Canon EOS 5D Mark III any comments?

29 posts / 0 new
Last post
BajanAlan
BajanAlan's picture
Canon EOS 5D Mark III any comments?

First impressions.

. Heavy.

. Aquires flying birds quickly.

. New switch layout - great

. New menus - confusing

pacman
pacman's picture

Alan

I always like getting a new toy.

I mean - I always like to acquire a new necessary piece of photographic equipment that will enhance my pics

Peter

BajanAlan
BajanAlan's picture

U couldnt carry any more!

pacman
pacman's picture

BajanAlan wrote:

U couldnt carry any more!

I have 3 kits for specific purposes
550D + 100-400 is my pelagic kit - chance of getting it wet
1D + 400 DO - my lighter weight travelling and/or walking kit, I have a camera bag (carry on plane) the right size for the camera body on the lens so I get it out of the bag and it is ready to go - have recently acquired an 11" computer that also fits in the bag
5D + 400 2.8 is the tripod or not walking far kit

Peter

BajanAlan
BajanAlan's picture

I wish I had your 400 F2.8 this morning at Fogg Dam

pacman
pacman's picture

Alan
what did you get at Fogg Dam?

this is my Scarborough, Qld weekend
I went early morning to Bribie Island - for waders, good sightings but no lifers
then back at Scarborough I believe that I got a Little Curlew, I haven't downloaded yet to check

Peter

BajanAlan
BajanAlan's picture

See 'Who is prettyier?' in Best Photos.
Fogg dam will start flowing soon.
The Big water birds are returning.
There was a Spoonbill, Green Pygmy-goose, 3 Brolga fley past. Azure Kingfisher
lots of other stuff

Woko
Woko's picture

Pacman, Ms Woko would like to know what brand/type your 11" computer is, that's if you wouldn't mind telling.

Araminta
Araminta's picture

Tell Ms Woko, I can carry my one camera and lens that takes ALL my photos under my arm for hours, all my photos are taken hand held, I don't need a trypod, (or any pod), not enhanced (only cropped from time to time), using my beautiful (superior) SONY SLT-A 77V, and my SONY 70-400mm F4.0-5.6G (gold) lens.
(eat your heart out all you "Canon and Nikon people", game on!) :-)

M-L

BajanAlan
BajanAlan's picture

Canon EF 100-400 is 100gms lighter!

Araminta
Araminta's picture

Yes, but I don't carry any other gear, no trypods or anything else. I'm that kind of girl, (as if you didn't know?) What you see is what you get!

M-L

pacman
pacman's picture

Woko wrote:

Pacman, Ms Woko would like to know what brand/type your 11" computer is, that's if you wouldn't mind telling.

it is HP Pavilion dm1-4108AU 11.6 inch Black Notebook

Peter

pacman
pacman's picture

Araminta wrote:

Tell Ms Woko, I can carry my one camera and lens that takes ALL my photos under my arm for hours, all my photos are taken hand held, I don't need a trypod, (or any pod), not enhanced (only cropped from time to time), using my beautiful (superior) SONY SLT-A 77V, and my SONY 70-400mm F4.0-5.6G (gold) lens.

(eat your heart out all you "Canon and Nikon people", game on!) :-)

Sony - they make microwave ovens don't they

but seriously I have always had the opinion that so long as someone is happy with their equipment that is great
my previous obsession was LD motorcycling - I rode a Triumph Sprint ST (<$20K) whilst others rode Kawasaki and Yamaha sports/tourers (about $25k) and others Honda Goldwings (about $40K)
I have also done >1000 klms in 24 hours on a CBR125R (<$5k), great fun on the day but I wouldn't want to have used that bike on evry LD ride that I did

back to cameras
Araminta I regularly admire your photography where you have been able to get close to your subject
most of my photography is done in the field not in my backyard (however I think that Australia is my backyard), often during my 1st visit to the place
eg Sat morn I was at the beachline near Buckley's Hole, Bribie Is looking at at number of waders on a sandbar about 25 metres from shore, I could not get closer due to the water, further if I walked out to the sandbar the birds would have flown
at the lagoon itslef the closest I coulld get to a Comb-creasted Jacana was about 15 metres

Peter

BajanAlan
BajanAlan's picture

Hi Peter Marie-Louise has proved the value of Sony SLRS.
I agree with you though, Most of my photos are 20 meters away.
Some are over 50 Meters.
And my ambition is to get great flying photos.
I use a tripod for my videos, but try to lean on something where possible.

Woko
Woko's picture

Pacman, Ms Woko says thanks. She's had big trouble tracking down an 11" laptop in SA.

BajanAlan
BajanAlan's picture

Ebay is a source of cheaper computers and cameras

pacman
pacman's picture

yes, I found mine on eBay but from a store in Ettalong near erina where I am currently working

Peter

BajanAlan
BajanAlan's picture

If u buy from OS there is no GST

dna1972
dna1972's picture

I used a borrowed 5DIII a few times and it is very impressive for bird photography. The AF system is the same as the 1Dx, of course overall the 1Dx is a much better camera.

The files out of the 5DIII needed very minimal if any processing, which is what I like personally. I hate spending time on my Mac adjusting things the camera was not quite getting right. While it is sometimes the case that I need to tweak an image, it is far less frequent with the high-end Canons than with the prosumer cameras. Cannot comment on the xxxxD or xxxD range as I have never even looked at one.

My only gripe with the 5DIII is that there is no way it could withstand the harsh treatment it would get in my hands. I mean I've dropped my 1D3 twice already in seven months (the camera just deattached itself from the lens in the field) yet the cam still works as good as new, albeit with a slight scratch on top of the viewfinder.

Nothing is built like a 1D series (except a Nikon D3 or D4)

BTW if you wonder who this is, it's the same guy who was called Windhover and deleted his account some months ago. I will only participate from time to time in the photography related stuff.

pacman
pacman's picture

dna1972 wrote:

the camera just deattached itself from the lens in the field

interesting comment as this happened to me recently (Alan would be aware of the event) and I was blaming myself for causing it

Peter

dna1972
dna1972's picture

Just to clarify, I often walk around with the 500/4 + 1.4x strapped over my left shoulder. The strap is attached to the lens, since it weighs almost 4x what my 1D body does. I did note the 1.4x sometimes does not click into position, and I have to push the little pin into place. However, the last time, the converter stayed on the lens and it was only the camera that worked itself off the converter. God knows how. I am glad it's all insured though. laugh

darinnightowl
darinnightowl's picture

dna what made you come back ?

See it!  Hear it!

Mid-North Coast NSW

dna1972
dna1972's picture

Don't know Darin. I saw a couple of things to do with photography, so I wanted to contribute. I don't have to stay though and I can go if you like.  smiley Just say so.

darinnightowl
darinnightowl's picture

smiley All good 

See it!  Hear it!

Mid-North Coast NSW

dianne.kelly4
dianne.kelly4's picture

I am new to bird watching and photography since retirement. How fortunate this year to have lots of small honeyeaters and other new birds visit my largely native garden. I have a Lumix 12x AVCHD lite and would like to invest in a SLR to get better images. I am keen to have a camera which is fairly easy to use, manageable (light weight), takes good shots and is less than $1,000 with lens/es.

I like to birdwatch in my backyard which is in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, along the coast and further inland. I would appreciate any suggestions as I don't want to have the wool pulled over my eyes by sales people. I have checked Ted's website so I'm starting to pick up some names and as I see here, Sony, Canon and Nikon seem to feature. I would be willing to buy on ebay. Thanks. Di

BajanAlan
BajanAlan's picture

Hi Di

I use Ebay all the time

Regards Alan

rawshorty
rawshorty's picture

Hi, Di. With a budget of less than $1000 i would forget about getting a DSLR. You will need to spend more than that just to get a good birding lens and they will be heavy. Take a look at the Fuji Finepix X-S1, it looks and feels like an DSLR with focus and zoom control on the lens barrel, good telephoto length and many good features.

Shorty......Canon gear

Canberra

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/ 

dianne.kelly4
dianne.kelly4's picture

Thanks for the tips rawshorty and Alan. I did get some nice shots of a noisy friarbird fledgeling making full use of my birdbath today with the Lumix but I was only 2 metres away from the cute little ugly baby.  

sparrow
sparrow's picture

If your looking on ebay have a look at some of the second hand higher end cameras from Canon and Nikon some can be had for bargain prices and were built to last (I have a nikon D200 with a shutter count over 110,000 and still takes photos as good as the day I bought it on ebay ) If you want a new camera $1000 will get you a desent entry level camera and and a 70-300 kit lens which is all most people will ever need ,I suggest you look up "dpreview", or have a look at "Ken Rockwell "

 and   @birdsinbackyards
                 Subscribe to me on YouTube