5 Big Reasons I'm still waiting for the Canon 5D Mark III

(For those who'd rather not click over to the OP's blog, here's what he has to say…)


However, while the FS100 offers a load of great features, I’m waiting for the Canon 5D Mark iii. Heres why:

1. I’ve dropped cash on a rig.
Over the past year and a half, most of my “production fund” has been geared toward making my 5D Mark ii a comfortable camera to shoot with. It took some time and it’s still no perfect. Rails, matte box, ND, counterweights, monitors, lenses, audio recorders just to name a few. At NAB one of the selling points that a Sony rep was pitching me was the idea that the FS100 is ready to go out of box, whereas you’d have to “spend a lot of money to get your DSLR ready for video”. He’s right, but I’ve already spent that money!

2. Image Quality
Though we currently know little about the 5D Mark iii’s feature set, the worst case scenario is that it’s as good as the 5D Mark ii video with better low light performance. But let’s be realistic here, Canon released the 5Dmkii in 2009. With a single Digic IV processor, the camera absolutely rocks. Shortly thereafter they released the 7D with DUAL Digic IV processors, enabling 720 60p. Then they stuck that same single Digic IV in the 5D into their Powershot line, some of which are less than $300. It’s now 2011. The RED Epic is the size of a Hasselblad recording 5K at 120 fps. Sony released the F3 (and soon the FS100) that shoot very clean at 30dB (ISO 6400). And all the while, Canon watches and waits.

I’m really hoping for a clean video signal from the new 5D. I was amazed at the response with my call to action post a few weeks ago. The biggest common feature request was clean video, and I couldn’t agree more! Venturing into the vastly hypothetical for a moment… imagine the 5D mark iii DOES have clean video 1080/24 out…. and you pair that with a $2000 Kipro mini (which also has pro audio in) recording Prores…. Did we just create an Alexa for around $5000? Quite possibly!! Obviously missing some features from the Alexa, but you get the idea.

3. Form Factor
A sometimes forgotten benefit of the DSLR is that they are small enough to sneak in almost anywhere and they provide you amazing stills AND amazing video… how can you beat that? Having traveled with larger production kits in the past, let me reitterate… I LOVE travelling with my DSLR over any other system. Period. In a world where small counts, the DSLR wins big points here.

4. Easier editing in the future
In a month or so, Apple will release Final Cut X to the world. At the world premier, Apple mentioned the ability for FCP to analyze AND sync your audio on import based on waveform. (I hope Apple is somehow helping the guys at Singular Software) Suddenly XLR inputs on the camera aren’t quite as important. Sure, it would be great to have an I/O module to hook up to the 5D. But I’ve gotten fairly used to recording second system.

5. Price
Need I say more? I guess I can’t really speak to price since the 5D mk3 has no price yet, but I can’t imagine Canon is going to hike the price multiple thousands for a camera with the same name in the same line. The original 5D was around $3000, the much more powerful, better 5D Mark ii was originally $2699 . Seems to me the price will be in the same avenue. Assuming a $3000 body-only price tag, I could pickup a few batteries AND a nice L series lens for the price of the FS100 and still have my rig that makes the DSLR a working professional setup. Or, ditch the lens and batteries and buy the AJA Kipro (if we get clean video out) and start recording prores from the camera.

Sorry Sony, but the Canon 5D Mark iii is still worth waiting for. Dear Canon, please continue to be revolutionary. We will buy your lenses.
 
jamesdrakefilms said:
BUT, I still believe Canon will blow us away.
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How long are you prepared to wait ?

Video seems to largely be an after-thought with Canon DSLR cameras, and I have big doubts about Canon coming through with a DSLR body that shoots proper video.

Hopefully the 5D MK3 will have much less aliasing and moire than the current Canon DSLRs do, and will have a better implemented CODEC.

I can't imagine the 5D MK3 shooting better video than dedicated video cameras like the AF100 or FS100, but if it comes close that might be good enough.

The 5D MK3 is not going to blow away anything in the video world, but it might be a different story with still photography.
 
I bet the improvements will be in the photo aspect. The rumor mill states 30+ MP. That isnt going to benefit the video portion of the camera. it just means more pixels down scale.... with smaller photo sites.
 
TimurCivan said:
I bet the improvements will be in the photo aspect. The rumor mill states 30+ MP. That isnt going to benefit the video portion of the camera. it just means more pixels down scale.... with smaller photo sites.
Click to expand...

Actually...the latest rumor is that Canon was going for a modest increase in MP count. Lately they seem to be embracing the less is more approach - with several popular cameras/video cameras actually stepping down in MPs. I hope that's the direction they go with the new 5D and don't boost it drastically - they shouldn't have to. Most of their dedicated photographer base would rather see more DR and high iso performance than massive pixel increases.
 
I wish they would take the pixel count of the 5DmkI and make it with modern technology. Imagine that. 12.3MP, with big giant light gulping pixels.... oh i miss my MKI....
 
I have to disagree with it being upgraded for mostly stills. They know the potential this cam has for turning a profit in the film community. They know the others are making large sensor video cams. With that said, they would have to be completely stupid not to focus more on the video this time around. I think they will upgrade both aspects to where they become the leader again. Canon sits back and watches before doing much, Once they line their ducks, they come out for the kill.
 
People are going to buy the 5DmkIII no matterwhat anyway. why? because its (about)$2500.

They can do whatever they want, including not change it and they will sell a bajillion of them.
 
maranfilms said:
I have to disagree with it being upgraded for mostly stills. They know the potential this cam has for turning a profit in the film community.
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Except they sell far more cameras to still photographers than they do to video people.

You aren't going to get xlrs on your 5dmkiii

You aren't going to get and sdi tap on your 5dmkiii

And there's no way for them to integrate an OLPF to reduce moire when you have a mirror in the camera.

It's a still camera that has an added video feature.

If they somehow optimize the pixel binning of find another way to reduce the moire and aliasing then they will have accomplished something.

But they won't add any video features that compromise their PRIMARY market, which is still photogs.
 
I wouldn't expect huge improvements either, just an incremental update; still, if they focus those improvements on their biggest shortfalls, it will be fine: I'll be happy if the 5D3 is just the 5D2 with everything they have already added in their cheaper models, plus aliasing/moire reduced to GH2 levels, and clean ISO 6400

I believe that's a pretty reasonable target too, and if they keep it hackable, and sell it for $3K body only, they've got a winner

(the thing that could be in or out is the swivel screen, as it may compromise the weather sealing of the body, and some photogs just don't like it; so they could go for a regular screen as a concession to photogs, and give us proper HDMI out in exchange; or they could go for the swivel screen anyway and push snooty "this is not a pro feature" photogs to 1D bodies, which wouldn't be crazy either)
 
mcgeedigital said:
Except they sell far more cameras to still photographers than they do to video people.

You aren't going to get xlrs on your 5dmkiii

You aren't going to get and sdi tap on your 5dmkiii

And there's no way for them to integrate an OLPF to reduce moire when you have a mirror in the camera.

It's a still camera that has an added video feature.

If they somehow optimize the pixel binning of find another way to reduce the moire and aliasing then they will have accomplished something.

But they won't add any video features that compromise their PRIMARY market, which is still photogs.
Click to expand...

This right here.
 
Well I guess I'm just an old stick in the mud, but I have never understood the attitude of "I'm waiting on camera X to come out", unless you are a hobbyist.
There are still people waiting for the Scarlet before they shoot. Seriously? Iv'e purchased 4 cameras since the announcement of Scarlet.
And whats up with all this ISO 6400 stuff? Again I guess if you are a hobbyist posting Youtube videos great, but I have yet to meet a professional who was ready to throw out their light kit and shoot at 6400 ISO.
Hey, nothing wrong with owning a 5DmkIII, or whatever the replacement will be. But if professional video is your thing, it makes more sense to get an "A" camera that already has professional features like waveform/vector, proper monitoring, balanced xlr audio, ND filter wheel and such, which will make a bigger impact on a professional production than 6400 ISO and ultra shallow DOF. Plus by the time you dress out your 5DmkIII with all the frankenstein crap, you are at the price of a pretty good real video camera that already has the professional features you need.

Just the thoughts of an old guy who started out working on TV shows shot with a Mitchell/Super Baltars and scenes lit to f5.6

All the Best!

Dave
 
I understand when the OP says "I'm still waiting" he means he's not shelling out for an F3 or an FS100, and instead keeps shooting with his current DSLR and saving for a 5Dmk3

it sounds reasonable to me

on the ISO 6400 matter: sure, if you're shooting a $50M movie, you can get your crew to just light the whole neibourhood if you need that; me, I can't; ISO 6400 would help me shoot stuff that I'd just have to cut out of my scripts right now
(plus, ask any wedding videographer if he thinks clean ISO 6400 would be a nice feature; that's why I think it's coming)

edit: I aggree that the ND wheel would be even more useful than higher ISO, but it's very unlikely that we'll get that on a DSLR body, the mirror just doesn't leave enough room for that

in any case, it's clear different people have different needs; check out this recent Stu Maschwitz tweet:
"Most common iOS app feature req: I love the simplicity and ease-of use. Now pls. add all and only the complexity that I specifically desire."
 
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No way DSLR manufacturers are going to prioritize video features into their cameras, just a simple fact they want to sell still cameras to photographers and pro-sumer video cameras to videographers. No company would intend to kill one divsion through sales of another. The HDSLR revolution was a fluke that not even Canon was expecting, nor planned... bear that in mind.

And now that video cameras like the AF100, F3, & NS100 have paved the way of large sensor video camera formats, we can only expect other manufacturers to follow suit and over time see the prices come down, or prices will stay the same but features will improve. (ie. 444, lens mount options, auto focus/iris, etc.. )

As for the article, I can make a list of all the benefits of DSLR the same as I can make a list of the benefits of not using one... it is a moot point. In the end, you choose to shoot with what you can afford whether you believe, know, or realize that yourself. If someone gave you a free EPIC or F3 you would most certainly start shooting with it. :D People buy what they can afford then go online in their blogs or forums justifying to the world why it is better.... just stop waiting, go out learn and shoot!
 
We can't say it's going all the same tempo as before Fukushima.
Here in Rotterdam they holding the ship's from Japan back with radioactivity problems.
I don't know what happened in the future but we know all of the big business companies are struggling for survival
And between all this problems we wish a new model 5d mk3 I hope they can find the motivation and maybe that the only solution coming back with the best model ever.......
 
There are plenty of what I would consider decent cine zooms available at the professional level.
Some of the lower cost lenses include the Red 17-50, a nice used Cooke 18-100, or even the earlier Red 18-50 which can be had for under $4K.
 
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