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Comparisons between 5DMkII and 1DsMkIII

johnastovall

Deceased, but remembered fondly here...
I'm needing to start serious planing for a second Canon dSLR and move my 5D to a back up role. Have there been any detailed comparisons between the 5DMkII and the 1DsMkIII? I had planed on a 5DII but it seems to have problems. A clean used 1DsMkIII would give my a weather sealed pro-grade camera which I can look to many years of use out of. Canon's are my bread and butter cameras which I use when there's money on the table.

So, those who have used both what are your opinions? Any serious comparisons out there (no KR please).
 

atufte

New member
Hi John

I have used 1Ds MKIII for a good year and can tell you, there is a reason i sold my 1Ds MKIII and bought two 5D MKII instead, of course the AF engine in MKIII is better but i think Canon's AF system stinks anyway (the Nikon system is WAY better) but if you use center point for AF and manual focus lenses, the 5D2 is the perfect tool and i think it has the edge IQ wise over the 1Ds MKIII which is way more important than weather sealing for me, but of course this might not be the case for everybody, but after using the 5D MKII in the tundra, in rain storms, snowstorms temperatures shifting from +10 to -15 in real humid conditions in Iceland...i do not think i could not be more happy with a camera, my only complaint would be the CF card door which really is a "shame on you Canon" my compact digital has a better more rigid card door than this, not that important but a shame anyway...


Buy two 5D MKII's and some Zeiss lenses, and i promise you mind blowing IQ... it's a Pro camera, not a semi Pro (just don't look at the CF card door:)
 

atufte

New member
Which Zeiss lenses do you favour?

Mark
They are all good, but my favorite is Zeiss Planar 50/2 ZE (love the fact that it has a built in aperture control and no ring, so you can change aperture from the camera, and works as good as any EF lens, just with manual focus of course, you do not need to stop down either..) I'm a 50mm guy...

And the Zeiss 21 C/Y (of course) which also comes in ZE very soon, and the Zeiss Biogon 35/2 (which i hope comes out in ZE very soon...) 100 Macro and Planar 85....

I also use some EF lenses from time to time, but not much, because i do not like their color rendering, and the cheap plastic feel they all have, the Zeiss lenses feel and operates just like my Leica M/Zeiss ZM lenses... which i love...i thin precision is the word...
 

atufte

New member
Guys, I have a full run of L primes up to 400mm and when shooting for papers AF is the name of the game. I get very nervous when I see the failure rate of 5DMkIII's as documented at Luminous Landscape. Then there is Ron Purdy's giving up on the 5DMkII because of it's focusing problems. Then here are more...
I think there are maybe 1% of the already massive amount of 5D MKII owners having this problems, so i would not be to worried, it's dangerous to read to much forums... Remember 98% of all the 5D MKII users never post or even read these forums...(every time a new camera is hitting the streets, the same things happen, ok the Antarctica thing was bad, but if you bring cameras without weather sealing (or with sealing as well) in and out of + to - temperatures, humidity builds up and things will eventually get screwed up, remember it's electronics, and believe me i have seen the same things happen to cameras such as 1D MKII/III and D2X/D3 as well, the only safe shot will be a battery less Leica...)

But i have tested the 5D MKII in pretty ruff conditions, and every thing went well without any problems what so ever...(i brought two 5D MKII's like i would with any other camera on "expeditions" like this...)
 

Uaiomex

Member
The 5D Mk2 is possibly the camera with more found glitches in the history of photography. Possibly a side cause for being so popular, but who knows for sure. I'm still holding my purchase till the dust sets for good. At this pace, I'll buy a Mark3 (lol)

Eduardo


I think there are maybe 1% of the already massive amount of 5D MKII owners having this problems, so i would not be to worried, it's dangerous to read to much forums... Remember 98% of all the 5D MKII users never post or even read these forums...(every time a new camera is hitting the streets, the same things happen, ok the Antarctica thing was bad, but if you bring cameras without weather sealing (or with sealing as well) in and out of + to - temperatures, humidity builds up and things will eventually get screwed up, remember it's electronics, and believe me i have seen the same things happen to cameras such as 1D MKII/III and D2X/D3 as well, the only safe shot will be a battery less Leica...)

But i have tested the 5D MKII in pretty ruff conditions, and every thing went well without any problems what so ever...(i brought two 5D MKII's like i would with any other camera on "expeditions" like this...)
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Folks

I have a 5D2 and this is my Canon entry level camera, as I was using Nikon D3 and several high end Nikon glass before (still keep it).

I LOVE the 5D2, everything, the IQ, the handling, speed, etc, etc. And I lofe the EF glass! And I know it is sometimes better than Nikkors.

But for me the 5D2 delivers simply the best IQ available toay in a FF DSLR. And I really mean that. Especially if it comes to higher ISO and the combination of High ISO and high resolution.

Build quality could be better in some areas, also the AF sucks, but as I am most times using central point AF this is perfectly ok!
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Guys, I have a full run of L primes up to 400mm and when shooting for papers AF is the name of the game. I get very nervous when I see the failure rate of 5DMkIII's as documented at Luminous Landscape. Then there is Ron Purdy's giving up on the 5DMkII because of it's focusing problems. Then here are more...
WOW! That is some horrifying rate of D5MK-II failure. Good to see the lone Sony A900 performed "flawlessly". If it had gone down, that would be a 100% rate of failure :ROTFL:

Poor Canon users ... turned into Alpha/Beta testers because some marketing wizard had to rush the camera to market.

The continuing degrading of IQ in the stupid marketing ploy to jack up high ISO performance, and the 1DMKIII focusing fiasco with Canon's initial denials, worked my last nerve. I left Canon last year.

It's all a revolving cycle ... one's on top one year, the other the next. and we all get to pay the freight. No more. Done. Finished.
 

dseelig

Member
HI John
I have both an was thinking of selling my 1ds mk111 and then I got an assigment of shooting bicycle riding in Portland. Quite simply for any time of action you need the responsiveness of the 1d series. If you are a landscape guy a few protraits slow paced work then get a 5d mk11. But remember any camera even a 1d series if you shoot in bad weather buy some aquatec raincovers. Since yo use when moeny is on table get a 1ds mk 111. David www.davidseelig.com
 

robmac

Well-known member
Given the rate of issues with the 5D2 and the fact you shoot for coin, I'd err towards a 1Ds3 if you want to stick Canon. Buy a used one, wait and see if they get the bugs out of the Mod 2 and if it still appeals to you then, step up.

Since you (IIRC) shoot some alt glass, you may also want to check a NEW issue -- see Alternate Forum on FM and Lloyd's 5D2 review update. Appears that using alternate lenses with un-chipped adapters on the 5D2 in LV causes heavy vignetting on the bottom of the frame. Not an issue with 1Ds3 and earlier LV models. Very similar to mirror 'brush' on a rear element shroud.

Appears to be (stress this) a firmware-driven timing shutter/sensor-clearing/mirror return 'glitch'. I put 'glitch' as such because from Canon's viewpoint an issue with Leica or CZ lenses isn't a 'glitch'.

No need to repeat all the details here - check the sites mentioned. Worst case you'll need to chip any adapters (contact Rudolph at happypagehk on ebay) you may have.

Me - my 1DS2 replacement is going to be a Nikon.
 

atufte

New member
Given the rate of issues with the 5D2 and the fact you shoot for coin, I'd err towards a 1Ds3 if you want to stick Canon. Buy a used one, wait and see if they get the bugs out of the Mod 2 and if it still appeals to you then, step up.

Since you (IIRC) shoot some alt glass, you may also want to check a NEW issue -- see Alternate Forum on FM and Lloyd's 5D2 review update. Appears that using alternate lenses with un-chipped adapters on the 5D2 in LV causes heavy vignetting on the bottom of the frame. Not an issue with 1Ds3 and earlier LV models. Very similar to mirror 'brush' on a rear element shroud.

Appears to be (stress this) a firmware-driven timing shutter/sensor-clearing/mirror return 'glitch'. I put 'glitch' as such because from Canon's viewpoint an issue with Leica or CZ lenses isn't a 'glitch'.

No need to repeat all the details here - check the sites mentioned. Worst case you'll need to chip any adapters (contact Rudolph at happypagehk on ebay) you may have.

Me - my 1DS2 replacement is going to be a Nikon.
I have no issues with CZ ZE lenses or ZF/Leica/Nikkor for that matter on the 5D2...
 

robmac

Well-known member
Any chipped lens is fine (EoS, ZE). One thing folks are trying to pin down is if it is a 5D2-wide issue with unchipped lenses (remember using LV only) or specific, like the mirror clearance variations, to individual bodies. Take a read of this thread - interesting issue.

If you're not seeing any vignetting (bottom of frame only) using LiveView with unchipped lenses, it would imply it's body-specific.

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/735258
 

bensonga

Well-known member
I'm needing to start serious planing for a second Canon dSLR and move my 5D to a back up role.
Same thoughts here....except in my case, I decided to move the 40D to backup role (or when the 1.6x factor is a plus) and just bought a new 5D with the 24-105 f4 L-series lens. I have a couple of friends with 5Ds and they all love 'em. Package price of the 5D and 24-105 was so good, I couldn't pass it up (especially since I wanted to add the 24-105 to my arsenal anyways).

Why not the 5D MkII? Too many possible problems and uncertainty at this point for me to pay full tilt on this one and I realistically, I just couldn't spring for the 1Ds MkIII.

Gary
Alaska
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Same thoughts here....except in my case, I decided to move the 40D to backup role (or when the 1.6x factor is a plus) and just bought a new 5D with the 24-105 f4 L-series lens. I have a couple of friends with 5Ds and they all love 'em. Package price of the 5D and 24-105 was so good, I couldn't pass it up (especially since I wanted to add the 24-105 to my arsenal anyways).

Why not the 5D MkII? Too many possible problems and uncertainty at this point for me to pay full tilt on this one and I realistically, I just couldn't spring for the 1Ds MkIII.

Gary
Alaska
If, what , could, should, perhaps, ?????????????

Man, why wait and go for a 5D instead of 5D2? The 5D2 I bought works just fine. But one can always wait till it is too late :D:rolleyes:;):ROTFL:
 

edwardkaraa

New member
They are all good, but my favorite is Zeiss Planar 50/2 ZE (love the fact that it has a built in aperture control and no ring, so you can change aperture from the camera, and works as good as any EF lens, just with manual focus of course, you do not need to stop down either..) I'm a 50mm guy...
..
How did you get a 50/2 ZE? I want one too ;)
 
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