Canon user - Time for a change - 5D Mk IV due anytime soon?

[Dinarius]

I've been using a 1Ds Mklll professionally for 6 years. It owes me nothing.

Ideally, I'd like to trade it in for a 5D Mklll. But, if I did and the MkIV (or whatever it's going to be called) was released soon afterwards, I'd be chewing the table! 

Any idea what the state of play is?

Thanks.

D.

[hjulenissen]

I guess this is as good as anything:
http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/rumours.html#canon_timeline

[NancyP]

What, specifically, do you want to improve for your next camera? Does the 5D3 have it? Does the 1DX have it? For that matter, does the 6D have it? Can you wait 1 year? Two years?

So far as I can tell, the likely timeline is:
2014: 7D2, cinema specific, mass market SLRs, announcement at Photokina, availability unknown
2015: high MP SLR (40++ MP, to get the boasting rights back from Nikon)

Of course, I am likely to be wrong.

[robdickinson]

early mid 2015 for a new 5d at the soonest

[BernardLanguillier]

What, specifically, do you want to improve for your next camera? Does the 5D3 have it? Does the 1DX have it? For that matter, does the 6D have it? Can you wait 1 year? Two years?

Elaborating on this, what is the opportunity cost of waiting for you?
- Are you at risk of losing some sales to competitors working with more up to date equipment?
- Is some of your creative vision negatively impacted by your current camera?
- Do you have some unique projects in the coming months that you would like to capture "better" and for which your current equipment is limiting?

If you are looking for improved image quality, you will probably not see a significant difference with Canon's current offering compared to your 1Ds3, at least not up to ISO800-1600, the gap would be more clear at higher ISOs.

The only immediate option enabling you to keep your current lenses and see an important jump in IQ is to buy a Sony a7R and a lens adapter. That's a relative cheap move and the a7r comes with one amazing lens, the 55mm f1.8.

Cheers,
Bernard

[Dinarius]

Elaborating on this, what is the opportunity cost of waiting for you?
- Are you at risk of losing some sales to competitors working with more up to date equipment?

The only immediate option enabling you to keep your current lenses and see an important jump in IQ is to buy a Sony a7R and a lens adapter. That's a relative cheap move and the a7r comes with one amazing lens, the 55mm f1.8.

Cheers,
Bernard

You're probably right. I do have my multi-shot Hasselblad to fall back on when the need arises.

Tempted by the a7r at the same time. Just about anything Sony do, they do well. TVs, phones, the lot...

Thanks for the feedback.

D.

[Rhossydd]

Just about anything Sony do, they do well.

Except for after sales service.... and the design of the top plate of the RX100...and...

[stevesanacore]

In the fast evolving tech world we live in, only buy what you need when you need it. The 5Dmk3 is a much better camera than the 1Ds3 if you need it's improved features.

[stever]

I agree that 2015 is the earliest we're going to see a mkIV.  I think that if you try a 5D3 you'll buy one - at a more reasonable price than I bought mine.

[robdickinson]

Canon are awesome machines, just let down by low ISO DR and noise banding.

If they could solve that they would be perfect.

[DaveCurtis]

+1

[Paul2660]

+2

One sentence says it all.

Paul C

[Dinarius]

Thanks again for the replies.

I simply like to offer clients the best image quality I can.

That said, have any of them complained about the 1Ds? No. Is that a reason to hold off buying the 5DMklll? I'm still not sure, though the consensus here would appear to be that it is.

Way off topic, but regarding the poor DR at low ISO, has anyone tried the Magic Lantern firmware in their 5D? (ML don't make firmware for the 1Ds AFAIK.)

D.

[DaveCurtis]

Ive have both the 1DS3 and the 5D3. The 1DS3 sees little action these days.

The 5D3 has better AF, its lighter and has way better LCD, quiet shutter mode and a sensor that I haven't needed to clean yet which is amazing compared to the 1DS3.

The 1DS3 has better ergonomics and is better suited to super telephotos.

Dave

[Dinarius]

Ive have both the 1DS3 and the 5D3. The 1DS3 sees little action these days.

The 5D3 has better AF, its lighter and has way better LCD, quiet shutter mode and a sensor that I haven't needed to clean yet which is amazing compared to the 1DS3.

The 1DS3 has better ergonomics and is better suited to super telephotos.

Dave

Thanks Dave.

99% of what I shoot is tripod/mirror lock-up/self-timer. This maximizes the sharpness I get from the 1Ds Mklll. (I've checked the difference using no self-timer - just mirror lock-up - and neither of the two. It really does make a difference.)

 Things like weather sealing, longer battery life (I carry three batteries) and all round ruggedness are of no use to me. I treat my cameras like pieces of porcelain and they are permanently on a tripod. My six year old 1Ds is like new.

So, the bigger screen, extra pixels, (presumably) improved DR and better noise(?) would be of great interest to me. Basically, better image quality plus the bigger screen. Oh, and I wouldn't mind being able to try my hand at the video.

But, as I said above, it's difficult to change if the client's aren't complaining - and they're not.

Decisions, decisions! 

D.

[Paul2660]

I should have mentioned magic lantern as on the 6D it creates a whole new camera.  Dual ISO images and so much more.  It's amazing what they can pull out of the camera and all the extra features you gain. 

I loaded it on my 6D about 4 months ago and Kudos to Magic Lantern.


Paul C

[Ken Bennett]

But, as I said above, it's difficult to change if the client's aren't complaining - and they're not.

Decisions, decisions! 

A 5D Mark III is what, $3000? If it lasts you three years that's less than a hundred bucks a month -- and it sounds like you treat your gear so that it lasts forever.

In the world of professional digital photography, 3000 bucks is pretty close to pocket change.

[NancyP]

Thanks for the info re Magic Lantern and the 6D. The Sony-style focus determination might help with the ever agonizing issue of f/1.4 focus on a camera that has a generic digital SLR screen (because I use slower lenses as well, eg, the 180mm f/3.5L macro). I hadn't checked ML homepage for a while.

I am very pleased with the 6D, by the way. Now if they get around to releasing the 7D2, I will have the perfect pairing for landscape and bird photography (60D is decent, though the AF is not sophisticated).

[sdwilsonsct]

I should have mentioned magic lantern as on the 6D it creates a whole new camera.

Question: once installed, is ML always "on"? Or do you call it up somehow?

Looks interesting but I am weighing the costs and benefits of even more menus.

[mahleu]

If you do upgrade, I may be interested in your 1DSIII. I have a 1DIII but I would like a bit more cropping ability (I do a  lot of newspaper work) and the bigger sensor is nice for the wides too.

As for your choices, the 6D does most of what the 5DIII does much cheaper.