5DS vs 5D Mk III vs 5D mk IV

SnappingShark · Sep 11, 2016

So I've a bit of a conundrum coming up - I've been asked to shoot a wedding (my first one), and I know I can and will do it - although as I currently only have a 5DS, the low light capabilities are prettttty poor due to the megapixels - I haven't read or seen anywhere yet the low light performance of the IV but I know the III can do exceptionally well in lower light!

The wedding is in a year, so I have time, but do you think it's better to grab a III or wait until real world scenarios of the IV pop up?

Given there's a price difference between a used III and a new IV, that's my only concern.

But yeah, last night I was out shooting in the night with my 5DS and the images were grainy as hell on 1600 ISO

Usable, but not great - and I would want to provide the bride/groom exceptional images come their magical day!

Thoughts and opinions welcome.

(most of the time my 5DS is amazing, but at night, it SUCKS)

EDITED TO ADD: Side note - do the LP-6EN batteries work in the 5D mk III? or just the LP-EN?

chuasam · Sep 11, 2016

I've used the 5Ds. Totally unimpressed with the high ISO. Fortunately, regular folks are none the wiser. Just use it. It's your first wedding, expect to make mistakes and they're probably getting it for free.

SnappingShark · Sep 11, 2016

True-dat - I also wanted a second body - so I'd use the 5DS during the day but the second in the evening - that was the plan anyhow

goodguy · Sep 11, 2016

I use 2 cameras for weddings and one is Nikon D3300
I doubt the FF 5Ds has worst low light performance then my crop sensor camera.
I have NO problem getting wonderful pictures with my little baby.
True my D750 is better but the truth is that all shots even the one outside I use flash so ISO is almost always not too high.
I really see no problem in using the 5Ds but what I would have a problem with is the file sizes.
I shoot up to 3000 pictures in a full wedding day and having these in huge files would slow my processing time a lot.

bratkinson · Sep 12, 2016

Although I don't do weddings, I've found the 5Diii works exceptionally well indoors with no flash. I bought the camera about 3 years ago for its high ISO capabilities and super accurate AF system. I shoot RAW+JPG and was astounded to find that SOOC JPGs at ISO 25,600 are almost noise free, which is better than I can do from the RAW with LR and PSE with noise reduction add-in (I'm a hack, I know). Putting the RAW and JPGs on separate cards in the camera gives me instant backup in case of a memory card failure, too.

Hand held, 5Diii, EF 24-105 f4L wide open at 47mm, 160th, ISO 25,600.Photo "33786" in the album "High ISO shots 5000-25600" by bratkinson

beagle100 · Sep 13, 2016

SnappingShark said:
So I've a bit of a conundrum coming up - I've been asked to shoot a wedding (my first one), and I know I can and will do it - although as I currently only have a 5DS, the low light capabilities are prettttty poor due to the megapixels - I haven't read or seen anywhere yet the low light performance of the IV but I know the III can do exceptionally well in lower light!

The wedding is in a year, so I have time, but do you think it's better to grab a III or wait until real world scenarios of the IV pop up?

Given there's a price difference between a used III and a new IV, that's my only concern.

But yeah, last night I was out shooting in the night with my 5DS and the images were grainy as hell on 1600 ISO Usable, but not great - and I would want to provide the bride/groom exceptional images come their magical day!

Thoughts and opinions welcome.

(most of the time my 5DS is amazing, but at night, it SUCKS)

EDITED TO ADD: Side note - do the LP-6EN batteries work in the 5D mk III? or just the LP-EN?

don't know about batteries but a refurbished 6D can also do well (or better) in low light

gossamer88 · Sep 14, 2016

Why are you not considering using a speedlight?

SnappingShark · Sep 14, 2016

Because I'm not talking about lighting here - I was just asking about the low light performance

I do have speedlights and such - and will be using them - but I am also asking because I want and need a second body.

Scatterbrained · Sep 14, 2016

Well, in case you didn't see it today, DXO has ranked the sensor in the 5DmIV to be the best sensor Canon has ever produced. Surpassing the 1Dx mII.

chuasam · Sep 15, 2016

Scatterbrained said:
Well, in case you didn't see it today, DXO has ranked the sensor in the 5DmIV to be the best sensor Canon has ever produced. Surpassing the 1Dx mII.

And ranking below a D810 and A7Rii

Scatterbrained · Sep 15, 2016

chuasam said:
Scatterbrained said:

Well, in case you didn't see it today, DXO has ranked the sensor in the 5DmIV to be the best sensor Canon has ever produced. Surpassing the 1Dx mII.

Click to expand...

And ranking below a D810 and A7Rii

Not by much though, and most of the real world difference comes at low iso. Having both a 1Dx and A7RII I'm familiar with the low and high iso performance of those cameras. At high iso the 1Dx holds it's own against the Sony. Meanwhile the 5DIV is supposed to be better than the 1Dx. Looking at the scores I'd say that the differences are going to still be there, but much more subtle. The biggest issue that Canon had previously was the pattern banding. That was eliminated with the previous generation of cameras.

goodguy · Sep 18, 2016

Scatterbrained said:
Well, in case you didn't see it today, DXO has ranked the sensor in the 5DmIV to be the best sensor Canon has ever produced. Surpassing the 1Dx mII.

Oh, yes if I was a Canon user the 5D IV would be my camera if I could afford it!!!!!!!
People got cought up so much about its "less then impressive" 4K video that they forgot to see what a really impressive camera this really is!

chuasam · Sep 18, 2016

goodguy said:
Scatterbrained said:

Well, in case you didn't see it today, DXO has ranked the sensor in the 5DmIV to be the best sensor Canon has ever produced. Surpassing the 1Dx mII.

Click to expand...

Oh, yes if I was a Canon user the 5D IV would be my camera if I could afford it!!!!!!!
People got cought up so much about its "less then impressive" 4K video that they forgot to see what a really impressive camera this really is!

I honestly have more important criteria like how many other good friends I have use *insert brand* gear and are willing to pool resources.

beagle100 · Sep 19, 2016

chuasam said:
goodguy said:

Scatterbrained said:

Well, in case you didn't see it today, DXO has ranked the sensor in the 5DmIV to be the best sensor Canon has ever produced. Surpassing the 1Dx mII.

Click to expand...

Oh, yes if I was a Canon user the 5D IV would be my camera if I could afford it!!!!!!!
People got cought up so much about its "less then impressive" 4K video that they forgot to see what a really impressive camera this really is!

Click to expand...

I honestly have more important criteria like how many other good friends I have use *insert brand* gear and are willing to pool resources.

but "pooling resources" can be a good thing
When I was shooting a surfing tournament a couple weeks ago someone next to me offered to let me shoot with his Canon 200-400 for a while ............. nice! - and I had never met him before