My brief tale of a Canon 5D Mark III

2

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  • Ed911Ed911 Registered Users Posts: 1,306 Major grins
    edited December 20, 2015
    I know that I'm a little late to the party...don't get out here a lot like I used to. But, anyways, congratulations on your new 5D3.

    I have friends who are master photographers with the PPA and currently have images in the PPA's Loan Program...not an easy thing to do...and they shot those images with the venerable 5D3. I know it's all in the eye of the photographer, but at a certain point, better gear becomes essential if you want to climb the photography ladder, so to speak.

    If I had an updated 24 MP sensor in my D700, I'd be doing backflips. Right now, I'm looking at an D810, or maybe somehting in Nikon's pipeline, if and when it becomes available.

    My motto is, "never discount new technology...newer quite often is better."

    I need to get out here more often...

    Congrats again.
    Remember, no one may want you to take pictures, but they all want to see them.
    Educate yourself like you'll live forever and live like you'll die tomorrow.

    Ed
  • Brett1000Brett1000 Registered Users Posts: 819 Major grins
    edited December 25, 2015
    Ed911 wrote: »
    I know that I'm a little late to the party...don't get out here a lot like I used to. But, anyways, congratulations on your new 5D3.

    I have friends who are master photographers with the PPA and currently have images in the PPA's Loan Program...not an easy thing to do...and they shot those images with the venerable 5D3. I know it's all in the eye of the photographer, but at a certain point, better gear becomes essential if you want to climb the photography ladder, so to speak.

    If I had an updated 24 MP sensor in my D700, I'd be doing backflips. Right now, I'm looking at an D810, or maybe somehting in Nikon's pipeline, if and when it becomes available.

    My motto is, "never discount new technology...newer quite often is better."

    I need to get out here more often...

    Congrats again.

    I'm not so interested in more megapixels as seeing a full frame mirrorless with 7D AF capabilities in a sub $1,000 package. For that I would do backflips


    www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,762 moderator
    edited December 25, 2015
    Brett1000 wrote: »
    I'm not so interested in more megapixels as seeing a full frame mirrorless with 7D AF capabilities in a sub $1,000 package. For that I would do backflips

    My full (and a bit lengthy) response is at http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?p=2019980#post2019980
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited December 27, 2015
    I think we would all like the under a thousand bucks part!:-)

    Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,762 moderator
    edited January 18, 2016
    Sorry folks, here are finally some samples (just snaps) from the Canon 5D Mark III and Canon EF 28-80mm, f2.8-f4L USM zoom lens.

    First, some from the 4YO Birthday Party (full-resolution, processed at 25 MPix, straightened and may be cropped, and may take some time and bandwidth to load):

    i-R8Kkv76.jpg

    i-v6pmb3H.jpg

    i-X8p23mN.jpg

    i-jdLR5f5.jpg

    i-ctWk7vw.jpg

    i-SZcNDsG.jpg

    i-c5cNx3t.jpg

    i-z57LCPT.jpg

    i-jjg2Qpj.jpg

    i-ZFkBndR.jpg

    Some additional images from a Going-Away party, scaled to 8 MPix for easier loading for the recipient:

    i-zBXNBp2.jpg

    i-fnVvWFc.jpg

    i-v4WGDbw.jpg

    i-5w4gtdH.jpg
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • borderbraeborderbrae Registered Users Posts: 114 Major grins
    edited February 19, 2016
    Any 5D Mark III freezes?
    Got my 5D Mark III last November, used it at Bosque del Apache and other places since then, super images!! That said last Dec. one night it totally froze up on me, I finally got it working by flicking it off and on several times but it shook me. I thought maybe I had hit some button and confused it? Well, this morning when I was out photographing the Milky Way it froze up big time. No image on the screen, none of the buttons worked at all, couldn't use the Menu or Info buttons. Tried turning it off and on again several times with no results. I knew the battery was good but put another one in and it came to life. I took a few more images then came home. When I got this one Canon included a free CarePak for 13 months so I contacted Canon and am sending it in for repair.

    So has anyone else had theirs freeze up? If so did you send it in and has it been trouble free since then? I googled the problem and it seems a lot of folks were posting about it up until around mid 2013, can't really find any more recent comments about it.

    For $2500 it seems like it should be more dependable than that. I've been using a 6D for 2.5 years day and night with absolutely no such problems. Will be keeping the 6D as a backup for sure.
    Jean
    Canon 5D Mark III, 6D; Canon 17-40 F 4.0 L; Canon 24-105 f 4.0 IS L; Canon 70-200 f 4.0 IS L; Canon 100-400 IS L II; Samyang 14mm f 2.8; Samyang 24 mm f 1.4; Manfrotto tripod
    www.borderbraeimages.com
    http://www.borderbrae.wordpress.com
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,680 moderator
    edited February 19, 2016
    I've been using my 5DMKIII since they first started shipping and never had that problem. My 5DMKIII has been rock solid.

    Pulling the battery does a hard-reset, and that's probably why your camera started working again when you replaced it. Are you using Canon batteries?
  • David_S85David_S85 Administrators Posts: 13,167 moderator
    edited February 20, 2016
    Mine froze only once, while changing lenses and while powered up, as I was about to take the most epic image of my lifetime (well, not really) - but it was at a location on a paid workshop at Palouse Falls. I tried the on/off thing a couple times. On the third go around, it finally started up normally with a different lens, and after a battery change. It was the real deal Canon battery. When it froze, I was placing the 16-35 2.8 mkII on it. I lost no images, but some good light shooting and about 10 minutes. It was actually Andy Williams' magic touch that started it up again. Thanks, Andy!
    My Smugmug
    "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,762 moderator
    edited February 20, 2016
    It's important to keep the contacts for both batteries and lenses clean. Dirty contacts can cause some of these problems.

    The "smart" batteries in many/most newer dSLRs have multiple contacts which are used to communicate data to the camera body. If those contacts are dirty they can miscommunicate the data leading to camera problems.

    Keep battery caps on the batteries anytime the battery is not on the camera or in its charger. Likewise keep rear lens caps on lenses and front/rear caps on telextenders.

    I also try not to use hand lotion when I use my cameras as some of the hand lotion might accidentally get on a lens or battery contact. Even a tiny amount can cause problems.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • borderbraeborderbrae Registered Users Posts: 114 Major grins
    edited February 20, 2016
    Yes, using Canon batteries and I always keep the battery caps (and lens caps at both ends) on when they're not in use. Same as Ziggy, I abstain from using hand lotion when I know I'm going to be using the camera at all. Sent the 5D Marka III to Canon today. I do understand that some may never have had a problem, it really threw me since plunking down $2500 + sales tax is a big deal for me. It's important to me to have Canon see the camera, check it out and have the records about it. The lady I spoke with at Canon was really nice, conveyed that Canon wants me to have a working camera and to be sure I'm pleased with it. She didn't try making excuses, asking questions trying to duck responsibility, etc. I truly love the camera and really miss it, knowing it is out of reach right now.
    Jean
    Canon 5D Mark III, 6D; Canon 17-40 F 4.0 L; Canon 24-105 f 4.0 IS L; Canon 70-200 f 4.0 IS L; Canon 100-400 IS L II; Samyang 14mm f 2.8; Samyang 24 mm f 1.4; Manfrotto tripod
    www.borderbraeimages.com
    http://www.borderbrae.wordpress.com
  • cmasoncmason Registered Users Posts: 2,506 Major grins
    edited March 21, 2016
    Well, following your lead Ziggy, I too just broke down and got the 5DMkIII.

    I was going to wait, but decided that even though it is 4 yrs old, it is still very much a current camera, with only some competitors matching it today. Sure I could wait to see what the Mark IV is, but I know that I wouldn't purchase one in the first year of the model. My 40D is really limiting me in indoor shots, and I really debated on switching to the Nikon D750. In the end, my existing lenses and accessories, plus a decent sale at the Canon refurb site convinced me that the 5DMKIII would be plenty of camera for me for many many years. My 40D is still plenty good, just so poor in high ISO situations that I often dont even take it to events any longer. The 5D solves that situation, and it will remain solved for a long time to come.
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,762 moderator
    edited March 21, 2016
    cmason wrote: »
    Well, following your lead Ziggy, I too just broke down and got the 5DMkIII.

    I was going to wait, but decided that even though it is 4 yrs old, it is still very much a current camera, with only some competitors matching it today. Sure I could wait to see what the Mark IV is, but I know that I wouldn't purchase one in the first year of the model. My 40D is really limiting me in indoor shots, and I really debated on switching to the Nikon D750. In the end, my existing lenses and accessories, plus a decent sale at the Canon refurb site convinced me that the 5DMKIII would be plenty of camera for me for many many years. My 40D is still plenty good, just so poor in high ISO situations that I often dont even take it to events any longer. The 5D solves that situation, and it will remain solved for a long time to come.

    Congratulations!

    I am getting great results with my copy. Recently shot around 50 people in a church using that body, and as soon as the local monthly paper shows it I'll show the image here.

    In the meantime, these are from last Friday:

    i-k8pQ6zH-X3.jpg

    i-kTDsD9L-X3.jpg

    i-Bkv8m2L-X3.jpg

    All of these used flash and 1/100th shutter, but the first two images are at f8, ISO 3200. The third is at f2.2 and ISO 800. Two Canon 580EX flashes pointed back and into the ceiling, triggered by radio slaves.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • cmasoncmason Registered Users Posts: 2,506 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2016
    I assumed that the 5D would be much like the 40D in terms of controls, and it is, about 90% of it. But there have been subtle changes, and many, many more buttons. The configuration options are truly mindboggling, and fantastic. It will take a while to learn this camera, and I am planning on RTFM on this one: there are so many menu options, literally 2-3x more than the 40D. I can easily shoot right away, but rather than shooting all weekend, much of it will be taken with reading and learning. So far my wife is constantly looking up as I am saying 'aha' and 'oh cool' about every 3 minutes.

    i-Pcdk2FH-L.jpg
  • David_S85David_S85 Administrators Posts: 13,167 moderator
    edited March 24, 2016
    cmason wrote: »
    I assumed that the 5D would be much like the 40D in terms of controls, and it is, about 90% of it. But there have been subtle changes, and many, many more buttons. The configuration options are truly mind-boggling, and fantastic. It will take a while to learn this camera, and I am planning on RTFM on this one: there are so many menu options, literally 2-3x more than the 40D. I can easily shoot right away, but rather than shooting all weekend, much of it will be taken with reading and learning. So far my wife is constantly looking up as I am saying 'aha' and 'oh cool' about every 3 minutes.

    The secret weapon for users of these cameras is setting up that last Star menu with your most used functions. That may take a while to nail down, yet saves an amazing amount of time not sifting through the menus every time you need something. Then there is the remapping customization of the buttons and controls. That saves even more time. I have found that refining both has given me an intuitive muscle memory where I don't have to hunt for a function as often.
    My Smugmug
    "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
  • Brett1000Brett1000 Registered Users Posts: 819 Major grins
    edited April 2, 2016
    ziggy53 wrote: »
    Congratulations!

    I am getting great results with my copy. Recently shot around 50 people in a church using that body, and as soon as the local monthly paper shows it I'll show the image here.



    All of these used flash and 1/100th shutter, but the first two images are at f8, ISO 3200. The third is at f2.2 and ISO 800. Two Canon 580EX flashes pointed back and into the ceiling, triggered by radio slaves.

    nice - the "brief" tale keeps going
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,762 moderator
    edited July 23, 2016
    Finally, the image I promised back in March:

    i-fsBftRf-X2.jpg

    Canon 5D Mark III, Canon EF 28-80mm, f2.8-f4L USM, almost 4,000 Ws flash, ISO 200, 28mm, @f2.8, 1/100th. Two monolights bounced into the ceiling (7" reflector bowl), one speedlite with scoop modifier for fill.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • jmphotocraftjmphotocraft Registered Users Posts: 2,987 Major grins
    edited September 26, 2016
    -Jack

    An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
  • Brett1000Brett1000 Registered Users Posts: 819 Major grins
    edited September 28, 2016
    ziggy53 wrote: »
    Finally, the image I promised back in March:



    Canon 5D Mark III, Canon EF 28-80mm, f2.8-f4L USM, almost 4,000 Ws flash, ISO 200, 28mm, @f2.8, 1/100th. Two monolights bounced into the ceiling (7" reflector bowl), one speedlite with scoop modifier for fill.

    looks good but a group photo taken at f2.8 ? I always thought you need smaller apertures (more "DOF") with group pics
  • puzzledpaulpuzzledpaul Registered Users Posts: 1,621 Major grins
    edited September 28, 2016
    Brett1000 wrote: »
    looks good but a group photo taken at f2.8 ? I always thought you need smaller apertures (more "DOF") with group pics

    Shot at 28mm ... so dof many feet at likely working distance.

    pp
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,762 moderator
    edited September 28, 2016
    Brett1000 wrote: »
    looks good but a group photo taken at f2.8 ? I always thought you need smaller apertures (more "DOF") with group pics
    Shot at 28mm ... so dof many feet at likely working distance.

    pp

    You're both correct! When you shoot remember the intended use as well. This shot was for publication in a local paper. (Made the cover.) In other words, the acceptable Circle Of Confusion (COC) size can be pretty large and still look good in a newspaper print size. It also looks OK at typical web sizes.

    At a large print size or with pixel peeping you would indeed see softness in the corners. (Note that people are arranged away from the corners.)

    I did consider shooting at a higher ISO, which could have allowed a safer aperture, but I've shot at this church many, many times before, run the tests, and felt pretty confident with the 28mm focal length @ f2.8 for this purpose. Yes, I had to choose my focus point carefully for the best chance at success.

    I was more worried about the higher than normal working height on a ladder to try to get a better plane of faces. (My shins had marks on them from leaning into the top of the ladder. Next time I'll use a taller ladder. thumb.gif)
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,680 moderator
    edited September 29, 2016
    ziggy53 wrote: »
    (My shins had marks on them from leaning into the top of the ladder. Next time I'll use a taller ladder. thumb.gif)
    Good plan. rolleyes1.gif

    Here's a pullback from a shoot I did the other day. This sucker put me 21' in the air... naughty.gif
    (There was one more Einstein out of the frame to the far right).

    i-SnrXTfx-XL.jpg

    to get this shot.
    i-Tk5Jq9p-X2.jpg

    I directed this shot down to the placement of the trucks and the people and arranged for the scissor lift.

    Shot with the 5D Mark III of course. deal.gif

    (This is not a trucking company, btw, but a very hot Silicon Valley startup working on a product for automated "platooning" of trucks which saves fuel by drafting. )
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,762 moderator
    edited September 29, 2016
    kdog wrote: »
    Good plan. rolleyes1.gif

    Here's a pullback from a shoot I did the other day. This sucker put me 21' in the air... naughty.gif
    (There was one more Einstein out of the frame to the far right).

    ...

    to get this shot.
    ...

    I directed this shot down to the placement of the trucks and the people and arranged for the scissor lift.

    Shot with the 5D Mark III of course. deal.gif

    (This is not a trucking company, btw, but a very hot Silicon Valley startup working on a product for automated "platooning" of trucks which saves fuel by drafting. )

    Very nicely done, Joel.

    Good to put the sun behind everything so you could gain light control from the front. Excellent job organizing the individuals and their shadows. thumb.gifthumbclap.gif
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,680 moderator
    edited September 29, 2016
    ziggy53 wrote: »
    Very nicely done, Joel.

    Good to put the sun behind everything so you could gain light control from the front. Excellent job organizing the individuals and their shadows. thumb.gifthumbclap.gif
    Thanks, Zig! I set up the shot about an hour in advance so had to estimate where the sun would be when we shot. Fortunately, I estimated correctly. :whew
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited September 30, 2016
    I love my 5dIII - having "real" AF again is just a godsend after 3 years with the II.

    THAT SAID... am I the only one who feels that skintones on the II were more pleasing? I find that the III tends to be a bit more to orange, and still haven't quite figured that out. (Of course, the week after I got my III my monitor died and had to be replaced - still calibrated, of course - so I've never been quite sure which is the change that I'm noticing!!!)
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,762 moderator
    edited September 30, 2016
    divamum wrote: »
    I love my 5dIII - having "real" AF again is just a godsend after 3 years with the II.

    THAT SAID... am I the only one who feels that skintones on the II were more pleasing? I find that the III tends to be a bit more to orange, and still haven't quite figured that out. (Of course, the week after I got my III my monitor died and had to be replaced - still calibrated, of course - so I've never been quite sure which is the change that I'm noticing!!!)

    Skin tones are great on the 5D Mark III using RAW/CR2 files, but I use Phase One Capture One Pro 9.3 for processing.

    To assist with difficult skin tones I often do use ACR and then PictoColor iCorrect Portrait as a Photoshop add-in. PictoColor iCorrect Portrait makes accurate skin tones a couple of clicks and works very quickly. In a mixed color environment, like flash for the key light and ambient light in the shadows, it does mean additional click samples, but iCorrect Portrait makes blending the results easy.

    (I have no affiliation with either Adobe, Phase One or PictoColor, but I do like and use their products.)


    Joe Farace uses iCorrect Portrait in his workflow. Maybe try it and see what you think of it for your photographic applications.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited September 30, 2016
    I only shoot raw, so it's not that. Intrigued by the Pictocolor software - wil check it out.

    Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk
  • NikonsandVstromsNikonsandVstroms Registered Users Posts: 990 Major grins
    edited October 5, 2016
    Just a quick 5D II VS III question, my friend shoots both and is noticing that the II has a slight green cast on it's output compared to the III is there a setting in camera to help normalize the 2 bodies? And is this a normal difference?
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,762 moderator
    edited October 5, 2016
    Just a quick 5D II VS III question, my friend shoots both and is noticing that the II has a slight green cast on it's output compared to the III is there a setting in camera to help normalize the 2 bodies? And is this a normal difference?

    I still have my Canon 5D Mark II plus the 5D Mark III. I have not shot the 5D3 in JPG ever, but the RAW files process identically through Phase One Capture One Pro and I cannot immediately tell a 5D2 image from a 5D3 image. If anything, the only visual tell is that the 5D3 files take a bit more capture sharpening at pixel level due to a stronger AA filter over the imager.

    So no, I don't see any tinting variation on default processing.

    If your friend could post a link to a file (with full EXIF) exhibiting the problem, I'd be happy to try to diagnose the problem. His processing workflow would also be helpful.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,680 moderator
    edited October 5, 2016
    ziggy53 wrote: »
    I still have my Canon 5D Mark II plus the 5D Mark III. I have not shot the 5D3 in JPG ever, but the RAW files process identically through Phase One Capture One Pro and I cannot immediately tell a 5D2 image from a 5D3 image.
    That's been my experience in shooting both cameras side-by-side and processing in Lightroom.

    If you Google "5DMKII green color cast", you'll see there have been complaints about certain old versions of LR dating back to V4 where folks have claimed to have gotten green color casts. Doubtful you'd see any difference at all in newer versions.
  • NikonsandVstromsNikonsandVstroms Registered Users Posts: 990 Major grins
    edited October 5, 2016
    kdog wrote: »
    That's been my experience in shooting both cameras side-by-side and processing in Lightroom.

    If you Google "5DMKII green color cast", you'll see there have been complaints about certain old versions of LR dating back to V4 where folks have claimed to have gotten green color casts. Doubtful you'd see any difference at all in newer versions.

    Thanks for the tip, IIRC she's using an older version so checking into that now. Plus it's an easy test since I can just process one on mine with the latest LR CC.
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