[Review] EOS 5D Mark III Gets a Third Degree (by DPreview)

DPreview eventually published its 30 pages review (conclusion here) of the [shoplink 2431]EOS 5D Mark III[/shoplink]. I won’t anticipate too much here, just point out that the 5D3 has a “very sophisticated AF system with lots of fine-tuning potential and you’ve […] a super-flexible photographic tool that will get the job done on a wide range of assignments“, and that:

It quickly becomes obvious that the Mark III is a totally new camera with significant improvements over its predecessor. The new model takes many user interface elements of Canon’s flagship APS-C DSLR the EOS 7D and combines them with a 22MP full-frame CMOS sensor that is capable of capturing high quality output up to very high sensitivities.

Nevertheless, at DPreview they didn’t like everything the 5D3 has to offer:

We’re disappointed by how the 5D Mark III renders detail in JPEG files, and low-contrast details […] look rather mushy […]. At higher ISOs, noise reduction is more aggressive […] than we would like, resulting in comparatively clean but disappointingly soft images […]. The 5D Mark III’s sensor is capable of excellent results but if you want to get maximum detail you’ll have to shoot and convert raw files.

Well, if you want to get maximum detail you have to shot RAW with any camera. The review has a page dedicated to the video features of the [shoplink 2431]EOS 5D Mark III[/shoplink] (made by the people of EOSHD, see video above, click here to read their opinion on the 5D3 video features). For those who are in a hurry: click here for the high ISO review, here for the HDR mode, IQ high ISO comparison here, RAW IQ comparison here. Finally, the [shoplink 2431]EOS 5D Mark III[/shoplink] got 82 points out of 100, same as the [shoplink 4853]Nikon D800[/shoplink].


World-wide EOS 5D Mark III availability and order (or pre-order, outside the US) options:

[shoplist 2431]

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM & EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Available for Pre-Order (Update)

Canon 500mm f/4L EF IS II USM Lens

Update: Adorama also has both lenses ready for pre-order.

Announced in February, the EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM ($10,499 click here) and the EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM ($12,999 click here) are finally ready for pre-order at B&H. See the press release, and here for more detailed specs.

In short:

  • EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM:

    • Redesigned Fluorite Optics
    • Less Chromatic Aberration
    • Magnesium/Titanium for Lighter Weight
    • 3 IS Modes for 4-Stop Advantage
    • Smooth Focus Change for Video
    • Redesigned, Intuitive Buttons/Switches
  • EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM:
    • Fluorite Optics for Sharper Images
    • Less Chromatic Aberration
    • Magnesium/Titanium for Lighter Weight
    • 3 IS Modes for 4-Stop Advantage
    • Smooth Focus Change for Video
EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Telephoto Lens

[Rumor] EOS 7D Mark II Specifications Moving Upmarket (?)

As I said in my previous post: May is the Canon Rumor Month so far. :-) I already reported that the next iteration of the 7D will probably be announced in September at Photokina 2012. And there were also some basic specifications for the EOS 7D Mark II: Dual Digic 5 CPU, 100% viewfinder and the outstanding auto-focus system of the [shoplink 2431]EOS 5D Mark III[/shoplink]. Now there are some new rumor tidbits about the EOS 7D Mark II:

[…] the 7D replacement is going to move upmarket in specifications. In particular, the build quality, sealing, AF and frame rates are going to be pushed much more to ‘pro’ levels. Test bodies are apparently being wildly tested in sports and wildlife areas. However, specs are still not set, suggesting a camera that’s still some time off. The downside would be that it would come in at a slightly higher price point than the 7D, making room for greater 650D/70D differentiation.

Well, this is really just a rumor, but to me it would make sense for Canon to push the 7D Mark II more to pro levels. The [shoplink 337]EOS 7D[/shoplink] is already a rocking camera, and lots of pro photographers appreciate the advanced features and a price tag that’s lower than Canon full-frame cameras. It has an APS-C sensor, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Lots of sport photographers appreciate the 1.6 crop factor, since the zoom range of their lenses is improved. To push the next high level Canon APS-C camera to a pro level, with more advanced features, could be a good move by Canon. What do you think about a 7D Mark II with the weather sealing and the AF of the shoplink 2431]EOS 5D Mark III[/shoplink], and maybe with an improved 18MP sensor

See the latest EOS 7D pictures uploaded to Flickr clicking here. And when a new iteration of a camera model is around the corner, it is always a good idea to check if there are deals for the “old” model (the EOS 7D in this case). That’s why I provide the continuously updated live-ticker below. Only sellers that have a top rating and satisfy other quality issues are listed.


[via NI]

 

[shariff]

[Deal] Huge Deals on SanDisk Memory Cards (One Day Special – exp 5/24)

Yes, the deal expires today 5/24 at midnight EST! So, if you’re out for some smart memory card deal, then hurry up to catch one of this bargains:

  • SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash Card (100 MB/s) 128 GB for $608.95 (click here) – saving: $271
  • SanDisk 64GB Extreme Pro CompactFlash Card for $328.95 (click here) – saving: $126
  • SanDisk 64GB CompactFlash Memory Card Extreme 400x UDMA for $165.95 (click here) – saving: $142.00
  • SanDisk 64GB SDXC Memory Card Extreme Pro Class 10 UHS-I for $145.95 (click here) – saving: $67
  • SanDisk 128GB SDXC Memory Card Extreme Class 10 for $139.95 (click here) – saving: $94
  • SanDisk 32GB Extreme Pro CompactFlash Card for $138.95 (click here) – saving: $101
  • SanDisk 32GB CompactFlash Memory Card Extreme 400x UDMA for $84.95 (click here) – saving: $69
  • SanDisk 32 GB SDHC Memory Card Extreme Pro Class 10 UHS-I for $76.95 (click here) – saving: $27.55
  • SanDisk 16GB Extreme Pro CompactFlash Card for $73.95 (click here) – saving: $56
  • SanDisk 16GB CompactFlash Memory Card Extreme 400x UDMA for $52.95 (click here) – saving: $32
  • SanDisk 16 GB SDHC Memory Card Extreme Pro Class 10 UHS-I for $43.95 (click here) – saving: $12.16
  • SanDisk 32GB SDHC Memory Card Extreme Class 10 for $37.95 (click here) – saving: $21.55
  • SanDisk 16GB SDHC Memory Card Extreme Class 10 for $19.45 (click here) – saving: $9.05

 

[Rumor] EOS 1D-X shipping to selected customers

Lot of Canon related rumors this month. Latest murmurs are telling that the [shoplink 4119]EOS-1D X[/shoplink] finally started shipping, but just to a selected few:

I’ve received good info that production samples of the Canon EOS-1D X have begun shipping to preselected lucky photographers. I’m told it’s for Euro 2012 and Olympic photographers, so they can get familiar with the camera.

The [shoplink 4119]EOS-1D X[/shoplink] is scheduled to ship in June 2012, for the rest of us.

[via CR]

[Patent] Canon’s New EF 600mm f/4 and EF 400mm f/2.8 Lenses

600mm f/4
400mm f/2.8

Japanese site egami (Google translated) spotted two new Canon patents. The patents refer to the EF 600mm f/4 and the EF 400mm f/2.8 lenses. The lenses will have reduced size and weight. The 600mm will have 15 elements in 9 groups, the 400mm 14 elements in 9 groups (more specs below). Performance charts:

Performance Chart 600mm f/4
Performance Chart 400mm f/2.8

More specifications (machine-translated)…:

  • Patent Publication No. 2012-88427
    • 2012.5.10 Release Date
    • 2010.10.18 filing date
  • Example 1
    • Focal length f = 585.00mm
    • Fno 4.12
    • Image height 21.64mm
    • Length 468.50mm lens
    • BF 90.78mm
    • 15 sheets of 9 group lens configuration
    • One aspherical surface a
    • 2 UD glass sheet
    • One fluorite
    • A plane diffraction
  • Example 2
    • Focal length f = 391.86mm
    • Fno 2.88
    • Image height 21.64mm
    • Length 367.51mm lens
    • BF 50.01mm
    • Lens Construction 14 elements in 9 groups sheet
    • 2 2 aspherical surface
    • 1 UD glass sheet
    • One fluorite
    • A plane diffraction
  • Group 3 consists of positive and negative positive
  • Inner Focus (group 2)
  • Strengthen the refractive power of the front lens group, and to shorten the overall length, the sensitivity is increased, it is difficult to manufacture and assembly
  • The number of lens group at the end of the super-telephoto lens is determined by the balance of the total length and chromatic aberration
    • And shorten the length and reconcile, the correction of chromatic aberration, the number will increase
      • It is important to the length of each degree
    • Weight of the first lens group, 70% to 9 on the whole
      • Canon patents is reduced to three the first group
      • Aspherical and one eye in group 1 group, field curvature correction, the distortion
      • Diffractive optical element and the second two groups in the first group, the chromatic aberration correction
[egami via CR]