First Impression of 5D MKIII

[kathyt]

Welcome aboard the Mark III wagon. I keep my battery grip on all the time too. You will get used to the weight after some time. Have fun with your new toy. The menus are rather lengthy.

 

[o hey tyler]

Half a stop under and it's not much better than the 40D.

Sure it is. Post a shot a half stop underexposed photo on the same ISO as your MKIII. Lets say, 1600. And then push it in post software to the proper exposure. The MKIII will perform much better.

 

[kathyt]

Half a stop under and it's not much better than the 40D.

Sure it is. Post a shot a half stop underexposed photo on the same ISO as your MKIII. Lets say, 1600. And then push it in post software to the proper exposure. The MKIII will perform much better.

Mark III, iso 8,000/ SOOC
View attachment 31347

 

[dbvirago]

Half a stop under and it's not much better than the 40D.

Sure it is. Post a shot a half stop underexposed photo on the same ISO as your MKIII. Lets say, 1600. And then push it in post software to the proper exposure. The MKIII will perform much better.

Got it. Thanks. I'll try that. I've been shooting a lot while RTFM, but haven't tried any post yet.

Kathy, great shot, and yes on the menus. The Canon manual as always is a fascinating page turner.

 

[dbvirago]

Here is one of the shots, just firing at the wall in front of me along with a crop. ISO 6400 1/20th at f4. (Didn't shoot this to be sharp, was just testing noise levels) No amount of pushing exposure will bring out this noise. What am I doing or thinking wrong? Thanks

 

[o hey tyler]

Here is one of the shots, just firing at the wall in front of me along with a crop. ISO 6400 1/20th at f4. (Didn't shoot this to be sharp, was just testing noise levels) No amount of pushing exposure will bring out this noise. What am I doing or thinking wrong? Thanks

View attachment 31349
View attachment 31350

You should use noise reduction software, rather than exposure pushing if you want to reduce noise. Honestly, if that's the amount of noise you get at 6400, that's very usable.

 

[dbvirago]

Cool. So it's my expectation when pixel peeping. Good to know. Yeah I was happy with the visible noise in the image until I zoomed in. LR4 NR did pretty good. Haven't run it through Noise Ninja yet. Thanks again.

 

[rexbobcat]

Very impressed with the noise handling, but as always you really have to nail the exposure. Half a stop under and it's not much better than the 40D.

You must have a really spectacular copy of the 40D then lol.

On my 60D anything above about ISO 2000 has so much detail smearing and color noise that it's nauseating.

That ISO 6400 sample looks like ISO 1600 on my 60D. Lol

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Yeah...the grip...I think removing the accessory grip, and thus shooting with a so-called "half-height body", can pay dividends in social photography situations. The 5D series bodies, when shot without the accessory grip, look quite "consumer" to the average person, and thus a bit less-threatening. There are situations where a "big, black camera" draws unwanted attention. Removing the grip also makes the camera carry a bit better in an under-the-shoulder location on a strap...it's just...well, smaller, and lighter!!! Congratulations of the new camera!!!! The 5D-III is a pretty sweet machine.

Pretty much.

 

[dbvirago]

Very impressed with the noise handling, but as always you really have to nail the exposure. Half a stop under and it's not much better than the 40D.

You must have a really spectacular copy of the 40D then lol.

On my 60D anything above about ISO 2000 has so much detail smearing and color noise that it's nauseating.

That ISO 6400 sample looks like ISO 1600 on my 60D. Lol

that was a bit of an exaggeration, but the image I posted wasn't the underexposed one I was talking about.

 

[dbvirago]

On the other end of the ISO scale, does anyone shoot at ISO50? If so, is there a noticeable difference, or would it just be if you needed to slow the shutter down?

I shot 50 back in my transparency days, but haven't had anything capable of better than 100 until now.

Thanks again, everyone

 

[j-digg]

I think ISO 50 might be a "fake" setting, someone here is bound to put it in better terms than that.. but I think it's ISO 100 which is then pulled back a stop with software - so it will clip the highlights as if it were still on ISO 100.. this is just what I read on the webz. Still probably useful in some situations of course.

I just got mine refurbished from Canon and the thing looks to be in brand new condition , I haven't checked the shutter count yet though.. there is just one thing striking me as odd - the little circle that appears for when you're spot metering is permanently in the center, whether or not I am in fact in spot metering mode.. is this how yours is? Is this how it's supposed to be? Is there a setting to change this?

 

[dbvirago]

You mean the one that looks like the focusing screen of a film camera, or the red that lights up when you press the shutter? I'm just starting to work with the AF functionality, so I'm not sure. Congrats on the refurb.

 

[j-digg]

I don't have first hand knowledge of what a focusing screen of a film camera looks like haha - This is just a circle in the center of the viewfinder, 4 pairs of dashes, constantly there. It does light up red when focus is achieved. Not too bothersome, just wondering why it's there hah.

 

[dbvirago]

It will change depending on which AF Area selection mode you have and how many selectable AF points are configured. Sounds like yours might be in full auto. But yeah, something is always there. It takes some getting used to, but I like the AF selection point process much better than the 40D.