized, but sometimes you just need to see the darn buttons. For me, the 1DX is definitely the camera of the year but for more people the 5D3 is probably better due to the price.


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## RVB (Dec 12, 2012)

Studio1930 said:


> RVB said:
> 
> 
> > ... (and backlit buttons too..)
> ...



I would agree the 5Dmk3 is more value for money,the 1DX is mainly for sports shooters,for everyone else it doesn't offer enough value for money..

even the button for the light is awkward on the 1Dx compared to the D4.. but the Q button is useful and gives you most of the functions on the LCD at the pressing of this button...


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## RVB (Dec 12, 2012)

Studio1930 said:


> RVB said:
> 
> 
> > ... (and backlit buttons too..)
> ...



One more thing I would change is the weight.. it's damn heavy.. deep 200grams on the next version please Canon..


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## 2n10 (Dec 12, 2012)

Mikael Risedal said:


> unfocused said:
> 
> 
> > Yes, this was actually a very good article summarizing the advantages/disadvantages of the major releases and explaining their rationale.
> ...



Could it be that it is not that high in reality as it is in DxO's proprietary formula?


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## RS2021 (Dec 12, 2012)

Dylan777 said:


> Assuming I'll get one tomorrow, am not sure how to justify 1D X purchase to the "boss" at home yet. About "honey, I accidently bought a 1D X instead of 5D III and the camera store will not allow me to return it" : ??? : ??? ??? ???




Answer: "honey, I accidentally packed and threw all your stuff out in the lawn... You'll find your undies on the rose bush."


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## Razor2012 (Dec 12, 2012)

Dylan777 said:


> M.ST said:
> 
> 
> > For me the 1D X is the camera of the year 2012.
> ...



Lol good luck with that one. Let me know if it works and maybe I'll use it.


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## Razor2012 (Dec 12, 2012)

Agreed, the 5D3 won because it is a better all round camera. I'm not surprised this thread is fairly quiet.


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## K-amps (Dec 12, 2012)

Welcome consolation for the impatient ones (me) that bought the 5diii at full retail + tax. 

Yes it' been 9 months but it still hurts... 

Great Cam though and some nice memories I shot with it...


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## Razor2012 (Dec 12, 2012)

K-amps said:


> Welcome consolation for the impatient ones (me) that bought the 5diii at full retail + tax.
> 
> Yes it' been 9 months but it still hurts...
> 
> Great Cam though and some nice memories I shot with it...



I did also, but a person has to look at it differently. For me I've gotten to use it the whole time (6 months to a year longer than someone who waited), and those memories and experiences are priceless.


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## ChilledXpress (Dec 12, 2012)

Canon man through and through but I own Nikons, Sony and Fuji... I've had my 1DX for about 2 weeks now. I shoot for a living; I have 2 5D3's from the first shipment from BH and have been using them in the field as an early adopter. Wedding, event, landscape and portraiture... and family documentation.

I'm struggling to justify the value of the 1DX in comparison to the 5D3's. Both are great cameras but so far I just don’t' see much added value in the 1DX besides 14fps. I picked up the 1DX and a 300mm f/2.8 at the same time. After a couple of weeks of use I could never let the 300 go but the 1DX is another story. I look at that 1DX with a bit of skepticism now. I still have a couple of weeks to return it and it is a constant thought running in the background. Every day I go back and forth between return and keep.

For me... fortunately money is not an issue so it comes down to real world use. Love the 5D3, every camera I have owned in the past 10 years has had pros and cons. The 5D3 is not without flaws but the positives make that baby SHINE every day!!!! So I can understand the articles take on the 5D3 and its comments regarding 1DX.


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## Sporgon (Dec 12, 2012)

I'm not surprised that the MK3 came out on top. Canon listened to it's users and produced exactly what had been asked for: a more professional grade 5D. Of course this resulted in a price increase, but it'll come down in time, and is still much cheaper than a 1 series. 

Nikon on the other hand had a perfectly capable camera in the D700 only to replace it with a headline grabbing 36mp, pure marketing headlines, hoping the gimmick will draw sales from the 5D. Won't happen. It's hard enough to realise the full potential of 21mp on a FF chip, never mind 36. And pop up flash to help fill in those 36 meg files - says it all


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## Zlatko (Dec 12, 2012)

ChilledXpress, I agree with you. I used to buy the 1D series for weddings, but no longer need to. The 5D series now has what I needed from the 1D series; and it's cheaper and easier to carry. People who think the 5DIII is just a 5DII with the AF "fixed" don't realize that it's an entirely new camera, with upgrades throughout (100% viewfinder, shorter shutter lag & mirror blackout, quiet shutter mode, better high ISO, etc.). I think the 1D series still shines for high speed action such as sports and in really harsh environments that break lesser cameras. And I believe the 1D series still offers some extra performance at the high ISO end.


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## ChilledXpress (Dec 12, 2012)

Zlatko said:


> ChilledXpress, I agree with you. I used to buy the 1D series for weddings, but no longer need to. The 5D series now has what I needed from the 1D series; and it's cheaper and easier to carry. People who think the 5DIII is just a 5DII with the AF "fixed" don't realize that it's an entirely new camera, with upgrades throughout (100% viewfinder, shorter shutter lag & mirror blackout, quiet shutter mode, better high ISO, etc.). I think the 1D series still shines for high speed action such as sports and in really harsh environments that break lesser cameras. And I believe the 1D series still offers some extra performance at the high ISO end.



So very true. I have read this forum for a couple of years now and I am perplexed by the detractors of the 5D3. It is the refined beast that I had hoped for. In the end though they are tools with pluses and minus columns. I would love a camera to have "all" my wishes and cost 1/2 of its predecessor but I know Canon isn't making a camera based on just my needs... it's always a compromise. I've owned a few 1 series but now with the 5D3, the game changed.

That said, the 1Dx is a great camera and yes there are a few pluses (the ones you mentioned and a few others) that the 5D3 can't match but after a couple of weeks with both... I'm not convinced the 1DX is "better" than the 5D3. I'm thinking return and go after more glass and a third 5D3. Besides, bodies come and go... my lenses are here to stay.

BTW... Silent shutter is quite possibly the one big plus that I miss the most on the 1DX.


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## Kernuak (Dec 12, 2012)

K-amps said:


> Welcome consolation for the impatient ones (me) that bought the 5diii at full retail + tax.
> 
> Yes it' been 9 months but it still hurts...
> 
> Great Cam though and some nice memories I shot with it...


I didn't pay the full price, but it came down just after I bought mine in July as a grey import. However, if I didn't buy it when I did, there are a lot of shots I wouldn't otherwise have achieved, at least not to the same image quality, so I don't have any regrets.


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## glongstaff (Dec 12, 2012)

I found this good free review between the Canon 5D MKIII and the Nikon D800 with the Canon just coming out on top

http://www.learningdslrvideo.com/5d-mark-iii-vs-nikon-d800/


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## bdunbar79 (Dec 12, 2012)

The 5D Mark III actually outperforms the 1D Mark IV at high ISO.


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## Hill Benson (Dec 12, 2012)

It sure is a nice time to be a 5DmkIII owner! As much as I don't like seeing the price fall it is inevitable as is the nature of these things. I have got to say that not only am I happy with the IQ that this camera is capable of, it is also a great shooting experience to use one in the hands. I soon forget about the money I paid for it when looking at the shots it has let me take!


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## Razor2012 (Dec 13, 2012)

Mikael Risedal said:


> 2n10 said:
> 
> 
> > Mikael Risedal said:
> ...



Yes you have, many, many times, and no one is arguing that fact. That is only one aspect of a great camera, and alot of photographers feel there is more than just DR. That review proved it.


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## Nazareth (Dec 13, 2012)

ChilledXpress said:


> I'm struggling to justify the value of the 1DX in comparison to the 5D3's.



Don't struggle- the cost of the 1DX is the price of 2 1/2 5d3's but the shutter will last the same length of time as 2 1/2 5D3's too (roughly)- plus it's a much more rugged camera, which means that when hte shutter eventually does die, the camera will still be in good shape and you can have the shutter replaced for about $400 or so (even at $1000 or even more, it woudl astill be worth it). Plus the 1DX is blazing fast, feels great inhand, better weather sealing etc etc etc- YUou're getting a LOT of camera for $7000- and reasonably taken care of, will last a long time with only minimal future investment in new shutter if needed. The 5d3's are not made as ruggedly, and are more prone to break down from rough use- the seals aren't as good, etc- they are still great cameras, but the above reasons are what pursuaded me to purchase the 1DX over the 5D3- and I beleive in thel ogn run it wil lactually be cheaper owning it over the 5D3's


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## neuroanatomist (Dec 13, 2012)

Nazareth said:


> ...the cost of the 1DX is the price of 2 1/2 5d3's but the shutter will last the *same length of time* as 2 1/2 5D3's too (roughly)



Same as ~2.5x the number of actuations, yes. But since the frame rate is twice as fast, it might not last much longer in absolute (calendar) time. 12 fps is _fast_!


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## RLPhoto (Dec 13, 2012)

The 5D3 is the camera of the year, but just not for $3500. :


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## Razor2012 (Dec 13, 2012)

RLPhoto said:


> The 5D3 is the camera of the year, but just not for $3500. :



I look at it another way too...is it half the camera the 1DX is? I say yes (and then some).


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## ChilledXpress (Dec 13, 2012)

Nazareth said:


> ChilledXpress said:
> 
> 
> > I'm struggling to justify the value of the 1DX in comparison to the 5D3's.
> ...



You mistake value for cost...

I shoot in some extreme enviros, I shoot underwater and Tahoe outback snow also (finally some decent snow here in Cali). For my needs, the 5D3 weathers those storms just fine. Granted Hawai'i and Tahoe are not "to the limit extreme" but those situations definetely challenge the "ruggedness" of most camera bodies I use. Accidents happen, dumps while boarding, UW leaks, sand, rain, etc. If I were in the [email protected] that might be another story. I switch bodies every few years and have only once burnt up a shutter. Feeling great in the hand isn't a huge selling point and contributes only a minor aspect to the value of any body IMO. I'd suffer third degree burns if I thought the camera I was using was the very best in the world. Besides, as I hold both 5D3 and a 1DX at the same time... they both feel great in hand. I look at camera bodies the same I do cards and batteries, consumables. So I won't defend ANY camera body as the end-all-be-all answer to every question. 

I guess if I worked for the NFL or shot BIF then I might feel more inclined to keep the 1DX. Don't get me wrong, love the 1DX but do I think it's better than a 5D3... absolutely not! It’s just another tool for different needs. As it stands now, I'm thinking a 200-400 might be a better fit, if it ever materializes.


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## thexfile (Dec 13, 2012)

"I'll give you my 7D when you pry it from my cold, dead hands" ;D


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## ChilledXpress (Dec 13, 2012)

thexfile said:


> "I'll give you my 7D when you pry it from my cold, dead hands" ;D



+1000 on that... still love my 7D's but they live in my wifes bag for the most part. I get visitation rights when I feel the need for 8 fps!


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## dswatson83 (Dec 15, 2012)

From all the reviews I see comparing it with other cameras, the Canon 5d mark III seems to blow everything else away except in dynamic range and shadow noise. The 5D3 does look fairly bad when the shadows are pushed while the Nikon D600 & D800 are clean. This is a huge asset as being able to boost the shadows would bring back a ton of detail in landscape shots. Check out the comparisons: 
http://learningcameras.com/reviews/4-dslrs/79-nikon-d600-vs-canon-5d-mark-iii-

Nikon D600 vs Canon 5D Mark III Fight!


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## Razor2012 (Dec 17, 2012)

dswatson83 said:


> From all the reviews I see comparing it with other cameras, the Canon 5d mark III seems to blow everything else away except in dynamic range and shadow noise. The 5D3 does look fairly bad when the shadows are pushed while the Nikon D600 & D800 are clean. This is a huge asset as being able to boost the shadows would bring back a ton of detail in landscape shots. Check out the comparisons:
> http://learningcameras.com/reviews/4-dslrs/79-nikon-d600-vs-canon-5d-mark-iii-



That's true but depending on what your priorities are, it's also an asset to have great AF and high ISO.


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## bycostello (Dec 20, 2012)

infared said:


> LOL!!!!!
> It is only camera of the year if it works for you and YOUR photographic needs.



+1


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