Canon 5D Mark III announced, your thoughts

[bensonga]

I can still ponder that sales of the 5D Mark III will sell more than the 1DX and D4 overall. If I'm wrong.... well shocking!

I'm sure you will be right about that.....of course, the 1DX and D4 are priced a few thousand dollars more than the 5D3, so one could reasonably predict that sales of those expensive pro cameras will (and have been) much lower than the 5D series cameras.

The real question is....how many people will opt to buy a D800 instead of a 5D3 or just stick with their 5D2 instead of upgrading to the 5D3? Quite a few, I think.....which is why the cancellation of pre-orders for the 5D3 should be a warning signal for Canon.

Gary

 

[fotografz]

I'm sure you will be right about that.....of course, the 1DX and D4 are priced a few thousand dollars more than the 5D3, so one could reasonably predict that sales of those expensive pro cameras will (and have been) much lower than the 5D series cameras.

The real question is....how many people will opt to buy a D800 instead of a 5D3 or just stick with their 5D2 instead of upgrading to the 5D3? Quite a few, I think.....which is why the cancellation of pre-orders for the 5D3 should be a warning signal for Canon.

Gary

I agree with the contention that some cancellations at local camera stores doesn't mean much in the over-all scheme of Canon's global marketing. In a different thread here, someone said the 5D-III is the most pre-ordered camera on Amazon ... after the price announcement. I'd bet that Amazon sources nearly as much if not more camera sales than all of the N. American local brick and mortar speciality retailers combined ... (of the 5 retail camera stores in my area, only one is left, and is struggling to just stay on the endangered species list).

I also seriously doubt that people with a 5D-II will abandon their entire system to move to Nikon because of the D800 for a number of reasons ... no matter how shrewd you are at buying and selling, systems swap is a major financial undertaking and people with a 5D-II most likely have much more than just a kit lens in their Canon system ... plus this notion of swapping is predicated on more meg as the primary driving difference ... which is the primary reason the huge wedding/event/portrait market is NOT enthralled with the D800 including Nikon system shooters.

I personally know 8 different Canon shooters ... none of them are thrilled with the price increase, 5 of them are still getting the new one.

In regard to video, anyone who moved to the Canon 5D-II for serious video work also most likely has a bundle in ancillary video accessories for Canon application.

I simply see this relentless D800 comparison as further evidence of a myopic obsession with meg count as the price/value determinator ... as opposed to the over-all performance package and enhancement to one's chosen system. The list of one new innovation after another in the 5D-II is impressive IMO ... and so far I see zero advantage in IQ from the D800 unless one makes 30 X 40+ prints like a professional landscape fine artist ... who would be better off using a used MFD kit IMHO.

-Marc

 

[boyzo]

Quite an improvement on the 5Dmk2 in areas of Video AF.
Both 5Dmk2/3 are great bodies and great IQ and interface way up from the 5DMk1
The Mk2 is still listed .. makes the Mk1 a boat Anchour

 

[boyzo]

Me Too
always entertaining, and nice that it's not expensive!

I'm inclined to agree with you though - the 5dMIII is just the cameras for events/weddings etc. where you don't really need more resolution, and you certainly don't need the extra processing time that entails. My only doubt is how many such shooters need to spend the extra money to update their (already functional) 5DmII.

The Nikon 800 is a more adventurous camera though, and needs to find a place in the market.

Do you Actually shoot with the 5DMk2 ?? buddy ??

 

[pophoto]

Do you Actually shoot with the 5DMk2 ?? buddy ??

OOOH!

 

[jonoslack]

Do you Actually shoot with the 5DMk2 ?? buddy ??

No - like Marc I use Leica's and A900s for weddings (but unlike Marc I don't use an S2).
But I know wedding shooters who do, (buddies you might say). I understand the parameters well enough.

. . . I guess you're implying that I should be keeping my mouth shut? I recognise the tone, but I'm not certain about the criticism.

all the best

 

[ptomsu]

Only can reiterate - I am deeply disappointed with the 5DM3!

No way I would buy it, especially if you look at the capabilities of the D800 / D800E and in combination for high ISO D4.

Simply this shoots Canon directly into the knee

Not sure if a company like Canon relying on Marketing people to design their next model will be so successful in the future

 

[pophoto]

No - like Marc I use Leica's and A900s for weddings (but unlike Marc I don't use an S2).
But I know wedding shooters who do, (buddies you might say). I understand the parameters well enough.

. . . I guess you're implying that I should be keeping my mouth shut? I recognise the tone, but I'm not certain about the criticism.

all the best

I can never understand why NOT owning gear doesn't make one qualified for an useful opinion. I certainly think I value as much opinion as possible, and usually those who own the gear don't necessarily give back something useful.

You know... like the handful of photos showing Leica shooter with lens caps on :ROTFL:

 

[pophoto]

Only can reiterate - I am deeply disappointed with the 5DM3!

No way I would buy it, especially if you look at the capabilities of the D800 / D800E and in combination for high ISO D4.

Simply this shoots Canon directly into the knee

Not sure if a company like Canon relying on Marketing people to design their next model will be so successful in the future

Hi Ptmosu,

I know you keep saying and certainly no one has made it as clear as you, Yes you win

Seriously though, what is the one thing that specifically disappoints you with the 5D Mark III?

Thanks
Po

 

[jonoslack]

I can never understand why NOT owning gear doesn't make one qualified for an useful opinion. I certainly think I value as much opinion as possible, and usually those who own the gear don't necessarily give back something useful.

Well, if we exclude those who don't own a 5D mkIII from this thread it would be a quieter and sadder place!

You know... like the handful of photos showing Leica shooter with lens caps on :ROTFL:

One thing is certain - there isn't a serious Leica shooter who hasn't taken a photo with the lens cap on -:face smack:
Although you might say that being fotogaphed in the fauxpas is a little careless!

 

[T.Karma]

The new 5DIII makes a lot of sense if we would know that they are working on something bigger, meaning bigger format. Otherwise it is a little against the history and nature of Canon to be content with a second place behind Nikon.

Not meaning that more MP is necessarrily better in 24x36, but for marketing reasons alone, I cannot believe they are content. But who knows, times are always changing.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

It's funny isn't it? Last time around, Nikon launched the D700 with more or less half the number of pixels and no video while Canon came up with the 5D Mk II. Did that make the D700 a failure? Far from it. Even after the Sony A850 entered the market with twice the megapixel count at 60-70% of the price, the D700 continued to enjoy healthy sales.

Now, Canon seem to have corrected many of the shortcomings of the Mark II, but without upping the MPs to new, dizzying levels, and suddenly 36MP is "needed" by a surprising number of photographers. Or is "Camera Owners" the correct term?

 

[iiiNelson]

Really wasn't so interested in Canon as I abandoned my Canon gear in 2008. It seems like they get it now. It's not about the MP race or the bragging rights of who puts out the most "horsepower." I am mildly curious in investing in a dSLR system again to compliment the M9 for the long stuff and macro. The NEX has been a decent work around for adapters but if I'm going to have a full size lens hanging off the 5D Mk. II looks like a great buy given the price drop. It's a incremental price premium over the Sony A77 kit or NEX 7 kit I was was looking at.

 

[ptomsu]

Hi Ptmosu,

I know you keep saying and certainly no one has made it as clear as you, Yes you win

Seriously though, what is the one thing that specifically disappoints you with the 5D Mark III?

Thanks
Po

Most disappointing for me is that Canon did not manage to increase the MP count in a decent way - say at least 28 - 30 MP. For me this is a pretty clear sign that the marketing guys have won inside Canon, as they would have been able to build a camera similar to the D800 technology wise, but did not because they are just listening to all the customer feedback - mainly from all the Nay-sayers.

Besides that I do not see anything else really exciting from the 5D3 especially nothing which would not have been already available from Nikon. Leaders have changed obviously, who would have believed this 4 years ago?

Ah - I know now will come the answer about high ISO - well I DO NOT NEED nor intend to use ISO above 12800. I am not a professional voyeur and have otherwise simply no need for such high ISO. Back in film days I was more than happy with ISO 800 and excited about ISO 1600 - so there is no pint for me going higher than I mentioned.

Anyway have fun with the 5D3.

 

[T.Karma]

Hi Ptmosu,

I know you keep saying and certainly no one has made it as clear as you, Yes you win

Seriously though, what is the one thing that specifically disappoints you with the 5D Mark III?

Thanks
Po

There is nothing dissapointing about this camera from specs and reviews so far, except no interchangeable screens. Let's hope the fixed screen is good enough for manual focussing.

However, it is unusual for Canon to get into a more conservative role and improve on already proven.

 

[BANKER1]

Wedding shooters care. Corporate and event shooters care. Portrait shooters care. Kid photographers care. Pet photographers care. That is a major market for this camera, and I'd say the 5D/5D-II is the most used camera for these applications in the history of that industry segment. Reaction on the DWF (one of the world's largest Wedding/Portrait Photographer's sites) is looking quite positive ...lots of comments like "the perfect wedding camera". Jeff Ascough, one of the top wedding shooters in the world was a beta tester, and has written and illustrated a blog touting that the camera lives up to the hype. I know him, and if he says so, it is usually on the money.

Whether Canon have mis-priced this camera is TBD. Since they are devoting two factories to production, they seem to have pre-deterimned demand ... if that is a mis-calculation, it will be revealed in the coming year.

BTW, the same caveats can be said about the Nikon D800 ... time will tell whether those features reach up to the promise that the marking touts. Wedding shooters are far less impressed with the D800 so far.

I do not have a horse in this race ... but if I did, my application driven money would go to Canon ... a 1DX and a 5D-III with some f/1.2 lenses.

However, my pair of Sony A900s are more than enough. So I will remain just a casual observer of the 100 year Canon/Nikon war :watch:

-Marc

Marc,

As usual, you are probably right. However, I would rather have a root canal than shoot another wedding. And I did say, "this Canon shooter". From my perspective Canon did price this camera wrong, but as you said, that is to be determined. And maybe, from Canon's perspective, the 5DII was priced wrong (too low) since the waiting time to get one when they introduced it was pretty long.

It will be interesting to see how this camera and the D800 do in the real world. Let the market be the judge. After all, that is the true test rather than us pontificators.

Greg

 

[fotografz]

Marc,

As usual, you are probably right. However, I would rather have a root canal than shoot another wedding. And I did say, "this Canon shooter". From my perspective Canon did price this camera wrong, but as you said, that is to be determined. And maybe, from Canon's perspective, the 5DII was priced wrong (too low) since the waiting time to get one when they introduced it was pretty long.

It will be interesting to see how this camera and the D800 do in the real world. Let the market be the judge. After all, that is the true test rather than us pontificators.

Greg

I'm sure they'll both do well with their respective targets.

I guess some people's fun is another person's root canal. Don't know what you shoot, but it sounds like it's fun for you. Personally, I'd rather pull my teeth with rusty pliers than shoot landscapes with a 35mm DSLR. Takes all kinds to make the world go around doesn't it?

-Marc

 

[pophoto]

I'm sure they'll both do well with their respective targets.
Personally, I'd rather pull my teeth with rusty pliers than shoot landscapes with a 35mm DSLR.

-Marc

You say it like it's a bad thing

 

[ptomsu]

There is nothing dissapointing about this camera from specs and reviews so far, except no interchangeable screens. Let's hope the fixed screen is good enough for manual focussing.

However, it is unusual for Canon to get into a more conservative role and improve on already proven.

Well, disappointment defines differently for different people - right?

Anyway enjoy your 5D3

 

[pophoto]

Most disappointing for me is that Canon did not manage to increase the MP count in a decent way - say at least 28 - 30 MP. For me this is a pretty clear sign that the marketing guys have won inside Canon, as they would have been able to build a camera similar to the D800 technology wise, but did not because they are just listening to all the customer feedback - mainly from all the Nay-sayers.

Besides that I do not see anything else really exciting from the 5D3 especially nothing which would not have been already available from Nikon. Leaders have changed obviously, who would have believed this 4 years ago?

Ah - I know now will come the answer about high ISO - well I DO NOT NEED nor intend to use ISO above 12800. I am not a professional voyeur and have otherwise simply no need for such high ISO. Back in film days I was more than happy with ISO 800 and excited about ISO 1600 - so there is no pint for me going higher than I mentioned.

Anyway have fun with the 5D3.

I totally get you. There is nothing here for people who are currently with other systems. I think every new camera should bring that to the table. I mean wouldn't that just be so much fun! With the anxiety to change systems every time a new camera is launched! Kidding aside, I don't shoot above ISO800, and if I had to, I feel like I've done something terrible