kevindurose
Well-known member
I have been considering getting a 1D MK III, does it focus on fast moving flying birds anything like the Mk II does - hand on hearts?
kev
kev
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Is the MK III any good? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter kevindurose
- Start date
Hand on heart - I think it is a great camera. I've had mine for about a month, and have taken numerous flight shots. I didn't have the MK II, but I will tell you I haven't had any problems. The last few shots in my gallery are from an MK III, any problems are strictly user and not camera. I love mine.
GYRob
Well-known member
AS you know the mk2 is very quick at AF i had one too, the mk3 is just as quick and may be a tad quicker - in the real world is hard to tell. there just so fast
The mk3 can get birds in flight just as good as the mk2 can, but it also gives a little more mp's and better cleaner files so you gain there to.
I would not go back to a mk2 thats for sure i do now and then get unexsplaind missed shots but to be honest i got that with every camera iv used even though i know the SS was fast enough and the focus was spot on -it just happend's .
Some are still not happy with the mk3 and 1 or 2 are very unhappy ( good photographers i might add )
if you get one test it right away so in the event its not so good it can be replased with a new one Dont go down the repair route .
Rob.
The mk3 can get birds in flight just as good as the mk2 can, but it also gives a little more mp's and better cleaner files so you gain there to.
I would not go back to a mk2 thats for sure i do now and then get unexsplaind missed shots but to be honest i got that with every camera iv used even though i know the SS was fast enough and the focus was spot on -it just happend's .
Some are still not happy with the mk3 and 1 or 2 are very unhappy ( good photographers i might add )
if you get one test it right away so in the event its not so good it can be replased with a new one Dont go down the repair route .
Rob.
Keith Reeder
Watch the birdie...
I don't have one Kevin, but - hand on heart - if I had a couple of grand to spare, I would have one, no question.
I have one, and haven't regretted it for a single day, out performs my 20D on soooo many levels.
A Gannet taken at Bempton, think shutter speed is about 1/125th, 1d Mk3 with 600 F4L IS on tripod.
http://www.cookster.co.uk/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/Gannet3.jpg
A Gannet taken at Bempton, think shutter speed is about 1/125th, 1d Mk3 with 600 F4L IS on tripod.
http://www.cookster.co.uk/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/Gannet3.jpg
gymell
Well-known member
I never had a Mk II, but the Mark III is very good. Here's an example: http://www.pbase.com/gymell/image/88971663 . This is an eagle in flight. It's taken in Alaska in mid-November, cloudy temperate rain forest in a valley, at about 3:30 in the afternoon. Talk about a low light situation. And yet the Mark III was quite capable of capturing a sharp image. I think this image is a great example of that.
shoshone
Well-known member
Snap, here is one from Bempton Cliffs a week or so before your visit.
Mine is a tad faster than yours however I like your photo.
Canon 40D with a 100-400 lens.
I dream of having a 1D MK III :-(
regards
Jamie
Attachments
Malcolm Stewart
Well-known member
The short answer is YES.
In comparison to a MkII I have no idea because I've never used one. I got here after using a 5D and a 30D, and a few days after getting my MkIII, I took it and my EF 300 f2.8L IS to Gigrin Farm and came back with lots of sharp shots of kites soaring and swooping down for food. Hadn't attempted this before.
After that I discovered it's far more sensitive to AF calibration errors than my 5D, and I've spent some time using the AF MicroAdjust facility. I don't understand why this is, but as far as I'm concerned it happens, and I can adjust it out. I was surprised at what a variation I found amongst my lens collection acquired over a decade.
I've now discovered other useful features such as being able to record and name WB settings, and to be able to Save and Load customisation files which record most of the body's settings. Most recent discovery is how low noise the files are at an ISO of 1600.
Very satisfied.
PeterUK300
Only Me
Well I have never regretted getting one 
My 30D is a paperweight now :lol:
My 30D is a paperweight now :lol:
kevindurose
Well-known member
Thanks guys, you all seem pretty convinced. Its always nice to see some shots to back it up though. Although great shots, I dont see any fast moving birds here just slow moving eagles, gannets etc..nothing my 40D wouldn't handle, anyone got any links to swallows, swifts, small passerines flying etc??? Its a lot of money, I would really like to sure I was gonna make significant gain for all that investment.
Kev
Kev
Malcolm Stewart
Well-known member
You raise a good point. The problem is that I find tracking small birds very difficult, and any results would be more a test of my poor skills than that of the lens/body combination.
This does seem to be an area where some standardisation in testing procedure would be welcome. In the past I've used shots of vehicles driving south on the M1, and this had the advantage that vehicles were approaching in a vaguely linear pattern. I did find that tracking was near perfect against the fronts of cars, vans and lorries - the dirtier the better. It was poor against the fronts of modern coaches with their huge picture windscreens and smooth fronts - very little contrasty stuff to bite on.
When I returned to the spot I'd used previously to check out my 1D MkIII, I found that foliage had grown and the view much less useful for a repeat of the earlier conditions. I have tried it against speeding motor bikes, and providing I acquired the bike before snapping, the results were good. OTOH, if I didn't acquire first, it didn't acquire, period - and that's probably because I'd got the wrong set of CFs set.
The 1D MkIII has so many CFs connected with its advanced AF that, in my opinion, any test which doesn't publish a full set of the CFs can not be trusted. (These settings can be saved as a file [~450kB], so testers could replicate others CF regimes.)
This does seem to be an area where some standardisation in testing procedure would be welcome. In the past I've used shots of vehicles driving south on the M1, and this had the advantage that vehicles were approaching in a vaguely linear pattern. I did find that tracking was near perfect against the fronts of cars, vans and lorries - the dirtier the better. It was poor against the fronts of modern coaches with their huge picture windscreens and smooth fronts - very little contrasty stuff to bite on.
When I returned to the spot I'd used previously to check out my 1D MkIII, I found that foliage had grown and the view much less useful for a repeat of the earlier conditions. I have tried it against speeding motor bikes, and providing I acquired the bike before snapping, the results were good. OTOH, if I didn't acquire first, it didn't acquire, period - and that's probably because I'd got the wrong set of CFs set.
The 1D MkIII has so many CFs connected with its advanced AF that, in my opinion, any test which doesn't publish a full set of the CFs can not be trusted. (These settings can be saved as a file [~450kB], so testers could replicate others CF regimes.)
Seems that all is not so rosy after all. This from Greg Downing, Publisher of naturescapes.net
http://naturescapes.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=133837
http://naturescapes.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=133837
graham catley
Well-known member
Thats a pretty damning report overall ---- it seems unbelievable that Canon know this problem exists and are still turning out new models and asking £2500 for them with a built in fault; or are they about to launch a 1DIII N instead of fixing the IdIII?
Helios
Well-known member
There was a similar story about the D300. Someone had five or six failures; something to do with the autofocus I believe. However, I'm very happy with mine.
Seems that most people are very happy with this camera, but a minority have had issues. The moral I guess is to buy from somewhere were you can return the camera for cash if you're not happy, say within 2 weeks, and to give it a good run-out within that time. Sound advise I think for any camera though.
Seems that most people are very happy with this camera, but a minority have had issues. The moral I guess is to buy from somewhere were you can return the camera for cash if you're not happy, say within 2 weeks, and to give it a good run-out within that time. Sound advise I think for any camera though.
arco13
Well-known member
Hi kevindurose, I have had my Mark III for almost a year now. I have to say, its an amazing camera on many levels. When it comes down to the image quality though, I still prefer my 5D and I have to say, it kind of pisses me off. I mean, this is not a cheap camera and I am not a money maker. It has really great features that are tailor made for bird and wildlife photography so I'm sure you will love it for that reason alone. 10 fps is unbelievable and it catches shots you never would have gotten with something less. Still, the image quality is not what it should be for a 5000.00 US dollar camera. It's not worth that price. I wish I could take back the purchase. I would have waited and gone for the EOS-1Ds Mark III a camera that is more expensive but will be more value over time.
I'm not happy about the metering also. It seems to be 2 stops under the norm (evaluative metering) making me constantly push the camera. I kind of see this camera as a sports car. One that is incredible in many ways but not really worth the price and the overall value. If you have some extra cash, look at the EOS-1Ds Mark III. I have no experience with this camera but the 21 mp says a lot. My full frame sensor on my 5d kicks the MARK III's butt, even with the so called "softer edges". Anyway, good luck on your decision.
I'm not happy about the metering also. It seems to be 2 stops under the norm (evaluative metering) making me constantly push the camera. I kind of see this camera as a sports car. One that is incredible in many ways but not really worth the price and the overall value. If you have some extra cash, look at the EOS-1Ds Mark III. I have no experience with this camera but the 21 mp says a lot. My full frame sensor on my 5d kicks the MARK III's butt, even with the so called "softer edges". Anyway, good luck on your decision.
