B&H start your cash registers…5D Mark III

Things we know from today’s 5D Mark III launch:

The camera is around $rrp $3499 US  body only Avail end of march, more with a lens, with the 24-105 L IS (no change in lens) US$4299.

In summary the camera is a sensible upgrade from the 5DMKII but not a 5DMKII killer. If you need a new camera – it is a great camera. If you cant afford to upgrade then dont worry, the original 5D is still very valid for almost all uses.

• 22.3 mega pixel full frame that extends the current resolution but not the current 5D chip size
• DIGIC5+ image processor
• Daul SD and CF card slots
• Full 1920 x 1080 video improved over the 5D Mark II
• New ISO workable range allowing for better low light with lower noise
• A newer back LCD screen
• Very similar form factor and look to the camera
• New HDR mode for in camera bracketing (with Auto alignment), but also export of the three images separately.

+ The rolling shutter reduced due to twice as many sensor taps.

+ 2 stops more of low light performance

 

 

Things we’d like to know: (we’ll fill in the answers as members email us or details are published)

HDMI is now full HD without menus

Is it still 4:2:0 8 bit H.264?

Unknown, but most likely yes.
But there appear to be an option, one better for edit ALL-I or higher compression IPB methods as 1Dx

But it does have 1DX smpte time code functions

Does the LCD go off if you plug in an external monitor?

Untested.

It does what frame rates and at what resolution ?

Full HD video recording is supported in multiple formats, including 1080/30p, 24p, 25p; 720/60p, 50p; 480/60p, 50p. While recording video, a 4GB automatic file partition is employed in order to gain longer continuous recording times, up to 29 minutes 59 seconds. Both All i-frame and IPB compressions are supported as well as the standard H.264/MPEG-4 AVC codec. Embedding the timecode is also possible

How exactly is the line dropping improved ?

By employing Live View, you can view your recording on the LCD and make settings changes with a dedicated menu tab on the fly. The DIGIC 5+ processor also dramatically improves video response times and helps to reduce color artifacts, aberrations, and moiré.

What is the data rate to the cards now?

All-I and IPB compression modes (5D2 was IPP compression).
All = 22mins on 16gb card
IPB = 63mins on 16gb card (compression is about 3x stronger)

SD/CF dual shooting? – follow on recording possible?

2 card slots – one CF and one SD – 3 recording modes, auto switch, record different file sizes on the 2 different cards, or you can even select 2 different kinds of RAW or 2 different sizes of jpg.  When shooting video however, it won’t automatically switch to the second card, it will stop recording when the first card is full. When doing stills, it will auto switch to the second card.

But it can now record up to continuous 29mins – rather than just the shorter 10-12mins of a MkII. (Assuming you stay on the one Card).

Codecs can it record some log format now?

There is rumors of improvements in recording types. We can’t confirm this yet.

Audio monitoring?

Yes there is now a headphone jack – near the HDMI socket

Audio level adjustment?

Video performance is further enhanced with the ability to manually adjust your exposure settings and audio levels while recording. And  there is a new quieter dial adjusts audio on the fly without creating camera noise.

8 thoughts on “B&H start your cash registers…5D Mark III”

    1. Actually, this is a quote from Vincent Laforet. Perhaps I am misinterpreting what he is saying:

      “BUT you’ll get 720p out during record given the new processor – which is going to be reason enough for many to upgrade to the body for production.”

      D

  1. Why on earth would you have 720 out and not full uncompressed? Simply for monitoring maybe? I say either go all or nothing. I think I’ll wait for the Magic Lantern unified on my MKII.

    D

  2. Jason Wingrove

    What this means as with the MkII, from 1080p output on standby the camera will drop resolution on record due to the extra processing required. 720p output from the MkIII is actually a VERY welcome improvement over the MkII which currently only gives you 480P when recording which makes picking focus a right pain.

    As with the 1Dx and nikons new cameras its quite possible to get 1080P out of the HDMI and they of course all record 1080 to the card but as soon as you record they drop down to now was is looking like 720p across the board.

    There is no ‘clean’ output from the MkIII’s HDMI on standby as yet meaning menus etc can’t be switched off but i have heard that a canon spokesman said this is ‘at the moment’ and couldn’t see why this couldn’t be added later

  3. Jason Wingrove

    Im going to add to that last statement and say that theres still some contention as to what resolution (if any) the output changes to in record mode. Watch this space

  4. Don’t you mean 4:2:0? I haven’t heard any mention of 4:2:2 recorded internally/natively on any DSLR.

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